Prince Xi quickly dismissed his guards. "Father...told me...that..." he stuttered. "That you are... a princess...of the Zhou family..." he breathed, looking into my eyes. My eye widened.

"How could that be...?" I asked incredulously.

"Think about it: why do you think that you can't recall anything from your past? Your parents, your life, nothing..."

"Hm...that is strange to me. If the emperor said this, it must be so..." I said with a small smile. "Royalty...who knew...?"

"Certainly none of us did," Xi said with a small smile. Then, he turned to the guards. "Tell the maids to bring Princess Meifeng's clothes."

"Yes, master," said the guards with a bow as they quickly disappeared from the room.

I sighed as I sat down. "Life is going to be very different from now on, I assume..."

"Unfortunately for you..." Prince Xi said with a half-hearted smile.

"I will have to follow strict etiquette rules, never being able to make my own decisions..."

"Yes..." He said with a sigh. "Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow, we will meet your mother..."

"My...mother?" I asked.

"Yes, Meifeng..." he said with a smile. "Your mother lives here...as a concubine..."

He then got up. "Sleep now, little sister," he said as he caressed my cheek lovingly.

I smiled. "Good night, brother," I said as he silently walked to my door as I noticed my maids had come in.

Then, I let them dress me and brush my hair, dismissed them, and fell asleep.