Turn out Crown Prince did manage to warm Bai Changxi's heart, it wasn't easy though. Ren told Hong Liu many nights he stayed outside of her cocoon, he was only allowed in when Little Li was awake and Bai Changxi would leave the cocoon the moment he enters but it turns out Crown Prince was quite shameless in his pursuit, slowly but surely she warmed up to him. Her anger had diminished.
"So everything is alright?" Hong Liu asked earnestly, Ren and she was in his wine cellar, organizing the wines according to its day of making.
"No,"
Hong Liu pout at Ren's answer.
"I can only say that you have escaped the extreme punishment Xi Xi had planned for you besides your father..." He trailed off.
"What about my Father?"
"When he found out about that you have taken the golden dust pearl from Eternal Garden of Creation to help the Crown Prince get in, he immediately left for Capital city to meet your Grandfather,"
Hong Liu slide down against the wine shelf half in shock and half in worry, if Grandfather is getting involved. She swallowed, no her grandfather is not strict when it comes to her. He is wrapped around her little finger but The Emperor of Green Forest Bai Lei is very strict with his oath to protect the Eternal Garden of Creation, in this matter even Hong Liu is no sure she could pass this without some punishment and her grandfather support her father. She whimpered like a little child at the thought.
"Ren," She looks at him pitifully.
"I can't help you this time child," Ren sigh and swallow his chuckle at her pitiful face. He has no real worry, nobody will do anything much anyway. He is aware, it's better if she really thinks that she would get punished. She almost gets herself killed twice, she will learn a lesson. Ren left her, her face pouting pitifully.
Hong Liu pulled her knees under her chin, 'Crap! What should I do?'
Her anxiety of possible punishment settle in and she tries to find many ways but there was permanent solution except if Gu Gu was on her side as far as she knew, Crown Prince did get the entry in the cocoon and Gu Gu treat him fine it is still not an idol situation in which she should go and ask for forgiveness. All of it, however, was not unknown to her. She got in a lot of trouble and she got some serious punishment as well but in the end, everybody forgives her.
The real heaviness in her heart didn't come from the fear of punishment, the reason for a stabbing pang in her heart now and then was The First Lord Dong Hai. She reminds herself every day of his coldness but her mind and heart will repeat those handful moments that were warm when he teased her, tricked her and he called her Little Red, it just ends up making her sad. The fly to her favourite hill didn't make her happy. the sight of beautiful pearl lake didn't calm her heart, even the white and pink lotuses of that lake reminds of her. Whenever she looks at the looking glass in the morning there it was at the centre of her forehead a red lotus.
Her heart uses to sore at the feeling of flying leaving behind everything high up in the sky but the weight of her heart will always pull her to ground these days and he haunts her dreams too, when flying roaming around the green forest didn't work. She moves to her another favourite thing, training in sword fighting. She started to train day and night, but at the same time even when she walks the bells on tied on her waist chimes remind her of him. She can't putt it off her either, it was the only thing she has of him. Her every distraction method got easily exhausted.
She sometimes pulled Ren into her training as well. It was Ren who trained her in martial arts, nobody can do the job better than him. He was one of the chief generals under the First Lord during the unifying of all the realms. As the name of the First Lord come to her mind. She was caught off guard by Ren's next attack and she lost her sword knocked over her feet. She yelped hitting to the ground, dirt went in her mouth and nostril. She coughed getting up. They were training in the clear ground surrounded by trees, just a few miles away from the hut.
"Where is your mind?" Ren asked, stretching his hand to help her get up. She took it and stand up a dusting off the dirt from her dark peach colour robe. She flinches her hand and elbow hurts
"Nowhere," She said, dusting off her sleeves.
"You are getting better,"
Hong Liu just nodded to his praise but her mind seems to be elsewhere.
"Xiao Liu, what are you thinking so hard?" Ren asked. She got somewhat timid after she returns, she always uses to be animated. It is only now as the day passed Ren started to notice a change when she thought nobody is looking a solemn feeling returns to her eyes. At Ren line of question, Hong Liu shook her melancholy feeling and grin reassuringly.
"Nothing. What I will think about just that....how come Gu Gu yet haven't found out about me? Neither father nor Grandfather sent a missive for me? What else I would be worried about besides my impending doom," She widens her eyes animatedly and giggled.
"Don't be relived so soon, wait til your aunts find out," Ren said.
"Yes, Yes beside it won't happen anytime soon. I finally thought I would go to the mortal realm until Gu Gu is completely under the love spell of Crown Prince, What do you think?" She asked.
"You...I can't guarantee anything. You deal will your Gu Gu yourself and nobody can go against your father except your Grand Father. Be careful what you do?"
"Ren, I am getting bored! Can't I just...stroll down in mortal realm and come back. Anyway, one day here is one year there. It would like a few minutes! If I just spent a day there!" She insists.
"Then it's not much of hiding place and last time I let you wander around it didn't go well not to mention you are injured. If you use magic in the mortal realm. It will backfire on you and I am telling it was not easy to heal you,"
"I know and I won't use magic, I promise you!" She grasped his arm and hop on her heels.
"Xiao Liu...."
"Aiyaaa! I promise you!" Hong Liu pout. Ren signed defeated.
"Alright but I give you ten minutes it gives you a day in the mortal realm. That's it no more no less," Ren said.
Hong Liu nodded excitedly. Ren nodded.
Hong Liu squealed at it, she was about to open her wings and fly, when she heart it and stopped.
"You little brat! You finally here!" Bai Chang Xi comes storming.
'Crap! I jinxed it!' Hong Liu thought.