CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

“Of course it is, before it was, and now, since YingYing came, this palace has become even more beautiful, everything around here is very interesting to see”

BaiYing smiled, looking at very quiet and peacefully LuiHe lake, a mother duck and her duckling swimming around while enjoying the view.

“Hehe, Ying’er remember, almost froze to death after falling into the lake, hehe, Princess aYa accidentally threw XiaoBai so I had to jump quickly to save him, it didn’t happen long ago, but it feels like its very long time”

LuoXiang grabbed BaiYing’s hand, hooked all their fingers became one, and held him tightly.

“Hey, do you miss aYa?”

“Em, miss her, well, maybe, aYa, was like my sister, sister BaiYen, who was so cold, didn’t know how to speak gently, could only stare peoples sinisterly, eh...”

BaiYing stopped his speech, slowly, his footsteps too, lowered his head deeply and felt the ache wrap into his heart again. LuoXiang stopped, raised his hands to caress the young man’s cheeks, tears rolling down from his eyes, unstoppably.

“Hey why are you crying again?”

.....

BaiYing couldn’t help himself, a sudden sadness pierced his chest, a hurt that sometimes make him unable to breathe, no matter how much he try not to think about it, but the fact that he lost all of his family, even if he have a new one now, it still, the hurt unbearably in his heart, the knife just stuck in there and sometimes pushed it and make him unable to breathe.

“Ems, Your Majesty, this year, there will be no lotus soup and rice noodles for Ying’er’s birthday, ems, there will be no more spicy chicken that Mother used to make especially for Ying’er because only Ying’er who can eat it, and, Mother’s peanut cake, all that, Ying’er won’t be able to taste it anymore.”

LuoXiang smiled, he wiped the tears from BaiYing’s cheeks, lowered his head to look at the young man’s eyes for a long time, then hugged him.

“Foolish child, of course you can, it’s just a small matter, I can make it for you”

LuoXiang again took BaiYing’s hand and continued on his way, even though BaiYing was still sobbing, he have to follow the Crown Prince who seems to drag him along.

“But, the taste won’t be the same”

“Well, we will make it until the taste is exactly like you want to, YingYing still remembers it right?”

BaiYing nodded, he was very sad but why did the Crown Prince take it so lightly? The man was doing it purposely so that he wouldn’t cry and was even feel irritated, BaiYing puffed out his mouth, his eyes frowned.

“But Your Majesty can’t cook.”

“Then I’ll invite the greatest cook from the Imperial Palace, everyone will cook the food until YingYing tastes it’s the same, if they fail, I’ll punish them.”

“Your Majesty, how can that be? What does it have to do with them?”

“Well of course there is, why can’t they satisfy my YingYing? It was a very fatal mistake, no one should ever make my YingYing cry”

LuoXiang hooked BaiYing’s hand into his.

“But I’m not crying because of them, what does it have to do with them? Your Majesty is so unreasonable”

“Then what should we do? So that my YingYing won’t cry anymore? You’re seventeen years old now, still like a baby, stop crying.” LuoXiang pinched BaiYing’s cheek in annoyance.

“Your Majesty stop it” BaiYing annoyed stared at the Crown Prince who really loves to tease him.

The man can’t stop his laugh, BaiYing always makes him excited.

“Hahaha, Come on! I’m so hungry”

The sunset as the two arrived in front of the gates of the Plum pavilion and was greeted by the maids, the incandescent lamps started to glow, the sky slowly lost its light and darkness replaced it, the calm night atmosphere arrived again at the Palace.

.....

Peach Pavilion.

“Move it, a little bit on the right, a little bit on the left!” Yan stood downstairs while Tu set the red paper above the pavilion door, a very big letter of birthday wishes for concubine Hua in gold ink.

Since morning all the servants have been busy preparing the pavilion with all the festive decorations, dominantly red and gold, large inscriptions, which, as BaiYing’s request to place it above the pavilion gates, at the front, there are also large writings and arrows as the direction where the banquet will hold.

Beautiful hall with every corner has been placed a fresh and lovely flower arrangement.

On the ninth day of the ninth month, just as the bright sun appeared to illuminate the palace and Peach pavilion, BaiYing’s seventeenth birthday, time moves so fast and nine months have passed since his first arrived at the palace when his parents smuggled him in there.

The Crown Prince decided that BaiYing’s birthday party would be held at Peach Pavilion instead of Plum Pavilion which was smaller.

Concubine Hua’s birthday celebration could have been more lively, but BaiYing didn’t really like it, he just wanted to have dinner together at a big round table with the Crown Prince and everyone he knew in the palace.

Maids and servants from the Concubine Hua pavilion have been so busy since the early morning, back and forth preparing everything from the decoration to the food for the banquet tonight.

“Yeah put it there, let the ribbon dangle to the floor, yeah like that, it’s perfect!” Bi being so busy arranging decoration parts, when some servant put the red and gold ribbons all over the poles.

“Miss Bi, these clothes just arrived from the tailor, which one is His Majesty going to wear tonight?” asked one of the young maids who was carrying some of the new clothes for Concubine Hua as a sweet young man.

“Em let me see, His Majesty really likes red, this one is pretty, its sparkling red, em, then, pair it with the gold ribbon, and hairpin with the shape of a peacock, it’s going to be so perfect, don’t forget to prep it carefully” the young maid nodded her head.

“Yes Miss Bi”

While Yan is busy arranging in the food area.

“Remember this, so clearly, no pepper is allowed, even if we don’t have this spices at the kitchen since long time ago, but all eyes still have to open wide, don’t let His Majesty Concubine Hua eat this, or Your Majesty The Crown Prince will punish all of us”

Some servants in front of her nodded.

“Yes miss Yan”

All day, at pavilion Plum, the guests come unstoppably, including the Queen who comes with her maid ChaiMa and some of her little maids. She brings a lot of herbs and perfume oil for baths which are BaiYing’s favorite.

“Hehehehe Ying’er, you have to try this massage oil, it’s so nice to your body, the cool sensation could relieve your sore and ache body”

“This is so good Your Majesty, thanks for giving it to Ying’er”

“Don’t hesitate, as a Concubine, and now, also as a King, Ying’er must be so busy, just remember to always carry it wherever you go”

BaiYing nodded, the Queen’s face looks so happy seeing him, of course, BaiYing reputation as Young King of WahYe makes everyone respect him, even for the Queen herself, before, the Queen might punish him for already deceiving her and everyone else as a girl, but, as the Crown Prince said, with his new identity, who dare to touch him now?

“Thank you, Your Majesty, Ying’er definitely will always carry this everywhere”

After the Queen, some other officials, such as CiaoTi and others pay a visit, no outsider allowed since BaiYing didn’t want to make the palace crowded and of course the Crown Prince won’t like it too.

The night comes, a small banquet dinner at Peach hall, there’s Concubine Fu and Lui, Second Prince and his concubines, BeiYau dan ShinYa, everyone gathers in the big round table as BaiYing requested.

That night, of course, BaiYing became the center of attention with his very lovely clothes and shining face, smiling endlessly with all the eyes on him. Everyone he knows celebrates his birthday like a whole big family. As Crown Prince said, all the food serve on the table are BaiYing’s favorite, made by the Palace chef specially for him, if it’s not as BaiYing’s criteria then the Crown Prince ready to punish them all, but, BaiYing like it, it’s not bad, even its not perfect as he imagines but it’s enough, and with everyone around him who smiles cheerfully for him, it’s more than enough, especially, have someone who always sits beside him and cares about him all the time.

“These are all your favorites, just eat it, you’ve been busy serving guests all day and haven’t eaten anything.”

LuoYan who was sitting opposite BaiYing couldn’t stop looking at Concubine Hua’s shining face, even though the Crown Prince’s eyes were constantly watching him.

“That’s right, sweet little Ying, after this, you going to unwrap the presents from all, you will definitely be very happy with mine.”

Present was another keyword that made BaiYing really happy.

“Present? Really? Let’s have a quick meal, Your Majesty, has Your Majesty prepared a present for Ying’er as well?” asked BaiYing, glancing at the Crown Prince.

LuoXiang stroked his chin, thinking as he looked away from BaiYing’s eyes which were waiting for his answer.

“Em, present? What’s that? Is it so important? Brother Yan, what do you mean by preparing something for my YingYing? You can’t do that without my permission.” He looked at Luo Yan with big eyes.

The second prince who was enjoying his meal was served by his two concubines who were with him that night, stopping his hand movements, he glanced at BaiYing.

“Brother, don’t you know the birthday tradition in the ChangSan, that every child who’s celebrating a birthday will be given a present, as a form of gratitude for growing up, anyone from the family or not, can give it as they please”

BaiYing nodded when the Crown Prince turned to him, but he furrowed his brows, did this mean that the Crown Prince had not prepared a present for him.

“Your Majesty, how could you? Ying’er wants a present”

“Brat, what present? Hurry up and eat, you’ve been screaming for hunger earlier?”

BaiYing puffed out his mouth, even though it was his first birthday being celebrated with the Crown Prince, that heartless person didn’t even prepare anything for him.

“Your Majesty”

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