"Sister Lili, why are you standing there? Come here," Qi Jing softly said. Sheng Li turned his head and stood up from the chair. He found Ying Lili was disturbed. Ying Lili stood near Sheng Li and greeted Princess Qi Jing. "Have a seat." They both sat down on the floor chairs.
"How was the check-up, sister Lili? You look anxious. Is everything fine?" Qi Jing queried.
Sheng Li looked at Ying Lili. "Why did you need a check-up? What happened?" Sheng Li furrowed his eyebrows.
"Brother Sheng, Sister Lili was called by the mother for a medical check-up to examine whether Sister Lili is medically healthy to conceive a child or not," Qi Jing replied and shifted her gaze to Ying Lili.
"What kind of weird check-up the Empress called you for?" Sheng Li yanked as he looked at Ying Lili. "What did the Royal Physician say?" Sheng Li then asked.
"Brother, it is not a weird check-up. It is important for every woman," Qi Jing stated. Sheng Li apologized to his sister and asked Ying Lili about the check-up.
"Everything is alright. I am healthy," Ying Lili replied and passed a tiny smile to him.
"Brother Sheng, Sister Lili, let's have lunch," Ji Qing stated and called for a maidservant. She ordered them to bring their lunch. Looking back at Ying Lili, Ji Qing said, "Sister Lili, what does Prince Qifeng look like? I have seen him in portraits, so I am a little curious. I asked Brother Sheng too, but he gave me a vague explanation." Ji Qing glared a little at her brother.
"Even I am weak in describing the features, Sister Jing. You will get to see Prince Qifeng in the morning," Ying Lili asserted. Ji Qing nodded. The maidservants served them lunch and the three started eating. After finishing their meals, Ji Qing told them she was going to miss them the most.
"Sister Lili can truly understand me. It is not easy to leave the house where you have so many memories," Ji Qing stated. Sheng Li recalled how he brought Ying Lili from Juyan. He glanced at her and felt guilty for behaving that way.
"Sister Jing, you are saying right. It is not easy for women to leave everything behind. Once I heard my mother saying that a woman takes birth twice – once in her parental home and the other when she enters her husband's home. I now feel those words were true," Ying Lili pronounced, keeping a tiny smile on her lips.
"I am a little scared because of all this. I do not know what my new home will be like? I am a little worried," Qi Jing asserted.
"Sister Jing, that's why father has given you a week so that you can know about Prince Lu Qifeng. Do not be worried," Sheng Li consoled the Princess.
"It is not easy-to-understand someone in a week, Sheng Li. You do not understand these things," Ying Lili yanked at him.
Sheng Li frowned and replied. "I know Sister Jing more than anyone here. I do understand. Sister Jing, I will ask our father to increase the time for marriage duration," Sheng Li assured his sister.
"Brother Sheng, it is not about the duration. You really do not understand these things. I respect Sister Lili for adjusting to the Palace so soon when my brother was not good to her," Qi Jing stated.
"I was always good to her," Sheng Li asserted and looked at Ying Lili.
"Brother Wanxi has told me everything about how you treated Sister Lili," Qi Jing sternly said, and shifted her gaze to Ying Lili. "That's why I admire and respect Sister Lili who adjusted herself in the Palace so quickly," Princess Jing added.
"Even I troubled him in the beginning. There were many misunderstandings between us. Even though I was mean to the Crown Prince, he was always there to protect me," Ying Lili proclaimed.
"I do not know why Wanxi always announces my relationship to everyone. Did he not tell Sister Jing how much I love Lili? He only says negative things about me. I forgot to beat him earlier," Sheng Li was irked. Qi Jing and Ying Lili smiled upon seeing the sudden change in the mood of Sheng Li.
Their conversation was interrupted when a maidservant came there. "Your highness, forgive me for intruding on you all. Eunuch Xing-Fu is outside who has a message from his majesty," the maidservant informed the Crown Prince.
They all stood up from their respective seats and went out. Seeing the Crown Prince, Eunuch Xing-Fu bowed and said, "Your highness, the Emperor has called you and the Crown Princess in the Chamber of Virtue. His majesty has something important to discuss with you two."
Sheng Li turned to his sister and told her that would see her the next day. Sister Jing nodded while the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess left to meet the Emperor.
"Did father tell you anything?" Sheng Li asked Xing-Fu.
"No, your highness," Xing-Fu replied who was walking behind them. Soon they reached the 'Chamber of Virtue' where the Emperor was waiting for them. Sheng Li and Ying Lili saw the Prime Minister, the First Prince and the Fourth Prince were also present there. They greeted them and then took their respective seats.
"What happened, father? You called us," Sheng Li queried.
"I received your message the other day. The person who supported the rebel group in the Southern Province has arrived at the Capital. I called you two here because you two had gone to the Southern Province, so, accordingly, punishment will be decided for the culprit," Han Wenji pronounced. Ying Lili looked at Sheng Li who was smiling. Han Wenji gestured something to his personal eunuch, Jin Delun, who walked out from there. A few minutes later Eunuch Jin entered the Chamber with Yang Fei Ke.
Yang Fei Ke gave his formal greetings to all of them. "Your majesty, there are some valuables which I have brought from the House of Consort Ju Fen," Yang Fei Ke stated. Han Wenji nodded and looked at the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince, what information did you receive from Sun Lǎohǔ? Could you please tell us?" Han Wenji urged the Crown Prince.
Hearing the name of Sun Lǎohǔ, Yang Fei Ke panicked. "Sun Lǎohǔ was the one who was ruling the Southern Province and had spread fear in our people. But he did not do that alone," Sheng Li pronounced and stood up from his seat. He walked towards Yang Fei Ke who was nervous.
"The person who backs him is Yang Fei Ke whom he used to call Master Yang," Sheng Li completed his words and stopped right in front of him. He was boring his deadly gaze at him as if he would kill him right there.
