○ Hello Mila here again 🤭 I'm back with another chapter and guess what the author just recovered from stress and anxiety so he is also back with me on track. In the previous chapter we saw how Jingsì left for the Red fountain palace with Liao Yi and Jinbao. Elsewhere in the palace a celebration was arranged for the crowned prince's birthday Banquet. 🤩 I wanna go there too...but anyways let's Dive in.○
Jingsì- Jinbao!?
Jinbao- Yes?
Jingsì- Tell me are you Grand aunt's son?
Jinbao- Well I am not, but she treats me like her own kid. She is not only my guardian but also my master.
Jingsì- Ohh is that so... then what about you parents?
Jinbao- Miss.....ummm...I..I..I am an orphan.. Master found me near the Tu yao river...
Jingsì halted for a moment and analysed his pain and as an act out of compassion she felt extreme sadness. Jingsì stopped the horse and jumped down from it's back. Jinbao was confused from her actions hence he tried to question her but before he could utter a word all of a sudden Jingsì hugged him. He was startled but didn't respond to the hug. Jingsì whispered a calming phrase while hugging him "You exist because of love". After listening to this his heart skipped a beat and his face got all teary and he pondered that his mother must have loved him but due to a strong reason she must not be able to protect him. He pulled Jingsì out of the hug and said "Thank you Miss!" with a sobbing face. At a glance Jingsì understood regarding the extreme pain Jinbao was feeling when he said that. So to console him she offered him some of her rose honey which she prepared herself before leaving. While offering it to Jinbao, she referred to him as his elder brother. Her kind and caring gesture pleased Jinbao to accept the honey with a smile on his face. Suddenly Mistress Yi turned back to see where were Jingsì and Jinbao as she noticed them not following the route. She shouted as she saw them behind her at a distance.
Mistress Yi, Jinbao, Jingsì!? what are you two discussing over there? We need to reach town before the dark and it's already dawn....get back here quickly, we can't waste time.
Jingsì(shout)- Yes Grand aunt we are coming!!
Jingsì turned back to Jinbao and wiped his tears.
Jingsì- Brother we must hurry now it's already getting late and we haven't crossed the woods yet. Let's go!?
Jinbao- yes Miss!
Jingsì- You can call me Jingsì if you want.
Jinbao- but that would be inappropriate.
Jingsì- not towards me so you can call me by my name.
Jinbao- Alright Miss...I mean Jingsì..
Jingsì- (smiles) Let's go!
Jinbao takes her up and helps her to sit on the back of the horse and then they both rush towards the direction where Mistress Yi was standing. At this point Mistress Yi was in a hurry so she didn't mention anything regarding Jingsì's act of compassion and how pure her heart was. Instead she claimed on towards the woods opening into the grasslands and that the Haitian market was right in front of them. They reached Haitian town in time before dark and started searching a stay in' to spend the night as they wished to reach the capital the next morning.
Elsewhere, at the Palace..
Gwang Ji Yard, Jin Manor.. The Imperial Noble consort of emperor Qian stayed. The palace was originally of the Dowager nobel consort Bei ju and was reconstructed by the Qian emperor after the empress passed away. There the Consort was packing up a gift....a jade pendant for the crowned prince as the prince was turning 17 the next day. Her emotions overwhelmed as she thought if and only if the late empress was alive it would have been the best. Looking at the Jade pendant she remembered how the late empress was making the Jade pendant with her own hands when she was pregnant with the princess A'rou. She thinks of the past and how the late empress used to smile at her like her elder sister and how beautiful everything was around her. Consort Han mumbles to herself in a low tone holding the pendant with teary eyes- "Jeijei our Yan has grown up a lot with your blessings and he is healthy.....tomorrow he will turn seventeen Jeijei...I wish you were here to give him his gift that you prepared.."
She softly sobs when the guards at the gate announce the arrival of Princess Ying and Princess A'rou. Consort Han out of ignorance wipes her tears and commands the guards to let them in. Both the princesses enter together and at a glance they realise that Consort Han was all worked up and emotional.
Princess A'rou, Mother Han, why are you so sad all of a sudden? tomorrow is brother's birthday and we have decided to gift him something special....
princess Ying, and we both came here to show you our gifts ....but you look sad mother and now we feel worried please tell us if something is wrong we will try to help you and punish them who made you this sad....(in a childish manner)
Consort Han, (Chuckles with teary eyes) Silly child you don't have to worry. Both of you know that I am extremely worried about Yan but you all know he never will accept me in the way I wish him to.....I ....I just feel so helpless that I am not able to raise him like Jeijei.....I feel like I failed my sister upon not being able to give Yan the love and care of a mother....It's just I promised her that....but.....(starts to tear up and emotional)
Princess Ying, Mother you have raised all three of us as your own we never felt that you are not our mother...we love you the most...
Princess A'rou, Yes mother....and the promise that you made to empress mother is what you did for all these years. I can understand how you feel but we can't do anything about the relationship between brother and you....I tried so much to persuade him to atleast greet you and father with kind gestures but still some relations can only be fixed if both understand the mutual love... Please don't worry about this Mother we have already arranged something to make him happy.
Princess Ying, Yes mother....(approaches with a silk fabric finely embroidered with silver wires and plum wax) This is the clothing that I embroidered with white silk for brother(smiles) how does it looks mother?
Consort Han, Oh my! Ying'er your skills have improved a lot recently. It looks so beautiful and all the qualities of abundance and love for passion is shown beautifully....very well done!
Consort Han touches the bright creamy red fabric and analyzes that the fabric must be washed with warm chestnut and pine water to remove stiffness of the fibers and hence she further instructed princess Ying to do so before giving it to the prince as it might irritate his skin if he wore it directly.
Princess A'rou, Mother Han, this is the emperal dagger I prepared for brother, it is made up of stiff sapphire and glazed armour. Please have a look..
Princess A'rou leans the tray with the dagger to consort Han and consort han admires how beautiful the natural cut lines were carved. She said that the edge was sharp enough to slit two men at once. After admiring both the gifts she showed them the jade pendant made by the empress for the prince's seventeenth birthday and explained both of then that the reason for her sadness was that she missed her dear sister the late empress Li Zifen..
princess A'rou, Mother tomorrow is a big day and we should not feel sad about anything...you see the people who are gone will never come back but they will also feel bad that we are sad because of it. So it is not good to feel sad and make them feel sad in the afterlife.
princess Ying, Yes mother, Jiejei is absolutely correct. You should be happy because tomorrow is brother's birthday.
Consort Han, (with a sigh) I think what you two are saying is the truth...I must not be saddened by the past too much because tomorrow is my son's birthday and I have to be ready with all the preparations...You two, must go now and have a good sleep. As I might need your help tomorrow early morning.
princess A'rou, Mother Han you have not shown us the gift that you prepared for him?
Princess Ying, yes we are eager to see what it is.. is it a weapon or food?
Consort Han, You want to see what I prepared...I have prepared..(pulling up a chest box from the left drawer) this!
Inside the box there was a silver hair pin with Emeralds embarked into the form of a dragon on one side and the other side was embossed with a Phoenix structure at the end was a chain with a feather like leaf connecting both.
Princess A'rou, Wow its so pretty! He will love it definitely...
Princess Ying, It is made of silver and emerald the two things that brother loves the most so he is going to love it.
Consort Han, You think so? I guess he might love it until he doesn't get to know that I made this...otherwise he will not admire it any longer...
Princess A'rou, it's not that...it's just that your relation with him is a little complicated....that's it and nothing else...
princess Ying, Yeah brother will love it...maybe this may strengthen your bond with him...
Consort Han, I hope so but anyways you two go back to your palaces now it's late...
Princess A'rou, okay mother we will take your leave now...
consort Han, Hun Ji, escort both the princesses to Xiang Zu Palace!
Hun Ji, Yes Mistress!
Hun Ji the main maid of the imperial Noble consort sends the princesses off to their own palace.
○ This chapter ends here see you all at the next chapter...and yeah the next chapter is gonna be a party so come prepared 🐰🤩○