Chapter 3

Richu Palace;

A few days passes by again, Taiyang was sitting out in her yard of her royal chambers bathing under the sun. She could feel the hot sun jabbing her skin like pins and needles, but didn't make a sound.

"Crown Princess!" Cuifeng runs out to the yard with a dark colored umbrella, "You've been out here for over an hour. The heat isn't good for your skin, let's go inside." She held the umbrella over Taiyang's head.

"I want to sit here." Taiyang groaned with a sad tone of voice.

"Crown Princess," Cuifeng bended lower to her level.

Taiyang had her head laid onto the marble table in the middle of the yard. She looked lifeless.

"Are you still upset about what General Chan said the other day?"

Taiyang didn't want to talk about it, but then again she did.

"If you were a man..." She said as she raised her head up. "Would you want to marry a girl like me?" She asked honestly.

"Of course!" Cuifeng nods without hesitation. "You're such a kind hearted and understanding person, anyone would be blessed to have you as their wife." Her words made Taiyang smile half way.

"I'm not talking about my personality... I'm talking about what I' am..."

Cuifeng frozed. She knew what Taiyang was hinting at. Yes, she was a kind hearted, understanding, pure and a forgiving person, but the truth is that she is blind. Whoever was to marry her will have to struggle the responsibility of taking care of her extra needs for the rest of their lives.

"You wouldn't would you..." Taiyang whispered with a fake smile.

Cuifeng frowns secretly, "Crown Princess," She grabs Taiyang's left hand. "Everyone is different. Men like General Chan are afraid to marry people who are like you because they know that they can't take on the responsibility. They are angry that they cannot chose who they want to be with and so they resolve in these useless excuses... But there are people out there who are willing to love you... There are people out there that are willing to give you the whole world and protect you until the end of time; it may not be General Chan, but there's someone for everyone in this world! And if you ask me, if I was a man, I would be honored to marry someone like you!"

Taiyang smiled ear to ear as she listened to Cuifeng's sweet talk. "Thank you," She thanked her. "I feel better now,"

Cuifeng nods quickly, "Hm, now how about we go inside and have some snacks."

"Hao ah," Taiyang agrees and stands on her feet.

"Crown Princess," A female servant greeted them with a bow suddenly.

"Yes?" Taiyang peeks over to the side.

"General Chan is asking for permission to meet you."

"General Chan?" Taiyang bit her lips and tightened her fingers onto Cuifeng's hand.

Cuifeng knew she didn't want to meet him, not yet at least, "Tell him that the Crown Princess isn't feeling well. Once she feels better she will summon him."

The servant peeks up and over and bows, "Yes," She exits to relay the message.

"Are you okay?" Cuifeng turns to ask Taiyang.

"I'm fine," She lied puckering up a soft smile.

"Then... Let's go inside." Cuifeng whispers and leads her inside her chambers.

Outside Richu Palace;

"The crown princess isn't feeling well. She said she doesn't want to spread her cold to you so once she feels better she will summon you." The female servant of Richu Palace relayed to Weiting who has been waiting for 30 minutes outside her palace.

"... Hao," He sighs and turns to leave Richu Palace.

Weiting knew that Taiyang was now trying to avoid him. It's been 3 days he tried to seek audience with her and she just kept rejecting to see him. He walks his way through the royal garden to get across the white bridge towards the front of the main palace.

"Weiting?" Feiyang spotted him as she was strolling in the garden with her servants.

"7th Princess," He greeted her with a bow as soon as she approached him.

She was carrying a white furry cat in her arms, "It's been a while since I last saw you." She said with a bit of happiness as she the cat's head.

"Yes, it's been a while," He tried to smile.

She noticed him looking kind of under the weather. "... What brings you into the Palace today?" Her voice was a bit different from before. It almost seemed like she had feelings for him too.

"... I came to visit the Crown Princess," He replied without staring her in the eye.

Feiyang had forgotten for a slight moment that he was engaged to her blind younger sister. She was annoyed and reached her cat over to her maid at her side.

"And how did that go?"  She asked him and rolls her slight lacey dark colored scarf on her shoulders. "Did my little sister give you a hard time? Did she do something to make you mad?" Her voice was so sweet, it almost gave him a cavity.

"No," He shakes his head, "I was the one who wronged her."

"You?" She chuckled, "You're lying right? How can you wrong her?"

"It seems I have said a few words that have might angered her highness." He explains. "That's why I came to apologize to her today-- but she wouldn't meet me."

"I see," Feiyang nods slowly and glares at him with need, "... Do you need me to help you?"

"Your help?" He thought about it for a few seconds if it was a good idea or not.

He knew they were sisters, but he also knew that she was not so kind to give just anyone help.

Feiyang saw the paleness on his face, "Silly, I'm her older sister. I don't mean any harm. I can ask her to meet me somewhere and have her meet you instead." She explained and his expression lightened up a bit.

"I see what you mean now." He whispered. "But it's okay. I have my ways to deal with the Crown Princess." He told her.

Feiyang watched as he rejects her help, "You know, Taiyang isn't all about love. She's very clumsy and gullible. A woman like her isn't fit for a man like you..." She told him and he stared at her. "If you are willing--"

"Princess," He stops her, "... I'll take my leave now, enjoy your stroll..."

Feiyang watched as he turns away and exits the palace. She takes in a hot breath and turns the other way towards Ming Palace. Feiyang enters Ruyang's chambers and allows herself to take a seat in the main hall.

"What's the matter?" Ruyang walks out from her bed room chambers after being informed by her maid that Feiyang had arrived. "Why are you so mad?" She takes a seat in her cushion chair pretending to care about her sister's feelings.

"I'm mad because--" Feiyang stopped herself and noticed all the servants in the room.

Ruyang smirks and looks at her servants, "You can all leave for now. If I need you I will call you." She ordered her servants to leave the room.

"Yes Princess," All the servants bows and exited one by one.

"... Hao le, everyone is gone. Now tell me, why are you mad?"

"I hate Taiyang." Feiyang cursed underneath her breathe.

"What did the crown princess do to you this time?" Ruyang asked as she reaches for her cup of tea in front of her.

"She gets everything! The title of crown princess, father's love, admiration from everyone in and outside the palace! And now she is going to take Weiting away too!" Feiyang complained with anger as she rolls her lacy scarf up her shoulders.

"Weiting?" Ruyang repeated his name and thought to herself for a moment. "You're not talking about General Chan Weiting? The Crown Princess's fiancé?" She turns to face Feiyang with a slight smirk.

"Yes, I' am talking about him!" Feiyang growled. "So what?"

"My little sister, you're not in love with him are you? He is to be the crown prince consort." She teased Feiyang.

"I don't care! I want to get rid of Taiyang! I came here today to tell you that if you're still up for doing what you mentioned to me on your birthday, I'm willing to help you."

Of course, Ruyang was delighted that Feiyang finally made up her mind to help get rid of their blind sister.

"Help me?" She chuckled and took a sip of her tea carefully. "... You mean, helping yourself to get rid of the rock in your way."

Feiyang shot up in her chair, "I don't care, as long as we get rid of her!" Her anger got the best of her.

"Hao le, no need to shout. Just because the crown princess is blind doesn’t mean that I’m deaf." Ruyang placed her cup of tea down to the table at the side. "First thing first we need a plan." She said and scrawled her silk scarf over her arms.

Feiyang quickly thought, "I heard that Weiting and Taiyang are having problems. Why not use this issue to get rid of her?"

"I thought you love General Chan? You're going to use him to get rid of the crown princess?" Ruyang snapped a little. "You are very daring,"

"I like him, but using him to get rid of her first then I'll save him afterwards." She smirked with attitude.

"Oh, you already have a plan it looks like..."

Feiyang stands, "Of course! Why do you think I came rushing here?" She gave an extra attitude.

"Hao, tell me your plan." Ruyang places her hands on her lap and listened.         

Feiyang begins pacing back and forth slowly in the middle of the room, "... I heard that Weiting has upsetted Taiyang a few days ago... He has been showing up at Richu Palace to seek audience with her, but she rejects him every time." She stops and turns to face Ruyang, shuffling her lacey scarf onto her shoulders, "If I can get her to come out of her chamber and meet me somewhere under his name, we can use black poison to kill her."

"Black poison? Black magic?" Ruyang's eyes widen in an interesting way. "Wasn't that banned from the palace years ago?" She pondered to herself quickly, "Where are you going to find that kind of black magic poison?"

Feiyang chuckled softly, "You don't need to know where I'll get it from." She said and turns away towards the exit. "I know someone who has it..."

"Hao! Let's say you succeed in getting this black poison." Ruyang stands from her chair, "How are you going to lure Taiyang out then? Didn't you say that Weiting and her are having some kind of misunderstandings and that she is trying to avoid him right now??"

Feiyang thought carefully to herself and Ruyang smirked.

"See," Ruyang walks to her side, "Even you can't think it thoroughly. You lack what the crown princess have..."

Feiyang glared into her eyes with a deep angry frown.

"Don't look at me like that... Even you are willing to sacrifice the man you love in this matter." She pushed Feiyang's buttons some more and turns to walk away back to her chair. "... If you can get the black poison, don't worry about luring her out. I will lure her out."

"But if you lure her out, wouldn't you be putting yourself at risk being a suspect?"

"Don't worry... You have your plans, and I have my own plans. Just worry about yourself... If the fault was pushed towards you, you better be ready to have a plan to get out of it..."

Richu Palace;

A few days later Taiyang was seen walking outside the pathways in her yard. She looked a bit better than before, but still bothered by the issues of Weiting not wanting to marry her. She had on a white silk gown with a yellow sash tied at her waist and golden hair accessories on her head.

"Crown Princess," Cui Feng walks over.

"What is it?" Taiyang peeks her head up and over.

"6th Princess is asking for your audience!" Cui Feng relayed.

"Ruyang Jie!?" She smiled happily. She hasn't seen her sister since the birthday incident. "Hurry," She reached out her hands out and Cui Feng grabs them to lead her into the living halls. "Ruyang Jie!" She came hopping like a bunny in excitement.

"Crown Princess!" Ruyang warmly smiled upon seeing her while all the maids bowed.

"What brings you here to my place?" Taiyang asked brightly.

 "Since the incident on my birthday, you stopped visiting me. So, I thought I should visit you to see how you are doing." Ruyang said as she reached over to set their hands together. "How are you now? I heard you got a cold? Only you of all people, will get sick during the summer."

"H-How did you know?" Taiyang blushed in a light pink color.

"I heard the maids talking..." Ruyang replies, "Here, come let's take a seat." She leads her over to the chairs in the back of the room. "Let me see," She reached her fingers onto Taiyang's forehead for a minute, "… No fever."

Cui Feng noticed how kind Ruyang was and smiles with her head held low. She was happy that Ruyang was so caring and kind to her master, of course without knowing how evil she is.

"No fever," Taiyang shakes her head slightly side to side, "I lied to everyone..."

"You lied?"

"Yes,"

"Why?" Ruyang frowns cutely.

"I... I..."

Ruyang noticed her cute embarrassment expression, "... Qiao-Er," She called her maid.

"Yes Princess!"

"Bring the tray over."

"Yes Princess!" Her maid turns to walk out the room and enters a few moments later with a tray that had a bowl of soup on it.

Cui Feng got a quick glance at the tray and smiles, "It smells so good!" She gasped.

"What's that smell?" Taiyang smelled the sweet aroma of it as well. "It's smells so good!"

Ruyang fickle her fingers and reached her hands over the tray to grab the bowl, "I heard that you and General Chan are having conflicts. Right?"

"Even you know?" Taiyang's voice lowered itself.

"It's the palace, tell me who doesn't know..." Ruyang and placed the bowl of soup on the table in front of them. "Here, do you know what this is?"

Taiyang closed her eyes and took a long deep breathe through her nose to get a glimpse of the smell of the soup, "It's sweet, fragrant and minty. It must be black sesame soup!"

"Right!" Ruyang applauded her skills while Cui Feng nods her head in agreement.

"It's been a while since I had this." Taiyang exclaimed in joy. The last time she had this was on her birthday of last year. "Thank you for making this for me. This is my favorite!"

"... It wasn't me..." Ruyang folded her hands onto her lap.

"Not you? Then who?"

Ruyang takes in a deep breath, "... General Chan Weiting sent it to me to give it to you..." She replied and Taiyang's hands moved back into her own lap. "What? You don't want to eat it no more because he sent it?"

Taiyang tried her best to smile, "I..."

"Hao le, whatever the misunderstanding you two have, you both have to face it and fix it." She said and grabs Taiyang's hands. "Do you know the meaning of this soup?"

"No,"

"He introduced you to this soup, but didn’t tell you what it represents?” She chuckles, “It means that he is sorry. He's asking for you to forgive him."

"Really?"

"Of course! He gave it to you last year for your birthday because he wanted to say sorry for forgetting about your birthday…. So, this time he wants to say sorry again. You must meet him at least and let him explain himself... Don’t you think?”

Taiyang sat in silence for a moment.

“Forget it, I've already brought the soup to you... To eat it or not, depends on what your answer is."

Taiyang hesitated for a moment, "I'm not mad at him. I'm disappointed in myself."

"… Why?"

"Because I'm blind..." She said and Ruyang smirks secretly. Of course, Ruyang knew it’s because she is blind. No man would want to marry a blind princess, "I bet it doesn't make sense to you too, that a blind princess like me carries the Crown Princess title." She looked depressed again.

"N-No, what do you mean? So what if you're blind?" Ruyang lied.

"I know that Feiyang doesn't like me... Because I know that she wanted the title at first. I have asked royal father to give it to her at first, but he insisted on giving it to me. I know he only gave it to me to make me feel proud and confident!"

Ruyang begins to get annoyed and tired of her sister’s nonsense talking but pretended to care about her feelings. And to hear that she wanted to give the title to Feiyang only made it worse! Ruyang wanted that title for herself.

"I... I overheard Weiting saying that he didn't want to marry me." She told Ruyang.

"Because of your blindness?" Her eyes didn't blink.

"Yes, General Dong and Weiting was talking about it... I don't want to be a burden on him." Her face became lifeless.

"But don't you love him?"

"I..." She raises her head, "I... Do... But I don't want to hold him down."

"I know," Ruyang lightly pats her hands, "... How about this, you eat this soup and meet up with him. Tell him how you feel, and let him explain how he feels. You are both adults now, let's not act like little kids."

Taiyang felt some comfort from her words, "... Hao," She agreed. "I will listen to you."

"Good! Qiao-Er, bring over a spoon." Ruyang smiles in a mysterious way.

"... Here Princess," Her maid reaches a spoon over.

Ruyang put the spoon in her sister’s hands. "Take the first bite, I was told that General Chan made this himself because he felt bad. He wanted to apologize to you, but you kept turning him away." She said and released Taiyang’s hand.

Taiyang grasped onto the spoon firmly and nods, "Hao," She smiles and felt her fingers towards the bowl.

Ruyang watched as she dug the spoon into the soup and swirled it around a few times before grabbing some of the liquid into the center of the spoon. Ruyang watched as she took the spoon and held it up to .

'Just a little more...' Ruyang told herself as she watched.

Taiyang opened and placed the spoon in, swallowing the liquid down in slow motion. Ruyang then gave a satisfied smirk towards her maid, and rolls her eyes secretly to the side.

"Hao le, since you ate his soup, you have to forgive him." Ruyang grabs the spoon from her hands.

"Ruyang Jie," Taiyang calls her.

"What?" Ruyang stares into her dead eyes as her maid walks over to retrieve the bowl of soup.

"… Thank you,"

"For what?" Ruyang taps her fingers on her lap again.

"For everything! Other than royal father and Luyang Jie, you're the next to spoil me."

Ruyang sighs with a smile, "That's what older sisters are for... And I know that Feiyang is a bit hot head, but don't be mad at her... She's still young like you. I hope you won't blame her."

"Never," Taiyang shakes her head, "Don't worry! I'm not mad at her. I understand her!"

"That's good," Ruyang sighs and stands from her seat, "Hao le, I'll let General Chan know that you'll find a time to meet him. In the mean time, stay in your chambers and wait for my signal. Jie-Jie will help you,"

"Hao," She nods cutely and Ruyang leaves the chambers with her maids.

"Crown Princess," Cui Feng runs cutely to her maters side. "Ruyang is so kind." She smiled sweetly.

"I know, Ruyang Jie is the best!"

Later that night, Taiyang was asleep on her bed. Her room was dark with a few candles lit only to the side. She was having a nightmare it seems. Her eyes were moving from the inside of her socket side to side, like she was trying to open them. Her head flinched a little to the side and sweat dripped down to her neck and onto her pillow.

"No," She cried softly. "No! Don't kill me!"

Suddenly, as she was fighting to open her eyes, she rolled over onto her right and threw up blood. A pile of black blood was now sitting on the ground by her bed. Her heart was beating so fast she literally though it was going to come out her chest! She then begins to choke on her blood as it drizzled out of .

For some odd reason her eyes flashed a bright light and allowed her to quickly see a glimpse of a dark mass figure in her room. For a second she was able to see!

"C-Cui... Feng..." She reached out her left hand in front of her as she continued to choke on her blood. “H-Help me…” Her voice grasp for air and collapsed into a coma.