Even though they have more people working in the crown prince's palace now, but there were still things that they must do as well. As time went on, Mei found herself glancing in the crown prince's direction. She knew her place and that she shouldn't dream of such a life since there are plenty of beauties in the palace.
Mei tell herself every day that she would go home once her three year is up because she feels that one day, she would confess to the crown prince, and she might leave a bad memory with him; she didn't want that to happen since he has been so nice to her.
Mei kept her feelings to herself but she didn't know that Li Cheng was also keeping his feelings to himself as well. As time pass by the prince grew more worry that she would leave him, he wasn't even sure if she has anyone other than her parents waiting for her to return to or not but he became more anxious.
When the three year came by and people were getting dismissed from the palace, Mei never got her palace dismissal and one day, Mei couldn't find Shu'er anywhere.
"Where did Shu'er go?" Mei asked Chin Xu and Lue Yang
"She left last night." Lue Yang said to her and Mei looked at her in confusion.
"She got her dismissal? We should've too then, we came in at the same time." Mei said to the two of them and Chin Xu nodded.
"But I decided to stay a few more months." Chin Xu said to her and Mei nodded.
"What about you, Lue Yang?" Mei asked her and she smile.
"I'm leaving in 7 days." Lue Yang said to her and she nodded.
"I'm going to headed towards the main servant hall to talk with Madam Chang then." Mei said to them and headed out
"Good morning, Madam Chang." Mei said to the head maid, and she smiled at Mei, the two of them had gotten close to each other during the three years.
"Mei, what brought you to see me so early in the morning?" Madam Chang asked her
"Shu'er went home." Mei said to her and Madam Chang nodded
"Yes, her dismissal was sent yesterday and something urgent came up, so she left over night. Is something the matter dear?" Madam Chang asked her.
"Well, me and her came at the same time so if she was dismissed. I should've also been dismissed as well." Mei said to her and she nodded
"There was an order from the crown prince to not dismissed you just yet? Did he not tell you?" Madam Chang asked her and she shook her head
"Thank you, I'll head to the crown prince's palace to talk to him." Mei said and headed out
Mei was confused as to why the prince had extended her stay here and yet he didn't tell her at all. Mei hastily made her way towards the palace, passing by the other workers; greeting each other as she walked passed them.
"Yun-Bao. Su Yang. Lovely morning isn't it?" Mei asked the two of them and the two smile at her, the two of them has trained hard to be the crown prince's personal guards and decided to stay by his side, they even moved their family into the city.
"It is a fine morning, but how come I don't see Shu'er with you?" Yun-Bao asked her and she smiled at the two of them.
"Shu'er went back home. Could you let the crown prince know that I would like to have an audience?" Mei asked them and Yun-Bao nodded
"Wait a minute." Yun-Bao went inside to talk to the prince and after a while, he came out
"His Highness said that you can go in."Yun-Bao said to her and she nodded as she headed inside. The prince was sitting in the study room, looking through his papers like all the other days that Mei has seen him do.
"Greeting Your Highness." Mei said to him as she bowed to him and he nodded
"You may get up." the prince said to her, Mei got up
"What brought you here?" the prince asked her
"I came here because I was told that my service here has been extended." Mei said to him and the prince stopped reading, he looked up at her
"And?" the prince asked her and she smiled politely at him
"I didn't ask for it to be extended." Mei said to him and he nodded
"I know." the prince said to her
"I would like to end my service her-" Mei said but Li Cheng who was kind and friendly became mad
"No!" the prince said to her, this was the first time in three years that he has raised his voice, she got scared and tears welled up in her eyes
"You're to continue working." Li Cheng said to her,
"...I've promised my parents to head home after three years....Your Highness." Mei said to him and he sighs
"Get out." Li Cheng said to her with a low angry voice
"But-" Mei tried again but he wouldn't have it
"GET OUT." Li Cheng said to her.
Mei bit down on her lips, holding back her tears, she bowed farewell to him and headed out of the room. Mei headed back to her resting quarters; she didn't understand why he was so mad about her going home since there were plenty of people who could replace her work and she has not return home once since she has started working in the palace.
The prince has taken more than just a liking to Mei, she was unlike any of the women that he had met before, Li Cheng has talked to his father before about marrying a woman who is a commoner, but his father didn't agree.
As the three years drew closer, he became more anxious about losing her since she'd be out of the palace walls, and even if he was the crown prince he is not allowed to interfere in another man's marriage.
After Mei left, Li Cheng walked out of the study room
"I'm going to head out to see my father," Li Cheng said to the two of them and the two followed behind him. Li Cheng headed towards his father's study since he knew where his father would be during this time of the day.
"Father." Prince Li said to his father.
"Li Cheng." his father said
"I've come to talk to you about that topic again." Li said to his father
"And which topic would that be?" His father asked him
"Father I would like to marry a commoner." Li said to his father and he looked up at his son
"What?" his father asked him
"I wish to marry a commoner, father." Li repeated to his father
"I would like to know who this woman is, you've never stepped out of the palace so who can it be? And the last time we talked about it as a subject, you didn't mention it was you." his father said to him and he nodded
"Well, you know her father. I believe that you like her as well." Li Cheng said to his father who chuckled at him
"And who is it?" his father asked him
"Mei. I want to marry Mei." Li Cheng said to his father and his father laughed
"Well, what did Mei say?" His father asked him and he went pale
"Mei wishes to return home to her parents." Li Cheng said to his father
"My child, I don't usually think that it's okay to marry a commoner but Mei is special so I can agree to this but if you want to marry her, you should ask her first." The king said to him, confused Li looked at his father
"You do know that I'm talking about marrying a commoner and I want to make her my queen, no?" Li asked his father and his father smile
"The day you marry her, you will know." His father said to him, satisfied Li Cheng left to go see Mei
Mei had gotten back from seeing the prince and was sitting in her resting quarter thinking about how she was going to go back home, she was happy that she could spend more time with the prince if she didn't go home but she had been away from home for so long that she was beginning to miss home and her parents.
Mei got up after mopping around the whole morning and was about to head out to work, but when she opened her door, she was facing the prince.
"Greeting, Your Highness." Mei said to him and he smiled at her
"I would like to talk to you, follow me."Li Cheng said to her and she nodded