scarlet heart | exo

Meetings

When Xuefeng regained consciousness, it was the morning of the next day. Her 'older sister' Xueyin was still seated by her bedside. She looked noticeably more tired than when they first met; she had probably kept vigil by Xuefeng's bedside until she woke up.

"You're awake," she stated, handing Xuefeng a cup of water, which she drank eagerly.

"You're my sister?" Xuefeng absorbed this fact into her head. Sister... The 8th Prince... Gosh, thank goodness for the books she had read. "Your name is Maertai Xueyin?" Xueyin nodded again.

Xuefeng turned herself around and propped herself up with her elbows into a sitting position.

She didn't have a sister back in the 21st Century, but she was beginning to feel a sense of attachment to Xueyin. She had taken care of here ever since her arrival, soothed her worries and tumultuous emotions, kept vigil by her bedside for a whole night. Even though Xueyin was under the mistaken impression that she was caring for her sister, Xuefeng still owed her a debt of gratitude.

Xuefeng was about to ask more, but a lady walked up. She was dressed in a green dress and beige vest just like Qiaoying, and was probably another servant girl. "Miss Xueyin, the 8th Prince is outside," the girl informed.

Xueyin nodded at her. "Send him in."

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"I hope your sister is alright?"

Aisingioro Yixing. That's the 8th Prince's name, right? Xuefeng searched her memory. Xueyin turned around to him, her eyes soft and loving. "Yes. She's fine."

Xuefeng searched for her shoes so she could walk over to the sitting room where the two were, before realising that it was probably not proper since Yixing was still talking to Xueyin. Be it in Qing dynasty manners or 21st Century manners, she was not in a position to be butting in.

Xueyin eventually stood up and pulled the curtains separating Xuefeng's bed from the rest of the room, and beckoned Yixing over. She scrambled to get up and bow, knowing that bowing to superiors was an important part of Qing dynasty decorum, but Yixing dismissed the need with a wave of his hand.

"Xuefeng... I trust that you're okay?" He gave her a charming smile, eyes crinkling and two deep dimples forming on his cheeks. Xuefeng found herself warming to him immediately.

Based on historical records that she only just recalled, the 8th Prince Yixing loved his concubine Maertai Xueyin a lot, and had originally intended for her to be his wife. However, Xueyin's (and Xuefeng's) father was a general, and the Emperor thought that she was not 'sophisticated' enough. Hence, he had made Xueyin Yixing's concubine, and wed him to his wife, Guoluoluo Huiting, whose father was a court official. Though he had promised his heart to another, being the gentleman that he was, Yixing treated Huiting with respect and courtesy.

"I'm good, thanks." She bowed the best she could from where she was sitting, smiling back.

"Take care of yourself, and recover soon, okay? Xueyin's worried sick, and I hate to see both of you unwell."

Yixing turned his attention back to Xueyin, talking about some other matters of the household, before bidding them farewell and leaving the room.

Xuefeng sat up, and buried her face in her hands.

Looks like she was trapped in the past, and this was certainly not a dream.

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"Qiaoying? Can we go back to the marketplace?" Xuefeng suggested as afternoon came around. She was up and about shortly after Yixing's visit, and had spent the entire morning trapped in her room learning embroidery and trying to figure out how to plait her long hair into the hairdo that everyone else sported so effortlessly.

"Of course, Miss Xuefeng."

She had traded the high platform shoes for more casual, flat fabric shoes. They were slightly lighter, and of course, more comfortable. She skipped ahead, forcing Qiaoying to run to catch up. By the time they got to the marketplace, Qiaoying was so out of breath that she could barely talk.

"Let's go back to the mirror stall." Xuefeng laughed, and they kept on running.

But the stall was not there.

For some reason, it looked as if it never existed. At all. There was no stall selling mirrors, or even anything made of reflective material, for that matter. In its place, there was a shop selling accessories.

"Damn, I should have bought the mirror when I had the chance." Xuefeng muttered to herself, then looked back at Qiaoying who was struggling to run to her.

All of a sudden, a clatter of hooves knocked Qiaoying to the ground.

"Qiaoying!"

Xuefeng ran to her maid.

The horse was a magnificent black stallion. He galloped to the other side of the marketplace before rearing, finally brought to a halt by his rider. Xuefeng helped Qiaoying up, and found herself staring up at the same black stallion, who had trotted back to their side.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" She hissed. The horse snorted at her, and pushed his nose into her face.

"Steady." The rider soothed, running his hand down the horse's neck. Qiaoying cowered, as Xuefeng stared up at the rider's somewhat-familiar face, trying to figure out where she had seen him before.

Then it clicked. She recognised him from various portraits that she had seen...

And damn. Her luck was just great.

This, was the infamous 4th Prince. The prince who had outmanoeuvred, outsmarted and outwitted his brothers to become the next Emperor even though he never held the position of Crown Prince. History credited him for his fearlessness and courage in pushing through crucial reforms, but spoke more of his cruelty and mercilessness in the disposal of his political opponents and blood kin.

His dark hair was spiked up because of the wind, and his dark eyes matched her own. He smirked down at her.

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

Xuefeng hissed, but bit back her angry retort. She quite fancied living, thank you very much, and it was probably prudent to not offend him.

"Next time, I won't push my horse to the side." He gathered the reins again, and the horse reared, exploding into a canter, narrowly missing them again.

So, I've met two princes so far, and despite sharing the same father, their personalities are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. I wonder what the other ones are like. But this one has to be the biggest jerk of them all...

Turning back to the space where the mirror store once occupied, Xuefeng figured that there was no chance of going back home now. She might as well get her act together, and make the most out of her life here.

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The moment she returned to the Eighth Prince's Manor, she was accosted by a bevy of servant girls.

"Quickly, quickly, Miss Xuefeng! You need to get ready, the 10th Prince is here!"

The emperor has twelve princes... And this was only the third one. Joy.

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