Back In Time (The Reincarnation of the Cruel Concubine)
River and meeting
The journey taken by sea ship split the strait finally reached the destination, a magnificent port that is busy. Much busier than their port of departure point, there is a large gate to the city center and many well-dressed ship merchants mingle with merchants from various regions. Wu Li Mei stared at it in amazement, the cool yet warm wind blowing through her face made the concubine embrace her own body with a feeling she was unable to describe. Does this feel like coming home? Or what is this feeling?
“How, Mei’er? Seeing this country again after a dozen years, do you feel happy?”
Wu Li Mei only responded with a smile, the concubine welcomed the emperor's helping hand to get off the ship together. “I'm happy, of course happy.” The answer.
“You will be more pleased when you see your parents, they will welcome us specially inside the palace. Together with the future emperor and other members of your family.”
“Really?”
“Of course.” Emperor Zhou nodded confidently, “You are still their dearest youngest daughter Mei’er, you are so dear that everything you want you will always get easily.”
The horse-drawn carriage greeted them after getting off the ship, and then there were faces that the concubine did not recognize at all. There was no picture of this place and its people, even though he had listened to Dayang Yi's long story about this superpower place. The land of Hang is said to be a prosperous and peaceful country, there are no wars and the emperor led well to make the country very prosperous and much more advanced than other countries.
Wu Li Mei should be proud to be from a pure descendant of a powerful empire, but unfortunately she was too late to register as empress and ended up becoming a great concubine. In the past, the woman was very fine as long as she remained by the emperor's side, but now, she increasingly knew why fate had to make her seize the throne. Compared to Yang Jia Li, who was only the daughter of a lowly rebel, she was much more deserving of the throne. Wu Li Mei started to think about something else as her feet stared for the first time in this country, if she was indeed a dear princess, there would naturally be power she had in this country. Or he can ask for support from the emperor who in fact his own brother. Wu Li Mei had to make use of it, he had to gather strength and dethrone Yang Jia Li.
“Greetings, His Majesty Emperor Zhou Xiu Huan of Ming Country to the south. May the emperor live a thousand years!” said one dressed like Commander Hao, nearby were several more people dressed like eunuchs. They bowed and saluted.
“Rise!”
“Greetings, Her Royal Highness Princess Wu Li Mei!”
“Rise!” wu Li Mei.
“Welcome to Hang Country, Your Majesty. We will show your residence for these few days during the coronation of the new emperor implemented.” Said the commander.
Without saying much more, the entourage of Emperor Zhou and Wu Li Mei followed them to the palace through the city center. Along the way, Wu Li Mei did not stop clucking in amazement at the city that was so beautiful and well-organized. There are many city parks, trade centers, shops, food stalls, and exquisite fabric shops. Many people passed by and there were martial arts shows like Zhou Ming Hao had done in the market first. Their journey continued without disrupting trade activities. Towards a majestic palace in the mountains, just like his palace, from here he could see the entire city and port as far as the eye could see. After a long time, the party finally arrived at another part of the palace, a pavilion that had been prepared for invited guests from various dynasties. Including from other dynasties who were also present, Emperor Zhou was some of the best friends with other emperors.
But, there was one thing that made Wu Li Mei feel discouraged, which was when he greeted the imperial concubines who were present there. They were not empresses, most were concubines who were still very young. There was also the same age as Zhou Fang Yin. Dress well but very openly, wearing thick makeup with a skewer made of gold.
“What's up, Mei’er?” emperor Zhou asked as the imperial entourage he had greeted passed, the man realized the concubine's lackluster face. “Are you too tired? After this we will rest, or you can return to the pavilion first.”
“Then what?”
“I just felt that the concubines were so beautiful and young, they were much more charming than me. Shouldn't you ask concubine Liu Xie Yan to accompany you.” Wu Li Mei said with an uneasy look, she began to compare herself to Emperor Zhou's youngest concubine who was only a dozen years old.
The emperor's hand was raised to caress the pretty face of Wu Li Mei, “Did I just hear Grand Consort Wu get discouraged? Come on, Mei-mei, you've never been discouraged before you've always been full of confidence and arrogance. Where is your nature? I miss you that sucks.”
“So you don't like me now?”
“That's not what I mean, my dear wife!” the emperor said while pulling Wu Li Mei's body into his arms, the emperor kissed his forehead and lips deeply and sincerity. “You are my most beautiful and most beloved wife of all, Wu Li Mei. Don't be discouraged by young girls who aren't even time to be a concubine. Those emperors only married them to boast of their women to others, but I don't want to make you that way. I brought you because I love you so much, not because to brag about you.”
The grand concubine smiled with a vivid red tinge imprinted on both of her cheeks, “I'm sorry for my bad prejudice, Your Majesty.”
“What's wrong, my wife, then later never be humble to anyone it.”
Wu Li Mei nodded in understanding, he clasped the emperor's arm and together continued their journey back to the pavilion. But, before arriving at the pavilion, the emperor actually turned the direction while giving a code so that the lady and her guards did not come with them. Wu Li Mei frowned, especially as the emperor led her to the clear bank of the river with rows of cherry blossoms filling the entire path on the riverbank.
The emperor paused for a moment, he inhaled a breath of fresh air around him. The atmosphere this morning was the same as the atmosphere all those years ago, when he first met Wu Li Mei. At that time he visited the Land of Hang with Zhou Xing Huan, and they met on the riverbank with a beautiful girl named Wu Li Mei.
“Why are we here?” wu Li Mei asked in confusion.
“You forgot?”
“Emm... sorry, I don't remember anything.”
The emperor grasped both palms of the concubine tightly, staring at her manic deeply and lovingly. “This is the place where we first met, great concubine.”
“Really? Sorry, because I forgot about it.” Wu Li Mei lowered her head in guilt, she did not remember anything at all and did not know how her love story began. All he knew at this moment his heart was so happy and pounding.
“It's a shame that because of that incident you forgot the most important thing in our first meeting, but it's okay, don't feel guilty because it's not your fault.” Said the emperor, “Then, for the first time I met a girl who was so beautiful to the dazzling eyes, I thought she was an angel who fell from heaven, but it turned out she was you.”
