Ying Lili grabbed their arms to stop them. "Brother Wanxi, please leave the grip on Princess Lin's hair," Ying Lili requested him.

  "Sister Lili, tell her to leave me first," Lei Wanxi stated and screamed again. Their fight became so intense that they both pushed Ying Lili. She fell on the ground, and the jade bangle cut her wrist while her palm got bruised.

  "Both of you stop!" Sheng Li's voice roared. "Now." His voice was enough to threaten the two. Upon hearing the loud voice of the Crown Prince, both Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin loosened their grips from each other's hair.

  Jian Guozhi, Yongzheng, and Rong Zemin had also come there with the Crown Prince after hearing the loud noises of Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin.

  Sheng Li went to Ying Lili and helped her in standing up…… Lei Wanxi stepped ahead as he found that because of him the Crown Princess got hurt. "I will break your legs if you take even a step," Sheng Li warned Lei Wanxi, who immediately took his step back.

  "Are you fine?" Sheng Li asked as he checked her hands. Ying Lili did not want him to know about the injuries she got so quickly pulled her hands back. "I am fine," Ying Lili said with a smile.

  Sheng Li grasped her left hand and pulled her sleeve up. "How dare you two hurt the Crown Princess in your useless play?" Sheng Li shouted at them as he saw the blood on Ying Lili's wrist.

  Rong Zemin could not control his laugh. "Brother Wanxi, you got beaten by a woman," Rong Zemin stated and giggled. Lei Wanxi narrowly gazed at Zhu Lin and glared at her.

  "It's a minor cut. Nothing more," Ying Lili told Sheng Li and pushed her sleeve down, who frowned. He turned his gaze towards Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin.

  "How can you act this way?" Sheng Li got furious at them. Lei Wanxi lowered his head because of the guilt and shame.

  "I sincerely apologize to the Crown Princess." Zhu Lin lowered her head. Ying Lili tried to speak but Sheng Li did not let her.

  "You two will get punished for creating ruckus in the Palace and also not respecting the Crown Princess," Sheng Li announced.

  Lei Wanxi raised his head. "Brother Sheng, I did not do anything. She is the one who threw her shoe at me. Ask the servants if I am lying," Lei Wanxi was still infuriated by Zhu Lin.

  "Look at this shoe of hers, Brother Sheng." Lei Wanxi pointed his index finger towards the ground. "She threw it at me. I urge you to punish her not me. When you were in the Northern Province, she hit me with a broomstick and then pushed me off the stairs. Brother Sheng, no one listened to me that time." Lei Wanxi briefed Sheng Li about the incidents with Zhu Lin due to which he did not like her a bit.

  Jian Guozhi came forward and told Lei Wanxi not to bring past things. "Crown Prince, forgive them this time," Jian Guozhi requested to Sheng Li. Ying Lili also agreed with Jian Guozhi and told Sheng Li not to punish them.

  "If there had been someone else instead of their places, I would have punished them without any single thought. They both shall act as per their age. This behavior was not expected from them, especially from you, Lei Wanxi." Sheng Li announced and scolded Wanxi, who confusedly looked at the Crown Prince.

  "You both will work in the dye house for one day and dye the clothes there. If I found you two fighting again, then be ready to get a more severe punishment than this," Sheng Li threatened them.

  "Princess Zhu Lin, is it true that you hit Wanxi with the broomstick and then pushed him off?" Sheng Li wanted to confirm.

  "That's because the Sixth Prince locked me in a storeroom, your highness. I was angry and ended up hitting him. I even apologized for my mistake and the Sixth Prince had forgiven me," Zhu Lin clarified her point in front of the Crown Prince while Lei Wanxi could not believe how good she could act. "I wonder why the Sixth Prince brought old things! I am ready to work in the dye house, your highness." Zhu Lin accepted her punishment.

  "I had forgiven you, but then again, you called me a dog. Brother Sheng, it is all her mistake," Lei Wanxi defended himself. He never once got punished, and today also, he would not.

  "I did not call you a dog. Do not cook things on your own." They both again started to argue.

  Sheng Li chuckled upon seeing how the two were fighting even after creating such a nuisance in the Palace. "You two will not stop this way, right?" They both heard Sheng Li and gulped.

  "Fine. After working in the dye house the next day, you two will work in the horse stable." Sheng Li announced the second punishment to both of them.

  "Brother, No. I cannot work in a stable. I am a Prince," Lei Wanxi protested.

  "This thing you have thought about before arguing again," Sheng Li menacingly said. Lei Wanxi stayed quiet as he understood if he would talk to more, the Crown Prince would turn furious.

  "Forgive me, Sister Lili. It was not intentional." Lei Wanxi was embarrassed.

  "Do not apologize, Brother Wanxi. I understand," Ying Lili said and looked at Zhu Lin, who was also in a mess.

  Lei Wanxi turned to leave when Sheng Li stopped him. "Your punishment has started, Wanxi." Sheng Li turned to look at a servant. He ordered him to take Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin to the dye house. "Tell the chief there that these two will work there. Other workers can take a day's rest. Keep a check on them. If they fight, inform me else you will be punished," Sheng Li commanded the servant, who bowed and accepted the command of the Crown Prince.

  "Come with me," Sheng Li told Ying Lili, and the two left, followed by the other Princes.

  Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin glared at each other as they set their respective hair. Though they did not say any word, the way they scowled at each other was enough to show that the two wanted to fight with each other badly. However, they could not do that.

  "Your highness," the servant in a meek voice said, grabbing their attention. "Please follow me this way," the servant humbly said. The two followed him quietly.

  ~~~~~

  Sheng Li brought Ying Lili to her chamber, where the Royal Physician had arrived already. He dressed the wound on Ying Lili's wrist and also applied the powdered ointment on the bruised palm.

  Sheng Li thanked the Royal Physician, who then left with Court Lady Xu.

  Ying Lili gazed at him with her pearly eyes, who told her to stop. "What did I do?" She huffed and averted her gaze.

  Her eyes fell on the bowl half-filled with bayberries. She picked the bowl and picked the lid from it.

  "I know you want me to forgive Princess Zhu Lin and Lei Wanxi," Sheng Li stated and sat on the mattress, facing Ying Lili.

  "But you will not forgive them," Ying Lili stated. She forwarded the bayberry towards him, who refused to eat. "It was only a minor cut, yet you got aggressive," Ying Lili said and ate the berry.

  "Because that minor cut was on you. Moreover, it was important to punish them. Xing-Fu had informed me about their behavior earlier. However, I let that go," Sheng Li affirmed.

  "You want them to get friendly. What if they ended up fighting again?" Ying Lili looked at Sheng Li with skepticism.

  "Lei Wanxi will refrain from doing that. He knows me well. I will punish him more if he fights with Princess Zhu Lin," Sheng Li asserted and looked at the bowl in her hand. "Did you not have breakfast?" Sheng Li asked.

  "I took my breakfast. These berries are tasty. Eat one." Ying Lili brought the bayberry near Sheng Li's lips, who opened his mouth. Ying Lili pushed the berry in his mouth. She curiously looked at him.

  "Hmm. It's good," Sheng Li replied.

  Ying Lili smiled and asked him if he wanted to eat more.

  "No, you shall eat," Sheng Li replied to her and looked at her lips. Ying Lili ate one and sucked the juice of it. She chewed it and opened her mouth to speak about the Royal Astrologer when Sheng Li kissed her.