*******************I Forgot to give credits to my editor ms. ILoveblu25. Thank you for editing.*****************
Sheri had felt all the pain and all the sufferings Xue Li had felt.
Behind all those passing years, she was quiet and sometimes cry in her own sleep. She watched her and saw it all. She kept on racking her brain for the reason why the Prince hated her. Xue Li liked him a lot.
Since they were young, she made sure to do everything she knew would make him like her and be satisfied with her. She learned the four arts diligently and never slacked. Even though she was pampered at her own home, she still maintained her diligence in learning skills of cooking different dishes and more. Her parents were all along observing on the side just like Sheri, which resulted in them just sighing with every result of her hard work. It wasn't being reciprocated.
In her heart, she hoped Xue Li would wake up from her one-sided love that it's not worth wishing for. A man who doesn't like her will love her back. But she cannot do anything. She cannot speak neither touch her.
The time fast-forwarded again as the day of her coming age has arrived. The whole courtyard of the General was decorated with different ornaments and decorations. Her parents were halfheartedly happy and devastated understanding that this will be the last time their daughter will stay with them. They have to give their precious daughter. Away to the Prince who made them more worried since the Prince doesn't love her. They were just holding on to the hope that Prince Du Wen would give them face and in the name of dignity that he would still respect and honor their daughter.
Xue Li was secretly expectant for the Prince to pay her a visit. But then her hopes crushed when a letter arrived revealing he couldn't come due to the ongoing struggle in the Southern border. The General knew that was an excuse and a lie. He was so angry he wanted to confront him but in the end was stopped by Xue Li.
"Father don't! You are just putting the whole family in danger." Xue Li said when her coming of age celebration was over without the presence of the Prince.
"That man, I will kill him! How dare he do this to us? How dare he lied to us?" The General was still fuming.
"Shh.. Calm down your blood pressure. No matter what, we cannot dictate what he wanted to do or his actions." Her mother tried to chime in calming her father.
"If your brothers knew about this incident, they would not keep still and do nothing about it." The General said.
"Father enough, this is just a mere political marriage. We can't do anything." Xue Li concluded in resignation.
That evening, it took time for them to calm her father. After making sure he was relaxed and rested, her mother pulled her over to her courtyard. She presented something that was wrapped in a cloth. She was curious as she received it. Unwrapping the present, she saw a beautiful gold bracelet with a blue gem on it.
"The Dowager, before she died, said to give this to you. I don't know her reason but this was a very precious jewel. The day she gave this to you was also the day she left. She said it would protect you."
"The great Dowager reminded for you to never remove it." Her mother further instructed.
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