Chapter 15 - Making Out
Su Binxi noticed how lost the crown princess was after meeting the empress. "Your highness, is everything fine?" Su Binxi asked Ying Lili who hummed at her. "It appears something is going on with her highness," stated Su Binxi in a soft tone.
"I am missing my home," Ying Lili replied, and then turned to Su Binxi. "You must be feeling lonely like me as you are away from your family, right?" Ying Lili asked her attendant.
Su Binxi realized how tense the crown princess was. "I used to miss them when I was new here. Every year I get to see them, but that is not sufficient for your highness," Su Binxi proclaimed. Ying Lili agreed with Su Binxi. "Your highness must go to see the crown prince and serve him an afternoon's meal," Su Binxi suddenly suggested.
Ying Lili had no intention of going there and seeing his face but, because the empress had told her to fulfill her wife's duty as well, she decided to go to the Crown Prince's manor. "Let's go to the royal kitchen," Ying Lili told Su Binxi and the two left for the Royal Kitchen House.
Sheng Li after attending the court came to his chamber. Xing-Fu had some scrolls in his hands which Sheng Li told him to put in his study room. Xing-Fu gave a nod and went to the study room. He came back to the resting chamber and bowed his head. "The crown princess was here in the morning with your morning meals," Xing-Fu informed Sheng Li who was sitting on a ground stool, reading something from a scroll.
"Why was she here? Did she want me to eat more spices?" Sheng Li muttered in annoyance.
Xing-Fu smiled seeing the crown prince's expressions. "Miss Xue is also here. She is waiting for you in the waiting room," Xing-Fu gave another piece of information to the crown prince, hearing from which Sheng Li immediately left the room.
"Xue'er," Sheng Li called out Xue Yu Yan's name and walked inside the room. Xue Yu-Yan, who was sitting on a chair, stood up seeing the crown prince there, and bowed her head. Wu Shan did the same and left the room, leaving the two alone there.
"Xue, you should be in my resting room. Why are you here?" Sheng Li asked.
Xue lifted her head and peered into the eyes of the Crown prince. "Because the manor now belongs to the crown princess as well. The empress has ordered that I shall no longer come here and the only thing Xue could do was wait for his highness," Xue Yu Yan replied.
Sheng Li was furious after hearing that. "Why is the empress intervening in my life?" Sheng Li murmured and went closer to Xue Yu Yan. "You can come here anytime. No one can stop you from coming here," Sheng Li proclaimed with an assured look. Xue Yu Yan thanked the crown prince and then hugged him tightly.
"I think I have lost my rights to you. I can no longer be the woman I desired for you, your highness," Xue Yu Yan stated. Sheng Li made Xue Yu Yan look into his eyes and said, "For me, there is only you. I do not consider these palace rules. I will talk with my father again and will do my best in making you an official wife of mine."
Xue Yu Yan smiled and tiptoed to capture the lips of Sheng Li who was startled by Xue's act. He put his hand on her arms to stop her, but Xue was not ready to leave his lips. She was moving one hand over Sheng Li's chest, trying to open the crown prince's robes.
Ying Lili arrived at the manor and asked a maidservant if the crown prince had returned who told her that he headed to the waiting room. "Your highness, I will show you the way there," Su Binxi proclaimed and headed the way while the crown princess followed her.
Wu Shan saw them and bowed her head. "Forgive this petty servant but your highness shall not go in. His highness and my lady are talking inside," Wu Shan informed Ying Lili who ignored her and gestured to Su Binxi to open the door.
Ying Lili walked in holding the tray in her hands when she saw Sheng Li and Xue Yu Yan making out. The tray in her hands fell on the floor and a loud thud sound was produced, which interrupted the two. "How dare you come inside?" Sheng Li shouted when he saw An-Ying Lili there. Xue Yu Yan immediately stepped back and lowered her head. "Forgive us, your royal highness," Xue Yu Yan told Ying Lili.
"Please continue whatever you two were doing," Ying Lili stated. She looked at the robes and turned to go when Sheng Li stopped her. "Why did you come here?" Sheng Li questioned Ying Lili who walked away without giving any answer.
"You shall leave," Sheng Li ordered and walked out of the room. Xue Yu Yan clenched her fist in anger.
"Go clean the floor inside," Sheng Li ordered Su Binxi and walked after Ying Lili who hurriedly left the manor. "Why did I even go there? If he cannot control himself, then he shall do such things in private," mumbled Ying Lili. "But, why am I angry?" she wondered. She turned left in the corridor when her wrist was grabbed by someone and she pulled back.
Ying Lili was now in the arms of Sheng Li, who was gazing at her sharply. "Why did you leave without answering me?" Sheng Li questioned Ying Lili.
"You expect me to watch you two making out with each other?" Ying Lili asked him back in a sarcastic tone.
"We were not making out," Sheng Li proclaimed with a stern expression. Ying Lili averted her gaze from him. "Leave me," Ying Lili stated.
"Why were you playing with the first brother?" Sheng Li asked another question from Ying Lili. Ying Lili snickered. "You also were informed about this? I was missing swordsmanship," replied Ying Lili. Sheng Li pulled Ying Lili further closer.
"It is not your home's playground where you can play whenever you want. This is the imperial palace where every eye is on you. You want to openly seduce every prince here?" Sheng Li said some harsh words to Ying Lili, which infuriated her. She pushed him back. "Unlike you, I know how to respect a relationship. You have filthy thinking. If my closeness with the elder brother is affecting you this much, then you should not have married me," Ying Lili pronounced.
"Do you know what you just said? Why do you like to make me mad every time I see you? Your closeness with the first prince will affect my position. Do you not have brains?" Sheng Li shouted at Ying Lili. Lei Wanxi came that way and heard the two.
"Why are they two arguing with each other?" Lei Wanxi thought and went towards them.
"I have nothing to do with your position. I will do as I please. Unlike others, I am not a fool to listen to you," Ying Lili pronounced sternly. Sheng Li lost his temper and marched towards Ying Lili when Lei Wanxi appeared suddenly in front of Ying Lili.
"Your highness, why are you arguing with my beautiful sister Lili?" Lei Wanxi asked with a gentle smile on his lips.
"Get aside," Sheng Li told Lei Wanxi who refused. "Fifth brother you are scaring my beautiful sister," Wanxi proclaimed and turned to Ying Lili, giving her a wink. Sheng Li put his hand over Lei Wanxi's shoulder to push him away when Lei Wanxi acted accordingly and put his hand around Sheng Li's arm. With the other hand, he swiftly opened the fan and started moving it in front of Sheng Li's face.
"When did she become your sister?" Sheng Li asked annoyingly from Lei Wanxi.
"Calm down, dear fifth brother. In the morning, we princes have accepted the crown princess as our sister. You shall not argue with my beautiful sister. I wonder how can your heart not melt looking into my sister Lili's eyes?" Lei Wanxi complained and continued moving the fan.
"Don't come near me," Sheng Li threatened Ying Lili.
"I am not a fool to go near you," Ying Lili snapped at Sheng Lili. Lei Wanxi rolled his eyes because the two again started arguing openly. "Tell your sister that she should prevent the rumors from spreading else I am going to punish her," saying this Sheng Li pushed away Lei Wanxi and walked away from there in anger.