Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

586 Could not see her smile

Lóng Wei looked at the knife which Li Hua handed him earlier. “What to do with it?” He asked and then looked at the kitchen’s slab on which spring onions and some vegetables were placed.

“Does His Highness know how to cut the spring onions?” Li Hua asked.

“I never did this kind of task, but I can try,” Lóng Wei stated and looked at the knife once more when Li Hua took it from him.

“His Highness should not do it if he doesn’t know. He can rest in the room. I will prepare the dinner,” Li Hua opined.

“But if you do not let me try, how will I know? You can show me once,” Lóng Wei suggested to him.

“Prince Lóng Wei, it will take a lot of time then. We all are hungry,” Feng Lao said, who had come to the kitchen a minute ago.

He stepped up and picked up the apron from the shelf. He wore it and took the knife from Li Hua. “Your Highness, why don’t you watch me and learn?” Feng Lao asked. Li Hua liked his suggestion and told them she would cook another main dish while they should cook the noodles.

“Do you know cooking?” Lóng Wei asked Feng Lao.

“He knows. My second brother and he always used to cook together if we would gather in their house,” Li Hua answered in excitement as she reminisced about the good old days.

.....

Lóng Wei didn’t like that Feng Lao knew about cooking while he didn’t even know the basics. He saw Li Hua going to the other side.

Feng Lao told Lóng Wei how to cut the vegetables, and it appeared tiring for him. He didn’t listen to any of his explanations. His entire focus was on Li Hua, whom a servant was helping.

Feng Lao noticed that Lóng Wei didn’t listen to him and looked in the direction where he gazed at.

“Your Highness!” Feng Lao pronounced. Lóng Wei looked at him. “Can His Highness fill the cauldron with water?” He inquired.

“Do it yourself. I will see you at dinner. I am not made for this work,” Lóng Wei said and left the kitchen.

“Did he get angry at me?” Feng Lao murmured.

Lóng Wei went to see his father in his room. He pushed the door in lightly and walked in. He saw him standing in front of the large window and looking outside.

Qizhen heard the footsteps and turned slightly to check. “Lóng Wei!” A smile appeared on his lips to see his son. Lóng Wei walked up to him and stood next to his father.

“Did your tiredness go away?” Lóng Wei asked.

“Yes.” “I recalled my youthful days when I came here on my father’s order,” Qizhen said and smiled.

“Why didn’t Father fight against Qiu Zedong? Why did he accept his defeat so easily?” Lóng Wei asked.

“The disciples of Yuze turned out to be strong. Xiwan and I were trained by Yuze. Father was also one of his disciples, so how did he get defeated so easily?”

Qizhen fidgeted with her fingers and then looked out of the window. “I failed to understand Qiu Zedong’s might. I didn’t know he would conspire against me. As you said to me many times, I acted naively and my kindness to him destroyed everything. By the time when I asked Hei Chengxi to give Zedong my location, Yu Jun’s life was already in danger. Even if I wanted to kill Zedong, I could not.”

Qizhen took a deep breath of regret. All his knowledge went to waste. “I met your mother at a fair in the market. There was no verbal communication. I saw her looking at some silk ribbons with her friends,” Qizhen said and smiled.

“Why did Father not reveal to the officials, the ministers, and to the people that you had a woman?” Lóng Wei asked. “I heard from Hei Chengxi how they were suspicious of you not taking a woman from a noble class,” he asserted.

“Lóng Wei, two months I spent with your mother. I wanted to reveal it, but I was unaware of the schemings waiting for me. Then my priority changed to save you two. I had married her privately as well, but because the situation wasn’t right I couldn’t tell anyone about it. I regret my decision of not announcing it the day I saw her,” Qiu Qizhen said and his eyes turned misty.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Lóng Wei stated. “If it was revealed who your wife would be, then I would not be standing in front of you.”

He lifted his hand and rested it on his father’s shoulder. “I was curious to know, that’s why I asked. It must be painful for Father,” Lóng Wei said and patted Qizhen’s shoulder.

He lowered his hand and continued, “What was my mother’s reaction when she found out she was pregnant?” Lóng Wei asked.

“She was above the clouds and told me what she would do if it were a boy or a girl. She loved you more than her life and decided to bear that painful life in the palace,” Qizhen said.

“Sadly, I could not see her smile in happiness. She had the most beautiful smile in the world. I always wanted to say it to her, but I could never. Probably because of my ego,” Lóng Wei said, and tears appeared at the edges of his eyes. He used his thumb to wipe them.

Lóng Wei took a deep breath and challenged his father to a sword fight. Qizhen amusedly glanced at him. “I want to experience how a son learns things from his father. I never had that experience,” Lóng Wei stated. “Also, I want to have fun sword fighting with Father.”

His bright smile was enough to show his zeal for it.

“Father, don’t get defeated by your son tomorrow,” Lóng Wei said.

“I didn’t pick up the sword for years. So, I may lose,” Qizhen stated.

“Don’t say that. Who knows you are still better at it,” Lóng Wei said.