¡Qué ganas de sentir la brisa primaveral!

Capítulo 3

Alas, "beauty is a curse"—truly a profound truth.

~~ ...

Hai: The day before yesterday at Starbucks...

Narrator: Can't you go somewhere else?

Hai: ...The night before last, I was writing at Starbucks for about an hour. When I went upstairs, I saw a couple hugging each other tightly, silently... This place is never crowded. There were a few single customers next to me, looking calm, so I pretended to be calm too...

Narrator: I'm exposing you, you're faking it!

Hai: For an hour, they remained silent, embracing the entire time. They separated for a few seconds at a time, during which the woman wiped away a tear, exchanged a silent, choked-up glance with the man, and then hugged each other again...

Narrator: ...

Hai: When I left, they were still doing this. Please allow me to use two words: breathtaking and heartbreaking...

A fleeting interlude by Little Dragon Girl: Guo'er, are you so deeply in love with me?

Chapter 8

It was a rare occasion for me to visit the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The maids and servants were much more excited than I was. They frantically spread out my palace robes one by one to compare them, and even discussed which headdress suited me best. Just combing my hair took almost an hour. My back ached from sitting so long, and I finally couldn't take it anymore and slammed my fist on the table in anger.

"It's just a meal, why dress up so formally? Do you think those people are going to eat their food looking at me?"

The maids immediately knelt down, and the old nanny began her usual earnest advice, "Princess, this is a royal banquet for foreign dignitaries, not a private gathering. You must show those foreigners the elegance of a princess from our Celestial Empire. If you go casually, the Emperor will be displeased and blame us..."

I sighed. Every time the old nanny said, "The Emperor will blame us again," she would have a hard time controlling her emotions and would burst into tears. Although I didn't really care about those few tears, it was always troublesome to have someone crying around me, so I had to turn my head away and avoid seeing it.

Turning his head, he saw Ji Feng. He had also gone to change his clothes earlier and only appeared now. For the royal banquet, there was no rule to wear black. He had changed into a dark purple uniform, his hair was tied up, and there was a decorative ribbon on his forehead.

I was stunned, and gripping his drooping belt, I was overcome with grief once again.

Monsoon, do you have to be so dazzling? Taking you out like this, directly exposing you to my ravenous brothers and sisters, makes me extremely apprehensive.

Ji Feng didn't have mind-reading abilities, so he naturally couldn't understand the conflict in my heart. When the imperial eunuch came to invite me, I was surrounded by attendants and boarded the imperial carriage to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. In the rush, I didn't even have time to say a few words to him.

It was already late, and palace lanterns lit up one after another along the way. This imperial city had been built for more than a hundred years and had changed dynasties several times during that time, but it had not suffered any damage. On the contrary, it appeared even more magnificent. The corridors were winding and the eaves were high. The palace lanterns were bright, and the shadows of the trees along the roadside swayed. Wherever the imperial carriage went, everyone stopped and knelt down to call out "Your Highness, Princess."

The imperial carriage could not go any further as it approached the Hall of Supreme Harmony. I got out of the carriage and climbed the steps. The steps were high and steep, and I had to maintain the airs of an imperial princess, so it was a bit strenuous to walk. Ji Feng was walking behind me the whole time. When I was halfway up, I was panting and reached out to hold onto the railing. Suddenly, a fragrant breeze wafted by. It was Consort Rui, smiling at me with a radiant smile.

"What a special day it is today! Even our Princess Ping'an has come, and she's dressed so beautifully. The Emperor will surely be delighted to see her." After saying that, she pulled her daughter out from behind her. "Huining, quickly call her Princess Ping'an and come into the palace with her."

Huining was even more enthusiastic than her mother, rushing over to grab my hand, "Royal sister, let Huining help you upstairs."

Huining is several years older than me, but my brother and I have the advantage of being born to the Empress. One of us became the Crown Prince and the other the Eldest Princess. I feel bad that she has to call me "Elder Sister". She is tall and big. When she came over, it was like a dark cloud covering my head. I tried my best to stay calm so that I didn't take a step back. I still had to smile and answer her.

"No need, no need, I'll walk myself."

She pretended not to hear and her hand was already on his arm. Someone next to her reached out to block her, and her hand landed on that person's arm. Hui Ning's expression changed, her eyebrows stood up, and she was about to scold him, but she was stunned when she saw Ji Feng.

My expression changed too. Ji Feng was usually very cold to me, so I didn't know why he would suddenly act like this today. But I didn't have time to think about it, so I spoke up before Hui Ning could, "I said I'll go by myself."

Consort Rui smiled and smoothed things over, "Then we'll go upstairs first. See you at the banquet, Ping An."

Even after they had walked quite a distance, Huining still turned back to look this way as if by accident. I followed her gaze to look at Jifeng. The palace lanterns cast dappled shadows, making the expression on his face appear uncertain.

I looked around. Only the royal family could walk on the white jade steps. One after another, civil and military officials came up the stone steps on both sides. When they saw me, they naturally bowed and said "Your Majesty". I rarely showed my face, and I didn't recognize any of them. But when their eyes swept over Ji Feng, everyone showed a slightly strange look.

I took a breath, stretched out my hand, and simply said, "Ji Feng, I can't walk anymore."

He paused for a moment before bending down to pick me up. I knew the journey wasn't long, and I would have to let him put me down when we reached the palace gate. But my body moved on its own, and my hands were already around his neck. Then I thought about it and raised my hands a little higher. His wide robe sleeves covered most of his face.

~~ ...

Hai: I also want to eat a pound of beef. Ping An, shall we go eat it in a couple of chapters?

Ping An: Bah, would I take you with me?

Chapter 9

The hall was brightly lit, and everyone else had already arrived. I walked in by myself. The threshold was too high, and the skirt of my palace dress was too long, so I was very careful when I entered. I looked up and saw that the seats were already full. My father, of course, was sitting in the head seat, dressed in gold, looking majestic and dignified. My brother was also there. He smiled when he saw me, and when he saw Ji Feng behind me, he smiled even more broadly. He came over and pulled me to sit next to him.

My brother didn't come alone; he even brought his little nephew. When I walked over, my nephew seemed to have some psychological trauma from me, gripping the chopsticks on the edge of his bowl warily, his round eyes looking quite adorable.

Poor thing, he had no mother. His mother died early, and his elder brother never appointed another crown princess. It wasn't that his elder brother was following in his father's footsteps and was devoted to his wife. It was mainly because the men in our family were cursed to have wives. We had several crown princesses, and they all died soon after. Tianheng was born after struggling to give birth to the last short-lived crown princess. At that time, a wave of families rushing to marry off their daughters swept through the court, all for fear that my father would choose another one to give to my elder brother. Fortunately, my elder brother was sensible and knelt down to beg my father to say that he did not want to appoint any more concubines in recent years, and temporarily spared those terrified young ladies.

Whenever I think of this, I reach out to hug Tianheng, regardless of whether he struggles. Tianheng doesn't usually like me hugging him, but today, being in the main hall, he didn't dare to struggle or run away, so I hugged him tightly. I was very satisfied and sat down next to my elder brother with him in my arms. I even asked him, "How's your arithmetic practice going? Are you holding your chopsticks waiting for me to test you? Tianheng is really eager to learn, very good."

The imperial guard who was shaving bamboo skewers stood behind my elder brother, and Ji Feng was already in position. The two of them stood side by side. I suddenly felt someone watching me, assuming it was Ji Feng, so I turned around, but he was just staring straight ahead without looking to either side. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at the imperial guard. The lamplight illuminated the table, and the two of them stood in the shadows. My elder brother was very picky about the appearance of the people around him, and this guard was certainly handsome, with a dashing and manly face. But standing next to Ji Feng, I naturally couldn't be bothered to look at him much.

The envoy from the Mo Kingdom entered the palace, knelt before the emperor, and presented state gifts. My purpose today was to watch the spectacle, so I kept my eyes glued to the screen. There were two envoys from the Mo Kingdom. The one in front was the crown prince of the Mo Kingdom, with dark skin, deep-set eyes, a high nose, and thick, dark eyelashes that made it difficult to see his eyes. Behind him followed a giant, muscular man, who was also dark-skinned.

The two of them standing under the lamplight looked like an overturned inkstone box. I found it amusing and thought to myself, no wonder they are from the Mo Kingdom, they truly live up to their name.

After my father exchanged a few polite words, the banquet began. Royal songs and dances filled the hall with music and vibrant colors. I was enjoying the show when I turned my head and saw my elder brother looking listless. Even my little nephew, who had climbed off me, seemed uninterested, probably tired of watching. I couldn't help but feel annoyed.

It turns out that I'm the only one who's never seen the world, which is very hurtful to my self-esteem.

After a round of singing and dancing, the Emperor raised a cup to the Crown Prince of Mo and asked him what he thought of the performance. I also looked in that direction with a smug look.

The country of Mo is located in a remote area, and its people live a nomadic life. They must have never seen such a magnificent and luxurious reception before. Most of them would be stunned and speechless, not knowing what kind of praise to use.

The crown prince stood up, raised his cup, and answered his father.

"The songs and dances of the Celestial Empire are indeed wonderful. This has broadened my horizons. Such songs and dances are not found in my country."

The Emperor smiled and nodded, "So what do you usually do for entertainment in your country's palace?"

“We have gladiators who fight in pairs for entertainment.”

"Oh?" The Emperor showed an expression of great interest. "That sounds quite special."

The Crown Prince of Mo smiled and said, "The person beside me is the number one warrior of our country. If the Emperor of the Celestial Empire is interested, we can let everyone have a look now."

The emperor immediately granted his request, and the burly man stepped out from behind the crown prince of the Mo Kingdom and stood in the center of the hall, his imposing figure appearing even more striking under the lamplight.

“A gladiatorial contest requires two people. Please send one opponent from your country,” the Crown Prince of the Mo Kingdom said again. His father nodded, and a moment later, a royal guard entered and stood face to face with the burly man.

The drums sounded, fierce as the wind. The imperial guards took up their positions, but the Mo Kingdom warrior remained motionless. All was quiet. Suddenly, amidst the drumbeats, he roared like thunder, his massive body leaping up like a dark cloud. I was startled, my body jolted. I looked again and saw the guard caught off guard, already grabbed by his hands. The two were vastly different in size. The guard tried to fight back hastily, but it was too late. In an instant, he was lifted high and, with a loud shout, slammed heavily to the ground, unable to move for a long time.

Everyone in the hall paled, except for the Crown Prince of Mo. The drumbeats stopped, and all was silent. There was a faint sound behind me, and I couldn't help but turn around. I saw that the imperial guard standing behind my brother had his fists clenched.

No one spoke until the last sound was the Emperor's laughter, "The warriors of the Ink Kingdom are indeed formidable, but the fight was too rushed just now. I see everyone is still enjoying it. I wonder if we could have another match?"

The Crown Prince of Mo naturally agreed. His father no longer summoned the imperial guards, and his gaze fell straight down to the corner where I was sitting.

I knew something was wrong, and a chill ran through my body. Before I could even look up to meet my father's face, I heard his voice, "This time, let the eldest princess's guards go. Ping An, what do you think?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hai: These past two days, as soon as I got home, I turned on the TV and DVD player and started watching The Four Great Constables...

Narrator: You've fallen...

Hai: Waaah, I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning and didn't write a single word, so I didn't update yesterday. Today I received Xiaoyu's sample copy, and I finally remembered that I'm a writer...

P.S.: Fish has already gone public during the financial crisis and is available on Dangdang, Amazon China, and in bookstores. If you buy it online, please leave a comment and rate it. Thank you so much!

Chapter 10

The main hall was brightly lit, and Ji Feng stood in the bright light, as if his whole body was shining. But for the first time, I found it too dazzling to look at.

The Crown Prince of Mo stood up again. I had thought he was somewhat interesting before, but now I was filled with anger and couldn't help but glare at him. He must have noticed my gaze, because he turned his eyes to meet mine. There was a faint light under his thick eyelashes, but I couldn't see his eyes clearly.

The glance passed in an instant; before I could even slam my fist on the table, the Crown Prince of Mo had already spoken without the slightest pause.

"There are several forms of gladiatorial combat. Previously, there was unarmed combat, and now there is also combat with weapons. I wonder if any of you here would be interested in watching?"

He asked everyone present. After hearing this, I wanted to stand up and say, "I don't want to see." But my shoulders slumped, and when I turned around, I saw my brother, who was smiling and shaking his head at me.

Everyone in the room was completely focused, and no one noticed my reaction. However, this delay allowed my father to grant permission. There are rules in the palace that the guards of princes and princesses are not allowed to carry weapons when entering the main hall. Outside the hall, another imperial guard came in, drew his sword, and handed it to Ji Feng.

Knowing that all was lost, I sighed inwardly. But then I saw that everyone around me had bright eyes, even my little nephew. I knew what they were looking at, and I was filled with unease. But my gaze was already uncontrollable, and we all looked toward the center of the hall.

I dislike Ji Feng the most when he holds a sword. It's not that his sword-wielding posture is unattractive; Ji Feng is handsome and looks striking no matter what. But when he picks up a sword, he seems like a completely different person. The sword is like a drawn weapon, radiating sharpness and exuding a subtle killing intent that seems to fill the magnificent hall, causing everyone's eyes to widen in alarm.

The elder brother clapped his hands lightly and exclaimed in admiration, "I never expected to witness Ji Jialang's swordsmanship. Ping An, you must watch closely later. Today's banquet is truly worthwhile."

"Ji Jialang?" I resented my elder brother for stopping me from stopping this gladiatorial contest, yet I couldn't help but ask.

My elder brother smiled, leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Ping An, do you know that Ji Feng comes from a military family? At the age of fifteen, he fought alongside his father and brothers on the frontier. He fought on the battlefield, picking off enemy generals and unhorsing them from among thousands of soldiers. He never lost a single battle. The Ji family’s illustrious reputation is known throughout the world.”

Who in the world doesn't know... am I a ghost?

But I was so surprised that I forgot about my brother's grammatical error. Remembering the expressions on the officials' faces when they saw Ji Feng, I finally understood the reason for their strange looks. I gasped and glared at him, asking, "But you said three hundred and twenty-seven..."

The elder brother's eyes crinkled into a smile, his laughter becoming even more boundless. "That's right, all 327 members of the Ji family, from the oldest to the youngest, are currently imprisoned at the lowest level of the Heavenly Prison, except for him." He then pointed a finger directly into the hall and sighed, "It's a pity he used a sword. Ping An, you don't know how the Ji family's sons lined up in front of the battle lines, spears in hand, charging into the enemy ranks when Father Emperor personally led the army. It was truly a sight to behold, a sight that could change the very face of the world, a sight that no one could withstand."

He spoke with great enthusiasm, but all I could do was cry. I knew everyone in my family was abnormal, but I never imagined it had come to this. I was trapped in that small courtyard day after day, the days and nights passing by. I never knew that my dynasty was so inexplicably chaotic. Suddenly, I heard the sound of drums, more intense and urgent than before. I knew that this duel was inevitable, but it felt like a huge rock was pressing down on my chest. My mind was in chaos, a thousand thoughts swirling around me, and in my haste, I could only grasp one.

The thought was, I must stop this fight, no matter what.

Much later, when I looked back on that time, I realized how foolish that thought was. Ji Feng had been famous throughout the world for years, and as the descendant of a renowned general forged in bloodshed, he naturally wouldn't care about such a trivial matter. But at that time, I couldn't think of that at all. I only felt that if I let this scene continue, I would never be able to face him with equanimity again. This resentment came on strong, making me forget everything around me and act only on my intuition.

However, stopping this fight was an impossible task.

My first thought was to plead with my father. He has always favored me, and no matter how big the matter, I can get it over with by nagging him a few times. This has led to my habit of acting recklessly in the palace. If he still refuses, I'll just burst into tears. According to my nanny, my mother used to cry over trivial matters, which always made my father lose his temper and surrender. I look like my mother, although we're not the same person, but I think it should have some effect.

But by then the drums had already sounded, and I figured I wouldn't have enough time to get to my father's side. Besides, we were in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with all the officials and the foreign prince watching. If I failed, wouldn't I lose face big time?

Losing face is absolutely unacceptable. Now that things have come to this, I can only achieve my wish by doing something even more shameful than losing face. I glanced at Ji Feng one last time amidst the drumbeats, gritted my teeth, stomped my foot, cried out "Ouch!", rolled my eyes back, and fell backward to the sky.

...

Hai: Peace, I'm holding you.

Ping An: Get lost...you stepmother!

Chapter 11

The drums resounded in the main hall, and everyone was focused on the Ji Feng and the Mo Kingdom warriors facing off in the hall. The drums were like the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers. My voice was barely louder than a cat whose foot had been stepped on. When I fell, the only person disturbed was my little nephew Tian Heng, who was right next to me.