MY WASTE PRINCE

I saw my husband enthusiastically tasting all the dishes. He also did not forget to put side dishes on my rice. I smiled at his kindness.

"You have to try this," Xiao Junw.a.n.gye placed the slices of duck meat in my bowl of rice. I smiled and nodded my head.

"Thank you, Junw.a.n.gye," I spoke to him. Xiao Junw.a.n.gye then turned to Yao Mama who was sitting on my left side.

"Yao Mama, do you take the medicine given by the physician regularly?" Xiao Jungw.a.n.gye asked his caregiver. My husband looks worried about his caregiver. I look at Yao Mama and try to look sincere and anxious at the same time.

"Yao Mama, are you sick?" I asked her in a soft voice. She smiled and then shook her head.

"No, Junw.a.n.gfei. I"m not sick. I"m just tired," Yao Mama answered my question. I look at Xiao Junw.a.n.gye and raised my eyebrows as a sign of asking for an explanation. My husband understood my action. He nodded his head before speak to me.

"Yao Mama lost consciousness two days ago. She was exhausted because she was busy making preparations for our wedding, Xia He," Xiao Junw.a.n.gye gave me an explanation. I nod my head. I look at my husband"s nanny again.

"Yao Mama, thank you for working hard to prepare my wedding. Yao Mama must take medicine regularly. Don"t force yourself to work hard anymore, "I said to her and she smiled.

"Thank you because Junw.a.n.gfei has worried about me. Since Junw.a.n.gfei married Xiao Junw.a.n.gye, I will not be tired anymore because all of this w.a.n.gfu is in your control," Yao Mama said to me.

I paused after hearing her words. I tried to understand the meaning of her words. She said that this w.a.n.gfu was in my control from now on. Is she testing me now? I looked at Xiao Junw.a.n.gye. My husband is waiting for my answer. I smile.

"Yao Mama, I still need Yao Mama"s help to take care of w.a.n.gfu," I said to Yao Mama. After that I see my husband"s face. Xiao Junw.a.n.gye smiles. Obviously he was happy to hear my answer. I"m relieved to see his reaction.

"I will help Junw.a.n.gfei with all my heart and all my strength," Yao Mama said and I nodded my head.

"Thank you, Yao Mama," I said to him.

"After this, Junw.a.n.gye and Junw.a.n.gfei have to go to the Palace," Yao Mama suggested. I looked at my husband who gave an answer by nodding his head.

I remember that after marriage, I had to meet mother and father in-laws. This means that my husband and I have to go to the Palace and give tea as sign of our respect to Huanghou (empress). Although Huanghou was not my husband"s biological mother, she was the wife of Bixia. Sbe is the Imperial Mother for Xiao Junw.a.n.gye who I must respect.

"What should I bring when visiting them, Yao Mama?" I asked her for advice. My husband"s caregiver must have known gifts that Huanghou liked because she had been serving at the Palace for a long time.

"Junw.a.n.gfei don"t worry. I have prepared a special gift for Huanghou, "Yao Mama answered me. I sighed. I feel relieved. My mind was messed up during my wedding preparation period. That made me didn"t pay attention about gifts for Huanghou. My mother who was busy preparing my wedding also forgot to tell me about it too.

"I begged Junw.a.n.gfei to be patient when facing Huanghou. Maybe she will be less friendly to you," Yao Mama said in a slow voice. I sighed. I"m sure Huanghou will be less friendly to me. My suicide attempt made her very angry. She had punished me by ordered me to sew my own wedding clothes. However, I am sure she is still not satisfied to punish me.

"Please forgive me, Xiao Junw.a.n.gye. Huanghou must still be angry because of the bad things I did when Huangtaiji got married," I said to Xiao Junw.a.n.gye while looking at his face. He smiled and then shook his head.

"She will less friendly to us is not because of you, Xia He. Please calm down, "Xiao Junw.a.n.gye asked to me. His face looks calm. Seeing his calm, I feel calm too.

"Let"s finish your meal," Xiao Junw.a.n.gye said to me again. I nodded my head and ate my food again.

***

After breakfast, Xiao Junw.a.n.gye and I immediately left w.a.n.gfu and went to the Palace. The distance between the Palace to w.a.n.gfu is quite far. The palace"s location is east of the capital city, while Xiao w.a.n.gfu is east of the capital city. We took two hours with riding a horse-drawn carriage to the Palace.

During the trip, Xiao Junw.a.n.gye held my hand. He doesn"t talk much. He looked out of the window. His face showed as if he had many thoughts. I hesitated to ask what he was thinking.

"Xiao Junw.a.n.gye, we have arrived," said the coachman who controlled our horse carriage. Xiao Junw.a.n.gye nods her head.

Xiao Junw.a.n.gye first got off. from the horse carriage. He extended his hand to me and helped me get off from the horse carriage. Ling who was sitting next to the coachman also came down. She walked a step behind me with several wooden boxes in her hands. Each wooden box was covered with silk cloth. The color of the silk used is also different for each wooden box. Some of wooden boxes will be given to Huanghou.

We pa.s.sed the Palace gate without a welcome shout from Palace guards. Some Palace guards only nodded their heads when we pa.s.sed them. I feel uncomfortable seeing their att.i.tude. After all, Xiao Jun w.a.n.gye is son of Bixia. They should to give respect. I forced to accept this situation because Xiao Jun w.a.n.gye didn"t looked unsatisfied.

"Is Bixia doing a palace meeting Palace Council today, Junw.a.n.gye?" I asked my husband. He shook his head.

"Not. Yesterday we got married. Bixia must have dismiss the Palace Council meeting today. However, he always spends his time in the study room. Let"s go to there!" Xiao Junw.a.n.gye answered me then pulled my hand. I looked at my husband"s hand holding my hand. My cheeks are hot because of his action. He did not feel ashamed to show his love for me by holding my hand in a public place like this time.

We walked about twenty minutes from the palace gate. A large building looks in the east of the Palace. I remember that the building was Bixia"s study room. When I was little, my father had taken me there. That"s time, I saw Xiao Junw.a.n.gye being punished by Bixia.

"Zhu Gonggong (Eunuch), I want to respect Bixia," Xiao Junw.a.n.gye said to Eunuch Zhu who was standing with a junior eunuch and two bodyguards in front of the study room.

"I will inform abour your arrival to Bixia, Junw.a.n.gye. Please wait a moment, "Eunuch Zhu said and Xiao Junw.a.n.gye nodded his head. Eunuch Zu entered the study room. Long enough we waited until Eunuch Zhu came out of the room. His face looks unhappy.

"Bixia is very busy and he says that he can"t be bothered. I"m sorry because I can"t persuade him to stop working for a moment, "Eunuch Zhu said in a slow voice.

I was surprised to hear the Eunuch"s answer. A father should accept the arrival of his son. Especially because yesterday, I am and Xiao Junw.a.n.gye just got married. We were obliged to greet Bixia, but he refused us. Didn"t Bixia know that his action could give us bad luck? People will look down on Xiao Junw.a.n.gye too. I looked at my husband"s face. He looks disappointed. He sighed.

"It"s okay, Zhu Gonggong. Please give this to Bixia, "Xiao Junw.a.n.gye took the box wrapped in golden silk cloth. Xiao Junw.a.n.gye opened the box and showed it to Eunuch Zhu. I can see that the contents are expensive and very valuable ginseng. Eunuch Zhu nodded his head and accepted the box.

"Let"s meet Huanghou," Xiao Junw.a.n.gye grabbed my hand. I can feel his hand grip very strong. I knew he was angry and trying to calm himself.

I feel sorry to see him. However, I chose to silent and follow his footsteps. We walked about thirty minutes to the north. I can see a lot of beautyfull buildings from far away.

Soon we finally arrived at Fengguang building, which became Huanghou"s residence. The eunuch who was guarding in front of the building immediately entered the building when we just entered the gate. We did not wait long until the guard Eunuch came out.

"Please Xiao Junw.a.n.gye, Junw.a.n.gfei," the eunuch said to us. Xiao Junw.a.n.gye looks at me for a moment. I know from his gaze that he is asking for my heart"s readiness. I nodded my head as my response that I was ready to meet this First Lady.