Ying Lili applied the white powdered medicine over the bruises on Sheng Li's fingers. "They might be talking about us. What kind of wife does the Crown Prince have? Making him work in the kitchen!" Ying Lili muttered as she gently dabbed a small cotton pad on the bruises.

  "They do not have the audacity to talk behind my back. I can do anything I want to," Sheng Li asserted. Ying Lili lifted her eyes.

  "They do talk behind your back. I think they might have even noticed us fighting," Ying Lili softly said and put the cotton pad inside the wooden first-aid box.

  "I told you to fight with me in the chamber, but you were so angry that you wanted to fight in front of everyone," asserted Sheng Li.

  "Then you should have taken me here," Ying Lili stated.

  "But if I had done that then, I am afraid, I would have been thrown out of the Palace by your hands," proclaimed Sheng Li and slightly laughed.

  "How can I do that with the Crown Prince?" Ying Lili queried, putting the wooden box aside.

  "Only you have the power to do this," Sheng Li pronounced and grabbed a few of her hair strands. "Why do you always go to the garden when you either get angry or sad?" Sheng Li questioned.

  "My feet took me there," replied Ying Lili.

  "Then, shall I shift my chamber to the garden?" Sheng Li asked as he looked back into her eyes. Ying Lili smiled but did not reply.

  "Leave my hair," stated Ying Lili and laid back on the bed. She rested her right elbow on the pillow and put her entire weight on it. Sheng Li's lips moved slightly up thus, a smile formed on them. He moved towards Ying Lili and rested himself behind her.

  His hand rested on her belly as he pulled her closer to him. Ying Lili tilted her head and found a different kind of gaze in Sheng Li's eyes. "Don't you have any work to do? Are you skipping work?" Ying Lili asked.

  "Why do you care about my work? When we spend time together, then we should not talk about my work. And, I am not skipping my work," whispered Sheng Li. His lips touched Ying Lili's earlobe, who closed her eyes. Their fingers intertwined with each other.

  "We did not make any plans for tomorrow," hearing these words Sheng Li leaned back and made Ying Lili rest on her back.

  "I have told Wang Hao to prepare the dresses for us. We need to go out late at night so that we can enter the palace tomorrow from the Fu Imperial Gates," Sheng Li pronounced.

  "Are we going from that secret route to the forest and then will stay there in that house for a night?" Ying Lili questioned.

  "No. Not the forest. It will take a lot of time in the morning to return to the Palace . We will be staying in a house, near the market. I have talked with Xing-Fu and told him that if anybody asks about us in the late evening then, he needs to tell them that we are staying for a night in our private residence. I'll tell the Court Lady Xu the same,"? Sheng Li answered.

  "We need to find the mastermind behind her at all costs. Once we will find him, then many things can become easier for us," Ying Lili opined.

  "Hmm." "Even Lei Wanxi will be near to help us in the time of emergency," proclaimed Sheng Li. "Ahh, I forgot to tell you something important," He stated.

  Ying Lili looked at him with inquisitiveness.

  "Hu Jingguo has safely reached Juyan and has sent a message for you," asserted Sheng Li.

  Ying Lili's eyes glistened upon hearing that. "What kind of message has he sent?" Ying Lili asked.

  "I do not know. It's on the scroll which is in my room. He has urged me not to open the scroll. That little rat! He has received special privileges because of his friend," Sheng Li complained.

  Ying Lili giggled seeing how Sheng Li was whining over that. "So, you also wanted a letter from him? I did not know that the Crown Prince also misses his presence," stated Ying Lili.

  "I do not miss him. Why would I?" Sheng Li chuckled and called Court Lady Xu in, who in a few seconds came there.

  "There is a scroll in my chamber. Bring that here," Sheng Li told her, who bowed and left. Sheng Li turned his gaze back to Ying Lili and saw how happy she had turned, hearing Hu Jingguo's name.

  Sheng Li laid down on Ying Lili's lap which astonished her. "I am wondering what is special in Hu Jingguo. Whenever I take his name, my wife becomes happy," Sheng Li muttered.

  "He is my childhood friend and the only person from Juyan whom I can communicate with even after my marriage. You should not be jealous of him," Ying Lili affirmed.

  "I am not jealous of him," Sheng Li immediately replied.

  "Accept that you are jealous! Everyone knows how jealous you are when I talk about Hu Jingguo," Ying Lili proclaimed and huffed.

  "You all are in illusion then," Sheng Li pronounced and closed his eyes. Ying Lili grazed her finger over Sheng Li's cheek. "I asked Hu Jingguo how to remove the scars of old wounds. The paste will be ready by tomorrow and then I will apply that medicine over the wound on your chest," asserted Ying Lili.

  "There's no need to do that. That wound shall be there to remind me about my aim," Sheng Li affirmed.

  "No. You will not forget your aim if the wound disappears. Didn't I tell you that I will be the medicine of your wounds? I do not want you to recall the memories of those people who don't have any place in your life." Sheng Li opened his eyes and met the gaze of Ying Lili.

  "Okay. Do whatever you feel is good for me," Sheng Li stated.

  The two were interrupted by the voice of Court Lady Xu. "Your highness, I have brought the scroll." She had lowered her head and was standing near the second door.

  "Leave it over the table there," Sheng Li ordered. Court Lady Xu nodded and left the scroll on the table. Sheng Li stood up and brought the scroll for Ying Lili.

  Handing it to her, he said, "Read it loudly. I want to know what kind of message he wants to share that he did not even let me look at."

  Ying Lili took the scroll from him. "But it's between two friends," Ying Lili asserted.

  "My memory is sharp, Lili! The other day you two told me that I am also your friend so, you shall share it with me as well. If you won't read then, I will check myself," Sheng Li stated.

  "Okay. I will read it out loud," Ying Lili proclaimed. Ying Lili opened the scroll and started reading the message.

  "Dear friend,

  I have safely reached Juyan city"

  "Wait! Why is he calling you dear? I told him to call you the Crown Princess! Next time when I meet him, I am going to beat him," Sheng Li said annoyingly.

  "But this is a personal message. Why are you sulking? I won't read it further if you keep acting like this," Ying Lili threatened Sheng Li who apologized to her and told her to continue reading.