Phoenix Rising

057

"Mother, what are you doing!"

Footsteps rushed into the parlour, and Zi-ning found herself being hauled back up to her feet. It was Crown Prince Ru-quan, who was still two shades paler than his usual self, but otherwise looking well on the road to recovery. He placed his hands on her shoulders, studying her carefully from head to toe. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Did you get hurt by any of those porcelain shards?"

She shook her head.

"Ru-quan, what do you think you are doing? Is this how you should greet your mother?" the queen rebuked.

"What did Zi-ning do wrong?" the prince demanded in return.

"She offended me. Am I not allowed to punish her for it?"

"Zi-ning saved my life. Surely that is enough to negate any sort of punishment!" Ignoring his mother's anger, Ru-quan helped Zi-ning over to an empty chair and sat her down. He quickly poured her a cup of water to help calm her nerves, placing it gently in her hands.

"Quan-er! You dare go against your own mother because of this girl?"

The crown prince turned to face the queen with steely determination etched upon his face. "I came here to discuss a matter with you, Mother. It's just as well that Zi-ning is here," he said. "I've decided that I shall make Han Zi-ning my crown princess. After this I shall head to the imperial study to inform Father of my decision."

"What did you say?" The queen's slender fingers gripped onto the rosewood handles of her chair, the veins at her temple pulsating fiercely.

"I said, I am going to name Han Zi-ning as crown princess," the prince repeated.

The porcelain cup almost slipped out of Zi-ning's hands. Although she had known that rescuing the crown prince's life would have won her some degree of favour, she had not expected this. The crown princess would be the future queen, and it was not a title that could easily be conferred without substantial deliberation.

Isn't this the best outcome?

As crown princess, she would be able to easily influence Ru-quan and use him to exact her revenge against Ru-an, and the power invested in her was more than enough to punish the likes of Lady Min and Han Meiyan.

So why was she feeling so conflicted about this? Why was there a part of her that didn't want to be the crown princess?

"That's not possible," the queen immediately declared. "Han Zi-ning cannot be the crown princess. I've already decided that Ouyang Sangya will be the crown princess."

"Ouyang Sangya was not the one who risked everything to save my life. I will only marry Han Zi-ning and no one else."

"Quan-er!"

A knock came at the door, and one of the queen's servants rushed in, bowing hurriedly to the queen and then the crown prince.

"What is it?" Queen Ci demanded irately.

The servant leaned over and whispered something into the queen's ear. The original tension in the queen's face subsided. "Quan-er, the matter of your marriage can be discussed later. There are more important things to attend to now." Her cold gaze flickered towards Zi-ning. "Han Zi-ning, I believe your presence will be required at the imperial study. Go now."

"What? Why would Father want to see Zi-ning?" Ru-quan asked.

"If you're so curious, then by all means go along," the queen replied, waving her hand dismissively.

Zi-ning's heart sank. Whatever was waiting for her at the king's study could not bode well, else the queen would not look so pleased with this turn of events. Standing back up, she bade farewell to the queen and headed for the doors with the crown prince by her side.