Chapter 9

Li Xiu Ying strode towards Calla Lily Courtyard and noticed a young woman dressed in pink on the ground crying, "Your Highness, why must you ignore me," she wailed. The girl kept crying for the Emperor to come out but was met with nothing.

Growing tired of the girl's crying, Li Xiu Ying stepped forwards and called the little servant girl, "Miss may you tell your King, that I request a meeting with him." The girl in pink quickly snapped her head around to see who spoke. She noticed the girl had a beautiful pale complexion that suited her, her skin was much paler than her own. She stood up and walked over to the beautiful girl and smacked her in the face.

"What do you want you whore," she asked menacingly. "Do you not know who I am?" she waited for a reply from the girl who stood as though the slap was a mosquito bite. "I am Zheng Wei Jian's Fiance, Zhang Li Min. Are you trying to become a homewrecker," she blew up, having someone that she could yell at.

Li Xiu Ying scoffed, "I was just with the Empress Dowager, how come she never mentioned a little brat posing as his Fiance?" The color from Zhang Li Min's face drained completely.

"The E-E-Empress Dowager," she stuttered. She then went quiet for a while thinking of what to say. "I was going to meet her to ask for her permission to marry her son. Yes," she said confidently.

Zheng Wei Jian stood near the door in silence waiting for Li Xiu Ying's next move. He had rushed there when he heard Li Xiu Ying was coming to meet him, he had been there since the slap.

Li Xiu Ying laughed loudly then calmed down, "That is interesting, little girl, because I have already asked the Empress Dowager to allow me to marry the Emperor, and she said she would love me as her future daughter-in-law." She glanced at the door and nodded to Zheng Wei Jian and the corner of his mouth went up.

Finally he walked out and over to Li Xiu Ying and held her face in both of his hands, "What happened to your face," he asked knowingly, "Who would dare touch this Emperor's future wife?" He then turned around and glared at Zhang Li Min. "Guards," he hollard, "Strip her and throw her out of the Palace. She is never allowed back into the Royal Palace. Make sure the people know that my future wife did not want her sentenced to death for her crime." He then grabbed Li Xiu Ying's hand and walked into his courtyard, leaving the begging Zhang Li Min outside to be dealt with.

"You put on a good show," he said as they entered his private study.

Li Xiu Ying smiled and said, "Being a royal myself, you make the shows interesting if you participate." She sat down before his table and waited until she heard Li Na, Li Jie, and Li Qiang behind her. "Your Majesty, we would like access to your Royal Library. We believe that there is something that can help us in this investigation."

He sat reasoning the advantages and disadvantages of allowing a stranger into the Royal Library. Suddenly he looked at Li Xiu Ying watching her excited face as she explained how it may help their investigation. "I will personally take you," he replied. Zheng Wei Jian stood up ready to guide Li Xiu Ying to the library.

"I thought it would have taken a little more persuasion," commented Li Qiang through their spiritual link.

"Me too," replied Li Jie.

"The ways of a man's heart are indeed interesting," Li Na said in a sigh.

Feeling offended Li Jie and Li Qiang commented simultaneously, "We are men!"

Li Na snickered, "No you are not, you're animals,"

Li Xiu Ying smiled at their antics as she followed Zheng Wei Jian to the Royal Library. Zheng Wei Jian saw her smile out of the corner of his eye and relaxed knowing that she was happy. He slowed his walk to walk beside Li Xiu Ying and asked, "Is there anything else you would like to see?" Zhen Wei Jian watched as she got lost in thought of places she wanted to see and smiled ever so slightly.

"Actually," she thought, "I would like to see the market and pick out some seeds, clothes, and materials." She realized that she had gotten too comfortable around Zheng Wei Jian and said, "If you don't mind, that is."

His smile grew as she asked him, "Of course, I have a free day tomorrow. We can go then."

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Meanwhile with Wang Fang Mei:

"That slut dares to claim she is my son' Fiance? And she has the audacity to touch my son's future?" She threw her teacup onto the flow. "Guards bring that slut to me," she hollered. The guards left to find Zhang Li Min. "Now continue with your report Eunuch Xu," Wand Fang Mei calmed down.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "Miss Li did not hit her back but instead said that she was with you and you never mentioned Miss Zhang. Miss Zhang replied saying that she was going to ask you permission to marry His Majesty. On the other hand Miss Li kept a cool temperament and said that she was going to marry His Majesty, and his Majesty went to her aid. He sent for his guards to show Miss Zhang out of the Palace without clothes, and he put out a good word for Miss Li to the public saying she wanted mercy for Miss Zhang. He even touched her face and held her hand."

Wang Fang Mei sat back with a smile imagining the scene for herself, "That is good, he is taking initiative. I hope that you like the wife that I chose for you."

One of the guards that were sent out came back with Zhang Li Min, "Empress Dowager, we have her in custody before his Majesty's Guards could strip her."

Wang Fang Mei sat up in a straight position, "Bring her." The guards dragged Zhang Li Min into the room and placed her in front of the Empress Dowager.

Zhang Li Min instantly knelt down and began to sob, "Your Majesty, your niece Zhang Li Min has been unjustly accused, I beg for punishment on the accuser. She also sullied your great name, by saying that you made her His Highness's Fiance." She cried trying her hardest to get the girl in trouble reminding her that she was her niece.

"Zhang Li Min, do not forget what you did to Zheng Wei Jian. I never gave you the title of Emperor's Fiance, so let me ask you why do you feel that you must claim yourself as such? I was waiting for the right woman to become my son's fiance, and you dare to slap her?! You the unworthy daughter of an unworthy concubine of the Zhang household dare to claim my son, the Emperor?! You are just like your mother trying to steal everything away from me. It is a good thing father sent your mother to the Zhang's to be wed," she paused waiting on Zhang Li Min.

Zhang Li Min was shocked at the hatred that her aunt held for her, "Empress Dowager, please forgive me and my mother. I really do love your son, please forgive me."

Wang Fang Mei sighed, "It is too late for forgiveness. Eunuch Xu, please write this down and send it out."

Eunuch Xu knew that the Empress was waiting for the right time to get rid of her sister's daughter, "Yes, Your Majesty,"

"Zhang Li Min of the Zhang Family shall be betrothed to the Fifth Young Master of the Yu family as a concubine. They shall be wed in three days. That is all Eunuch Xu." Eunuch Xu withdrew and went to each respective house. "Zhang Li Min, you have yourself to blame. Guards send her back to the Emperor's guards to continue."

"Auntie, you mustn't do this to me. I was meant to marry your son, no Auntie," Zhang Li Min screamed as they pulled her away.

"Wait," Wang Fag Mei, "Do you disagree with what I have said Zhang Li Min?"

"Auntie, I don't deserve this, that bitch does," she said thinking that her Aunt was having second thoughts.

"Very well then," she paused, "Punish her according to the family laws and then return her to His Highness's Guards."

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Zhang Li Min was thrown out of the Palace bloody and naked.