Encountered You

Part 9; Emperor's Birthday

The days went by just so, apart from made clothes for her younger siblings, occasionally checked Wangfu's account and had a small battle of wits with Han-shi who would come to vented her anger every three days, Li Xi Yue's days were idle.

Because of Crown Prince's words, Li Xi Yue didn't come to Imperial Palace anymore, she sent a lot of clothes, books and any amusing things to her siblings but apart from that, even Emperor and Empress Dowager's words couldn't shake her pretense.

Due to Crown Prince's words, common people deemed his as unfilial, Emperor, due to his love towards his only son could only sent gifts as a way of apologized towards Li Xi Yue, she accepted the apology of course but nothing Emperor make could coerced her into entering Imperial Palace anymore.

Everytime a palace attendant of Empress Fang and Empress Dowager came, she would say, "this subject-niece or subject-granddaughter is still observed mourning for Mufei, so i couldn't enter the palace and bring my unlucky self and collided with the auspicious body of the Three majesties."

That statement alone earned her a respect and her reputation of being filial spread like fire, in the surface it appear as she could forgive His Highness the Crown Prince, which earned her as virtuous and gentle, but deep down common people and those nobles looked down on Crown Prince's conduct and dissatisfied with him. Li Xi Yue didn't care, that one was not her son or her full younger brother, if his parents didn't care why must she? A cousin sister of the same surname care?

Her idle days became an end when her Father-wang visited her courtyard,

"why Father-wang here?"

Xian Wang looked at his daughter, "Emperor and Empress Dowager missed you a lot. When do you plan to entering the palace again?"

"Father-wang, i'm still in mourning period and based on crown prince's words, i'm unlucky. How can i bear to bring disaster towards Imperial Grandmother, Imperial Uncle and Imperial Aunt?"

"but Emperor's birthday is soon. And Emperor wants you enter the palace to wish him a happy birthday like every years before."

It was really a favor when Emperor always asked her, in his birthday to wished him a happy birthday, Emperor really favored her.

She sighed, "i can't this year." she looked at Xian Wang, "this daughter think that maybe i should embroider a longevity painting for Emperor and Emperor can hang it on Imperial Study?'

Xian Wang beamed with smile, "you are so smart, Yue'er!" he patted her head made Li Xi Yue's lips twitch, she hated people who messed up her hairstyle, "go prepare it then. Maybe they will stop missing you once they see it." then he got up and walk away, probably went to Han-shi's yards. Li Xi Yue didn't even feel resentment at her father anymore, that kind of feeling already so lost in translation. She didn't care about him anymore and didn't yearned for him like the usual daughters did. It was hurt as first, but gradually it became numb and now she didn't even feel the trace of lingering feeling anymore.

"quickly prepared brush and paper." she instructed, her servants arranged everything for her to practice calligraphy and to decided which models in the paper that could be embroidered by her.

"nubi hear that Huai Wang Ye will march south after Emperor's birthday." Ji Xia said, when she also sat there to wait for Li Xi Yue and grind the ink, seen that her mistress was silent she decided to fill up the gossip, "nubi hears that Huai Wang Ye is very heroic man, that when he appears in the street in his majestic horse, every girls will throw their handkerchief towards him as a sign of their admirations towards him."

"that must've been really colorful." Li Xi Yue replied while added the strokes, she furrowed her eyebrows seemed unsatisfied with it,

"yes, maybe that's really colorful but that's not our business." Ji Xia said, she replaced the paper,

"is our Ji Xia missed the outside world so much? If so then when festival come, you and others can go outside to sightseeing."

Yin Liu who just came with snacks hear it, "quickly, Ji Xia thanks Junzhu's grace."

"nubi thanks Junzhu."

Li Xi Yue let out a chuckle, "no need."

After stroked it a few times finally they had the satisfactory characters for happy birthday, Li Xi Yue let her maid servants took the embroider tool,

"Junzhu wants to do it on your own?" Hong Ying couldn't help but ask, Li Xi Yue nodded,

"it's for Imperial Uncle, if i didn't make it myself then i don't think it will be a satisfactory gift."

Usually when it comes to birthday present, and a noble lady wanted to embroidered something, they only did a stich or two then the rest would make by the embroidery servants in their household, but An He Junzhu was a perfectionist person to the bone, she would not rest until she could make anything perfect.

***

A month had passed since then and Emperor's birthday was coming, because An He Junzhu couldn't come to the palace right now with her conditions, she requested that an insignia of the Emperor could be bring to the Wangfu and let her kowtowed towards it.

She was originally Emperor's favorite niece, thus her request, Emperor obligated it. In the morning, Emperor's close eunuch, Eunuch Mu and a few palace attendants and palace official came to the Wangfu, where Li Xi Yue already waited, after they greet her, she began to Kowtow three times,

"An He wishing Imperial Uncle birthday, and live for more than a thousand years."

After three times, she stood up with the help of her maid, she presented the big frame that held her embroidery, seen that, everyone from the palace gasped,

"this is the birthday gift An He makes using my own hands. I hope Imperial Uncle doesn't detest it."

"this is the three layers embroidery from the late dynasty?" Eunuch Mu asked, Li Xi Yue nodded,

"years ago, when i was six, Waizumu got an embroider who knows how to do the rare three layers from the late dynasty, thus Mufei requested her to be brought into the Wangfu. Although Waizumu didn't want to parted with this Embroider, Mufei is still her most loved daughter," after said that, Li Xi Yue wiped her eyes with handkerchief, "thus Waizumu relented and gave her to us. I told Mufei that i want to learn, thus she let me."

"Junzhu is filial and talented, Emperor will be so happy seeing Junzhu's gift." Eunuch Mu said after bowed to her, he sighed in his heart, this An He Junzhu is pitiful.

Unaware of became a little white cabbage and eat soft rice in front of Eunuch Mu, Li Xi Yue smiled softly, "as long as Imperial Uncle doesn't dislike it."

She then let her maids gave pouches to the palace attendants, she also gave Eunuch Mu a box,

"can Eunuch Mu please help me?"

Eunuch Mu bowed, "what can nucai do for Junzhu?"

"Eunuch Mu, i'm still in mourning and it's unlucky," Eunuch Mu grimaced at Li Xi Yue's words, he could still remember how angry Emperor at Crown Prince when Emperor hear how malicious the Crown Prince's words towards An He Junzhu was, "thus i trouble Eunuch to bring this things to my siblings in the palace. Inside isn't something worth mentioned, only a few new robes that i make for Shizi and An Le, also books for them. I thank Eunuch Mu."

***

Waizumu: maternal grandmother or Mother's mother.