166: Failed as a wife, mother and leader.

Failed as a wife, mother and leader.

In fact, her movements became a little more frantic than before almost tearing the piece of paper. Qilin Luse didn't let go of Hei Ying as they continued bowing. There was no way he was going to let him go especially when it was concerning Ji Yao.0

After ten gruesome minutes of silence, Qilin Hao finally raised her head. Frustrated, she grabbed the book beside her and threw it away in a fluster. She swept the calligraphy brushes off the table and frustratedly pulled back her hair. It was then she noticed the two. She glared at them with tear-stained eyes and smudged mascara on the rim of her lower eyelid.

She didn't even bother fixing herself up as she waved them in. It seemed when the Qilin were upset because of their spouses or love interests they forget their OCD and behave out of character. Normally things being out of place or being scattered on the floor would get to her but right now she could care less.

Qilin Hao picked up the piece of paper and showed it to Qilin Luse. The painting was great and could possibly capture the attention of the best art galleries in the world but it was of poor quality according to Qilin Hao's standards.

"How is it? Do you think he will like it," she asked in a child like tone sounding aggrieved.

Qilin Luse wanted to appease her by telling a white lie but he decided against it because she always could tell if he was lying to her. He was about to say it wasn't her best when Hei Ying jumped the gun and said, "Very nice your highness..... superb..... right?"

He looked at Qilin Luse as he said this but Qilin Luse's expression seemed off. He was giving him a reprehensive look that could scare a little girl into tears. Hell, he was a grown man and he felt like crying.

Qilin Hao glanced over in Hei Ying's direction before looking at the painting in her hand. "Do you really think he will like it?" while moving the paper over to Hei Ying.

Hei Ying was about to answer casually when he was pinched so hard that tears threatened to come out. He winced in pain but learnt to keep his mouth shut. As though to confirm Qilin Luse's conjecture, Qilin Hao went off the rails soon after that. She threw the painting in Hei Ying's face accusing him of deceiving her.

The accusations flew left right and centre till she calmed down on her own. In Hei Ying's defence that painting was one of the best, he had ever seen in the few paintings he had seen.

"What do you want?" she asked as she hung her head low starting a fresh painting. Qilin Luse shoved Hei Ying forward urging him to speak but Hei Ying was already traumatized by the earlier incident.

He found his legs softening at the knees as he started explaining the situation with a slight tremor in his voice. "Yo-your highness, um..... the uhm thing is his highness..... well he um," he stammered through failing to make out a full sentence.

Qilin Hao who had lost her patience raised her head while pulling back her scattered hair. Her free hand slowly slid over to the sword on her side encouraging Hei Ying to speak.

As soon as her hand reached the hilt, his courage sprung up as he moved a step backwards. "His highness he found them... the um stones... the keystones he now has three in his possession and he is lo-looking for all of them," he explained running behind Qilin Luse to save himself.

Qilin Hao, "..."

"That brat.....," she mumbled at a loss for words. She knew he had to be as stubborn as she was but she couldn't understand what his gameplay was. Sure, Prince Rui was an idiot that failed to get even one keystone besides the one he already had which she robbed but he was a suited candidate to use than her son.

She didn't want either Ji Wen or Ji Yao involved in this but it seemed it was too late for that. This is why she had taken Ji Wen out of the equation hence stopping them from getting involved but with all the influence and power in Ji Yao's hands, as long as he is motivated, he could also find the keystones.

She really should have abducted him too. Seeming vexed she asked, "Wh-what is the reason?"

Hei Ying who had almost fainted from fear, fear of having his beautiful wings burnt by the Qilin flame, was so afraid that he wasn't paying full attention. It was for this reason he gave the most unintelligent answer which was, "Huh."

"Shit," muttered Qilin Luse under his breath looking away. Talk about striking a match in a room filled with fumes at their flashpoint.

Hei Ying really didn't see it coming, in fact, he would never have seen it coming. A loud cracking sound echoed across the room before he fell to the ground with a grimace on his face. As he rolled on the ground exaggerating the pain he was in to save himself from more beatings, Qilin Luse stepped up to calm her down.

"Your highness, please calm down," he said kowtowing before her as she held the flaming whip her chest heaving as she writhed in anger.

Qilin Hao seemed to be listening to him as she didn't take any further action waiting for him to speak. "The little prince must have his reasons. His motive must be to get his father back otherwise why would he embark on a dangerous journey without reason. Please calm down otherwise you will worsen your condition," he continued trying to reason with her.

His words seemed to touch the right spot because she slumped on the ground as her sword retracted to its inactive form. She had a desponded look on her face as she stared blankly into space.

She felt like she had failed miserably. Failed as a wife, failed as a mother even failed as a leader. All she wanted was a family who loved her but even further away from Niuq she still couldn't have that. Was she asking too much? Was it too much to ask to have a happy family?

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