The Princess Is Above - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Yuan Xi had a bangle on each wrist-one silver, one jadeite. She took off the jadeite one and told me to sell it for money.

I instinctively refused.

It was quite precious, and I wasn’t so poor that I needed to sell or pawn things.

But she insisted on giving it to me.

After going back and forth several times, I couldn’t refuse her, so I agreed to hold onto it for now.

That night before bed, I held the jade bangle in my hands, rubbing it back and forth.

It was top-grade imperial green, completely flawless without a hint of cloudiness, clear and lustrous, warm to the touch.

During the day when Yuan Xi was adamant about giving me the bangle, we had gone back and forth several times.

“This is too valuable, I can’t accept it!”

“Come on, I eat your food, drink your drinks, use your things-how could I not feel embarrassed? Just take it.”

“If you really feel bad and want to show your appreciation, you can give me the silver one-it’s not as expensive.”

“No, no, no, not that one.”

…

Thinking about it now, she was actually pretty generous.

I rubbed the bangle, my head heavy and drowsy. I yawned, rolled over, and fell asleep.

That night, I fell into a beautiful, sensual dream.

Yuan Xi appeared before me.

She curved her lips into a smile.

“Zhu Yuechen, where do you think you’re going?”

I instinctively raised my hands to push her away.

“Ah, no…”

She chuckled softly, caught both my wrists with one hand, and pinned them above my head.

My chin was gripped and lifted, forcing me to meet her beautiful eyes.

“Isn’t it good to stay by my side?”

Without warning, her lips descended upon mine. I was powerless to resist, trembling…

BOOM!

A massive thunderclap struck.

I jolted awake, sitting up abruptly in bed.

The scenes from the dream flooded back.

I had actually dreamed of Yuan Xi and me…

Outside, a torrential downpour was raging, rain hammering against the window.

Yuan Xi was sleeping soundly. Feeling my movement and the noise outside, she instinctively shifted closer to me.

She made a couple of whimpering sounds and mumbled sleepily.

“Big sister… don’t go, I’m scared…”

Was she the same person as in my dream?

Ever since that night of the unspeakable dream, my state of mind had started to become unsettled.

I tried to look up historical records to learn about Yuan Xi.

No such person existed.

Emperor Wen of Jin had five sons and three daughters. Every prince and princess had detailed biographies and portraits, except her.

I then tried to start with other figures, hoping to find some clues.

In history, Yuan Xi’s birth mother, Zhang Shi, was Emperor Wen of Jin’s first empress. She had one son, Emperor Wen’s eldest son Yuan Zhao, who was named Crown Prince at the age of three.

When the Crown Prince was ten, Empress Zhang died of poisoning, and Imperial Noble Consort Ji was enthroned as the new empress.

Empress Ji gave birth to the Second Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and First Princess.

Emperor Wen of Jin suddenly fell gravely ill and passed away before he could summon anyone.

That night, Second Prince Yuan Ting rebelled. The Crown Prince Yuan Zhao was trapped in the Eastern Palace and died by self-immolation.

The historical records of Empress Zhang and Crown Prince Yuan Zhao ended abruptly there.

But there was still not a single trace of any clue about Yuan Xi.

I didn’t suspect that her identity was fake.

The fact that she could appear here out of nowhere was in itself inexplicable.

Perhaps in that time and space, the memories of her had already been erased from people’s minds.