Chapter 195 - The Evil Woman

As promised to Zhang Zhi Jun, Li Juan returned to Yu palace before sunrise. Though they were deprived of each others bodily warmth, Lee Tae Yang and Li Juan, half halfheartedly refrained themselves from making love. 

No matter how much they craved each other, Li Juan was with her family and Bai family have no idea that their queen who is supposedly in her bed was sneaked out to meet her lover.

As soon as Li Juan entered the palace compounds, she rechecked herself and tidied her disheveled clothes as well as hair. However, due to her bad luck, on the way to her chambers, she ran into Bai Qi who was already up for his morning walk.

"Did you go out for a walk?" He asked the woman who was roaming around in the garden.

It was a well known truth among in the people in Yu palace that Li Juan has a terrible insomnia. Most of them has seen her roaming around here and there in odd hours, only because she couldn't fall asleep at night without the help of sleeping pills.

"No," Li Juan stopped for a moment and faced her grandfather with a placid expression,

"Grandpa, I have something to discuss with you,"

Bai Qi curiously looked at his grand daughter. Whenever she initiates a conversation, it would always ends up in some obstinate decisions in which he got nothing to refute her. As the Queen of Yu palace and as his grand daughter, Bai Qi always felt that Li Juan had a knack for making others agree with her decisions even if one has a different opinion. So he made his mind to agree with her decision even before Li Juan started to speak up.

"I want to get married,"

"You want to get married?" Bai Qi who was bewildered by her words repeated to confirm.

In his eyes, "marriage" always has been a topic which irked Li Juan the most. She turned a blind eye towards everyone of her suitors and even the man who proclaimed as her boy friend.

"Yes. My research work will be over in two months and before joining Bai Corporation, I wish to get married," Li Juan's voice held an unusual determination as she demanded.

"Grandpa, can you discuss with Guan family and fix a date which is suitable for everyone,"

"Tae Yang and me, we are living together under the same roof and i think it is better that we tie the knot to keep it as official,"

So it's young master Guan whom she chose as her partner.

Bai Qi couldn't help but notice the sparkling in her obsidian eyes when Li Juan mentioned about the man who was always remained with her.

Even though Li Juan said that she is living with her friend in Jing city, Bai Qi knew it from his sources that his grand daughter is living with young master Guan, one of her suitors.

Actually Bai Qi was quite fond of Lee Tae Yang. When Li Juan was unconscious due to her head injury, everyone in the Bai family witnessed the love and care which Lee Tae Yang shown towards her. It was evident that their relationship was much more than that of two close friends.

He was indeed happy to know that the promise which has been made between his ancestors and the Guan family are finally getting fulfilled through Li Juan and Lee Tae Yang.

"I will talk to general Guan as soon as possible," Bai Qi assured her with a warm smile and allowed her to return to the chambers.

Once the sun rose over the skies of Yun city, the Yu palace has fell into morning chaos, since they need to pay visit to the temple in Tu valley for praying in the hopes of having a good year ahead.

On the way to the temple, Bai Qi who was aware of Li Juan's new year's plan appeared delighted than ever.

Well, is there anything more joyous than his only grand daughter's marriage?

She was the child they once abandoned, the one who grew up without any luxuries of other children who born in the Bai bloodline.

As per the rules of Yu clan, like everyone else he also looked forward for Li Juan's marriage with her suitor from their clan itself, so she can stay with them.

But at some point he had a change of heart and Lee Tae Yang was the reason for Bai Qi to come up with a decision to let his grand daughter live her life as she wants.

All these years they couldn't do anything for her when she was in need of support of her family and now rather than keeping her chained with the rules and customs of Yu clan, Bai Qi felt that giving his grand daughter a family of her own is the best thing to do.

If Li Juan wants to start a life with the man she loves with the official title of the Guan family's daughter in law, their phoenix, Bai Qi would love to arrange her marriage even tomorrow.

But since it was the most anticipated matrimony in the history of Yu clan and Guan family, he was obliged to take the decisions after consulting with the head monk of North temple, regarding the wedding dates.

"Bai Qi, it is better not to rush the wedding ceremonies," Grand master Mu who buried his wrinkled face on Li Juan's birth chart suggested with a tinge of worry.

"Though Xiao Li's life seems to be less troubled now,  I fear that it is nothing but the calmness before the storm,"

"Master, are you implying that there is something wrong with Queen's birth chart?" Bai Zhu asked without any hesitations.

"The stars alignment does not look favorable for majesty. She is born with one of rarest fate, something more like an ill-fate. As per her birth chart and the time period till the first lunar eclipse  is going to be the peak of her bad fortune," Grand master Mu raised his eyes from the chart and glanced at the people who are sitting before him,

"Death is lingering around her. One mistake and she or the people who is beside her will end up falling into the hands of death. It is wise to refrain from the wedding for now, at least the groom will be safe,"

"Master, how could this happen? She is finally having a moment of happiness and how can heavens be cruel to my child?" Bai Su Ya who was silent opened up in a trembling voice,

"She is the girl child born in the Bai bloodline after thousands of years waiting, the lunar maiden. The one who is supposed to live a happy life,"

"She bears the after-effects of the blood sacrifice made by your ancestors and due to that her fate is tangled into a mess of ill fortunes,"

"Is there any way to avoid this?"

"There is nothing we can do here. It's her fate, all we could is to pray to avoid a blood bath," 

"A blood bath, master, what are you meant by that?" Bai Qi couldn't help but ask,

"Years ago, when Young master Guan came to meet me with Xiao Li's birth chart, I believed that his Yang energy is enough to neutralize the evilness shrouded over her. But the moment I saw her with the child who hails from the Wei clan, I fear the history which is bound to repeat. All I can see is a blood moon and the sacrifice of a woman in this birth chart," Grand master Mu elucidated,

"Our queen is in danger?"

"There is a woman who poses threat towards the queen. Their lives are intertwined even from their previous lives because of a man who is involved with the queen,"

"A woman? There aren't any woman who are associated with Queen. She has always been with men," Bai Zhu blurted out in frustration,

"It is also related to her birth. Xiao Li is born on the full moon night as an epitome of Yin energy. Due to her her high Yin energy, she attracts those who lack it, mainly men. Since most of the younger girls and elderly women lacks enough amount of Yin, they innately feels an amity towards the Queen. However, if she gets associated with women who are around her age, then it will bring a bad influence on them," Grand master Mu explained,

"The surging Yin energy will only bring the evil in the women who is associated to her,"

"She is looking forward for a life with young master Guan," Bai Qi mumbled in despair,

"Right now, we have to prioritize her safety more than anything else. We must protect and keep her safe until the next lunar eclipse. Once the eclipse is over, everything will return to normal. So wedding can wait," Grand master Mu ordered them in a steady voice.

For thousands of years ago the North temple was created by amalgamating two of the major schools in the mainland, Tu sect and Mu sect, in order to fulfill the promise they have given to the only female student they had.

They were asked to swear the oath to protect the Yu clan from the rest of the world and serve the Queen.

Though the times have changed and the sect has converted into a peaceful community were the monks live prayers and meditation, their duty towards the Yu clan remains the same.

As the left the head monk's chambers Bai Su Ya glanced at Li Juan who was taking pictures with her cousins on the backdrop of giant Tu mountain range.

It was true, being the only woman born in the Bai bloodline in a thousand years and Li Juan has always surrounded by men all her life.

They haven't seen or heard about a woman who is associated with Li Juan apart from her aunts. Does it because of the curse?

On the way to Yu palace, Bai Qi and Bai Su Ya appeared desolate as they sat silently in the car. They believed that Li Juan is finally able to lead a life without any worries as she become the Queen of Yu palace.

But once again time has proven that it was an impossibility for Li Juan to have a normal life.

"Shouldn't we inform young master Guan?" Bai Zhu tried to break the somber silence lingering in the car,

"Don't!!!" Bai Su Ya refrained with startlement, "Don't ruin their happiness. Both of them...they are still young and let them enjoy their life even if it is a short one,"

"What if something happen to him? How will we face Guan family?" Bai Zhu bombarded his wife with various questions.

He was well aware of the fact that even if they say the truth about Li Juan's misfortune, Lee Tae Yang who was hell-bound on protect her, will never leave the woman whom he loved. But after all these years of waiting for her, isn't it time to finally give up and live a better life with someone who is not cursed?

"I have the same opinion as Su Ya," Bai Qi shared his view and put an end to Bai Zhu's wandering thoughts.

"Let's not reveal anything to them. As for the wedding, we can ask the Queen to wait until she finishes her research and for the time being, keep an eye on her and the people around her,"

"I will mobilize our men to protect her in disguise," Bai Zhu suggested,

"Whatever you do, just don't let anything reach Queen or that man's ears,"

"But the thing which bugs me is that woman who pose a threat for our Queen. Is there any woman who has any kind of animosity towards her?" Bai Su Ya suddenly pointed out,

"From what we have found, there aren't any women who is in constant touch with her,"

"What about her friends, colleagues?"

"She used to have a girl from Tang family as a friend. I don't think they are in touch after what happened between CEO Tang and Queen. But we cannot ignore any possibilities. I will look for that girl and her current status of relationship with Queen," Bai Zhu revealed everything he knew,

"Look for woman who are around young master Guan too," Bai Su Ya reminded,

"There is a man who connects both of these women. In the past there maybe a lot of men who chased after Juan but right now, he is only one who is beside her and they are even planning to get married. We cannot ignore the fact that he is also an eligible bachelor who once searched for possible suitors. What if there is a woman who is crazy for him and wants to get rid of our child,"

Bai Su Ya's doubts were on point,

There was a woman who terribly wished to get rid of Li Juan because of her obsession towards the man who only acknowledged Li Juan as his only woman.