CHAPTER 14, IGNORED
"What are you doing here?" The crown princess scolded, her face was painted with anger.
She was in her official dress. The dress was dark grey with gold floral weaving. Her hair was tied high with a few babies hair on her face as the rest of the hair fall down.
"You look stunning," Li Zhang Ke praised, smiling.
Out of her long sleeve, a dirty and old-looking dagger appeared between his eyes. "Get out," she replied, smirking pointing the dagger.
"Crown Princess, I'm escorting you" He pushed the dagger down. "You better hurry,"
"You're the one in my way, General" She rushed to her silver horse outside the manor.
It was the day where the king will have his trip to Xin Jia. The ministers and generals were lining up at the border of Hei An Guang to send the King away.
"Crown Princess has arrived!" an eunuch announced.
She appeared with the horse, stopping at the King's cartridge. She bows, "Wei An Ge wishes The King to have a safe journey to Xin Jia and return safe and sound."
The King smiled, happy between the curtain on the cartridge "LET'S GO!"
All of the ministers and generals bowed towards the King's cartridge marching away.
"Crown Princess, we still have a training later" Li Zhang Ke whispered, ruining the mood.
"The tears in my eyes went back in hearing your voice, general" She dissed. "The King is gone, I only have Jing Nu to play with,"
Later at the training base.
"Do I really have to train? I shoot those betrayers before." She played with the bow's string, pouting. "I even shot you once before, general"
She passed her thumb to her nose, proud.
"We call it newbie's luck, crown princess" Li Zhang Ke passed her the same old now.
"Huh," she smiled. "You have two holes on your chest, general. One from oh well, your own grandfather and another one is from my amazing archery skill"
She knocked his chest with the tip of the bow. Rolling her eyes, she walked away. Her eyes were focusing on the target, aiming to hit it.
"Then, does the Crown Princess know why yesterday I didn't move a step when you were pointing the arrow at me?" asked Li Zhang Ke, smiling.
Wei An Ge shook her head, denying. Her fingers were about to release the string until realization hit. She immediately dropped the bow and its arrow. Her jaw dropped.
"You thought that my arrow won't even hit you? You're saying my archery skill is THAT bad? You-" She nagged, circling around him while he nodded, smiling.
"I guaranteed that with my life" He dissed, broke into laughter.
"Hmph," She stopped and picked up the bow again. "General, just watch me"
The released arrow flew through the air as it finally hit the board and fell back to the ground. The general laughed.
"At least I don't have holes in my chest" She ran to him. "Hit that wrist," She offered her wrists
"That is all for today's class" he walked away, leaving her alone with Jing Nu as she was also laughing.
Wei An Ge went back to the Chang Ge manor with the silver horse. Planning to change her outfit, she walked to her room. There were a lot of fragrant and delicious dishes on the table. She rushed to the tabled, immediately picked up her chopsticks, and dived in.
"My god," she monologued in excitement.
A figure of a maid entered the room. usually, it didn't catch her attention but it did as it was Sun Ai Er. She was bringing more dishes in her hand as she walked towards the table. She placed the dishes on the table and tried walking away. Wei An Ge captured her left hand before she could leave.
"Have you eaten yet?" She asked, stuffing a black dumpling right into Sun Ai Er's mouth. "Come, eat with me."
Sun Ai Er was glued to the chair. "We are still friends right?" Wei An Ge questioned, smiling.
There were no replies. "If we are, eat this black beanball" she offered between her chopsticks. "It's your favorite, Sun Ai Er," she kept sending eye signals to accept the ball.
"Nyum," Sun Ai Er had her mouth filled.
Who had known that the King assigned the three girls as the Chang Ge manor's maid? Wei An Ge felt guilty for not taking care of them since they had lost their father and grandfather. They might even have grieve in her, she thought herself.
---
"WHAT? LI ZHANG KE IS NOT WITH US?!" Wang Kuan couldn't believe the news. "I always had always known this Li Zhang Ke is something"
"He's even planning to attack Wei Zhuang for power" Wang Xuan reported, anxious. "What should we do?"
Wang Kuan intensely stared at the ground of dirt, trying to find an idea.
"Don't let the Crown Princess fall in love with him. You've gotten her trust, right?"
"Li Hua Rong and Sun Ai Er did. It may take a while for me to do so" Wang Xuan confessed. She was still bitter about the fact that Li Zhang Ke left her for the throne and power.
"It's been hard for you, my girl," the general smiled in sympathy, gripping on her shoulders
"I'm fine, I'm your daughter after all"
--
"Crown Princess, do you like my brother?" Li Hua Rong surveyed as they dived in the scrumptious dishes.
"General?" The Crown Princess confirmed, shaking her head furiously. "Not my type of dumpling. Don't Wang Xuan likes the General?"
Wang Xuan choked on the water upon hearing her statement. All of them including Jing Nu broke into a peal of laughter.
"This manor finally feels like home," Wei An Ge reported, smiling. "Thanks for being my maids, joking. We're friends!"
She smiled excitedly, looking at the girls. "Bottoms up!" she cheered with a cup of tea.
"Bottoms up!" the girls followed, laughing.
They chugged them at one try. All of them started to be more open, smiling and joking with each other.
"Crown Princess, isn't your birthday two more days to go? " Jing Nu reminded,
"That's right, will any of you celebrate it with me?" Wei An Ge offered, with an excited tone of voice. Alas, her voice fell deeper into the crowd of three as they replied to her request with nothing. "I've waited for my sixteenth years ago. Will you all be there?"
Her large eyes turned sadder as her voice was completely lost in the crowd. She turned to Jing Nu, sad. Jing Nu's face was also painted with disappointment. She had her calm down with closed eyes and repeating deep breathing.
---
"Gan Xin, why are we returning here? You have a comfortable bed now. Your life is perfect, why bother coming back?" Wolfie questioned.
Gan Xin brought Wolfie back to their small cottage they spent a few years with. It's been a month since they left. They were standing in front of the cottage. It was still in a good condition as before.
"I just wanted to unwind, Wolfie. Our life before was so peaceful even though we had difficulties finding food and fighting wolves" He opened the door. "But now, even though all my needs are just there for me, my heart doesn't feel right. I poisoned the whole kingdom twice."
"If we can't find the Jade Ring, what if we hide here again?" he offered,
"Wolfie will follow Gan Xin nevertheless" she vowed.
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