Wuxia Tale: Hua in Bloom

Title

(WANG HUA)

A month had passed before my wound can be unwrapped and Father took out the fine thread he used to stitch it.

"It may scar but someone recommended a new concoction to me that we can apply so the scarring will lessen faster." Father is worrying about my skin.

"It's fine, Father. I think you did a good job in stitching the wound. And the salve you are applying on it looks to be working just fine. No need to worry." I picked up the small jar of salve we are using to heal the wound and to lessen the scarring.

"Let me do it for you," Prince Jin held his hand for the jar. All of us stared at him. We are all gathered in my room. My family and Prince Jin, for the unveiling of my wound. My nanny and the Prince's guards are outside looking in.

Dao coughed, "Some people really know when to take advantage of opportunities..." he whistled. Prince Jin winced and flushed a little. I glared at my brother.

Father glared at Dao too. Then he cleared his throat. "It's done now, you all see that Hua's wound is healing just fine. The spectacle is over. Leave..." Father snatched the jar of salve from me and stood up.

Then to all our surprise, Father handed the jar to Prince Jin. "Apply it carefully and thinly. Don't press too hard or it might hurt Hua..."

Prince Jin look at the jar in his hand like it's something he hasn't seen before. "Yes, Master Dayu." He nodded and sat next to me on the bed. I smiled at him.

"Why?" I heard Baba asking Father incredulously. "Why are you letting him..."

"He is volunteering to take care of your daughter. The day will come that it will be his full time job. So he might as well start now. Don't worry, the door will remain open. He will not do anything untowards to our daughter with a door wide open, would he? Now, shoo..." Father pushed Baba and Dao out of the room.

The door does remained open. Prince Jin and I sat side by side on my bed and he carefully dab the salve on my healing wound.

At first we are smiling shyly at each other as he applied the salve. Then his smile was replaced by something else. A grimace. I saw pain and shame in his eyes as he look at my wound.

"It's fine. No need to feel guilty anymore," I consoled him.

"I should have carried you back here after you got hurt." He said.

"There are many things we wished we did but missed doing. Mistakes we want to correct. Those are lessons we learned. Sometimes, mistakes cannot be corrected, but we can learn from it and do better. You are doing better, my Prince. Don't doubt about it." I smiled at him.

"You are so kind," he said.

"Am I?" I shyly chuckled. "You should say that to Dao. He thinks I am a tyrant and I order him around,"

"He is just lazy, that's why..." Prince Jin finally smiled again.

After carefully applying the salve, Prince Jin took my hand in his. "I finally made a decision. I thought about it for a long time and I think this is the right decision I should follow. I want to tell it to you first before I report this to you parents and my Baba."

I frowned, "Are you referring about the Crown Prince position?" I asked him.

"Yes," Prince Jin looked at the door. I followed his stare and saw my Baba pacing a few phases away from my door. Directly in our line of sight. Just him.