19 Lunar New Year (V)

It's a sudden surge,

Of wisdom and purge,

I am the destined queen,

I am torn in between.

***

THE YEAR 1904, a century away from the present time.

Qing Long clenched his jaw as he looked straight at her eyes and indicated, "I'll explain to you everything that I need to, but first, you have to show up yourself in the middle of the crowd, with your hair loose and introduce yourself to them. You need to reveal yourself once again, Your Highness."

Althea was astonished by what he said, and Qing Long bowed down his head completely. He grabbed her shoulders as Althea didn't flinch. She looked at him, uneasy and unsure of what to do, as she asked, "Why did I have to do it? I am not Fang Ying Yue, I am Althea Xi!"

Qing Long closed his eyes as he retorted, "It was not in this time, Althea! It's different from this timeline! Don't you understand what it means? You are not Althea Xi here! You are Fang Ying Yue, the youngest daughter of the Fang Clan..."

His voice was starting to lower down as he wanted to repeat it once again. He muttered, "You need to do it. Don't you want to go back to your time? You will not be in the present time once again if you are stubborn and hid in the cave for a long time."

Althea removed his hands on her shoulders and closed her eyes. Her rage was starting to subside in a matter of minutes as Qing Long was wearing that apologetic look. He tried to explain it once again but Althea quickly turned her heel around and mumbled, "I need to do it. I don't want to be killed on this timeline when I don't know anyone, even you!"

She went out of the door rapidly as she sighed and grabbed the ribbon that was fixed on her hair. She quickly let it loose on her back as she fixed the satin robes. She showed up herself by the corner of the wrecked house and the people gasped in their places as they saw a woman, with its thin face and pale face, her hair was smooth over her shoulders.

The people who entered the square halted as they saw a woman similar to the destined Queen of the Fang Clan, the soon-to-be wife of the Crown Prince, and Althea gagged in her place as she knew that Qing Long was right. Qing Long walked out of the dilapidated woods of the porch and slowly stopped behind Althea.

She looked up through the eyes of the people who were developing a momentum of surprise whenever they saw her face. She knuckled her fists as she swallowed constantly and wanted to take a step back, but her mind was resisting that force. She was stunned in that lawn, full of short bushes, and the dirt was blustering by the wind towards the air.

"Your Highness," someone whispered as they kneel down and Althea walked a step forward. All of them followed the one with a bun fixed on the lower back of her head and wearing a shade of gray robes. She placed the basket of goods she was holding and praised the destined Queen, Fang Ying Yue.

Qing Long hid in the bushes as he knew that he could be seen. He concealed half of his face by the sleeves of his Manchu robes while everyone was bowing down with the destined Queen. Li Hong She, the Crown Prince of the Qing Empire, ushered the Emperor and the Empress out of the palace onto their palanquins, saying that the destined Queen was back.

The Emperor raised his voice and widened his eyes as he said, "Are you sure about that, Crown Prince?"

The court ladies and consorts, who were serving him, were astonished by the news. Emperor Li Jing stood up from his seat again and walked past ahead of the Crown Prince. He ordered the guards to open the hall from where the feast was happening and get his palanquin ready. The Crown Prince was also behind his back, waiting for a signal.

"Where did you see her?" The Emperor asked as he put his hands behind his back, swiftly turning to his son. Hong She bowed down his head and stared up at his eyes.

"On the Hall where the feast was happening. She is there, standing astonished, and I... I was surprised, Father, that she could not remember me," Hong She explained as he clenched his jaw rigidly, his pointed nose was fuming. The Emperor's hooded eyes looked puzzled and he gritted his teeth.

"Call the Fang Clan and Empress Zhang now!" Emperor Li Jing quickly ordered the court ladies. They rushed outside of the Emperor's chamber as he looked at the backside of the hall. He squinted his eyes as he saw that the moon was now developing its brightest light, signaling the Lunar New Year coming.

Meanwhile, Qing Long was watching behind the thorns while Althea was still puzzled. She looked from behind her and saw that Qing Long was not there. She bit her lip as the people were kneeling down, respecting the destined Queen, as someone passed by. Silence overtook the whole momentum, the people gaped.

It was the Head of the Bodyguards, Zhu Xiaojun.

All of the people stood up as Zhu Xiaojun showed up himself, holding a crafted sword and an armor on his chest, completed with his headdress. He was being followed by only two persons behind him. He wore off his headdress as Althea's feet were glued to the ground. Zhu Xiaojun showed up himself, with half of his head was bald, only the small strands of hair had been tied on the back.

Althea gasped as she slowly pointed her fingers and realized that his face was of resemblance with...

"Chen Li?!" She raised her voice as she saw that face. His eyes were of almond color and narrow in shape too, but it was not gleaming with delight. He also has brown hair, had bristly eyebrows, a pointed nose, and defined cheekbones. He looked like Althea Xi's editor at the Hanzi Times!

"Your Highness, the destined Queen, Fang Ying Yue! It's such a matter of months and a pleasure to meet you again!" Zhu Xiaojun exclaimed as he knelt down with one leg in front of Althea.