Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

Xiaoming, stepped forward and greeted his mother, who asked him to take a seat. He nodded and settled on the broad mahogany chair. Cha Ying stood up and formally greeted the Prince.

“Why did the Royal Mother let Miss Cha Ying wait? I had sent the message through Eunuch Lishi that I may get late because of urgent work,” Xiaoming said. He didn’t like that Zhu Liling was adamant to make him meet Cha Ying. He thought if he would return to the palace late, he didn’t have to meet Cha Ying.

“Crown Prince, Cha Ying was ready to wait for you. She is such a patient woman,” Zhu Liling complimented her. Cha Ying smiled and kept her eyelids low.

“I would say she wasted her precious time. The time, which she could use somewhere else, she wasted waiting for me,” Xiaoming commented. Cha Ying lifted her head and, for a brief moment, looked at the Crown Prince.

Zhu Liling thought to divert the topic. “Cha Ying, you shall present the gift which you have prepared for the Crown Prince,” Zhu Liling said. Cha Ying nodded and stood up. Her personal attendant stepped forward, who had a robe in her hand.

The navy blue colored robe had red and golden embroideries on it. “Your Royal Highness, Cha Ying prepared this silk robe with her own hands. She worked for over a month on it,” she said and halted before the Crown Prince, who didn’t want to take it.

Zhu Liling gestured to Eunuch Lishi, who quickly came forward and took the robe from her. “His Royal Highness liked the present of Miss Cha Ying,” Eunuch Lishi answered on behalf of Xiaoming and put the robe on the table.

“Royal Mother, would you like to give us some privacy? I want to have my lunch meal with Miss Cha Ying,” Xiaoming requested Zhu Liling, who was extremely delighted to hear him. “I want to thank Miss Cha Ying through this lunch meal,” he stated.

.....

Cha Ying blushed to hear Xiaoming. It was unbelievable to her for a few seconds that Xiaoming wanted to have lunch with him.

“Sure, Crown Prince.” Zhu Liling rose to her feet. In her respect, they both also got up from their respective seats. They kept their heads low until the Queen left their sights and followed the servants of her manor.

Once the Queen left, Xiaoming asked Eunuch Lishi to send the lunch meals for them. Eunuch Lishi delightedly left the chamber to instruct the maidservants.

“Cha Ying would like to thank the Crown Prince for accepting her present and, also allowing her to have lunch with him.” She was the first woman with whom, the Crown Prince would take his lunch meal. The thought itself fluttered Cha Ying’s heart.

Once the maidservant set the lunch table for them, Xiaoming dismissed every servant from the chamber, including Eunuch Lishi. They took the seats on the floor chairs. Cha Ying waited for Xiaoming to eat first. Once he took the first morsel, she picked up the chopsticks and started to eat.

Xiaoming watched her way of eating, her way of holding expressions, and her way of carrying herself. She was too perfect for him. Her qualities would flutter the heart of any may except him. In his mind, she was already out of being his official wife.

“Miss Cha Ying must be happy to see me and have lunch with me,” Xiaoming said, and their eyes met. “She is the daughter of the Prime Minister, so she has gotten some perks. Without my permission, no woman can see me or give gift to me or have meals with me,” he affirmed and took a small bite of tofu on the chopsticks.

“I would not deny that,” Cha Ying replied and, she again focussed her gaze on the rice bowl before her.

“Why didn’t Miss Cha Ying marry until now? Women are supposed to marry earlier than men. I believe that she must have gotten many good marriage proposals,” Xiaoming curiously said. “Is it because I haven’t married till now?” He asked.

“I would say that the King and the Queen think that I am suitable to become the daughter-in-law of this royal family,” Cha Ying answered him. It was a clever reply. Xiaoming found that she portrayed that his parents were the one who initiated this marriage proposal with her.

“I have been given a month’s time to select an official wife for myself. There are many young brilliant ladies outside. Why should I select Miss Cha Ying?” Xiaoming straightforwardly came to the main question. He wanted to judge her true personality. His mother told him numerous times that Cha Ying wasn’t like the Prime Minister. However, her earlier statements forced him to believe the other side too.

“Because I am the most suitable woman to become the Crown Princess,” Cha Ying answered. “Her Majesty informed me that the Crown Prince has asked for a month’s time. It has been four years, yet he could not find anyone,” she asserted.

Xiaoming smiled and looked into her eyes for a few seconds. Her words pissed him off. He didn’t say anything and started to eat. He had realized that Cha Ying could never become his wife.

“Please finish your food before it gets cold,” Xiaoming said while being polite.

Cha Ying sipped a little water from the silver glass and put it on the table. She dabbed her mouth with the napkin and put it down.

Xiaoming had also finished his meals and called a servant in.

The maidservant cleaned the table and left silently. The awkward silence was killing Cha Ying when Xiaoming finally broke the ice.

“Miss Cha Ying, I need a wife, not a Crown Princess,” he proclaimed with a menacing expression on his face. “If my title does not exist, then the Crown Princess will also dissolve to exist,” he affirmed.