Fated Book 2 : The Crown Prince's Golden Consort

the palace sedan rode into the palace and stopped at the Empress's palace. Xiaolian got down from the sedan and was led by a palace maid into the Empress palace. Xiaolian walked into the palace and saw the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, she finally understood why the Empress was called a fairy on earth. The Empress seamed to be going through some pictures. Lu Xiaolian walked gracefully to stand in front of the Empress before bowing am saying"Xiaolian greets marjesty the Empress of Wei"

"you may rise, Xiaolian has grown to be quite the beauty" The Empress said with a smile. She always felt a kinship to Lu Xiaolian since the first time she met her twelve years ago at Third rank princess Ming Meiren's wedding to Duke Wu. Lu Xiaolian always reminded her of herself, she too was from a military family of northern Liang and had grown up in military camps.

Lu Xiaolian is also very smart and kind, she had secretly kept an eye on her helping her where she could. Lu Xiaolian had always been her choice of wife for her son since she was seven years old.

"You flatter me your highness, I can not compare to You who more beautiful than an earth fairy" Lu Xiaolian said smiling sweetly .

"Hmm you have asweet tongue, good I will tell you a secret, Huang is only hard on the outside and soft on the inside, he's also partial to sweets" the Empress said.

"really"Lu Xiaolian said blushing.

"Yes I as his mother knows him much better, he really can't stomach anything bitter, even medicine" the Empress replied.

"One really can't tell" Lu Xiaolian said still blushing, she was very nervous when she was about to greet the Empress but not anymore, her stepmother was right, the Empress was very warm and playful, now she knew why the Emperor loved her so much. Their love story was a thing of legends after all. The Emperor had met the Empress during a state visit to northern Liang and they fell in love. Their marriage made waves then and still did now.

"I heard that you like painting landscape" the Empress said still smiling.

"Answering your highness, I grew up following my father from one battlefield to another, being surrounded by nature I fear that I have grown to like painting landscape and nature in general" Lu Xiaolian replied softly

"that's good come and admire these painting with me" the Empress said. Lu Xiaolian walked up to and sat next to the Empress, who gently spread out the painting. The Empress held up the painting like a great treasure, Lu Xiaolian could clearly see that the Empress really valued this painting.

"look this is a painting of the beautiful mountains of Northern Liang, how I have missed these, Many forget that I too am from a military family, my father served as the great General of northern Liang during the great wars,so I grew up following my father from one military camp to another, I explored maney mountains and Forest that they were already a part of me, even after my marriage to the Emperor still long for it. The Emperor always gifted me many painting of various landscape that I feel that I have been there myself. Ever since Huang'er began his travel he always painted various landscape that always looked lifelike, this is a painting of the mountains of Northern Liang"the Empress said with a smile and gently touching the surfaces of the painting.

"It truly looks lifelike, His highness the crown Prince must put a great deal of emotion into this painting you can feel it in euch brush stroke" Lu Xiaolian said in reply.

'He did, didn't he that's the kind of man my Huang is Xiaolian, he might seam cold but he's love is true Xiaolian,he has a heart of gold. This painting and the rest are all personally painted by my Huang. You don't have to worry about your future, Huang will like you, unlike the rest of them you are kind and loving, You truly are a match" the Empress said.

Lu Xiaolian could already tell that the Empress was trying to calm her, no that she needed to Lu Xiaolian could already tell from all that she had seen and heard just what kind of man the crown Prince was.

The Crown Prince Manor, The south courtyard

"Deliver this to the crown Prince rooms" A beautiful young woman dressed in white instructed two maids as she handed them some fresh flowers. "Yes Madam Jiang " the maids chorused and left for the crown Prince rooms. She may not be the crown princess Consort but Jang Suyin was highly respected in the Crown Prince Wang fu.

"You may leave" Jang Suyin said dismissing her servants leaving only Lou yu her personal maid servant.

After waiting a few minutes after the servants had walked away, Jang Suyin finally turned and facing Lou yu said "How are things on wangfei's end?

"My lady The crown princess Consort has been very calm of late she invited the imperial physician this morning" Lou yu said in reply.

"It would seem that wangfei has finally got her priorities in order, Madam Xu must have really brought her to order but not for long, not if I can help it. Tell our Tao Li to proceed with the plan" Jang Suyin said smiling smugly.

'Xu Mingzhu you are not done until I say so, trying to get ahead fine I will show you what happens to people who don't know their place'.

"yes my lady" Lou yu said before walking away,after a few minutes she was back.

"is it set" Jang Suyin asked

"Yes my lady" Lou yu answered

"Good we are about to watch a show, let's head over to the crown princess Consort Courtyard and pay our respects.