4. He Favors Me But he Doesn't Love Me

Jia Hui Liang opens his eyes feeling tired, he dreamt last night it wasn't a bad dream but knowing what was ahead for him overlaced it with melancholy. Just deep, dark, drowning sadness brought on by the people who dared to call close, biting his lips tears falls down from his eyes.

"Fan Weimin, Fan Weimin, Fan Weimin,"

Xia and Ling soon enters the room, xia holding a tray with a basin of water and cloth to dry with. Ling feels concern as she hears the soft yet vengeful muttering of the Honorable consort, he had hope that her master's madness was only a bad dream but sadly she could only hope.

"Master,"

Jia Hui Liang soon sits up as Xia rest the tray on his lap, he looks at the water and saw his reflection such a young innocent beauty he thought but seeing his puffy eyes he splashes some water across his face then take the cloth drying it. Jia Hui Liang's thoughts sober up and now he can compose himself.

"Prepare the bath, I have to join the morning greetings of all the spouse," Jia Hui Liang said.

Ling was relieved enough to see the concubine was sober enough to join the morning greetings bit is worried if meeting Concubine Fan. One thing is clear about the sudden illness of the Honorable Consort Jia is that there is bitter hatred for the concubine Fan!

Preparing the bath adding fragrance and flower petals, Ling prepares the comb as her master enters the bath. Oiling his long shiny raven black she takes the comb gently combing it, the Honorable Consort Jia simple gently rubs his skin washing himself Ling looks at her master wondering what is going through his head to have such a silent expression.

"Ling, I'm foolish aren't I?"

"Hm?"

"I'm naive, my brother was right the harem is not a place for a fantasy chasing blockhead. That I am the only lamb that would run in a wolves."

"Don't say that master, you are most kind you love his imperial majesty and I'm sure he favors the master a lot," Ling said.

Jia Hui Liang's lip curves in a slow and sinister smile, "he "favors me" but he doesn't love me".

Ling goes quiet not sure on how to reply, Jia Hui Liang takes the silence as a loud reply then stands up. "Enough chit-chat I'm wrinkled enough,"

After bathing the servants carefully prepares him, dressing him in a lavish light green and white hanfu with pretty vine patterns traveling up the large sleeves and at the end of the hanfu. His hair was slightly twisted crown and some hair released at the back, Xia gently painted his bottom lip with a soft red and some eyeliner with a small wing on the right eye.

After dressing an white umbrella was offered to him as the weather was hot today and his skin was delicate, walking with Ling and Xia a few steps behind him he can't help but feel a bit better. In his past life it was only these two that remained with him until they were taken away from him, Ling being tired of the injustice her master faced attempted to poison the emperor's beloved concubine and was met with an untimely death that Jia Hui Liang had to watch.

Xia foolish child she is took his child and hid it from the emperor and the concubine Fan only to be tortures until death for the whereabouts of the baby but to the end the precious and stubborn child didn't say a word. Only to know she hid him in a very precious and safe place these children sacrifice so much for him because they couldn't bare to see him suffer, Jia Hui Liang loves them without fault.

After reaching opening halls of the Eternal Spring blossom palace he close his umbrella. Soon the other spouses raises and bows.

"May the morning bless Honorable Consort Jia and he may enjoy the rest of his day,"

The Honorable Consort Jia walks until he found his seat the top of the table where he slightly bows with his hands hidden in his sleeves. "Greetings to her Noble and beloved Consort Madame Chi,"

The Noble Consort looks at him and soon a calming smile came across her face, "you may raise Honorable Consort Jia,"

The Honorable Consort Jia raises then sits, his eyes soon flutters up and said. "You all can sit now,"

The spouses sit wondering what was the matter the Honorable Consort Jia? Usually he'd never make them wait this long to sit after a greeting, he was always considerate with them.

Soon a servant came and pours his tea and serves his breakfast, he didn't have an appetite after who likes to feast amongst animals?