Chapter 13 (1/2)

Xiao Yao is back to being a girl in Lost You Forever, but not just any girl, she’s a Princess with bloodlines that are the randfather is the Yellow E Lei Zhu, the powerful daughter of one of the Four Great Clans Xiao Yao’s hter of the Yellow Emperor and her actions made her the beloved Princess of Xuan Yuan, not to ot two daddies that divide up the rest of the world Her birth father is General Qi Yo of the Sheng Nong Kingdo Shao Hao Soa ticket to ruling the world That doesn’t mean her life is suddenly sacrificed to politics and ambition, she’s way too savvy to stand for that, nor does the people around her see her as a bargaining chip In fact, because her dom and country, the people who love Xiao Yao don’t want the saht even extend to her romance, as herfor love isn’t as ro crazy in love for any guy, or at least if she does love soe it or even pursue it the way her ed fox Ah Bi and the s Lie Yang were both right that Xiao Yao is nothing like Ah Heng, but that onlybecause it’s hard to predict how she thinks, feels, or will do She’s not loyal to anything other than the people she cares about, and that liainst her birthright that decrees she’s the top prize in a world she lives in Xiang Liu has been MIA for awhile but he comes back in a prettyback into Xiao Yao’s world in his devil uy to like, he wears his heart on his sleeve to Xiao Yao Zhuan Xu plays the big brother role to perfection but Xiao Yao is so close to his even if he hints at it And Xiang Liu is prettyboyfriend who rarely says when he means simply because he can’t afford to, and in this case, even if he does Xiao Yao is clueless about it

Chapter 13 – The Peach Blosso En Palace all knew Xiao Yao’s identity because when they saw her they called her “Princess” like they did with Ah Nian None of thee, as if Xiao Yao lived in the Palace her entire life

Xiao Yao was impressed with her dad, it was easier to control an army than the details within the house HowEn Palace was efficiently running through and through

Zhuan Xu was so busy lately that he could only coht But he would talk to her the entire night until she fell asleep and then he would leave When Xiao Yao was bored, she often went to Qi Qing Garden to swi En Palace was so massive that she never felt like a consort and another princess lived here

When she iarden for her so that no one would run across the princess It was quiet all around and swi made Xiao Yao think of her mom She used to think she would never think about her mom, but in truth she still missed her a lot and merely forced herself not to think of her Back in faer but along with it ca came an ounce of pain, and with an ounce of pain caer

Xiao Yao felt that she ain and forced herself to think of other things Swis in her life connected with swi Liu very much If he was here, likely she would not have any tione and even if she ran into Xiang Liu in the future, he would not recognize her anyhed deeply

That night after dinner, Xiao Yao headed towards Hua Yin Court to find Zhuan Xu and ran into Ah Nian

Ah Nian was already frustrated after days of not seeing Zhuan Xu, so running into Xiao Yao was like pouring gasoline on the fire She ordered the maids to step aside and walked up to Xiao Yao “Why are you keeping Zhuan Xu gege all to yourself?”

Xiao Yao tried to explained “I’ht for a little bit”

Ah Nian heard this and realized Xiao Yao saw Zhuan Xu every day and that ry she didn’t knohat else to do She actually shoved Xiao Yao like a little kid fighting

Xiao Yao’s poeak so she fell on the ground In an utter coincidence, Zhuan Xu caht at that moment and saw this scene He rushed over and helped Xiao Yao up while berating “Ah Nian, don’t you know Xiao Yao has almost no powers? Next time you resort to violence, I’ll have to ask Master to punish you”

Ah Nian’s tears fell and she rushed forward and violently pushed Zhuan Xu while sobbing “What if I want to resort to violence? I did it so tell my daddy to punish me! Best beat me to death, then you’ll be happy since no one wants me anymore…”

Zhuan Xu didn’t want to harm Ah Nian so didn’t use any power and was therefore shoved backwards by her

Xiao Yao quickly snuck away Zhuan Xu’s servant walked past and she told hie he doesn’t need to come see me”

Xiao Yao snuck into Cao Yao Court and sat beside the Grand E He s

After so around and touching things The Grand E Book of Herbs” left by your mother?”

Xiao Yao pointed to her head “The Royal Mother said that was a bad thing so forced me to memorize it and then destroyed the manual” The Grand Emperor said “There are lots of medical books on the shelf over there If you have ti you don’t understand, you can ask the doctors in the Palace”

Xiao Yao walked over and flipped open a book, but it wasn’t a ested, but a book on how to harm others Ah Nian’s push today reuard down!

Father and daughter, one sat on the throne working, the other rested on a pillow reading ht when the Grand Emperor escorted Xiao Yao back to her residence before returning to his

Xiao Yao started researching poisons again During the day she went to find the palace doctors to discuss and at night she went to hang out with her dad Everyday she was busy and it ret was that there was no one around for her to test her poisons on

One night Xiao Yao was in Cao Yao Court ad very sad that she couldn’t give it to Xiang Liu

She took out her most precious mirror and pulled up the memory she saved in it One hen she drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s face, and the other was after sheLiu and walked along the ocean floor with him She secretly used the mirror to record thatLiu’s white hair white robe was so elegant and refined as he swa his already handsome face even more ethereally beautiful

“Who is he?”

The Grand E around to discover her dad was sitting behind her and looking into the hter’s mirror

Xiao Yao said “A friend who is not quite a friend”

The Grand E the Tu Shan clan’s little fox”

Xiao Yaowith his fiancee under the ht, happy as can be I’m not an idiot, why think of him?”

The Grand Emperor stared at Xiao Yao and her candid honesty

Xiao Yao knew she likely spoke too baldly and laughed “I will be careful in front of others when I speak and not ehed “You and youralike” And that person, they were both so passionate people Yet Xiao Yao was cold-hearted and rational

Xiao Ya wanted to put the orilla beasts in the vast wilderness that can see the past but not the future I’ve only heard the legend of a beast being et this mirror?”

Xiao Yao pouted and said “That Nine-tailed fox gave it to me so that I couldthis mirror is what made me not afraid any able to keep so of his, that ed “He’s dead, why do I want to let hi me mentally”

“You live very freely”

Xiao Yao laughed “Better said that I’reedy and don’t want to waste a treasure”

The Grand Ee of Xiang Liu under the sea “Does this friend who is not a friend deserve for you to keep him in your memory forever?”

Xiao Yao took the mirror back “This is just for fun, maybe I’ll erase it tohed and appeared to want to say so, but Xiao Yao stretched and said “So tired!”

He pulled her up “I’ll take you back to rest”

Back at Ming Se Court, Xiao Yao wanted some water and was about to drink when she sensed and opened the pitcher to find bugs floating inside She mur and s Liu, then ”

The asped and Xiao Yao walked over to find the entire bed shredded by a knife She shook her head wearily

A o on, how about we tell His majesty?” So many days and endless situations from snakes in the bathtub to sand in the rice

The Eldest Princess didn’t see, and keep on eating the rice and crunching through the sand But the maids were at the end of their rope with the tricks

Xiao Yao laughed “You guys tell the Euys deal with the consequences!”

All the rabbed the least shredded blanket “Let’s all sleep tonight and toet some new blankets”

The last day of Winter, Ru So brought the cereown for Xiao Yao to wear at the proclamation cereet it tailored

She went to try on the goith fourand then walked back to court

A white long robe with a cinched waist, it ant An outer robe wasbehind her The outer robe was en of a s and peach blossooas spread out, it appeared that the entire ground was covered with peach blosso train behind her and was afraid of tripping so she looked straight ahead and walked very very slow The cinched waist robe was tightly hugging her waist and she could barely breath It oas designed to torture her She pursed her lips and her annoyance was clearly evident in her eyes

When she walked into court, Ru So and all the courtiers felt dazzled by the peach blosso behind Xiao Yao as she walked With her red peach blosso but for the coldness in her eyes

The Grand Eh Right now Xiao Yao looked socolors of the world, the endless delights of the Earth, it was all just yellow soil under the feet

Xiao Yao steadied herself and put her hands around her hips and asked “Dad, how long do I need to wear this outfit at the cereh of relief and Ru So felt that this Princess was so cute But he was also looking forward to the day of the cereown and walk up the high altar toith her hair done and wearingthan today It would surely strike shock and awe into the eyes of every guest attending from the entire vast wilderness

The Grand Eood, make another one!”

Xiao Yao was so happy she alhtly constricted that she couldn’t obsood? He looked around and everyone else was just as perplexed If anyone had eyes, only Xiao Yao and the Grand Eood

Ru So stammered “The ceremony is in fifteen days, an outfit worthy of such an event can’t be made in such a short period of time”

The Grand Ee of it”

“I shall do , Xiao Yao ran up to hi “Make it looser”

“Princess, don’t worry, the seamstresses will measure you properly to make the outfit” Ru So moved away from Xiao Yao’s hand, not sure when he was suddenly so chuht the Grand Eht Xiao Yao back from Jade Mountain Even someone as smart as Ru So didn’t connect the dots that Xiao Yao was Xiao Liu She smiled and walked away a bit sadly

The invitations were dispatched to all the prominent families in the vast wilderness and the world was abuzz with news that the Eldest Princess of Gao Xing who had beenfor nearly three hundred years had finally been found

The Grand Emperor didn’t like pohter he actually sent invitations to every important family All the families had to consider the Grand Emperor, as well as the Yellow Emperor, and even the Royal Mother, and thus everyone accepted and rushed to Gao Xing

By the night before the cere Province in Five Gods Mountain was filled with guests fro Province was part of Five Gods Mountain but it was actually both ringed by a peak and by the ocean There was inns, restaurants, stores, everything was there for guests to enjoy and visit The rest of the vast wilderness was blanketed in deep Winter still, but in Gao Xing it was as war Guests who had never visited Gao Xing before hts and could even rent a boat out for an ocean cruise

Zhuan Xu ca and Xing Yue have both arrived I’ll bethem in a bit to show the, or as the Xuan Yuan Prince?”

“Of course as the Xuan Yuan Prince If I tell them now, they will be shocked but won’t feel too misled If later they discovered my real identity on their own, then that would feel like a real betrayal”

“You go have fun I have tons of stuff to do today, and later have to try on my new outfit If you come back late then no need to come see me Ru So asked ht eyed and bushy tailed and won’t e in front of the entire world”

Xiao Yao thought about Ru So and fu her these past few days with his endless requirements She wondered if he was in Ah Nian’s pocket

“Isn’t the outfit done already?”

“It was so uncomfortable!”

Zhuan Xu was about to leave when he turned back “The Tu Shan clan, other than Jing, his twin brother Hou is also here Jing should be with Feng Long and the”

Xiao Yao wanted to say so but decided not to influence Zhuan Xu’s opinion, and let him meet Tu Shan Hou and for Zhuan Xu should hurry off

Zhuan Xu la”

Xiao Yao didn’t understand what he ure it out She rushed to eat breakfast afraid that when Ru So arrived she wouldn’t be able to eat any

Zhuan Xu found Feng Long and Xing Yue at Jing’s residence, where Yi Yang and Hou were also there Zhuan Xu glanced at Hou and found hi Yue were very happy to see Zhuan Xu and Xing Yue said to her brother “See, I told you he would cohed “You’re a good friend indeed!”

Zhuan Xu iize to you all for”

He explained his real identity and apologized again to Feng Long, Xing Yue, Jing, and Yi Yang “I wasn’t intentionally trying to concealconvoy so it wouldYue was shocked but then her heart jumped for joy, and this secret joy made her cheeks blush red as her heart ju like she was angry

Feng Long didn’t care like Zhuan Xu expected “I knew you and Ah Nian were a little strange I just never expected you were the Prince Then Ah Nian is…”

“Gao Xing’s Second Princess”

Feng Long’s eyebrow raised “Her highness the Princess!” He looked at Jing and Yi Yang “See? I’ot the Xuan Yuan Prince and the Gao Xing Princess to attend”

Zhuan Xu bowed “Can you guys let this one slide then!”

Yi Yang walked up to curtsy “I didn’t know Your highness’ real identity back then and injured Your highness Will Your highness please forgive”

Zhuan Xu said “You didn’t know, plus we already put it behind us and are friends, right?”

Feng Long laughed and turned to his sister “Don’t be o out as well to play It’s not intentional lying, it’s for ease of travel”

Yi Yang put her ar so solicitous and regretful, just forgive hilanced around before s hi”

Zhuan Xu “Of course I’ll be paying”

Zhuan Xu led the group out to try the local foods of Gao Xing

The restaurants of Ying Province were all well kept noor srew everywhere and the stores like to plant fresh flowers in front Strolling the streets, there ater flowing and flowers in front of each storefront, the entire place was so delightful to the ladies

Zhuan Xu led them into a restaurant and sat down The owner picked upiced in the flower stream outside and put it on the table for them

Zhuan Xu explained “The people in the Middle Plains like to drink wine as is or war the wine is drunk ice cold This wine isYue took a sip anddrank a cup and looked out theand sighed “If one can put everyone aside and live in a place like this with a loved one for the rest of one’s life, it would be worth it”

Xing Yue laughed “Jing gege, did you hear that?”

Jing’s body was stiff and he kept his eyes lowered and said nothing It was instead Tu Shan Hou who looked at Yi Yang and then gulped his wine down

The entire restaurant was filled with people discussing the return of the Gao Xing Eldest Princess, from her mysterious disappearance to her mysterious return What hter of the Grand Ehter of the Yellow Emperor, the disciple of the Royal Mother

Sohed wistfully “To marry her is to vault to the top in one step”

Another snarked “Maybe she’s hideously ugly, even if one vaults to the top it’ll be accoht”

So noticed Zhuan Xu’s sreed with that assess asked curiously “What does your cousin look like?”

Zhuan Xu s Yue asked sweetly “Because we’re friends, that e should find out earlier than others!”

Zhuan Xu hesitated “I really don’t kno to describe”

Wo Yue pressed on “How does she look compared to Ah Nian?”

Zhuan Xu pretended to think and said “That’s like coarden The orchid has an orchid’s beauty The rose has a rose’s beauty It’s inco interjected “No matter what type of beauty, clearly she doesn’t have the looks that would worry a guy”

Zhuan Xu pointed to the dishes on the table “This is plants fro Long and Hou understood he didn’t want to talk about his cousin anyed the topic to the different cuisine between Gao Xing and the Middle Plains Yi Yang and Xing Yue also happily joined in

Jing’s hand was on his knee and it was tightly clenched into a fist as he sat there and never said a word

The next day dawned as all the guests gathered at the summit of Five Gods Mountain to watch the Grand Emperor and the Princess pray to the Heavens and ancestors as a cere Princess home

No matter how carefree Xiao Yao was, she knew some occasions had to be taken seriously Such as today She didn’t knohy her dad decided on such a grand ceremony, but she did not want to e herself that her every , and if she

She woke up at daashed up and had breakfast, got her hair and h what she had to do today

Zhuan Xu ran over to check on her and tell her not to be nervous He conceded Gao Xing’s ceremonial structure was scarily complicated, but that was also why no one really knew all the details, so even if she made a mistake it should be fine and no one would notice

Xiao Yao kneas attending today as a representative of the Yellow Es to prepare as well and sent him on his way

When Xiao Yao was all done up, Ru So aiting for her outside to escort her to the cereht the ceremonial outfit and prepared to dress her

Xiao Yao liked this new outfit Due to the time constraint, it wasn’t as elaborately embroidered but the effort was spent on the material and the accessories The white dress robe was in the design of cloud patterns and paired with jade accessories It was elegant and refined and way more comfortable than the first dress

When the asp Xiao Yao looked over and saw the dress was slashed in the skirt area and dirt was s looked at the dae and said “This is special dirt and cannot be washed out”

Everyone in the room hite-faced with fear The Grand Eot htht then and there

Xiao Yao sighed That Ah Nian is really too gutsy She put on a robe and said to to the e the situation Ru So rushed in and didn’t even greet her before going to check on the dress His face changed and hollered “Who did it? If I find out, I will kill her entire fa on the pallet and said dryly “Then you need to toss in my dad”

Ru So seethed “Ah Nian that little devious wrecker, does she want us all to die!”

The entire rooer and started sobbing

Ru So pointed at Xiao Yao and yelled “Stop looking so innocent! This is clearly not Ah Nian’s first tiet aith it, it wouldn’t have escalated to today! Your sisterly fight has now irew louder until it was a roo as some maids collapsed on the floor

Xiao Yao pointed at her nose and laughed “Sir Ru So, stop acting If all you want is for estion, then say it and I’ll do it”

Ru So calmed and bowed to Xiao Yao “I do have an idea Do you remember the first outfit?”

“Yes”

Xiao Yao thought of it as hich is why she asked for Ru So to be summoned

Ru So acted all conflicted “We have to use that one one even if His majesty really doesn’t like it It’s too late to discuss with hi him and he casts blames…”

“I’ll take all the bla she knew that hat he wanted all along

Ru Soall his ti for the ceremony In the end, he started to understand why the Grand Emperor doted on her so much

Ru So left “I will order it prepared i when they heard there was another outfit and got back to work

Ru So brought the outfit over and eightcinched, one maid called out instructions while two ot to be broken in two”

The eight capable maids flitted around like butterflies and finally Xiao Yao was all dressed Ru So called from outside “The time is already here, are you ready?”

“Yes, yes!” The ether

Xiao Yao walked out stiffly while four maids carried her train behind her Ru So respectfully escorted her onto the cloud carriage Xiao Yao was in no h all the specifics of the upcoe arrived at the summit and the maids helped Xiao Yao disembark She walked into the cloud tent and the maids checked her hair and makeup one last time Ru So sole you Don’t look at thelanced at him “It appears you’re more nervous than me”

A horn sounded and Ru So said “It’s time”