In the Western palace, the palace of the king, a young lady dressed in blue outer robe and white inner robe, with hair pins and jewelries decorating her long black hair, is seen kneeling inside the bed chamber of the Western palace.
The room was well decorated, befitting his royal majesty but there was no one inside, except the young lady, it was empty.
"Father, Xiaoli is here to pay her respects" she kowtowed three times and raised her head.
"Everything is good and going smoothly father. I'm trying to keep the kingdom peaceful and safe. In two weeks time, I would be crowned Queen. I am taking my training seriously and I have learnt the dragon technique. I wished father could have seen Xiaoli... when I finally learnt it. It was powerful. The power of the dragon bestowed on me by the dragon spirits. I missed father."
She had a saddened look on her face, slowly she looked up and took in a deep breath as she gazed upon everything in the chambers.
"It smells the same, as always. Like you are here with me. Father, do not worry about me, I would be fine. I would try each day to make the people happy. And also I would be getting married on the day of my coronation. I would have loved to push it further, because everything is so overwhelming. I do not know if I am ready" she said taking her gaze down.
"That would be all father. I must take my leave now, the ministers and Qian Li would be searching for me soon. Please protect Xiaoli father."
With that said, she bowed, stood up, bowed her head and walked out with her back, then she raised her both hands and locks them in front of her as she bows again before exiting the chamber.
Right outside the Western palace was her head maid Lady Feng and her other maids, who bowed their head as she came out.
"Your highness" said Lady Feng as she rushed to meet her.
"Let's go see the Master Zhao" Princess Xiaoli said with so much calm and elegance.
"Is her highness not feeling too well?" Lady Feng asked the princess.
"No I am fine. I was curious about something I needed to ask him" she explained to her most trusted servant.
"Yes your highness. As you wish" she replied with a bow again.
"Let us go."
Xiaoli left the Western palace first with a quick glance, her hands tucked in her sleeves in front of her, then her maids followed behind her.
Xiaoli was none other than the princess of their great Dynasty. She lost her father since she was fifteen and since then, had to manage court on her own.
She was the beautiful kind and gentle princess, but a highly skilled warrior. She was the best in all the lands especially after mastering the Dragon technique that only a few could. Her father had mastered it before he died and at a later age.
She had been blessed to have mastered it at this age. She was just twenty three years of age and the youngest person to have mastered it at such a young age. She was giving birth to with a spiritual energy level of 5, which unlike some people would take them years to hone their skills to such level.
Indeed the princess was blessed by the gods at birth. She was very smart, intelligent and exceptionally beautiful. She was her father's pride.
He loved her so much and spent his free time teaching her matters of state and few techniques. The father and daughter were mostly together at their free time and so her knowledge increased about a lot of things at such a young age. When her father died, it was her undoing.
Lost her mother two years after she was born. The queen suffered complications during childbirth and so it weakened her physique and spiritual energy greatly.
Since then, her father had become a mother and father to her, even against all warnings that he was the king and he should leave that to her mother's head maid.
All to no avail, the king would create out time to take care of his only child, a child birthed from the love between himself and his darling queen.
Soon Princess Xiaoli came to the royal physician's chambers. As soon as she was announced, the royal physician and two other young men rushed out to greet her.
"Her royal highness. What brings you to this lowly servant's abode?" he said while still bowing down to her.
The young men all did the same and bowed to her while saying "your humble servants welcome her royal highness."
The princess smiled at the physician, as she looks at him, she seemed lost in thoughts, as she stood there staring into nothing.
It has been five minutes now and no one dared to disturb her. Meanwhile the royal physician and his apprentice were still bowing to her.
Sound of a soft cough was heard as her head maid took pity on these men and spoke.
"Would her royal highness not like to go inside, rather than standing in the sun?" Her maid hinted to her trying to get her attention but to no avail, the princess was still lost in thoughts.
"Her royal highness" her maid said loudly and this seemed to have done it. Instantly she blinked her eyes in shock, seeing her head maid rushed and knelt in front of her kowtowing.
"I have wronged her royal highness, please punish me" she spoke as she kowtowed.
"Punish you?" the princess asked.
"I am sorry, I deserve death your highness"
"Why are you being like this, get up Lady Feng?"
"I caused her royal highness to be in shock, I deserve punishment", still kowtowing.
"Why did you do that then?" The princess said half smiling.
"Her royal highness was lost in thoughts and I was reminding her to go in as the sun would not be good for your delicate beautiful skin but you were still... That was when I called out louder. Please punish me."
Xiaoli shook her head as she understood why her head maid was like this. She rarely got shocked or surprised and this would probably give her a headache later, Lady Feng sure was loud earlier.
Something caught her attention apart from the kowtowing Lady Feng, the royal physician and his apprentices still bowed to her. She was shocked; they have been in this position since she spaced out.
It was no wonder Lady Feng shouted that way. Now she understood the reason for it all, because her head maid made a lousy excuse. The sun not good, when she spent a lot of time training in the sun.
She was only doing it to free these men. Speaking of which, they still bowed and Lady Feng still kowtowed.