The royal carriage skidded to a halt in front of the gigantic palace.
Cai Ruolan felt someone tapping her shoulder, “Wake up little wife, we’re home”
She opened her eyes slowly and was quite surprised when she realized that she had rested her head on the crown prince’s shoulder.
Cai Ruolan sat well on her seat, then reached out for her bag.
‘Who knows what this sly man had done? He might have raised my veil up to see my face’ she thought within her as she glared at him.
She waited for him to climb down the carriage, and as usual, he stretched out his right hand for her.
Cai Ruolan cursed herself for taking his hand, she soon climbed down the carriage stairs and stood beside him holding the bag tightly.
Cai Ruolan had never seen such a huge palace before, there were green tall trees, and many other buildings inside the palace premises.
Her father’s palace was nothing compared to this in term of hugeness, space, and beauty.
From where she stood, Cai Ruolan could see three people dressed in fine robes, they were also lot’s of maid servants both male and female standing outside.
Just as she was about to take a step with the crown prince, a servant woman came over to collect her bag.
Cai Ruolan narrowed her eyes as she wondered where the woman was taking her precious bag to. She suddenly realized that the woman was trying to be respectful, and since she was the crown prince’s wife, she wasn’t suppose to hold anything when they were hundreds of maid servants to do that for her.
Everyone bowed to them as they walked towards the royal family.
Cai Ruolan never expected such a grand welcome, she thought of a way to greet the empress since she had never spoken to any other one except Hu Melien.
They both kowtowed simultaneously. “Your majesties”
“You may both rise” from his words, one could tell that the emperor was indeed very joyful, he looked at Cai Ruolan in a smile.
“You’re welcome to the royal palace princess”
“Thank you, your majesty” Cai Ruolan bowed again.
Empress Gu Zongying enveloped her in a tight hug. “You’re welcome daughter-in-law” she smiled.
“Thank you your majesty”
Xie Peizhi looked at Cai Ruolan, she could tell that she looked very beautiful even despite the fact that she was wearing the veil. “You’re welcome brother’s wife, I’m going to make you happy forever. Come let me take you inside”
She pulled Cai Ruolan’s left hand and ran inside the inner palace, Cai Ruolan turned back to look for the woman who had collected her bag, where is she?
Her heart pounded in her chest, she hoped the woman hadn’t ran away with the bag.
“Sister-in-law, what are you thinking about? Don’t worry your husband will be with you soon” Xie Peizhi’s teasing made her blush.
She wasn’t even aware of the fact that the crown prince wasn’t with them, she was only worried about the bag.
But she quite liked how the royal family accepted her, she never expected the empress to hug her. At least she was grateful for this.
Xie Peizhi led her inside the palace, “I prepared something very special for you” she giggled like a small child who was excited in tasting her first candy.
Cai Ruolan smiled as she followed her around. “Thank you very much, you don’t have to go through all of these your highness”
“Of course…”
“Xie Peizhi, you couldn’t even let me hug my daughter-in-law well, is this fair huh?” the empress asked walking towards them with the emperor and crown prince.
“I’m sorry mother I just wanted to be the best sister-in-law ever”
The empress turned to Cai Ruolan and Xie Yuxuan. “The couples will have to be heading over to their chambers. Remember her husband hasn’t seen her face yet. You both can go now huh, the bed had been installed and everything is ready” she said in a smile.
Cai Ruolan’s heart were beating that one would think that it was going to jump out of her chest.
Their chambers?
See her face?
“Your majesty, here is your bag”
Cai Ruolan collected her bag with glee, she instantly felt like going to their chambers so she could start reading Wang Eumeh’s diary.
She walked with Xie Yuxuan who was leading the way to their chambers.
Cai Ruolan was enthralled by the beauty of the inner palace, it was well furnished and decorated. She wondered how beautiful the chamber would be.
Xie Yuxuan opened the door of a well decorated room, he was surprised by how his room had changed, and if not for the fact that he knew the way there, he would have mistook his chamber for another’s.
The king sized bed was beautifully decorated with red flowers, there were no more shelves filled with scroll and books. They were replaced with red silks, flowers and ribbons.
His reading table was turned into a dresser with a large mirror decorated with white flowers.
Though it was beautiful, but it looked very girlish.
And he felt that the room was more spacious, he could only see a few of his books on the upper shelf, and another few on the table nearing the window.
He knew that it was all Xie Peizhi’s doing, he never told her to rearrange his room. He only instructed the maid servants to prepare a new chamber for Cai Ruolan.
Cai Ruolan on the other hand was speechless, she thought of what to do next. Was this how they were going to keep standing without saying anything to each other?
“Your majesty, I would want a different room” She lowered her head as she spoke.
Xie Yuxuan smiled. “I must see your face first”
He walked towards her in a broad smile, he loved to see whenever Cai Ruolan was very shy.
He took off the veil from her face then looked straight into her eyes.
He never expected her to be this beautiful, her lips were thin and pink and her jawline was also V-shaped.
What captivated him the more was her grey eyes and smooth face that exuded a calm and gentle aura.
“You’re beautiful” he smiled, at least it’s a good thing that he got such a beautiful young girl as a wife.
“Thank you your majesty” she bowed again clutching her bag tightly.
“My name is Xie Yuxuan, you can call me by my name”
“Yes, your ma…Yes Xie Yuxuan”
He smiled. “Good girl” he remembered the hairpin she had given him back at her father’s place. “Here, I’ll wear it on your hair for you”
Before Cai Ruolan could say no, he already fixed it on her hair even if he knew not how to wear it for her properly.
“Thank you”
“Your maid servants will be here shortly, tell them whatever you need” he instructed her.
“Yes, your majesty”
“It’s Xie Yuxuan” he reminded her before walking out.
* * * *
IN THE BOOK OF CURSES:
A white light surrounded the black chain, then it broke into tiny pieces.
The spirit of the white lotus’s curse had been broken since she had found her true love.