I decided to hold my head high as i walk in but seeing him in a distance makes my knees soft. Keep telling myself i did nothing wrong. I did everything as per what he said. I did not do anything shameful nor kill anyone outside the mansion.
The sun continues to shine on the courtyard. His back is still turn to me. Granny Li looks at me nervously. Even the maids who are serving me are keeping their heads down.
"The ones who serve the madame stay behind. The rest go back on your daily work. My brothers you all had worked hard enough. Dismiss. "
Less than 2 minutes the courtyard is clear. I only can hear the sound of the birds chipping. For awhile i continue to stand there without a word while he sit there with his back facing me, he continue slipping his tea. The next 5 minutes i clear my throat.
"You are back home, my lord." i try to say it cheerfully however my voice hinted fear in it.
"You only know how to speak nonsense. Yes no i understand, isn't that what you said on the second day of our wedding? "
"I..."
"Tell me Granny LI, what have your mistress been doing these days?"
"My mistress have been going through the account books. Painting. Attending lessons with master Gu.Sometimes she play the GuQin"
"Well its sounds like she is fully occupy daily. Whatelse does she do, for fun?"
Granny Li and i look at each other nervously. The other two maid are shaking with their heads down. Im not sure is it because of the hot blazing sun or my nervous mind, I'm perspiring.
"She she..."
"You tell me"
"I don't know your highness. I am incharge of the night duty. Madame is always in the bed at night. I keep the ..."
"Enough! You, tell me. I don't want to hear your duty. Just tell me what she does for fun."
"Your servant only knows that Madame plays the GuQin. Watch fireworks. Pick peaches from the tree. That's all your highness."
"Pick peaches... on the ground?"
"Sometimes on the ground... sometimes ..." she tilt her head to look at me with a sorrowful eyes. "sometimes she climb the tree"
"Climb trees. How fun... How old are you, my wife? Are you still 10 years old? Did i marry a child? A child knows how to obey rules especially if they are born in a noble household. I recall you just recover the strength in your leg, so are you having too much fun with the energy?"
Finally my knees give way, i sit on the ground. It makes me looks like I'm kneeing and guilty of the things I've done.
"I did not do anything to ...:
"Did i tell you not to go without my guards when you are out of this mansion?"
"i did not do..."
"You might not do anything but i dislike people who do not listen nor promises not kept! The eunuch saw you briefly yet he remember who you are. Luckily he informed me instead of Empress mother. It will be irreversible. I kept my guards watching you in a distance just incase if should have anything happen. I thought that you are just messing around for a few days. However days turn to weeks, Weeks turn to months. Months become years. Everyday i receive news of you. Every few days i will be fuming mad and my brothers will train harder than usual. All thanks to you."
His shoes come into my view. Prince Xian squad down to my level. I look up to him. A clear bright doe eyes look straight into mine.
"Since you acted like a kid, i will treat you one. From today onwards, you are grounded. I will personally discipline you since your parents had fail to do so. Whatever i heard from others about the Duke Su's daughter, is all fake. Since i marry you, i will take the responsibility to teach you everything in this royal family. You will not act like a rogue on the street! Take your mistress to her room. Make sure she say inside."
He stands up and dust his robe. Prince Xian walks towards the table with his tea. The 2 maids help me up. One of them is tearing.
"Make sure you stay inside. If you are obedient, i might bring you out with me."
Before we walk away from Prince Xian, i shut out loud "i did nothing..."Granny Li quickly have her hands covering my mouth. The 3 of them drag me away as if I've gone mad. In my mind i keep yelling at him. That dingbat i will get him one day.
"Heavens, please my Lady. Keep your hot temper to yourself. His royal Highness won't take any of your nonsense. "
"I don't care what he thinks. He is lucky that I'm the one he marry to. If Yu'er marry into this household, i cannot imagine how much she will suffer with that dingbat!"
Granny Li try to hush me again. She pour the water onto my body and scrub me hard.
"Pain!"
"Good, you never know what is pain like. You grow up without proper education. That's why you are so loud. You talk without thinking. You do what you like. You have to learn to live with him."
"I won't. I will make him divorce me. He will eventually not wanting to live with me. He dislike people who won't obey him. I am not a solider. So i won't be the person he wants in his life."
The night is deadly silence in my bedroom. The window is open wide for me to see the whining moon.
The main door open suddenly. The screen infront of my bed, shows me a silhouette of a man. The door close with quiet foot steps towards my bed.
'