Chapter 17 - Good To Me

Sheng Li was with General Wang Hao in the jail where Su Binxi was taken to. Both hands were tied with the shackles so were her legs. Sheng Li was standing at a meter distance from Su Binxi and was giving her a murderous look. "For whom do you work for?" Sheng Li queried Su Binxi.

"His highness is taking me wrong. I am not spying on the crown princess," Su Binxi replied and lowered her eyes.

"Do you take me as a fool? How could one know what happened on the wedding night between the crown princess and me? Because of a petty servant the rumors have surrounded the Palace. Now, tell me who told you if you want to remain alive," Sheng Li with a Grim expression asked Su Binxi.

"Your highness, this servant is saying the truth," replied Su Binxi. Sheng Li looked at Wang Hao who bowed his head. Sheng Li then left the jail. The anger could be seen on his face because of the strange rumor which had spread in the Palace.

As he was going to the Inn, he encountered the fourth Prince, Han Nianzu who bowed his head slightly and asked him from where he was coming. "I was in the dungeon, brother Zu," replied Sheng Li.

"Your highness, Palace has some strange rumors about you and her highness. How are you going to deal with it?" Nianzu asked Sheng Li but he did not give any reply. "I shall take my leave then. Have a great day ahead," saying this Nianzu walked away.

"Jian Guozhi is succeeded in spreading the rumors about my relationship with Ying Lili. That woman does not listen to me so, I cannot even expect any kind of cooperation from her," Sheng Li thought and went to his chamber where Xing-Fu brought the meals for him. Seeing the ruined mood of Sheng Li, Xing-Fu tried to cheer him up.

"Xing-Fu, you shall leave. I am not in a mood to talk with anyone. Do not let anyone came inside," Sheng Li ordered Xing-Fu which he accepted and with gentle steps came out of the chamber.

An-Ying Lili was done eating when the Court Lady Xu told her to lay down on the bed. "But, I am fine, court lady Xu. Why am I being examined?" An-Ying Lili confusedly asked.

"Your highness, the Royal Physician will examine you to know whether you are healthy enough to bear the future heir of the kingdom," Court Lady Xu replied softly.

"Future heir?" An-Ying Lili muttered. She was already tensed as Su Binxi was taken away and now a new problem came in front of her. The crown princess could not even refuse for doing such things to her because she was no longer in Juyan but in the capital of Han where she had to follow everyone.

Court Lady Xu thought that the crown princess was nervous so she tried to relax her highness. "Your highness, do not be scared. It is only a physical examination. Some nerves will be checked by the Royal Physician to make sure that you will not have any kind of difficulty in bearing the future heir of the Kingdom," asserted Court Lady Xu.

"Is he… the crown prince not going to marry Miss Xue?" An-Ying Lili out of sudden asked Court Lady Xu who was slightly confused by the crown princess question.

"Your highness, forgive me if I seem rude to you but are you trying to say that you do not want to bear the child of his highness?" Court Lady Xu after gathering her entire courage asked.

Ying Lili agreed with Court Lady Xu. "His highness loves her and if…" the crown princess' words were cut by Empress Weng Wei whose tone had slight anger in that. "How can the crown princess think like this?" Empress Wei asked Ying Lili as she halted right in front of her. There were tens of maidservants behind her all had lowered their eyes.

Right away, An-Ying Lili lowered her eyes. "Your Imperial Majesty, please forgive the crown princess for her naïve behavior." court lady Xu intervened and defended the crown princess.

"Forgive this naïve woman, your majesty," stated An-Ying Lili. Empress Wei had calmed down and she took An-Ying Lili near the bed. Making the crown princess sit on the mattress, the empress sat beside her. "Court Lady Xu, send the rest maidservants outside," Empress Wei ordered. Court Lady Xu bowed her head and gestured the maidservants to go outside.

"Ying Lili, I am like your mother. Indeed, I cannot replace her but I understand your worries. Everything happened so fast and you entered the Palace. Do the crown princess know about the Palace rumor?" Empress Wei asked the Crown princess who shook her head in refusal.

"On the wedding night, the crown prince left the bed-chamber in a few minutes. It means you two are going on good terms. The crown prince's position will destabilize if his wife will not support him. Then, you are seen with the first Prince which in many eyes is seeing the other way." Ying Lili clutched her robes and lowered her eyes.

The crown princess did not know that the Palace people would be so observant of her relationship with the crown prince. And, now this physical examination was giving her a headache. "That's why Sheng Li told me to be careful," Ying Lili thought.

"Is this true that you and the crown prince are on odd terms with each other? Because earlier I have seen you two were on the bed," stated Empress Wei. An-Ying Lili lifted her head and looked at the Empress who was waiting for an answer.

"Your majesty, there is nothing odd in our relationship," Ying Lili lied to Empress Wei. "Indeed, everything happened so fast but, then I also accepted the things here. The crown prince is being good to me and wants me to give enough time to get used to the Palace," stated the crown princess.

"But, then why was the crown princess earlier saying that Xue Yu Yan bears the child for the crown prince, crown princess?" Empress Wei asked Ying Lili who kept her cool and answered the Empress.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I was keeping the crown prince's preference first. I mean… the crown prince loves Miss Xue way earlier than he met me. Forgive me for my mended words which gave a wrong idea," asserted the crown princess and lowered her eyes.

The Royal Physician came there and greeted the Empress followed by the crown princess. Empress Wei stood up from the bed and told Ying Lily to lay down who did so. The Royal Physician sat on the chair beside the bed and gently placed the fingers on Ying Lili's wrist. After reading the pulse rate the Royal Physician checked the eyes of the crown princess.

After the Royal physician was done examining the crown princess he stood up from the chair and lowered his head in front of Empress Wei. "The crown princess pulse rate is good and she is healthy to bear the Royal child," the Royal physician proclaimed.

Empress Wei smiled brightly and looked at the crown princess. "You are healthy to bear the heir for this kingdom. It is such a great thing I heard today. Lady Xu, add some dietary fibers and proteins in the meals of the crown princess" Empress Wei stated. The Royal physician took his leave while Empress Wei left after some time.

"Your highness, the Royal astrologer will come to the Palace tomorrow. He will decide the auspicious day when you both will spend a night together," asserted Court Lady Xu. Ying Lili gave a nod to Lady Xu.