A broken jade-like stream flowed down from a crevice and into a deep pool halfway up the mountain. Then it travelled through a dragon head carved from stone and diverged bit by bit throughout the palace. There were scattered green forests in the valley east of the palace, surrounding the prince’s quarters. The Yu Li Palace was located at the easternmost part of the valley and by standing at the edge of the palace, one could see the winding shadows of Yu Xiang Mountain. The broken jade-like stream formed a small lake next to Yu Li Palace before flowing out of the palace grounds.
The lake glistened brightly under the moonlight and Zi Li’s tall stature was lithe and graceful. He stared at it for a while, then took out the jade xiao and played a song called Xiao Xiang Zi. The sound of the xiao was extremely sorrowful and miserable. Palace servants secretly watched their prince from the distance in the dark. The wailing xiao sounds and his lonely silhouette caused their tears to involuntarily fall at this moment, not knowing how to make this handsome Fourth Prince happy.
The sound of the xiao changed and soared into the sky, like tumultuous waves, and the momentum caused the lake to ripple and scatter the moonlight. The clear pool was suddenly broken apart, incessantly agitated, seemingly contradictory and resolute as though he was unable to speak his mind.
Zi Li slowly came to a stop. He looked at the jade xiao in his hand, the translucent green jade spotted with red blood. His mother the Empress had wanted to play one more song before she passed away, yet blood had spurted from her mouth halfway through when she had lost her breath and died. Zi Li lifted the xiao to his nose and sniffed lightly, feeling as though he could still feel his mother’s gentle breath. Until that day, he flipped through the xiao sheet music his mother had left behind, he was shocked to discover that the second half of the song was not xiao music. He sang the song softly and found that the intonation was a sentence, “The poison has entered the heart.” He had only been eleven that year.
The next two years, the noble consort had entered the main palace. After another year, the imperial courtiers wrote a letter to the Emperor and his Elder Brother had been appointed the Crown Prince. He still remembered when he was young, the Emperor had accompanied his mother the Empress, teasing him, “Fei’er, would you like to be the Emperor when you grow up?” He had simply said charmingly, “It would be good enough if I can be with father and mother.”
After Elder Brother had become the Crown Prince, Emperor Ning kept him at a distance, yet his gaze towards him had always been as warm as before. Since young, he was Emperor Ning’s favourite prince, but he was not chosen to be the Crown Prince. He knew in his heart that his father, the Emperor, was protecting him in his own way. He became even more respectful to the Crown Prince and since that year, had never acted against anything the Crown Prince said.
Zi Li’s eyes were stained with grief. Ah Luo, when he said that he wanted to break her finger himself, she was probably already seeking freedom. When Liu Jue willingly risked defying the Crown Prince’s order and pulled her away, their hands had been separated and he could no longer hold her hand.
What is freedom? What kind of freedom did Ah Luo want? What kind of freedom did he want? Zi Li only felt that Ah Luo still didn’t understand that unless you stood at the pinnacle of power in this world, where you could decide whom to kill or to let live, only then could you do whatever you wanted and be free!
The sorrow in his eyes gradually faded and the determination between his brows strengthened. His figure relaxed, melting completely into the night.
His thoughts surged fiercely like a hundred rivers rushing between the mountains, sometimes crashing into the rocks, sometimes trickling slowly, only to then ultimately return to the sea. Calm and motionless, as though the waves were hidden in the deep sea, waiting for the wind to rise for them to roar and smash into their target.
His personal guards stood nearby and they finally relaxed their nerves slightly. Their lord no longer had any hesitation, radiating a powerful confidence instead that made them feel a great sense of safety. Under his gaze, everything surrendered.
With his hands behind his back, Zi Li looked at the blurry silhouette of Yu Xiang Mountain in the distance, steady and stable. A blue haze formed on the peak of the mountain and soon after, the red sun appeared. He said lightly, “The wedding is approaching. I will go and visit the Left Minister’s residence.”
The guard replied in a deep voice, “The gift has been prepared, does the Lord need to see it?”
Zi Li’s face carried a smile, “No need.”
Just as Ah Luo was about to leave the residence to take care of a few things at the house she had bought, she suddenly heard that the Crown Prince had sent a gift so she had no choice but to go to the main hall with Seventh Mistress. Minister Li and all his mistresses looked at them with a smile. Minister Li smiled and said, “I hadn’t expected the Crown Prince and Princess to like Ah Luo so much. I heard that all the gifts had been personally selected by the Crown Princess. Ah Luo, you should go to the East Palace to accompany your elder sister if you have time.”
In the end, Ah Luo smiled and replied, “Ah Luo understands. Sister and I will always be part of the same family.”
Fourth Mistress pulled Qing Fei over and said shamefully, “Ah Luo, your second sister is plain-spoken and straightforward, you must not be angry at her for being anxious at that time.”
Ah Luo smiled and said, “Father has once said, honour one and you honour all, injure one and you injure all. We are one family, Second Sister has her own difficulties and Eldest Sister has her own hardships. How can Ah Luo blame you?”
Qing Fei’s tears fell, “Ah Luo, it’s best that you’re not angry at me, otherwise, Second Sister will die of sadness.”
Minister Li chuckled, “Good good good, seeing that the rift between you sisters has disappeared, I am incomparably happy as your father. Recently, there have been many prosperous events in the imperial family. The Fourth Prince will marry Minister Gu’s daughter, and Ah Fei will marry into the Cheng Family next month. Then it’s Ah Luo.” Minister Li kept them in suspense, his face showing that he was pleased with himself.
Ah Luo was stunned, fearing that Zi Li had proposed that she become his concubine. Minister Li continued, “The Young Prince of the An Qing Palace has asked someone to come and propose a marriage.”
This phrase was like a thunderbolt out of the blue and Ah Luo almost fell over. She stuttered, “Ah Luo is still two months away from turning fourteen, this, Eldest Sister has just married, Second Sister, Second Sister will also marry. The house will be quiet, Ah Luo is reluctant to leave.”
Seventh Mistress stood beside Ah Luo with a hand on her shoulder and said with a smile, “Indeed, if Ah Luo leaves, this house will be quiet. Master, let Ah Luo stay for another two years.”
Minister Li chuckled and said, “How can you say something like that? As a parent, you should be worried for your child. Who knows how many young ladies like the Young Prince, given his superiority in both his family background and his talents. At this time, his proposal is sincere, not minding that Ah Luo is a concubine’s daughter and is willing to marry her as his primary wife. I have already agreed. Become engaged first, then wait until Ah Luo comes of age before marrying.”
Seventh Mistress revealed her reluctance and was just about to open her mouth to plead for more time when Minister Li’s expression became stern, “I have already decided, you need not say anything else.”
A calculative ruthlessness flashed across Minister Li’s eyes,”You must know that Emperor Ning’s body is weakening day by day and the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne will occur in the next two or three years. Imperial Lieutenant Wang commands the Ning Empire’s army, yet the most elite right-wing soldiers are in the hands of Emperor An Qing. It would be Ah Luo’s good fortune to be able to marry into the An Qing Palace and become a princess. It would also give our Li Family the power to confront the Wang Family in the future. For the Young Prince to propose a marriage, it means he thinks highly of the Li Family. From now on, the three of you will be twisted into a rope to protect the wealth and power of the Li Family.”
Ah Luo forced a smile on her face. Minister Li’s voice was soft, yet could not be refused, “Ah Luo, fate has been decided. It’s alright if the Young Prince comes in person to our residence and it would be best if you went out less. Stay at home and avoid suspicion, do some embroidery with your aunts. A year will soon pass.”
The mistresses answered with a smile, “Don’t worry Master, we will take turns to accompany Ah Luo. We will prepare Ah Fei’s dowry first and then make Ah Luo’s. The days will not be boring.”
Ah Luo inwardly inwardly while lowering her head shyly.
Back at Begonia Garden, before Ah Luo could speak, Seventh Mistress said, “San’er, what’s the Young Prince from An Qing Palace like?”
Ah Luo thought deeply for a moment, then replied, “Actually, it’s just as father said. His family is distinguished, he is brilliantly talented and one of the five noble sons of Feng City. He’s won the hearts of many girls. He has the personality of an arrogant and wilful child of an aristocratic family, though his heart is good. He isn’t a bad person and was willing to defy the Crown Prince’s order to rescue me. I am very grateful.”
Seventh Mistress asked, “If he is true to you, wouldn’t marrying him be a good thing? Moreover, he is willing to marry you as his primary wife.”
Indeed, since she had met him, Liu Jue was actually a very good person though he occasionally had a bad temper. Ah Luo couldn’t help wanting to laugh when she recalled meeting him last Spring and all the times up until now. If being with Zi Li made her feel warm, then being with Liu Jue made her feel happy. Ah Luo hugged Seventh Mistress, especially wanting to smell the soft fragrance in her embrace, eight years having passed by in a flash. This fragrance had remained unchanged, and Seventh Mistress was still beautiful. Ah Luo and Seventh Mistress smiled at each other, “I’ve grown a head taller. Look, I’m almost as tall as my beautiful mother. If we went out, we’d look like a pair of sisters.”
Seventh Mistress sighed, “Mother is talking to you about serious matters.”
Ah Luo smiled and said, “He is good, however, I’ve thought about it for a long time and still don’t know how I feel. Thinking about how I have to marry at fifteen, I feel like something is wrong no matter how mature my mind is. Besides, I truly want to leave. Whenever I think of my father’s face, I feel uncomfortable, and I don’t want to let him do as he pleases!”
Seventh Mistress sighed, “Ah Luo, it seems that you can only take Xiao Yu away at most. Mother is old, I will drag you down if I come and you won’t be able to leave.”
Ah Luo simply refused, “I’m worried about you staying here. Once I leave, that father will take out his anger on you and I don’t know how much you will have to suffer. In this world, you are my dearest and closest person. If I leave, we must leave together. I’ve thought about it, we’ll leave when Qing Fei marries. The residence will invite many guests for a banquet and there will be fewer people who pay attention to us.”
Seventh Mistress looked at Ah Luo, “How far can we go?”
Ah Luo smiled brightly, “I will figure out a way.”
Seventh Mistress sighed, “If all three of us leave at the same time, won’t we be too large of a target?”
Ah Luo smiled, “Have you forgotten that we can climb over the wall? I have already explored the route and at the very least, we can leave the residence without being discovered.”
