"No, you are wrong right there! Si Yan is the king's second wife and Shi Lian is the king's third wife, understand?" Lu Yang Yang repeats for the third time, Yi Hua heaves out a sigh and massages her temple.
"Why do they have to have a similar name?" Yi Hua groans and takes a deep breath. Lu Yang Yang shakes his head in disbelief and looks away from her.
"Okay, so Shi Lian is his third wife, right? And Si Yan is second?" Yi Hua says, thinking carefully, Lu yang Yang takes in a deep breath and nods his head, "Finally." He mutters while Yi Hua chuckles.
"And Shi Yan has-"
"Your Highness, we reached the palace." Dao Ye shouts from outside, she hears the horses neigh and she bites her nail, growing conscious of her state, "Yang Yang, I am scared. I feel like I will mess this up."
Lu Yang Yang floats around her and pats her shoulder, "You will do it fine. I will let you know who is who." Yi Hua gulps, looking around.
"Your Highness!" She finches, "Ah, shit, shit, shit!" She mutters as she hears the carriage door opening, she gulps and forces out a smile as Dao Ye peeks his head in.
"Everyone is waiting for you inside." Dao Ye speaks, bowing his head down, Yi Hua clears her throat and she slowly stands up, supporting herself against the carriage.
"I am coming." She says and Dao Ye retraces himself out of the carriage as Yi Hua walks out, "Ahem." She clears her throat and smiles watching every eye on her, especially those armed soldiers by the gate who were lined up from the door till the inside where she figured were the royals standing waiting for her.
She felt a sense of familiarity standing before the palace, she took in a deep breath and slowly stepped ahead, unknowing her eyes tearing up watching Hu Ying clutching her chest at her sight.
She speeds up and looks around, those walls, bricks, buildings, everything got her nostalgic even though this was her first time visiting the palace.
She looks ahead and finds her mother running to her, without her knowledge she too finds herself running towards her mother before she finds herself wrapped up in her mother's arm with their sobs audible for all.
"Where were you, Hua?!" Hu Ying asks, hugging Yi Hua tight, Yi Hua sniffs and looks up at her mother as she pulls herself away, "I don't know, mother." She says, growing nervous.
Hu Ying closes her eyes as her tears flow out, soon she finds herself surrounded by her family, "How did you get out of the palace?" Yi Yongxi asks, his voice stern and dominant.
Yi Hua gulps, "I…I don't know, Father." She says, hanging her head low and fidgeting with her fingers, "What do you mean by you don't know?!" The king shouts, and everyone flinches including Yi Hua as she trembles in fear.
Lu Yang Yang bites his finger as he watches Yi Hua, "I…I don't know." She mutters, sniffing while the King huffs, "Your Majesty, she is our child. Why are you being so harsh on her? She says she doesn't know-"
"Stop siding with her just because she is our daughter, Ying! Her being out of the palace on her own doesn't fit it right!" Yi Yongxi shouts, Yi Hua clenches her hand against her robe as more tears gush out of her eyes, she is not fond of the scoldings she is receiving now.
"Your Majesty, Sister Ying is right, you cannot scold her when she is back in such a bizarre condition. She-"
"I don't want to hear anything, Si Yan. Fetch her to her room and have her grounded for two weeks. I want you all looking for something that caused her disappearance." Yi Yongxi orders all the soldiers, they all raise their legs and march against the ground with a loud thud, and they all yell, "Yes, Your Majesty!" before they disperse.
Yi Yongxi flips his hand sleeves with a huff before he walks away with the soldiers following him, Yi Hua feels scared. Her lips tremble at the aura the king had around him.
Hu Ying caresses Yi Hua as she goes shocked by the news of her being grounded, she gulps and watches her mother she forces out a smile, "How did you go out? Did someone force you out? Tell us what happened?" Hu Ying asks, hugging Yi Hua again.
"Hua, this doesn't make sense." Yi Hua sniffs and looks to her side and sees a man, "He is your Brother, Hua." Lu Yang Yang speaks, Yi Hua heaves out a sigh and composes herself.
"Brother, I think the same. I was sleeping in my room and then I woke up somewhere out of my room. I was so scared." Yi Hua says, trying to make up a scene to justify her disappearance.
"Yi Zhen, help us find the person who took her away. I don't want it to happen again." Hu Ying says, caressing Yi Hua's head and smiling at her. Yi Zhen nods his head, "I will do that. I am glad you are back, safe." Yi Zhen says, hugging her tight.
Yi Hua gasps but slowly hugs his back, tearing up at the comfort and warmth, "I am so glad to be back." She says, smiling as her brother pulls away, Yi Zhen chuckles and ruffles her hair.
He turns around and walks away. Yi Hua takes in a deep breath and looks ahead but she frowns as she catches Shi Lian and a girl glaring at her, "The other is your step-sister, Yi Tao Tao. As you see, they are not fond of you." Lu Yang Yang says, Yi Hua tilts her head watching them turn around and walk away.
"I am glad you are back in one piece." Yi Hua turns to the man, "He is your step-brother Yi Guan Bao. You two have a close and friendly relationship. And the other guy smiling at you is also your step-brother, Yi Xueqin." Lu Yang Yang says, smiling.
"I remember that." She mutters, smiling at Guan Bao as he frowns hearing her speak something which doesn't fit right to his question, "Uh?" He mutters, "Eh? I am also glad I could get back home…safe." Yi Hua says, smiling with relief.
"Sister…" Yi Hua heard a small voice call out for her, she turned around and found a small boy peeking his head out of Shi Yan, Shi Yan chuckles and pushes the boy ahead.
"You are back?" The kid asks, grinning cutely.
"He is Yi Cao, also your step-brother and Shi Yan's youngest son." Lu Yang Yang says, "I bet I am much cuter than this kid." Lu Yang Yang says, smirking with pride.
"Oww~ Little Cao missed me?" Yi Hua coos, ignoring Lu Yang Yang as she picks little Cao up, giggling and bopping his little nose with her which had Lu Yang Yang pout, jealousy.