One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

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Insert Chapter 2 – Treasure of My Heart

When the crown prince was five years old, he learned that the year he was born into the world, the various dukes, marquis, and high-level officials had suspected a mutiny within the imperial palace. The emperor’s reason of death was unclear, and he, the crown prince had also come into position under unclear circumstances. But he was being viewed unjustly as well. The empress at the time had no children of her own, and so, she selected the youngest imperial child to be the crown prince.

And hence, this became the perk that had simply fallen into his lap.

At five years old, he already understood this truth.

To not contend for, not rob, not seize, and not desire anything.

When Empress Dowager told him to walk, he would walk, and when she told him to stop, he would stop.

The crown prince was frail from sickness, and the medicines he had taken since he was young numbered more than the food he had partaken. At the empress dowager’s rebuke, he had had to stand one full day and night before the palace gates with a bowl of medicine cupped in his hands, not daring to move. Not allowed to move. Then, he had only been seven years old. He loved birds, and so, birds would die. He adored and yearned for the fish swimming in the waters, so from age seven to sixteen, he never saw another fish. The power to give life or death, including this lowly little person’s life, was held in the hands of the woman who called herself, “Empress Dowager.”

Gradually, he learned to not long for any living thing.

Until he saw her portrait painting.

The daughter of the Cui family of Qinghe –– Shi Yi.

Her features were clean and delicate, but they were nothing more than clean and delicate. The two eunuchs attending by his side bowed and informed him in a low voice, “Imperial Highness, this is your future crown princess.” He looked at the young girl in the portrait, who was merely ten years old and, with brush in hand, was painting.

She was the only gift he had ever been bestowed.

A feeling of wild elation filled him, but he dared not show it.

Since that day, every month, he would receive a painting of her as well as a written record of her each day.

She did not have the ability of speech and only enjoyed reading and painting. The books she read encompassed all varieties of subject matters, and some were very interesting and entertaining. When she painted, she was only willing to paint lotus flowers. Lotus flower? What could be so good about the lotus flower? Perhaps this was an interest of a young girl. He did not understand, nor did he need to understand.

But her lotus flowers were painted very beautifully, indeed.

Each time, he tried to copy, to recreate her paintings, but he was unable to capture their essence.

Shi Yi. Eleven.

Amid the disciples of the Xiao Nanchen Prince’s manor, she occupied merely the eleventh position. That year when she was seven years old, she had entered the manor and had been treated unkindly. Unable to speak, she could only be submissive and yielding. Later, she had often hidden herself in the library tower, and for an entire day at a time, her presence would not be seen. Was she also like him, averse to sharing her heart with other people?

That is no matter. In the future, you will be the most respected and honored woman in this palace. If you do not want to share your heart with other people, then there will only be you and me. I will never treat you unkindly.