Chapter 248 - Forgive Me
Ying Lili arrived at the manor of the Crown Prince. Xing-Fu bowed and greeted her. "The Crown Prince is waiting for her highness," Xing-Fu said.
"Send the meals in, Eunuch Xing-Fu," Ying Lili stated, and walked in. She saw Sheng Li was lying on the bed. As he saw her, he immediately sat up and asked her to come to him.
"What happened?" Ying Lili queried as she sat beside him on the mattress.
"What did Brother Jian talk about with you yesterday?" Sheng Li's sudden question bewildered Ying Lili.
"Why are you asking this now? Aren't we done talking about this?" Ying Lili asked.
"We are not. Now, answer my question," Sheng Li asserted.
"Nothing much. I just thanked him again for helping us there," Ying Lili vaguely replied to Sheng Li. Two maidservants came there with trays in their hands; their eyes were lowered and set the table for lunch. "Let's have lunch," Ying Lili told Sheng Li and stood up.
"Are you lying to me?" Sheng Li questioned. "I told you to be truthful to me," he continued. The maidservants walked out from there after setting the table.
"Why would I lie to you?" Ying Lili questioned.
"Because you do not want to tell me what the First Prince told you! Did he confess his feelings to you? Didn't I tell you not to talk with him?" Sheng Li turned furious. Ying Lili wanted to keep herself calm but seeing how childish the Crown Prince was acting at that moment made her infuriated.
"Sheng Li, I cannot ignore the presence of the First Brother just because you told me to. You shall change your perception towards people," Ying Lili affirmed.
Upon hearing the words of Ying Lili, Sheng Li knitted his brows and got down from the bed. "Lili, don't you know he has eyes on you? Do you expect me to keep quiet seeing him flirting with my wife who is not bothered about this?" Sheng Li blurted out.
Ying Lili had not expected that Sheng Li would say something like that. He realized that he said something wrong to Ying Lili, who had tears in her eyes. Ying Lili turned and walked away when Sheng Li told her to stop, but she did not.
He walked behind her to stop her, but she had gone out. Xing-Fu and Court Lady Xu saw the angry face of the Crown Princess. Xing-Fu was going to speak when Ying Lili walked away. Court Lady Xu ran after the Crown Princess.
Sheng Li had come out of his chamber and asked Xing-Fu about Ying Lili. "Her highness did not tell where she was going," Xing-Fu replied. Sheng Li headed to Zhenzhu Inn to apologize to Ying Lili, but he did not find her there.
"Where did she go?" He wondered and clenched his fist. Punching the wooden pillar beside him, he returned to his chamber.
Ying Lili had gone to the Palace garden and was sitting under a tree in front of the lake. "Your highness, what happened? You suddenly left the manor of the Crown Prince. If such a thing goes out, rumors will grow. Let's go back," Court Lady Xu, who was standing a meter away from Ying Lili, tried to pacify her.
"I do not want to see his face," Ying Lili affirmed.
"Her highness shall not speak like this," Court Lady Xu said.
"Why? Who is he to say that I enjoy when someone flirts with me?" Ying Lili shouted in anger. "Forgive me, Court Lady Xu. Please leave me alone," Ying Lili said as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it off quickly and turned her face towards the lake.
Court Lady Xu stepped backward and let the Crown Princess calm herself down .
Ying Lili brought her knees together and rested her head on them. "I will not talk to him even if he cries in front of me," Ying Lili murmured.
Oppositely, Sheng Li was pacing in his chamber, waiting for Xing-Fu to tell him about the Crown Princess. "Where has he gone?" Sheng Li muttered, looking towards the door. He saw Xing-Fu coming in with hastened steps. "Your highness, the Crown Princess is in the garden. A few maidservants saw her highness going there," Xing-Fu informed Sheng Li.
"Why does she go to the garden every time she gets angry?" Sheng Li thought.
"His highness should not have gotten angry at the Crown Princess," Xing-Fu said in a low voice.
"I was not angry at her. I only said…'' he paused and heaved a sigh. "I know I made a mistake. Do not make me feel more guilty by making such a face," Sheng Li warned Xing-Fu.
"His highness can get angry at everyone but not at the Crown Princess. Why did his highness ask the Crown Princess not to talk with the First Prince? How can his highness say that her highness likes to… likes to…" Eunuch Xing-Fu paused.
"Xing-Fu, you know that I do not like it if anyone looks at her differently than me. I know that it's in her nature to be kind even to the enemies, but whenever she talks with the First Brother, it makes me feel insecure because I do not trust the First Brother," asserted Sheng Li
"His highness must prepare something for the Crown Princess which she will like," Xing-Fu advised the Crown Prince.
"I will prepare later. She did not even have her lunch. First, let me fetch her from the garden," Sheng Li stated and walked out of the chamber.
Soon, he reached the garden and saw Court Lady Xu was standing a few meters away from the tree. He walked to her, who was astonished to see him there. Sheng Li placed his forefinger on his lips, gesturing to the Court Lady to keep quiet who nodded. He then gestured to her to leave.
Court Lady Xu bowed and quietly walked away from there.
Sheng Li for a few seconds looked at Ying Lili who was sitting under the tree with her forehead resting on her knees. He walked to her and sat quietly beside her.
"Forgive me," Sheng Li said.