Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

Li Juan wandered in the dimly lit garden of the Yu palace without any sleep. It was already midnight and most of the residents in the palace have gone to bed. Li Juan wanted to try sleeping early, so after having dinner, she went to bed early, However, after tossing and turning in her bed for two hours, she gave up and decided to take a stroll in the garden.

Li Juan glanced at the Yu palace glistened in the moonlight. Only the whistling of the wind and rustling of leaves were the only sounds heard in the atmosphere.

Everyone must be sleeping!

She also wants to sleep, she wants to forget everything and sleep peacefully-but nowadays even her prescribed dose of sleeping pills stopped working on Li Juan.

Even though it was her ancestral house, the huge walls and silent corridors in the Yu palace made Li Juan lonelier than her small home in Jing City. 

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!" A growling sound interrupted the calmness of the night.

Li Juan looked around and found a growling dog a few feet apart from her.

It looked at her with fierce eyes.

Li Juan glanced at him and tried to move, in a split second the dog ran towards her and tried to jump on her.

Li Juan lost her footing and fell on to the pond in the garden. The water in the pond was shallow, so she didn't get drowned.

Li Juan looked around, the dog was still barking at her.

Within a few seconds, someone ran towards the pond in hurried steps.

It was Bai Yu.

"Oops, sorry," Bai Yu apologised with a sheepish smile to Li Juan who is still in the pond.

Bai Yu held the lash of his dog and tried to refrain it from barking.

" Sorry, he doesn't like strangers." Bai Yu said to her.

"Are you okay, princess?"

"Yes," Li Juan replied and tried to get out of the pond. But the dog was still on an attacking mode and barked at Li Juan.

"Oh, then we will be going Bye-bye princess, Let's go, Boss," Bai Yu ignored Li Juan and walked away with the dog.

Li Juan stared at Bai Yu, dumbfounded.

"What kind of behaviour is that ?" 

"Princess, are you okay?" Bai Mu Chuan appeared from the other side of the garden with his phone.

He was having a phone conversation when he heard the sound of something falling into the water and the continuous barking of a dog.

"I am okay," Li Juan said to him.

Bai Mu Chuan walked towards her and helped Li Juan to get out of the pond."What happened?"

"A dog, He just ran towards me," Li Juan said.

" Boss is still on his training," He casually said.

Huh?"

"Boss, second brother's dog."

"Oh," Li Juan said with trembling lips and kept her arms crossed across her chest.

The water in the pond was a little cold.

"What are you doing here at this time?" Bai Mu Chuan asked with an aloof face.

"I was just walking around."

"The Second brother takes his dog for a walk around this time. He is training boss to guard the palace. So please don't wander here and there in the night." He warned her.

"Sorry," Li Juan apologized.

You don't have to say sorry. let me accompany you back." Bai Mu Chuan suggested,

"Huh" Li Juan looked at him in surprise.

"What are you looking?"

"Nothing, I can go back." Li Juan hurriedly replied.

"Hmm, okay."

"Thanks for helping,"

Li Juan thanked him and walked with dripping clothes.

Bai Mu Chuan sighed and took his mobile out of his pocket.

"Big brother, your princess seems to be a damsel in distress, come fast or the second brother is going to scare her away."

As soon as she got into her room, Li Juan took a shower and changed into fresh clothes. She had enough adventures for today. She plopped into her bed and stared at the wall.

"So none of my cousins likes me." Li Juan sighed and hugged her pillow. "Don't be greedy, you at least have someone to call your own family." she consoled herself and played her favourite song "I will be your side" and tried to sleep. 

Bai Qi informed her that, they are going to conduct ancestral rites and prayer for Bai Qi and Li Qin. So she must sleep and get up early. Li Juan closed her 

That night Li Juan had a dream.

Li Juan was sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree. The air felt refreshing and it carried the fragrance of some flowers.

"Woof, woof" 

A low bark of dog heard from the basket which kept beside her. 

Li Juan turned towards the basket and met with a pair of bright eyes looking at her.

"Wait for a little more," Li Juan petted the golden retriever puppy in the basket. "He will be here in a minute."

The puppy looked at her with sad eyes.

"Baby, I am not giving you away. I am asking you to look after someone.

I can't be with him every time, so you have to take care of him. He is alone here, so don't let him be sad. Okay?"

"Xiao Li," someone called her in a deep voice.

Li Juan turned and smiled beautifully at the person.

"Oh, you are here!!!

Happy birthday to you, 

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Yangyang,

Happy birthday to you,"

Li Juan wished him by singing the birthday song.

"Thank you, How did you know that today is my birthday?" He sounded surprised.

"I got my ways, Here is your birthday gift." Li Juan smiled and handed over the basket.

He took the basket from her.

"Woof, woof"

"Xiao Li, did you gift me a puppy, how can I" His voice sounded worried.

"Shhhhhh," Li Juan kept her finger on her lips and signalled him to stop.

"He can hear you,"

"Hmm," He sounded sulky.

"I found him near a waste bin," Li Juan said in a low voice like a whisper. "Someone abandoned him, I took him home. But the house owner said that he won't allow us to keep him there. Can you keep him, please?"

"I live alone, Xiao Li."

"I know, that's why you will be the best person for him. Even if I leave one day, you won't be alone, he will be there for you." Li Juan explained to him with a faint smile.

"I told you, you are not going to leave anywhere."

"What if I forget you one day?"

"Well, I am not going to forget you. I can make you remember,"

"What if I don't remember you?"

"I can wait until you remember?"

"Will you wait for me?" Li Juan asked him.

"I will wait for you." He ruffled her short hair. "I promise, that I will wait for you until my last breath. So please stop being emotional and suggest a name for him?"

"Since he is going to live with you, I will let you name him." Li Juan said to him.

"You are the first person who took him as a family, so you are the apt person for naming him."

"How about we name him "Promise"?" Li Juan asked him.

"Promise?"

"He will remind you of your promise," Li Juan looked at him with gentle eyes.

"Hmm, let's name him promise."

Next morning,

Li Juan sat in the balcony and looked at the vast boundaries of the Yu palace. 

The air appeared clear and fresh so that the peaks of Yun mountains are visible from far away.

Looking at the sun brightening the edges of Yun mountains, the memory of Tu mountain flashed in Li Juan's mind.

Professor Han's team has must have started their journey from the foothills. If everything goes well, within two days, they will reach their destination.

Finding the Lost Kingdom,

It was her dream, because of her one mistake, it got shattered.

"Princess," Wu Xuan Yi, called Li Juan. "Aren't you getting ready?"

Li Juan turned and looked at Wu Xuan Yi with a surprised face.

She was wearing a Hanfu, the traditional clothing of C country.

Li Juan walked into her room.

"You have to wear this," Wu Xuan Yi gave her a pure white Hanfu. 

Since it was the prayer for her parent's- she was supposed to wear white coloured clothes.

"Thank you," Li Juan smiled and started to get dressed.

Adorned in a pure white Hanfu and loose hair, Li Juan looked like a deity descended on to the earth.

Wu Xuan Yi her without batting her eyelids.

How can someone be this beautiful? 

She used to be a fashion designer and met countless beauties while working, but none of them made her feel like this,

"What happened? It is not looking good on me?" Li Juan asked her.

"You look, gorgeous princess. I haven't seen anyone who looks this perfect in Hanfu."

"You're flattering me." Li Juan smiled.

"Let me do your hair, oh wait a minute, let me get something for you. Wu Xuan Yi went out.

Li Juan moved towards the balcony. 

The moment she looked at her reflection on the mirror, Li Juan was sure about one thing.

The queen appeared in her dreams, it was no one else. It was her own consciousness.

Does that mean she was searching for her true self?

"The Bai family,

The Yu Clan,

Is that what she is searching for?" The meaning of her dreams was to find her roots?

She was the princess, of Yu palace.

She was happy to be here, but there was something felt amiss.

Suddenly a black Land Cruiser Prado crawled silently to the palace gates. 

Li Juan turned an eye towards the car. Since they are having a prayer ceremony, there must be guests from the other families. 

The watchmen came near to the car and a man got down from the car gracefully.

He looked familiar. He wore a black trench coat over his black tuxedo.

He slightly bowed at the guards and talked to them.

Even though his face was not visible, but from the linear silhouette with a slightly built body, she could recognize him even in darkness.

It was Liang.

Li Juan couldn't believe her eyes. The last time they met, he assured Li Juan that he will be there for her forever.

He promised that he will protect her at any cost. 

Li Juan felt like she was dreaming.

It was Liang, he came looking for her.

Li Juan rushed towards the palace gate. Li Juan forgot the fact that she was a princess and she was supposed to follow the decorum of the palace. 

The maids were running behind her to stop her.

She ran towards the hall where the prayer ceremony was conducted. Entire Bai family were sitting there and all of them shocked to see the commotion. 

The white Hanfu and her long black hair flying around her made Li Juan look like a fairy. 

Li Juan stopped near the giant wood door and looked outside with misty eyes. 

Liang was walking towards the palace door accompanied by guards. 

Suddenly he saw a beautiful lady near to the big brown door. He thought he was dreaming,

The giant wood door of the palace and lady in Hanfu together made a scenery which is beautifully copied from an ancient painting.

Liang walked directly to her with a straight face. Li Juan looked at him with tear-filled eyes. He stood in front of her and smiled.

Li Juan!! before he called her name, Li Juan ran into his embrace. Like a gentle breeze, she just melted into his arms. 

Liang was shocked for a moment but immediately hugged her back.

"It's alright, Juan, I am here."

He felt his shirt is getting wet with her tears while Li Juan's low sobs were becoming more audible.

He felt the pain of her canine teeth entering his chest.

"Hey, don't cry." He patted her hair and released her from the embrace.

"You came," Li Juan wiped her tears and tried to smile.

"I' ve promised you."

The people in the Yu palace who witnessed the scene couldn't believe their eyes, the couple before them reminded of an ancient symbolism of dualism

It was like an embodiment of Yin Yang. One of them wore white and others wore black. And when they embraced each other, it was the perfect example of the dualism of nature.

There was only one question in everyone's mind.

"Who is he?"

"What is his relationship with the princess?"

"Are you going to introduce them? Liang asked Li Juan who held on to his arms with a strong grip.

"Yes," Li Juan held his hand and walked towards her family.

"Grandfather, this is Dr Dai Liang, my friend. Dr Liang, this is my family." She introduced them.

"Good morning sir." Liang bowed and greeted them.

"Please come inside," Bai Qi invited him.

"I apologize for my sudden uninformed visit."

"It's okay young man, you are princess's friend and today we are having a prayer ceremony for our ancestors, so we are expecting guests." Bai Qi explained.

"Thank you, elder." Liang thanked them and entered into the palace. 

"Since you are here please attend the ceremony." Bai Qi told him.

"Is he is the friend you mentioned yesterday princess?" Bai Yu interrupted their conversation.

Li Juan looked at him in disbelief. "This little rascal," Li Juan cursed inside. Why he must ruin her happiness by mentioning Tang Wei Sheng? 

At the same time, Bai Zhu was in a conversation with the person whom he arranged to collect information about Li Juan.

What? Bai Qi couldn't believe his ears.

"Princess has been in the train of misfortunes. Where ever she go-the misfortunes follow her."