Missing him by a day

Yu Mei woke up with a forehead covered of sweat.

The first person to greet her was her master. He rushed over with red eyes. "Ju Ming! Why must you always scare me like this?" His voice shook.

She stared at him confused. "What do you mean scare you? I was only sleeping."

"Aiya~" He sighed. "You've been asleep for three days now." Then he placed his hand on her forehead. "Good. You're fever is gone."

Yu Mei looked at him surprised. She had been asleep for three days? How was that possible? There was no way it took three days to gain those memories.

But that was the least of her worries. She had been asleep for three whole days. His highness was probably gone by now, she thought.

"His highness…did he come back?"

Her master shook his head. "I'm afraid his highness is not coming back. I'm sorry." He pat her shoulder.

"I…I…" There were no words to describe the mix emotions in her heart. "Maybe it's better this way." She didn't know whether she should go to him or forget what happened between the two. She was the one who ruined everything.

If it wasn't for her master, she might have chose to forget him. "Ju Ming~ I've raised you since little, I won't tell you what you should do. But I do know that you will make the right decision. You've always been stubborn, but that doesn't mean you never knew what you wanted in life." And then he gave her a comforting hug. "If you go, know that I'll always be here for you. You are from the future. It won't be hard to find me." He teased.

This got a smile out of her. He was right. She knew where he would go next.

After her master left, she got up.

Trying to occupy her mind, she looked around the room. Everything was neatly placed from the furniture to the flower vases. Then she spotted the object in the corner of her eyes.

Her feet slowly went over to the small writing desk in the far right corner.

It was there. The jade ring.

Her jade ring.

She picked up the ring. Then the letter that sat perfectly below it.

Letter content:

[To my dearest Pan Yu Mei,

This might be the only chance I'll get to tell you.

I love you.

Loving you was never part of my plans. I was only focused on my own goals that I never realized I had already fallen for you. When? I do not know. But when you love, there is no one reason.

But to know such a feeling, I have no regrets. There are many things I want to tell you but if we meet again, I will tell you in person.

I've thought about what you said and you are completely right. If I am not even able to protect Consort Pan, what makes me think I can protect you? I've always been a man focused on the nation. I would be lying if I said you were always my priority. And maybe that was where I was wrong. I was wrong to have used and neglected you time after time.

I admit I put you in difficult situations because of my own selfishness.

For that, I don't deserve you.

I'm giving you back the ring. I have failed to give you a new life. A new life I promised you. Whether you toss it or not is up to you. When I bought it, I intended to give it to you and only you. It is yours.

I know now that I shouldn't be selfish and keep you at my side. You have always been a free butterfly. You spread your wings and fly where your heart takes you. I am not qualified to take that from you.

If you truly wish to part, I will agree to it. Be safe and know that you'll always be in my heart.]

She looked at the ring in her hand. "I'm a fool." She clenched the ring tightly.

***

Three days, it took three days for Yu Mei to arrive at the palace.

She was escorted into the main hall where the emperor and empress greeted her. The empress was the first to go up to Yu Mei. "Yu Mei, do you know how much trouble you have caused us all?" She coldly spoke.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Yu Mei sincerely apologized.

The empress coldly walked up to her. And she did the unthinkable. She grabbed Yu Mei's hand. "It's a good thing you are sorry. You've caused me much stress these days. Do you know how worried I was? Do you?"

"Yu Mei, she's right. You've made everyone worry." The emperor didn't get up from his seat but stared at her with an unknown look. "I should punish you but you have gone through so much already. I don't have the heart to do so." He gave in when he thought about everything that transpired between his son and Yu Mei.

Yu Mei happily smiled at her mother-in-law and then to her father-in-law. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I sincerely apologize. I promise to make it up to you two in the future. If I am allowed back."

The empress pat the top of her hand light a few times. "Who says we'll abandon you. I don't care if you had a fight with Pei Nan. I only know that I've accepted you a long time ago."

"Yes, you'll always be my daughter-in-law." The emperor assured her. Then he sighed. "You've missed Pei Nan. He left for the borderline this morning.

"When will he be back?"

"Nan was pretty dejected when he broke the news to me this morning. I told him he had to return within a year. So I do not know when exactly he will return." The emperor said. If he knew Yu Mei was going to return, he would have forbid his son from leaving.

Pan Yu Mei returned to her courtyard.

A year? She didn't want to wait a year to see him. What if he fell in love with some other woman? A military woman…She would never be able to fend for herself then. She banged her head on the table defeated. "I give up. How can I win you back against a woman who knows gongfu." She mumbled under her breath.

Suddenly the door banged open. Her head shot up with hope and optimism.

It wasn't Pei Nan but the person standing in front of her was enough to make her smile. "My lady!" Chu'mei ran over.

The moment she was close enough, she hugged Yu Mei tightly. "You came back. I knew you would."

"En." Yu Mei nodded while patting the girl's back.

Then Chu'mei gave Yu Mei a saddened look. "I heard you had a fight with his highness. And now he's gone."

"It was only a small fight." Yu Mei assured her.

Chu'mei turned her back. Only then did Yu Mei finally realize that a man was standing by the door.

Feng Ju.

"Brother Feng! You lied to me. You said his highness told you it was a big fight." She started to scold him.

Defending himself, he walked over appalled. "When did I say it was a big fight? I only told you that they got into a fight and now his highness has left."

"Oh? Maybe I did hear wrong." Chu'mei scratched her head out of embarrassment. "Brother Feng, you won't hold this against me right?" She awkwardly smiled.

He crossed his hand and tilted his head slightly like a mischievous fellow. "As long as you make me another waist belt." He teased.

"Feng Ju!" Chu'mei put her hands on her waist angrily. Did he really have to say that out loud. Everyone knew that if a woman made a man a waist belt, it was the same as confessing her feelings for him.

She regretted giving it to him. He had wooed her at her lowest point. When her lady was gone.

But this made Yu Mei laugh.

Chu'mei turned back to her lady with bright pink cheeks. "Miss, we're not in that kind of relationship. Feng Ju is just talking nonsense." She quickly explained. If her lady didn't want Prince Nan, then she wouldn't want Feng Ju either. It would hurt her lady's feelings if she was constantly reminded of his highness.

Yu Mei pat her arm. "Chu'mei, you don't need to hide it from me. You and Brother Feng." She emphasized his name. The endearment Chu'mei had used earlier. "You two look good together."

"We…" Chu'mei stretched her hands out and shook them as if denying it. But Feng Ju only made it obvious when he locked arms with her. "My little raccoon, her highness has already consented to our relationship, why must you hide it."

She tried to push him away. "It's because of his highness. He made my missy sad. So how can I be with his people."

Her reasoning left him flabbergasted. "Eh! His highness is his highness and I am me. What does it have to do with me?" He asked. "Don't you think you are taking it out on the wrong person?"

"I don't care." She turned away.

Thankfully Yu Mei was there to stop them. "Okay, that's enough." She chuckled. "Chu'mei, you shouldn't give Feng Ju a hard time anymore. Prince Nan and I may not be meant for another, but that doesn't mean you two aren't. I won't feel uneasy with Brother Feng around. I swear."

Yu Mei quickly shooed the bickering couple away. Feng Ju was already out the door but Chu'mei was not. She was standing at the doorway sulking. And then her face lift up. She grabbed Feng Ju's arm like an infatuated girlfriend wanting something.

"Brother Feng...why don't you take my missy to go see his highness."

"I…"

"Pleeeeasseee!" Chu'mei pulled his sleeve back and forth.

Damn it, he thought. Why was his girl so cute. There was no way he could say no to those sparkly eyes.

"As long as her highness agrees, I will do it." He gave in.

"I knew I picked the right man." Before she realized she was being so brazen, she had already done the undoable. She actually tiptoed to give him a peck on the cheek.

Not looking back at him, she ran off.

Feng Ju on the other hand stood there like a fool with his hand on his cheek.

She kissed me, he said.