Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter XIX - My Marriage Punishment (Revised)

A few days later, I sent a letter to Ice Face to invite him to meet me by the Lotus Lake. The ancients used to say: It felt like three Autumns had past when a couple didn't meet for a day. For me, I was watching three hundred decades soaring past my gloomy sky.

While I was leaning against a tree, rehearsing the words I would say to him, I heard a peaceful tempo of breathing coming from behind me. He breathed so slowly as if he didn't want to startle me. I turned around, and our gaze fell on one another. His eyes were filled with unspoken and indescribable difficulties. He seemed to have thousands of words to tell me, but he chose to keep his feelings to himself as unwise words might spoil the beautiful yet sorrow ambiance now.

Smiling feebly, I slurred, "I know I'm selfish, but now there's only our undelivered love that can help to preserve our memory. Though you can't marry me, I demand you not to forget me. At least, you can't forget me before I forget you. Have you memorized all my words?"

My words came out like a tumbling waterfall. I finished those lines without daring to heave a breath at the interval, scared that I might leave out a single word. When I was done talking, I hit his forehead with my knuckle. He always treated me like that, now was the time to repay him.

Despite my effort, tears still gurgled out of my eyes. I could see tears linger in his eyes as well. He nodded and pulled me towards him. This was such a weird kind of farewell. No farewell kiss, only lethal silence that killed all my hopes, imagination, and happiness. 

Ever since our parting, I led the days like zombies. Unlike me, the emperor was extremely energetic and he had even received great rewards when he went hunting one Summer day.

The Eighth Bei'Le tried to please him and had asked his man to send an eagle to congratulate him, as a metaphor of the emperor's valor, stealth, and power. The emperor laughed along with the ambassadors initially, but as he saw the eagle's droopy wings, his smile faded. He walked suspiciously towards it, his face creased into a frowning web of wrinkles. When he saw the eagle's eyes forming thin slits, bearing a dying look, he roared in anger. Without any mercy, he slapped the cage. The bird of prey gave an eerie screech and wriggled as if suffering a seizure before lying on the floor, unmoved. All of us knelt immediately to plead for forgiveness.

"How daring of him to have sent me a deceased creature! How daring of him to curse me!"

I frowned in deep thought. The Eighth Bei'Le might possess the gut of a jaguar, but I was certain that he wouldn't dare send a dead bird to his father, the great almighty emperor. That was like asking for death blatantly. Someone must've poisoned the eagle before it was given to the emperor. Who would be as sly as this? The Fourteenth Prince? The emperor favoured him so much lately. Was he a vicious person who wouldn't care to sacrifice his own brother in order to win the throne? He was the only one the Eighth Bei'Le trusted. The Eighth Bei'Le might be asking him to deliver the eagle to the emperor, and he... No, it couldn't be him.

Irked, the emperor didn't even give the Eighth Bei'Le a chance to explain. I was certain that he knew the Eighth Bei'Le was innocent, but he seized this opportunity to weaken his son's power. The Eighth Bei'Le had no choice but to pretend to be sick and hide in his own Residence. He could only save his life if he remained invisible. The emperor didn't even allow him to handle any state affairs, and he could no longer receive taxes from the commoners. In the modern tongue, this directly meant that the Eighth Bei'Le was fired from his job and he could only feed himself, his family and servants with whatever savings he had.

After a few days, the emperor's fury receded and he talked to me happily. "Ruo Xi, you have served me for a long period. Though you are the greatest maidservant I ever had, I cannot be so selfish to always keep you by my side. I am thinking of bestowing your marriage."

What! What if he bestows me to a prince that I don't like? No, he can't do that. I will never yield to one man's words. Please, let it be Ice Face. No matter how annoying he might be at times, he is the only man that I'm willing to wear the red gown and red shawl for. Please, let it be Ice Face.

The king laughed louder as if this was his own marriage. "Look how panic you are. I think that the Fourteenth Prince and you share lots of common interests. Both of your courage impress me. I have decided to make you his concubine. Kneel faster to receive this Order of Honour."

A jagged bolt of lightning struck down from the literally rolling black clouds above me. "Ruo Xi... Ruo Xi..." I knelt and bowed in front of him. "Ruo Xi... Ruo Xi is willing to accept-- No, Your Majesty. Ruo Xi is not willing to accept this marriage."

The emperor's face darkened. His eyes blazed like Zeus' Thunder-Bolt that could strike me to ashes in no time. "How dare you! Do you think that I adore you that you can keep disobeying my orders? Do you know that I can execute all of your family because of your refusal?"

"Ruo Xi's father has been a loyal general." Undaunting but still kneeling, I dragged my kneecaps and maneuvered towards the emperor. Anger and disappointment seemed to be the best lubricant that spurred me forward. "Ruo Xi's father guards the border of the Northwest since young and promises peace to the country. Ruo Xi is certain that Your Majesty will not punish the innocents because of a maidservant's marriage. You are a wise emperor."

"This is too much! Herald Lee, give my order to punish her with twenty beats on the back and demote her to the Laundry Department. From today onwards, the Chief Maidservants Ma'ertai Ruo Xi is only a maid who will wash all the eunuch's clothes."

I was told to change to the thinnest attire and was being brought to a cold stone chamber. My punishers were bulky in size and the pallets in their hands were broader than their bulged muscles. I shut my eyes tight and bit my lips, as their muscles cracked and the pallet rained down my flesh. The pain... It was a torment that no one could ever describe with words. I had even snapped my nails as I gripped my fists too tight, trying to withhold the pain.

One... Two... Three... The pallets whopped down on my back. My punishers didn't even spare me. They used all the force they could muster. I didn't even moan and they walloped me harder. Four... Five... Six... Twenty beats seemed like two hundred. By the time they were done torturing me and relishing my pain, I was sent back to my house. Xiao Sun Zi placed me on my bed. I could only lie down on my chest. My blood and torn flesh blended with my damaged cloth.

"Do not ask," Xiao Sun Zi said as he saw the flabbergasted Yu Tan. "Quickly help Sister Ruo Xi."

Xiao Sun Zi left hurriedly as he was certain that Yu Tan could take good care of me.

Yu Tan comforted me, "Sister, please hold your breath for a second. I am going to tear off your clothes. It is glued to your skin so it will be slightly painful. Ready? One, two, three."

I almost bit my tongue off at the force. It made me feel like she was tearing my skin.

After treating my wounds, she sobbed, "Sister, what had happened? You are always meticulous. What mistakes have you done to cause you to receive such severe punishment?"

"He's considered kind to me. The crime that I'd committed will cause the heads of all of my family members to be guillotined, but he only rewarded me with twenty beats. It's better for you not to know the reason. Sometimes, the more we know, the more danger we'll put ourselves in."

Sleeping, staying awake, eating, and drinking had become tremendous sufferings to me.

Even the involuntary breathing made me feel like my flesh had been fried by sizzling fire. After a week, I was still bedridden. Yu Tan brought me the news that Ice Face was found standing outside my house frequently, but he always walked away without saying a word.

Yin Zhen, my lover, I thought. Do you know the reason that I was being punished? I still remember the determined expression you wore on your face that day when you said that I'm forever your woman. But how could you let me go just like that? Can we have a love life like Liang San Bo and Zhu Ying Tai? Can't you bring me out of this palace? Didn't you promise me a blissful life? I'm willing to become a butterfly if I can lead an eternally blissful life with you.

Why? Why all the promises that had been uttered couldn't be fulfilled? The pain in my heart was greater than the one caused on my wound. Why? How could you? Please save me...

Edited by YvonneKindle