Chapter 4 

“Mei Lin.” Yun Hao smiled, looking at his companion who’s warming herself in front of the campfire. 

“Yeah?” Mei Ying answered, and blushed immediately as soon as she realized that Yun Hao is looking at her intently. 

“There’s something about you.” He said, without realizing that Zhu Xian is smiling contently while pretending to sleep nearby. 

“Huh? What do you mean by that?” Mei Ying asked, looking at him, trying to figured out what he meant by that, “Well, I don’t know how you will take this but I feel that you are not you.” He said softly, causing Mei Ying to blush at his statement. 

“Silly, I'm me. Why wouldn’t I be?” She said incoherently, while looking away, wondering whether she doesn’t act like a real guy. 

“No, really my friend. There’s something special about you that I just can’t figure out what.” Yun Hao said, and drank his tea while Mei Ying looked at him adoringly. A sensitive type of person, just the person that she needs to share everything with. She kept denying that she might be sickly in love with him as her pride wouldn’t allow her to admit it. 

Yun Hao sighed. Being with this friend made him feel so whole and complete. He looked at her as if he’s trying to remember her lovely feature. 

“Really? Maybe I’m too handsome.” She laughed and looked at Yun Hao who’s shaking his head. 

“Handsome, yes. Good-looking? Yes, but that isn’t right. I just can’t figure out what.” He laughed and grabbed her hand. 

“Hey. What are you doing?” She asked, starting to freak out. 

“Shhh.” He said, closing his brown, almond-shaped eyes. 

“What?” She whispered, shivering slightly as he held her hand gently. The gentleness in his touch somehow made her feel extremely entertained. She smiled and let him hold her hand. Not wanting to break the sacred moment, she smiled and closed her eyes as well. 

“Yun Hao, what are you doing?” She asked, forever so softly, without opening her eyes. 

“There’s gentleness and warmth in you and there’s inner fire forever so delicate like the heavenly stars above.” He said, finally opening his eyes and looked into her closes eyes, trying to figure out the mysterious emotion he’s feeling. 

“Tai Yan Jie Jie! It’s about time you get out of your room! Fu Wang is worried!” Xiu Ying yelled, knocking on the door violently. 

“Tell Fu Wang that I died and he can jolly well plan my funeral.” Tai Yan said, bursting into tears, causing Xiu Yan and Xiu Ying to look at each other worriedly. 

“It’s all your fault!” Xiu Yan accused, while looking at Xiu Ying who’s sighing. 

“It’s all for Mongolia! Besides, what’s wrong with getting married?! It’s not that bad! It’s not like her future husband is a monster or something!” Xiu Ying said, grumbling while Xiu Yan rolled her eyes. 

“I will see your reaction if you were to be forced to get married.” Xiu Yan said helplessly. 

“Tai Yan Mei Mei, open the door please?” Xiu Yan said softly, knocking on the door. 

“Tai Yan Jie Jie?” Xiu Ying said, and started to panic as she heard nothing but ghastly silence from her sister’s bedroom. 

“Leave me alone! Especially you, Xiu Ying!” Tai Yan yelled angrily, causing Xiu Yan and Xiu Ying to sighed solemnly, “Huang Er Jie! Forgive me!” Xiu Ying wailed, causing Xiu Yan to giggled at her expression. 

“Fine, your forgiven. Now, get lost.” Tai Yan sobbed. 

“Xiu Yan Jie Jie, this is serious, isn’t it? She’s so upset. I haven’t seen her so upset since Er Niang passed away.” Xiu Ying said, with sadness in her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. Her mother, her lovely beloved mother, the person that reminds her of her Da Jie. She resembles her mother very much and no one can deny it. Mei Ying Gongzhu, her eldest sister have the look of her mother. Perhaps that’s why she’s loved so much by their father. Xiu Ying understood the grief of everyone. Even she loved her eldest sister very much and started to miss her sister’s rebellious ways in handling everything. She missed the way she will debate each time she and her other sisters are in trouble with their father. 

“Tai Yan Jie Jie.” Xiu Ying called. 

“Let’s leave her alone.” Xiu Yan sighed, noticing that banging on the door got them nowhere. 

Suddenly, they heard a loud noises coming from inside Tai Yan’s room, much to her cousin and sister’s horror. 

“Tai Yan Mei Mei?” Xiu Yan said, gulping down her saliva. 

“Tai Yan Jie Jie?!” Xiu Ying started to yelled, as she heard nothing as an answer to her called. She looked at her cousin bewilderedly who’s turning pale right now. 

“Tai Yan Mei Mei. Don’t scare us.” Xiu Yan said, as she started to panic. Both of them banged on the door violently. Xiu Ying tried to open the door by kicking the door but to no avail. She turned ghastly pale. She looked at her cousin who’s thinking about screaming for guards but she stopped herself, thinking on how much havoc it will causes. 

“Tai Yan Mei Mei. Open the door.” She banged again, while a fine looking young man looked at the sight of the two princesses banging on the door furiously. 

“You there. Help us.” Xiu Yan said, without thinking. 

Not saying anything, he rushed to the door. 

“What’s wrong?" 

“My cousin. She’s inside and I don’t think she’s in a very good state. Besides, the door is locked.” Xiu Yan said incoherently, as tears fell from the corner of her beautiful eyes, wetting her delicate cheeks. Zai Zhong, San Ah Ge of Qing Dynasty looked at her and was somehow captivated with the sorrowful, yet beautiful sight that he saw. His heart skipped a beat as he looked at Xiu Yan absorbedly, somehow immersed with her loveliness. 

“Please help?” She cried again, banging desperately on the door. 

Xiu Ying was somehow annoyed with the stunned mullet in front of her. She pouted and looked at him bewilderedly. Being an impatient Gongzhu, she shook his body. 

“Excuse me! I don’t care who you are or why you are here but this is a Gongzhu’s resident but in the name of Xiu Ying Gongzhu of Mongolia, I order you to break into this place immediately!” She ordered, turning extremely red, much to Xiu Yan Ge Ge and San Ah Ge’s amusement. Xiu Yan was somehow shocked as she never heard Xiu Ying give out orders as a Gongzhu before while Zai Zhong was shocked as he didn’t realized that a young Gongzhu like Xiu Ying can remain calm and composes in the time of emergency. Not to mention, very firm and strict. 

“Shi, Gongzhu.” He said, and backed off slightly. Aiming at the door, he kicked it open, revealing the most horrified scene ever. 

“Tai Yan Jie Jie!” Xiu Ying yelled, as all of them rushed over and tried to get Tai Yan off of the ceiling. 

“Your sword. Uses it to cut the cloth. Quick. She will suffocate to death. Quick.” Xiu Ying said, as she started to panic as glint of tears in Tai Yan’s big, brown, semi-circle eyes fell onto her cheeks. She was trying to say something but nothing came out room her ghastly pale thin lips as she was too weak to do so.