1 The fallen princess and the forgotten princess

The maids, clad in elegant purple robes, moved cautiously under the strict gaze of their supervisor. Their steps were so light and delicate that one could hardly hear a sound. Their eyes remained fixed on the polished wooden floors as they carried precious treasures on trays draped with crimson clothes. 

Huge incense burners were placed at every pillar in the hallway, releasing fumes of calming lavender and soothing chamomile that made the air light and cheerful. 

Standing by the window of her outer chamber, Princess Cheng was observing the birds. She was dressed in a green robe with three cross collars resting on her bosom. The embroidery on her bottom matched the patterns on her wide outer sleeves, and the robe's long tail gracefully flowed behind her, nearly sweeping the floor.

Her hair was styled neatly in a half bun, which was adorned with a pure white jade crown and a single gold hairpin on the back—the rest of the hair cascaded down to her knees. 

Hundreds of birds of different kinds were flying into her garden and making the giant trees their homes. It had been going on for days, but that day it was particularly noticeable. 

Without moving her eyes away from the scene, she questioned her personal attendant and the supervisor of the mansion, "Jiu, where are these birds coming from?"

Eunuch Li Jiu bowed his head slightly as he replied, "Replying to Your Highness, these birds must have been attracted by the beauty of the garden. It's natural for them to seek a nice place for laying eggs."

Princess Cheng nodded, her eyes locked at the scene, however, after a few more moments of observing the birds, her face began to turn pale and inward surprise replaced her serenity. 

"You are right. It must be the beauty of the garden." She mumbled as her heart weighed down, something was about to happen—something ominous was about to happen. But she didn't dare to wildly guess, as guessing it would make it manifest sooner.

Before Princess Cheng gaped her lips to speak, a maid, burst into the room, her face drenched in sweat, and her trembling body revealing the urgency of her message. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath and was unable to speak. 

Jiu, irritated by her abrupt entrance, exchanged a disapproving glance with the maid. However, it was evident that the maid was grappling with the fear of delivering grave news.

Summoning her courage, the maid finally cried out, closing her eyes tightly and gripping her robe in distress, "Her Highness fainted!"

The princess, who was standing unconcerned by the maid's entrance, was now filled with horror. She turned, her face unchanged but her dull complexion betrayed the turmoil within her.

Without waiting for another second, Princess Cheng dashed out of the room, her emerald shoes carrying her swiftly.

She ran, passing by the courtyards. The maids caught a fleeting glance at her, her strange behaviour made them drop their work and look at her. 

Eunuch Jiu chased after her, panting but refraining from reminding her of the rules she was breaking. However, it didn't matter, after all, she was the rule-maker, unlike the capital. 

Princess Cheng lived a secluded life with her grandmother, the Grand Imperial Princess Shu, a first-rank princess and aunt of Emperor Zhao, who was prohibited from leaving the premises without permission. 

"Grandma!" she cried out, her hand gripping the door's edge, one foot inside and the other outside. She appeared frozen, staring blankly at the scene before her.

Her legs refused to obey her commands, and she watched her grandmother lie unconscious while Mama Li, an elderly maid, administered medicine with teary eyes. 

She could not see the future but her heart was heavy, envisioning the impending lament. The cheerful atmosphere outside had turned into a haunting nightmare, drowning her in sorrow.

Eunuch Jiu halted behind her, and the maid followed suit, ready to execute any orders that might come their way.

"Ask them to change the incense to citrus immediately," she commanded abruptly, a request seemingly unrelated to the dire situation.

Eunuch Jiu hesitated for a moment, and mumbled, "But you dislike it..." However, he soon remembered his own lesson; speak less and work more. He quickly passed on the order to the maid, who had delivered the unsettling news. 

Mama Li, who had been tending to her grandmother, noticed her standing like a statue. She rose slowly from the bedside, and the attending maid took the ceramic bowl and discreetly left the room.

Mama Li signalled for the other four close attendants to leave as she approached the young lady with cautious steps. 

 Failing to contain her grief any longer, tears started streaming down her face as she finally spoke, "Princess Cheng, forgive me; Her Highness doesn't have much time left; we must inform the clan."

Princess Cheng didn't reply to Mama Li immediately. Because the wave of agony began to hit her stone-like heart. Her gaze remained fixed on the carpet at her feet, and she didn't respond to her plea. How could she possibly inform the people who are waiting for her grandmother's demise and now that she was finally counting her days, she could not take the risk.

"Princess Cheng!" Mama Li called out once more, desperation evident in her voice. It had been Princess Cheng who had been managing the household, so Mama Li had to get her approval in the end; otherwise, she could have already sent a message to them. 

"Mama Li, don't panic," Princess Cheng blinked into reality. She had already been signalled by the ominous energy emitted by the birds in the garden, and she was prepared to do anything to push away the Angel of Death and buy some more time for her grandmother. 

However, it would be a battle against fate, and Princess Cheng knew that fate never lets anyone get away from the crime of changing its decree. She would have to pay the price.

But then the Grand Madam of the Xuan Clan, her grandmother, must live until she can witness justice restored and her prestige returned to her. She should and shall live for that day to come. But is it possible? A case that was closed must be reopened and the secrets that were buried must be resurrected for that to happen. 

 Mama Li's voice quivered as she explained, "How can I not? Princess, we have long fallen from grace. If not for your father begging the emperor to spare Her Highness, we could not have survived this long."

She then sought permission, and her voice choked with sobs. "Should we inform the clan in the capital city? They should come to see her."

Princess Cheng's response was firm, as if issuing an order: "No need. Nothing has happened to her yet. Why do we need to inform them?"

'Why must I ever inform them even if anything happens? As if it would matter.' She spoke inwardly, her eyes narrowed and she refocused her eyes on her grandmother's nails. 

Princess Cheng commanded hurriedly, "Gather all the maids, seal the doors; nobody should leave this place," her left foot aligning with her right as she strode towards her grandmother's bedside.