30 Who are you?

Chao Shen was curious to know who is the lady explaining how her essential oils work. He had heard about these oils before but this is the first time he will see it. But the real shock happens when he met her eyes. He stopped on his track.

"This is impossible," he said quietly. His heart is beating so fast, he needs to touch his chest. King Ju-long noticed his action and asked him worried, "are you okay?"

Chao Shen nodded but looked at her again. The king noticed this and he made a mental note of what happened.

"Greetings, your majesty," Princess Zhiruo greeted the king.

"Thank you Princess Zhiruo for accompanying these ladies while we are out. I hope I did not bother you so much."

"It's my honor to help you, your majesty."

"And you are?" the king asked Lihua who is standing there.

"Replying to his majesty, my name is Hu Huiyin."

"Do you have other names than Huiyin?" it was Chao Shen who asked her.

Lihua saw a lot of different emotions on Chao Shen's eyes.

"What do you mean, my lord?" she asked acting confused.

"You are the long lost daughter of Minister Hu, right?"

"Yes,"

"Before returning to the Minister's household, do you use a different name?" he said suppressing his emotions. He had a feeling that she is Lihua but he needs to confirm it first. She might be wearing a noble lady's clothes but he can immediately recognize her.

"I am only using the Huiyin," she answered him straight to his eyes. She stayed with Chao Shen for five years, she knew how to convince him into believing a lie.

"Are you sure? You might be hiding it," his voice is now agitated. Everyone present is looking at them with confusion. Even the king did not do anything, just watching them.

Chao Shen now moved closer to Lihua. He put his hands on her shoulder.

"Are you really sure? You have to remember it,"

Lihua, who is surprised for his sudden action, snapped his arms from her shoulders and slapped him. Everyone was shocked.

"What did you do?" Tian Xifeng said angrily. She moved so fast that she is now on Lihua's side. Chao-xing also moved to her sister's side.

"It is improper for a man to touch a woman," Lihua said firmly.

Chao Shen looked at him surprised.

"Do you know who he is?" Xifeng hissed. She is ready to defend the man she loved.

Chao Shen finally comes to his senses.

"That's enough Lady Tian," he said. His face is dark and gloomy.

"But," Xifeng tried to say something but Chao Shen's deadly look stopped her.

"I apologize to Master Chao Shen in behalf of my sister. This is the first time that my sister met the young master. I hope he will not take offense by my sister's action." Chao-xing immediately apologized in front of him.

"It's okay. It is my fault. Please forgive me Lady Hu," he said seriously.

"Please forgive me as well," Lihua apologized as well.

"Oh, finally the cold-hearted Chao Shen was captured by a lady," said King Ju-long with smiles on his face. All the ladies present looked at Lihua. They are scrutinizing her right now while Tian Xifeng glared at her.

"We will return now to our seats," Lihua said without looking at him again. She pulled Chao-xing and returned to their designated seats.

The atmosphere in the garden is still tense. Princess Zhiruo becomes nervous.

"Let's continue this gathering. Let the performers come," said King Ju-long. When he looked at Chao Shen, he saw him still looking at Hu Huiyin. His curiosity is picked.

-----------------

"I am sorry," Chao Shen said to King Ju-long. They are now inside the king's study hall.

"Sorry for what?" the king asked confused.

"For how I acted earlier,"

"Oh, that? It's okay with me but I am sure what happened today will spread throughout the capital like wildfire. Besides, your reputation as a cold-hearted man is known."

Chao Shen sighed.

"I will not ask you anything if you don't want to talk about it," the king commented as he saw the confusion on his face.

"She really looked like her," he admitted.

"Who?" the king asked immediately.

"Lihua,"

The king thinks about the name. He cannot remember someone meeting with the name Lihua. He and Shen are close since childhood, how come he did not know the name.

"It's the name of my maidservant who died five years ago," as if reading what is in King Ju-long's thoughts, he answered.

"Oh," now the king remembered. He had to exert a lot of efforts to help him find that maidservant, besides, the Blood Princess he found before was a fake.

"Everything seems so coincidental," Shen is having a monologue now. It is as if he has been doing this kind of conversation inside his head.

"Lihua jumped off the cliff five years ago but no matter how much we searched the area we never found her body. Then, Minister Hu returned to the capital but then later on returned to the southern border. Then, he suddenly found his long lost daughter. And looking at Hu Huiyin, they have the same appearance as Lihua."

King Ju-long think about the words he just heard.

"Are you sure, she's the same person?" the king asked.

"Yes, I know her!"

"Alright, alright, I am just asking. But if she is the same person, why she did not recognize you?"

"Can it be that she is blaming me for what happened to her five years ago?" Chao Shen's face is filled with pain and worry.

"Maybe not. Don't think too much about it. It is also possible that she lost her memory," the king suggested.

Chao Shen looked at him as if this is the first time they met.

"Yes, that might be it. Maybe she lost her memory because of the fall."

"So, what will you do now?"

"I will visit Minister Hu's residence to get my answers,"

But before Chao Shen left the study hall, Princess Zhiruo arrived.

"Greetings to his majesty and to master Chao,"

After the two men acknowledged her greetings, she moved forward and presented a scroll to the king. Chao Shen received it and gave it to the king.

"What is this?" the king asked.

"It is the list of the 10 noble ladies that we picked," answered Princess Zhiruo.

"Oh, okay," then, the king opened the scroll. After he read all the names, he looked at Chao Shen. Chao Shen moved closer to the king and looked at the list as well. There he saw Hu Huiyin's name.

"Is there something wrong with the list?" the princess asked, she is getting nervous when she saw the expressions on the faces of the two men in front of her.

"It's okay," it is Chao Shen who answered her.

King Ju-long looked at him.

"It's okay, your majesty. We still have 9 months to know them,"

King Ju-long understood what he meant by that. Hu Huiyin can be kicked out of the palace anytime soon.