I Refused The Male Lead And Got Claimed By His Triplet Sisters [GL]

Chapter 20: Unmasked

There were dancers outside the hall, they must’ve been waiting to perform for the Emperor. Ru Yi slipped through the sweaty bodies, already out of breath from how fast she’d been running.

Everyone was already dancing when she went back in. She scanned the room for that familiar mask but didn’t see it.

Has Princess Lin Yuexin retired to her residence already?

With a determined look Ru Yi left the hall. It was even better if she confessed to the princess in the privacy of her chambers. freёwebnovel.com

She pulled her mask off and threw it down before making her way to the princess’s residence. She tried to come up with what to say but her head was blank.

A familiar memory drifted through her head but she paid it no attention. That was in the past, and she wasn’t going to let that heartbreak in her previous life stop her from—

No.

This wasn’t a confession...not really.

She was merely going to let the princess know she valued her above everything else, and to wish her good health and safety while navigating matters of the royal court.

Yes, that was it.

She was about to enter the princess’s chamber when one of the maids stopped her. "Ru Yi, where have you been?"

"Huh? I was at the ball. Is the princess in? I have a matter of great importance to discuss with her."

"She was waiting for you and only left a while ago." Then the maid drew Ru Yi nearer, whispering in her ear. "She seemed out of sorts and kept looking over her shoulder."

Ru Yi thought it over.

Princess Lin Yuexin hadn’t seemed that way when they’d danced together. Or maybe she’d been too caught up in the moment to realize something was amiss.

"I’d met with her already but she didn’t say anything," Ru Yi replied. "Do you know where she went?"

The maid shook her head. "But she left a message in case you came looking for her. She said she has found who the crown answers to, that you would understand."

Ru Yi didn’t.

"The crown...the crown..." she repeated, trying to catch the meaning behind those words. Could it be the princess was referring to the Empress?

"Thank you," Ru Yi said before running off.

She should’ve changed out of the damn gown after leaving the ball. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

If her hunch was correct then the princess meant she’d found the power behind the Empress. The one who she was really up against.

And if she’d been weary that meant danger was not far behind. She had to find her as fast as possible.

Retracing her steps, Ru Yi went back to the hall but still couldn’t find Princess Lin Yuexin. She was starting to grow worried, what if something had happened to her?

She felt a hand grab her from behind.

Ru Yi turned to see a smiling Lang Ying.

"I’ve been searching all over for you!" Lang Ying exclaimed. "The food here is amazing, I can’t believe they get to eat like this everyday."

Ru Yi nodded, trying to release Lang Ying’s grip on her wrist. "Why don’t you enjoy the ball? I’m a bit busy."

"You don’t want to party with me?" Lang Ying asked with a pout. "I went through the trouble of finding a gown and you won’t even dance with me?"

She tightened her hold on Ru Yi and pulled her closer. "This is the only time we get to be something other than maids in the palace, let’s make the most of it."

With no space between them, Ru Yi could smell the wine on her breath. "You’re drunk and I have somewhere to be."

"It’s Princess Lin Yuexin, isn’t it?" Her tone was accusatory.

"I really don’t have the time for this," Ru Yi was saying when she caught a glimpse of that regal mask and the red gem on it.

It was the Princess!

Ru Yi watched her turn around and walk towards the palace.

"I really need to go," she said to Lang Ying. "Enjoy your evening."

She ran the way Princess Lin Yuexin had gone.

Ru Yi bit back the urge to call out her name and just walked into the palace after her.

There were no guards stationed at the entrance which she would’ve found suspicious if her head wasn’t in the mud worrying about the princess.

She looked down the long corridor and saw a glimpse of Princess Lin Yuexin’s gown and followed.

The only source of light were the fires burning from the wall-mounted braziers. It made the hallway feel even more daunting, the shadows threatening to swallow her.

Ru Yi went the way Princess Lin Yuexin had gone but was met with another connecting corridor. But that wasn’t what made her freeze.

At first, she thought it was a trick of the light from the fire along the corridor. She stepped closer, her heart beginning to pick up pace.

There was a stain on the floor, thick where it gathered and thinner at the edges. Her stomach dropped when the lights flickered and she saw it was red.

Blood.

She looked up to see the broken trail leading down the corridor.

Was the princess injured? Was it her blood?

She took frightening steps forward, swallowing hard when the blood grew darker. Thicker.

The panic was beginning to crawl up her spine but she willed herself to remain in control. To pretend her insides weren’t completely going haywire at the possibility of the princess being in danger.

Ru Yi saw the sleeve first.

Silk—pale.

Then the line of an arm, the fall of dark hair and a face covered with a black mask. She almost sighed in relief when she saw it wasn’t the princess.

She just had to leave quietly before anyone would see her with the dead body.

Turning to leave, she stopped in her tracks when a shadow cast upon her frame. She glanced up to see Princess Lin Yuexin, her mask still on her face.

Relief coursed through Ru Yi. "I thought something happened to you..." she looked back at the corpse on the floor. "I had nothing to do with that."

Instead of responding, the princess raised her hand and pushed the mask back.

Ru Yi stumbled back. "You..."

Instead of the princess, Han Shuying, the General’s daughter, stood in front of her with a blank expression.

"How did you..." Ru Yi was at a loss for words, finding it hard to believe she’d mistaken her for Princess Lin Yuexin.

The feeling of dread washed her over.

She turned to the body and knelt down on the floor beside it. Slowly she reached up and pulled down the mask.

A gasp fell from her lips as she stumbled back, the world around her shattering.

No!

No!!

No!!!

There were heavy footsteps behind her but she couldn’t turn away from the soulless eyes staring at her.

"Sound the warning bells," Han Shuying said from behind her. "Princess Lin Yuexin has been killed."