The Emperor Xiao San's Little Concubine
Chapter 3: Meeting Under a Peach Tree (Part 1)
That morning a man named Xiao san was sitting daydreaming under a peach tree. He was a crown prince of the Xiao kingdom, a son of emperor Xiao Ge. But there is something different from him, since childhood he suffered blindness. It was because of this deficiency that no one in the palace valued him as the crown prince. No one wanted to be friends with him including his two cousins - the prince named Xiao Feng and Xiao Fang. They were two cousins born to prince Xiao Er, his father's younger brother.
All the inhabitants of the palace, whether officials, palace ladies and guards, hoped that one of the princes would become the crown prince. Prince Xiao San would not blame those who spoke like that, because prince Xiao San knew of his condition. Only the father, Emperor Xiao Ge, cared about him. All his life his father had always protected him from the oppression and humiliation of others. His father Emperor Xiao Ge was a very wise emperor and was much loved by his subjects. Prince Xiao San had always dreamed of becoming a wise emperor and being loved by his people like his father.
Prince Xiao San was sitting daydreaming under a peach tree. Suddenly the wind blew, he could not see anything, but he could feel that the air was so cold that it made his body shiver. Prince Xiao San tried to stand up and wanted to get up from there immediately. But just standing up, suddenly there was a rumbling sound in the sky that was so loud that it made prince Xiao San frightened. He nodded and closed both his ears. He could not stand up anymore, he was really very frightened. Prince Xiao San was only able to shut up and cry in fear.
The rumbling sounds are getting louder. The air is getting colder. The sound of the wind was getting louder and gripping. He tried to survive this weather, even though he could not see anything that was going on at the moment. But he can feel that the conditions around him are not okay at the moment.
"Emperor help me. The emperor help me." the prince could only mutter while covering both his ears with an extremely trembling body.
"Emperor I'm so scared. The emperor help me. I beg you to help me." the prince continued muttering increasingly in fear.
To this weak prince, only a cry could calm him down. He just kept crying and muttering. He hoped that there were people around him who felt sorry for him and would help him from this fear.
"Prince are you alright" asked a girl in a soft voice.
Prince Xiao San did not hear the girl's gentle call. He was still trembling in his fear. The girl pulled the prince's hands from her ears.
"Prince are you okay?" ask once again a girl in a soft voice.
Prince Xiao San was startled and pulled both hands of the girl and directly hugged her tightly.
"I beg you to help me." the voice shrieked the prince wished.
"Calm down prince. Everything's gonna be fine. I'm by your side now. Calm down." said the girl gently.
The prince continued to tightly hug the girl. When the girl said everything was fine. Suddenly the prince realized that the roar in the sky had disappeared. The cold wind that pierced to the skin began to feel warm. At that moment prince Xiao San felt a very warm and peaceful atmosphere. All his life he had only felt this kind of warmth and peace. After the prince's feelings began to calm down, he released his embrace from the girl. He tried to stand up and sit back quietly under the peach tree.
"Who are you?" ask the prince gently.
"I forgive the prince's servant. Servant is a new palace lady. The name of Xixi's servant." said the girl softly.
"Xixis? Your name is very pretty." said the prince smiling.
"What are you doing here?" asked the prince curiously.
"Did you see anything strange?" asked the prince curiously.
"Hamba didn't see anything strange. Did the prince see anything strange?" ask the girl back.
"There's nothing. Forgetit. I was just asking." prince Xiao San tried to divert the conversation.
Prince Xiao San did not want to talk about the terrible event to anyone. Enough of him to know all that. Prince Xiao San was very happy to talk to the palace lady. He felt that this palace lady-in-waiting did not hate or demean him.
"May I call you by the name of Xixi?" the prince hesitated.
"Could only. The prince may call the servant by any name." said the girl in a soft voice.
"What part do you work in?" ask prince.
"Hamba works in the kitchen of the western palace" said the girl softly.
"Oh, no servant almost forgot" said the girl frantically.
"What's wrong? What the hell is going on?" ask the prince who panicked.
"Pardon the servant of the prince, the servant must go. I have to deliver this peach. If the servant is late, the servant will be scolded by eunuch Li." said the girl trying to explain.
Although he did not see what was going on, he could feel the panic of the girl. Prince Xiao San chuckled softly listening to the panicked voice of the girl .
"Prince forgive servant. Slave pamit first. Servant does not want to get punishment from eunuch Li. The prince was also careful" said the girl who continued to talk while walking quickly.
This time the prince felt a sense of happiness. His heart is very happy. He was very happy to see the cute behavior of the girl. He hopes to meet the girl again. Even the prince wished he could be friends with her.
The prince immediately left the peach garden. He walked using a special staff made by his father emperor Xiao Ge. The wand not only serves as a guiding device when he walks but also serves as a personal protective device from someone who wants to attack him.
Since childhood the prince did not want to have a bodyguard. He is more comfortable walking alone. He understood for a fact that the people by his side could only talk nonsense about his weaknesses. The emperor, who loved his son dearly, secretly gave him a loyal personal bodyguard without his son's knowledge.
Since childhood the emperor personally taught him martial arts as his protector. However, due to the limitations of science, none of the court teachers were able to teach him to read it blindly.
