Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Nianzu, Chuntao, and Huo Jin went to the market in the evening. The children were playing among each other with the paper dragons in their hands. Some people were purchasing things for them, while some were enjoying the food at the stall. Women could be seen purchasing hair adornments, jade bangles, and other jewelry. 

Nianzu grasped Chuntao's hand and took her near the stall. He came to the front and saw many beautiful hairpins on the stall. Seeing Nianzu, a few women backed off while some started to admire his good looks. "Which hairpin would you like to buy?" Nianzu asked Chuntao while moving his eyes towards the jade bangles and rings.

"Umm… I am confused," Chuntao replied. 

Nianzu hummed and picked a golden hairpin with a circular carving. White and red Pearls were engraved into it. "I would like to buy this," Nianzu told the seller. Chuntao oppositely glanced at the women who were admiring her husband. 

"It is 50 cents, Brother," the seller answered. 

"Give it for 40 cents, Brother. I want to purchase two jade bangles too," Nianzu stated and picked the two jade bangles. The seller agreed and asked for 50 cents. Nianzu took out the pouch and handed him the coins. Nianzu put the hairpin in Chuntao's hair and looked at her face. "It is looking good," he said and made her wear the jade bangles. 

Huo Jin smiled seeing the two. However, regret-filled him. He remembered purchasing a hairpin for Xinyue during the Winter Festival. When he gave the hairpin to Xinyue, she refused and told him to be within his limits. 'A servant should not be giving me this. Next time, I will complain about this to my father, if you give something like this to me.' However, he could never hate her; instead, his love for her kept growing. He took a few steps back and vanished from there. 

Nianzu and Chuntao came towards the place where Huo Jin was waiting for them. "Where did Brother Huo Jin leave?" Chuntao murmured and looked around. Nianzu found him but noticed the sad expressions on his face. "Chun, let's go ahead. He might have gone home," Nianzu stated. He did not want to stop Huo Jin as he realized Huo Jin recalled about Xinyue. 

"Without telling us? We shall search for Brother Huo," Chuntao was concerned for him. 

Nianzu looked at her and said, "Huo Jin wants to be alone for some time. Hope this has sufficed your anxiousness for him." Chuntao understood and nodded her head. 

Huo Jin came towards the river edge and sat at the rock, a few meters away from the river. The lanterns were glowing a few meters away from him, spreading the light in the region. He fidgeted with his fingers and sighed. "This is the first festival that I am celebrating without you," he murmured. "How could you love your evil father more than your own life?" he complained. 

Huo Jin was the type of person who had great control over his emotions. Even in the worst time, he had trained himself to keep a calm face. After his father died because of a prolonged illness, he religiously served his master and Xinyue. 'I should have taken you away when your father started all this,' Huo Jin thought and lowered his eyes. He reminisced about the last few moments with Xinyue, where she told him that she had started to love Jian Guozhi. But even Jian Guozhi did not stop her from getting the death sentence. 

He placed his palms over his cheeks and moved them slowly over his face. "I shouldn't think about that. It would bring pain only," he muttered. Putting his both hands down, he looked towards the water. 

He heard the sound from the water, coming from the left, and turned his gaze towards that side. He stood up and went towards the source of the noise and saw a young woman and a young man of his age filling the bucket with water from the river.

"Why are you filling water from here?" Huo Jin asked them. Both of them quickly turned to Huo Jin, who saw their shabby clothes and faces covered in dirt. For a second, their appearances disheartened him. 

"Forgive us," the young man apologized and lowered his head, bringing Huo Jin out from his thoughts. 

"Why are you apologizing? I am simply asking. Doesn't the Water Bureau distribute water to the people?" Huo Jin questioned. 

Both brother and sister looked at each other. Huo Jin found it weird as both of them were not answering. He thought they might be scared to see an unknown person, so he decided to leave. "You shall continue your work," Huo Jin stated and turned to leave when he saw a man with a torchbearer coming in that direction. 

"Sister, he is here. Run! I will follow you." Huo Jin heard the words of the young man. He saw the woman had run away in the opposite direction while his brother ran after a few seconds. 

The man with a torchbearer approached Huo Jin and asked if he saw two shabby people. 

"No," Huo Jin lied. He was curious to know, so he asked him, "Mister, whom are you searching for and why? If you tell me, then I might find them for you." 

"Ahh, they are the children of a butcher family. They are not allowed to drink water and have food as their father mercilessly killed his master whom he had served for the last ten years," the man informed Huo Jin. 

"That's saddening. But, why aren't they provided with water and food?" Huo Jin asked another question. 

"Because he killed a higher rank person in the society. So, his family has to suffer. The punishment decided was to provide no food and water to them," the man stated. 

Huo Jin clenched his fists. "Mister, why did you think they had come here? Only a fool can come outside after giving such a heavy punishment," Huo Jin affirmed. 

"I have seen them coming here a few times. Last time, I caught those two children and they got punished. I shall leave. It's cold here," the man told Huo Jin and walked away. 

Huo Jin frowned as it angered him. The upper-classmen always suppressed the people lower than them. 'There might be some other reason that their father killed his master. He might have troubled him a lot. This was harsh. They would die if did not provide water and food.' Huo Jin's heart melted thinking all that. It was saddening that even during the festival days when people are enjoying and having fun with their families, there were a few people, who were praying for a one-time meal. Huo Jin got the urge to help the family as their faces kept flashing in front of his eyes. 

He looked towards the direction where both the brother-sister had run to. However, he could not see them. "Maybe I will find them soon. I was once like them," Huo Jin mumbled and turned to return home. After half an hour, he reached home and found Nianzu and Chuntao waiting for him in the front yard. 

"Where have you gone?" Nianzu worriedly asked. 

"I went near the river. You two should have slept," Huo Jin replied and looked towards the bedpost. There were two cloth bags placed on it, loaded with things. "Did you buy something for me?" Huo Jin happily asked. 

"Yes, Brother Huo," Chuntao answered and took out a dress for him from one of the cloth bags. "This is for you, Brother Huo," Chuntao smiled at him. Huo Jin thanked her and moved his hand over the dress. 

"It is the first time I have received a gift. It is a wonderful feeling," Huo Jin stated and broadly smiled. 

"You left in the middle. So, we could not get the idea which type of color would suit you," asserted Nianzu. 

"But this grey color would suit me. Sister Chuntao has a nice choice," Huo Jin stated. 

"I am glad that Brother Huo likes the dress. Let's have dinner. There is still leftover food from the day. "Brother Huo, you shall wash your hands," Chuntao said before leaving for the kitchen. Nianzu also went to the kitchen to help Chuntao. Huo Jin kept smiling while looking at the dress.. "So, it is the feeling which one gets from the family," Nianzu murmured.