Chapter 2 — From Sparrow to Princess

He didn't know I was a noble lady of the Wen family, he just assumed I was an orphan from a fallen family. Anyway, the first time I met him, it was extremely difficult. When I left the palace, I still had not been given living expenses. I had to take the silver brooch to the medical store and beg the clerk to forgive me for the medicine. The shopkeeper pushed the remedy back.

“If you don't have silver, don't use precious medicine.”

The person behind urged:

“If you don't have money for treatment, stay away.”

“I am destined to be poor, but I have the diseases of a rich person.”

I held the medicine tightly, so impatient that my eyes turned red. People came and went, no one looked back. Only Ta Lam Xuyen stopped in front of me. That day, he wore a pure white brocade, bent down to pick up my medicine, and just said:

“Don't rush, lady, saving people is more important.”

After that, Doctor Truong came to the hospital, and his mother's medicine was never interrupted. I thanked him and said that I would definitely repay him the next day. He just smiled. In addition to inviting the doctor to buy medicine for his mother, he also often brought exquisite gifts for me. Sometimes it's a freshly broken begonia branch, sometimes it's a gentle piece of jade pendant. In the midst of cheerful laughter, love secretly arose. Unconsciously, I saw him as a support. Until Ky Minh Chau, who had left the capital for three years, returned. She is the daughter of Tran Quoc Cong's palace. From a young age she was raised in Dinh Bac Hau's palace. She and Ta Lam Xuyen rode horses and shot archery, drinking wine and listening to music together. Everyone in the capital said: Ky Minh Chau is not like a woman, but more like Ta Lam Xuyen's brother. The day she returned, Ta Lam Xuyen had already agreed to come with me to the temple to offer incense. But he missed the appointment.

"Minh Chau just returned to the capital, of course I have to go pick her up."

I stood in front of the temple door and waited until it got dark. In the end, I could only wait for other people's gossip.

“Tu Tu and Miss Ky rode horses into the city together.”

“What a perfect match.”

After that, Ky Minh Chau often went in and out of the Marquis Palace. She entered Ta Lam Xuyen's study without communication. If you're thirsty, use his cup of tea. If you're tired, sleep on his soft bed. When he's talking, she can also conveniently pull out the wolf quill pen from his hand.

“Let me borrow it.”

Ta Lam Xuyen never got angry, just calmly said:

“There are no rules.”

I also asked him:

“If it changed to me and another man being so intimate, wouldn't you care?”

Ta Lam Xuyen frowned, as if I had just asked an extremely incomprehensible question.

“Ah Hanh, this is different.”

“Where is it not the same?”

He was silent for a moment.

"Minh Chau and I are in love, don't think too much."

That night, I looked at the light outside the window and stayed awake all night. Maybe from then on, we should wake up. Mother realized I was lost and gently pushed me.

“A Hanh, you and Prince Ta The go out for a walk.”

Her voice was still gentle, but no longer as friendly as before. The backyard of the villa was very quiet, cold apricot blossoms were falling all over the ground. Ta Lam Xuyen took the bowl of medicine from my hand and placed it on the stone table. Then he raised his hand, as if wanting to touch the dark circles under my eyes. We take a step back. His hand stopped in midair, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“Why didn't you come yesterday? Didn't you say you had prepared a birthday gift for me? me?”

I lowered my eyes and said nothing. He still wanted to say something, but I suddenly called his name:

“Ta Lam Xuyen.”

I said softly:

"I'm about to marry someone else."

03

Ta Lam Xuyen frowned even more.

“A Hanh, is this the birthday gift you gave me?”

He rubbed his eyebrows, his voice a bit tired.

“For Minh Chau again?”

“She grew up next to me since she was a child, and her personality has always been like that. Riding horses and drinking alcohol are all habits learned at the border."

“She is not picky about men and women. How could she not understand such things, keeping everything in her heart?

I don't answer. Suddenly remembering the Khuc Thuy banquet last month, Ta Lam Xuyen lost the wine order. Everyone was noisy, wanting a lady to put flowers on him. Before I could speak, Ky Minh Chau smiled and picked up the begonia branch on the table.

“Miss Wen was originally a noble daughter, but in the end she was still shy. Let me replace you.”

She tiptoed over and placed flowers in Ta Lam Xuyen's sideburns. Her fingertips slid behind his ear, the distance between them was less than an inch. Everyone at the party laughed simultaneously. After the joke was over, she tilted her head to look at me.

“We are all brothers, Miss Wen surely won't compare, right?”

Ta Lam Xuyen just looked at me gently and calmly said:

“A Hanh has always understood things.”

At that time, we should understand. The two words "understanding" are the most ungrateful blade. But now, those things are no longer important. I took a brocade bag from my sleeve and gave it to him.

“This amount of silver is enough to repay the medicine and other items he gave me, there is still a lot left over.”

Ta Lam Xuyen was stunned, then burst into laughter. He pushed the brocade bag back into my hand, like he was comforting an angry little girl.

"Okay, I've been cold to you lately."

“When my lady's condition gets better, I will take her out of the city to relieve her sorrows.”

Seeing that I still didn't speak, Ta Lam Xuyen's voice cooled down a bit.

“A Hanh, it's okay for you to be jealous.”

“But using a lie about the marriage to get angry is meaningless.”

Just as I was about to speak, down the hallway suddenly a private servant quickly ran up to report:

“Your Highness, Miss Ky's carriage broke down on Chu Tuoc Street, the carriage driver fell and injured his leg.”

Ta Lam Xuyen's face changed.