Back in the Twin Palace, I dismissed all the palace servants. My heart was in great turmoil.
Not long after, my elder brother returned. Afraid that he would worry if he saw me like this, I made an excuse that the room was too stuffy and went out for a walk.
Walking in the vast imperial palace, I felt so lonely for the first time.
I didn't know when the sound of the Qiang flute drifted out, sad and plaintive. When I walked past the place where we first met, I suddenly felt like crying.
Maybe I was just too willful. I only thought that everyone should be kind to me, but forgot that the world never dictates who must like whom.
I wiped away the one or two tears welling up in my eyes, forced a smile, and then pretended to stroll around the palace as if nothing had happened. I tried to smile at everyone I met, but forgot that when one wants to cry, no matter how hard they try to smile, it won't look good.
I slowly walked to the small grove I usually liked to go to. I casually leaned against a tree and sat down, hugging my knees and curling myself into a ball. I always liked this position that I was used to in my mother's womb, for it could give me the greatest sense of security.
Before I knew it, the sky began to dim. The distant sound of the Qiang flute suddenly stopped. I sat there silently alone, feeling the cool night breeze, and tears welled up in my eyes unconsciously.
...
"Xihe, what's wrong with you?" A gentle voice suddenly came from above my head. I looked up blankly. It was so dark that I couldn't even recognize who it was.
The person slowly stepped forward and sat down beside me. I still sobbed softly, not caring that there was suddenly someone beside me.
"Xihe, who bullied you?" The person slowly wiped the tears from my face, the movements careful and clumsy. Finally, I could make out the outline of his face. It was Yu Chi Cheng.
"Go away! It's all your fault!" When I saw it was him, I immediately pushed him. He leaned backward but didn't get angry. He just said softly, "Xihe, just let it all out. You'll feel better this way."
I glanced at him and then buried my head and cried again. But I didn't know when he came beside me and gently patted my back. This made me cry even harder.
Have you ever had such a feeling? When you're sad and crying alone, you may stop caring when you're too tired from crying. But once someone comforts you in the middle, you'll feel even sadder and want to cry even more, especially when the person comforting you has nothing to do with you usually.
I coughed while crying. Yu Chi Cheng quickly helped me catch my breath, but I disgustedly slapped his hand away and said, "Go away."
But Yu Chi Cheng took this opportunity to grab my hand, pulled me hard, and pressed me into his arms. Then his voice sounded sad and low, "Xihe, even when you cry, you have to bear it all by yourself and won't even borrow a shoulder? What if I just want to lend you my shoulder?"
I struggled but couldn't break free. I couldn't help but say, "Let go of me!"
Yu Chi Cheng hugged me tightly and said, "Xihe, just cry if you're sad. I won't ask you anything anymore. Even if you hate me, I'll lend you my shoulder just this once."
I angrily beat him while trying to break free, and at the same time, I felt so sad that I wanted to cry. When I found that I was powerless to struggle in his arms, all my grievances burst out at once. So I buried my head in his arms and cried loudly.
His embrace was warm and had a gentle fragrance of cedar, as if it could hold everything in the world. Finally, I didn't care who the person in front of me was, nor did I think about the impropriety of our situation. I just wanted to pour out all my sorrow and then sleep soundly after exhausting all my strength.
That night seemed to pass very quickly.
...
When I woke up the next day, I felt that my eyes were so swollen that I could hardly open them.
Palace maids kept coming in, using wrapped ice cubes and cooked eggs to roll on my eyes alternately. But I still wasn't fully awake, wondering how I got back. What did I do last night... last night?
Suddenly, my mind went blank. I lay in bed and rested for a while to make my eyes feel better.
At this time, a palace maid brought a cold silk kerchief and covered my eyes with it. But it hadn't been on for long when a palace maid rushed in and reported, shouting, "Princess, something bad happened! The eldest prince and Prince Yu Chi are fighting in the Huiyang Palace!" I couldn't help but get up. The silk kerchief on my eyes fell straight to the ground, but I didn't care about it. I just said, "What's going on?"
The palace maid lowered her head. "I don't know either, but I heard it's because of the princess."
"What about the King and Queen of Beihan?" This was what puzzled me. Why didn't my aunt and uncle stop them?
The palace maid said, "It seems that they went hunting in the suburban palace with the Emperor and the Empress." I couldn't help but rub my forehead...
Seeing that I didn't respond, the palace maid said again, "Princess, you'd better go there quickly. No one can stop them now. They're just waiting for the princess..."
I rubbed my forehead again. Couldn't these two give me a break?
I looked at the eager palace maid in front of me. Finally, I sighed helplessly and waved weakly at the other palace maids and said, "Get my clothes ready..."
...
With my eyes swollen like peaches, I walked gracefully towards the Huiyang Palace.
Before I even entered, I heard the sound of porcelain breaking inside, which was really frightening. All the palace maids were avoiding and didn't dare to get close. I thought for a while, dodged a flying jade ornament, and stepped into the main hall of the Huiyang Palace.
"Stop!"
When the two of them saw me coming, they both glanced at me, but didn't seem to stop. I only heard my elder brother say, "Xihe, I'll avenge you for the insult. I'll defend your honor to the death."
I felt dizzy.
Yu Chi Cheng then said, "Xihe, your elder brother is talking nonsense without knowing the truth. It really damages your honor. I'll definitely fight against your elder brother to the end to defend your honor."
I felt even dizzier. What were these two talking about?
The sound of swords clashing echoed in the main hall. I looked at the footprints on the palace columns, the sword scratches, and the remains of various ornaments on the ground. I seriously doubted that if they kept fighting, they would tear down the Huiyang Palace.
I took a deep breath. Finally, I decided to play my role again. I shouted, "Stop! If you keep fighting, I won't talk to either of you!"
Seeing this, Yu Chi Cheng smiled faintly and said to my elder brother, "Yong Ziming, if you fight me, an outsider, and make your own sister ignore you, it must be quite interesting. I'm different. Anyway, if I fight you, she'll just ignore an outsider. Your sister or your manly pride, which one do you choose?"
I was stunned when I heard this. But my elder brother had already stopped. Yu Chi Cheng had a sword against his neck.
My elder brother said, "Xihe, you see. I can give up anything for you."
When I saw my elder brother being bullied, I was immediately angry and looked at Yu Chi Cheng. But unexpectedly, after seeing my expression, he made a beautiful movement and sheathed his sword. He said softly, "Of course I won't hurt little Ziming. And I won't let sister Xihe ignore me either."
Yong Ziming was immediately furious. "Who do you call little Ziming! Do you think you're much older than me!"
Yu Chi Cheng laughed. "Five years. That's not a short time. When I started learning swordsmanship at the age of five, you were still nursing in your mother's arms."
"You!" My elder brother pointed his sword at Yu Chi Cheng in a hurry. I immediately stepped forward and said, "Okay, elder brother. Let's ignore him. Let's go!"
Yu Chi Cheng turned around with his hands behind his back and said coldly, "I won't see you off."