Old Friend

On the other side of the palace was Consort Yao impatiently walking back and forth in her room. She had wanted to make a scene tonight and kill off her most hated rival, dethroned Empress Mei Yun's daughter. She had no feud with Da Ying but to settle all old scores with Mei Yun, she wanted to end all the blood ties related to that woman. But seeing that her assassins had not returned, she began to worry.

Not long after, she sent a maid to check up on Da Ying. When the maid came back, she had notified Consort Yao. Da Ying was perfectly fine. "What happened then?" she asked her maid, Bei'er. "It doesn't make sense. There were no traces of any sort of fight at all. It was as if it never happened," Consort Yao shook her head, "Impossible…unless someone had helped her.There's no way she could have left that place without a scratch." That was the only possible explanation that came to her. She had hired one of the best assassins in the world, how could they fail unless the person they were facing was far more powerful...but who. She thought about it for a moment, her plan had been ruined. Without the bodies of the assassins, even if she wanted to make a scene, she had nothing. Consort Yao could not understand two things, how Da Ying escaped and who in the palace was bold enough to go against her.

The next day came by quickly. Ban Shiang and Bai Zhi helped Da Ying get dressed in a thin two layered pink tunic. They were happily strolling around the imperial garden before they ran into Wen Wan and Jie You who were enjoying the nice weather inside the pagoda. "Gongzhu, should we leave," Ban Shiang asked. "I'm afraid it's too late," Da Ying let out a small sigh. Jie You upon seeing Da Ying, frowned. Truthfully, the only reason why Jie You always hated Da Ying was because she was inferior whenever she was compared to Da Ying in the past. Her beauty could never compare to Da Ying's and that was the humiliation she had to live with all her life. "Da Ying, come over here," she called out rudely. Da Ying could only put on a smile and walk over there slowly and elegantly. "Da Ying greets mei meis," Wen Wan, the empress's only daughter only huffed at her upon seeing how unrefined her actions were. "Truly an eyesore," she scolded loudly. Wen Wan, with her proud and arrogant attitude, quickly crossed her hands and glared at Da Ying with disgust.

"It's been a couple of years since I last properly bowed, I ask you forgive my ignorance," Da Ying sweetly spoke.

"Hmph! I don't know why the empress brought back such an eyesore, really tarnishes the royal family's name," Jie You added fuel to the insult. Da Ying only looked down embarrassed. Wen Wan smiled at Jie You as she walked two steps towards Da Ying and held her arm lightly. "If you don't remember, then I as your sister will help you," Da Ying looked up at her with a sweet expression, as if she was looking at the kindest person in the world. "Really?" Da Ying played the fool. "If you have truly forgotten, why don't I teach you…Lin'er!," Wen Wan called out to her personal maid, a young girl about 16 years old in a bright yellow dress. "Yes, crown princess,"

"Show my sister how to properly bow,"

"

Yes," she immediately displayed an elegant bow towards Da Ying. "Now, practice 100 times, then you surely won't forget," Wen Wan's voice sounded as soft and sweet as the morning breeze yet had the intentions of a poisonous snake. "This…" before Ban Shiang could start complaining, Da Ying held onto her wrist firmly and gave her a look to back off. "I also think it's a wonderful idea. Sister Wen Wan truly has the grace and kindness, worth of being the crown princess." With a satisfied look, Wen Wan and Jie You both took their seats inside the pagoda and watched Da Ying perform her 100 bows. She started to do a proper bow, knees on the ground and arms bending forward. Normally, these kind of bows were only done during rituals, Wen Wan didn't think that she would have been able to fool Da Ying so easily.

Da Ying was a year older than Wen Wan. Normally it wouldn't make sense for her to be obeying like the younger sister but Da Ying's vision of the future was much further than anyone could believe. If she straight out fought this woman, who currently has the backing of her mother Empress Wu Mei, there would be no stop to the scheming. It was much easier for her to exact her plan while playing the weak and timid fool.

Bai Zhi and Ban Shiang were forced to watch as their missy was being bullied. They really wanted to say something and even fight to the death for her rights but thinking about what she said last night, they knew they could not risk it for the bigger picture. Da Ying had already instructed last night that they were not to provoke or make a move or else they would suffer the consequences.

After about fifty bows, Da Ying's legs began to feel sore; her actions began to slow down. Wen Wan and Jie You seeing this could only secretly gloat. Da Ying felt the sweats on her forehead, from both the bows and the scorching sun hitting her face, once she reached a hundred, Wen Wan stood up with the biggest smirk, "I hopes that Sister Da Ying will remember properly from now on," still with that satisfied smirk, she left, followed by Jie You who scoffed as she walked passed Da Ying.

Bai Zhi and Ban Shiang quickly ran over to her, "Princess, they really are too much," Bai Zhi complained while helping Da Ying up. "Can you stand?" Ban Shiang asked. "I'm okay, this is nothing compared to what they will have to pay me back," she turned her gaze the direction of Wen Wan and Jie You as she scrunched her fists tightly.

By evening, the whole palace knew of what happened, not only was Princess Da Ying the non-favored exiled princess; she was a coward who had no backbone. Hearing this, the empress could only laugh in her own private room. "Good! Good! At first I thought I would have to use effort to subdue that slut, but looks like my daughter hasn't let me down,"

"Princess Wen Wan truly lives up to her title, crown princess," praised the empress's two personal maids Zhi Yan and Meng Yu. Wen Wan who was sitting arrogantly with her legs crossed, a tea cup in hand looked up at her mother proudly. "Who knew that she was this easy to bully. It's a shame she will be married off, if I had more time, I would make her suffer at my hands,"

"Don't worry about it, Northern Liang is a barbaric place, she won't last longer than a week. We can only wait for the good news after the marriage," both mother and daughter laughed as they thought about it.

After the news of Da Ying being a timid and weak fool came to light all four sisters didn't wait to take a chance to make her life miserable. Da Ying gave in to their bullying, taking their insults, and being humiliated whenever the other high official's daughters came over. It seems that the last few days, they had come over to the palace more often than usual; most of them only came to laugh at Da Ying's misfortune. Most of the time, they would show off their Qin, embroidery and poetry skills. Not only they those high and mighty daughters laugh, they brought along their maids, who secretly laughed and mocked Da Ying behind her back.

Fourth day since Da Ying had arrived quickly approached. She sat in a stool next to the copper mirror, putting light makeup on her face paired with a simple purple dress. When compared to how elegant Wen Wan and the others looked at all times, Da Ying's purple dress was simply not on par at first glance but the more one looked, the more peaceful they become. In the palace, which women didn't like to wear lively and extravagant dresses, it was quite refreshing to see someone dress so humble.

"Wah~ beautiful," Bai Zhi and Ban Shiang said simultaneously when they entered her room with a tray of breakfast. "Are you going somewhere, princess?" Ban Shiang asked. When thinking about it, even though her dress was simple, the clothes she usually wore were even less plain. This purple dress could be considered quite extraordinary for their princess. "The palace," just as she said that, an eunuch from the emperor's palace announced his arrival, "Chao gongong, come in," Da Ying said still sitting in front of the bronze mirror. When he saw he from the back view, his heart felt broken. But the moment she turned and he saw her clear face; his heart couldn't help but tug even deeper. Princess Da Ying was someone he had watched grow up since young, the cheerful child he knew back then, could not be seen now. All of that was replaced with a calm and mature woman staring straight at him. Da Ying for the first time since entering the palace let out a genuine smile. Of all the people in the palace, Chao gongong was the only one who truly welcomed her. Even if he didn't say anything to her, she knew in her heart that he was good, someone she would protect for life. "Has Chao gongong been well?" Da Ying got up from her seat, taking a few steps towards him. "Chao gongong thanks Princess Da Ying for her concern, I am well," the short moment of silence they had was worth more than anything. It was the genuine look of two people longing to see each other again; he even felt his tears collect. "Is something wrong?" Da Ying asked when she saw how watery his eyes became.

"Chao gongong is only thinking that Princess Da Ying has grown to be such a beautiful woman, truly is a blessing from the heavens," All these years without her, his heart has never had a day of ease, but today for the first time, his heart could finally breath seeing that she had returned in perfect condition. The reunion quickly ended when Chao Gongong finally became clear headed, "Princess, your father wants to see you," His voice was filled with worry and uneasiness. Being the emperor's personal advisor, he already knew why Princess Da Ying was being summoned, but he could not say anything. This made his heart feel heavy once more. "I understand,"