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Ji Dynasty Year 14

A little girl in a yellow dress and a white fur coat sat in a little wooden wheelchair. Her hair tied into two simple buns, adorned with yellow ribbons. Her little face was white and tender, looking a bit chubby on the cheeks because of the baby fat.

Even with her small age, one could discern that she was indeed a little beauty. But if looked at more carefully, under the bangs, a white silk fabric like a ribbon could be seen before her eyes.

Truly a pity...

She was the third princess of the Western Mo Kingdom, Princess Ying Yue.

The little princess who was born in the middle of the stormy night 7 years ago.

Her birth mother, imperial concubine Yao sacrificed herself for her sake. So that she could live. His Majesty The Emperor took pity on her and let her be fostered by Her Highness Empress Zhao.

Yes. Fostered. Not registered.

It was said that because she was born defective. Her Highness Empress Zhao was a very conservative woman. She treated rules and customs with great importance. Since the era of the ancestors, it was believed that people who were born with disabilities were sinners in their previous life, therefore in this lifetime, The Chief of Heaven punished them. They couldn't be cured for a lifetime.

She was forced to accept the edict but it didn't mean that she would just sit still. Therefore, she invited the head grandmaster from Cosmic Star Temple to ask for guidance.

The head grandmaster saw the little baby and was taken aback. It was said that he immediately kowtowed to heaven and prayed. Her Highness Empress Zhao, the crown prince, the eldest princess and hundreds of palace servants of FengQi Palace were horrified. They immediately followed suit and kneeled down alongside the head grandmaster.

After one and half sichen, the head grandmaster stood up and picked up the baby. He declared solemnly that the little princess was facing a heavenly trial. Whether she could overcome it or not, in the end, would only depend on herself.

The head grandmaster later gave her prayer beads and prayed that she would be blessed by heaven.

His Majesty The Emperor heard about the matter of the empress wanting to invite the head grandmaster, but he didn't care. He was never a man who believed in gods. Therefore he let the empress arrange everything.

But after the report from his shadow guards, he was furious.

What heavenly trial?
What blessed by heaven?

He was an emperor who experienced the great war between Western Mo and Northen Hu. He was once a great general before ascending the throne. He saw countless deaths on the battlefield. Those who survived either became blind or paralyzed for the rest of their life.

Those soldiers had sacrificed themselves for the sake of the kingdom and lost their ability to be a 'normal human being', was each of them a sinner who was punished by The Chief of Heaven?

His Majesty Emperor Ji was so furious that he gave an edict that whoever treated Princess Ying Yue more than she deserved it according to her status and rank, would be executed.

Nobody dared to defy His Majesty Emperor's edict and lost their precious life. Thus the matter about the head grandmaster's statement was kept a secret and everyone who dared to speak a single word about it would be killed mercilessly!

The newborn princess was still accepted by her in the end. But no matter what, shadows already took shapes inside those people's hearts who witnessed it.

Envy.

Jealousy.

The seed of dark emotions had taken roots and later sprouted into deep hatred.

She was just a disabled princess. For a lifetime she was useless. Why would she be the one who gained heaven's blessing?

Hence, since then, life had never been easy for Ying Yue.

This year spring had finally come. Flowers started to bud and the whole imperial garden was full of the scent of freshness.

The 7 years old Ying Yue inhaled the fresh morning air deep into her lungs, feeling delighted.

The young palace maid stood behind her wheelchair. She was the one who was usually responsible for pushing her wheelchair. Just half a year ago she was promoted to be the princess' personal maid. Her responsibility now was to take care of Ying Yue's daily needs.

Although it was already spring, the weather was still a bit chilly. Ching'er was worried that Ying Yue would catch a cold if they stayed outside too long. The princess was still a little child after all. She could easily get sick. So she decided to bring her master to rest inside the nearby pavilion.

"Princess, it is still a bit chilly outside. How about we go to the pavilion over there to warm your body?"

Ying Yue curiously asked, "Ching'er, tell me what kinds of flowers are planted in this imperial garden?"

Ching'er scratched her head. It was a shame that she didn't know much about the names of flowers, so she could only tactfully answered, "The older maids in FengQi Palace said that His Majesty The Emperor is fond of colorful flowers but dislikes the kinds with thorns. So the gardener planted a lot of flowers according to the seasons but avoided planting any kind of roses.‌"

Ying Yue: "Is there red flower sea otter planted here?"

Ching'er: "Answering the princess. That kind of flower is beautiful but very common. Her Highness The Empress said that it wasn't suitable to be planted along with the other flowers in the imperial garden. His Majesty The Emperor thought the same, so the gardeners didn't plant it."

Ying Yue lowered her head. Her face clearly showed disappointment and sadness. It was two days ago that the eldest imperial sister had told her that she was like the red flower sea otter growing in the imperial garden…

She sighed helplessly. It wasn't like she never got this kind of treatment before.

"It's fine then… Let's go to that pavilion. This princess still has some free time before going to the Moon Goddess Hall at the Anxiang Palace."

Western Mo Kingdom worshipped three gods.

The first was the god of the sun, Tai Yang Jun. Also known as The Chief of Heaven. His other name was The War God, the protector of soldiers and men.

The second was the goddess of the moon, Yue Shang. She was the source of all life, the protector of the elderly, women, young girls and little children.

The third was the god of the stars, the messenger of heaven, Tian Tang Shizi. The grandmasters in the Cosmic Stars Temple worshipped him. They learned how to read the stars because they believed that it was the way of heaven to speak to humans. Tian Tang Shizi was also known as the god of healing. If they prayed wholeheartedly while sick, they would be blessed and cured of their illness. There was also a famous grandmaster in the past who wrote in a book that those who had done good deeds in their life would turn into a golden crane and fly to the sky to become a new star after they died.

Another honorable name for Tian Tang Shizi was the protector of all farmers and fishermen...

Ching'er pushed the wheelchair toward the nearby pavilion. But in the middle of their path, a beautiful young woman in an honorable consort apparel walked gracefully from the opposite direction.

Ching'er whispered nervously to Ying Yue, "Princess, it is Honorable Consort Shu and her personal maid in front of us."

Ying Yue, of course, knew a lot about this Honorable Consort Shu of rank three. Imperial Father's currently most favored consort. She was said to possess 'a beauty that can topple a kingdom' and a great amount of talent in the four arts. Her father used to be a fourth rank official, but after she entered the palace and conferred as an Honorable Consort with the title Shu, he was directly promoted into a second rank official.

Honorable Consort Shu already spotted the pair of master and servant from afar. Mockingly, the corners of her lips slightly upturned. She maintained her pace with her personal maid, Shi Jiu, still holding her hand in a respectful manner.

"Oh, isn't this the third princess? This consort wondered why you weren't you present when we paid our respect to Her Highness The Empress this morning."

Ying Yue bowed her head in respect. She had heard that this consort was truly arrogant. Even in front of Her Highness Imperial Mother this woman still dared to put on airs.

"Ying Yue greets the Honorable Consort Shu."

Ching'er followed suit to bow in a respectful manner: "This lowly servant pays respect to Honorable Consort Shu. Greeting elder sister Shi Jiu."

Honorable Consort Shu: "En. No need for too many ceremonies. We are one family after all. Is the third princess want to go strolling around?"

Ying Yue: "Answer the Honorable Consort, Ying'er wants to go and rest for a bit at the nearby pavilion. Ying'er heard that a lot of flowers had started to bud. Later Ying'er still has to go to the Moon Goddess Hall, therefore just want to sit for a short while."

Hearing that she wanted to go to the Moon Goddes Hall, Honorable Consort Shu couldn't help but remembered the rumor about the head grandmaster. A cold glint flickered in her eyes but quickly masked before it was seen by the little maid behind the princess.

"En. Then this consort won't delay the third princess any longer. The air is still a little bit cold here. The third princess should be careful not to get sick. This consort still have matters to do and should come back first."

Honorable Consort Shu held her personal maid's hand and continued to walk away.

Both Ying Yue and Ching'er stayed silent with lowered head and waited for the two people to completely gone before they sighed in relief.

Ying Yue patted her chest. She was so nervous just now. What if that woman tried to find her fault?

The little her really couldn't stomach any of her accusations!

"I am afraid that just this short conversation has made me lose a big part of my luck for the rest of my life."

Ching'er understood her meaning. She thought it was funny and wanted to laugh, but was still afraid that someone would hear her master's careless words.

"Shh~ Princess, be careful that someone will hear you..."

Ying Yue smiled bitterly and shook her head. Although she was said to be blessed by heaven and was fostered by Her Highness The Empress, her defective body was the main reason she was ofter looked down upon by the consorts in the imperial harem and bullied by the other princes and princesses.

Even the Empress, although she didn't openly show it, disdained this foster daughter of hers...

Ying Yue sighed dejectedly. She lifted her little head towards the sky. She couldn't see anything, but it didn't stop her from imagining its beauty.

People said the sky was blue and the clouds were white and fluffy like the cotton candies. She secretly wished that one day she could fly high and feel it with her own fingers.

The master suddenly became quiet, so Ching'er tentatively didn't speak and just did her duty pushing the wheelchair forward.

Ying Yue suddenly asked: "Can you see the stars in the sky at a time like this?"

Ching'er answered in confusion. Today all the princess' questions were weird: "Answering the princess, of course not. Tai Yang Jun is riding his war chariot at daytime, so the other gods have to give way and pay their respects to him."

Pay respect... pay respect... even living as god was so exhausting...

Ying Yue: "En."

Was the book written by that famous grandmaster from the past true? That the souls of good people who had already died turned into golden cranes, flew to the sky and became new stars? Then would her mother be one of those stars?

The servants said that her birth mother was noble and talented. She was beautiful but also kindhearted and gentle. If she became one of those stars, she must be shining very brightly.

If only she could fly...

Ying Yue muttered inside her heart, "Consort mother, I miss you."