Chapter 2: Change

The princess and her personal maid who suddenly arrived at the Queen Dowager palace shock the few older mama that is staying guard in front of the grand receiving hall. Their expression was a bit out of place today, unlike the friendly face they always have when greeting the princess.

The princess sudden arrival is something that they expected. Isn't the princess still ill and resting in bed? The Queen Dowager even sent a mama to inform that side that the princess is exempted from morning greeting today. She can come and show her filial piety when is is fully recovered. How come she is here?

"Greetings your highness." All of those present still greet the princess politely. They are experienced so they quickly regained their composure.

Shangguan Ji Ming caught that slight changes in the people expression when she arrived, something that she as a simple 10 years old girl before will never noticed. She saw the mama from Eastern palace is also present, standing quietly at the side. This means her older brother is also here.

"The Queen Dowager is currently talking with the Crown Prince inside." The head mama of the palace step forward and politely talk to the princess. She have a small smile on her face.

"This old servant recently made a new dessert, it is sweet and soft, it even look quite beautiful, even the Queen Dowager quite like it. Your highness, what do you say if this servant bring your highness to try some?" The head mama said sweetly with a coaxing voice.

Even Lin Lin at the side also got excited just by hearing about the dessert. Who doesn't know that the Queen Dowager personal mama makes a lot of tasty dessert. This head mama is the best when it comes to making dessert.

"Mama is so kind. Later this princess will go visit imperial father and mother, trouble mama to pack some for this princess to bring over. But for now, this princess will go greet grandmother first." Shangguan Ji Ming smile sweetly back at the head mama. If just now she wasn't sure, now she is very sure that something is wrong.

"Lin Lin, go and help the head mama pack some." Shangguan Ji Ming didn't let the head mama to say anything before she turn towards the excited little maid before she herself walk into the receiving hall.

When the princess small figure slowly disappear into the receiving hall, all the mama sigh silently. They can't just drag a princess or tie her up ah, hopefully she wouldn't notice anything wrong in the hall, if not they all will receive heavy punishment from the Empress Dowager.

Shangguan Ji Ming quicken her pace and as she had guessed, her grandmother and elder brother is sitting in silence inside the hall. And her brother really become different after last night, his attitude towards her changed. He still follow the etiquette when they are in front of their grandmother but he will usually smile at her secretly when she arrive. But today, he doesn't even lift his head to look at her

"Greetings imperial grandmother." Shangguan Ji Ming walk forwards and make her bows.

A small laugh can be heard from her grandmother.

"Good child. You finally able to do full greetings correctly. Come, let this grandma see you up close." The Queen Dowager said in her usual doting tone. Shangguan Ji Ming stood up and giggles.

"Grandma, Ming Ming has always been able to do it correctly. I just didn't show it." She said as she come forwards to hug the elegantly dressed elderly lady.

"Fine, fine. You are always right. Say, since you already master the formal greeting properly, you should learn new things then." The Queen Dowager tease her granddaughter.

"No...can't I just play around and eat?" Shangguan Ji Ming look up and beg her grandmother with her big eyes. Even if she is already 10, she was actually quite small for her age. Even Lin Lin is taller and bigger than her. This makes her even more adorable, the elders don't have the heart to scold her.

The Queen Dowager laugh and teases her some more until their conversations go on for a while.

"Imperial grandmother, this grandson will be on the way to greet imperial father and imperial mother." An indifferent and cold voice was heard from the young teenager who have been quiet all the time. This make Shangguan Ji Ming's smile turn down a bit.

She turn her head to look at the teenager who is currently bowing his head. So, he really is avoiding her? No matter how long she stays at their grandmother palace, he will always wait for her to go greet their parents together, but not today.

"Good. Go ahead." The Queen Dowager smiled lightly and talk in her usual warm tone.

Today, their interactions was especially awkward. The two grandmother and grandson usually doesn't have much words to say to each other but today was especially worse. Shangguan Ji Ming noticed this.

"Grandma.." Shangguan Ji Ming swings her grandmother arm.

"This granddaughter will also go meet imperial father and mother first then." Shangguan Ji Ming suggest to her grandmother. His elder brother has started to walk out of the hall, if she wait any longer, she may not be able to catch up to him. She anxiously tap her feet, wishing her grandma will answer faster.

"You also want to go? Of course.." The Queen Dowager was going to say something else to stop Shangguan Ji Ming but the spoiled princess cut in.

"Then, thanking grandma. Tomorrow, this adorable granddaughter will see you again." Shangguan Ji Ming quickly make a bow, land a big kiss on her grandmother cheek and she literally run out of the hall while waving.

"That..that.." The Queen Dowager want to scold but then she laugh helplessly. Only when the princess is totally gone did her expression change. She sigh softly, she is also helpless ah.

…

No matter how fast Shangguan Ji Ming want to catch up. Her short legs only allows her to tail behind her elder brother entourage. Her energy also quickly depleted. Due to her quick pace, she need to catch her breath quickly which makes her cough severely.

She saw the entourage in front stops while the mama by her side is busy coaxing her to slow down. Some even suggest that they should just carry her back to her palace to rest. She just recovered from high fever, if she didn't insist, they wouldn't have allowed her to come out.

After taking a few moments of rest, the entourage in front start moving again. They also stopped when she was coughing, but the head of the entourage which is Shangguan Ji Yu still didn't say anything.

"No." Shangguan Ji Ming stood up and run. Its just that, her weak physique doesn't allow it and she tumble forward.

"Ah!" She felt her chest and stomach is a bit painful because of the fall and her palm feel sting. She must have hurt her palm a bit.

Her vision becomes blurry and she started sobbing as she stay seated on the ground. She doesn't even care about the stain on her hands and clothes. She cried because this is just so sad, even after living a second life, their relationship will also ends like this. She didn't make up with her brother and she will end up dying again, dying alone in her lonely palace.

The servants is in chaos. The precious princess is hurt, she is crying some more. If something bad really happen, they may lose their head ah.

"Are you a fool?!" A scolding voice stops all the commotion. All the servants quickly came to their knee and bow their head. This is a very bad signs. The Crown Prince seldom get angry, but when he does, nothing will end well.

"Gege..it hurts.." Shangguan Ji Ming look up from the ground and pitifully bite her lower lips, try to suppress her tears from falling. Because she was crying, the panicked servants doesn't dare to approach her so she is still on the ground.

Shangguan Ji Yu heart breaks as he saw that pitiful face. His hand clench into fists and his teeth is clenched, trying to suppress his anger. He squat down and pick her younger sister up into a princess carry. His expression is heavy and he didn't have the usually gentle look on his face whenever he is with Shangguan Ji Ming.

Shangguan Ji Ming hook her arms onto his neck and rest her head on his shoulder, burying her face there. Still sobbing silently while calling 'gege' softly. She is happy because he didn't ignore her entirely, even though she may have hurt herself, at least she still received his care.

"Each of you will receive 10 beatings due to failing to protect the princess." Shangguan Ji Yu stated his order towards the kneeling palace servants.

"Thanking His highness for being merciful." All the people present said loudly.

10 beatings is good, at least they still can preserve their life. Staying in bed for a week is nothing. His Highness the Crown Prince is already being magnanimous.

Shangguan Ji Yu walks to the direction of the princess palace. Along the way, he even order the guards to call the imperial physician over. Along the way until the princess palace, the two siblings didn't utter a single word. The guards that they encounter along the way all lowered their head, knowing that the Crown Prince is obviously in a very bad mood.

"Where are you hurt?" The cold voice ask. Finally he open his mouth when they arrived at Shangguan Ji Ming bedroom.

"Go and lie down first." However, even though Shangguan Ji Yu already set her on the bed, Shangguan Ji Ming doesn't let go of his neck and remain clutching onto him, sitting on his lap. The small figure already look weak but her hands is still firm around his neck.

"This is the last time. You should learn to take care of yourself now. If there is next time, I will kill all the people that fail protecting you." He said in a strict tone. Shangguan Ji Ming is a bit disappointed that he refer himself as 'I' not the usual intimate way.

"En." She answer in an almost inaudible voice. She don't want to listen to him?

Shangguan Ji Ming finally lift her head, coming face to face with Shangguan Ji Yu. Why did he change so much? What is the reason? This, at least she must find out in this life.

She was going to ask but then she saw the small wound at the corner of his lips and the faint bruise on his left cheek. She gasp at the sight and reflexively lifted her hand to caress his face gently.

The blood on his lips is already dry which means it wasn't something new. Did he get it from last night? When he didn't come to meet her? Was it because of this? She felt guilty for blaming her elder brother blindly in the last life.

Shangguan Ji Yu is someone that will not break his promise, she have known him for a long time but she was just a child back then, how can she think about complex matter like this? She also never noticed this wound on his face before, must be because she only met him after a few days of the incident, that's why she never knew about this. In this life, she manage to found out about this. His older brother is very pitiful, he must have left her because she ignored him first. This is all her fault then.

"I am sorry for being selfish. We can just release the fireflies later. This wound, it must be painful." Shangguan Ji Ming caress the bruise some more. Then, suddenly her wrist is grabbed.

"Don't take it wrongly. This wound has nothing to do with last night. I just don't want to play with children like you again." Shangguan Ji Yu coldly reply and lifted her up from his lap to the bed. Then he stood up to leave.

"The physician will be here soon." He adjust his robe then walk out with large stride.

"Gege.." Shangguan Ji Ming called but he didn't turn back.

"Gege, I will wait for you, I know you treat me the best." She shout.

Right. In this case, it must be because she hurt him first. Shangguan Ji Yu is the warmest and kindest older brother ever. He pampers her so much, there must be a reason why he is being like this.

And that wound, did he really fight with someone? But, with Shangguan Ji Yu personality, he will never let himself got beaten. Then there is only one answer, he was willingly beaten.

Suddenly, the awkward atmosphere at the Queen Dowager palace cross her mind. No way. Grandmother loves the two of them the most. She will never hit her kind and obedient brother. But, it was really suspicious in the Queen dowager place this morning.