Chapter 5 - I Love Someone Else
Han Sheng Li, after paying homage to the deceased king of Juyan left for the capital of Han with An-Ying Lili. After two days of the journey, they reached the capital, Luoyang. The capital was decorated with red lanterns, paper cuttings that were hanging throughout the primary route towards the Imperial Palace. The people of Han were gathered on either side of the way to cheer for their Crown Prince for his victorious campaign.
"May the Crown Prince Long Live!!" An-Ying Lili heard the loud cheers of the people.
Some people were trying to take a peek at the palanquin as the news about the princess who was going to marry the crown prince had been spread among them. But she had no interest in all this. "He killed my father," the only thing she had in her mind.
After a while, the palanquin had stopped. "The Crown head has arrived with the Princess of Juyan completing his vanquishing campaign conquest," An-Ying Lili heard a man announced this. The curtains were pulled aside by a maidservant as she took a peek in. "My lady, please hold my arm," An-Ying Lili heard the maidservant whose gaze was lowered.
An-Ying Lili gently placed her hand over the maidservant's arm and came out out of the palanquin. She turned to look and read - 'Fu Imperial Gates'. She stepped ahead as she saw the crown prince was looking at her but, he then averted his gaze. She stopped near the crown prince as she found the Emperor and the Empress of the Han Kingdom were standing at the gate. A few servants were standing behind them.
The Crown Prince's both hands slightly raised till his broad shoulders and were joined together. His head was lowered as he spoke. "Your imperial majesties, please accept the greetings of the crown prince. I have completed the campaign which my father and the first prince had started. I am feeling pleased to see you two after six years."
"I am proud of you, Imperial Crown Prince. My queen, look at the crown prince how much he has grown," the emperor with a delightful expression stated who agreed with him.
The Emperor looked at An-Ying Lili who had lowered her eyes. She kowtowed before the Emperor and the Empress. "The Princess of Juyan, An-Ying Lili is blessed to meet the Imperial Majesties. My father lost his life because of this marriage alliance still, I kept it so that peace between two nations could be maintained," An-Ying Lili pronounced.
Sheng Li glanced at her. He had not expected this kind of thing from An-Ying Lili. He could not believe the princess said this to the Emperor as her first words, and not only the sound seemed as if she considered Han Sheng Li as the culprit. For the first time, he had seen someone so daring. If the crown prince's father had not ordered him to not kill anyone there, he would have killed this woman by now.
Han Wenji (The Emperor) and Weng Wei (The Empress) looked at each other and then Han Sheng Li. The emperor turned his gaze towards An-Ying Lili and spoke, "I am extremely sad for your loss. I am happy that the princess of Juyan had kept her late father's promise with me and came here." Sheng Li clenched his fist tightly in anger and glanced at An-Ying Lili.
"My dear queen, please take the princess to the inn prepared for her," Han Wenji told Weng Wei who gave a nod and left with the princess.
"This way, my son," the emperor said, and they left from there. General Wang instructed the soldiers, and they went to the barracks.
An-Ying Lili was following the Empress. They went to the eastern side of the palace, which was the living place for the princes, princess, and now for the soon-to-be Crown Princess, An-Ying Lili.
"Zhēnzhū Inn," Ying Lili read on the wooden board. "Princess, this is your inn from today onwards. The Crown Prince chamber is on the left end of your inn," the empress told Ying Lili who gave a nod by bowing her head.
"Court Lady Ying will explain to you the Imperial Palace rules. She will also assign the maidservants for you. Since you are not married yet so, do not step out till this evening when the Royal marriage will happen. Your duties as a Crown Princess will be told by me in the morning," Weng Wei, the empress briefly told things to Ying Lili.
"Your majesty, I understood," Ying Lili stated. Weng Wei looked at Court Lady Xu and then left the inn, followed by the palace servants.
The court lady stepped ahead and bowed her head in front of Ying Lili. "This is Xu Wan, a court lady in the Imperial Palace. This is Su Binxi, your personal attendant who will follow you everywhere, including the palace servants. The inner chamber in the inn has your bed chamber while the other two rooms are for your leisure time," Court Lady Xu explained to Ying Lili.
Su Binxi came forward and bowed her head. "This is Su Binxi. It is my pleasure to serve my young Miss," Su Binxi humbly said.
"I want to take a rest. I am not feeling good," Ying Lili stated, which worried out Court Lady Xu.
"My lady, you might have travel sickness. I will call the royal physician for you. Binxi, please follow the princess to her bed-chamber," Court Lady Xu commanded Su Binxi who bowed and then took Ying Lili inside. As Ying Lili stepped in, she saw the chamber was quite big. A huge bed was placed at the center with white curtains surrounding it.
Ying Lili laid down on the bed after removing her shoes. Su Binxi covered her from the blanket. By then court lady Xu had reached there with the royal physician. "My lady is experiencing travel sickness. Please suggest a medicine for her," the Court Lady Xu told the royal physician.
The Royal Physician formally greeted the princess and took out a pill from his cloth bag. "If her highness has taken her meal then she can take it. It will relieve her," the royal physician stated as he handed the pill to Su Binxi.
"Thank you," An-Ying Lili said with a faint smile. The royal physician left the inn while Court Lady Xu arranged a light meal for the princess. After taking her meal, the princess took the pill and drifted off to sleep.
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The Emperor and the crown prince were in the Měidé inn (Chamber of Virtue). "Father, I always agreed with every decision of yours. Your decisions are supreme to me, but this marriage alliance is not acceptable to me. I brought the princess of Juyan because I think she can marry the first brother. I love someone else and I want her to be my official wife, my crown princess, and the future queen," Sheng Li pronounced.
Han Wenji gave a faint smile to his son. "I have given my words to the late king of Juyan. You will marry the princess of Juyan, and I believe An-Ying Lili is the most suitable bride for you. Let me tell you something. You do not love the Prime Minister's daughter but because you were close to her since your childhood days you are infatuated with her," Han Wenji proclaimed.
Sheng Li was displeased to hear that. "Father, you know that I cannot defy your orders, but my father, you shall think about me first. The king of Juyan is no more, so the promise has no meaning left, according to me," stated Han Sheng Li.
"You are wrong, my son. I had talked with King Song face to face and I had given my words to him. It is not like I needed his kingdom but it is the princess whom I was impressed. You must have not heard, but she had defeated a general of the neighborhood kingdom of Juyan in the war. I want a fierce, intelligent and at the same time kind princess for my son. The princess has all those qualities thus, she qualifies for becoming the crown princess," Han Wenji explained to his son.
"I do not like-kind people," Sheng Li annoyingly told his father. "Moreover, she is blunt. Did you not see how rudely she spoke to his imperial majesty? She is not intelligent at all. She let her uncle live and rule the kingdom, who killed her father. Can father not see how foolish she is!" Han Wenji smiled seeing his son's reactions. Hardly anyone could annoy his son, but this woman did it in the first meeting.
"The princess might have thought something. Do not take her as a fool. And, be respectful towards her," Han Wenji asserted.
Sheng Li chuckled. "She does not respect me then why shall I? That woman has got on my nerves. I think she will get hurt if she continues that kind of behavior towards me. No one has the dare to call me by my name except my elders but that woman!!" Sheng Li blurted out everything regarding the princess.
Han Wenji burst out in laughter which confused Sheng Li. Controlling his laughs the emperor said, "I have never seen my son getting this annoyed just by a woman. I now fully believe that the princess is perfect for you. Have trust in your father," the emperor stressed his words. Sheng Li agreed with his father and stood up from the seat. "Please give me permission to go back to my inn," Sheng Li stated.
"Yes, you may leave. In the evening, you and the princess will marry. Before that, do not meet her," Han Wenji told Sheng Li who bowed his head and left the inn.