15. Black Death?!

The main palace of the North was bustling with excitement. Metres of tables were set in the main hall, and the poor servants and maids were running from pillar to post to fill the tables with the utensils and the dishes. The already arrived royalty members were either having tea or settling into their rooms.

"So many relatives, some of them I don't even recognise," Han Xin commented to disperse some of Meng Huo's nervousness.

"Having a big family should be nice," the other replied with a melancholic manner and before Han Xin could pick up on his words, he added "we should go to the main hall now."

"Right..." Han Xin nodded, but before they left the room, his eyes caught an interesting detail. "Are you sure you want to wear it?" he asked, pointing at the wooden hair slide on Meng Huo's high bun.

Meng Huo nodded hesitantly, "is it not suitable?"

Han Xin let out a small chuckle, "it is okay... I just thought you would choose some golden ones for the occasion," he said, pointing at his own golden hair slide which was decorated with rubies.

"I like this one," Meng Huo replied with a low voice, resisting the common sense to replace it with a golden one.

The proud prince let out another pleased chuckle and pulled the other gently towards the door, "I told you it is okay, I am just glad that you like it."

Although the prince said it was okay, actually it was weird for a prince to wear a valueless ornament in a royalty gathering. However, Han Xin wasn't concerned as Meng Huo was already looking like a fairy with that light blue robe, which was showing how small his waist was; no one would even notice the ornament in his hair.

"Oh, the gift!" Meng Huo's small cry brought Han Xin's hungry eyes to the smaller man's face.

"Ha?"

"We forgot the gift in the room," Meng Huo explained, "I will take it, the prince should be near the king," he said and turned around before Han Xin could say anything.

If the poor slave knew what was about to happen, he would probably forget about the gift and run for dear life. However, he didn't know, so kept walking towards their room until a cruel hand covered his mouth and pulled him to an empty room.

"Look at you, you little cockroach," the man said to Meng Huo's ear before pushing him onto the ground.

"B-Black... d-death..." Meng Huo stuttered with utmost fear, seeing his nightmare towering over him.

The man was the right hand of the king of the East, who took care of every kind of despicable work. Killing, torturing, kidnapping, mutilating, stealing... the list was going on and on. In his freetime, the cruel man was enjoying himself by torturing the slaves. When his long face, hooked nose and black button-like eyes met his sadistic nature, the slaves gave him the nickname; Black Death.

"Missed me?" the man asked rhetorically with a disgusting smile and Meng Huo crawled backwards with fear.

With lazy steps, the man closed the distance and soon Meng Huo was trapped between the man and the wall. "The king wanted me to tell you that your sister now works in the concubine's place as a reward for your hard work," he said wryly as he checked the contents of the shelves near Meng Huo.

"W-Will you k-kill me-e?" the terrified man managed to ask.

Grabbing a liquor bottle from the upper shelf, the man looked at Meng Huo coldly, "I would love that, but apparently your mission hasn't finished yet. I will wait until that pathetic prince takes the throne after today."

"W-What?" the word escaped from Meng Huo's mouth and it was rewarded by a kick immediately.

Crouching down in front of the gasping figure, the man warned "did I let you speak?"

Meng Huo couldn't give a reaction as he was too busy fighting with the pain in his kicked stomach. Tears fell from his fearful eyes and dropped to his hands which were clenched on his stomach.

Suddenly the man grabbed his throat and squeezed it hard, "I asked you a question."

"N-No..." Meng Huo uttered in between his gasping for air and the hand withdrew as fast as it came. The poor man fell against the wall, coughing non-stop.

"Good," the man laughed as he stood up, "Go now, don't make them suspect anything."

Hearing the command, Meng Huo raised to his feet with no little difficulty. Taking support from the wall, he started to push his jelly-like body forward towards the door.

"By the way," the man mumbled behind him and a loud crash was heard as he smashed the wine bottle on Meng Huo's head. The porcelain pieces scattered around before blood drops followed them.

"W-Whs..." Meng Huo mumbled incoherently before his body fell on the floor limply.

"Good wine," the man said randomly, "the poor king," he shook his head as if he was pitying the king and left the room, jumping over Meng Huo's body.

After the man left, Meng Huo continued to lie on the floor, half-conscious. Although he must have been more concerned for himself, his muddled mind kept remembering the Black Death's words about the king and the wine.

The king of the East wouldn't dare to poison the king of the North, right? But then what was the Black Death doing in the North, talking about the death of the king?

There should be something, Meng Huo said inwardly and mustered all his remaining energy to stand up. He pressed one hand on the wound and with the other he supported his body against the wall. With small steps, he started to move towards the main hall, hoping he could reach there on time.