Chapter 88: The long journey to Ningzhuo 4 (2/2)
Empress Lu glanced down at the Embroidery basket in Daiyu's hands, ”are you here to join me? I didn't know you Embroidered?”
Xia Yong blushed, ”answering her Highness, I do but sadly, I am not as good as you are. I hope you don't mind, I wanted to learn a little from you.”
”How would I ever mind, please get seated” she motioned to the seat opposite her.
”Then I will be in your care, your highness,” Xia Ying said as she set up her Embroidery screen and thread.
”You know Xiao Ying, haven't we gotten close enough to desperate of the honorifics? Just call me Aunt, we are family and after your marriage to the Crown Prince, you can start calling me mother” Empress Lu said grinning.
Her heart sank as she heard that but she presented like it was all good until she returned to her room. She was a soulless person for a whole day until she returned to her Grandmother's house. She had been called over to her grandmother's courtyard as soon as she got arrived.
”Right this way, your highness”, Her grandmother's elderly maid Nanny Fu said motioning her to go in.
”Thanks, Nanny,” she said as she walked past her.
Her grandmother stood from her seat and stretched out her hands as she walked in. Xiao Ying ran into her hands with a big smile, ”Grandmother!”
”Ying Ying, you look good. Her highness took good care of you” she pulled her away and looked her down then continued ”You look fine, I can now rest easy. I thought that you will let the broken engagement trouble you but I am glad you didn't”.
Xia Ying felt her heart tug at the mention of the broken engagement. It brought back all the bad memories that she wished to forget. She stepped away from her grandmother's tight embrace, ”must I marry the Crown Prince, Grandmother”.
Her grandmother narrowed her eyes and asked ”what is wrong, Ying Ying? Is there something I should know about the Crown Prince?”
Xia Ying shook her head ”no-no that is not it. The problem is not his highness”
”If it isn't the highness, then why are you against such an adventurous union?”
Xia Yong looked away for some seconds ”grandmother, I grew up hearing about you and grandfather and my parents love story. They were so beautiful that I wanted to have something like that. I am not in love with the Crown Prince, I ha someone else I love. If I marry the Crown Prince, I will be denying my_”
”You stupid child! I must have spoiled you a lot that you think you can have a say in this. What love story? Ying Ying, you are no longer a child but an adult. Marriage is between two families, not just you and your precious love. How can anyone compare to the next Emperor of Northern Wei? So what if I humour you? Who is this Precious love, he had better be someone of status!” Princess Ni'an interrupted her foolish granddaughter.
Tears rolled down her face, ”he is someone of high statue grandmother!”
”Who is it?”
”It is General Lu”
”General Lu! You are refusing a valuable union with the next Emperor for a mere General and one that is already married at that! Do you intend to become a concubine” when she saw her granddaughter's bashful expression she sort out ”you impudent child! No granddaughter of mine will ever downgrade herself to become the concubine of a mere General”
Xia Ying fell to her knees and cried out, ”why! But you were okay with me marrying him”
”As the main wife, not a concubine or secondary wife. As far as he has a wife, he is not worthy of you. However, that was before marriage to the Crown Prince was into the picture”
Xia Ying wiped her face and said in a mellow voice ”Then Grandmother, can you please give me a few days to get adjusted before agreeing to the union”
Grand Princess Ni'an gazed at her stubborn expression and asked ”what are you up to Ying Ying?”
Xia Ying was helped up by Daiyu, ”you said that can not be anything but the main wife of General Lu, so what if his new wife was no more. Would you let me marry him”
Grand Princess Ni'an smiled, ”you have 7 days if you can make that happen. I will personally go arrange the union myself”