Sheng Li, after taking a bath, came back to Zhenzhu Inn. He had a broad smile on his lips. Xing-Fu was following the Crown Prince. He was delighted to see those expressions on the face of the Crown Prince. "Xing-Fu, did you bring those flowers that I told you to pick from the garden?" Sheng Li turned and looked at him.
"I forgot, your highness," Xing-Fu was terrified, thinking if the Crown Prince would be angry at him, so to rectify his mistake, he immediately said, "Forgive me. I will bring them quickly, your highness."
"I am going there. You go to Zhenzhu Inn. Prepare for our dinner," Sheng Li commanded him. Xing-Fu bowed, acknowledging the order of the Crown Prince, who walked past him.
It was late evening, so it was a little difficult for him to check the flowers. He asked a servant to hand him a lantern. The servant did so and asked humbly from the Crown Prince if he should lead the way.
"No. No need. You do your other work," Sheng Li stated and walked inside the garden, to the flower valley where almost every kind of flower could be seen.
Sheng Li was a little confused to see different varieties of flowers. He wandered his eyes as far as he could, holding the lantern up. "What shall I take for her?" He murmured.
"That China Rose Flower is perfect," he heard a voice. Immediately he turned and saw Lei Wanxi there.
"What are you doing here?" Sheng Li again looked back towards the flowers
"Why? Can't this Prince even roam in this Palace?" He complained and shrugged off his shoulders. "I was roaming here when my eyes caught Brother Sheng. So, I came to him," Lei Wanxi pronounced. Sheng Li hummed and looked at the flowers again.
"I think I will take peonies and roses for her," Sheng Li moved ahead and plucked a few peonies. Lei Wanxi, oppositely, asked a servant to bring a basket for them. Putting the flowers in the basket, Sheng Li was ready to leave when Lei Wanxi stopped him by holding his arm.
"Leave. I am getting late. I will see you tomorrow," Sheng Li asserted.
"Brother, are you going to give Sister Lili this basket with flowers?" Lei Wanxi queried.
"Hmm. Now, you got your answer so, leave my arm," stated Sheng Li. Lei Wanxi could not believe his brother to be this dumb.
"Brother Sheng, how could you hand Sister Lili this basket?" Sheng Li knitted his brows. "I mean, at least make a bouquet or a…" he paused as he thought about something and then continued, "…a flower crown. You cannot hand over this basket to Sister Lili. This is so unromantic," Lei Wanxi proclaimed.
"Lili likes everything I give her. She knows that I am poor at making such things," Sheng Li opined.
"Brother Sheng, but if you make a flower crown for her, then Sister Lili would be delighted. You can give her a flower bouquet as well if you feel making a crown will take time. Wait, I shall call the Palace maids. They will make one for Brother Sheng that he can give to Sister Lili," Lei Wanxi excitedly said and turned to look at the servant, who earlier brought the bamboo basket.
He gestured to the servant to come near them and commanded him to bring a Palace maid, who could make a crown.
"Brother, let's go to the Flower Pavilion. The Palace maid will come there," Lei Wanxi dragged Sheng Li to the Flower Pavilion. The Flower Pavilion was well illuminated from the lights of the lanterns.
"I will make it myself," Sheng Li said as the Palace maid came there and humbly asked for the flowers. "Just instruct me," Sheng Li stated.
The Palace maid nodded and sat a meter away from the Crown Prince. She has a needle and thread box in her hand. Placing it on the wooden floor, she put a white silk thread into the needle and handed that to the Crown Prince.
"Brother, will you be able to do it?" Sheng Li knitted his brows as Lei Wanxi was doubting him. However, it was true that he never once used a needle. Even, Ying Lili was poor in needlework then, how could he excel in a few minutes? Still, he wanted to make a tiara for Ying Lili himself.
The Palace maid instructed the Crown Prince as she demonstrated to him by making another tiara of flowers. The needle was pricking Sheng Li's finger. Lei Wanxi was squinting his eyes whenever the needle pricked Sheng Li's finger, and he cried in pain.
"Your highness, let me…"
"Shut up! I can do it. Are you doubting my skills?" Sheng Li was irked to see that a Palace maid had made a better tiara than him. Was he so poor that he could not even surpass the skills of a Palace maid? He was annoyed and was giving up. But then he realized if he would make one himself then, Ying Lili would be happy.
"Brother Sheng's hands are made for a sword, not for a needle. I have heard that a needle can defeat a sword," Lei Wanxi suddenly said, which annoyed Sheng Li.
"If you cannot help then, leave."
Lei Wanxi pouted to see the bafflement on Sheng Li's face. "It has been an hour, and you have not put more than three flowers in the tiara. Are you going to make Sister Lili wait the entire night? You have destroyed so many flowers! Let the Palace maid help. You can tell Sister Lili that you made it," Lei Wanxi suggested to Sheng Li.
"You are suggesting that I tell a lie to Lili. Have you lost your mind?" Sheng Li shouted at him.
"Brother Sheng has such an odd temper," Lei Wanxi opened his fan and fanned Sheng Li to calm him down. "Brother, for you, Sister Lili's smile is important, right?" Lei Wanxi waited for the answer.
Sheng Li nodded his head, acknowledging it.
"Then, just give this tiara to Sister Lili," Lei Wanxi pointed at the tiara which the Palace maid was holding. The Palace maid had lowered her head.
"But-"
"Brother, look at the flower crown which you were trying to make. Even the petals are broken. Sister Lili might show you that she is happy, but, internally she will not be. Will you feel good then? No, right?" Lei Wanxi questioned. Sheng Li agreed with the points of his brother.
"Then, take this tiara and tell Sister Lili that you made it. She will be happy to see such a beautiful tiara. Sometimes a lie is not a lie when it is told to bring a smile to your loved one's face," Lei Wanxi pronounced. Sheng Li acknowledged whatever Lei Wanxi told him.
"Give me that tiara," Sheng Li said, looking at the Palace maid who stood on her knees and extended her hands out. Lei Wanxi took the tiara, and gave it to Sheng Li. "Go and express your love to Sister Lili, Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi said with a smile. Sheng Li looked at the tiara, which he was trying to make but failed to do so. He took out a ring from his finger and handed a golden ring to the Palace maid for helping him.
"Take it. It's rare to see Brother Sheng generous to people," Lei Wanxi stated. The Palace maid accepted the golden ring and thanked the Crown Prince, who motioned his hand, thus gesturing her to go away.
