I Want Winter

Chapter 73

Soon, 3 weeks have passed by and still, Ying Zhi hasn't awoken yet. Until one day while I was holding his hand and sleeping on the floor. I felt him move his hands and I got up to see his eyes looking at me. "YING ZHI!" I said and was about to touch his face to see if I was dreaming, but then he slapped my hand away.

"How dare you use my birth name. Who permitted you?" He said, looking at me with cold, shady eyes like the first time we met. "And let go of my hands" he barked and yanked his hand away.

"Ying Zhi, what's wrong with you?" I said confused. "Stop messing with me," I said and touched his arm.

He once again pulled back his arm away from me and said, "I told you not to use my birth name or you want to get punished." He looked at me, dead serious.

"Don't you remember me?" I ask.

"Of course, you are Concubine Liling. I'm not an idiot," he said seriously.

"So you are playing," I said and broke into a smile before playfully hitting him.

"How dare you hit me," he said as his eyes got cold.

"Ying Zhi, what's wrong with you?" I said and got so confused.

"GUARDS GET THIS PERSON OUT OF HERE!" He hollered as guards came in.

"What's wrong with you. It's me!" I said, grabbing his hand.

"Get her out here!" He said seriously before guards dragged me away.
"Sorry, Concubine Liling," said the guards.

"YING ZHI!" I cried out.
What's going on? He knows I'm Concubine Liling, but why is he treating me as if he forgot everything we've been through this whole year? And what am I supposed to do?

The very next day, I have ask the doctor as he told me that Ying Zhi probably lost some of his memories from his injury to the head, so I must have patience with him for him to remember, so I prepare his favorite tea, oolong, and I enter his room to find Consort Qingyuan there. "What brings you here?" he said coldly. "And also inviting yourself in without asking to join," he said, despicable.
"I-...," I have no words.

"4th Prince, Concubine Liling came here to bring you tea. Can't you see?" Consort Qingyuan seemed to mock me.

"Well, I don't want it so you may leave this instant," he said and didn't even look at me like I was not important to him anymore.

"But... 4th Prince?" Consort Qingyuan continues to be 'nice'.

"You don't have to be nice to such a person. Now LEAVE," he said sternly before looking at me dead serious as I didn't get the chance to utter a single word while Consort Qingyuan's face was mocking me.

I re-entered my room and set down the tea, having different emotions coming about and left me speechless. Soon enough someone came in abruptly. A tiny mockery fills the room, "Serve you right for tricking the 4th Prince. He finally realized it. However I'm curious why haven't you run off with the 3rd Prince, because some say the 3rd Prince is gone," Consort Qingyuan said.

"Is that the reason you are here uninvited?" I said sharply as my attention gazed at her.

She covered her mouth and chuckled, "Of course not. I wanted to see your misery."

"Is that so? And do I look miserable?" I said.

"Let me see...," she said and walked closer to me until she reached the table. "Not yet...," she said as her hand grasped on the teapot before she chucked it onto the ground towards the door. Then she screams and falls on the ground as the door shoots open.

"What have you done!" The 4th Prince barked at me and I just stood there.

She began to sob quietly, "4th Prince it wasn't her fault. She just got upset from before. And...," she continues to sob.

"Guards take Consort Qingyuan to check the doctor while I deal with her," said the 4th Prince.

"4th Prince- " she acts to stop him.

With all the commotion, I was silent until I opened my mouth and said in a calm and clear voice, "I didn't do it."

"Then explain why she was on the floor and the teapot completely smashed," he said.

"I didn't do it." I said once more, "If you don't believe then punish me" I stand firm.

"Are you threatening me?" He seemed to be provoked and stared at me. "Guards beat her 25 times," he said as guards and her maids grabbed me and put me on a long wooden bench as I was facing my downwards.
Soon enough, I felt extreme pain.