**
With the case solved, I return back to the Yuan Manor while General Li and Sir Xu report to the Emperor about their findings.
Upon hearing about General Yu Hao's futile attempt to hide hundreds of bags of Millets, the Emperor becomes infuriated. He immediately imprisons the General, carrying out a death sentence.
The Emperor generously offers General Li and Sir Xu hundreds of gold as a token of gratitude, yet they refuse to accept it. They state that it behooves any subject to serve their heavenly ruler.
I cry inside.
My gold.... I earned it too..? Where is my portion!
**
..I brush my sister's silk black hair, "A beautiful bride has to smile, Xi Ning." In front of her lie a medium-sized mirror, from which she dazes out in a cloud of thoughts.
Across the mirror, I observe Xi Ning's reflection. She tilts a smile across her face. "Yes, sister."
I gaze at her red wedding gown, blended with gold jewelry and vibrant makeup that accentuates her beauty.
I presume Master and Madam Yuan married Xi Ning to a prince in hopes that they can yield more power and build a relationship with the royalties. Times like this is when I pity arranged marriage couples the most.
A marriage without love.. how common yet petrifying.
I hope they don't have the same plans for me. Better yet, I desire to rest in the Manor until I return to the 21st century.
Although, now that I think about it, I don't think they value me enough to wed me to a prince anyways. I am overrating myself!
I frown and bend down, kneeling beside her. "Be honest with me, Xi Ning. Did Master Yuan and Madam Yuan force you into this marriage?"
Twisting the edges of her dress, she bites down on her bottom lip. She glances at me then down at the ground, "No, sister. I agreed to this marriage."
I caress her by the cheeks, "Xi Ning, I need you to stand up for yourself. I can recall being like you, where I let my external environment dictate my success and my actions. I now learn to not surrender to the external forces around me. In order to do that, however, you need to learn to put yourself first."
She put her hands over mine, "Thank you, sister. I appreciate your consideration.." She smiles melancholically, "..however, there are people whose fates have already been determined by the Heavens."
I am unsatisfied, "How about this, Xi Ning? I'll steal all the jewelry I can from the Manor and we can both escape as remote as possible!"
She chuckles, "I am glad we are sisters." She smiles to convey her final decision, "I will miss you."
When noon arrives, I watch her enter the noble sedan, which are lacquered in an auspicious shade of red. It is richly ornamented and gilded, equipped with red silk curtains to screen the bride from onlookers.
Somehow, a sense of uneasiness and regret swell within me.
The Yuans attend the seventeenth prince's manor; I force myself to celebrate the wedding as well. The customary firecrackers and loud gongs are meant to lighten the mood, yet they fail to do so for me.
My eyes trace the seventeenth prince, a charming youth whose face yields no amusement, no expression nor joy.
The wedding ritual occurs: the parents, in this case the royal concubine and the emperor, are served tea before the grandparents at the Chinese wedding tea ceremony. After that includes the bowing of the bride and groom to the Heavens, to their in-laws, to each other.
I was initially eager to attend special events like this in the royal palace to observe the ancient traditions. Now, the ceremony stirs a degree of commiseration.
There is a large gathering of people, ranging from wealthy merchants to ministers and royalties. I search for familiar faces, but I see none whatsoever.
Following the ceremony, the couple would be led to the bridal chamber. While the guests enjoy the celebration dinner in the Manor, Xi Ning and the seventeenth prince departs to their nuptial chamber.
I resign myself outside the Manor, hoping to rest in a nearby parlor I saw prior to the wedding ceremony.
I hear someone subtly playing a bamboo flute. The glowing of the fireflies lights up some of the pathways. The instrument pulls me in closer and closer, until I see the back of a person.
A nobleman?
When the person notices my presence, he stops a moment for recollection. He eloquently approaches me, "Is that you, Zi Yan?" An effervescent smile manifests itself on the man's face.
I say with bewilderment, "That's my name. Do you perhaps know me?"
He takes me by my shoulder, embracing me gently. "I have been waiting for you, Zi Yan. I returned to the city several weeks ago, but I could not find the time to visit you. Forgive me, will you?"
Uhm?! Who are you?
Exsqueeze you?
I pull away from him, "Sir! I do not know who you are, but you better keep those hands away from this Miss or else I will—"
I throw a few jabs and uppercuts, prancing in the air. "..Muhammad Ali you!"
"Zi Yan, what do you mean?" His expression fades into a frown, "I heard you were involved in a fire incident but you didn't lost your memory, did you?"
Don't tell me Yuan Zi Yan has an intimate relationship with him before? I do not remember writing a character like him.
Nonetheless, this situation is getting sticky and dangerous.
"Look, flying dragon!" I point at the moon that's behind him, attempting to avert his attention away from me.
He glance back, "Where?"
Chance!
I pull up my dress, sprinting away as fast as I can. Behind me, I can hear the man scream my name but I dare not look back.