Past Promises 14 HIM AND ME PART VI

I woke up early and remembered our promise to meet at the flower field. I forgot to ask the time of the meeting and I didn't want the Crown Prince to wait for me so I told Court Lady Song to help me dress after breakfast.

I asked Court Lady Song to not bother waiting for me since I was unsure when will the Crown Prince come anyway, so I just borrowed her book and dismissed her.

I spread out a wide fabric I brought and lied on top of it. I started reading and stopped in between while glancing on the entrance. It was already afternoon but the Crown Prince still hadn't come. I waited until late evening when Eunuch Han came running from the entrance to the tree.

"Your Highness," he said, his face was gloomy. "I regret to tell you that His Highness couldn't make it today and ordered me to escort you back to your residence," he said.

Eunuch Han helped me to climb the entrance and I saw two Palace Guards were waiting for us.

"His Highness is worried," he said and I looked at him questioningly.

"It's a gloomy period, Your Highness," he answered short. But I didn't understand his words not until the next few days.

It was rumoured that His Majesty has fallen ill and the Ming was planning a revolt but since the rumour couldn't be confirmed, they were holding back their plans.

But I was sure it was true since it had been a week I hadn't heard about the Crown Prince and the only thing Eunuch Han told me that the Crown Prince had some important matters to attend to and the ministers were starting to show sides.

Later I heard that His Majesty had been demanded by few ministers to abdicate since His Majesty was frail and unable to rule a country. And since there was a pressure from the Ming, the ministers that favoured the Crown Prince started to pester His Majesty.

The Crown Prince agreed to rule as regent and asked not to spread rumour of His Majesty's wellbeing and assured the people His Majesty was only feeling unwell due to the unstable weather.

Eunuch Han kept me well updated with the news about Crown Prince and unfailingly came to my residence once every two days. He even reported to me about the Crown Prince's diet and sleep hours to make sure that the Crown Prince was taking care of his health even he was busy so that I wouldn't worry about him.

Chapter end