A carriage that carried a name plat "Xian Wangfu" went to the direction of the palace, everyone who saw them knew that it was the carriage that always used by the Xian Wang children and thought that the three highest ranking people in Lian Dynasty love these Xian Wang children so much because they lost their mother young.
"Junzhu, we are here." a voice remind her, Li Xi Yue only nodded,
"en."
She stepped on an eunuch's back with her maid servant's help, she looked at her brother and sister who was held by wet nurse then she smiled, she didn't forget to make her hair disheveled a little then forced herself to shed a tears, her other maids also in tears while the eunuch that accompany her had red eyes as if they were being bullied so bad.
"let's go to Cining palace."
***
A man in his early twenty looked dazzled by the procession in front of him, he visited Imperial study because Emperor summoned him, after that he wanted to go back homs but he didn't know that he would meet an amazing performer,
"who are they?" he asked his man servant, the man who looked like a guard in his side looked again,
"that's Xian Wangfu's carriage, the three children probably Xian Wang children, and the girl who 'cry' probably An He Junzhu." he put on emphasis on the word 'Cry', they could see it very clearly from here that the young girl looked fine when she stepped out from the carriage but squeezed out tears a beat later, if they didn't see it beforehand, based on this young girl's acting alone they could be tricked.
"where does she want to go?"
"based on the road, An He Junzhu and her entourage are going to Empress Dowager's Cining palace."
"let's go to Cining palace and pay respect to Empress Dowager niang-niang."
The servant looked at his master with surprise, how could his usual stoic master wanted to pay respect for Empress Dowager? He never paid attention to others except if Emperor's summoned him.
"pardon?"
The man didn't even look at his servant and went to the direction of Cining palace.
In Cining palace
Li Xi Yue bit her lips quietly and knelt in front of Empress Dowager,
"Imperial Grandmother please help us." she sobbed, others couldn't help but feel pity on her, "today, Qiu'er, the shizi of Xian Wangfu was being punished by Father-wang's concubine. Us, the children couldn't have power to stop it, he is a Shizi and i am a Junzhu, our mother died early, if this kind of things always happen then it's better for the three of us to die and accompany mother in other world so she will not feel alone."
"Presumptuous!" the Empress Dowager roared, "how old are you and how old are your younger siblings to think of such terrible thing?!"
Li Xi Yue kowtowed again, "then what can we do, Imperial Grandmother? Our mother died early leaving us three children, Father-wang had another family and loving towards them, us, the children of original wife are left alone and being abused by the concubine. It's better... It's better for us to..."
"stop it, An He!" The Empress Dowager said in heavy tone, "You are the peerless An He Junzhu of Imperial Clan, the one aijia and Emperor favor the most, how could you think of such a terrible thing?"
Li Xi Yue wiped her tears, then said in bitter tone, "Imperial Grandmother, at first this subject-granddaughter didn't want to say this because it's Wangfu's matters but this subject-granddaughter is helpless." she gestured to Hong Ying and let her opened Li Xi Qiu's knees, everyone in the room gasped in horror, "he was forced to kneel by Han cefei just because he didn't see Han cefei's servant and collided with them, and destroyed Han cefei's favorite vase."
Empress Dowager looked calm but Li Xi Yie could see that she was angry, she was proud of herself, her ability to read people became better and better.
"Huai Qinwang is here!"
Everyone in the room were stilled, including Li Xi Yue, she ushered the maids to take her siblings back to the side room and she got up and went to Empress Dowager's side docilely.
"Greetings to Empress Dowager."
Huai Qinwang looked so young, he was probably only nineteen or twenty years old, very much different from what Li Xi Yue had imagine. The man looked cold and stiff, that man was the leader of Bao Li troops, the most elite soldiers in Lian Dynasty, and cruelest one too.
"Huai Wang, how are you?" Empress Dowager changed her face to a benevolent elder again,
"this subject-minister is good, thank you for Empress Dowager's grace."
"that's great if you are good." she said again, then she looked at An He Junzhu who stood docilely, "An He come and pay respect to Huai Qinwang."
Li Xi Yue walked in front and gave him a curtsy, "An He pays respect to Huai Wang Ye."
Huai Wang examine the young girl, this girl appeared to be gentle and docile also harmless, but she was a good schemer even Empress Dowager was fooled,
"no need." he waves his hand, Li Xi Yue bowed her head again and retreated to Empress Dowager's side again,
"this girl is aijia's eldest granddaughter thus aijia favors her a little bit more, making Huai Qinwang laugh."
"subject-minister don't dare to laugh." he said, sensing his words a little bit disrespectful, he added, "Empress Dowager is a benevolence elder, it's a greatest gift for your grandchildren."
Empress Dowager smiled at his praise, "oh, such a good child!" she said, then looked at Li Xi Yue, "Huai Wang's father was Emperor's sworn brother, and he also grow up alongside Emperor and your Father-wang, quickly come and call him Brother."
An He couldn't help but feel irritated, she then walked again and prepared to bow to him, but,
"Emperor is here!"
Stopped her, Emperor came inside, all of them knelt except Empress Dowager and Huai Wang, she sighed irritably inside, if it was not for her younger sibling's protection, there's no way she wanted to knelt, her knees hurt.
"stand up."
Emperor then looked at the girl, "An He is here?" he came here because his eunuch inform him that Huai Wang visited Empress Dowager, he didn't know his favored niece would be here too, "come closer and let zhen take a look."
Li Xi Yue came closer, Emperor furrowed his eyebrow when he saw the faint tears mark in her cheek and her disheveled hair along with her reddish eyes,
"what's wrong? Who bullied An He?"
He touched the girl's chubby cheeks, Empress Dowager sighed, An He already eleven years old but Emperor always seen her as a child, she was truly the favored one,
"no one is bullying me, Imperial Uncle." she revealed a smile, "Imperial Grandmother told subject-niece some funny story from her childhood making subject-niece laugh untill subject-niece cry." she said, "Imperial Uncle don't laugh at me."
"oh really?" Emperor smiled, he neaten the girl's hair, "it's good if An He can laugh. Zhen feels relieved."
Li Xi Yue showed her smile again, then the Emperor looked at Empress Dowager, "earlier, zhen hear that Imperial Mother wanted An He to recognise Huai Wang as a brother?"
"yes, Emperor, the late Huai Wang was your sworn brother, you three grow up together, it's better to let An He calls Huai Wang as brother and let him protect our little An He."
Emperor laughed, "Imperial Mother doesn't know, but Huai Wang here is more like a brother to zhen than a nephew. It's better for An He to call him Uncle."
Li Xi Yue's eyes twitched, "then, An He, come and call your uncle." she revealed a smile and bowed down to Huai Wang,
"An He pays respect to Uncle Huai Wang."
It was only matter of names, she didn't care at all.
***
Niang-Niang: your highness; only for Empress, Empress Dowager and high ranking consorts.
YOU ARE READING
Encountered You
Historical FictionAn He Junzhu^ is a first daughter of Xian Qinwang^^ and his wangfei^^^, Zhang-shi. But after her parents passed away, leaving her with two younger siblings, Xian Wang Shizi^^^^ and An Le Junzhu who both are 9 and 4 respectively, what will she do? ...
