Sheng Li and Lei Wanxi stopped near the Eastern Pavilion. Sheng Li left his grip on Lei Wanxi's arm and looked around. "Brother, why did you do that? Why did you hit your younger brother? This is wrong. I will complain about this to Sister Lili," Lei Wanxi whined. Sheng Li flicked at his forehead, resulting in a low scream from Lei Wanxi's mouth.

"Do not whine," Sheng Li sternly said. "Don't speak about that painting to Brother Nianzu or any other. Now, go to your chamber and rest as you have an upset stomach," Sheng Li pronounced. Lei Wanxi squinted his eyes, trying to understand why his Fifth Brother said this. Before he could ask him, Sheng Li left his sight.

He arrived at Nianzu's chamber, where he was reading a book. Seeing the Crown Prince, he closed the book and told him to take a seat. Sheng Li sat around the table on the floor mattress. Nianzu asked the Crown Prince for tea, but he refused.

"What is it that the Crown Prince wanted to talk about?" Nianzu curiously asked.

"Wanxi told me about a marriage proposal that has come for Brother," Sheng Li asserted. "Why did the Fourth Brother not tell me about this?" He then asked.

"I hardly like to share about my personal matters. Moreover, it is not confirmed yet whether or not I will marry the Princess of Huan, so talking about that would have only wasted our precious time." Sheng Li did not speak for a few seconds.

"Brother, do you love someone?" Sheng Li straightforwardly asked.

Nianzu looked up at him. Sheng Li smiled a little because the Fourth Prince would have answered by now. "By any chance do you love that young girl? I forgot her name," Sheng Li stated and waited for Nianzu's response.

"I do not know. I am still trying to understand my feelings, but I do not think I can dream about marrying a commoner and spending the rest of my life with her," Nianzu in a dejected tone said, and sighed.

"Love takes you to any extent. It has that power which hardly any force has! I realized it after giving my heart to Lili," Sheng Li said with a tiny smile on his lips. "I can understand you better than anyone here because I fell in love and it changed me. I was hesitant to love Lili because of many insecurities. However, breaking those boundaries gave me wonderful results. Do not limit yourself, Brother. If you like her, then go with it," Sheng Li encouraged Nianzu.

"The proposal that I have received is from our father's best friend, who has numerous times saved our father in the war. Though I asked for time from our father, I do not think that I shall refuse this marriage. I am in a dilemma, Brother Sheng." Nianzu knitted his brows and heaved a sigh. "I cannot marry Chuntao because of many reasons. I cannot let her life ruin in this Palace. It's not a good place for a young woman like her," Nianzu affirmed.

"Then send her away. Keeping her near you will only create problems for you," Sheng Li suggested. "I told her to stay in the Palace for a year thinking you will express your love. But if you feel that it will create problems for you and her, then let her go." Nianzu was astonished to learn that the Crown Prince passed the order of her stay in the Palace because of him. But he was also right. Sending her away was the best way to stop his growing feelings. Would he be able to do that?

"Brother, you cannot marry a woman from a family of unknown origin. Though I will support it if you go through this relationship but I do not know about the others. There might be some serious repercussions of this as well. If Brother thinks he can negotiate all those difficulties, then he shall not let go of her," Sheng Li opined. Nianzu thanked him.

Sheng Li noticed the fingers of Nianzu on which the blood was clotted. "Brother, why did you leave the feast in the middle? Is everything okay? And you did not appear happy. It was a big day for your mother."

"I did not feel like eating. Indeed, it was a big day for me," Nianzu asserted and smiled faintly. He did not want to talk about his mother's response to Sheng Li after he refused the Crown Prince's position.

"I shall take my leave. Have your meals," Sheng Li stated, before leaving the chamber.

~~~~~

Chuntao came to her quarter which she was sharing with another Palace Maid, Mo Jie. She sat on the bed and brought her legs up. Pressing her legs and feet for some time, she laid down on the bed. She touched her lips, recalling the incident when they touched Nianzu's cheek. She squeezed her eyes tightly. "How could I do that?" Chuntao murmured.

"What happened?" She heard Mo Joe's voice, who had just arrived there. Chuntao sat up on the bed and brought her knees closer.

"You came early? Is work your over?" Chuntao queried. Mo Jie removed the shoes and sat on another bed.

"Yes. But, what were you murmuring?" Mo Jie again enquired her.

"Nothing," Chuntao replied.

"Did something between you and the Fourth Prince?" Mo Jie's question bewildered Chuntao. She wondered how Mo Jie found out. "You are lucky that you got to work for the Fourth Prince. Look at me. I have been working here for four years, but I have never seen the Prince. Life as a washer is difficult!" A sigh escaped Mo Jie's mouth.

"I am here only for a year though," Chuntao kept her voice low.

"Chun, do you think you will be able to leave the Palace? When we join as a worker here, we are told this: Once you enter the Imperial Palace, then only your body leaves," Mo Jie told her.

"You mean that you cannot leave this place before you die!" Chuntao chuckled but did not believe her. "I heard this too, but then, why do people come to work here?" Chuntao queried.

"Because we get good wages here. Most of us want to give a good life to our family or want to reduce family debts. Some are slaves so they are born to do these works. Some even come here to see how the Palace life is! Good food, a secure roof like the palace cannot be found anywhere. Annually, an examination is done where the rank of a few maids is increased. Sometimes, it can be early if the Regal people notice and are happy with your work. I also wish that someday my rank will increase," Mo Jie stated, keeping the smile on her lips.

"But then, isn't your life bound here? You have no freedom and no desires. Don't you want to marry someone? In the Palace, I am afraid if it is possible or not!" Chuntao proclaimed.

"It is possible. Even married couples work here. Who needs freedom when you can give a good life to your family! Isn't this what we all desire? The smile on the faces of your close ones is enough to make your life worth living. The Palace gave me many things. My four sisters got married from the money I earned here. This will be probably my last year here. If I earn enough money for my marriage and my parents by the end of the year, I will also leave the Palace. Come to my marriage then," Mo Jie delightedly said. Chuntao nodded and promised her that she would surely come.

"Jie Jie, you said that one cannot leave the Palace then how will you leave?" Chuntao was confused.

"If you want to get married and start a life, you are free to go. But if you are purchased as a slave then, you are bound to serve your masters generation after generation," Mo Jie explained to Chuntao, who was surprised to learn about the new things about the Palace.

"So, only a small proportion of servants get married?"

"Yes. Because the Palace binds you with it till you die. You will understand everything as time passes. Chun, you are lucky to serve the Fourth Prince. I heard he has a great intellect and is the calmest among all the Princes. The maids who are employed in the Crown Prince's manor are always in fear. I heard the Crown Prince kills the person right away if he makes a mistake." A shiver ran through the spine of Mo Jie.

"Jie Jie, the Crown Prince, is not like that. I have heard from the Fourth Prince that the Crown Prince has turned calm and gentle after the arrival of the Crown Princess," Chuntao corrected Mo Jie.

"Oh! That's a relief. You did not tell me what you were murmuring earlier," Mo Jie again asked. Chuntao recalled the incident again. "It's fine if you do not want to tell. But, I will advise you not to get close to the Prince. What I mean is, it is making you feel good that the Prince converses with you, but at the end of the day, you also know that once the Prince will be married, your presence around him will not matter," Mo Jie pronounced.

"Ahh, you are scaring me. His highness saved me the other day so, I am only repaying my debt. I know my place," Chuntao stated, ignoring the words of Mo Jie. She wanted to go with the feelings which were developing in her heart.