        ~Volume I:Love is a Dagger~
Yaozu was surprised to find himself in a familiar room, and not the old chamber, in which he took his last breath.
“Young master, are you awake?”
A young maid, dressed in a light turquoise uniform with her black hair in a braided ponytail, entered the room with a tray, in which a bowl of water and towel were placed.
The young man immediately recognized his dowry maid, Meihui.
The poor who suffered a cruel fate, just because she was his dowry maid.
“Yes, Meihui.I’m awake.”
Yaozu couldn’t help but smile at the young girl he thought he won’t see again.
It wasn’t until then, that he realized that this..may not be heaven after all.
This place..seemed to be the Xiao mansion…
After he washed his face gently with water and dried it with a clean towel, he looked at the young maid.
“Meihui, what…is today’s date?”
The young girl looked confused by her master’s question but answered nevertheless.
“It’s the fourth month of the solar year, It’s something in the matter?”
Yaozu paled at the mention of the date. Maybe the gods didn’t take pity on him, after all.They just wanted to see him struggle.
Around this time, he entered the palace, marrying the emperor.
“No, everything is alright. I just wanted to know how many days are left until I marry..his majesty.”
The young maid smiled warmly at her master after finding out the reason behind the odd question.
Her master was never good at expressing emotions.
“Oh, there are three days left until master will enter the palace.”
Yaozu paled even more, to the point of being white as a ghost, but forced a smile, so his maid won’t be too suspicious.
“Ah…”
Meihui noticed her master getting paler, but she didn’t think much of it as the young master usually gets pale when he is anxious.
“Young master, It’s time to get ready for morning greetings.”
The young maid announced while looking out the window, seeing the sky starting to light up.
Yaozu followed the direction she was looking at and rose from bed to prepare himself with the help of Meihui.
“Which hanfu would young master like to wear?”
The young girl asked her master, who seemed to be lost in thoughts.
“Uh…The white one will do.”
Yaozu has been thinking about the whole situation, at first, he was happy to be back in the Xiao household but now…After finding out he only has three days until he has to enter the palace again, he feels..lost.
It’s too late to stop this awful marriage, he could only spend more time with his parents before entering the burning hell.
After helping him dress, the young maid styled his hair simply with a hairpin.
“You’re all done, young master.”
Meihui smiled at her master, she had never seen him this soft.
Her master has always been cold, he didn’t like to be seen in a vulnerable state. Of course, young Master Yaozu wasn’t a bad person, he never mistreated servants in any way and was very respectful to his elders.
He just wasn’t too expressive, that was just the way he was.
“Thank you Meihui, you did a great job.”
Yaozu smiled while looking at his reflection in the mirror, he haven’t seen himself look this healthy in a while.
After entering the palace to look good in the eyes of the emperor, he used to have a ridiculously strict diet and sometimes he would even skip his meals, so he will remain skinny. Thus he was quite fragile.
And he certainly wasn’t healthy after being fed poison, in the abandoned palace.
After one last look, Yaozu rose from his seat, in front of the mirror, and slowly exited his room.
He wishes to make the most of his last days in the Xiao mansion to spend time with his parents, but as ironic as it is, Yaozu is extremely nervous.
Would he be able to look in the eyes of his parents and pretend that everything is fine and that he didn’t tarnished the family name, therefore disappointing his whole family?
“Young master, are you..feeling alright?
Yaozu was brought back to reality by the worried girl beside him.
“Ah…Yes, I’m fine.”
Meihui was starting to worry about her master. He was too pale.
Even though it’s not something unusual for him, there isn’t anything to be nervous about, right now.
But knowing the young master will marry soon, she thought that must be it. Weddings are always stressful, after all.
“…Well, we have arrived at Madam Xiao’s chambers.”
Yaozu, with all the courage he had, entered his mother’s chambers, only to be met with big black eyes, that immediately noticed his presence.
“Ah,Zu’er come in.”
Yaozu was warmly greeted by Madam Xiao, that had a gentle smile on her face.
As he was about to kneel for his morning greetings, he was stopped by his mother.
“You done it many times, mother knows you’re filial.How about we just spend the limited time as mother and son, not Madam Xiao and Young Master Xiao?”
The elder woman caressed her son’s head affectionately,thing which she didn’t get to do since he was a child.
She wanted to hold her son once more before she probably won’t see him ever again.
Truthfully, she didn’t want to let him live in that dangerous place, but her Zu’er was lovesick and she didn’t want to see her son ill and bedridden.
Yaozu smiled warmly at his mother. He remembers how he didn’t really let his mother hold him,when she suggested this.
Yaozu hugged his mother gently,not wanting to ever let go.
Tears prickled at his eyes knowing he won’t ever see his darling mother.
Madam Xiao was surprised by her son’s sudden action.
Zu’er was usually cold and didn’t like showing affection, but she always knew he held love for both her and her husband.
She melted in the hug, wishing her son wasn’t lovesick, so he won’t have to marry the emperor and enter the cruel palace.
But,perhaps this was his destiny..
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