Chapter 5

Days have passed and she was starting to get along with the princes as they would usually visit her. One day, while the 3rd prince was with the princess, Lady Lan approached Xuefeng who was standing guard in a distance.

"Master Xuefeng, when did you arrive? Lady Yue will be very delighted to see you again," she said, her hands were filled with Peach cakes, Yue's favorite.

"Just now. Has my sister been well?" he asked as he observed his sister's pale face.

"Yes. All of the princes grew fond of her ever since we got into the palace," Lady Lan smiled.

He frowned. He didn't get the answer he wanted.

"After the prince leaves, tell me. I've bought her some snacks that mother has made for her. I'm sure she misses them," he said as he left.

It has been 5 months since they left the province. It was heartbreaking for Yue as she was about to enter the palace, never to see the peaceful province where she grew up. But his sister remained indifferent when she left the province. There was something wrong and he could sense it.

Lady Lan served the snacks to the prince and to the princess who was laughing.

"Your Highness, your brother has arrived from the Liang Province," she said.

"Oh? Where is he?" she asked as she turned around.

"He left. He said to inform him after your time with the 3rd prince," Lady Lan said.

"Alright then," she said.

Lady Lan left the prince and the princess alone.

"So, when do you plan on telling them?" he asked as he sipped his tea.

"Hm? What do you mean?" she asked and feigned innocence.

She gently stroked through her bamboo zither.

"Princess, for the past few months that I've accompanied you. I must say that I grew to know you so well," he chuckled as he put down his cup.

"I believe I am unaware of what you are meaning to say," she said as she continued playing through her bamboo zither and accidentally pricked her finger. "Ahh!" she exclaimed.

The prince quickly stood up and grabbed her hand. He quickly sucked her finger to stop the bleeding, catching the princess off-guard. As soon as he realized what he had done, he quickly let her go.

"Be careful next time," he said as he sat back on his seat. "Don't injure yourself, you've become a lot frailer these past few days."

Yue smiled and giggled.

"I won't, your Highness. But may I ask?" she said as she wrapped her injured finger with a piece of ribbon.

"What?" he asked as he sipped his tea.

"When did you know?" she asked.

"Your complexion is as pale as the snow in the Ginzhuo mountains," he said.

She cupped her face.

"Is that so? Does Prince find me unattractive?" she teased.

"No, you're still beautiful," he said without looking at her. "Anyways, I still have to meet with Brother Xuiying."

After the prince left, her beautiful smiled quickly faded. She got out the bottle and drank a small amount and continued playing the zither, trying to immerse into the song.

Moments later, her brother, the newly appointed General Xuifeng, came.

"Brother," she greeted as she stood up but fell over as her knees went weak. Xiufeng quickly caught her in time.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he put her down on her seat.

"yes. My knees went weak as I've sat for a long time," she said. "Would you like me to play you a song?"

"You've injured your finger, don't exert yourself anymore," he said as he sat down on the opposite of her seat.

"How are mother and father doing?" she asked.

"Father is doing well with his retirement. Mother is missing you," he said. "She said she'd like to visit you someday."

"I'd like that very much," she smiled.

As they talked more about Xiufeng's journey, a eunuch arrived.

"General Xiufeng, the Emperor invited you to meet him in his office," the eunuch said.

"Right now?" he whined.

"Brother, Father Emperor has asked for you. You should go," she smiled as she urged for him to go.

After the General left, she stood up and stared at the garden behind the pavilion.

"Princess, why are you here alone?" a voice from behind her spoke.

She turned around and it was the 2nd prince.

"Your Highness," she bowed. "3rd prince and my brother just left a while ago to attend to important meetings."

The prince smiled as she walked over to the princess.

"Is there any more important than the heavenly princess?" he teased.

She giggled.

"The nation is more important than me," she said.

Suddenly she lost consciousness and fell to the ground. The prince quickly called for help.

"HELP! THE PRINCESS FELL!" he yelled as he carried the princess.

The guards, Lady Lan and the maids rushed to help him.

Night fell and the palace was quiet. A dark aura had emerged from the shadows as the princess fell unconscious earlier that day.

"What happened?" the Empress asked the Imperial Physician as she held Yue's hand tightly.

The Physician slowly shook his head.

"She has been poisoned," he answered. "It seems like the poison was drunk in small amounts and it looked like she drank it herself."

"Yue would never do that," Xuiying said he said as he kneeled beside the unconscious princess. He was the first one against her but as soon as he knew her better, he grew to care for her.

"Seal everything. Never let anyone inside the Phoenix Palace," the Emperor said. "The princes are to stay in their quarters until the princess wakes up."

"No, father. Let us stay with the princess," Xuiying said.

"Ying, listen to your father," Imperial Noble Consort Ruan said. The entire royal family was present in her room, while General Xuefeng stood guard outside.

After a few hours, the Emperor and Empress left the palace to rest in their own quarters, including the Imperial Noble Consorts. The princes stayed inside. As he sat on the doorstep, he noticed a flickering light in the sky. It was as if a ball of fire were coming down from the Great Heavens.

As it got nearer, Xuefeng could make out a white carriage containing two people, a man, and a woman. He quickly kowtowed as the carriage parked outside and the people in it approached him.

"Your humble servant greets you," he said. "If there is anything that you could do, please help my sister," he cried.

The man who was wearing a white and black robe approached him. He was somewhat younger than Xuefeng. He kneeled and gently patted Xuefeng in his shoulder.

"Don't worry," he smiled as he went inside the room.

Minutes later, the man was already carrying Yue in his arms. Xuefeng quickly looked inside the room and found all of the princes unconscious on the floor, holding their swords.

"They're not dead, so don't worry," he smiled.

He quickly drew his sword and pointed it to him. The moment he did this, the man frowned.

"As my daughter needs immediate medication, I will forgive your daring soul," the man said as he walked to the carriage.

"Give my sister back! Where are you taking her!?" Xuefeng yelled.

"Back to where she belongs," the woman said as they rode the carriage. The carriage then quickly turned into a ball of fire that raised towards the heavens. After the carriage disappeared, the sky was clear as if nothing had happened and the princes quickly recovered and rushed outside.

"A man carried Yue. Have you seen him?" Li Yuhan asked as he struggled to the door. "General, have you seen the man who kidnapped the princess?" he repeated as the General were still on his knees, crying.

Xuiying approached the General and pointed his sword to him.

"Where is the princess?" he asked, holding his tears.

The General stood up and wiped away his tears. He looked at the prince straight in the eye.

"Back where she belongs," he said as he walked away helplessly.