His Rui

The darkness of night doesn't seem to affect the Imperial Palace as the whole Palace was lit with lanterns. Inside the Xinhe Palace's study room, Eunuch Zhang entered only to see that The Second Prince, Zhao Zhang Wei was already wearing his robe instead of reading any book. However, he did show that surprise on his face. 

He stepped forward and said.

"May I, Your Highness ?"

Zhao Zhang Wei raised his hand and stood waiting for Eunuch Zhang to fix his robes.

A few minutes later, the pair of Master-servant finally stepped out of the study and walked towards the Lantai courtyard.

The Lantai courtyard was lit with lanterns. Zhao Zhang Wei could not help but raise his head look at the gates of the courtyard.

Few maids were standing outside the courtyard and they seemed to be there to welcome him. He frowned. In the past, she herself used to stand outside the courtyard at this time to welcome him, whenever he visited Lantai Courtyard.

Nearing the entrance, he saw a maid who seemed to be Yi Huiqing's personal maidservant in his memory.

He stopped and still looking at the front he asked the maid.

"Where is wangfei?"

The maidservant was startled when The Second Prince suddenly stopped in front of her.

Hearing the question she could not help but feel a little flustered. She was surprised when her mistress asked the maids to stand at the gates of the courtyard to wait for The Second Prince. In the past, her mistress herself used to wait for wangye patiently at the gates of the courtyard irrespective of the time she had to wait for. This was not any custom. This was something that her mistress liked to do for wangye. 

In fact, this was not the only thing that seemed different. Today, her mistress left everything to the maids. What dishes were to be made for the night meal, which tea was to be served to Wangye, everything was left for maids to decide. She didn't participate in anything. Just took a perfunctory glance after everything was prepared to check nothing was wrong. Not only she but all the maids were surprised.

This behavior was a little strange. 

But she couldn't tell all this to Wangye. She could only lie.

"Your Highness, Wangfei was feeling a bit low. So this servant requested Wangfei to rest inside."

Zhao Zhang Wei didn't say anything and walked forward. Remembering some past events, he thought in his heart.

Then she must be very unwell.

However, when Zhao Zhang Wei saw Yi Huiqing he didn't feel that she was sick. 

The eunuch announced his arrival and all the maids in the courtyard kneeled down.

Zhao Zhang Wei saw Yi Huiqing was about to bow but he held her hand to stop her from doing that.

"Wangfei does not need to act so formal even when you are feeling unwell."

Yi Huiqing raised her head after she heard his words and her confusion was clearly written on her face as she withdrew her hand from Zhao Zhang Wei's hand.

While Zhao Zhang Wei was a bit surprised but he didn't show it on his face. Yi Huiqing looked much better than the last time he saw her. Her face was a little pale when he had seen her fifteen days ago but now it had gained some red color. 

She didn't look sick at all.

He lightly glanced towards Yi Huiqing's personal maidservant. 

The maid lowered her head.

Zhao Zhang Wei withdrew his gaze without saying anything else. He had the usual gentle smile on his face.

The maids set the meal and served dishes. Today the table was filled with more dishes than in the past. Many times, Zhao Zhang Wei raised his head to look at his wangfei who had been sitting across him. She was elegantly eating the meal and didn't even raise her head to look at him. He lowered his head and continued eating.

After an hour, they finally retired for the bed. This time, Zhao Zhang Wei didn't lie down. He looked at his wangfei. But Yi Huiqing didn't even look towards him as she removed the accessories from her hair. 

Zhao Zhang Wei looked at her with a smile as she sat down on the bed. 

"Wangfei seems to be a little different today."

Yi Huiqing abruptly raised her head surprised at the fact that he did notice this fact. But she forcefully calmed down the stirred feelings of her heart as she remembered the child she has lost.

"This wangfei does not understand what Wangye is talking about."

Zhao Zhang Wei took her hand in his own as his gaze didn't move away from her face. 

"Nothing, just wangfei did not talk much today. Wangfei didn't wear the blue-colored dress that This Prince usually sees you in whenever this one visits Lantai courtyard. The table was filled with more dishes yesterday and this one noticed that wangfei ate sour and spicy dishes. That is very different from the past."

Yi Huiqing felt a bit surprised as he recounted every change she had made in her life these days. 

Now she wore the color she likes instead of the one he likes. She ate the meal according to her taste not according to his taste. She felt a different satisfaction doing all this. 

Only these days, Yi Huiqing came to knew how much she has changed herself just to become a wangfei the Second Prince could love. 

Only now, she found out why Rui said to her that she is losing herself just to gain something that never wants to be hers.

Even Rui could see this. Why didn't she see this?

Now doing everything how she liked, she felt free from a suffocating feeling. 

She took her hand out from his and said

"This wangfei is just tired of wearing that color and hence started to wear this color. About the meal, this wangfei likes spicy dishes and asked the maids to prepare and serve for the night meal."

Zhao Zhang Wei's gaze was a little complicated when he saw her withdrawing her hand again from his hand.

"This wangfei feels a bit tired and will retire to the bed first."

Saying this, Yi Huiqing covered herself with the blanket laid on her side with her back towards him.

She is tired. What exactly she is tired of? 

Zhao Zhang Wei felt a different kind of frustration inside his heart. He could not sleep that night but the person beside him slept without any care for anything in this world increasing his frustration more.