Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Court Lady Hong, what shall I do with all these accessories?” Li Hua asked upon looking at the jewel sets before her on the table.

“The Princess will wear them,” Court Lady Hong answered. “I will keep them safely in the cupboard, Your Highness,” she informed her and asked the servant to help her.

“Li Hua!” A familiar voice fell into her ears, and she looked towards the door. Lóng Wei was at the door, smiling at her. She rose to her feet and bowed. The servants had stopped momentarily as Lóng Wei walked in.

Li Hua lifted her head and found Lóng Wei in front of her.

“You don’t need to bow upon seeing me,” Lóng Wei said and grasped her hand. “Come. I will show you something,” he said and he dragged her out with him.

“Did His Highness take breakfast?” Ying Lili asked.

“Yes. I had my breakfast with the Crown Prince. You didn’t skip your breakfast, right?” He asked, and the two stepped out of the manor.

Li Hua shook her head and asked him where he was taking her.

.....

“Outside,” Lóng Wei replied.

Li Hua halted, and so did Lóng Wei. “I cannot step out of the palace,” she stated.

“Of course, you can,” Lóng Wei answered, “go anywhere with me.”

“His Highness can get harmed if he goes out without security and permission,” Li Hua opined and pulled her hand back. She looked up at the sky and found how bright it was! “It will be too hot outside,” she reasoned.

“I was taking you to the waterfall. Before our journey to Xinshui, I want you to see the majestic waterfall with me,” he asserted and again held her hand. “The weather is pleasant in the hills. If you feel tired, I will carry you in my arms,” he stated.

“Your Highness, we can go later to see the waterfall. The Queen wants me to prepare sweets for everyone for tomorrow’s tea ceremony.” Li Hua was unable to go because tomorrow, along with the Queen, the King’s concubines would be present along with the three princesses. She had to prepare five types of sweets which needed a lot of work.

“That tea ceremony isn’t important. I will help you in making those sweets. Xiwan will also help you,” Lóng Wei said. He was excited to visit the waterfall with Li Hua.

“How could the Sixth Prince say this? The tea ceremony is important for me. He doesn’t know about the inner palace,” she stated.

“So, you won’t go with me?” Lóng Wei asked to confirm.

“My humble apologies, Your Highness. But I cannot.” Li Hua bowed. Lóng Wei took another step to her before carrying her up, in a bridal style, in his arms.

“Your Highness, please put me down.” Li Hua urged him.

“No,” Lóng Wei plainly refused and started to walk. “Hold me tight else, you may trip off my arms,” he warned her.

“Also, you should call me Dear Husband. You forgot that we are married,” Lóng Wei reminded her.

“He should first stop, and then I will call him ‘Dear Husband’,” Li Hua stated and looked at the laundry workers coming from the front. “Your Highness, put me down before they will see us,” she said in a low voice.

“Let them see,” Lóng Wei said and kept walking. Li Hua brought her face close to Lóng Wei’s chest and shut her eyes. Her fingers tightly clutched his overcoat while her other hand was on his shoulder.

“Please put me down, Dear Husband. I am ready to go with my husband to see the waterfall,” Li Hua pronounced and astonished Lóng Wei.

When she called him ‘Dear Husband’, ‘my husband’, he felt extreme happiness. He let her down but didn’t leave her hand. “Let’s go, Wifey,” he said, and the two went to the unused path to reach the hill.

After an hour, they reached the top of the hill. “How long do we need to walk, Your Highness?” She again forgot to address him as Husband

“Why don’t you get on my back?” He suggested to her. “No one is here. You and I, a few animals and birds are around us,” he affirmed.

“Animals?” Li Hua arched her brow.

“Hmm.”

“Why didn’t His Highness tell me earlier? We shall leave. What if we got attacked?” Li Hua looked around and looked towards the bamboo forest, which was ahead of them.

“Wifey, the animals lie deep in the forest. Not here. I was only scaring you,” Lóng Wei said and smiled. Li Hua didn’t like his joke and walked past him.

Lóng Wei followed her. He approached her and again held her hand.

“At the end of this bamboo forest, there’s a large waterfall,” he informed her. Fifteen minutes later, they heard the sound of falling water, and soon the giant waterfall was visible to them. The bamboo forest was left behind, and a new forest had started.

The waterfall radiated the blue color and was gushing over the rocks joyfully. When the water toppled into the pool, it foamed at the bottom. Li Hua walked ahead and looked into the serene pool. The water was so clear that she could see the pebbles and water plants waving gently beneath the pool.

“Did you recall our first meeting?” He asked her out of the blue.

“Huh?” “No,” she refused and lied to him.

“Let me tell you the vivid description of that day,” Lóng Wei said. Li Hua turned to look at him, who had started speaking. “A young maiden cladded in white hanfu with red embroideries on it which looked like peonies flower was on the cobblestone path. She had a bamboo basket in her hand and was smiling brightly. Like a full-bloomed flower, her face was glowing.” He took steps toward her while narrating their first meeting.

Li Hua, for a moment, stopped blinking and peered into his eyes.

“And then she suddenly jumped into the water to save this man because she thought he was drowning. She gave him mouth-to-mouth respiration, thus becoming the first woman to kiss him, to show concern for him. It was love at first sight for Lóng Wei, and when he asked her name, she ran away,” Lóng Wei described the day of their first meeting.

Li Hua, without uttering anything, turned away, facing the pool in front of her. She gulped because Lóng Wei was standing right behind her. His hot breath fanned her ear, and it shuddered her.

“You kissed an unknown man and forgot him, but he could not forget you,” he whispered in her ear, “or is she acting to forget everything?”

“I am not acting,” Li Hua promptly answered. For some reason, she did not want to accept it. She wanted to forget their first meeting completely. She had forgotten until in the morning, in the pool, she recalled everything. However, if Li Hua would admit it, then Lóng Wei would call it destiny. She didn’t want to accept her destiny this way.

She turned to him and found his intense gaze on him. He lifted his hand, and from the pad of his index finger, he traced her face. “Lying will not give you a solution. You should not have jumped into the water, Li Hua. If you hadn’t, then I would not have crazily searched for you.” His calloused pointer finger rested under her chin, and their eyes got glued to each other.