Chapter 32 – The Young Emperor and Ye Zhen (2)
Three months later, little Ye Zhen became seriously ill and wasn’t able to return to the woods to keep the promise.
By the time she recovered and was allowed to go out, half a year had already passed!
Later, she learned that Mo Rongzhan was the crown prince and was most unloved by the sovereign emperor, his father. She sought for him but he had already left the capital to fight in the brewing war against the neighboring country.
And then…
It was she who had asked her father to marry the Prince of Qin Dynasty, despite the few disapproval from her family, but she, as strong-willed as she was, remained undeterred.
Thus, with the Ye Family’s blessings, offering great wealth to the emperor as Ye Zhen’s dowry and the Emperor’s obligation to take someone as his Wang Fei, the two were wed on short notice.
Despite this, Ye Zhen was never given he chance to reveal herself, to tell him that she was indeed the one who rescued him from the well.
In their two years of marriage, they only met once and that was only during their wedding day, which she remembered Mo Rongzhan not sparing her even a single glance.
On the night of their wedding, he came but only to express his distaste towards her family, then he left.
Ye Zhen woke up from her memory. She looked at the still-existing dry well with a faint contemptuous look on her face. Now she recalls the past, but feels that the innocent little girl was a stranger and has nothing to do with her.
She had truly wanted to marry him, and had just wanted to tell him that she was the little girl whom he met him in the woods. But before she knew it, he had already left for war again, robbing her of the opportunity to speak with him.
It was two years before he came back and usurped the throne. She remembered her old self standing foolishly on her doorstep, waiting for a carriage that never arrived. Instead, she only received a cup of poisonous wine…
It amused her that back then, she had truly hoped that she will grow old with him. The irony of it evoked a bitter smile on her face.
Making sure that she was alone in that part of the woods, Ye Zhen walked to the big tree next to the dried up well.
After she recovered from her serious illness, she came to the forest as soon as possible. She guessed that he would certainly come back again, so she buried a box under the tree with a purse she made herself. If he saw it, he would surely know who she was.
He certainly didn’t notice the secret code she carved in the tree, let alone the box she buried underneath. Ye Zhen dug up the black wooden box from memory, and the pouch she had made was lying intact inside.
The purse was not exquisite, but it was her first time to do embroidery for someone. She gave it to Mo Rongzhan instead of giving it to her father or brother.
Property of Yao Yao whose true name is Ye Zhen.
A son should return to his family.
A line of words embroidered in the purse appeared to be little childish, but it was knitted with sincerity.
She embroidered her nickname and boudoir name there along with a little message signifying that she wished his safe return.
Tremendous effort of making this and Mo Rongzhan still regarded Lu Wushuang as her in the long run!
Ye Zhen took down a hairpin from her bun and pulled out the threads of the purse, her fingers shaking uncontrollably.
The purse has been around for years, made by her when she was still seven, thus the threads had long grown weak.
Little by little, she tore open the purse that once carried her past and love. Ye Zhen died, and so did her love.
It was not until the purse was destroyed that Ye Zhen finally threw the wooden box into the dry well. Inside the well, the torn rags could be seen discarded.
Finally, the last tie with Mo Rongzhan was gone. It felt great and liberating.
Ye Zhen walked out of the woods with a satisfied smile, but she couldn’t stop the tears from streaking her cheeks..
Not long after she left, a tall figure, who stood straight and proud, also came to the dry well, he glanced at the small hole that had been dug under the tree.