Eastern Palace Chapter 8

With a face filled with smile, I have arrived at Xu Niang's palace residence, the lonely palace park. This was the first time seeing Xu Niang, she was lying on the bed, a face filled with sickness, but I could tell that she was a beautiful woman. At this moment, her palace maid said: "The Crown Princess has arrived." She wanted to get up, Yong Niang had rushed over to help her.

I didn't know how to comfort her, I just repeated what the Empress had said: "You don't have to feel too bad, you are still young."

Xu Niang had shed some tears, said: "Thank you Crown Princess. I have brought great misfortune, I should have died."

I embarra.s.singly said: "Actually.......why do you want to die? Look at me, I'm doing well....."

Once I heard Yong Niang coughed, I knew I had said something wrong again. I asked: "What do you want to eat? I could teach someone to make it and give it to you." Last time when I was sick, the Empress had sent someone to look after me, and asked what I wanted to eat, or if there was anything lacking. What does the Eastern Palace not have? This was what they had said to comfort me. I don't know how to comfort a sick person, I could only repeat whatever the Empress had said.

Xu Niang said: "Thank you Crown Princess."

I looked at her appearance. She looked very sad as if every hope had turned into dust. In the end, Yong Niang stepped forward to say a lot of words to comfort her. She kept on crying. In the end when we had left, she was still there crying. 

When we arrived at the Central Palace, the Empress had already ordered someone to write Xu Niang as Bao Lin in the imperial order book. Li Cheng Yin's complexion was hard to look at. The Empress said: "The Eastern Palace should be harmonious. The Crown Princess is still immature, there are a lot of things she couldn't take care of. If more people help her, then it would be good." She saw me coming in when she raised her head. She waved her hand, I went over to bow to her, she did not order the female official to help me up, but instead she helped me get up. I was simply overwhelmed by favor from the Empress. Every time, the Empress seems very composed, so it was rare to see her treat me like this.

"This Zhao Liang Di, death punishment could be exempted, but she cannot be freed from other punishments." The Empress had faintly said, "We'll demote her to a status of a commoner, and we'll imprison her for three months. Crown prince, you cannot visit her or else I'll expel her from the Eastern Palace."

I saw that the corners of Li Cheng Yin's eyes have twitched, but he lowered his head, depressingly said: "Yes."

When we had left the Central Palace, Li Cheng Yin slapped me. I wasn't able to guard myself because it happened so suddenly. That slap made me feel foolish.

A'Du took out her knife, "shua" the sharp knife was already placed at his neck. Yong Niang was scared and screamed: "You can't!" I didn't let her finish talking, I had already slapped him hard. Even though I am not good at martial arts, but it's not good to irritate me. Since he slapped me like that, of course I'll slap him back!

Li Cheng Yin coldly laughed: "Today, you should have killed me instead!" He pointed at me, "You vicious woman, I know it was you! You created this trap to get rid of the child in Xu Niang's stomach, and you blamed it on Zhao Liang Di."

I was so angry that my whole body was trembling, said: "Why did you say it like that?"

"This whole time you were pretending to be very pitiful and innocent

in front of everyone. You're pretending to not understand! You complained that I treated you coldly. You are jealous of Zhao Liang Di, so you would use this type of evil plan to harm her. You are more poisonous than even a poisonous snake! You must be satisfied, being able to get rid of Zhao Liang Di, breaking us apart! If anything happens to Zhao Liang Di, I would not let you get away with this. I'm telling you right now, once I become the Emperor, I will immediately depose you!"

He made me so angry that I almost fainted. I pushed A'Du away and stood in front of Li Cheng Yin: "You should just depose me right now instead. You think I like being married to you? You think I want to be a Crown Princess? There are a lot of men in Western Liang, every one of them are heroes, not like you who's useless! What else do you know besides reciting poems? Your archery accuracy is worst than me! Your horseback riding skills are also worst than me! If you were in Western Liang, your type of men wouldn't be able to marry a wife. Who would cherish you?"

Li Cheng Yin was so angry that he left abruptly.

My heart was in a daze. We have been arguing for three years, I know he doesn't like me, but I never knew that he would hate me this much. He shouldn't have speculated that I have evil intentions. Yong Niang helped me get into the palanquin. She lowered her voice and said a few words to comfort me: "The Crown Prince was expressing his anger at Crown Princess because of Zhao Liang Di, Crown Princess shouldn't put this at heart."

I know, of course I know that it was because Zhao Liang Di has suffered from injustice, so he would express all his anger at me, but I didn't do anything, why would he express his anger at me?

He said I was jealous of Zhao Liang Di. I am a little bit jealous of her because there was someone who treats her so well that they would believe her in any situation, protect her and care for her. Other than those reasons, I have no other reason to be jealous of her. Also, I have never thought of hurting her.

Zhao Liang Di seemed like a polite person. Last time when she played cards with me, I thought that she was a very smart woman, why would she do such a cruel thing? Also, I don't think the Empress used a good method to take care of this situation. Xu Niang seemed like a weak person. Even though she was bestowed with a t.i.tle of a Bao Lin, Li Cheng Yin doesn't like her. Eastern Palace would have another pitiful person.

At night time, I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about this situation. I bluntly asked A'Du: "Do you think Zhao Liang Di is a bad person?"

A'Du nodded her head and shook her head.

"I don't understand what the women in Central Plain are thinking. The men in Western Liang, although they could marry several wives, if they don't get along with each other, they could remarry other people."

A'Du nodded her head.

"Also, what is so good about Li Cheng Yin? Although his appearance is pa.s.sable, his temper is bad and he's narrow-minded......" I lay down on the bed, "If I had a choice, I would not marry him."

What I said was the truth, if I had a choice, I would not allow myself to fall into this pitiful situation. He already has someone that he likes. I have no choice, but to marry him. As a result, it caused him to hate me. These moments were very difficult to go through. Now that Zhao Liang Di was kept in prison, Li Cheng Yin hates me even more. I don't want a husband that hates me.

If I had a choice, I would marry an ordinary Western Liang man. At least he would sincerely love me, ride the horse with me, go hunting with me, play the guan for me to hear, and then I would give birth to a pile of babies, a family spending time happily every day........However, these types of days will only happen in my dreams.

All of a sudden A'Du pulled my hand, pointed at the window.

I was completely astonished. I pulled open the window and on the opposite side, there was a person sitting on the roof tiles of the palace hall.

This person was wearing white clothes, sitting on the black roof tiles made him very noticeable.　　

I recognized the person, it was Gu Jian again!

I wasn't sure if I should shout "There's an a.s.sa.s.sin." All of a sudden, he looked like a big bird flying from the roof to the front of my window.

I glared at him: "What are you going to do?"

He didn't answer me, but only stared at my face. I know my face was still swollen. When I had returned to the Eastern Palace, Yong Niang had brought a boiled egg and rolled it on my face for half a day, but my cheek still had red fingerprints and it wouldn't disappear. However, I wasn't at a disadvantage because I had also slapped his face swollen. Before, I had used my whole strength to slap him, so my hand was numb.

Repressing his emotions, he faintly said: "Who slapped you?"

I touched my cheek, said: "I'm fine, I already slapped back."

He continued to ask: "Who?"

I asked: "Why are you asking?"

His face didn't show any expression: "To kill that person."

I got scared. He continued on to ask: "You are the Crown Princess, who would dare to slap you? Emperor? Empress? Or someone else?"

I shook my head, said: "Don't ask, I'm not going to tell you."

He continued to ask: "Do you want to leave with me?"

This person was so weird, I shook my head. I was about to close the window, but he reached his hands out to block me from closing the window and asked: "Are you angry at me?"

I was confused: "Why would I be angry at you?"

"The situation three years ago, are you not angry about it?"

I seriously told him: "I really don't know you. You should't come here at night ever again. This is the Eastern Palace, if someone discovers you, they would think you're an a.s.sa.s.sin and they would shoot arrows to kill you."

He suddenly laughed: "Eastern Palace? This is the Imperial Palace, I could come or go whenever I want, who would be able to kill me?"

I glared at him, this person was too crazy, but his martial arts skills, even in the Imperial Palace, he really could come or go whenever he wants. I sighed: "What are you going to do?"

"I came here to look at you." He asked again, "Can you leave with me?"

I shook my head.

He became very angry, suddenly grabbing onto my hand: "You won't be happy if you stay here, why aren't you willing to leave with me?"

"Who said I am not happy here? Who are you to judge whether I am happy or not?"

He reached out his hand to pull me, I shouted: "Let go!" A'Du was trying to reach to us, jumping from side to side. He gently waved his sleeves, not waiting for A'Du to reach us, he pulled me out of the window and lifted me away. His martial arts skills were good, lifting me along with the wind, I could feel the wind constantly pa.s.sing through my ears. Not a moment after, we have reached to the highest place of the Eastern Palace where you could see everything. The whole palace was very quiet at night. At the rooftop, it was very cold and slippery.

I pushed his hand away, but I almost slipped. I glared at him: "What are you going to do?"

He pointed at the palace that was under my feet, said: "Xiao Feng, look over here. This palace have tall walls, surrounding you at all sides, a place that's all dark and no daylight, how could this place hold onto you?"

I don't like it when he calls out my name, it gives me an uncomfortable feeling, I said: "This is none of your concern."

He said: "What should I do for you to leave with me?"

I glared at him and rolled my eyes: "I will not leave with you. Even if you have high martial arts skills, if I shout and the Yu Lin army hears it, they'll shoot arrows at you until you look like a hedgehog."

He faintly smiled, said: "You forgot who I am? Go call out all the Yu Lin army, you think it will affect me?"

I forgot that this person was very crazy. I suddenly thought of an idea. I decided to try to praise him: "Your martial arts skills are so high, can no one in this world beat it? Have you never lost to anyone?"

He suddenly laughed, said: "You don't remember anything? Three years ago, we have fought and I had lost to you."

I was so shocked that my chin had dropped. I pointed at my nose: "You? Lost to me?" That phrase was too shocking.  I don't even have any martial arts skills, he only needs to use his fingertips to be able to turn me around. How can he had lost to me if we have fought? I can't even hold a sword properly.

"Yes." He was very calm and composed, "We had a bet. If I had lost to you in the fight, I would become your husband, loving you and protecting you for the rest of my life."

My mouth was wide open that even a whole egg could fit, asked: "What if I had lost the fight?"

"If you had lost, then you will have to marry me, take care of me and love me for the rest of your life."

I trembled, this is not how you play with people.

He said: "I wasn't easy on you, but you were able to s.n.a.t.c.h my sword away, so I had lost to you."

I was able to s.n.a.t.c.h your sword away? I will never believe it!

I quickly reacted: "It doesn't matter who had lost, I don't even remember anything and I don't even know you. You saying it with your own mouth, I would not believe it."

He faintly smiled, took out a pair of jade pendants from his sleeve, said: "When we had agreed to marry each other, we would divide the pair of pendants into half, you have one pendant and I have one pendant. We had agreed to meet each other at the Yumen gate on the sixth month of the fifteenth day when the moon was full, so that I could bring you back to my home."