One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.91 Yong WangFei (2)

As night darkened, inside the bridal chamber, Ji LanBai was waiting for her new husband to come, as she was accompanied by her four personal maids who have followed her along.

Everyone knew it would take a while, and one of the Yong Prince's estate's servants had even come earlier, bringing some trays of small dishes for Ji LanBai and the maids,

"The Prince gave instruction for WangFei to have something to eat first, as he is still occupied with the guests."

Then, they were left alone, once again.

The young women in the room were in nervous but joyful spirit, as everyone in the Prince's estate had been wonderfully polite and respectful towards their Mistress.

Ji LanBai herself did not really have any difficulty throughout the long and tedious ceremony. All she had to follow was the instructions of the matrons who presided the formalities - bowing to the heavens, to the direction of the Imperial Palace, to her husband. Then, before she knew it, she was herded to a spacious room - her bridal chamber. Even as she could not hide the boredom and yawned, no one could criticize her, as her face was conveniently hidden behind the red veil.

"What a beautiful box," Xiao Su suddenly exclaimed from the middle of the room.

There was a sound of tinkering, and a clink.

"Xiao Su!" Xiao Lin reprimanded her younger friend, "What did I tell you about behaving properly? This is not even the Ji house!"

"I am sorry..." Xiao Su said, but there was not even any trace of guilt in her voice,

"Eh? There's a piece of paper insi..."

"Xiao Lin?", Xiao Su whispered with a bit of hesitation at her friend's pause. Ji LanBai could not see what they were doing as her red veil was still covering her - under clear instructions of everyone, only her husband was to lift her veil; but now her ears perked up to try to hear what her mischievous maids were up to.

"Isn't this...? it looks like her... writing?" Xiao Su added further.

"...," Xiao Lin's voice then could be heard, "It is."

Then Xiao He and Xiao Han's voices joined in,

"It is her handwriting! Her penmanship has always been peculiar. It was soft yet bold, and very elegant. Even Sun-laoshi commended her a long time ago."

Ji LanBai's heart started to hammer against her rib-cage,

"Xiao Lin, what are you all discussing about? Who are you talking about?"

A sound of light footsteps getting closer to her, then from her low peripheral of vision at the bottom of her veil, Ji LanBai saw an open lacquered box.

"Young Miss... I mean, WangFei, you may want to read the letter. It is addressed to you," Xiao Lin softly spoke.

Ji LanBai took the letter and unfold it with trembling fingers. She started to read it with her limited vision, keeping her head down so she could read those familiar writing.

The room was lit with candles, although the limited lighting was nowhere enough for reading. However, the characters on the letter, each brush strokes of the black ink, was brighter than the swaying candle light. Ji LanBai could clearly read them, each character bore into her mind and heart.

[Dear Ji LanBai,]

[My dear sister. I will not ask you to forgive me. Because I have left with full conscience, knowing how heartbreaking it would be for you.]

[However, would you believe me if I said that, it also wrenches my heart? That I can no longer spoil you, to make you cakes, to laugh with you, to play guqin with you?]