Lady Jiao Has Married Into The Palace As A Concubine

In the morning,

"Mother, where is father?" After running around the entire house, still unable to find her father, Jiao Qingxiao finally came down to the kitchen to Jiao Hua.

Jiao Hua, turned around, staring at her daughter puffing her cheeks up with wide questioning eyes. She couldn't help but pinch her cheeks. In the blink of an eye, their daughter was now soon to turn thirteen. 

"Mother." Jiao Qingxiao complained as she removed her hand from her cheeks.

"Ayia, you have been looking for your father since yesterday. What happened? What is so urgent ah?" 

Qingxiao pursed her lips. There's no way she could tell mother that she wants father to invite the third prince to their house, right?

Nevermind..since the opportunity was here now, she could instead bring up the talk regarding joining an academy.

Twisting the corner of her handkerchief, Qingxiao spoke up, "Mother, Jiao Qingxiao would like to sit for the imperial exam and would like to ask for father's help to find a tutor."

She looked down expecting an earful almost immediately. While there were indeed options for female officials in the court, rarely did any daughter from the noble families pursued the position.

A marriage alliance was a far better opportunity for the ones born with a golden spoon, both for them and their family. 

And so, it was only expected that her father, while not power hungry, would also like for her to marry someone good and climb the social ladder at the same time. 

And yet to her surprise, she heard, "Are you sure Xiao Qingxiao?"

Autumn passed by in the blink of an eye. The peony garden in the south of the lotus yard, dried up. 

"Miss, wear this fur coat, it's cold outside." Jiao Mei urged Jiao Qingxia, who was leaning against the window, staring at the snowfall.

Just when she was about to extend her bare hand outwards to feel the cool snowflake against her skin, Jiao Mei shouted, "Aye, don't don't. Miss, did you forget that you just recovered from the cold not too long ago?"

—-----------------------

Last year in the spring,

"General, lady Jiao has married into the palace as a concubine."

The man under the dim lights, reading the report of the enemy camp in his tent looked strangely desolate. He looked at the soldier reporting, and waved his hand to dismiss him.

He closed his eyes, leaning back, as the report slipped through his distinct coarse fingers onto the table in front. 

How long has it been? The first time, when he came to the palace to report to the emperor, he saw the girl full of life in her eyes, staring at his older brother with clear infatuation, he merely thought his bastard of a brother sure was lucky.

Without releasing he often started visiting the palace. Instead of sending his soldier, he would be the one to report even the trivial matters by himself, much to the surprise of Tang Fangxiao, who was more than happy anticipating him supporting him in the court.

 Under the soft rays of the sun, the woman was carefully trying to embroider a pair of swans. The embroidery that appeared like what a five year old's first try would be like, was truly ridiculous. Yet staring at the layer of sheen on her forehead, his eyes softened. The numerous holes in the delicate fabric, and her scrunched up brows showed just how long she had been trying for. 

He resisted the urge to go up to her, and instructed a maid to help her out. The maid, flattered and surprised at the time to be asked to carry out an order by the cold prince who was a rare visitor of the palace, couldn't be happier to do as asked.

Initially when the third prince entered the palace, everyone avoided him like plague as it was an open secret that he was born out of wedlock. Had it not been for his shameless mother begging the emperor to take him in, he would have never belonged to the palace in the first place.

Wearing tattered clothes, with sharp eyes that seemed to be an omen of misfortune, the emperor looked away as soon as he laid his eyes on this son of his. The rest of the princes clearly had a look of disregard on their faces. 

Tang Yunxioa couldn't have cared less. The delusion of having a happy family extinguished in his heart the moment he saw his mother begging the emperor to take him in. Coldly he stared at the man in front. 

"Yunxiao greets father." He bowed.

While the boy gave off an ominous aura, even at that age, his good looks were clearly visible. The maids felt nothing but pity for the young kid. An old maid of the palace volunteered to take care of the third prince then.

As he grew up his features got even sharper. Over the years the boy to be pitied grew up into a handsome young man who rose from a Shubing to a Jiedushi within a mere span of five years. Even the emperor approved of him.

The maid enviously took a look at the woman struggling to embroider before approaching her with a sweet smile, patiently teaching her. She was quick to learn, as her stitches were no longer unruly and uneven. Soon the fabric was embroidered with several delicate pairs of mandarins, with two swans right at the centre. 

The man behind the pillar walked away as quietly as a cat. 

From the beginning he was aware of the young lady's obsession with his elder brother. Initially he was merely intrigued by her efforts to win over Tang Fangxiao. Not long after, a sense of bitterness started spreading through his heart.

Her soft voice, her lively eyes, her hidden interest in reading about military weapons soon became part of his entertainment in his long monotonous day. He wasn't stupid.He could feel that his heart was slipping like one would in quicksand. It was too late to get out by the time he realised. 

Had he met her earlier, would she fall for him instead of Tang Fanxiao? He couldn't help but wonder. Or would she also despise him for not being of noble birth?

As Tang Yunxiao tried to force himself to accept the news of her wedding, he couldn't help but look down on his birth for the first time. Staring at his coarse hand he smiled in a self mocking manner.