585 A scar [Bonus chapter]


    “This is my manor,” Tianjie told Song Jia, “which will be ours after two days.” He held her hand and took her inside.


    Eunuch Shi Rang weed them and introduced himself to Song Jia. He could not help but givepliment her on her beauty.


    “His Highness always tells us how beautiful Miss Song is. The Prince cannot take his off Miss Song whenever he is with her,” Shi Rang said while smiling.


    Song Jia nced at Tianjie with amusement.


    “Shi Rang, you should do your work,” Tianjie said and red at him, not wanting him to speak. His words might give a wrong idea to Song Jia and make her think that he loved her more because she was beautiful.


    Eunuch Shi Rang bowed and stepped away from their way. Tianjie took Song Jia ahead. After touring around the manor, they both came to the pavilion where two maid servants were present, who bowed to see them.


    Tianjie made Song Jia sit first on the chair and took his seat. A maidservant stepped up and poured the already brewed tea into the two porcin teacups. She forwarded the cups on the saucers to both of them.


    “You two may leave,” Tianjie told them. The maidservants bowed and took backward steps until they reached near the stairs. They turned around and walked away.


    “Drink the tea,” Tianjie told her.


    .....


    Song Jia picked up the teacup and sipped the tea. Tianjie also began drinking the tea and ced the cup on the saucer.


    “Mother is excited to have you as her daughter-inw,” Tianjie asserted with a smile.


    “Does His Highness love me because I am beautiful?” She asked.


    “No,” Tianjie immediately denied. “Eunuch Shi took the wrong interpretation of my words. I told him how I fell for you because I never saw a beautiful woman like you. I will not deny that I fell for your looks first, but that does not mean I only love you because you are beautiful.”


    Tianjie quickly exined to her that she would think wrong of him.


    “Being beautiful isn’t good all the time. You are being judged,” Song Jia said and looked down at the teacup. She brought it to her mouth and finished the tea.


    “Don’t be angry,” Tianjie said. “I am truthful to you,” he affirmed.


    “I am not angry at the Prince,” Song Jia rified to him and ced the cup on the saucer.


    “Then, why did you say that?” He queried. “No one judges the person who is beautiful,” he stated.


    “His Highness is wrong. Every person born in this world is judged by the people around him,” Song Jia said.


    She poured the tea into the cup for Tianjie and continued, “Because I was beautiful and also was a dancer, people thought I may have given private benefits to men. Men flock to me because of my beauty. If I had been an average-looking girl, it would not be the same. I hope His Highness understood what I mean.”


    She put the teapot on the table and looked into his eyes.


    “Forgive me. My words hurt you,” Tianjie apologized.


    “They didn’t. His Highness saw me differently. He didn’t judge me based on my beautiful features. Unlike other men, he didn’t ask me to be his mistress. He kept holding his love for me even when we were far from each other,” Song Jia said and smiled at him.


    She moved her hand on the table and ced it above Tianjie’s hand. “I have something to tell you before our marriage. Will His Highness take me to his chamber?” She inquired.


    “Sure,” Tianjie said and they stood up from the table. He understood that she was ufortable telling about it in the open and matter seemed an important one. Holding her hand, he took her to his chamber.


    Tianjie had asked the servants to leave from there so that they would not hear Song Jia’s conversation with him.


    Song Jia looked around and found a hemispherical curve on the wall which was the door to the bedchamber.


    She looked at the other side and found it was the entrance to another small garden.


    “What did you want to tell me before marriage?” Tianjie’s question grabbed her attention. She took a step ahead of him and then removed the knot of her dress.


    “What are you doing?” Tianjie almost stepped up when Song Jia stopped him.


    “Please be patient, Your Highness,” Song Jia requested.


    He furrowed his brows together and lowered his eyes. Song Jia had lowered the dress below her shoulder de. With her left hand, she brought her hands to the front and tilted her head over her shoulder.


    Song Jia found Tianjie wasn’t looking at her. “Your Highness, you may look up,” she said in her soft tone and he lifted his head gradually.


    His eyes stopped blinking when he saw a huge burn scar that covered all of her left shoulder des.


    “It is said in the royalty that a woman who has a scar on any of her body parts isn’t allowed to marry the Prince. I do not want to hide it. I wanted to tell her earlier but didn’t get the right time to reveal it. I may not be as beautiful as I appeared in His Highness’ eyes. Forgive me if I disappointed His Highness,” Song Jia said and looked at her front.


    She moved her dress up when Tianjie stopped her. He took a step toward her and slowly moved her dress down.


    “Can I touch it?” He asked for permission first.


    “Hmm.” Song Jia allowed him.


    “How did it happen?” Tianjie asked as his fingers traced that burn scar.


    “After I ran far from my birthce, I stayed in a shelter house for some days. Many other poor people were also taken shelter there. One night a fire broke out suddenly and while attempting to run a burning log of wood fell above me. Fortunately, I survived, but this scar left,” Song Jia said.


    Tianjie’s heart ached to hear about that part of her life. His eyes turned misty. “It must have been painful,” he said. Tianjie realized she was a strong woman, who had a strong will to live. Even after so many wrong things happened to her, she never lost hope.


    “I will not mind if His Highness steps back from the marriage,” she said in a low voice.


    He hugged her from behind and said, “I will marry you only. No one can stop this marriage from happening. I love you, Song Jia. I love your heart, your soul, and your body too. You know this well. For me you are beautiful.” He kissed the top of her shoulder and took a step back. He moved her dress up and then turned her around.


    Song Jia looked into his eyes while he tied the knot on the front of her dress. When he was done, his hand rested on her neck while his thumb was on her cheek.


    “You don’t need to worry about such things. I have already taken you as my wife. We even have shared the bed,” Tianjie said with a smile and kissed her.


    ~~~~


    Thank you everyone for continuously supporting me??.