Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Your Highness, please eat your food before it gets cold,” Court Lady requested Li Hua for the third time.

Li Hua looked at the dishes before her.

“I do not want to eat,” Li Hua replied. She was infuriated at Lóng Wei. He didn’t even know who Feng Lao was, yet he had to call him a betrayer. Did he even know the meaning behind losing a family? Indeed, she was weak because, unlike him she could not put her brain to look into other people’s affairs. Her plan was to become the top-tier palace maid and get the information from the Queen. Her way was simple, unlike Lóng Wei’s, who believed in violence and hurting everyone around her.

At that moment, her inner voice spoke to her, ‘Maybe you are wrong, Li Hua. You have seen that side of the Sixth Prince, which no one has ever. The Sixth Prince’s words cannot be denied either. You should not have left the residence. Also, he married you to help you better.’

“Why am I affected by those words? He is no one,” she murmured and shut her eyes. Court Lady Xu worriedly looked at her and wondered why Li Hua was acting that way.

She recalled her father’s words which he had read in a book.

‘Never get swayed by the sweetness of words of a person.’

Li Hua put down the chopsticks, which bewildered Court Lady Hong.

.....

“Why did His Highness not come?” Li Hua asked.

“I do not know, Your Highness. The Sixth Prince told me to make sure that you have your dinner meal. If Her Highness refuses to take her meal, then I may get punished,” Court Lady Hong informed Li Hua, who was shocked to hear her.

“But I cannot have my dinner without the presence of my...”

Did she just accept that Lóng Wei was her husband? She shook her head.

“Why should I wait?” She mumbled and again picked the chopsticks. She almost picked the first morsel, but could not eat it. She would not have been sitting this peacefully if Lóng Wei had not married her.

“I want to see the Sixth Prince,” Li Hua expressed her desire. “I will have dinner with him,” she stated and stood up.

“Your Highness, the Sixth Prince has strictly instructed me that if Her Highness goes out, then this will be my last day in this body.” Court Lady Hong stopped Li Hua and pleaded with her not to step out of the chamber.

“Court Lady Hong, I am only going to His Highness’s chamber. I don’t think-” she paused when Court Lady Hong got on her knees.

“I beg Her Highness not to step outside,” she again requested Li Hua. She felt stuck and settled back on the chair.

Li Hua silently ate and after a few minutes, she told Court Lady Hong that she was done eating. She picked up the napkin and dabbed her mouth from it to make sure no grain would leave on her lips.

“But a major portion of the food is left untouched, Your Highness,” Court Lady Hong said.

“Because I feel full,” Li Hua lied to her. Court Lady Hong called a maidservant inside, who carried the plates and dishes back to the royal kitchen. “Court Lady Hong, could you please fill the water jar? I forgot earlier, it was empty,” Li Hua urged her.

Court Lady Hong nodded and left for the kitchen to bring water in the jar. Li Hua took it as an opportunity and dashed out of the chamber.

~~~~~~

Lóng Wei, who was on the patio, looked at the half-moon in the dark sky. Because of the summer heat, some clouds appeared in the sky. The moon played hide and seek among those clouds.

He looked down at the wine glass in his hand. “She must be scared of me.” He slapped his fingers lightly on his mouth. “Why can you not keep this tongue in control?” He questioned himself. His mood was ruined from the moment he conversed with his father.

Lóng Wei gulped the wine. “Only you have seen my happiest and worst moment,” he pointed his finger towards the moon and smiled a little. “I found a friend in you, who remains silent all the time and listens to me. At least, you do not lecture me as the others do,” he muttered and filled the glass with the wine.

Smiling, he brought the glass near his mouth and sipped the wine from it. “It tastes sweeter when I am in pain,” Lóng Wei stated and chuckled. “Only this wine knows how to make me happy.” He quaffed pint after pint of the wine until he heard the familiar footsteps.

He turned to look and saw Li Hua in front of him.

“What are you doing here?”

“Why is His Highness drinking?”

Both Lóng Wei and Li Hua asked different questions from each other at the same time. She found the dim light on the patio which was coming from the chamber. She went towards the chamber while Lóng Wei wondered where she went. He put the glass on the floor and stood up when Li Hua returned with a wooden lantern that she had held with a stick that was attached to it.

She placed it on the other end of the patio and stood straight, facing Lóng Wei. “Lanterns are used for a reason,” she stated. “It is not good to stay in dark, Your Highness.” She kept her tone soft and looked at the place, where Lóng Wei was seated. He had put two wine jars on the table while the cup was on the floor.

When she came in, she had heard Lóng Wei’s words- ‘It tastes sweeter when I am in pain. Only this wine knows how to make me happy!’

Why was he in pain? Was it because of her? She wanted to know.