Chapter 100 - Love And Cherish Her

Sheng Li reached outside the guest room where Hu Jingguo was staying. He walked in and was greeted by Hu Jingguo. "Your highness, please have a seat," Hu Jingguo politely said, showing the ground table around which three seats were made.

Sheng Li sat on the Prime seat and told Hu Jingguo to take his seat as well. Hu Jingguo took his seat, which was facing the Crown Prince. "How is his highness doing?" Hu Jingguo concernedly asked.

"I have recovered fully. What about you? The injuries do not seem to be fully healed," Sheng Li proclaimed as he looked at the hands of Hu Jingguo.

"It will take more time to heal. Thank you for asking, your highness," Hu Jingguo expressed his gratitude.

"There is something I want to know," Sheng Li stated. Hu Jingguo nodded and told the Crown Prince to speak without any hesitation.

"What do you think that the Lantern Festival is for?" Sheng Li questioned.

"Everyone knows it is celebrated to advocate Buddhism," Hu Jingguo replied, keeping the smile on his lips.

"So, there is no other meaning of this festival?" Sheng Li tried getting the answer from Hu Jingguo but he also did not want to tell him what the Crown Princess had told him.

"There is one more meaning, your highness but it is popular among the commoners." Sheng Li's eyes glistened upon hearing those words, and he told Hu Jingguo to continue.

"On this day, people go out to find their soul mates," Hu Jingguo replied. "The lantern festival begins with the new year, so young men and women go out in the night market to look for Love. It is believed that if you find Love on this day, then it is the blessing of Heaven to the couples," Hu Jingguo explained to the Crown Prince.

Sheng Li nodded when he heard Hu Jingguo, "Ying Lili… forgive me for this slip of the tongue. I mean the Crown Princess when I was in Juyan, every year used to celebrate this with the commoners. As a young woman, she also desired someone who could love and cherish her."

"Why are you telling me this? I didn't even ask for it," Sheng Li stated.

Hu Jingguo smiled seeing the reaction on the face of the Crown Prince. "Your highness, you would not have asked me about this if the Crown Princess had not told you about this. Since you were in wars most of the time, you might not know about this. Didn't I tell his highness that if he wants full support of the Crown Princess then he must try to know her?

His highness considers the Crown Princess as a warrior rather than a woman but it will not change the truth that the Crown Princess is a woman. I always prayed for a good husband for my friend. I did not mean that his highness is not a good husband, but it also does not mean that he is trying to be! His highness shall take the Crown Princess to the Lantern Festival since it is her first time celebrating it outside Juyan." Hu Jingguo explained everything to the Crown Prince.

"Are you sure that such a thing happens?" Sheng Li asked.

"It happens that's why it is popular among the folks, your highness," Hu Jingguo replied. "The Crown Princess cares for his highness. If she hadn't, then she would not have put her life on the stake when you were on your deathbed. Among the people, his highness is tyrannical, but that's not the truth. The Crown Princess had the same views for you but I do not think they exist anymore," Hu Jingguo proclaimed.

Sheng Li stood up in the middle of the conversation. "Have a quick recovery. It was nice talking to you." Sheng Li walked out of the room. He was going to his manor thinking about his conversation with Hu Jingguo.

"Shall I take her out? But her foot is injured. I cannot take any more risks," Sheng Li thought when the face of the Crown Princess came in front of his eyes. "Ahh, why did I even ask her?" Sheng Li muttered and increased his pace.

Xing-Fu bowed his head seeing the Crown Prince and opened the doors of the chamber for the Crown Prince. They walked in when Xing-Fu helped the Crown Prince in removing the upper coat off his body.

The water was brought for the Crown Prince, who drank it and then laid down on his bed. Xing-Fu put the glass on the table beside the bed and pulled the curtain down around the bed and came out of the chamber.

"We have to be commoners to go out. But what will I do with her foot? I will not carry her around nor will I take her into a palanquin," Sheng Li muttered as he looked at the wooden ceiling.

Xing-Fu came in thus, interrupting the thoughts of Sheng Li. "Your highness, her majesty has gone to the Crown Princess Manor," Xing-Fu informed Sheng Li, who right away sat up on the bed.

"I am going there," Sheng Li stated. He got down from the bed, wore his shoes, and walked out of the chamber.

In the Zhenzhu Inn, Empress Wei could be seen sitting on the chaise while the Crown Princess was on the bed and her hand lowered her head. "The Crown Princess must be careful. What about the maids? Did they not work properly?" Empress Wei queried Ying Lili.

"It was my mistake, your majesty. It will be healed soon, so her majesty does not need to worry," Ying Lili softly said.

"Court Lady Xu, apply this medicine over the foot of the Crown Princess. It will help in expeditious recovery." Weng Wei forwarded a porcelain bottle to her assistant who passed it to the Court Lady Xu.

"Thank you for your concern, your majesty." Ying Lili bowed her head.

"The Crown Prince is here!"

Weng Wei and Ying Lili turned to look at the door. Sheng Li entered and greeted the Empress. "The Crown Princess is injured, so I thought to check on her. How is the Crown Prince doing?" Weng Wei queried. "I prayed from Lord Buddha to wake my son up when you were in that state," Weng Wei continued.

"I am well now. Thanks to your prayers, I am alive and even woke up, your majesty," Sheng Li asserted. Ying Lili looked at the two and found the coldness between the two.

"I shall take my leave. Since the Crown Prince is here, then he must look after the Crown Princess. Palace rumors about your relationship are known to everyone now. I hope the Crown Prince will not create any situation where I need to intervene. Since the Crown Prince has already refused for having a concubine, then he must abide by that and shall not avoid the Crown Princess," Weng Wei pronounced.

Sheng Li did not respond and waited for Weng Wei to go out. Once the Empress had gone out of the chamber, Sheng Li came to Ying Lili and asked her how she was feeling.

"Good. The pain has gone away," Ying Lili replied.

"Your highness, her majesty has given this medicine to apply over the foot of the Crown Princess," Court Lady Xu forwarded the medicine to the Crown Prince.

"Throw it away," Sheng Li ordered. Court Lady Xu bowed and left from there.