Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Huo Jin got the message from Wang Hao that he would not be home at night. He folded the paper and put it inside his pocket.

'I should have volunteered to go to Changying. Let General Wang return and then I will leave for Changying,' Huo Jin decided in his mind. He told Wang Hao's message to Wang Fuxing first and then Bai Yaling.

"That was sudden," Bai Yaling said with a worried expression.

"General Wang has gone to escort the Emperor safely out of the border. Sister Bai, not many know about this. The matter in Changying is worrisome," Huo Jin asserted.

Bai Yaling nodded. "Why did General Wang not accompany the Emperor?" She asked him.

"Because a General is needed in the Capital too," Huo Jin replied. "General Wang will return by the morning," he stated. Bai Yaling nodded and told Huo Jin to go to the Palace once.

"Not now, but tomorrow morning. Brother Huo, meet Sister Lili on my behalf," Bai Yaling requested to him.

Huo Jin acknowledged her request and took his leave. As he came out, he saw Yin Na and asked her if she needed something.

"No. I wanted to talk to you," Yin Na said.

"About?" His brow arched up.

Yin Na twiddled with her fingers. Huo Jin waited for her to answer and when she did not, he asked her to speak.

"Can you accompany me to the market?" She asked him with a bit of hesitation. Although Huo Jin had told her to stay away from him, Yin Na could not help because Xu Wenhai wanted her to go with him to the market. She did not want to be alone with him.

"Why are you hesitating so much then? When do you want to go to the market? Tomorrow, I will be in the Palace. Choose some other day," Huo Jin stated.

"I need to go now," Yin Na replied.

"Why?" Huo Jin got confused.

Yin Na sighed. "Xu Wenhai wants me to go to the night market with him, but I do not want to be alone with him," she asserted.

"So, you want me to be the bone of contention between you two?" Huo Jin chuckled and walked ahead. Yin Na wondered what happened to him. He never refused to accompany her whenever she went outside. She lifted her skirt and ran after him.

"Huo Jin, you can stay around me. I mean… a little far from us if you think that you will be a bone of contention between us. You know how that day we encountered those men, so I am still a little terrified to go out in the evening or night," Yin Na urged him.

"Yin Na, how long are you going to live in fear?" Huo Jin questioned her. "Xu Wenhai is a minister in the Imperial Court, so none will come near you. Also, General Wang is not in the house. I must stay here instead of roaming around," Huo Jin made her understand and politely refused to accompany her.

They both came to the main courtyard of the house.

"But the residence has tight security. Can you not come with me for an hour?"

"Tell Xu Wenhai that you do not want to go out at night," Huo Jin suggested to her the simpler way.

"I promised him that I will go with him," Yin Na answered.

Huo Jin took a deep breath and halted at his place. They both turned to face each other.

"Yin Na, do you trust him or not?" Somewhere he thought that Yin Na was still skeptical of Xu Wenhai but because of their father, she was not saying anything.

"If you do not trust Xu Wenhai, then step back from this marriage. It is not the only proposal that you can have," Huo Jin asserted.

Yin Na gripped the edge of her dress and shook her head. "I do trust Xu Wenhai," she replied, which made Huo Jin chuckle.

"Then, the answer is simple," he affirmed. Yin Na gazed into his eyes when she heard him say, "I do not need to follow you. I have duties towards the entire Wang Family. At present, my presence at the residence is much more important than following you. Xu Wenhai is not the type who will harm you."

Huo Jin had thought to keep himself away from Yin Na. Since the day Xu Wenhai called him a leech, he felt he did not either deserve a second chance.

"Miss Yin Na, Young Master Xu is waiting for you outside."

A servant informed her and the two looked at them.

"Go. He has come to fetch you," Huo Jin stated.

Yin Na pulled up a face at him and then walked away in anger.

Huo Jin turned to look at her. "When you trust him, you should not hesitate this way," he murmured and went away.

Outside the Residence, Xu Wenhai was delighted upon seeing Yin Na. She descended the stairs and bowed before him. Xu Wenhai bowed too and then complimented her for her beauty.

Yin Na put a tiny smile on her lips.

Xu Wenhai forwarded his hand so that Yin Na would hold it, but she did not. He put his hand down and told her to get into the carriage.

Yin Na stepped forward and got into the carriage, followed by Xu Wenhai. The guard closed the door for them and stepped back.

"Thank you, Yin Na, for agreeing to go with me to the market." Xu Wenhai felt overwhelmed that Yin Na did not refuse.

"When will you leave for the other city?" Yin Na queried him.

"It is delayed. His Majesty wants the ministers to stay in Luoyang until he solves the matter in Changying and its neighboring minor cities and villages," Xu Wenhai informed her.

"Oh." "Is the situation tough in Changying?" Yin Na asked with curiosity.

"It is," Xu Wenhai answered. "That's why the Emperor has to leave out of the blue."

"Why do you want to see the night market? I suppose that you have been out numerous times," Yin Na was interested to know because, after that day, she was still hesitant to go out, especially at night.

"I have never been to the market with a woman," Xu Wenhai replied.

"I want to do everything for you to see how much I adore you," Xu Wenhai affirmed.