A Plum Blossom

Chapter 25

It has been a week since that day, and Li Mei had told her husband what she'd seen along with the paper she read. Yusheng was shocked the moment he heard everything.

That place she mentioned, was built just a few months before the Ha Family tragedy.

The two sat down across from one another in his chambers as they spoke of it. He now had all his books and scrolls in his palace since that once secret room of his wasn't anymore. The woman he also found, has also been buried with a proper funeral not too long ago.

"So, you think that missing page is down there?" she questioned.

He nodded at her words.

"And why do you think so?"

"That information you told me, I didn't even know of it and may lead to others."

She gave a pondered expression. "That's true."

A frown came upon his face as his hand reached to mess up her hair before pulling away.

As usual, she'd let him do this and after would pat her frizzy parts down.

"I've been wondering for a while." she spoke.

"Mm?"

"Are you and your brother alright? The two of you seemed, I don't know, awkward?"

His gaze looked elsewhere for a moment as if to avoid her eyes. However, her eyes always found them despite that.

"Actually we had a small fight." he admitted.

"Go on."

He sighed heavily.

"We've had one before, but just a while ago during a court meeting, an official spoke about how the case of the Ha Family should be looked into once more."

Hearing her family name, made her chest ache. The part that hurt her most was the death of her brother, Ha Xueqin. She couldn't protect him and to this day, feels it is her fault when it wasn't.

His eyes focused on her expression but said nothing of it and continued.

"My brother said there isn't a reason to even do so as it is a 'wretched' name and that 'we mustn't ever talk of that family.'" a growl seemed to followed.

Just remembering that day still made his blood boil with fury. Moreover, Yusheng knew that if Ha Lee were to hear her ex-fiancé saying that, it would cause her sadness. He knew how much he meant to her and if she ever heard him, she'd break down once again because of him.

He hated how his brother never took her side. She was alone in this foreign place and always ignored her whenever they passed each other by.

The 3rd prince had to watch it all but couldn't say anything as he was only a concubine's son. He wasn't acknowledged by the palace until later when everyone then feared him with utmost respect.

"That's harsh of him to say." her expression rather calm.

Her husband was quite surprised that she wasn't so disturbed by those words.

"I believe she isn't so sad anymore." voicing her inner thoughts.

"I'm sure her heart has already let go of him. The life she led was a pitiful one indeed but I'm sure at the end of it all, she wouldn't be so hurt by him any longer. Her heart would be set somewhere else." speaking the truth.

Ha Lee's heart was truly set somewhere else. What she didn't know was where it was exactly.

A quiet chuckle came from his lips. As usual, her attention always fell on him, even when he didn't ask for it.