Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter XI - The Puppy Comparison (Revised)

The Eighth Bei'Le didn't speak to me during the journey back to the palace. It had been a week since we were back to the Forbidden City. The Autumn's sky was always gloomy, just like my heart. One day, when I was waiting for the rain to stop in a pavilion, I bumped into the wicked Gorolo Ming Hui, her eight-year-old son, and her sister. Pussycat was still pumping up her breasts and pouting her lips as usual. For gods' sake, she would never change. Unwillingly, I greeted them. The situation left me with no choice. I would rather be stricken by lightning than staying under the same roof with them. I prepared to leave when the little boy spoke.

"Mother, why does this servant look alike Aunt Ruo Lan?"

Pussycat answered with a smirk, "They are sisters so they will definitely look alike, Hong Wang."

The little boy frowned and roared in anger suddenly. Dashing to me, he kicked my ankle. "You and Aunt Ruo Lan always bully Mother. You bully her, so I will bully you back."

I bit my lip in anger. A little boy wouldn't know how to utter such sharp words without being mentored by an adult. How dare Wicked Witch twist the reality and blot Ruo Lan's image in front of her own son? However, despite my fury, I acted calmly. Forcing a smile, I said, "It seems that both of you really don't have an errand for me, so I am leaving."

"Sister, I told you, she is illiterate and does not know anything about etiquette," said Pussycat. "Even her sister has to speak humbly before you. But look at her. She is just a tea servant."

I glared at Pussycat, swearing to myself that one day I would tear off her rotten tongue, but now I had to remain calm. Whatever action I did now would affect Ruo Lan. Without uttering a word, I turned to leave when Wicked Witch called after me.

"Stay right there! Who had allowed you to leave?"

"You must be making a huge mistake," I leered at her. "Even though my status is low, I am not your staff. I report to Herald Lee, the emperor's direct Eunuch. If you want to reprimand me, I will suggest you wrap up your effort and notify Herald Lee instead. He will have his own way to punish me. In my opinion, it seems that you want to use this opportunity to privately--"

Wicked Witch and Pussycat were staring at me venomously as I spoke but suddenly they bowed and greeted someone behind me, "Good day, Fourth Prince."

I turned around and saw Ice Face. His brows furrowed until they became a thick pencil that was about to break apart. I greeted him before asking for leave. He granted it with a stiff nod, though I could see the corner of his lips twitched in apprehension. Wicked Witch and Pussycat looked disappointed. They thought Ice Face would reprimand me but they were wrong.

Before I stepped down the pavilion, I held Wicked Witch's eyes. "Why would you always secretively bully a woman who spends most of her time reading Buddha's scriptures and has no intention to even share a husband with you? Do you enjoy being such a hypocrite person?"

Wicked Witch didn't dare retaliate at Ice Face's presence, so I had gained a victory at this round. But the triumph wasn't long-lasting. My wrath intensified as the raindrops pelted my skin. The next day, I related the story to the Eighth Bei'Le. As I couldn't stay beside Ruo Lan, I had to make sure that Wicked Witch got my point -- No one could hurt my sister even when I wasn't around.

The Eighth Bei'Le's expression turned sullen. His eyes fell into creased slits. With a voice like an erupting volcano, he roared, "Hong Wang is just a child. I did hear him saying that he disturbed Ruo Lan sometimes, but Ruo Lan never mentioned her misery to me. But you, look at you, you talk to me as if I was the one who had committed the mistake."

"He's your only child but you shouldn't defend him. I don't care about your love towards him. I just don't wish someone using a boy to bully my sister. Please educate him."