Chapter 143: Battle for Imperial Power
Translator: Editor:
The brothels in the Imperial Capital were still as busy as ever. Guests had started to gather there too. Various magnificently decorated carriages came and went in that area. Amidst the merriment were numerous luxurious and gaily dressed men and women...
Rody did not use the main entrance. Instead, he climbed over the wall and gently slid down a tree.
It was nighttime, and the courtyard was full of influential people who were there looking for pleasure. Rody could hear Madam Sophie laughing in the distance.
Rody had been to this place several times in the past. All those times, he had been receiving VIP treatment. However, he was now like a thief, climbing the walls. This made Rody feel a bit weird.
Rody could not help but laugh when he climbed the walls. He had always done it when he was still a student.
The couches on the first floor of the brothel, as usual, were arranged in a circle. In the middle of the circle were girls dancing a strange dance. They tried to seduce the men with every move they made. Ayyy! It is such a cold night and yet they are wearing such thin clothes.
He waited until there were very few people about, until the place was almost empty, before coming out from behind some trees along the walkway. He looked around to make sure that no one was paying attention to him before he quickly walked to the entrance and entered.
Rody then kept close to the walls and walked towards the staircase. Suddenly, he heard a loud laughter and a familiar voice cried out, “Madam Sophie, tonight, you will not find any excuse to stall me! Go and quickly prepare! I want only her tonight!”
The person spoke loudly and proudly. He and his two subordinates walked across the hall towards the stairs. Madam Sophie followed closely by his side and whispered something with a smile. Hearing that, the person finally showed a satisfied expression. He then waved and shouted, “Since that is the case, then hurry!” Showing an excited expression, he started to walk faster towards where Rody was.
Rody only took one look at them, and his heart started to groan.
That person was Bayan, the nephew of the Emperor and the son of Prince Baron!
Rody recalled his first visit to the brothel. At that time, he was accompanying Bayan and a few friends. It was also that time he fought against the bodyguard of the envoy of the Great Moon Kingdom...
Bayan would recognize me! Rody thought and quickly walked up the stairs. Bayan followed less than ten steps behind him. Rody’s heart was beating very fast. Fortunately, he was able to remain calm. He only hoped that Bayan could not recognize him from the back.
Upon reaching upstairs, Rody immediately moved to one side and turned towards Myka’s room. Fortunately, Bayan did not follow him and turned to the other side of the corridor.
Rody felt relieved. He looked around to make sure that there was nobody around and quickly walked to Myka’s room.
He stood at the door and listened to the movements inside the room before he firmly pushed the door open.
The door was not locked. Rody knew that in such places, most of the rooms' doors were not locked. There was only one lamp in the room, and a silhouette could be seen standing by the window. The figure looked out of the window and seemed to be thinking of something.
Rody walked in and turned around to shut the door tightly. At the same time, Myka turned around and frowned coldly. “I have already said not to disturb… Ah!”
She exclaimed before showing a surprised expression and lowering her voice, “Is it you?”
Rody leaned against the door. He felt relieved and whispered, “Miss Myka, it's me.”
Myka quickly walked over. She still showed a surprised expression but she was smiling. “You have actually come back? Is it because you saw my letter?”
Rody nodded and whispered, “I…”
Suddenly, loud footsteps could be heard outside. Madam Sophie then called out, “Myka!”
Rody’s expression changed immediately. He walked to Myka’s side and whispered, “Don’t say anything! I came back secretly!”
Myka’s expression also changed and replied, “I understand.” She then pointed to the bottom of her bed. Rody understood her gesture. He immediately went to the side of her bed and crawled under it.
Myka took a deep breath and put on a calm expression. She then loudly asked, “What? I already said not to disturb me.”
Outside, Madam Sophie laughed ingratiatingly and said, “Myka, young Master Bayan has come to see you. Please go out and meet him.”
Myka’s brow wrinkled up and coldly replied, “I already said that I will not meet him!”
Madam Sophie was about to say something, when Bayan suddenly laughed,“Why not?” As he spoke, he opened the door and walked strode in..
Myka’s expression changed slightly. She involuntarily glanced at her bedside. When she could not see Rody’s figure, she sighed in relief. She then coldly looked at Bayan. “Young Master Bayan, how could you just walk into my room!”
Bayan smiled and was about to take another few steps forward, when Myka walked away and said, “Please get out.”
Bayan looked back at Madam Sophie threateningly. Madam Sophie laughed hollowly and was forced to leave.
Myka frowned and spoke in a low voice, “Young Master Bayan, have you forgotten? I am Seth’s woman. Yet you always come to me. Aren’t you and Seth friends?”
Bayan became gloomy and stern. He then lightly said, “Myka, you always use Seth to stall me. Today, you will not be able to use Seth as an excuse! I do not care about that Duke of the Tulip Family.” He then took a few steps forward and said in a low voice, “In the future, Seth would not be able to protect you.”
Myka dodged and retreated a few steps back and she asked, “What do you mean? I am Seth’s woman. You cannot touch me!”
Bayan became even more gloomy and gave a strange glare. “Seth, Seth... It is always Seth! I am the son of a Prince! I am His Majesty’s nephew! I am from the Royal Family! How am I inferior to that bungling oaf?”
Myka was frightened. Her facial expression changed slightly and she whispered. “I…”
“I...What I?” Bayan shouted impatiently, “Stop talking about Seth! I have already asked Sophie. Seth only came to see you once before going to the South! Haha... It looks like that guy does not want you anymore! Why don’t you give up?” Bayan walked a few steps forward and ruthlessly said, “Let me tell you! I, Bayan, want you! Don’t think you can escape! In here, there is nobody that dares to go against my wishes! There isn’t anyone right now, and there will not be anyone in the future!”
Rody was lying under the bed and could hear the voices outside. He became angrier as Bayan slowly cornered Myka. He felt like going out. Myka had already retreated close to the bed and noticed that the bed shook a little. She knew that Rody could no longer endure and loudly shouted, “Don’t!”
“Don’t?” Bayan froze for a moment and then he laughed, “Don’t what? Don’t forget your identity! I can get anything I want! How long do you think you can resist me?”
Bayan then revealed an evil smile and gazed furiously at Myka. “Not bad! I have always felt that Seth has a good taste for women. The women he chooses are the best! You are exceptionally good!” Bayan laughed. “Alright, since you like Seth's style, I can also do that. Isn’t it just to be more elegant? As I am from the royal family, I will not lose out to Seth in elegance. Why don’t you try...”
Myka became angry and gritted her teeth. “Young Master Bayan! You are a son of a Prince! You are a dignified member of the Imperial Family! Why are you bullying a girl here?”
Bayan frowned and shook his head. “Son of Prince? Hmph… Soon…” After that, Bayan realized that had slipped his tongue and coughed gently. He then spoke loudly, “Enough nonsense! Every time I come to look for you, you will find an excuse to turn me away! Do you really think I will not get angry? Have you forgotten your identity? You also better not test my patience!”
Bayan then showed an angry expression. He stretched out his arms and embraced Myka.
“Ah!” Myka exclaimed and turned away. At that time, Rody could no longer endure it from under the bed. His hands supported his body on the ground and he was about to get out.
“Bayan!” The door suddenly opened. A thin and tall young man walked towards Bayan and laughed. “You really are here!”
Bayan only hugged an empty space as Myka had moved out of the way. Bayan then showed a resentful expression as he looked at the intruder and frowned. “Didi. Why are you here?”
Myka had turned pale but she calmly blocked the bed with her body. Rody was gritting his teeth, but he did not come out.
The person who entered was the Empire’s Finance Minister’s son, Didi. Noticing the unpleasant expression on Bayan face, he smiled and whispered, “I knew you were here. Come with me quickly... They… have finished the preparations.”
Bayan frowned. “So fast? Didn’t I tell them to come a bit later?”
Didi’s smile did not change, and he replied, “This? Go and ask them yourself. Anyway, they have arrived, but they could not find you. They then asked me to look for you. I guessed that you were probably here. Haha.”
Bayan sighed. He unwillingly looked back at Myka and hatefully said, “Forget it! I will let you off today. However, you better think carefully... Think of the consequences of defying me!”
Bayan waved and walked quickly out of the room.
Myka was gloomy and humiliated. She looked coldly at Didi and asked, “What are you still here?”
Unexpectedly, Didi suddenly laughed. His smile was calm and sincere.
After that, he sighed and said, “Miss Myka… I have saved you once today. However, there may not be such good luck next time.”
“What?” Myka was startled.
Didi waved his hand. “I need to go now. If I don’t follow him, he will be suspicious.”
Didi walked towards the door but he suddenly stopped and warned, “Myka, do not hope for Seth to protect you… Right now, Bayan is… Sigh. Anyway, even Seth would not be able to do anything. If… If you are still unwilling, I suggest you leave the Imperial Capital!”
“What did you say?”
Didi hesitated for a moment and continued, “Just remember my words. If you cannot do it, then you better run! Bayan is hell-bent on getting you. The situation right now is more complicated… I cannot say much…” He then glanced at Myka and gave a wry smile. “No matter what, Seth is my friend. Now Seth is not in the Imperial Capital; I cannot watch his woman get bullied but… I can only help you this much. Sorry...”
After finishing and when Didi was about to close the door, Myka suddenly called out, “Wait!”
She then looked at Didi and said is a soft voice, “Thank you… You are a good person.”
Didi gave a wry as he said, “A good person… Hmph.”
Didi then walked out and closed the door.
Rody crawled out from under the bed. He looked at Myka and gritted his teeth. “Bayan… This bastard!”
Myka shook her head and thought to herself for a moment. She then coldly said, “Forget it. I don't blame him.”
Her voice was cold and sad as she continued, “What he said is right. What is my identity… How could I refuse him? I… I am just a…”
Rody pulled Myka’s hand and shouted, “Nonsense! In my heart, you are my friend! You are a very good girl!”
Myka looked at her hand that was being pulled and smiled warmly. She then asked, “Really? You won’t look down on me?”
Rody gritted his teeth, agitatedly. “Who dares bully you, I will slaughter him!”
Myka looked at Rody and finally burst into tears as she whispered, “Enough, you don’t need to say anymore. You... you don’t be so impulsive. I have my own way out. Didi was right. If I cannot cope with Bayan, I should just leave this place!”
Rody wanted to say something but Myka asked first, “Why did you come back? Have you already received news that the Emperor wants to marry Nicole?”
Rody sighed and nodded. After thinking for a moment, Rody could not help but mumble. “I… I…”
Myka gave a smile and asked, “Is there anything that you still have difficulty saying here?”
Rody showed a complicated expression, thought for a moment and whispered, “I… I saw Seth. He is in the Imperial Capital, right now!”
Myka was shocked. Her body shook and her face was pale. Rody was shocked and quickly held her shoulder. “Myka… You…”
Myka took a deep breath. She looked at Rody and gritted her teeth. “I… I am fine!”
Rody asked softly, “Should I look for him and bring him to you? You…”
Myka shook her head. She then looked at Rody and asked, “Did you come here today… to tell me that Seth is in the Imperial Capital?”
Rody nodded and replied, “Yes, I just met him today. Looks like he had been in the Imperial Capital all this while. I know that you must certainly want to hear about him, so I came…” Rody suddenly noticed Myka’s expression, and then he panicked and continued, “No… I also came to thank you! Thank you for giving me that letter… I…”
Myka nodded and smiled. “Thank you, you don’t have to explain.”
Rody shook his head and asked, “Do you want to see him?”
Myka showed a depressed but determined expression and replied, “No! I have said this before, I do not know Seth anymore! Now Myka is Myka, and Seth is Seth. I have nothing to do with him anymore. If he does not care about me, why should I still think about him? The day he disappeared, I had already forgotten him.”
Rody wanted to say something, but Myka shook her head and stopped him. She then looked gently at Rody and whispered, “You came back secretly? With your current identity, it is dangerous to come back here without the Emperor’s order. Despite the danger, you still risk your life to come and see me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for thinking of me.”
Myka then paused for a moment before she continued, “As for the other thing, do not mention it again.”
Rody was confused. Although he could not understand Myka’s thoughts, he could not help but feel that something was strange. He then thought and said, “Then, you better leave the Imperial Capital! That Bayan will not let you off! I suggest you leave for Westwood tomorrow! That place is the Tulip Family’s fief. The last time I went there, I had already put in place a lot of the Tulip Family’s men. That place is now safe.”
“No!” Myka shook her head. “I will leave this place, but I do not want to have anything to do with the Tulip Family!”
Rody sighed and thought for a moment before saying, “Then… How about going to the South? Ride South for about six days, and you will arrive at an inn in Plumwood. Some of my friends are there. Go and look for them. Once I have settled my business in the Imperial Capital, I will meet you all there! When you are there, find a fatty named Sky. Tell him that you are my friend and ask him to protect you! As long as you are by his side, nobody would be able to harm you! But… That fatty is a good person, but he is a bit strange. He is usually a little crazy. You just need to be more careful.”
Myka hung her head low and replied with a red face, “I… I... will do as you say.”
When Rody heard this, he felt happy but he did not know why.
Before Rody could say any more, Myka broke free from his hands and took a deep breath. She then whispered with a flushed face, “Since you are here, I need to warn you… No matter what you are doing in the Imperial Capital, you need to be careful of Bayan!”
“Bayan?” Rody’s eyes showed an evil glint. “I will be watchful of him.”
Myka shook her head and frowned. “No! Don't! Don't provoke him because of me. Be careful of him… I am asking you to be careful of him. Do you know that because of the Emperor’s marriage, it is chaotic in the Imperial Capital?”
Myka said imposingly, “I suppose you know that the Emperor does not have a son. The position of Crown Prince is still empty... This is why some of the Imperial Family members are worried and asked him to marry your sister... but… you know... power struggle for the throne is always dangerous. The Emperor has no son, but his brother has one... Bayan is the only young man in the Royal Family. Right now, they seem to have a lot of different ideas. I will not say more, but I hope you understand!”
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