After the poetry competition, everyone decided to take a stroll near the lake. Everyone reached near the cherry tree and started admiring it's beauty, Li Bai, Ming Yue and Princess were chatting when Princess Qiang said she wanted to go near the lake. Princess Qiang really like peaceful environment and in this type of calm lakes she would just stare aimlessly for hours. Lue Yi ofcourse knew that because of her connections, Lue Yi had gave money to a lowly and ugly maid to simply push princess Qiang and then run away, and then because princess Qiang doesn't know how to swim, she would go there and help her and gain her trust! This seemed like a flawless plan where nothing could go wrong.
Princess Qiang was looking at the calm lake, and her reflection on the water. She was reminded of what Ming Yue had said about her beauty, but she didn't see anything special, she had a rather simple face compared to the serene face of Ming Yue.
Princess Qiang's cultivation ore was damaged when she was young, so she'd be sick easily and was not allowed to be in very cold or very hot places. Though it was spring the water in the lake would be very cold, she was actually tempted to touch the water and let the chilly sensation from her fingers led to her heart. In a moment of flash, she was falling towards the lake, while it made a splash sound, she was struggling to keep her head out of the water, when a petite figure held her hand and then supported her body and was taking her towards the edge , she was flapping her legs while the other person was restricting big and energy consuming movements. They both reached to the shore and both were panting heavily, princess Qiang was continuously coughing but the other person has fainted!!
Princess Qiang turned around to see it was Ming Yue!
When everyone heard the splash sound, they all saw princess Qiang drowning in the lake, Lue Yi was 'coincidentally' closer and she was about to jump but she chickened out at the last minute, she was scared because though she knew how to swim but she wasn't great at it, what if she drowned? She had finally gathered the courage when she heard a splash sound nearby only to see Ming Yue jump in, but Ming Yue didn't know how to swim. If she jumps in right now she might be able to save one of them or by luck both of them, but if she didn't Ming Yue would die and she wouldn't even have to do anything!to the i
She didn't even care about Princess anyway so she stayed back to enjoy the show, but Ming Yue had pulled herself and Princess out of the water!
Ming Yue had fainted and a doctor was immediately summoned. The doctor arrived and started pressing upon Ming Yue' chest, she coughed up and some water then woke up, the imperial doctor said,
"There's nothing to worry, young miss had taken in some water. But you should take some antibiotics in order to not catch cold."
He turned towards the princess and said
"Greetings princess, you too must take antibiotics."
The doctor knew they had fallen into the lake just by their appearance, and for princess, he had been called to the palace to look at her cultivation ore once so he knew she was the unfortunate princess who was very fragile.
Princess Qiang was almost in tears when she saw Ming Yue faint. The servants and brought over some towels to dry the two young misses, when Li Bai guilty said
"Its all my fault, I should've warned the princess that the edge of the lake was slippery. Please forgive me Princess Qiang."
Princess Qiang looked kindly at Li Bai and replied
"It's not Li Bai's fault, because someone pushed this princess".
Everyone was shocked by Princess's words, who in their right mind would dare to push the member of the royal family? Lue Yi was scared to death, she hastily came forward and sat beside Ming Yue and said
"Second sister are you okay? I was so scared that I couldn't even react!"
Everyone thought that it was a normal sister scene , but Ming Yue knew she was pretending, she said
"First miss need not worry for me."
Ming Yue's statement was enough for the people to realise that the sisters were not in good terms.
Li Bai spoke "Princess Qiang and Ah Yue, the air is getting chiller, if you both stay in your drenched clothes you'll get sick. I have new pairs of clothes recently made from Mio Mei store, please change into that."
Both of them agreed and they were both brought into the rooms to get changed, Li Bai noticed that it wasn't early anymore so the tea ceremony had ended. Everyone was returning to their residence and Lan Hua and Lue Yi were the first ones to leave, while Li Bai personally sent off Princess Qiang and Ming Yue.
While they were about to leave, a tall and a lean guy was standing at the door, and when he saw the princess, he bowed and said
"Greetings princess, since the princess had not arrived at the palace yet and it isn't early anymore, Empress Dowager has sent sixth prince to accompany princess. Prince Zhao is waiting outside, please come with me."
Though the man was not very old, but Ming Yue could sense some of his power/rank. When he came near to greet the princess, the air had become a bit heavier, Li Bai didn't like cultivating and Princess couldn't cultivate, though Ming Yue also didn't know how to cultivate she could feel the change in air.
Princess Qiang nodded and bid farewell to Li Bai, Princess Qiang, Ming Yue and that guard were walking towards the gate, outside the gate, a beautiful black carriage was there, it was carved with dragons covered with gold, the black and gold combo looked exquisite.
Ming Yue bid farewell to Princess Qiang and was heading towards to her carriage, when Princess Qiang suddenly called her, she loudly said
"Second young miss of Ming residence, thank you for saving this princess, let this princess invite you to a meal someday to show my gratitude."
Ming Yue simply smiled and replied with
"Sure Princess, this subject will be waiting."
'This subject' was very formal, so princess said
"Call me Ah Qiang."
Ming Yue nodded this time and the bowed and left towards her carriage. All of this conversation was being observed by a pair of dark orbs which had a spark of interest.