Shen Sheng is a vast kingdom ruled by the bird emperor. The flower deity being the wife of the emperor adds to its power and status all over the realms. It is surrounded by a magical shield, to prevent others from entering. This kingdom in itself is kind of isolated from the rest of the world and certainly mysterious.

Ji Luo handed Ji Hua to the head maid and instructed her to do as was told earlier. “Wait brother.”, Ji Hua spoke up being confused of the sudden developments around her. “What’s going on? Is there a special event?”

Ji Luo’s lips curled up as he spoke, “You’ll know soon. For now, just obey the head maid.”, saying this he went out. For now, he was doing as was instructed to him by his father. It was an important event and everything had to go right. Ji Luo entered his father’s chamber, the bird emperor. The emperor had tough facial expressions and an air of self-righteousness and assurance. If one was to look at him and his son, they could not help but say, ‘Like father, like son.’ With rigid and unchanging cold facial expressions, they were just the same. In this family, perhaps Ji Hua was the only exception who is said to have been taken after her mother, the ever active and loving flower deity.

“Everything is going as you planned father, until she doesn’t make a mistake.”

“Good! Be ready with the proceedings. I’ll accompany you later.”, the stone-faced father spoke up.

“I have a suggestion in mind.”

“Speak up.”

“Wouldn’t it be good to let Ji Hua know everything? I mean it is like the most important event in a person’s life.”, Ji Luo didn’t like to keep the thing from his sister until the end. Moreover, he felt like it was her right to know about it. The bird emperor placed his hand on Ji Luo’s shoulder, “I know, as a brother you care about her. But emotions and relations should not get in the way of our goal. You know her personality. If we just tell her, she’ll screw everything up. She will never consent. Achieve your goal by hook or crook. This is what wise men do. Thinking about this residuary matter is just a waste of time. Moreover, it’ll not hurt her. So, rest assured about it.”

Ji Hua was super confused about the matters regarding the past and the current events. ‘Why am I summoned here all of a sudden and all of this? Have I upset or offended anyone?’, sitting on her bed, cladded in a beautiful red coloured robe with heavy jewellery, she was contemplating in her mind and ransacking all the past events. At the end, the only conclusion that she could get was that she has to join a grand event. That’s why she has been prepared by the maids.  When she was thinking all this Ji Luo and Ji Miao entered. “Time to go. Get up fast.”, Ji Miao spoke as she helped Ji Hua get up and arranged her dress. “Brother, are we going to a grand ceremony or something?”

“Yeah, kind of”, Ji Luo spoke with a certain restriction in his voice.  “Where are mother and father? I haven’t seen them, since I have come here.”

“You’ll meet father soon and as for mother, she is resting in her room and doesn’t want to seek audience from anyone.”

Ji Hua again opened her mouth to speak something but retreated in an instant when she saw her brother’s indifferent yet fiery eyes.

The flower deity indeed didn’t want to seek anyone’s audience. She was too busy tiring her eyes out crying over her husband’s decision. But she could do nothing, just sit in her room, surrounded by gloom and regret.

As Ji Hua sat in the carriage with Ji Miao, her mind was full of questions and suspicion. The way it looked, and the massive procession behind the carriage, the event was not going to be an ordinary one. Ji Hua sat upright yet tensed, inter-mixing her fingers and biting her lower lip, she was greatly exasperated. No one was telling her what was actually happening. At such a time, she could only go with the flow but at the same time be extremely vigilant.

Time flied quickly, and as the tick-tock of the horse hoofs became gentler, Ji Hua concluded that they were very near their destination. Ji Miao poked her head out of the carriage window and inspecting the surroundings, she retreated back inside. Taking a bright red coloured veil in her hands, she took a deep sigh and was about to put it on Ji Hua when she felt a certain restriction. “Ji Miao, what are you doing? What’s that for?”, Ji Hua’s eyes were red with anger and a certain teary as she spoke angrily yet in a supressed voice. The picture now started to become clearer to her. But she didn’t want to believe it. Looking in Ji Miao’s eyes, her mind was chanting just one question, ‘Am I getting married?’

From the look on Ji Hua’s face, Ji Miao knew instantly what she was thinking. “Don’t be so rigid. Now there’s nothing you or I can do. Accept it as your fate.”

“What rubbish are you speaking, huh?”, Ji Hua’s emotions exploded all at once, “‘Accept it as your fate’, from where have you even heard this old-sluggish sentence?”

Ji Miao held the perplexed and angry Ji Hua’s hand tightly, yet warmly. While Ji Hua was exploding with anger inside her head thinking that she has been cheated by all her loved ones. Her anger was overflowing from her eyes in the form of tears. Wiping her tears softly, Ji Miao spoke slowly with sympathy, “Revolting won’t be of any use now. Get hold of your mind, and don’t act foolish. I am sure you’ll certainly find a way, if you put your head into it.”