Crown Prince was stroking her gently on the arms.Bella stirs at his touch. “Hmm, good morning.”“Good morning,” he said.“I should get up,” she groaned. She lifted the curtain and saw that the sun was high up in the sky already. “Oh, my goodness, it’s late into the day.” She pulled the bed sheet over her naked body and attempted to leave the bed.Crown Prince wrapped his arm around her, preventing her from leaving.“Crown Prince, I really need to get going. I have to go brew your medicine and apply the ointment.”“Later.”Bella pulled on the bed sheet and again tried to get up, but he pulled her to his arms.“Hey-”Crown Prince kisses her wetly on her lips.“Mmmph,” groaned Bella. Her hands gripped the bed sheet tightly. “Crown Prince, we really shouldn’t.He flipped her to lie beneath her.“Everyone knows you’re my woman already.”Bella said with shock, “What!”“After last night, I’m sure everyone in the palace knows what we were doing.”Bella’s eyes widened. “Ah… Well…”“No need to

“Wow, go grandmother. You sure know how to play it,” thought Crown Prince. He was trying hard to hide his laughter. FLASHBACK TO LAST NIGHT “Empress Dowager,” said Crown Prince. “What is it Crown Prince?” asked Empress Dowager. “I want to ask you something,” he said nervously. “What is it that you want to asked?” “Well, what if the woman I want to marry isn’t someone that the Emperor or Empress Dowager wanted?” “What?” “I’m just saying that if I wanted someone as my Crown Princess would you approve?” Empress Dowager smiled at him. Crown Prince stared at her in confusion. “You want to marry Bella?” He gasped as his grandmother knew right away what he wanted to ask. She chuckled at him and took his hands and patted it. “I knew it the moment you came into that Bamboo forest that you were in loved with her.” His eye’s widened. “Was I that obvious?” She nodded. “Yes. It was clearly seen in your face that you wanted her to be yours only. In your eyes shows how much love you h

Bella looked at him and said, “Emperor, there is more to beauty. But how would you know that I am not just beautiful but more?”“Oh, then let’s see,” said the Emperor. He looked back at the Crown Prince and said, “Everyone leave, but the Crown Prince.”Bella bowed and turned to leave. She brushed her hand against his before leaving. Crown Prince smiled on the inside and thought that everything went according to plan. As the Empress walked past him, he could feel her cold stare, but he ignored her. Princess Kay also walked past him, and she was looking at him, but he didn’t bother to look at her at all. The Empress Dowager walked past him and winked at him. Crown Prince nodded his head at her. Then he looked back at the Emperor. The Emperor looked cold and sternly at him. When the room empty the Emperor said, “You purposely used her tending to your wounds as an excused to marry her and take her in as your concubine.”Crown Prince didn’t say anything. “His father is corrected. He u

THE WEDDING DAY Crown Prince was dressed in a red outfit and Bella was dressed in a long beautiful red dress. Her head covered was covering her face so he couldn’t see her face. He was afraid that it might be a joke, and someone switched his bride. “Hey, are you really my beautiful Bella?” asked the Crown Prince. Bella flinched at his words. “Yes. Are you really the Crown Prince?” asked Bella, through her head cover. Crown Prince chuckled. “Yes, you’re my woman alright.” He took her hands and they both walked down the aisle together to the Emperor and Empress. “May the groom and bride bow to each other,” said the wedding planner. “Oh, it’s almost done,” said the Empress Dowager, excitedly. “You seem excited mother,” said the Emperor. “Oh, aren’t you? Aren’t you excited to have a grandson?” “Humph. She’s just a throw away girl who has no power but just the title of a phoenix, how would she give birth to anything mystical. Probably more normal, like her.” “Don’t say that. She

“Why does the Crown Prince have to be everyone’s favorite. He is the one who is less fortunate so why doesn’t he ever get any help. Why didn’t Grandmaster Shui help him get Bella? Why?” He was smashing his fist violently against the pole. After he was done, venting his anger at the pole, he slipped down and sat on the ground. Cheng panted and thought, “Grandmaster Shui knew that I liked Bella. So, why? Why did Grandmaster Shui not help me? I have never asked for much, so why doesn’t he ever help me?” “Damn it! Damn it!” shouted Princess Kay. Cheng looked over and saw Princess Kay by the patio covering and tossing stuff into the koi pond. Princess Kay was throwing a tantrum. “I will make my wedding grander than hers. I will make sure that my wedding is known throughout all the land. I will make it that she is jealous beyond compare. That I promise,” she thought. Princess Kay was clenching her fists tightly. She was angry that on this day it wasn’t her who was standing next to th