His black cape was still and almost silent, but it's sleek shine was frightening. Allowing her eyes to slowly make there way up to his face, she thought of what she could do and say to keep herself safe. She couldn't allow herself to be brought to the dungeons! If legends were true, she'd never leave alive. When she looked into his eyes, they were cold and distant. His presence silented the entire room, and all the customers stopped eating to watch the scene unfold.
"Pardon me, my lord." She tried to bypass him but he held up his sword, blocking her path, his gaze shooting past her and towards the hidden staircase.
"Over there." Bai Pei sent a soldier to search the area.
Meiwan couldn't bring herself to turn around, and watch as the staircase be found. It wasn't so much for the man she'd helped, instead all she hoped was they wouldn't suspect her invovlement. The sounds of the soldier's boots told her he was close, and he'd find it any moment. The prince watched silently.
But after a moment, the soldier returned and bowed to the him, "Your highness, nothing."
After saying the words 'your highness', gasps escaped the mouths of everyone in the room. But the prince glared at them all, making them all turn silent.
Meiwan felt her breath release and turned around, suprised he hadn't managed to find it, but he spoke again.
"Only a servants staircase."
Her heart sunk again and her gaze returned to the prince and his sword. He glanced at her and without dropping his blade, spoke to her in a low tone, she shivered at.
"Miss is so nervous." He smiled, but it was far from friendly. "Have you seen a man come up the stairs a moment ago? Middle-aged, scared perhaps?"
Unsure of how to answer, Meiwan curtsied. "Your highness, other than you and your men, I haven't seen anyone."
Bai Pei took a menacing step towards her. "How dare you! Does his highness look middle-aged to you?!" He was outraged.
"Of course not!" Meiwan fell to her knees and brought her forehead to the floor. "I only meant I had not seen anyone, regardless of their age! Please don't misunderstand me!"
At her sudden action, a few customers came to their feet abrubtly and hurriedly left the restaurant. Others were frozen in place as they realized that the judge before them was not only the fourth prince but also Death's Judge.
However, her words only made the fourth prince smile. He motioned his aide to step aside and even lowered his own sword, letting it fall to his side. He knelt before her and looked into her eyes.
"Does miss know the consequences of lying? Especially to Head of the Department of Justice?"
Meiwan held back tears as she shook her head, her brother watched silently behind the group of soldiers, she couldn't do anything that put him in harm's way. But how did this prince seem to know she'd had something do to with helping the man? Since he'd arrived on the second floor, his suspicions had been tied to her.
"How could I, a young lady, know anything about such matters?" She questioned humbly. "Your highness is mistaken. Please hurry and find this criminal!"
The fourth prince rolled back on his heals for a second before standing straight. His look was intelligent and he stared at her, his expression unreadable, and she knew this man was unpredictable. He motioned to Bai Pei and then gestured behind him, in the direction of Zhanyi. Meiwan's eyes widened as the prince's second in command nodded and made towards her younger brother. How did he know?!
"Your highness!" She pleaded.
"Right now I'm not a prince, I'm a judge." He glared.
"Yes... your honor!" She hurriedly corrected herself. "Your honor, have I offended you? Why are you accusing me of conspiring with a criminal?"
She watched as Bai Pei grabbed her brother by the shoulder and hulled him towards her. He cried out at the pain and looked to her with wet eyes. Meiwan didn't know what she could do other than admit to helping the man.
"Your brother?" The prince's brows rose.
Meiwan took a deep breath and nodded to Zhanyi, assuring him he'd be alright. "I only saw the man run down the staircase over there." She pointed.
Her words made the prince clench his jaw, irritation evident. He signalled his men to race after the criminal, leaving only two soldiers with him. One took a hold of Zhanyi and the other went to stand beside her, his sword at her neck.
"Bring them back to the prison." He ordered before turning to leave.
Meiwan's heart dropped through the floor, she and her brother were going to be sent to Death's Judge's prison?! Zhanyi stood straighter, somehow showing resolve through their situation, and suddenly she felt like the weaker one of the siblings.
"Your honor! Please let my brother go! Please!" She begged as the soldier brought her to her feet and forced her down the stairs, her brother close behind. But she was ignored.
...
It was her second time being in a dungeon, and the feeling of being in a cold and dark place was still frightening. She sat on a chair with her hands chained behind her, in a room made from evenly spaced bars, creating a large cage. Beside her was a bucket of dirty water, and by the door stood a rack of sharp objects. She could feel her heart racing.
The door opened and the fourth prince entered, his attire different from what he wore earlier, now dressed in simple black leather. His smile was gone, as well as any manners he might have shown in the restaurant. He came to stand directly in front of her and tightened his wrist gaurds.
"Where is my brother?" She asked with a shaky voice.
He sighed. "Let's talk about you, and your involvment with your master."
Meiwan's brows lowered in confusion, what was he talking about?
"Where is the stuff he gave you?" He glared.
"I don't understand. What stuff? What master?" Her voice was desperate, she wanted so badly for him to realize his mistake and let her and her brother go.
"Your master Ning has been killed, you probably saw that from your watchman's spot on the second floor. You have no one to protect or hide you now, and you'd better remember the boy who was with you. What you say will affect his, treatment, while here."
Meiwan sucked in a sharp breath, the rumors were true. Both she and her brother would die here today and never have a chance to leave. They had both been arrested, yet were innocent. How would she explain to her parents when they joined her in the underworld, years later? That she couldn't even protect her brother for a month?
"Your honor, you're mistaken. I swear! I don't know who Mr. Ning is or what he's done to be killed by you. I admit, I helped the man who'd been with him. But that was only because I didn't want to see an innocent man die again!"
Her face was red as she told him what had happened and what she thought. But it was a flush of anger and frustration, and not fear. But Wei Heping merely scoffed, disregarding her words.
"You expect me to believe your words?"
"Isn't that what you want?" Her question was incredulous. "You want me to tell you about Mr. Ning, the other man, and something that I don't even know what it is?! Your honor, you're being contradictory!" The situation seemed so much more clear, and Meiwan was suprised at her own response.
"Your honor. My name is Lu Meiwan, and you have my brother, Lu Zhanyi. We live with Minister Yan in Yan mansion, I'm sure you know who he is." She watched as Heping's eyes narrowed. "I've been in the capital less than a month, how could I be involved with a criminal who'm I've never met?!" Her anger was boiling.
The prince took a step back, his eyes showing something new. Meiwan felt a satisfaction already and considered it a victory. Why hadn't she thought of using her uncle to save her and Zhanyi? The prince surely wouldn't kill the family members of a fourth ranking official.
"Guard!' He called and a moment later a man entered the room and saluted. "See if miss... Lu's, words are true."
"Yes your honor!" The man left after another salute.
They waited in silence, eyeing each other while waiting for the guard to return with verifcation of her identity. Thirty minutes later, the man rushed back into the room and saluted the prince again.
"Your honor, Minister Yan did take in his sister's children, Lu Meiwan and Lu Zhanyi almost four weeks ago. Here are their portraits." He held up two basic paintings, both identical to the two siblings.
"Thank you, you can leave." The prince dismissed the man.
Meiwan exhaled in relief, hope had returned to her and she believed her and Zhanyi would be able to return home before the day was over. A slight smile crossed her lips.
"Your identity has been confirmed miss Lu. But that doesn't mean I'll set you free. After all, you helped a dangerous criminal escape." Heping didn't sound defeated in the least, and in fact seemed even more ready to sentance her to death.
"How could he be a dangerous man? You killed Mr. Ning right before him, and he worked in the wine business. It seems more like you're the dangerous one." She muttered the last words.
But the prince merely smiled. "Not a criminal?" He turned his back to her and went to the rack of blades, casually pulling one down. He looked back at her, the torches flame bouncing off his face making him a frightening sight.
"Tell me," He walked back to her. "How a man like him isn't a dangerous man? Ning Jintong operates one of the largest illegal trades. He's been buying, selling, abducting, and killing girls for the last fifteen years." His voice was a growl now. "We had evidence and were able to arrest him and his steward. But you-"
Meiwan was shocked at his words, could they be true? Had she indeed helped a wicked man escape justice? What had she done?! "What was the item you assumed he'd given me?" She asked, more softly now.
The fourth prince tilted his head. "Curious now?"
Meiwan nodded and looked at the dirt beneath her feet, her face marked with guilt. He smiled at her response, but not in a kind way.
"Miss Lu, your services have obstructed the law from delivering justice. Because of you, now a criminal is free and the evidence he holds is lost to us. Do you think you should be punished?"
He brought the blade to the tip of her chin and pressed it lightly into her skin, but not enough to draw blood. She winced and stared at him wide-eyed. His eyes were black and menacing.