episode 5

Chapter 5

Days have passed and she was starting to

get along with the princes as they would

usually visit her. One day, while the 3rd

prince was with the princess, Lady Lan

approached Xuefeng who was standing

guard in a distance.

"Master Xuefeng, when did you arrive? Lady

Yue will be very delighted to see you again,"

she said, her hands were filled with Peach

cakes, Yue's favorite.

"Just now. Has my sister been well?" he

asked as he observed his sister's pale face.

"Yes. All of the princes grew fond of her

ever since we got into the palace' Lady Lan

smiled.

He frowned. He didn't get the answer he

wanted.

"After the prince leaves, tell me. I've bought

her some snacks that mother has made for

her. I'm sure she misses them he said as

he left.

It has been 5 months since they left the

province. It was heartbreaking for Yue as

she was about to enter the palace, never to

see the peaceful province where she grew

up. But his sister remained indifferent when

she left the province. There was something

wrong and he could sense it.

ever since we got into the palace' Lady Lan

smiled.

He frowned. He didn't get the answer he

wanted.

"After the prince leaves, tell me. I've bought

her some snacks that mother has made for

her. I'm sure she misses them he said as

he left.

It has been 5 months since they left the

province. It was heartbreaking for Yue as

she was about to enter the palace, never to

see the peaceful province where she grew

up. But his sister remained indifferent when

she left the province. There was something

wrong and he could sense.

Lady Lan served the snacks to the prince

and to the princess who was laughing.

"Your Highness, your brother has arrived

from the Liang Province,' she said.

"Oh? Where is he?" she asked as she turned

around.

Lady Lan left the prince and the princess

alone.

"'So, when do you plan on telling them?" he

asked as he sipped his tea.

"Hm? What do you mean?" she asked and

feigned innocence.

She gently stroked through her bamboo

zither.

"Princess, for the past few months that I've

accompanied you. I must say that I grew to

know you so well"' he chuckled as he put

"He left. He said to inform him after your

time with the 3rd prince"' Lady Lan said.

"Alright then' she said.

down his cup.

"I believe l am unaware of what you are

meaning to say' she said as she continued

playing through her bamboo zither and

accidentally pricked her finger. "Ahh!" she

exclaimed.

The prince quickly stood up and grabbed

her hand. He quickly sucked her finger to

stop the bleeding, catching the princess off-

guard. As soon as he realized what he had

done, he quickly let her go.

"Be careful next time,' he said as he sat

back on his seat. "Don't injure yourself,

you've become a lot frailer these past few

days."

Yue smiled and giggled.

"I won't, your Highness. But may I ask?" she

said as she wrapped her injured finger with

a piece of ribbon.

"What?" he asked as he sipped his tea.

"When did you know?" she asked.

"Your complexion is as pale as the snow in

the Ginzhuo mountains' he said.

She cupped her face.

"Is that so? Does Prince find me

unattractive?" she teased.

"No, you're still beautiful,"' he said without

looking at her. "Anyways, I still have to meet

with Brother Xuiying."

After the prince left, her beautiful smiled

quickly faded. She got out the bottle and

drank a small amount and continued

playing the zither, trying to immerse into the

Song.

Moments later, her brother, the newly

appointed General Xuifeng, came.

"Brother" she greeted as she stood up but

fell over as her knees went weak. Xiufeng

quickly caught her in time.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he put her

down on her seat.

"yes. My knees went weak as I've sat for a

long time' she said. "Would you like me to

play you a song?"

"You've injured your finger, don't exert

yourself anymore," he said as he sat down

on the opposite of her seat.

"How are mother and father doing?" she

asked.

"Father is doing well with his retirement.

Mother is missing you,' he said. "She said

she'd like to visit you someday."

"T'd like that very much' she smiled.

As they talked more about Xiufeng's

journey, a eunuch arrived.

"General Xiufeng, the Emperor invited you to

meet him in his office" the eunuch said.

"Right now?" he whined.

"Brother, Father Emperor has asked for you.

You should go she smiled as she urged for

him to go.

After the General left, she stood up and

stared at the garden behind the pavilion.

"Princess, why are you here alone?" a voice

from behind her spoke.

She turned around and it was the 2nd

prince.

"Your Highness she bowed. "3rd prince

and my brother just left a while ago to

attend to important meetings."

The prince smiled as she walked over to the

princess.

"Is there any more important than the

heavenly princess?" he teased.

She giggled.

"The nation is more important than me' she

said.

Suddenly she lost consciousness and fell

to the ground. The prince quickly called for

help.

"HELP! THE PRINCESS FELLI" he yelled as

he carried the princess.

The guards, Lady Lan and the maids rushed

to help him

Night fell and the palace was quiet. A dark

aura had emerged from the shadows as the

princess fell unconscious earlier that day.

"What happened?" the Empress asked the

Imperial Physician as she held Yue's hand

tightly.

The Physician slowly shook his head.

"She has been poisoned' he answered. "It

seems like the poison was drunk in small

amounts and it looked like she drank it

herself."

"Yue would never do that" Xuiying said he

said as he kneeled beside the unconscious

princess. He was the first one against her

but as soon as he knew her better, he grew

to care for her.

"Seal everything. Never let anyone inside

the Phoenix Palace" the Emperor said. "The

princes are to stay in their quarters until the

princess wakes up."

"No, father. Let us stay with the princess'

Xuiying said.

"Ying, listen to your father" Imperial Noble

Consort Ruan said. The entire royal family

was present in her room, while General

Xuefeng stood guard outside.

After a few hours, the Emperor and

Empress left the palace to rest in their

own quarters, including the Imperial Noble

Consorts. The princes stayed inside.

As he sat on the doorstep, he noticed a

flickering light in the sky. It was as if a ball

of fire were coming down from the Great

Heavens.

As it got nearer, Xuefeng could make out

a white carriage containing two people, a

man, and a woman. He quickly kowtowed

as the carriage parked outside and the

people in it approached him.

"Your humble servant greets you, he said.

"If there is anything that you could do,

please help my sister he cried.

The man who was wearing a white and

black robe approached him. He was

somewhat younger than Xuefeng. He

kneeled and gently patted Xuefeng in his

shoulder.

"Don't worry" he smiled as he went inside

the room.

Minutes later, the man was already carrying

Yue in his arms. Xuefeng quickly looked

inside the room and found all of the princes

unconscious on the floor, holding their

swords.

"They're not dead, so don't worry" he smiled.

He quickly drew his sword and pointed it

to him. The moment he did this, the man

frowned.

"As my daughter needs immediate

medication, I will forgive your daring soul"

the man said as he walked to the carriage.

"Give my sister back! Where are you taking

her!?" Xuefeng yelled.

"Back to where she belongs' the woman

said as they rode the carriage. The carriage

then quickly turned into a ball of fire that

raised towards the heavens. After the

carriage disappeared, the sky was clear as

if nothing had happened and the princes

quickly recovered and rushed outside.

"A man carried Yue. Have you seen him?"

Li Yuhan asked as he struggled to the

door. "General, have you seen the man who

kidnapped the princess?" he repeated as

the General were still on his knees, crying.

Xuiying approached the General and

pointed his sword to him.

"Where is the princess?" he asked, holding

his tears.

The General stood up and wiped away his

tears. He looked at the prince straight in the

eye.

"Back where she belongs,' he said as he

walked away helplessly.

... .to be contenued....

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