Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

As soon as Li Juan woke up in the morning, the first thing which caught her attention was the note on the bedside table. She reached out to read it. In beautiful calligraphy, a single line was written in the note.

"Sorry for leaving without a bye, will come back soon."

Li Juan's lips bloomed into a smile. She knew who wrote the note.

"You are already awake, princess?" Ji Ya came to wake up Li Juan's and saw her sitting idly in the bed with the note in hand.

"Your friend left that." Ji Ya smiled and gave her a glass of lukewarm water.

"When did he leave?" Li Juan inquired, she was unable to remember when did she fell asleep.

"He left around 8 pm after having a chat with master Bai."

"With grandfather?"

"Yes princess, yesterday you fell asleep in the Pavillion and it was your friend who carried you to your room."

Li Juan tried to recollect what happened last night. She remembered crying in Liang's arms nothing else.

Upon seeing Li Juan's clueless expression, Ji Ya wondered whether she forgot everything happened yesterday.

"Yesterday, you went for a walk with your friend. Even after two hours, you didn't return, so Master Bai and we went looking for you and found you in the garden. You fell asleep. So master Bai asked us to take you to your chambers. However, your friend refused and carried you here."

Liang carried her to the room? Li Juan was baffled to hear that. 

"Can I ask you something, Miss?" Ji Ya asked her. Li Juan nodded in agreement. 

"Is he your friend or,? Ji Ya didn't complete her question. "Both of you looked really close," 

Li Juan knew what is the exact meaning of that question.

"He has someone whom he likes." She answered in a breath.

"I will prepare your bath then." Ji Ya went into the bathroom.

Li Juan sat in the bed with a dazed look.

"If her maid is curious about her relationship with Liang, most probably everyone in the Yu palace must have dying to know."

"Be prepared to answer the rapid-fire round of questions," Li Juan muttered under her breath and walked towards the bathroom.

When Li Juan came down for breakfast, the entire Bai family was already present at the dining room. Li Juan slightly bowed and took a seat.

"The first brother will arrive tomorrow," Bai Mu Chuan informed everyone.

"Hmm," Bai Qi nodded in agreement.

"He was supposed to come yesterday, but there was some last-minute emergency and he was asked to stay for one more day. Anyway, it is good that he didn't come yesterday." Bai Yu glanced at Li Juan. 

Li Juan glanced at him for a moment and shifted her gaze into the food items served for breakfast.

"The first brother'

She always has wondered why everyone addresses Bai Yu as "second young master," even though he is the firstborn in the Bai family. She was a bit hesitant to ask the reason behind that title.

However, all the guests who came for the prayer ceremony were asking for Bai Yu's brother and why he is not attending the ancestral rites.

That's when she got to know that, apart from her five cousins, there is one more person in this Bai family.

Bai Yu has an elder brother.

An adopted brother, to be specific- Bai Jun.

Though Li Juan didn't ask anyone about Bai Yu's brother, she got a vague picture of him from the conversations.

Even after married for five years, Bai Zhu and Bai Su Ya were unable to become parents. So they've decided to adopt the firstborn male of Yu clan from the young generation, as their son. 

After two years, miraculously the couple got blessed with Bai Yu. 

Though Bai Yu is genetically Bai family's first heir, as the firstborn male in Yu clan, Bai Jun is considered as the first young master.

Even though Bai Jun is adopted, everyone in the family-even the entire Yu clan loves him a lot.

But what made Li Juan more curious was the way her cousins treat Bai Jun. Whether it is Bully Bai Yu or silent Bai Mu Chuan, every one of them literally cherishes their big brother. 

Li Juan was also their cousin but none of them acknowledged her as their sister, yet. 

"You must have had nice sleep," Bai Yu made a sneering comment at Li Juan who remained silent during the breakfast.

When Bai Qi realized that his grandson is aiming to have a conversation about Liang, he interrupted them immediately.

"Princess, meet me after breakfast." Bai Qi told Li Juan.

"Yes, grandfather."

Bai Yu smirked and turned towards Bai Long, 

"Princess is going to get scolded." He said with a low chuckle.

As soon as Li Juan finished eating she went to Bai Qi's study room to meet him.

"Grandfather," Li Juan called Bai Qi as if she is asking for permission to enter.

"Come in, princess," Bai Qi invited her inside with a serious face. "Please sit."

"I called you to discuss a few things."

An unknown panic started to stir up Li Juan's mind. Is it about Tang Wei Sheng? Did they find out anything?

"As we have already decided, the coronation will be held on next Monday."

"But my medical condition," Li Juan was worried.

"Though your health is a bit problematic, it is not going to affect your position as the queen. You don't have to worry about that. The matter which I am concerned with is your betrothal."

Betrothal- they are thinking about her marriage? Li Juan surprised and looked at her grandfather.

"I haven't thought about it yet." Li Juan said honestly.

"You are turning twenty-six soon. It is the best age to get married and settled."

Li Juan clearly knew why her grandfather's sudden interest in discussing her betrothal. He must have mistaken Liang as her boyfriend. She should clear the doubts before it gets serious.

" I can explain what happened yesterday," Li Juan started to tell about Liang.

"Your friend said that he will come back soon and apologized for leaving without your notice."

"Huh?" Li Juan was clueless.

"He is a nice gentleman. How long you two have been together?"

"Not long ago we met through a common friend. However, he used to know me from childhood."

"So I guess your relationship with him is rather a destined one."

"He is my friend grandpa; there is nothing else between us." Li Juan felt awkward. This was the first time she is discussing such a topic with an elder.

First of all, she hasn't thought about getting married and settling.

Secondly, Bai Qi already said that Yu clan practices endogamy, so are they planning to match her up with one of the bachelors from the clan?

Various thoughts churned Li Juan's mind and she felt uneasy. 

"You are being scary and confused for no reason. It is the written rule of Yu clan that, we must allow all maidens in the clan to choose her partner from the compatible suitors." Bai Qi informed his granddaughter.

"Is that so?"

"Yu clan practices matriarchy, my princess, it is the Queen who makes the decision." Bai Qi said to her to ease her mind. "You are queen Yue's descendant and whether to obey the rules or not, it is completely up to you."

Li Juan listened to him curiously.

"What are the rules?"

"All the bachelors in the clan are eligible to ask for the princess's hand in wedding. However, if you have anyone in your mind," Bai Qi stopped in-between the sentence and looked at Li Juan, 

"He has to prove himself worthy in front of the Yu clan."

"Does he have to fight others-Ah no," Li Juan swallowed the question she was about to ask.

" Actually, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, princess."

Li Juan fidgeted her slender fingers in hesitation to talk.

Bai Qi also noticed her bare fingers yesterday. There used to be a jade ring in her finger till the day before yesterday and it is missing from yesterday.

"I like some…" Li Juan stopped. "I Like to have to some time to think about it."

Hmm?

"There are a few things which I need to sort out before it is too late."

"Okay, you can take your time to think about it. However, I hope you won't have a problem if we start looking for your suitors."

Li Juan remained silent without any reply. 

"The real reason why I called you here, is to share something about the last queen." Bai Qi changed the topic and immediately Li Juan's face brightened.

"Ha, I guessed that you wanted to hear more about her." 

Bai Qi stood up from the sofa and walked towards the bookshelf. He pushed the bookshelf to a side and a stone door appeared right behind it.

It looked like a secret chamber. He pressed for stones in the door and it got opened.

Bai Qi looked at Li Juan and asked her to join. 

Li Juan quickly walked towards the door and entered. 

It was a narrow corridor. 

The corridor was dimly lit with the light from outside. 

After walking through the corridor for about three minutes, they entered into a hall. 

It was pitch dark.

"Please wait here for a moment, Let me switch on the lights."

Bai Qi informed her and walked towards a corner to switch on the lights.

Within a minute the entire room was showered in faint yellow lights.

Li Juan was standing in the middle of the room, in a glimpse she was astonished to see the giant portrait kept in front of her.

"Grandpa, this is..." Li Juan looked at Bai Qi in amusement.

"The last queen of Yu Kingdom, the mother of the Yu clan, 

The great Bai Yu Yue of Bai tribe." 

Bai Qi introduced the lady in the portrait with at most respects.

Li Juan looked at the portrait in front of her. 

It was like looking at her reflection in a mirror.

It wasn't just a mere resemblance.

The lady in the portrait exactly looked like her.

The honey-coloured skin and big black coloured eyes. 

The long wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. The smile in red lips could meltdown even the glaciers.

Adorned in a scarlet red Hanfu and a crown made up five-coloured gemstones and a phoenix, Bai Yu Yue appeared like ravishing beauty who is capable to burn cities and ruin nations.

Li Juan was left speechless.

It was her,

The Queen she saw in her dreams.

Li Juan felt like the dark chambers of Yu palace gradually vanished into thin air and she was standing in the battleground.

Bai Yu Yue stood in front of her with queen appeared in front of her with bleeding wounds.

"Save My family" Her voice ringed in Li Juan's ears. 

Tears were filled in Li Juan's big black eyes.

"Mother," Li Juan called out for her.

"They say that a king is the son of heaven, ruler of the whole universe. 

But for us, 

The queen is the personification of the Creatress of all life.

"The mother goddess."