(WANG HUA)
"Are you truly this worried about your brother?" I asked Jin as we walk along the small stream. Up ahead of us is Dao, Yong and Manchu. The three of them are arguing about something again.
Yong and Manchu had developed a habit of arguing with Dao just to make my brother lose an argument. So far, they haven't succeeded yet. Dao is an excellent debater. Only Father can stand a chance of beating Dao in a discussion. Even Baba usually gives up when arguing with Dao.
But Yong and Manchu won't give in. Pride is at stake. I think I will let them. It keeps Dao occupied and his mind sharp. It keeps my brother's brain exercised so, good for the three of them.
Jin's worry is more important than us thinking of Yong and Manchu's prides that Dao usually defeat in an argument. Jin is worried about his younger brother, Prince Guo.
"Since our Baba leaving the capital, taking Cai and Han with him, Guo started feeling isolated. The Empress doubled his security. Making it tighter that Guo feels like breathing inside the Palace is getting harder. I know what he feels. I felt that kind of suffocation all throughout my childhood. Being isolated, all my moves are watched by people. I never wanted any of my siblings to feel like that. But here we are, Guo feels like the whole Palace and Capital is his prison now." Jin sighed as he held my hand while we walk.
"Is it still suffocating for you? To live in the Palace?" I asked him.
"No so much as before," Jin smiled at me. "If I feel frustrated there, I think about you and everything will feel a lot better. Thinking of you, anticipating the next time I can visit you, makes my life in the Palace more bearable than before. Guo is who I worried about," he added.
I smiled at him. "You are a good brother, Jin." I told him.
He winced, "Am I? I feel different though. I think I haven't done enough for my siblings. Aside from leaving them alone so the Empress won't make an issue out of it, I haven't done much for Guo, Cai and Han. If I really want to be a good brother to Guo, I will snatch that Crown Prince title and lessen his burden. But what can I do? I don't like it either. It will not make me happy. But I think being the Crown Prince won't make Guo happy as well." Jin sighed. We saw a rocky path and we stopped talking for a while as he concentrated on guiding me carefully until we got to even ground again.
"Thank you," I said as we passed that rocky patch of the road. I glanced at the small stream, the water hitting the protuded rocks as it wades down stream. "Follow your heart, my Prince. Prince Guo will make a decision for himself. He will follow his heart."
"He will make a choice, I know." Jin nodded in agreement. "I just worry that the decision he will make won't make him happy. I thought, if I am not destined for a happy life, I wished my siblings will at least be content on theirs. But at this rate, Guo will start resenting his life and will feel lonely with his choices. He will then have regrets. I wish Guo will live a regretless life. He is a good brother. He thinks of Cai and Han a lot."
"You are both good," I said.
"How can I help him? Aside from taking the responsibility of being the Crown Prince?" Jin asked. Genuinely concern for his brother.
"I don't know," I gave him an honest answer. "You cannot start acting spontaneously and recklessly towards your brother, my Prince. You are both in a delicate positioning in your family. It will raise suspicions and it will just put you and Prince Guo in harm. So I think, continuing to be careful is still the safest way to go,"
I want Jin to remain careful in his movements in the Palace. Soon, we will announce our engagement, until then, I don't want unnecessary attention on my Prince that can jeapordize his safety.
Acting recklessly to help Prince Guo will just invite unnecessary attention to Jin.
I know I am not being fair to Prince Guo, and I am being selfish in wanting to protect the Prince I love but this is our situation now. Jin's safety matters to me more than Prince's Guo's desire for happiness.
"I think you are right," Jin gave me a small smile. He gently squeeze my hand he is holding, "Thank you, Hua. For being beside me. I wish Guo will have someone who will also stay beside him like you do for me."
"Everyone deserve understanding and love, my Prince. The gods will not let Prince Guo go without love in his life. He will also find someone to stay beside him. Don't worry too much," I told him. Jin nodded before we continued walking behind Dao, Yong and Manchu who are still arguing over something I will never understand.
Boys and their senseless arguments.
.........................
(PRINCE GUO)
I have to do it. I at least have to try to reason with my mother.
I know I will fail to convince my mother to give up her desire to put me in the Crown Prince throne but I at least have to try to make her listen to me.
I don't want that title. I don't want it. It will not give me happiness. And if I will not voice out what is in my heart, time will come that it will be too late for me to protest as my life will be dictated by my mother and grandfather.
That is not a life I want. I don't want to be a mindless puppet for the Empress and the First Minister. I want to control my own life.
And telling my mother what I really want, or didn't want, will be a start.
I took a deep breath before turning to the hallway leading to the Empress' main chamber when I stopped and saw from an open window that my mother and grandfather are in the Yin inner garden.
The Yin inner garden is the personal garden of the Empress. It's between the Ladies' Pavilion and the Royal Bath house for women. It's a lush garden being carefully managed by my mother who loves trees and orchids.
I look around the empty hallway and decided to slip behind a long thick curtain beside the window. Directly under the window is my mother and grandfather talking. I can hear their conversation quite well as they are not whispering at all. Why whisper when all the servants in this place is loyal to my mother and her family, personally handpicked by the First Minister himself.
"I chanced upon a meeting with the Head Council last night. I think the Emperor is playing a game with all of us," my grandfather said.
"What do you mean, Baba?" My mother asked.
"The letter given to you with an instruction to keep Guo safe was also given to General Wang. A letter saying General Wang needs to keep Prince Jin safe as well..."
I frowned, General Wang also received an instruction from the Emperor to keep my older brother safe?
My mother gasped, "That sly General Wang. He didn't double Prince Jin's security..."
"Prince Jin is with Wang Dao most of the time. The rumor about General Wang's son's talent in sword handling is making the round in the military barracks where General Wang once took his son to practice. Wang Dao is the added security for Prince Jin. He is not a mere chaperone." The First Minister said in a clipped tone.
My mother let out an angry snort. "Will that family continue to be a problem for us, Baba? I am starting to hate them. I don't think I can take it if Prince Jin does marry that Wang bitch. Imagine, that family will be connected to us." The Empress is close to snarling like a baited tigress.
"Stop worrying about the Wangs." My grandfather snarled back. "We should focus ourselves in getting rid of Prince Jin. Everything is now set. Once our plan succeeded, Prince Jin will be out of Guo's way and your son will be the Crown Prince and the next Emperor of this Kingdom."
"When will this plan commence, Baba? And please tell me that this time it will work. The last time we attacked Prince Jin, he didn't even get a scratch. Twenty five mercenaries and that stupid boy got away alive and free. I thought it would at least end his courtship with General Wang's daughter but that also failed. How many times will we fail before we can get rid of that boy once and for all?" The Empress' tone is getting louder. "I am starting to think that I should have gone through with my plan before to poison that Prince Jin when he was still knee high. Now that he is a grown up, he makes all these problems for us."
I close my eyes in despair as I listen to my mother's words of wanting to hurt a little boy just for gain.
Is she...this evil?
And what attack was she talking about? Was Prince Jin's strange behavior a few months ago was because someone tried to kill him? An attack happened to him? And that attack was orchestrated by my mother and grandfather?
How dare them...hurt a Prince? A first born Prince! Prince Jin is Imperial Blood. Our blood!
My hands fisted as I slowly slinked out behind the curtain. The hallway remained empty as I walk away from that window.
I have to warn Prince Jin. I have to get a word to him that his life is in danger.
But I stopped. If I said something to Prince Jin, how will I explain this danger in his life? Can I tell him that my mother and grandfather are scheming to kill him?
No! If I incriminate my mother, it will backfire to me and to my siblings. My mother and grandfather will be branded as traitors to the Imperial Family. And in turn, me, Cai and Han will be branded as children of traitors. We will get punished too.
Cai and Han. No! They must stay protected.
But Prince Jin. He is my brother too and he is in danger.
What should I do? What should I do?
I look around the Palace ground outside of the Empress Pavilion. Not seeing anything but the threat to me and to my siblings.
If I talk, if I warn Prince Jin, I will have to reveal my mother's treachery and put myself, Cai and Han in harm's way.
If I keep this to myself, Prince Jin might get hurt. Or else...this time my mother and grandfather's plans might succeed and they will manage to kill the first born Prince.
What should I do? What...
I don't know...
Please, anyone, help me.