The Tale Of Mei Xiang

第七章 (Chapter 7)

第七章

When I awoke, he was gone and my room was lit up by candlelight. 

I groaned as I rubbed my eyes, feeling a sharp pain in my head. My stomach growled in hunger and I stood up, my legs a bit wobbly as I was still a bit disorientated. Hopefully, mother and father didn't forget to keep some food for me. 

Before I could even step a foot out of my room, a servant who apparently had been waiting for me to wake up quickly stopped me. "Xiaojie," he greeted and bowed, not retracting his arm that was blocking me. "It is a good thing that you've finally awoken. Madam has been worried sick about you."

My eyes trailed down to his extended arm then towards him. I raised an eyebrow and said, "And you're blocking me because?"

"Xiaojie, please don't be angry. Madam instructed me to make sure you won't wander anywhere else until she's seen you," he answered.

I glared at him and crossed my arms. "Is there a reason why my mother wants to see me?"

"Xiaojie, I think it's best that madam herself-"

"I'm famished and you're stopping me from getting food?" I cut him off, waiting for him to answer.

"Daughter," my mother's voice suddenly joining the conversation, "he's just a servant following orders. You shouldn't vent your anger at him. If you're angry at me, please, vent it all out to me now."

My arms fell to my side and I held my tongue, reigning my anger. Despite what my mother said, I knew the threat underlining her tone. Talk anymore and you'll be punished. "Mother, I'm glad you're here. Would you like to go inside to talk?"

She smiled at me and I felt the fear creeping into my heart. "Sure, it's starting to get chilly out here."

She waved her servants away, including the one who blocked me, and followed me inside my room. I stepped aside, letting her enter first before I did. I shut the doors behind me and fidgeted with my fingers behind my back as I watched my mother carefully sip her cup of tea. 

Oh was she pissed at me.

"Uh, so, mother," I stumbled upon my words. "What brings you here?"

She took her time setting the cup down before turning to face me. "Well, it's something that happen this afternoon. I didn't realise that the 4th Prince hadn't left until when he did, an hour ago. Thank goodness His Majesty didn't send out a search party for him otherwise we will be in so much trouble."

I cringed but let her continue talking. "I believe you have something to do with this. Your tea was contaminated so I helped you change it. Did you serve that tea to the 4th Prince?"

Lying to her was out of the question so I painfully nodded my head and awaited her scolding. She didn't scold me though and held an expressionless face as she picked up the cup again and sipped. "Mei Xiang, are you stupid? How could you drug an Imperial Prince?"

"I'm sorry mother, I wasn't thinking straight," I answered, hanging my head.

"Sorry isn't going to change things," she snapped. "What if this gets out? If Her Majesty hears of what you did to her eldest son, we will be better off dead."

"Sorry," I mumbled, training my eyes on the floor. 

I saw her shake her head as she sipped on her tea again. "You'd better do something so the 4th Prince doesn't tell anyone about what you did."

My eyes widen and I lifted my head. "Like what?"

She glared at me and placed the empty cup on the table. She stood up and walked towards me. "I don't know. Since you're this smart to drug an Imperial Prince, surely you can figure something out?"