The Goddess of Plants

The Emperor had been occupied during lunch hour, hence the family meal was not a requirement for that day. Tianshi Xue ate alone in the same balcony that she was stuck in while watching all of the gifts get whisked away to her rooms.

"I assume there would be more?" she asked Howin who had been patiently waiting for her to finish.

"Of course, Your Highness. The high officials of the other lands are very generous. You must expect lavish gifts."

Tianshi Xue nodded her head. There were other things that she could want. She missed going to stores and browsing through clothes. "Do you think I would be allowed to go out of the palace?"

Howin's voice was filled with concern when she spoke again. "Your Highness?"

"I want to walk beyond the walls of the palace. Would that be possible?"

"Uh…"

It seemed to Tianshi Xue that the princess had never really been out of these walls—nor did she ever ask to be outside on her own will. "Howin?"

"I think it would be possible, Your Highness. You would have to ask Prince Qui about it."

"What?!"

"You are now his wife. Before you would have to ask The Emperor to permit you to go outside, but you can now just ask The Prince to come with you."

"I need his permission before I can go out?!"

Howin swallowed. "Y-yes, Princess. It's for your own safety."

Tianshi Xue placed the cup of tea that she had been sipping on back to the table. She no longer felt like drinking tea. "I think I'm ready for that walk in the garden."

"Of course, Your Highness."

The last of the gifts were already catered away and Tianshi Xue stepped inside the cool hallway again. She had not realized how hot it was in the balcony. Because of the heat, she was looking forward to be surrounded by flowers and their sweet smells.

Howin lead the way and Tianshi Xue let her eyes roam, trying to build a cognitive map that would let her wander these walls on her own in the next few weeks. But even now, she was thinking that it would be impossible to remember every nook and cranny of this palace. It could house a whole village! A game of hide-and-seek here could last for months.

Finally Howin opened a pair of huge doors on the ground floor and Tianshi Xue's nose was filled with the scent of flowers. Oh, she could make a perfume with all these. She logged that as something that she should do.

Wait, were royals allowed to engage in businesses?

The thoughts quickly ran out of her mind when she saw the fountain in the middle of the ground. It was shaped like a woman, the water served as her hair, endlessly flowing and translucent. She was posed like she had just gotten out of the water, frozen in glory and celebration with both of her hands up in the air cusping a water lily. She was a goddess. The Goddess of Plants.

"She's beautiful," she said, breathless. The fountain stood at around fifty feet made out of pure marble. The heavy flow of water resembled a waterfall.

"Pardon, Your Highess?" Howin asked with her head tilted like she was struggling to hear.

Tianshi Xue shook her head with a smile. She made her feet move and examined almost every bush of flower she could see. It was like her eyes could not capture everything and she wanted to look at.

Tianshi Xue stopped when she saw a beautiful light pink flower. It was in the middle of blooming, with the slim and long petals almost opening. She did not hesitate to pluck it and walk back to the fountain of the goddess.

The impact of the fountain left a slight spray in the air. There were already numerous flowers in the fountain but she threw the one she was holding anyway.

It was said that if you give the goddess the most beautiful flower, she would give you even more beautiful things in return. Tianshi Xue did not make a wish or anything like that. She wanted to leave that to the goddess.

Anything good would be perfect for her. She was in no position to be picky.

When Tianshi Xue looked back, she could no longer see Howin. She tried calling out for her handmaiden but it seemed like she had gotten lost while she was manoeuvring around the garden. It did not help that there were tall bushes that completely obstructed Tianshi Xue from view.

Which way had she come from earlier?

It was a freaking labyrinth. The only thing that was marking her location was this huge fountain.

So much for offering the goddess the most beautiful flower.

She flicked her skirts with a sigh and started walking to the direction that she thought she had taken.

**

Half an hour later, she was still in no luck. She wandered into a new part of the garden that she had not seen. At this point, she was at the right side of the goddess… didn't she enter from the front? Where was she?

Then Tianshi Xue saw something black and was in relief to be in a presence of another human. "Excuse me!" she shouted at the unmoving head of the person on one of the benches.

How could this person sleep here? Were they slacking off?

"Excuse me!" she said again when she got near.

Only then she recognized the hair and the uniform of the person and started to back away.

But the form talked. "What do you want, Princess?"

Tianshi Xue clamped her lips together. She should just pretend that she was not here. If she stepped away quietly and quickly, it would be like she had not been here at al—

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you, of course!" she said and walked backwards again but then her foot caught up with the train of her dress and the next thing that she know, she was tumbling on the ground with an ugly ommphf.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Prince Qui said. His head was craned to look at her. Then his eyes went to her hair and she knew what he saw.

She quickly covered the pin with her hand, getting a little embarrassed that he saw that she was already wearing his gift.

The prince smiled and shook his head before ignoring her again.