After giving the morning greeting to the Emperor, his Empress, and his three other consorts, they all left for the morning meals. “Crown Princess shall serve the food to everyone with her hands,” the empress expressed her desire to which An-Ying Lili agreed immediately.

Starting with the emperor the crown princess served the food to all regal members of the family. She went to the crown prince to serve the food to him who was already annoyed by her. An-Ying Lili thought of something and put the spices in the fish soup. The crown princess put the silver bowl on the table and rice in the other bowl. Placing the chopsticks beside that, the crown princess put the other side dishes as well on the table.

“The food seems so delicious after her royal highness served it to us,” Jian Guozhi asserted with a smile.

“First prince is absolutely right. Even I am finding the food delicious today,” Han Wenji proclaimed and then looked at the empress who agreed with the emperor. “Crown princess, please take your seat and start eating,” Weng Wei told An-Ying Lili who stood up and bowed her head.

The crown prince picked the spoon to taste the soup. Taking a spoonful of it, he sipped it and started coughing because of the spices in it. An-Ying Lili smiled faintly when everyone looked at the crown prince. Ying Lili went to him and bent on her knees. She gave the water to Sheng Li and caressed his back. Sheng Li drank the water and looked at Ying Lili. “How dare you to put the spices in my food?” Sheng Li shouted and again drank the water.

“What are you saying, fifth brother? There are no spices at all,” Rong Zemin proclaimed.

“The crown prince shall not accuse the crown princess. I think his highness taste buds has gotten some type of disorder during the military campaign,” Jian Guozhi joked and they all laughed. Sheng Li jerked off Ying Lili’s hand from him and stood up. “Did you put the spices in my food?” Sheng Li asked fiercely from the maidservant who was holding the wooden serving tray.

Everyone looked at Sheng Li whose anger was now visible on his face. An-Ying Lili stood up and went near the crown prince. “I did this so, do not get angry at her,” Ying Lili accepted her fault when Sheng Li threw the tray away which was in the hands of the maidservant. The maidservant came onto her knees, begging for her life. “Take her away,” Sheng Li ordered when Ying Lili intervened.

She came forward to the maidservant and spoke, “Punish me. I put the spices in your food.” Sheng Li was giving her a deadly glare to Ying Lili. The Emperor intervened between them and said, “Sheng Li calm down. The crown princess had thought that you might have liked spicy food that’s is why she added the spices. Do not ruin your mood.”

Sheng Li raised his hands to the shoulders height and bowed his head. “Forgive me, father. I am not in a mood to eat. I shall take my leave,” Sheng Li proclaimed and lifted his head. Glaring at Ying Lili, Sheng Li left the hall.

“The Fifth brother gets angry in little things. I think her highness was just showing her love towards the crown prince. But, it seems the merciless crown prince does not like these kinds of love gestures,” Jian Guozhi proclaimed, looking at Ying Lili.

“Elder fifth brother is terrifying. When he threw the tray I thought elder brother would kill the servant,” Ying Lili heard the youngest prince, Weng Yu. Lei Wanxi gestured Weng Yu not to speak anything.

Ying Lili turned towards the Emperor and the Empress. “Please forgive me for ruining the morning meals like this. You all shall continue eating.” Ying Lili apologized to them. The maidservant cleaned the floor there and left the hall along with the crown princess.

~~~~~~~

Ying Lili was walking through the corridors, wondering where would Sheng Li have disappeared to. She halted at her place. “Why am I looking for him? I did not put many spices in his food that he got this much furious,” muttered Ying Lili. Su Binxi, who was standing behind the crown princess said, “Your highness, you shall not do any such pranks with his highness. His highness could have killed that maidservant at that moment.”

Ying Lili turned and looked at Su Binxi. “I know. I am guilty of this too. But he acted just too much,” Ying Lili proclaimed. “I think I should apologize to him but do not where did he vanish?” Ying Lili worriedly said, looking around.

“The Royal Court will start in a while. So, his highness must have gone to the court. Her highness can meet his highness later. Court Lady Xu has told me that the imperial majesty will tell her highness about some inner court rules,” Su Binxi stated.

“Do you know what are those inner court rules?” Ying Lili asked Su Binxi.

“How to serve your husband and selection of concubines. The working of household must be checked daily by her highness- those are a few things I know about the inner court,” Su Binxi replied and lowered her eyes.

“So, do I need to select the concubines for him?” Ying Lili asked Su Binxi as the two kept walking through the palace corridors.

“Yes, your highness. In the future need to select a few concubines for his royal highness. They will not be the official wives but they will share your husband,” Su Binxi proclaimed. Ying Lili flinched her brows and spoke, “Is he a womaniser?”

Su Binxi lifted her eyes and then again lowered them. “It seems her highness wants the crown prince to look at her only,” Su Binxi teasingly said.

“What are you saying? It is good that he can fulfil his weird desires with his future concubines. I do not even want to get closer to me,” Ying Lili with an abhorrence.

Su Binxi giggled. “Your highness, you seemed like a jealous wife moments ago,” Su Binxi proclaimed and again smiled. Ying Lily frowned but did not speak anything. They were now in the practice premises of the Palace where all the princes practice warfare and military stuff.

A smile carved on Ying Lili’s lips seeing all kind of a munitions there. The swords; bows and arrows and many other arms. Ying Lili stepped down the stairs when Su Binxi stopped her. “Where are you going, your highness? Women shall not be in such places. We shall leave for her highness Inn,” Su Binxi pronounced.

“Binxi, woman are not stopped from using those. It is upto us women to consider ourselves strong or weak. Stay here. I am coming in a while,” Ying Lili commanded Su Binxi who could not refute the crown princess orders.

Seeing the crown princess coming there servants standing beside the tables bowed their heads. Ying Lili picked a sword and checked it. She was smiling brightly as if she had come to a place which was her dreamland. “I missed grabbing a sword,” Ying Lili murmured.

“You must be a trained sword fighter,” Ying Lili heard a familiar voice so, she turned back to look and found the first Prince, Jian Guozhi there. She bowed her head and gracefully lowered her eyes to greet him. “How does the first elder brother know about this?” Ying Lili asked as she lifted her head and met Jian Guozhi gaze.

“The way her highness grabbed the sword,” replied Jian Guozhi.

“Please refrain from using the titles. I am younger than you so you shall not use title, elder first brother,” Ying Lili pronounced.

“Your highness tell me then what shall I call you?” Jian Guozhi asked as he grabbed the other sword from the large table. Ying Lili after thinking a while spoke, “Elder first brother can call me sister Lili.”

“What about An Ying’er, your highness?” Jian Guozhi asked Ying Lili.

“My father used to call me like that,” Ying Lili replied and her eyes turned teary. Jian Guozhi realized that he made the crown princess recalled about her father who was no more among them.

“Please forgive this prince, An Ying’er. Forgive my brother too who despite the ordered could not save your father,” Jian Guozhi asked for the forgiveness.

Ying Lili smiled and spoke, “Elder first brother, you do not need to apologize.” Jian Guozhi gave a tiny smile to her.

“Ying’er, would you like to have a friendly sword fight with this prince?” Jian Guozhi asked. Ying Lili’s eyes gleamed upon hearing that. She shook her head in agreement.

“I will not be too tough on the crown princess,” Jian Guozhi assured Ying Lili.

“Please do not think me as a weak, gentle woman. Use your full strength because that way it would be more fun and friendly,” Ying Lili asserted. Jian Guozhi was amused by the Ying Lili’s request which seemed good to him.