Chapter 121 - Burden

Midnight Zhao Li Xin has a meeting with Jin Hao in a study room, Bei Li Yan also visit the manor to long after, the three of them have long discussion about the recent situation, soon or later the claw on Imperial would claim for them, Zhao Li Xin remains calm, The emperor position is not stable the shadow of the previous emperor is too great, the citizen and old general including a few influential families in Liangzu still adored and respect the previous Emperor, if they knew what the current Emperor had done, people would go outraged.

Meanwhile, Lory and Girsha spend their time on the comfortable bed but then she has sudden craving for Ginger tea, she left the room to find a maid nearby, she already knew her preference so they nodded politely when Lory asked her, Lory wants to return to her room but then she halted her pace, she sees woman silhouette pass the moon gate into the garden.

Ming Yue Yin cross the small bridge then she sits inside the small pavilion, she throws her gaze to the garden, the stone lamps illuminated the garden, white paper lampion hanging on pavilion and the long hall, the soft light gives subtle illumination to the flower bush near the hallways, the garden inside Ninjing Manor is so beautiful it can match the Imperial Garden in her courtyard, she feels comfort finding Lory live comfortably in this new world, she was lean on the pavilion pillar when Lory approach her.

"Why don't you sleep?" Lory called her softly.

Ming Yue Yin giggles "I've been sleeping for months, I'm not sleepy, but you should sleep

aunty…..elderly need to sleep early" she teased with big grinned plastered on her face.

"Shut up, Brat!!" Lory glares at her, Ming Yue Yin laughs loudly, in the imperial palace she never laughs this freely she also never dare to tease anyone except her personal maid, that dimwitted maid she got.

"You know….. I always pity my Fath....no, the Emperor" she corrected it, she didn't want to call that monster father again "The Emperor has many children but all his son has a disability, some even not live more than three years it's a disheartening reality but that's how it is..." Ming Yue Yin sigh.

"But Huang Zi Feng seems alright" Lory tilted her head.

Ming Yue yin snickered "That's when all coming back to me, what if it's all happened deliberately, what if he does this to all his Son in purposed"

Lory stunned "That can't be, right?"

"Just think about it, if he has another 'normal' Son would Heavenly Jade pavilion master worried he would betray them, he is the one who can betray his Brother easily for an ambition moreover to a stranger. I think this is the agreement between the Emperor and Heavenly jade pavilion to have no male heir except Huang Zi Feng"

"That was a cruel thing to do…" Lory feels her blood turns cold.

"I should have known it, how could all the male heir become like that, one or two it's normal but .....all of them? that can be right, especially when I saw his face when he knew his son's death, although he gives the concubine big compensation and lavish funeral for her dead son, but his face….. I thought that was expected for a ruler, I thought all Ruler is like that but then I dream about your Father…." Ming Yue Yin mouth curved, her gaze becomes soften.

"I saw the way your Father looking at you and your Brother, it's…..ahh…how could I describe it?" she takes a long deep breath, her eyes gazing to the night sky "I wish I can see my Father too, I wonder if he looking at me like your Father would?"

"I think he would…" Lory said without hesitation.

Ming Yue Yin eyes brimmed with comfort, she believed her if it's Lory who said it then she would believe her. Not long after the previous maid who was called to make her tea for her come to the pavilion with a set of teacup for the booth of them, what a professional maid she is, the maid serves the tea for them before she bows politely and left.

"It's sweet and spicy" Ming Yue Yin eyes twitch.

"It's ginger, cinnamon and honey" Lory inhale the fragrance before she sips the tea slowly.

Ming Yue Yin didn't comment, she takes another sip and the warmed spread from his throat to whole her body, give her more comfortable and relaxed, she put down the teacup gently on the table.

"I never want to rule this country" she suddenly said, while tapping her teacup.

Lory blows her tea gently, she didn't say anything.

"But Tomorrow when he knew his Son's death, the sacred tree has gone even his useless Daughter is badly hurt he would be enraged he will demand retaliation to anyone involved, the Heavenly jade pavilion would ask the same, it's gonna get worse if he knew I'm conscious and function now, he will get suspicious and he would kill a lot of people because of it, he always a paranoid after all and General Fu and the other People who dissatisfied with the current Emperor would rebel….this country would fall in war and chaos" Ming Yue Yin hand clenched the teacup.

"Unless you step in, as the last princess of previous Emperor" Lory put down her teacup.

"I never want this burden…" Ming Yue Yin eyes glistening "I never want to rule this Country"

"I know," Lory replied softly.

"But I have to..." her mouth trembles "It is my kingdom and I….I'm the King's Daughter…" tears roll on her cheeks like a transparent pearl.

Lory smiles "Yes, you are…"

Ming Yue Yin look down, she 's sobbing profusely the burden is too heavy for seventeen years old woman, she realizes tomorrow her life would never be the same again, she can't be the same again, she is the last of her kin and the last descendant who received the "Gift' there would be no more after her she must accepted this duty.....this burden whether she ready or not.

Every woman said they want to be a Princess but they would never understand the burden of that title and the weight they must carry on but it's not their fault even Lory needs years to understand what comes with the title.

Ming Yue Yin had returned to her room while Lory remains in the garden, she lay don on the wood bench near the pond, the sounds of wind blowing and water ripple from human-made fountain give her sense of serenity.

Lory watches a million stars twinkle on the night sky while the grey cloud moving slowly, the night sky is always beautiful it gives her comfort and familiarity but it also makes her lonely and melancholy and yet she never stop gazing.

"It's very late, why don't you sleep?" Zhao Li Xin's handsome face suddenly appear above her, his long dark hair flown behind his back his perfect carved face stares at her with his black onyx eyes, Lory sigs how beautiful he is even after all this time his beauty still mesmerize her.

"I can't sleep…," Lory said softly.

Zhao Li Xin crouch beside the bench make their face at the same level "What are you thinking?" he asked gently while shifting a strain of hair from her face.

The warmed from his hand give her shiver to her skin, Lory smiles shyly "I'm worried for her…."

"The princess?" Zhao Li Xin frowned "Other than general Fu there still other General who loyal to previous Emperor and Hei Shen Sect also helping her, you've got nothing to worry about" Zhao Li Xin smiled faintly.

"It's not her safety I'm worried about, it's her heart…" Lory sighs.

Zhao Li Xin feels a bit jealous of Ming Yue Yin but that weird Girl calls him uncle and Lory aunty so she thinks of them as a family so it's not weird for her worried so much for that 'Brat'

'That nickname it suits her perfectly' Zhao Li Xin lament inwardly.

Lory eyes back to the stars again "You know Li Xin, I've been through a lot of things in my life, the good, the bad....and the worst but I've never been betrayed by anyone close to me, like you and Ming Yue Yin"

Zhao Li Xin heart prick when he heard 'worst' coming from her, his hand clenched tightly inside his sleeve.

"My father used to say, we might always have the best in this world but we should do the best from what we've got" she remembers that's the word her father used to preach for her whenever she wants to give up.

"Your father sounds wise, is he pamper you?" Zhao Li Xin starts questioning, deep down he wonders what happened in her past why her family didn't protect her, he fears her family would be like his Imperial family or Ming Yue Yin family.

Lory didn't know what Zhao Li Xin thinking, when she remembers her Father her face suddenly lit up and sweet smiles emerged on her face "My Father….he is very strict, disciplined, firm but he also kind, gentle and very wise...but he has many sorrow and secret, I thought I know everything about him but I guess I'm wrong…" Lory's face becomes somber, the day she lost her Father she felt someone rip her heart from her chest and crush it to the ground.

She rewinds that day over and over again in her head, if she does things differently or if she said things differently but no matter how many times she replays that day the result would remain the same, she can't leave her people behind and runs to her father, how can she watch them slaughter when she has the power to protect them and her father would never let her desert their people.

"You sad again.." Zhao Li Xin kisses her hand to get her attention.

"Sorry, can't help it" Lory helplessly smiles.

"It's fine, I'm here…..I will always be here" his word calm and soothing like a warm breeze, the sadness in her eyes slowly dissipated she intertwined her hands with his hand then she pulls his hand above her chest.

"I know, thank you" she feels really grateful she met him in this world.

"Do you want to get inside?" the wind is getting cold he worried she would be sick.

"Can we stay here a little longer?"

See her pleading eyes, how could he said 'No' to her "Let's stay then….."