After the funeral of Xian Wang Ye, everyone in Jian Capital did their usual thing, those noble families would gather together to admire flowers, paintings, music or any other things, those common people would work hard to earn money.
In Imperial Palace, preferably Emperor's Imperial study, Emperor sat on his usual chair, read some memorandum when a secret guard came and bowed to him,
"say, what happened in Xian Wangfu?"
The secret guard bowed, "Han Cefei plotted again to gained a Shizi title for her son."
"that Shizi title only for Li Xi Qiu no matter what, Zhang-shi will never forgive zhen if zhen let another woman's son get that title."
He grew up under the Old Duke Zhang's teaching, and had very deep impression about Old Duke Zhang's family. He even seen Zhang-shi, the late Xian Wangfei as a sister, maybe that's the reason why he favors An He so much, he saw Zhang-shi in her, but with more courage. Before Zhang-shi passed away, she begged Emperor to allow Li Xi Qiu a smooth life, because he was her only son, Zhang-shi didn't begged for An He or An Le though, maybe in Zhang-shi's eyes, these two daughters couldn't compare with a strand of his son's hair.
But fortunately, An He was a good girl, Intelligent, filial and virtuous, she may be a slightly lazy but she still filial and she grew up under Emperor's care, thus she got Emperor's affections.
"what about An He Junzhu?"
"An He Junzhu still in Ancestor's praying room, she..."
Emperor stopped reading, "she what?"
"she doesn't eat since Xian Wang's funeral and insisted on fasting." the guard got sweat in his forehead, "but this subject heard from Junzhu's maid servants who discussed to make something for her appetite said that Junzhu already fasting for two days straight and there's no food entering her stomach. They afraid that Junzhu will get sick."
The Emperor sighed, "Mu gonggong!"
"nucai is here, Your Majesty."
"go to Xian Wangfu and passed Zhen's decree. An He Junzhu is more and more restrained. It's good to be filiar to one's deceased elder but how can a child bring harm towards her own body?!"
***
"Junzhu, Ma Gonggong is here..."
Jin Xia ran into the room, where Li Xi Yue sat and copied Buddhist Scripture, she didn't even responded and only stood up and went outside. The maid servants looked at each other, their Junzhu became more and more quiet, there's no smile in her face, her eyes were lifeless and she lost her body weight, seen her, made everyone stressed.
"Nucai greets An He Junzhu." he said lowering his body, Li Xi Yue only nodded,
"no need to courtesy." her soft yet hoarse voice said, Mu Gonggong couldn't help but take a look at her appearance, she looked so sickly fragile, her body lost so much weight, her chubby cheeks became bones and those eyes lost their liveliness.
"Junzhu, Emperor had a verbal decree to you." Eunuch Mu said, Li Xi Yue forced herself to stan still while encountered dizziness,
"yes..." she answered with a low voice, her vision got blurry,
"Emperor said: The body came from parents, it's good for children to be filial but it's very unpleasant if a children damaged the body because of it, Elders will not be happy."
"An He remembers." she said and bowed but her body trembled so hard her face became so pale, she swayed before fainted,
"Junzhu!"
Everyone was shocked and panicked, even Eunuch Mu quickly told the young Eunuch to call Imperial physicians, he shivered when he took An He Junzhu's cold hand, the maid servants helped her into her bedroom, while Eunuch Mu stood there waiting for Imperial Physicians.
Not long after, Imperial Physicians came, they were ushered into the chamber and saw how sickly pale An He Junzhu was, she was originally a very lively and healthy girl, but because of her fasting and no other foods entered her stomach caused her to fainted. The Imperial Physician prescribed a medicine to nourished body, and told the servants to prepare some light food for her to eat when shs woke up. Then they walked outside.
The Imperial Physicians were frightened to kneel when they saw a man in the black robe sat and drunk a cup of tea,
"subject-minister greet Emperor, may you live a long life!"
"how's An He Junzhu?" Emperor didn't beat around bush and asked,
"An He Junzhu is tired because of the lack of food. She didn't eat anything and insisted on fasting thus made her body weak. But now she's resting, tjis subject-minister already prescribed some medicine to An He Junzhu, when she wakes up she can drink it then eat some light foods."
The Imperial Physician released a breath he was holding when he saw Emperor nodded his head, after that Eunuch Mu lend them out of Xian Wangfu.
***
Li Xi Yue woke up fifteen minutes later, her servant girls let out the breath they were holding and sighed in relief,
"Fortunately Junzhu is alright."
She frowned, Yin Liu came and bring a nourished medicine the Imperial Physivcian prescribed,
"Junzhu, please drink this. Imperial Physician Hu was the one who precribed and let nubi boiled it for you." Yin Liu said, prepared her for sit down with pillos behind her back, Li Xi Yue shook her head, she asked for water, Hong Ying handed her a cup to moisten her throat,
"i don't want to drink that."
"but Junzhu, it's for your health." Bai Xia coaxed her, but she still stubborn as ever,
"no."
"An He!"
A voice full of authority said, entered the bedroom, Li Xi Yue could see the Emperor in his black robe, she looked at him with red eyes,
"Imperial Uncle!"
Her voice full of grievance, it's shattered people's heart when they listen to it, Li Xi Yue quietly sobbed, she used her robe to wiped away the tears,
"why Imperial Uncle here?"
"if zhen didn't come, do you plan yourself to be starved to death?" Emperor directly asked, he sat down in the bed and looked at the sickly pale Li Xi Yue, this girl was his eldest niece, the one he spoiled since birth, seen her like this made his heart hurts,
"why This subject-niece need to be alive, Imperial Uncle? My parents died early, this subject-niece and her siblings don't have anyone to rely on." she choked on her tears,
"what do you mean? You still have zhen as your uncle and Empress Dowager loves you."
This time Li Xi Yue didn't wipe her tears, "Imperial Uncle and Imperial Grandmother live in the Palace. How can you understand my hardship? Our Wangfu only mighty in its title, but in reality we can easily bullied by others. We don't have a real male master here, we only have a small Shizi who is so powerless and i'm just a girl in my mourning period. How can we survive?" she covered her fave and sobbed so hard, "isn't it better if we just follow our parents? At least we don't be a burden towards Imperial Uncle or Imperial Grandmother."
"dare you say that!" Emperor roared making her flinch, Emperor who saw this took a deep breath, "You are Zhen's nieces and nephew, of course Zhen will take care of you and your siblings. How can you think such a a bad thing?"
"but people bullied us, Imperial Uncle..."
Emperor gritted his teeth, "Mu gonggong passed a decree. Tell Minister of the rites to elevated Xian Wang Shizi to the new Xian Wang and let him succeeded the title as other Wang's Shizi like tradition!"
Li Xi Yue felt relieved, she wanted to stand up to thank Emperor for his grace, but Emperor shook his head, "no need. Now you should drink medicine and eat food. Zhen will go back to the palace now.'"
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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? ...
