Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Ying Lili arrived at the manor of the Crown Prince. Xing-Fu bowed and asked, "Your highness do you want anything for the evening snacks?"

"No. I will stay here tonight," Ying Lili stated. Xing-Fu nodded and asked a maidservant to arrange evening clothes for the Crown Princess. Ying Lili had walked in and sat on the bed there. She was disturbed by the conversation with the First Prince.

"Does it mean that the First Brother never wanted to do all those things to Sheng Li which he kept doing with him? Is it because of the Empress?" Ying Lili wondered. A maidservant came inside and placed the night clothes for Ying Lili and Sheng Li on the table.

"Your highness, Court Lady Xu has also come here. She wants to talk to her highness," the maidservant stated.

"Okay. Send her in," Ying Lili replied.

Court Lady Xu entered the bed-chamber and bowed before the Crown Princess. "Your highness, tomorrow is the day when you and the Crown Prince need to consummate your marriage. But the Empress has sent a message not to consummate tomorrow as there are a few Royal events from tomorrow onwards. Her Majesty has told that after the events will be over, again the Royal Astrologer will come to decide a new date for you two," proclaimed Court Lady Xu.

Ying Lili nodded and asked Court Lady Xu about the place of the Royal Astrologer, who looked at the Crown Princess skeptically.

"I need to discuss something important with the Royal Astrologer," Ying Lili pronounced.

"Your highness, he has his residence in the valley of Laojun mountains. He is leaving the palace this evening," Court Lady Xu replied.

Ying Lili stood up from the bed. "I want to meet the Royal Astrologer," Ying Lili expressed her desire. "Please take me to his chamber," she added. Court Lady Xu nodded and told the Crown Princess to come with her.

Astrologer Mengyao was staying in the Western Palace. When he got the message of the arrival of the Crown Princess, he told the servant, who was packing the luggage of the Royal Astrologer, to go out.

Seeing the Crown Princess entering, Mengyao bowed. "Good evening to the Royal Astrologer," Ying Lili said, bowing in front of him.

"Her highness could have called me," Mengyao stated.

"It is alright, Astrologer Mengyao. I want to have a private conversation with you," Ying Lili proclaimed.

Mengyao raised his head and motioned his hand towards the floor table and the mattress. "Please have a seat, your highness," Mengyao said. Ying Lili thanked him and the two sat around the floor table.

"Is her highness here because of the prediction I made?" Mengyao queried.

"Yes," answered Ying Lili.

The impassiveness on Mengyao's face worried Ying Lili. "I never believed in the predictions, but it is something which has been bothering me since the day the Royal Astrologer told me," Ying Lili asserted.

"Your highness, predictions sometimes are for carefulness. Indeed, there are a few stars that are not favorable to his highness. Something big is waiting for him! He might lose everything," the Royal Astrologer stated.

Ying Lili frowned when she heard him say, "But there is something strange too. Your stars protect him, so you may prevent that from happening."

"But I do not know what is waiting ahead? It is unpredictable," Ying Lili said, confused.

"Your highness, you will find the way when the time comes." Mengyao asserted.

"I had a strange dream. The Crown Prince had blood in his hands and he was crying. Is this related to that? I am a little worried," Ying Lili pronounced.

Mengyao nodded his head. "It might be the result of the prediction I made. You need to be cautious," Mengyao stated. "After dark skies, a bright day comes. If such a time comes, then it will pass too," the Royal Astrologer further added.

"Thank you for giving me your time," Ying Lili stated and stood up from the floor mattress.

Mengyao too stood up. Ying Lili bowed and then left from there. "The Empress will do something again. But there is no way I will find out. If I ask Zhang Yong, maybe he could help but it will be difficult for him. What if the Empress does something during the Royal event?" Ying Lili was lost in her thoughts when she was tripped and almost fell, but she was caught at the right time.

She lifted her eyes and saw Sheng Li in front of her. "What are you doing in the Western Pavilion? I told you to go to my chamber." Sheng Li made her stand up. Ying Lili thanked him and adjusted her high waist skirt. Sheng Li glanced at Court Lady Xu and asked her where they were coming from.

"I was here for a walk. I was getting bored so, I walked till here," Ying Lili lied to Sheng Li.

"Hmm."

"Did you all talk with his majesty? What did his majesty say?" Ying Lili queried.

"A private meeting will be held tomorrow where ministers and bureaucrats will be present. Then, after having a discussion everything will be implemented," Sheng Li briefed Ying Lili.

The two started walking while conversing with each other. "What did General Wang tell you?" Ying Lili was curious to know.

"Yang Fei Ke has mentioned a name but it is not related to the Ju family," Sheng Li answered.

"What?" "That means he was doing all this on the orders of someone else," Ying Lili deduced. Sheng Li agreed with her and told her that they would discuss that later in private. Soon the two reached the manor of the Crown Prince. Sheng Li removed the overcoat and looked at the clothes, which were on the table there. "Lili, there is something I want to show you," Sheng Li asserted.

Ying Lili, who had her back towards him, turned to him. "Have you planned another surprise for me?" Ying Lili asked.

"No. There are some precious things I want to share with you," Sheng Li replied. His lips moved up, and a smile formed on them. "You once asked me what is behind that left door. Today, I will show you," Sheng Li pronounced. Ying Lili looked towards the door and recalled how she was desperate to know, but Sheng Li had threatened her that day not to go there.

She felt Sheng Li's hands on her shoulders. "Let's go there," Sheng Li said in her ear.