A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

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(WANG HUA)

There's just too many disadvantages in agreeing to stay in the Palace while my parents are away trying to save my brother's ass from being beheaded or hanged in another kingdom.

Being in a closer proximity to Princess Cai, her bevy of supporters and her animosity is just one of those disadvantages. Also, probably the worst one.

"Why are you here? Truly?" Her Highness gave me a taunting smirk. She and her attendants cornered me in one quiet hallway in the palace. "You stupid girl, believing that my brother loves you. He never did and now he has disregarded you. You are no longer engaged to Prince Jin and he is now courting another lady. Why will the crown afford you with some protection?" Princess Cai's left eyebrow rose up while she looked displeased.

She looked down on me because she is taller than me and I truly despise that. Whats the use of being strong like ten men at once when everyone looks at me and see someone smaller than them and therefore they think they can walk all over me and trample my pride?

Sometimes, in my ungrateful moments, I think about being willing to trade my strength for some added height.

I sighed. "I am here to chaperone my cousins. They have to stay here as well because their parents accompanied my Baba in retrieving my brother..."

"The Jiangs are no better than the Wangs for being leeches at trying to tie their names on the royal crown," Princess Cai sneered. "Don't think I don't know why His Majesty chose your cousin to be Han's wife. Its all about bringing more money to the treasury. Other than their growing fortune, the Jiangs are not fit to shine the shoes here in the Palace."

Hearing Princess Cai disparaged the name of my uncles and practically looking down at the Jiangs like they are small unpleasant dirt under of her silk shoes, boils my blood.

I can take it if Princess Cai will insult or torment me. I never took her insulting words against me as threatening anyways. But to look down upon my uncles and cousins...I will never let that pass.

"Jiang ShuYin will one day be your Empress. Will you truly insult the next Empress like this?" I fisted my hands in anger.

Princess Cai snickered. "She is no Empress yet. And we don't know...she might never be." She said.

I felt my eyes narrowing at what she said. "Please, I am stupid. After all, I believed everything Prince Jin told me. So please, explain to me, what do you mean by those words? What do you mean when you said ShuYin might not be the next Empress after all." I begged her using a humbly low pitiful tone.

Princess Cai's eyes shifted at the change of my tone. "Han might not marry her. Of course..."

I frowned at that. "Crown Prince Han will not marry my cousin even though the Emperor and the Empress both expressed their desire to make Jiang ShuYin the next Crown Princess? You mean to tell me, Crown Prince Han will disobey their Majesties' wishes?"

"What? No!" Princess Cai's face turned a bit pale and she took a step back away from. "What are you talking about? That's not what I am saying."

"Its not? But you just said...Crown Prince Han might not..."

"I know what I said!" Princess Cai shouted to cut my words. She gave me a look full of annoyance. "Stop putting words on my mouth, Wang Hua. Are you forgetting where you are? You are in the Palace. Walls here has ears. The grounds itself has mouth and feet that could spread malicious rumors. You have to be careful here."

I shrugged. "I am not the one disparaging the name of the next Crown Princess." I said in a matter of fact tone.

Princess Cai let out an exasperated sound. "Oh, I really don't like you. I have never liked you." She glared at me.