Yue looked at the night sky through the open window. Time goes so fast. It's been a month since the first full moon. Yue closed the window. Her eyes scanned the interior of the carriage. She was tired of always sitting here. She wanted to get to the southern kingdom as soon as possible.
"Are in the southern kingdom they are afraid of me?" Yue asked herself.
"I'm going to hide so no one knows about me."
A smile graced Yue's face. Living in hiding, that's her destiny.
"I fell in love with those good people."
Yue's body leaned against the carriage. She sat curled up with her face on her knees. It was boring because she avoided talking to other people, including Prince Huang.
"Tonight we camp here!"
"All right, Prince!"
Yue glanced at the window. She knew the crowd very well. Again they stopped because Prince Huang needed to rest. Yue wanted to get to the Southern kingdom as soon as possible so she wouldn't have to sit in the carriage any longer.
"Prince, where are you going?"
Yue opened the window. An opening was formed for her to peek. Prince Huang stood with his back to her. He was talking to a soldier. Yue continued to peek, then was surprised when Prince Huang turned around. Yue was in such a hurry to hide that she forgot to close the window.
Prince Huang is going to meditate. However, as soon as he saw the carriage window open, he wanted to put his plans on hold. Prince Huang walked towards the carriage. As her steps drew closer, Yue's heart was pounding. The girl was huddled in a corner and didn't know what to do.
In reality, Prince Huang was only two steps from the carriage. He lowered his head slightly to appreciate Yue. "Princess, tonight we are camping here. Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable. As soon as I find a healer, we will leave for the Southern kingdom," he explained.
Yue glanced through the gap in the window. There was a figure of Prince Huang that could be seen from the clothes he was wearing.
"Princess. There is a river nearby. You can ask soldiers to guide you there."
Yue said, "Thank you." And Yue went back into the blanket. If she saw Prince Huang any longer, she sure couldn't control herself to treat him.
"And there doesn't seem to be a full moon today," Prince said in a form of caring. He thought Yue liked the moon. Moreover, the meaning of the name Yue is a moon. The prince waited for a response.
However, Yue did not answer.
Prince Huang couldn't speak anymore. Yue had put some distance between them. Whereas just yesterday he thought Yue was responding to him happily. Prince Huang sighed. His head nodded slightly. "If Princess needs anything, you can call the soldiers," he ordered before slowly leaving.
After Prince Huang's departure, that was the last time they spoke. In the following days, the carriage passed through a village. In the village, there is a great healer who finally managed to remove the poison from Prince Huang's body.
In the remaining three days, they entered the Southern royal castle. As far as the eye can see, red curtains are hanging with lanterns and gold decorations that signify good luck.
Anyone who saw it would think the palace was waiting for the Prince's bride. However, at the palace entrance, no one was there except the guards. Seeing the atmosphere, Prince Huang was calm, the soldiers were confused, and Yue didn't know anything.
As soon as the carriage stopped, two maidservants came. They guided Yue to go to the Second Prince's palace. Yue walked slowly because she couldn't see clearly due to the hood. Meanwhile, the two maids in front of her broke out in cold sweat after learning that Yue's complexion was as pale as a corpse.
Taking some complicated twists and whispers along the way, Yue managed to arrive at the Second Prince's residence. She was left after the servants were ordered to wait for the Prince.
⭑⭑⭑
A eunuch ran in the palace corridor. His robes fluttered in rhythm with his rapid pace through corridors, bridges, and the Second Prince's palace, until he finally arrived at a pavilion near the lake.
The eunuch whispered to the other eunuchs who were guarding in front of the pavilion. "Eunuch Feng, the Princess of the Northern kingdom has arrived. The princess is the prince's bride," he said.
Eunuch Feng nodded. His body turned to look at the young man who was meditating. "I'll pass it on. You can go," he said.
The news eunuch lowered his head, then walked away from the pavilion. Meanwhile, eunuch Feng was about to approach the Prince, but the Prince had finished his meditation.
"What is it?" asked the second prince, Huang Xingchen.
Eunuch Feng stood near the master. His old body bent. "Your Highness, the Princess of the Northern kingdom has arrived. The princess is your bride," he told him.
Huang Xingchen was silent for a split second. Then, he snorted. "What do you mean? Prince Zhaolin went to the Northern Kingdom to get his bride," he said.
"Prince, Prince Zhaolin is engaged."
Xingchen snorted again. If Zhaolin was already engaged, why would she accept the marriage proposal? Xingchen looked up at eunuch Feng. "Tell the princess to come home," he ordered.
Eunuch Feng bowed. "Prince, the princess made a two-month journey to get here-"
"I don't need that."
Xingchen stood up and straightened his clothes. His face faced Eunuch Feng. "Do whatever it takes to get her back to his country," he said.
Eunuch Feng sighed. His eyes were watching Xingchen who was walking towards the bridge. Eunuch Feng hastily followed. When Xingchen's steps faltered, he immediately caught his prince.
"Prince, you should rest." Eunuch Feng spoke while helping Xingchen walk.
"You are too kind to this sick person," Xingchen replied, "sorry if you lose your job shortly, Eunuch Feng."
Xingchen walked over and felt his legs stiffen. It was now his twentieth year since he had become weak. Maybe when it's his birthday, his life will be over.
"Prince, you are having trouble walking. Would you like to be carried?" asked Eunuch Feng.
Xingchen chuckled. "I'm not a child," he replied.
"By the way, Eunuch Feng. Do you believe that ghosts exist?"
Eunuch Feng's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Prince?"
Xingchen's hand pointed at the open door of his house. His index finger pointed to a pale-skinned woman with red eyes.
"It's a ghost."
Eunuch Feng looked up. At first, he wasn't sure because the hot sun was blocking his vision. After being noticed, Eunuch Feng concurred.
"Prince, let's walk back slowly."