After the Hunt

Yong Qi sat alone in the study in still summer night. The still blank paper and the already dry ink still laid in the table. The report must be delivered for tomorrow morning to Huang Ah Ma. But still… Yong Qi could think and write nothing. And for the first time, he mad at Huang Ah Ma (Emperor Father).

For Yong Qi, the emperor Qian Long was always perfect, not only he was his father, but he was his emperor, he was his god, hi was his Huang Ah Ma. And Huang Ah Ma was everything Yong Qi could suffer himself for. But now… Yong Qi really… really mad at Huang Ah Ma.

Yesterday morning, after court meeting, the emperor summoned for Yong Qi, Er Kang and Er Tai to come to his palace to inform them that he wanted to acknowledge Xiao Yan Zi as his adopted daughter not only in the Palace but also into society. He could not acknowledge her as his real daughter by blood cause that would diminish his charisma as emperor, so adopted daughter she would be. He wanted them to organize the ceremony to give the princess title Huan Zhu Ge Ge to Xiao Yan Zi. He also wanted to send the prayer up to Heaven in a Shrine to ask the happiness and blessing for the princess. And he commanded them to oversee that everything was in order.

So the three of them started to prepare and arrange the ceremony. They would parade all along the way from Palace to the Shrine. So they had to decide the number of soldier watch over the safety of the emperor and his daughter along the way to the Shrine. They had to pick out the most talented, and skilled soldier to take care the carriage all along the way. And they had to choose the monk to send the prayer up to Heaven.

This afternoon, the three of them enactived that everything was under control. So yes… everything was in order. After everything was settled for today, Er Kang and Er Tai going back to Xue Shi Fu, and Yong Qi going back to Jing Yang Gong, his own palace. And certainly, the ceremony would be held tomorrow noon.

Now, after dinner, and alone in his study room, Yong Qi started to feel that something was not right in his mind and heart. Tomorrow should be the happy day for the Ai Xin Jue Luo Clan to celebrate the arrival of new princess. But for him… he felt unhappy right now, instead he felt a little pain and lonely in his heart.

So… he let his mind wandered to the event that happen one and half month ago in the hunt.

Yong Qi never knew that the hunt this year was different from before. Every years he was always waiting for the hunt to come. It was the only one interesting day for a year in the court life, for the ordinary day life he spent in library to study literature and poetry, or physical exercise like martial art. But this year… this year something difference was happen.

After Emperor said that China people skilled in ride horses and accomplished in used bow and arrow, he than commanded all of them to show their skill and ability. So the three young generation and their people went to the deepest hunt area. After a while, they saw a beautiful deer in distance, so they chased it while the deer running away. Er Kang got the first opportunity to bow that deer, but Er Tai distracted him with saying that there was a bear not so far from their place, so his brother made effort in that direction instantly. The deer was free from Er Kang target, but now… Yong Qi arrow was aimed directly to it, free from it bow in high speed. Didn't know what happen, the deer disappear, and that arrow wounded a girl that only heaven knew from where she came.

A loud scream heard before her body fall to the ground. Yong Qi, Er Kang and Er Tai immediately spur their horses to the girl direction. Descending from his horse, Yong Qi run to the girl. Discovered that his arrow wounded her chest and discharged blood from her body, he felt worry and so guilty. But than, he heard that girl talk to him.

"Huang Shang… Huang Shang… I want to meet Huang Shang."

Feeling strange, Yong Qi tried to look at her face. A very pale face… in deep pain… like there were no blood in her face, but still he could recognized that her face was beautiful… really beautiful. And more outstanding in her face were a pair of big and beautiful eyes… the eyes that captured his gaze and his heart. Something new rose in his heart, which at that time he could not understand. But the girl still asked for emperor. So Yong Qi carried her to his horse, assisting with Er Kang and Er Tai, and went back to where the emperor and his people waiting.

Facing the emperor, Yong Qi took that girl body to the ground. They reported everythingto emperor and his guard. Suspicious that the girl was assassin to kill the emperor, E Min one of his commander, drew the sword to cut the girl life, but Yong Qi automatically held back that sword and asked the emperor to investigate the girl first. So now… every eyes gazed to the lifeless body in the ground.

That girl with high determinance and urge, she said to emperor: "Huang Shang… Huang Shang… Are you still remembering that ninteen years ago in Daming Lake when you were with Xia Yu he?" and with her last efford, she came unconscious.

Fu Lun suggested that they should be careful, who know that the girl just acted.

"Let we see what kind of weapon she took care all along the way…" Yong Qi said.

So warily, Yong Qi started to open the bundle in her shoulder, guessed in that they would find secret weapon, but apparently, they found a painting and a fan.

"There is no weapon. Just a painting and a fan."

Yong Qi didn't understand the girl's word meaning, the painting and the fan, but suprised by his father reaction.

"Yong Qi… show me the girl." Yong Qi took that girl and carried her to emperor. Qian Long face went pale and ordered the physican to heal her wound. "Hu Tai Yi… you must heal this girl wounded, and if you don't so you must report to me with your head in your hand…"

The hunt was soon over, cause emperor was not interested anymore with the hunt, and the girl was carried to the Palace. Emperor summoned all palace physician to try hard to heal the girl wounded. Eunuch and attendant were made busy by that girl.

Yong Qi Sighed. That memory still fresh in his mind. He knew that it need ten days to make the girl conscious. And for that ten days, he was worry, and felt sorry… and also felt quilty to that girl. And she needed more day to recover from her illness and pain. Still… he was worry about her. He would still be worried about her if he didn't see her one afternoon in the pavillion garden fifteen days ago.

After the court meeting, Er Tai and Yong Qi went walking to the garden while talking about nothing important in particular. And in the middle of the garden, they both saw Concubine Ling (Ling Fei Niang Niang) and the girl in the hunt that he already knew her name was Xiao Yan Zi (unusual name for a girl, he think), dressed in Mancurian clothes, and now she looked more beautiful from the girl in the hunt. Ling Fei was seen little confused by that girl and by seeing Yong Qi and Er Tai, she felt relieved, and suggested all of them to sit in the near pavillion.

Yong Qi gazed at her and with bitterly voice said, " I never know that I have this beautiful sister outside the palace."

Confusedly she looked him, so Ling Fei introduced him and Er Tai to her. "Xiao Yan Zi… this is Wu Ah Ge (the Fifth Prince), who accidentally shot you in the hunt" she said.

"Oh… that's you…" she said smiling.

"At first, my arrow aimed at the deer, and I don't know why… the deer disappear, and suddently you replaced it. I really sorry for that…"

"I precisely say thank you to you… cause without you I will never meet Huang Ah Ma." She said.

So the conversation in that pavillion garden continued for several time.

Yong Qi still remembered at that moment his gaze never leave Xiao Yan Zi's face. Her black and shinning eyes captivated his heart, her smile bewitched him and her voice was so sweet and melodius although it said disorganized words like tea and wine. Xiao Yan Zi seen so naive, so childlike and so innocent, giggled and laughted freely.

Really… in the Palace there were so many princesses but none similar with her. And from that afternoon, the unknowing feeling in his heart growed more deeper. Her face was always dancing in his eyes, her voice was always singing in his ears. For the first time his heart yearned for her presence.

And now… Huang Ah Ma wanted to acknowledge Xiao Yan Zi as his daughter. Xiao Yan Zi was really his daughter by blood… so she was his sister by blood. Sister… She was his sister… but his heart yearned for her anything but sister. Why her… why not another girl was his sister. But he could not change that fact… that she was Huang Ah Ma's daughter even out of marital status. So he really madded at Huang Ah Ma at that time for given him this hard feeling, pain and lonely.