ã€ŠThe Dragon Priestessã€‹


 Chapter One

    The butler was waiting at the door as usual when Yuelan arrived home from school. He bowed in greeting and gave her a friendly smile. ¡°Welcome home, Miss,¡± he said to the sixteen-year-old girl with black hair and almond eyes the color of green jade.

    Yuelan nodded her head and smiled at her father¡¯s butler. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cheng. Is Father home?¡± She dropped her blue messenger-style school bag on the floor and let the butler help her with her jacket.

    ¡°Prime Minister Long is in a meeting with the heads of the Xie and Fang corporations at his office. He informed me that he would be home for dinner this evening and hopes you will join him,¡± the butler informed her as he hung her jacket on a nearby coat rack.

    Yuelan picked up her school bag and slung the strap over one shoulder. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Since he isn¡¯t home right now and I¡¯ve already finished my school work I¡¯m going to head over to the Royal Library after I change out of my uniform. I¡¯ll take the bus, so no need to disturb Ban Li.¡± The girl lifted a thin-fingered hand in an almost wave and headed toward the marble stairs covered in a red carpet runner that led to the second floor of the prime minister¡¯s mansion.

    Her suite was in the southeast corner of the mansion and Yuelan opened the door to reveal a sitting room decorated in cream and lavender with gold accents. She left her messenger bag on the loveseat and headed for the walk-in closet. The long-sleeved, white blouse, bow tie, tan vest, and blue plaid skirt of her uniform came off and she put on a soft pink blouse with elbow sleeves and a bow just over the right side of her collar bone and a pair of white skinny jeans.

    Yuelan studied her reflection in the full-length mirror in her closet and reached for the brush on her dressing table to pull her waist-length dark hair into a side ponytail with an elastic and a lace, sky-blue bow. The teenage girl liked these clothes and there was no need to change the simple, diamond stud earrings she had found in her mother¡¯s jewelry box, so she picked up a cream, leather purse with fringe and checked to make sure her wallet was inside before leaving her room and heading back down the marble stairs to the entrance hall. ¡°I¡¯ll be back by dinner,¡± she told the butler as she walked back out the front door.

    ***

    Using the bus, it took half an hour to get through the capital city to the ancient library Yuelan had access to only because her father was the prime minister. Normally it was reserved for scholars who received special permissions from the government or government officials, but Prime Minister Long Ansheng had requested special permission from the emperor for his daughter to be allowed inside. Yuelan had gone there once with her father when she was six years old, not long after her mother had died, and the librarian at the time, an elderly man who had since been replaced by his grandson, had requested Yuelan be given special permission to come into the library on her own whenever she wanted. Of course, she had to have an adult escort her when she was younger, but it had quickly become one of her favorite places to go. The librarian had provided her with many interesting things to read: legends written by hand on ancient scrolls that he read to her when she was young and newer, printed books talking about many different magical creatures.

    Yuelan spent the trip to the library thinking about the scrolls the librarian had recommended she look at last time. She stared out the window as the skyscrapers with apartment buildings and businesses passed by and cars sped past to her left, some heading the opposite direction and some in different lanes going the same way.

    The library looked the same as always as she got off the bus. Large wooden doors with serpentine dragons and other elegant carvings all covered in red paint and gold leaf. The circular handles attached to dragon heads were also gold plated. The entire building was built in the style of the ancient palaces of the emperors.

    Yuelan walked up the wide, stone steps and through the one open library door. The doors hadn¡¯t been modified to open electronically, so the librarian would open one door at opening and then close it when the library¡¯s hours had concluded. The girl felt a familiar shiver of cold as she walked in among the antique desks, chairs, and shelves. The lights in the library were rather dim and Yuelan had never been able to find a lightswitch for them. The only lighting was the glowing orbs hanging from the ceiling from chains that gave off a soft light perfect for reading.

    To Yuelan¡¯s surprise, none of the scholars or public officials were in the library. She was familiar with most of them and often had interesting discussions about their studies. Her light-blue wedge heels tapped on the stone floor as she moved through the shelves in search of the librarian, Long He. Sometimes she couldn¡¯t decide if it was odd or not that Long He¡¯s name was the same as his grandfather¡¯s. She supposed it wasn¡¯t uncommon to name someone after a family member though. The librarian hadn¡¯t told her where the scrolls were located, so she would need his help finding them. Yuelan was excited to see the ancient scrolls with drawings of dragons, kilin, mythical foxes, and the divine beasts of the four directions, the black tortoise, the white tiger, the azure dragon, and the vermillion bird.

    ¡°Mr. Long?¡± Yuelan called softly as she continued to search every bit of the public areas of the library. Apparently the librarian had a set of private rooms where he lived and kept watch over the valuable texts inside. ¡°Mr. Long He?¡± she called again.

    Still no answer. Still no other people inside the library. Yuelan started feeling nervous. She had never been inside the library without anyone in it with her before and her active mind started envisioning scenes with ghosts or dead bodies that she might come across. Perturbed, Yuelan headed for the doors of the library again and when she saw they were closed she stared at them in confusion for several seconds before moving to the one that had previously been open and tried to reopen it while wondering why she hadn¡¯t heard such a heavy door closing.

    The door was heavier than Yuelan had expected. It took a lot of straining and all her efforts to get it to budge just enough for her to be able to get outside.

    Yuelan stared at the area around her, unsure of what had just happened. She lifted a small hand to twist a lock of her long, dark hair around a slender finger. The sixteen-year-old girl looked out at the mountains before her and the narrow, dirt path leading to the library she¡¯d just exited in search of the missing librarian. The tall apartment buildings, shopping centers, paved roads, and noisy cars that had been around the library when she¡¯d entered had disappeared, replaced by trees, a dirt path, and unfamiliar, mountainous wilderness. How she had gone from the bustling capital city where the nearest mountain was barely visible in the distance to the middle of what appeared to be a secluded mountain area, Yuelan did not know. Anxious, she headed back inside to try and find Long He again.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    She went back through the ancient, wooden doors intricately carved with five-toed, serpentine dragons and started to grow more concerned. The library looked exactly the same as the one she¡¯d first entered, but as she wandered through the shelves of books and scrolls she couldn¡¯t see a single soul. ¡°Hello?¡± she called, speaking louder than she¡¯d ever been allowed to in a library before. ¡°Is anyone here?¡± There was a tremble in her voice that hadn¡¯t been there when she had been searching the library before going outside.

    There was no reply.

    Yuelan continued her search of the library as her worry and fear steadily grew until she had scoured every part of it--except for the private area that was behind a set of locked doors. There was no sign of anyone, not even a fly or a mouse.

    Yuelan¡¯s fear grew to panic and her eyes stung as tears started to form. She ran out of the library again to look around for any sign of other human beings. If she could find a village or a town perhaps she could figure out where she was and how to get home. There wasn¡¯t a hint of any other person except for the dirt path leading from the library down the mountains, so Yuelan started to walk along it as quickly as she dared. Running downhill in heels of any kind was never a good idea. Before long she caught sight of two people walking toward her. They were too far away for her to be able to tell if she knew either of them, but the sight of their clothing made her freeze.

    The two pedestrians walking toward her on the path had masculine frames, but both had long hair that reached their waists with part of it pulled back and held in place with hair pins--one of them with a crown that had a polished shine to it. They were also both wearing ancient-style robes tied closed with belts that had decorative items of some sort hanging from them. One man wore white and had white hair while the other wore dark robes that, from Yuelan¡¯s distance, could have been blue or black. The man in dark robes also carried a weapon that looked very strange to Yuelan¡¯s eyes: the man had a sword at his waist. Were they cosplayers? Actors in a movie or play?

    ***

    ¡°I am surprised Your Highness wished to come with me to the library,¡± the man in white was saying to his companion as they walked toward the library--neither man had spotted Yuelan yet. Even though his hair was white, the man looked to be only in his early thirties. ¡°Is there something in particular you are looking for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you have the original manuscript of the prophecy there,¡± replied the other man, who looked to be the younger of the two men, probably in his late teens or early twenties. His robes were dark blue and embroidered with black, hornless, five-toed dragons. ¡°I wanted to take a look at it.¡±

    The white-haired man smiled. ¡°I do have the original copy, as I am the one who wrote it down when it was given by the priestess, after all.¡±

    The man dressed in dark blue chuckled, his voice a light baritone. ¡°It¡¯s comments like that that cause other people to fear you, Lord Long,¡± he told the other man. ¡°Nobody knows your age. You look younger than Father Emperor, but you occasionally make comments that indicate you¡¯re much older than any of us.¡± A movement ahead of them on the path caught the younger man¡¯s attention and he stopped walking to look ahead. On the path and looking very nervous was a pretty young girl in very strange clothing. He¡¯d never seen anyone who wasn¡¯t wearing robes or a gown. ¡°Was there someone living with you, Lord Long?¡± he asked, his expression stiffening.

    Lord Long looked in the direction the prince was looking and saw the girl. He took in her white pants, pink blouse, and heels without surprise then looked back at the prince. ¡°Please give me a moment, Prince Guangfeng. The girl is the daughter of a close friend of mine. She likely just arrived at my library, so I haven¡¯t had an opportunity to speak with her yet. I will do that now and get her properly attired.¡±

    ***

    Yuelan watched the man in white suddenly speed up and hurry toward her and she let out a stifled sob of relief when she recognized the familiar face of the librarian. She ran toward him, but almost immediately stumbled as her ankle started to roll. After that she slowed down. ¡°Mr. Long!¡± she called once he was close enough. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where is this? I came to the library and couldn¡¯t find you to ask about the scrolls you mentioned, so I was going to go home, but...Mr. Long there aren¡¯t any mountains or forests in the capital!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain inside, Miss Yuelan,¡± Long He promised as he reached a hand out to hold her elbow and support her back up the path and into the library. ¡°Though you¡¯ll probably think I¡¯m a bit crazy.¡±

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not going to give me some ridiculous sci-fi explanation or something, are you?¡± she asked the librarian. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any way I could walk into the library in the capital and walk back out of it in the middle of the mountains! And the library looks exactly the same!¡± She let Long He help her up the path, since it was a little too steep to be easy to walk along in her current footwear, but even though she kept asking questions about what had happened, the librarian didn¡¯t give an answer until he¡¯d let go of her elbow and they were inside the library.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain as we walk,¡± Long He told her. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the living quarters in the back. You¡¯ll need to change your clothes. The clothes from Kilin will stand out quite a bit in this world.¡±

    ¡°¡®This world¡¯?¡± Yuelan repeated, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at the librarian. ¡°What do you mean ¡®this world¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the Legend of the Dragon Priestess that you read a couple of years ago?¡± Long He asked. He watched Yuelan nod her head before he continued. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±

    Yuelan frowned a little, but did as he was asked. ¡°A woman with powerful magic saw humans and magic creatures were at odds, so she sacrificed her magic to separate the world into two with the help of her dragon companions. She sent the magic creatures and humans who could use magic to the new world she¡¯d made and left all the rest on the original world. According to the legend, the library was built on the location where she separated the worlds and one of the dragons remained there to guard the bridge while the other became known as the divine beast the Azure Dragon of the East.¡±

    Long He sighed and nodded. ¡°Exactly. Welcome to the world the priestess created.¡± He pushed a door open and ushered her through it into a small room set up as a living room with antique, wooden furniture that included a tea table carved with koi fish and a few chairs.

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°Is this some sort of joke? That¡¯s just a legend, Mr. Long.¡±

    Long He smiled. ¡°I can prove it. Have a seat, and I¡¯ll show you.¡± He took Yuelan¡¯s arm and half-forced her onto a chair before taking a couple of steps back. The librarian¡¯s form shimmered for a moment before it was replaced by a silver, miniature version of the dragons carved on the library doors.

    Yuelan let out a startled shriek and the chair fell backward with her still on it.

 Chapter Two

    Yuelan¡¯s face turned a little pink and she rolled onto her hands and knees to pick herself up off the floor. She hadn¡¯t hit her head, so she couldn¡¯t blame what she was seeing on a concussion. Falling had hurt, too. It looked like it wasn¡¯t a dream either. ¡°I thought dragons were supposed to be bigger¡­¡± She frowned and rubbed her shoulder where she¡¯d hit the ground first.

    The dragon¡¯s mouth curved into a pointy-toothed grin. ¡°Oh, I am,¡± he assured her in human speech. ¡°But I had to adjust my size to fit the room or I¡¯d destroy half the library.¡± The air around him shimmered again and the human-shaped Long He reappeared. ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t hurt by that fall.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Yuelan told him as she used her hands to brush dust and dirt from the floor off of her white pants. ¡°I didn¡¯t fall hard and it was more surprising than anything.¡±

    ¡°Good. Do you remember how to put on traditional gowns?¡± Long He¡¯s smile was as kind and gentle as usual, but Yuelan couldn¡¯t help seeing an overlay of the pointy-toothed grin he¡¯d shown her just a moment ago.

    ¡°Of course. I wear them every New Year,¡± Yuelan answered, shrugging. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you need to change into one now,¡± Long He informed her. He gestured to a doorway that led to another room. ¡°There¡¯s a set of rooms through there that you can use as your own whenever you¡¯re here from now on.¡±

    Yuelan frowned at him. ¡°¡®Whenever I¡¯m here¡¯? That sounds like I won¡¯t be staying¡­Does that mean there¡¯s a way for me to get back home?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll eventually learn how to travel back and forth, which means you¡¯ll be spending at least some of your time at home with your father. There¡¯s also the politics that are currently going on here. They won¡¯t allow you to hide in the library away from everyone else. Even I am being asked to come to the imperial court more frequently now, and the princes make occasional trips here to study the texts,¡± Long He explained. ¡°There are clothes for you in there. Change and come out. We have a guest.¡±

    ¡°Wait...princes? Imperial court? What about a prime minister? Or are you saying this world is operating on an outdated imperial government?¡± Yuelan sounded surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s not considered outdated here, Miss Yuelan. And there¡¯s also no electricity or running water,¡± Long He answered in a dry tone. ¡°You¡¯ll likely find their view of females quite outdated as well.¡±

    ¡°But I have no family here! Isn¡¯t that sort of necessary in a place where everything depends on your family¡¯s social standing? Doesn¡¯t that mean I could get in a lot of trouble if I say the wrong thing to the wrong person? And if there¡¯s no running water then how do I...¡± Yuelan forced herself not to keep asking that question and felt her face burn with embarrassment.

    ¡°Normally, yes, but I¡¯ll be telling everyone you¡¯re my ward. The emperor knows what I am and I make him nervous, so as long as you don¡¯t do anything to upset anyone too much you should be fine. You know some of the etiquette already and I¡¯ll ask the emperor to give you a servant from the palace to teach you what you don¡¯t know. Now go change. I can¡¯t keep Prince Guangfeng waiting forever.¡±

    Yuelan looked over at the door the dragon man had indicated before. ¡°Are there even clothes for me in there, Mr. Long?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course. Your arrival here was a bit early, but at least I¡¯m somewhat prepared for it. Everything you need is in the closet and drawers. I¡¯ll get you your own maid as soon as I can find a suitable one to help you with dressing and doing your hair and other needs.¡±

    Yuelan gave Long He a strange look and headed for the room. She wasn¡¯t sure she really wanted to know what he meant when he said she was early but expected. Inside she found a full set of rosewood furniture all carved with cherry blossoms and birds. Since there was no electricity, she assumed that the furniture was made and carved by hand. The intricate details must have taken quite some time. It only took a few steps to reach the nearest piece, a large, double-doored armoire with two wide drawers beneath the doors. Her fingers brushed against the carvings for a moment before she slowly opened them to find neatly folded and wrapped packages. Opening one of the packages she found a set of silk clothes in a light green with pink, red and white cherry blossom embroidery. There was even a pair of matching shoes.

    In one corner of the room was a screen that matched the rest of the furniture, so Yuelan took the clothes behind it and started to change into the floor-length gown with sleeves that went to her knuckles and flowed down just enough beneath her hands that she could store small objects in them. The sash that went around her waist to hold the two layers of the wrapped gown closed was a light blue.

    The silk felt nice against Yuelan¡¯s skin and she smiled a little. It was good quality silk and the embroidery seemed to be in a style that couldn¡¯t be replicated in her world, though there were a few antique clothing items that had been preserved in museums containing similar stitching. She took a moment to rub the sleeve of the gown against her cheek, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of the silk against her skin. When she stepped out from behind the screen she looked into a nearby mirror and frowned as she lifted a hand to pull the elastic and ribbon from her hair and let the side ponytail fall down in obsidian waves.

    The rosewood dressing table had a brush and a comb laying on it, both with ivory handles, and Yuelan picked up the brush to run it through her hair before slipping the matching pair of embroidered, silk slippers onto her feet so she could head back out to find Long He.

    The other man Yuelan had seen on the path had arrived and was seated at Long He¡¯s table with a tea cup in his hand. Yuelan didn¡¯t smell any tea, so she assumed it had water in it. He turned to look at Yuelan with green-flecked hazel eyes that made Yuelan feel a little uncomfortable. She had seen similar gazes from the chancellors and other high ranked government officials as well as her father¡¯s competitors when they were sizing her up for one reason or another. It always made her feel like she was a commodity and not a person.

    ¡°Prince Guangfeng, this is Long Yuelan,¡± Long He said from where he stood to the side. ¡°Her father has asked that I serve as her guardian while she is in this country and she has only just arrived here, so I haven¡¯t had a chance to take her to the imperial palace as yet. Yuelan, please greet His Highness Prince Xiong Guangfeng.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Yuelan felt grateful for all the private etiquette lessons her father had forced her to take, though it still took a moment for her to remember how a girl was supposed to greet a prince back before Kilin had become a constitutional monarchy and things had modernized enough that the bowing and scraping was no longer required. She placed one hand on the other, which she closed into a fist and moved them both to her left hip as she bent her knees into a somewhat awkward kneel.

    ¡°You may rise,¡± the prince said in a velvety baritone.

    As she tried to rise gracefully back to her feet Yuelan tripped over the hem of her floor-length dress and her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. It seemed she was going to have to really practice her salutes for royalty if she didn¡¯t want to keep embarrassing herself every time she met someone of a higher rank than her. What even was her rank, anyway?

    ¡°Shall I get some tea, Your Highness?¡± Yuelan asked as she tried to cover up her embarrassment. She watched Guangfeng look at her hands and raise an eyebrow.

    ¡°If you¡¯re capable of making it,¡± the prince replied. ¡°Do you even have any, Long He?¡±

    The dragon cleared his throat and looked a bit flustered. ¡°I do, Your Highness, but only a small amount that was gifted to me by some court official...I forget which one.¡± Long He looked over at Yuelan. ¡°It¡¯s in the kitchen, through that door.¡± He raised a bony finger and pointed.

    Yuelan nodded and headed into the kitchen, where she immediately realized her mistake. There wasn¡¯t any electricity or propane, which meant the stove burned wood and Yuelan had no idea how to start a fire. After fumbling around the kitchen for a while she managed to find the woodbox, which only had some kindling and a single, small log only a little bigger around than both her wrists together.

    Yuelan didn¡¯t realize that she¡¯d left the kitchen door open or that the prince was watching her and looking amused. It wasn¡¯t until she¡¯d started fumbling with what she thought was flint and steel to light her pitiful attempt at a fire that she heard footsteps behind her and the two stones were gently taken from her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send three maidservants from my palace,¡± the prince told Yuelan and Long He. ¡°Officially they¡¯ll be assigned to Miss Long.¡± He looked down at Yuelan and gave her an amused smile. ¡°These are both flint. You won¡¯t start a fire that way.¡± He glanced around the kitchen and picked up a small piece of shiny metal, rearranged the kindling and log, and struck the flint and steel together. It took him two strikes to catch the kindling, though he then put the fire out and turned his attention back to Yuelan. ¡°I think it would be best if you don¡¯t try to make the tea.¡± He turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Yuelan blushing and feeling embarrassed behind him.

    ¡°Lord Long, why don¡¯t you show me the scroll with the prophecy on it and then we¡¯ll take your ward into the capital to get her some food?¡± Guangfeng suggested. ¡°My carriage is at the beginning of the path and you riding with us would suit the needs of propriety. When you return here I¡¯ll send the maids back with you.¡±

    Yuelan came out of the kitchen as Guangfeng finished speaking. She had managed to get her expression back under control, though her hands were clasped together in front of her a little more tightly than normal.

    Long He glanced at Yuelan and then at Guangfeng. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for the kindness. If you¡¯d follow me I¡¯ll get you that scroll.¡± He looked back at Yuelan. ¡°Miss Yuelan, do you still want to look at the scrolls I mentioned last time?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression brightened and she relaxed completely. ¡°Yes please!¡±

    ***

    Xiong Guangfeng looked over the prophecy, studying the words on the ancient scroll carefully. Occasionally he would glance over at Yuelan, who was bent over a pile of scrolls with the expression of one absorbed in happiness at a nearby table. He could just see the bottoms of her slippers under her dress and could tell that her feet were crossed at the ankles under her chair as they balanced on one set of her toes. Her long, dark hair tumbled over a narrow shoulder and hid part of her fair-skinned face. The girl was quite beautiful, and as Long He¡¯s ward she could be useful in the ongoing fight for the throne.

    The prince turned his attention back to his own scroll and studied it for a while longer before rolling it carefully and handing it back to Long He. ¡°How much longer will she be?¡± he asked the librarian.

    Long He chuckled. ¡°If we don¡¯t disturb her she¡¯ll be there until she¡¯s read every word on every scroll,¡± he answered. ¡°Miss Yuelan has enjoyed reading since she was a child. Her father and I are good friends, though we don¡¯t meet often. She, however, has been to the library frequently since he first brought her when she was small.¡±

    Xiong Guangfeng frowned a little. ¡°Have I met her father before?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s likely you never will, either,¡± Long He answered. ¡°She¡¯s the only child of her father¡¯s only wife. He never took another after her mother died of an illness when Miss Yuelan was six and he dotes on her excessively.¡±

    The prince¡¯s eyes narrowed as he studied the girl¡¯s slender, slightly hunched form as she read. ¡°She seems to have come from a high ranked household, even if her etiquette is a bit lacking¡­¡±

    Long He chuckled. ¡°It isn¡¯t where she comes from. Her culture is quite different from yours. She at least knows the etiquette here, even if she isn¡¯t used to it and has never had reason to use it before. With a bit of practice she¡¯ll do just fine.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°How old is she?¡±

    ¡°Sixteen, Your Highness. Though she¡¯s of marriageable age here, she won¡¯t be in her country for another two years. I¡¯m afraid if you¡¯re considering her as a candidate I would only be able to accept on her behalf with her father¡¯s permission, and he will only agree to it if Miss Yuelan is amenable to the idea,¡± the librarian explained.

    ¡°And you can¡¯t convince her father to let me speak with him directly? What sort of rank does he hold?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the prime minister of his country, but it means something a little different there than it does in the imperial court here. And no, I¡¯m afraid it would be impossible for you to meet him. He¡¯s much too far away for it to be convenient for either one of you.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He¡¯s a prime minister and allows his daughter to travel without any servants or guards?¡±

    Long He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a complicated situation, Your Highness. One that I¡¯m truly not at liberty to discuss due to the oaths I made long ago.¡±

    ¡°Oaths made to a power higher than the imperial family?¡±

    Long He smiled. ¡°Of course. If you ever become emperor I might explain it to you, though at the moment that seems quite unlikely.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re saying Father Emperor is aware of the situation, then?¡±

    ¡°He is, though he isn¡¯t aware that Miss Yuelan is here nor who she is as of yet,¡± Long He confirmed. ¡°Shall I go and rouse Miss Yuelan from her reading, Your Highness?¡±

    The prince nodded. ¡°We should be leaving, though with how late it is getting you will likely need to stay in the capital for the night.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, Your Highness. Finding a good inn to stay in is only a matter of money, and I have plenty of that.¡±

 Chapter Three

    Getting Yuelan to stop pouring over the scrolls and ready to leave took Long He about half an hour and getting down the mountain to the imperial carriage waiting at the bottom took another hour. When they got to the bottom of the mountain, Yuelan stayed as far away from the horses as she could manage while still getting inside the carriage. She wanted to flop down inside and catch her breath like she would have at home, but instead she properly took a seat on the opposite bench from the two men and sat with perfect posture as she looked through the gauze curtains over the window to the scenery outside. Small beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but there were no handkerchiefs in any of the things that Long He had prepared for her and she hadn¡¯t brought one from home. There had been tissues in her purse, but she''d left everything in it and the purse was back in the armoire in what was apparently now her room.

    She could feel eyes on her as she looked out the window and after a moment a calloused hand came into view, offering her a handkerchief. Yuelan looked up and into the amused eyes of Prince Guangfeng. Her cheeks were still flushed from the walk, and she gave him a slight smile as she took the handkerchief. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± she said quietly. She gently dabbed at her forehead and nose with the handkerchief, then hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll...return it after I¡¯ve washed it,¡± she promises.

    The corner of the prince¡¯s lips twitched and he chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. After watching you attempt to light a fire, I¡¯m afraid something might happen to your hands if you tried to wash anything.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned a brighter pink and she looked away, her cheeks puffing out a little and her thin, pink lips forming a pout.

    Her reaction seemed to entertain the prince, as he chuckled again before he turned to start a conversation with Long He. ¡°Out of curiosity, Lord Long...which of my brothers do you feel is most suited to the throne?¡±

    Yuelan glanced toward the two men and saw Long He turn to look at the prince. ¡°I don¡¯t support any of them, at the moment, Your Highness,¡± the dragon answered sincerely. ¡°I choose not to involve myself in the internal battles of the imperial family, especially those involving the throne.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Everyone is aware of your neutrality. I simply wondered if there was one prince in particular you felt more suitable than the others.¡±

    Long He looked amused. ¡°Don¡¯t think your actions have fooled me, Prince Guangfeng. You are not as disinterested in the throne as you have made it appear--nor are you the lazy, debaucherous prince you make yourself out to be. These things may fool your enemies for now, but I¡¯ve watched the politics of the imperial family for a very long time. You¡¯re not the first to fight for the throne by hiding his intentions behind a facade.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng sighed. ¡°I suppose this means you won¡¯t be answering my question, then.¡±

    Long He¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you your answer. It¡¯s the same one I gave your father when he asked me. And your grandfather and great-grandfather.¡±

    The prince lifted a hand and waved it. ¡°Never mind. I understand. You choose to remain neutral. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t ask.¡± He turned his attention to Yuelan. ¡°Should I open the curtain so you can see outside better, Miss Long?¡± he offered.

    Yuelan turned her head to openly look at Prince Guangfeng. ¡°If you like. It¡¯s Your Highness¡¯ carriage.¡± Even though the carriage was high quality, it still bounced around more than the cars and trains she had been in and there was rarely room to sit on the busses. She had a feeling her bottom was going to be sore by the time they reached the capital.

    ¡°I was asking you. You¡¯ve never seen more of this kingdom than the Library, correct?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°It¡¯s...very different from where I come from.¡±

    The prince lifted a hand to move the gauze curtain away from the window and placed it behind a hook to hold it. ¡°Do you like the differences?¡±

    Yuelan smiled a little and turned to look out the window again. ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to decide, Your Highness. But...the air seems cleaner and the scenery is beautiful.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s a diplomatic answer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yuelan nodded at him. ¡°I always try to make my father proud of me.¡±

    ¡°Lord Long did mention your father is the prime minister of your own country.¡±

    Yuelan gave the dragon a suspicious look. ¡°Oh? What else did ¡®Lord Long¡¯ tell you?¡±

    ¡°He mentioned you are an only child and your mother died of illness when you were young,¡± Prince Guangfeng answered honestly. ¡°He also said that being a prime minister in your country has a bit of a different meaning than it does here, though chose not to explain.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Yuelan frowned a bit. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure what he means by the last part, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s true. He knows both countries well enough, after all.¡± She turned her head to look back out the window.

    ¡°What sort of responsibilities does your father have?¡± the prince asked.

    ¡°Well...he handles most of the business of running the country,¡± she answered. ¡°There are ministers and others who support him, but he signs off on any contracts with businesses, ensures programs that benefit the citizens, such as the health care program, are running as they should, and handles most of the relations with other countries.¡±

    ¡°What about your emperor? It sounds like he has nothing to do¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never actually met the imperial family,¡± Yuelan answers. ¡°They¡¯re mostly responsible for important religious ceremonies and festivals and things like that. I¡¯ve seen them from a distance, but Daddy never had me meet with them. I went with him to meet with business owners, politicians, and ambassadors quite often, though.¡±

    The prince rubbed his chin and studied Yuelan. ¡°Interesting...what¡¯s a health care program?¡±

    Yuelan blinked and looked over at him. ¡°It¡¯s...well, it allows anyone to have access to affordable medical care,¡± she explained. ¡°Anyone can go and see a doctor, and if they can¡¯t afford it on their own then the government uses taxes to help cover the costs of what they can¡¯t pay for.¡± She frowned a little as she thought of a way to explain further. ¡°It doesn¡¯t let a commoner see an imperial physician, for example, but they can see a regular physician and get medicine if they need it and the physician will still get paid for the work without the citizen having to go without food or a home in order to pay the doctor.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng nodded that he understood and changed the subject. For the rest of the trip to the capital he played the gracious host, asking Yuelan questions about her interests and answering any questions she had. The carriage didn¡¯t stop after entering the capital¡¯s gates and went straight to Heping Palace, Prince Guangfeng''s personal palace. When it stopped, Guangfeng stood and looked out at the servant below. ¡°Summon Willow and Camphor and inform Laurel to pack her belongings as well as theirs. I have a task for the three of them. They¡¯ll be serving a different master from now on.¡±

    The servant bowed and scurried into the palace.

    Yuelan studied the prince¡¯s back until he¡¯d sat back down, and then she turned her attention to his face. ¡°Is it a coincidence that they¡¯re all named after trees?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°No. I gave them those names when I bought their contracts. I¡¯ll have the contracts sent to your room at the inn this evening after I drop you off along with their things. They¡¯ll be your servants from now on.¡± The corner of the prince¡¯s mouth twitched again. ¡°You can let one of them wash and return the handkerchief you borrowed.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned pink and she looked away, her cheeks puffing out into a pout again, which earned her another chuckle from the prince.

    A few minutes later two young women who looked the same age as Yuelan got into the carriage and gave the prince a deep salute. ¡°You summoned us, Master?¡± the girls asked in sync.

    The prince nodded and gestured for the two to rise. ¡°This is Miss Long Yuelan. She¡¯s Lord Long¡¯s ward for the time being while she visits our Longuo. Since none of her servants managed to come with her and Lord Long has never had any, I am giving the two of you and Laurel to her. Obey her as you would me.¡±

    The two maids saluted Prince Guangfeng by placing one fist into the palm of their other hand and then turned and saluted Yuelan.

    ¡°Miss Long, I am Camphor and this is Willow. Please allow us to serve you from now on,¡± explained one of the two girls. She had a mole under her left eye, was a little shorter than the other and a bit less slender. Camphor also seemed to have an innate grace that Willow was lacking.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± she said graciously. ¡°You can sit down.¡±

    The two maids sat down on the bench with Yuelan and the prince knocked twice on the carriage wall to signal the driver to start moving again.

    Yuelan watched out the window as the carriage went through the streets of the capital. The whole place looked like it had come out of a period drama about ancient times. The parts she was able to see were beautiful, but she suspected that there were parts of the city that were filled with garbage, human waste, and the homeless surrounded by dilapidated houses that could fall over at any time. After all, this was an actual country stuck in an ancient era without plumbing. It wasn''t a historical drama.

    She had been in the carriage for two hours already. Her bottom was sore and her muscles starting to cramp from sitting still for so long. Without really meaning to, Yuelan fidgeted a bit in her seat, trying to ease her discomfort.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be at the restaurant soon,¡± Prince Guangfeng assured her. ¡°I take it Miss Long isn¡¯t used to spending so much time in a carriage?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face flushed and she stared out the window. ¡°No, not really, Your Highness.¡± She chose not to mention she¡¯d never been in an actual carriage before.

    ¡°Perhaps you should consider moving to the capital then. It¡¯d be more convenient for you than staying in the library.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d prefer to stay in the library,¡± Yuelan replied, her tone clipped, but polite. ¡°It¡¯s more convenient for returning home.¡± She felt the prince¡¯s eyes on her and turned to look at him. He had a slight frown and a small crease between his eyebrows.

    ¡°Have I upset you in some way, Miss Long?¡± he asked once her eyes were on him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to being teased, Your Highness, that¡¯s all,¡± Yuelan answered very properly.

    ¡°If you dislike it perhaps you should try to keep your reactions from being so adorable,¡± the prince suggested, sounding amused.

    Yuelan gave him a glare, then turned her head to look out the window with a pouting expression. No matter how he tried to coax her, she refused to even look at him for the rest of the ride to the restaurant.

 Chapter Four

    The imperial carriage stopped in front of a large building painted in red and gold. The sign board read ¡°Red Orchid Pavilion¡± in black-outlined gold characters. From what Yuelan could see, the people going in and out of the building were all members of the elite or servants from those elite families. She watched quietly from inside the carriage until Camphor and Willow stood up and stepped out of the carriage, followed by Long He and then Prince Guangfeng.

    ¡°Miss Long, please allow this prince to treat you to a meal as an apology for upsetting you,¡± Prince Guangfeng said gently.

    Yuelan sighed, stood up, and stepped out of the carriage, holding onto the hand that Willow offered her as support. ¡°I¡¯m not upset,¡± she replied. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to give you an opportunity to tease me again.¡±

    The prince smiled and bowed slightly. ¡°Red Orchid Pavilion is the finest restaurant in the capital. I own it, so please feel free to order whatever you wish and eat as much as you wish.¡±

    Yuelan let go of Willow¡¯s hand and started walking into the building, looking around curiously at everything as Prince Guangfeng and Long He followed a few steps behind her with the two maids bringing up the rear.

    One of the employees spotted the group as soon as they stepped through the doors and quickly made his way forward to bow to the prince. ¡°Your private room is available, as always, Your Highness,¡± the employee informed them. ¡°General Cheng Biming and a few of your usual guests are here as well. Shall I inform them that you¡¯re here and lead them to your private room?¡±

    ¡°Not this time,¡± Prince Guangfeng answered. ¡°Today I am entertaining Lord Long and his ward, Miss Long. It¡¯s Miss Long¡¯s first time in the capital, see to her comfort and needs. We¡¯ll sit wherever she likes.¡±

    The employee blinked and looked a bit startled, but turned to Yuelan and bowed courteously. ¡°Miss Long, would you prefer a private room or something in the main dining area?¡±

    Yuelan touched a finger to her lips as she tilted her head and thought for a minute. ¡°The main dining area, I think. I¡¯d like to see more of what the captial is like and I can¡¯t do that from a private room.¡± She watched the employee glance at the prince for approval and receive a nod in response and her lips curled into a slight frown. Hadn''t the prince said wherever she wanted to sit?

    ¡°This way, please.¡± The employee led them through the tables to a larger table by a window with a view of the street before bowing and excusing himself.

    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Prince Guangfeng asked as he leaned back lazily in his chair, ignoring the stares of the people around him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s available,¡± Yuelan pointed out. ¡°So I¡¯ll let you decide.¡±

    ¡°Miss Yuelan loves dumplings, Your Highness. And prefers sweet to spicy,¡± Long He added.

    Yuelan looked over at the dragon. ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you that¡­¡±

    Long He chuckled. ¡°You did. When you were about six years old and first came to the library. Your father had to explain to you that the library wasn¡¯t a place to eat. You¡¯d only been taken out to a couple of restaurants before then.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng chuckled as well. ¡°Miss Long seems like she was a charming and willful child¡­¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face turned a little pink. ¡°I was six,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Aren¡¯t all six year olds that way?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t interact much with my younger siblings outside of what lessons we had together,¡± the prince remarked.

    ¡°And I¡¯ve never had much experience with children,¡± the dragon added. ¡°Except with you, because you visited the library so often.¡±

    She sighed, put her head in her palm with her elbow on the table, and turned to stare out the window.

    ¡°We¡¯ll order pork dumplings, crab rangoons, and sweet and sticky beef,¡± Yuelan heard the prince say after a couple of minutes. She turned her head to look and realized that a server had appeared.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°And seasoned, roasted vegetables,¡± she added. ¡°Eating only meat isn¡¯t good for your digestion.¡± When the server bowed and walked away, Yuelan turned her attention back to watching the street outside the window. She listened as several people came up to speak to the prince, a few of them fathers sounding like they were trying to convince him to take their daughters in as a wife or concubine.

    The corner of Yuelan¡¯s mouth twitched in annoyance after hearing a couple of them trying to sell their daughters and she lifted her head to turn and look when she heard another person approaching. She saw a middle-aged man with a girl about Yuelan¡¯s age, perhaps a little younger. At first she said nothing, only watching as the man introduced his daughter and started listing her assets and abilities.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Yuelan cut in, letting her expression show her upset. ¡°But am I invisible?¡± Her voice was cutting and angry. ¡°And is this a place to be trying to sell your daughter to someone and try to climb the social ladder?¡± She stood up and put her hands on her hips as she glared at the man.

    Prince Guangfeng looked startled, then amused as he leaned back in his seat as if to watch a show.

    The man who had come over with his daughter looked at Yuelan in surprise. ¡°And you are¡­?¡±

    ¡°My ward, Miss Long Yuelan,¡± Long He answered. ¡°It¡¯s her first time in the capital and His Highness was doing us the honor of giving her a tour.¡±

    ¡°I am a fifth rank official for the Emperor,¡± the man countered. ¡°His Highness the third prince has never objected to officials suggesting our daughters enter his palace. What right have you, a mere ward of a librarian, to argue?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yuelan¡¯s father is the prime minister of her country and shares equal power with the country¡¯s emperor. He is a close friend of mine and asked me to see to her care and well-being while she is visiting this country,¡± Long He cut in without giving Yuelan a chance to fight back on her own. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the Emperor is made aware of your dismissal of her right to monopolize any member of the imperial family¡¯s time as soon as our meal is finished. Besides, even if her father didn''t hold such a rank, as a fifth rank official you do not have the right to attend court. I, on the other hand, a ''mere librarian'' do. My standing in the court is deserving of more respect than you are currently showing by interrupting the meal between myself, my ward, and His Highness.¡±

    Yuelan folded her arms under her breasts and glared at the official. ¡°I don¡¯t care what rank you hold. It is incredibly rude to interrupt a meal to which you were not invited. Especially when one of the guests in the meal you are interrupting is a young, unmarried lady and you are coming to sell your own daughter, who is also a young, unmarried lady. Whatever Prince Guangfeng¡¯s usual habits, you should take better notice of who you may be offending. I am unfamiliar with how things work in this capital, but in my home country the capital is filled with people you shouldn¡¯t offend and you don¡¯t always know who they are. What a poor representation of your emperor¡¯s government you¡¯ve turned out to be.¡± She huffed, shot a glare at Prince Guangfeng, and sat back down to stare angrily out the window. How could he just sit back and watch in amusement while someone offended a guest at his table in his own restaurant? Not to mention all the others that had been coming to talk to him when he was so obviously busy. Did no one in this place have any manners?

    ¡°Miss Long is correct,¡± the prince said quickly. ¡°I apologize for not having my employees keep others away from this table. I should have thought of it earlier.¡± He looked over at the official. ¡°This prince hopes you do not take offence over what his guest had to say. This prince is simply hoping to give her a pleasant experience in the capital, as she has never been here before.¡±

    The official¡¯s face turned red, then pale and he swallowed rather loudly before quickly replying, ¡°There is no need for Prince Guangfeng to apologize. This official was too hasty in his judgments and didn¡¯t think to look into who Your Highness was dining with. This official hopes he has not offended Lady Long too much and wishes to know where to send an apology gift¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Yuelan and I will be returning to the library in the morning,¡± Long He replied. ¡°I am sure if you send the gift to His Highness¡¯ palace one of his servants can have it delivered to her.¡±

    The official bowed, glanced at his daughter, and then scurried away. After that, no one else tried to approach the table to converse with Prince Guangfeng and the ordered meal was served.

    Yuelan picked up the silver chopsticks placed in front of her and started to eat in silence. The food had a delicious flavor and she closed her eyes to savor it better. Nobody else at the table said a word until all of the food was gone.

    ¡°Was the food to Miss Long¡¯s taste?¡± Prince Guangfeng asked politely once all the food had been eaten.

    Yuelan gave the prince a smile and nodded. ¡°It was delicious. Thank you for treating me to such a wonderful-tasting meal.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll make sure the chefs receive a bonus for tonight.¡± The prince stood and moved around to hold the chair for Yuelan as she stood up. ¡°I would invite you to see more of the capital today, but perhaps it would be best to rest instead. I¡¯ll take you and Lord Long to an inn.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Long He said as he stood. He clasped his hands together and bowed a little. ¡°Your assistance is appreciated.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Prince Guangfeng smiled and nodded, then led the way out of the restaurant and back to his carriage.

 Chapter Five

    Yuelan once again watched out the window as the carriage drove through the streets of the capital, this time to an inn. She could hear Prince Guangfeng, Long He, and the two maids speaking to each other, but didn¡¯t really pay much attention to what they were saying. When she saw a small group of street musicians she turned to the rest of the people in the carriage. ¡°Before we go back to the library tomorrow, could we get a guzheng?¡± she asked Long He.

    Prince Guangfeng looked a bit surprised. ¡°You play?¡± he asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your instrument with you?¡±

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a family heirloom handed down from my mother¡¯s side,¡± she explained. ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t like it leaving the house. I also didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d be staying at the library as long as it seems I may be staying when I left, so I didn¡¯t think to ask permission to bring it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The prince smiled. ¡°I would be happy to arrange an appropriate instrument to be sent to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to choose an instrument myself,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°Then I can check the quality of the sound and be certain it¡¯s one I like instead of potentially wasting money on something that looks beautiful but doesn¡¯t have the same quality of sound.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng nodded. ¡°In that case, please be careful as you¡¯re visiting the shops. I must attend court in the morning, unfortunately, or I would be happy to escort you. Camphor, Willow, and Laurel know the capital well, so take them.¡±

    Long He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness, but I believe that Miss Yuelan is my ward.¡± The corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. ¡°Her care and comfort is my responsibility. I¡¯m afraid I must stop you short of offering to give her the money to pay for her shopping trip tomorrow. I¡¯ve brought plenty of banknotes with me that she can take along to pick up anything she needs or wants while we are attending morning court.¡±

    The prince shrugged. ¡°I am merely trying to be a gracious host to the daughter of a high ranked official of another country,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility as a prince, after all.¡±

    ¡°I believe it would actually be the responsibility of one of your sisters, Your Highness,¡± the dragon countered as the carriage pulled to a stop. ¡°We thank you for your hospitality this evening, Your Highness. Miss Yuelan, this is the inn we¡¯ll be staying at for the night.¡±

    Yuelan felt relief at Long He¡¯s interference and refusal to let the prince provide anything else for her. Prince Guangfeng had already done more than enough and she could tell he had taken an interest in her, though she wasn¡¯t sure yet what sort of interest it was. Not that it mattered. She wasn¡¯t interested in making lasting connections here, as she didn¡¯t intend to stay in Longuo forever. The dragon may have said she¡¯d be traveling back and forth between worlds, but that wasn¡¯t Yuelan¡¯s intention at all. She just wanted to go home and live the rest of her life with her father.

    As Yuelan stood up, Camphor and Willow quickly got down from the carriage and assisted her down as well before they moved to stand two paces behind her. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yuelan said to the two, who gave her gentle smiles in response.

    Once certain Yuelan was ready, Long He headed into the inn and requested neighboring rooms for himself and Yuelan. One of the inn¡¯s servants led them up a set of stairs and to a pair of rooms, unlocking the doors and handing one key to Long He and the other to Camphor before saluting the group and heading away again.

    ¡°Would Miss like a bath?¡± Willow asked as Camphor busied herself with inspecting the room. ¡°This servant would be happy to assist you in preparing for bed.¡±

    ¡°Yes please,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°Though...where am I supposed to take one?¡±

    Willow and Camphor had overheard enough to know that Yuelan was near completely unfamiliar with their country, Longuo, and were too well trained to show any surprise even if they felt it. Willow smiled at her new mistress and led the way through a curtain to a room with a large tub already filled with hot water. ¡°The chamberpot should be in that seat there,¡± Willow explained, pointing to a decorated chair that had a box for the base instead of legs. ¡°Would Miss like help undressing?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I can manage that myself,¡± Yuelan assured the maid. She started to pull the ends of the sash to untie it and removed the two layers of her gown before slipping into the warm water that smelled of roses. To her surprise, the tub was larger than it seemed at first and she could stretch out in it to fully relax. She felt Willow place a pillow behind her head and heard the maid pick up a pitcher before starting to wash Yuelan¡¯s hair without even asking. Having someone else wash her hair was relaxing, so Yuelan didn¡¯t argue with her servant and just let herself relax. After a couple of minutes, she drifted off to sleep. Her newly-assigned maids finished bathing her, dried her, wrapped her in a soft, silk robe, and put her to bed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ***

    When Yuelan started to wake again it was already morning and the sun was peeking through the curtains. She frowned and shifted under silk sheets, causing them to rustle. The feeling was a bit unfamiliar, causing her frown to deepen as she opened her eyes and sat up to look around in confusion. Her sleep-fogged brain couldn¡¯t make sense of where she was and why the sheets were made of silk instead of the highest quality cotton. Movement next to her drew her attention and seeing Camphor, Willow, and another girl about the same age with a few freckles on her face coming in with food, dishes, and tea woke her the rest of the way and reminded Yuelan where she was. The third girl was most likely Laurel, whom Yuelan had yet to meet.

    ¡°Miss is awake,¡± Camphor said cheerfully. ¡°His Highness the third prince sent some new clothes over for Miss before Master Long left for morning court. Willow and Laurel will assist you with dressing and doing your hair and makeup while I finish preparing your breakfast, if that¡¯s alright with Miss.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thanks,¡± Yuelan yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°Is there water for me to wash my face with?¡±

    The girl named Laurel set down the food she was carrying and walked over to a stand with a porcelain bowl on it and brought the bowl over to Yuelan, who shifted so her feet were hanging off the side of the bed. ¡°Here¡¯s the water, Miss. This servant is Laurel. I will be serving Miss along with Camphor and Willow.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and picked up the cloth hanging from the porcelain bowl, dipping it in the water and using it to wash her face and hands before setting it back down. ¡°Thank you.¡± Laurel nodded and took the bowl back while Willow started putting a pair of comfortable, embroidered slippers on Yuelan¡¯s feet.

    All the assistance and attention was starting to make Yuelan feel a little overwhelmed and useless. She stood up from the bed and headed behind the changing screen, intending to insist on changing her clothes herself only to find that the gown Prince Guangfeng had given her was more complicated than anything she was used to and she had to let the two servant girls help her put it on. The two hovered around her, adjusting here and there until the layers sat just right before adding the final layer: a sleeveless, pink gown that tied just above her breasts and flowed to the ground, covering most of the layers she had just put on and revealing only the sky blue sleeves of the half coat. The two maids fussed over that and the half coat for a full minute before taking Yuelan to sit down in front of a polished mirror and starting to brush and style her hair using two hair pins and half a dozen other accessories that Yuelan hadn¡¯t seen before they started putting them on.

    ¡°Are the accessories from Prince Guangfeng as well?¡± Yuelan asked. They didn¡¯t seem like the sort of thing a dragon would remember to provide for a human adolescent girl.

    ¡°They are,¡± Laurel assured her. ¡°His Highness noticed that Miss did not wear many yesterday and didn¡¯t want Miss to be looked down on while shopping today. He said Miss is welcome to borrow them and return them with his handkerchief at Miss¡¯s convenience.¡±

    ¡°The accessories once belonged to His Highness the third prince¡¯s mother, the former empress, and were part of her dowry. As His Highness is her only child, he inherited the things from her dowry after her death and keeps them safely in Heping Palace,¡± Camphor explained. ¡°The dress Miss is wearing was also something the former empress wore.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned a bit pink. ¡°I should return them,¡± she said quietly. ¡°We¡¯ll find new accessories and clothes while we¡¯re out today.¡±

    ¡°Does Miss not like them?¡± Willow asked, her expression concerned.

    ¡°No, I like them,¡± Yuelan reassured the maids. ¡°But...I lost my mother as well when I was young. The things that once belonged to her are very precious to me. I¡¯m sure His Highness feels the same way about his mother¡¯s things.¡± She smiled. ¡°And he has very good taste. These things are all very beautiful.¡±

    The maids relaxed and smiled. ¡°Then please wear them without worry,¡± Camphor told Yuelan. ¡°His Highness will not mind, and he only asked that the accessories be returned when it is convenient.¡±

    Willow and Laurel finished with doing Yuelan¡¯s hair and stepped back with smiles. ¡°Miss doesn¡¯t even need to wear makeup,¡± Willow sighed. ¡°Miss¡¯s complexion is so beautiful and pale already.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d rather not wear any,¡± Yuelan told them as her stomach let out a growl. ¡°Especially not before I eat.¡± She smiled and stood up. ¡°Is breakfast ready? Would you three like to eat with me?¡±

    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Camphor protested. ¡°Breakfast is ready, but you are our master! It isn¡¯t appropriate for us to eat with Miss.¡±

    ¡°But I have no friends here and I dislike eating alone. Sometimes the servants would eat with me at home if my father was away for the evening,¡± Yuelan pleaded.

    The three servant girls looked at each other with hesitant expressions, then sighed and nodded, giving in. ¡°Then we will eat with Miss this time.¡±

    Yuelan beamed at them and clasped her hands together. ¡°Wonderful!¡± She grabbed Willow¡¯s and Laurel¡¯s elbows, linking her arms with theirs since they were closest to her, and headed for the table where everything had been set out. ¡°Then let¡¯s add things for the three of you to eat with and have breakfast!¡±

 Chapter Six

    After breakfast Yuelan made sure they had received money from Long He and smiled when she saw the number of banknotes that Camphor held up before placing them in a small bag that the servant tucked into one of her sleeves. Once everything was ready, Yuelan headed out of the inn and followed her servants¡¯ gentle guidance toward the shopping district.

    An embroidery shop came into view almost immediately and Yuelan went inside. Pleased with the lovely embroidery, she purchased a few handkerchiefs in different colors, kept one with her, and had the rest sent to the inn before moving on. Suffering the embarrassment of being caught without one wasn¡¯t something Yuelan wanted to have happen again.

    Yuelan explored the streets of the shopping district for a few hours. She purchased a few good quality accessories for herself, though nothing very expensive and stopped when she came across a bracelet made of black jade that had three other stones inlaid in it: a nearly clear quartz with a fuzzy white line running through it, a sea green quartz, and a piece of amber. All of the stones were high quality and Yuelan subconsciously reached a hand toward it before quickly pulling it back.

    ¡°Would Miss like that bracelet?¡± Willow asked, catching the motion.

    ¡°It...just looks like something my mother used to wear,¡± Yuelan explained, shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s all. Besides, we have enough accessories for now. Let¡¯s find a place to buy a guzheng.¡± She turned away from the bracelet and headed out of the accessory shop.

    The three maids looked at each other with slight frowns, nodded, and then followed after their mistress. Camphor stayed behind for an extra moment to pay for what Yuelan had chosen and have the accessories sent to the inn.

    Yuelan¡¯s feet were starting to hurt and she was feeling hungry, so she found a small but clean teahouse and ordered tea and pastries to eat. There were tables and chairs set up just outside the teahouse, so Yuelan chose to sit there to allow her to watch passersby while she rested. Seeing rickshaws and pedestrians and carriages interested her and she enjoyed watching and wondering what sort of people were passing by, though having horses everywhere made her nervous.

    She thought the tea was watery and the pastries a bit dry, but overall it was decent. When Yuelan had finished she stood and indicated that Camphor should pay for what they¡¯d had before she started walking the streets again.

    This time, Yuelan wasn¡¯t wandering around looking at all the shops and people. She had her servants guide her to an instrument maker¡¯s shop and stepped inside. The front of the shop smelled of wood, stains, and varnish and Yuelan started quietly looking around at the various instruments without touching them at first. Her three maids followed along behind silently.

    After a minute or so a man wearing a leather apron approached, cleaning his hands on a rough, dirty cloth. ¡°Is Miss looking for something specific?¡± he asked politely.

    ¡°A guzheng,¡± Yuelan answered.

    The man nodded and gestured at a section of the show room. ¡°We have many good quality guzheng here. All with beautiful carvings I am sure Miss would appreciate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw,¡± Yuelan replied, giving the man a slight smile. ¡°May I test them to see how they sound?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the man assured her. ¡°Please test them as you like.¡±

    She nodded and stepped past the man to start running her fingers along the strings of the instruments and then playing a few notes on each. Her thin lips formed a concentrated frown as she focused on the sounds coming from each instrument before she finally pointed to one. ¡°This is the one that sounds best in this shop, but it¡¯s not good enough yet. Do you have any of higher sound quality elsewhere?¡±

    The man blinked and looked a bit surprised. ¡°What does Miss mean? All my instruments are of excellent quality.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful in appearance, but more time was spent focusing on the appearance instead of the quality of the sound,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°The notes don¡¯t resonate as well as I¡¯d like within the instrument. Do you have an instrument with better sound quality or should I go looking elsewhere?¡±

    The man looked a bit nervous and glanced over at the shop. ¡°Miss, these are the finest instruments in the capital. You won¡¯t find anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± said a gruff voice from the doorway to the back. ¡°Quit trying to get her to buy something when she obviously can tell that the quality of your instruments are still lacking. Get in the back and put more effort into making the sound come through nicely. I will take care of our guest.¡± A man with white hair and stained clothes stepped out of the back room and saluted Yuelan. ¡°Miss, please forgive my pupil. He does well enough for most young misses from good families, though no true musician has shown an interest in his pieces yet. I am old and have gotten slower at making them, so the ones I have made are kept away. Please follow me to the second floor and you may see if one of my guzhengs fits your needs.¡±

    Yuelan relaxed and smiled, returning the old man¡¯s salute. ¡°This girl thanks Master. I would be happy to see if one of your works suits my tastes.¡±

    The older man looked embarrassed and waved his hands. ¡°There¡¯s no need for Miss to be polite. This old man can see Miss is from a good family and cannot accept such politeness.¡± He headed to a door that he opened and bowed slightly as he waited for Yuelan and her servants to go through and up the stairs.

    The second floor smelled just like the first, though the smells were a little more stale. Yuelan smiled when she saw the four guzhengs on one side of the room and she stepped over to them. She ran her hands along the strings and played a few notes on each just as before, though when she reached the last one she enjoyed the sound so much she sat down on the stool beside it and played an entire song. It was the song she remembered her mother playing the most and the melody was beautiful with undertones of the loss of something precious. It was an old song, old enough that the composer¡¯s name had been lost.

    When the final notes fell away Yuelan looked up to see the old man had tears in his eyes. ¡°Miss plays more beautifully than any I have heard before except my wife,¡± he said softly. ¡°This instrument is my finest work. When I began it I intended it as a gift to her, but she died before I was able to finish it. A few have played it, but none as well as you. My wife would be pleased to let you have this instrument.¡±

    Yuelan smiled a little. ¡°My mother would often play that song for me when I was a small child. She died when I was six years old,¡± she replied. ¡°What amount would Master take for this beautiful instrument?¡±

    ¡°One hundred gold taels,¡± the old man answered.

    The three maids looked stunned at the high price and Camphor opened her mouth to object and start to bargain but Yuelan looked over and raised a hand. ¡°Give him the money,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°Miss is new to Longuo,¡± Camphor protested. ¡°One hundred gold taels for an instrument is¡­¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t just an instrument,¡± Yuelan countered. ¡°This is an instrument that would likely never have been sold. Give him the money. This master is getting on in years. The money will support him for the rest of his life, won¡¯t it? I will gladly pay an amount that will let him live comfortably.¡±

    Camphor, Willow, and Laurel looked unhappy, but Camphor still pulled out the banknotes and offered them to the master instrument maker.

    ¡°Miss is generous,¡± the old man said quietly. He took the bank notes and returned half. ¡°This old man expected to haggle, but Miss chose to honor the memory of this one¡¯s wife instead. Fifty taels is plenty.¡±

    ¡°Memories can¡¯t be replaced,¡± Yuelan said softly. ¡°And new memories cannot be made with those who are already gone. This instrument is just as fine as the one I inherited from my mother and had to leave behind when I came here. It¡¯s also less fragile.¡±

    The old man chuckled and bowed to Yuelan. ¡°This old one thanks Miss for visiting my shop. The song you chose and the way you played it is what convinced me to sell the instrument to you. Even the best instruments cannot play themselves and their sounds are meant to be enjoyed. Where shall I have this instrument delivered to?¡±

    Camphor gave the name of the inn to the old man, who nodded and guided them back down the stairs and to the door of the shop, where he bowed again.

    Yuelan gave the master instrument maker a small salute and left the shop. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the inn to rest,¡± she decided. ¡°We¡¯ve purchased everything I¡¯ll need for now.¡±

    The maids nodded, bowed, and started guiding Yuelan back to the inn to make sure she didn¡¯t get lost. When they arrived, Long He was standing next to a grand carriage and waiting. As soon as he saw Yuelan he approached. ¡°Miss Yuelan, you¡¯ve come back! Quickly get inside the carriage. His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you.¡±

 Chapter Seven

    Yuelan and her three maids stared at Long He for a few seconds before Camphor, Willow, and Laurel started urging their mistress to get into the carriage quickly. They nearly had to force her inside as Yuelan was still too shocked to move. Willow got into the carriage with her and Camphor and Laurel chose to stay at the inn to wait for the deliveries.

    When Long He got into the carriage and it started to move, Yuelan finally snapped out of her daze. ¡°Why does the emperor want to meet with me?¡± she asked the dragon. ¡°And I can¡¯t even perform a proper salute without tripping on my clothes! What if I make him angry?¡±

    ¡°Greeting him the way you¡¯d greet your country¡¯s emperor will be fine this time,¡± Long He assured her. ¡°And he didn¡¯t specify what he wants, only that he wanted to meet you.¡±

    Yuelan started nibbling on her thumb nail, then switched to trying to twist her hair around a finger, but it was all done up and none was hanging down. In the end she started twisting her newly purchased handkerchief in her hands. ¡°But...I never met my country¡¯s emperor!¡±

    ¡°Surely your father had you learn how to greet him if you did, though?¡± Long He asked. ¡°You are not in trouble and you will not be harmed. Take a deep breath and calm down.¡±

    Yuelan took a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly. She had to take a few more before she had settled down and her brain started working again. Nibbling on her thumb nail once more, she thought hard to remember back to her etiquette lessons on greeting the imperial family. It was a simpler greeting than the one she¡¯d tried to give Prince Guangfeng the first time she¡¯d met him. All she had to do was put her hands together and bow from the waist.

    ¡°Better?¡± the dragon asked her.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Better. Sorry for panicking like that.¡± She gave Long He a nervous smile.

    The dragon chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d have been more surprised if you hadn¡¯t. Your father may be the prime minister, but even I know you were never introduced to the imperial family and rarely interacted with nobility from other countries.¡±

    ¡°This servant can help Miss practice her greetings in the future,¡± Willow volunteered. ¡°Then Miss won¡¯t be so nervous when meeting with others.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Willow. That would be a big help,¡± Yuelan accepted. She gave the servant a smile and turned to look out the window. ¡°Is there anything I should be careful of when meeting the emperor?¡±

    ¡°Just be respectful,¡± Long He replied. ¡°You need not worry about anything else.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and continued to watch out the window as the carriage made its way to the gates of the imperial palace. When they arrived, Willow and Long He got out first and Willow helped Yuelan down then took up her position behind her mistress as Long He led them into the palace and along a path.

    Curious, Yuelan looked around the palace as they walked. Trees, plants, and flowers grew in carefully cultivated spots. There were grassy areas and carefully tended rock gardens and bridged ponds. It took twenty minutes just to walk to a building where two men in armor and holding swords stood guard with another man in robes standing on the steps between the two.

    The robed man bowed and spoke in a high-pitched voice that sounded odd coming from a man: ¡°Lord Long, His Majesty has been waiting eagerly for you to bring your ward. This is her?¡±

    Long He nodded. ¡°Eunuch Tang, this is Miss Long Yuelan. I will be acting as her ward when she is here in this country.¡±

    The title ¡®eunuch¡¯ explained right away why the man¡¯s voice sounded so odd to Yuelan and she felt a little sorry for the man who wasn¡¯t fully a man. She smiled as he turned and gave her a salute. ¡°Would Miss Long and Lord Long please follow this servant¡­¡± He turned and headed to the large, red-painted doors with gold leaf trim and opened them before leading the way inside.

    Yuelan followed Long He up the steps and into the building then through the halls to another door, this one smaller but still covered in decorative details. Eunuch Tang opened that door as well and called out, ¡°Lord Long and Miss Long to see His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Enter,¡± a deep voice commanded from inside the room.

    Long He entered first with Yuelan behind and Eunuch Tang and Willow taking up the rear. While Yuelan performed her bow, Long He performed a full salute and went down to his knees. ¡°I have brought Miss Yuelan, as Your Majesty wished,¡± the dragon said in a casual voice that surprised Yuelan a bit.

    ¡°You may rise,¡± the deep voice said again. When Yuelan lifted her head and looked she saw the owner of the voice was a man who looked to be about in his fifties wearing yellow robes with red and gold, horned, five-toed dragons embroidered into the material. The man looked back at her, looking her up and down in the same way she had been examined by most of the people her father introduced her to.

    Yuelan let the emperor study her as much as he wanted while she maintained a calm, respectful appearance.

    ¡°I recognize the accessories you are wearing. They came from my third son?¡± the emperor asked.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yuelan answered honestly. ¡°The clothes I¡¯m wearing did as well. He loaned them to me because I hadn¡¯t brought anything with me.¡±

    ¡°Rather unprepared for your trip?¡± the emperor pressed.

    ¡°Miss Yuelan¡¯s visit here was unexpected to everyone,¡± Long He cut in. ¡°She came from the other end of the bridge.¡±

    ¡°The world left behind?¡± the emperor queried. He let out a sigh at Long He¡¯s nod. ¡°And she¡¯s a descendant?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, it has been over six hundred years,¡± Long He replied. ¡°Twenty generations have passed since my mistress split the worlds.¡±

    ¡°But she is the one? The prophesied descendant?¡± the emperor pressed.

    Long He¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that.¡±

    The emperor glared at the dragon and leaned back in his gilded chair with a frustrated huff. ¡°Cryptic as always,¡± he grumbled.

    Yuelan had no idea what the two were talking about, but felt that it was not the time nor the place to be asking questions. She stood next to Long He and waited patiently for the emperor to tell her what it was he wanted from her.

    The emperor maintained silence for quite a while before turning to look at Yuelan again. ¡°My sons are fighting each other for the title of crown prince. I¡¯ve decided on a challenge for them, but first I have questions for you. Long He tells me that you are the only child of a prime minister. Tell me, what are the qualities you feel a leader should possess?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s jade green eyes looked straight into the emperor¡¯s. ¡°A leader should care for the people he or she leads. They should accept responsibility for them and work hard to improve the quality of their lives. A leader should listen to those with more experience and act with wisdom to choose the best path to take. They should not be selfish and focus on what they want, but instead focus on the needs of others. Most importantly, they should have the ability to read people and know who can and should be trusted.¡±

    The emperor smiled and nodded. ¡°Well said. Now, the challenge that I have decided to set for my sons is this: whichever son can convince you to marry him is the son that I will name crown prince.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face paled and her hands started to shake. ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°A good emperor needs a good empress to stand beside him and help him. You have the background to do so and your ideals will see to it that the needs of the people are met and that the next emperor will rule with wisdom--as long as he¡¯s willing to listen to you. Four of my sons are capable of becoming emperor, but only three have shown any interest, even if one of them thinks he¡¯s hiding it from me.¡± The emperor gave an amused smile. ¡°I trust Long He¡¯s judgement and you are his ward. He won¡¯t allow you to be at a disadvantage with any of my sons and they will have to work to win your approval and affection. This is what I¡¯ve decided.¡±

    Yuelan swallowed. ¡°Your Majesty...May I refuse?¡± she asked. ¡°I intend to go back home, and in my country I¡¯m not old enough to marry¡­¡±

    ¡°For how long? When will you come of age in your country? You look to be of age, but perhaps my guess is wrong?¡± The emperor looked amused as he watched Yuelan, whose face had turned red.

    ¡°I¡¯m sixteen. I won¡¯t be of marriageable age for two more years,¡± Yuelan explained.

    The emperor waved his hand. ¡°You¡¯re old enough here. Long He tells me your father is still alive. I am sure that if you decide you like one of my sons he¡¯ll agree to allow you to marry, even if it¡¯s early for your country.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Yuelan tried to continue protesting.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided,¡± the emperor insisted. ¡°You don¡¯t have to choose any of my sons if you decide you don¡¯t like them. The trial isn¡¯t yours, it¡¯s theirs.¡±

    Yuelan turned pleading eyes on Long He.

    The dragon sighed. ¡°I...will speak with your father about the situation,¡± he told Yuelan. ¡°He¡¯ll need reassurance that you¡¯re safe anyway, since you don¡¯t yet have the ability to send yourself back and while I can go back and forth myself, I cannot take anyone with me.¡±

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not going to help me?¡±

    Long He lifted both his hands and shrugged. ¡°He is the emperor here. The only one with the authority to argue with him over whether you can be the trial for the princes or not is your father--and only because he is on equal standing with your own emperor.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s frown became a glare.

    ¡°I will, of course, provide you with appropriate compensation,¡± the emperor promised. ¡°Tang will deliver the imperial decree with all of your gifts later today.¡±

    Yuelan stamped her foot, put her hands on her hips, and glared at the emperor. ¡°You¡¯re trying to buy me!¡± she complained. ¡°I¡¯m a person, not a dog or a cat!¡±

    The emperor chuckled. ¡°Good. You have spirit. You¡¯ll need that when dealing with my sons. Consider them your equals in social standing.¡±

    Yuelan humphed and turned her face away, her red cheeks puffing out in a pout. After a moment she turned back and glared at the emperor once more. ¡°I¡¯m not an object. If I¡¯m their equal in social standing then why are you trying to insist that I marry one? And if you want me to decide who is best suited for the throne then what does me marrying them have to do with anything?¡±

    The emperor waved his hand, still looking amused. ¡°You may leave. I will make the announcement to my sons tomorrow during morning court.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my questions!¡± Yuelan put her hands on her hips and stood to her full height of five foot two, her chin lifted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not required to answer your questions, Miss Long. I have made my decision and you will receive the imperial decree later today,¡± the emperor replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not one of your subjects,¡± she reminds him. ¡°So you can¡¯t give me an imperial decree declaring that I have to marry one of your sons.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°Alright, not a decree then. The decree will be for my sons. I¡¯ll just send you gifts.¡± The yellow-robed emperor turned to look at Long He. ¡°She¡¯s quite intelligent, for a woman. Take her back.¡±

    Long He bowed and took hold of Yuelan¡¯s arm. He could see the comment on her gender had irked her near the point of explosion and he quickly leaned in to whisper into her ear. ¡°Not now. Their culture is different, remember?¡± The dragon then looked over at Willow. ¡°You will not tell His Highness the third prince about what you overheard today,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Nor your fellow servants. Miss Yuelan coming from the other world is a secret that should be known only to the current emperor and the next emperor.¡±

    Willow bowed to indicate acceptance, then followed behind Yuelan as she stormed out of the throne room after Long He, who led the way out and back to the gates of the palace.

 Chapter Eight

    They took the same carriage back to the inn they¡¯d stayed at the night before and Yuelan went up the stairs to her room, her ire radiating off her. Upon opening the door, she found her purchases had arrived and Camphor and Laurel were sorting them and packing them in preparation to take them back to the library. The two servant girls paused to salute Yuelan, then went back to what they were doing.

    Yuelan walked over to a large, wooden box and lifted the lid. Inside was the guzheng she had purchased, carefully wrapped in silk and surrounded by padding to keep it from being jostled while moved. She smiled a little and closed the lid again. Her memory of the elderly man eased her fury at the emperor. ¡°Has everything arrived?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± Camphor answered immediately. She had already noticed her mistress wasn¡¯t in a good mood. ¡°We¡¯ve already sorted through everything that was delivered and nothing is missing. We¡¯re repacking it now so that it can be placed in a carriage and taken along when we leave.¡± The maid glanced over at Willow, who shook her head slightly.

    ¡°Good work.¡± Yuelan nodded her approval and walked over to sink into the chair in the room. She let out a sigh and rubbed her temple with two fingers.

    Laurel noticed and quickly walked over to start massaging Yuelan¡¯s shoulders and neck while Willow took Laurel¡¯s place packing. ¡°Does Miss have a headache?¡± Laurel asked, her voice concerned.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Yuelan answered, letting out another sigh. ¡°Things took an...unexpected turn when I met the emperor.¡± Laurel seemed quite skilled at massaging and the gentle kneading of her muscles helped her relax and finish calming down. ¡°That feels good, Laurel, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Seeing to Miss¡¯s comfort is one of our most important responsibilities,¡± Laruel assured her.

    ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t sent here mostly to spoil me?¡± Yuelan teased, drawing smiles from her three servants.

    ¡°Spoiling Miss is, of course, one of our duties as well,¡± Camphor laughed. ¡°After all, if we three servants don¡¯t spoil Miss then who will? Lord Long doesn¡¯t seem to know how to and Miss¡¯s family is far away.¡± The servant girl grinned and winked at Yuelan. ¡°And if Miss is sufficiently spoiled, we servants may get extra rewards.¡±

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to get along very well, we four. There are some things that I¡¯ll need you to teach me, like how to make pastries. I make them back home, but it¡¯s very different here. I¡¯m not used to it¡­¡±

    ¡°Laurel is skilled in cooking and making sweets and pastries. Willow is skilled in tea and martial arts, and I can assist Miss with practicing her etiquette,¡± Camphor explained.

    ¡°Camphor¡¯s father was a wealthy merchant, but he was caught trading in illegal goods and the family was punished to become servants,¡± Laurel added softly. ¡°She¡¯s also skilled in management and accounting.¡±

    Camphor¡¯s cheeks turned a little red. ¡°My mother and I had no idea what my father had been up to. Father was imprisoned and Mother and I became servants for His Highness the third prince. I hope Miss will not object to my being here¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t object at all,¡± Yuelan assured Camphor. ¡°Especially since I need someone skilled in managing money for me.¡±

    The servant girl gave Yuelan a deep salute. ¡°This servant thanks Miss for the grace.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Just as Yuelan was about to reply a commotion started just outside the inn. She stood up and started for the window only to have someone knock on the door to the room. Laurel quickly went and opened it, spoke to the person outside, and turned to report. ¡°Miss...Eunuch Tang has arrived with an imperial decree for Miss!¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s temper flared immediately and bit her bottom lip for a moment. ¡°He said it wouldn¡¯t be a decree!¡± she growled before taking a deep breath to calm herself as much as she could. ¡°We should go and greet Eunuch Tang¡­¡± Under her breath, low enough the servants couldn¡¯t quite hear, she muttered something not very complimentary about the emperor.

    The innkeeper was standing just outside the door to Yuelan¡¯s room and he quickly led the way with Yuelan following behind and the three servants bringing up the rear.

    Eunuch Tang was waiting just outside the inn holding a scroll. A group of palace guards stood next to him. As soon as Yuelan stepped outside he unfolded the scroll. ¡°An Imperial Decree for Miss Long Yuelan. Miss Long to receive the decree!¡±

    Yuelan frowned at the head eunuch the entire time Camphor was whispering instructions in her ear. Grateful to have someone there to explain what to do, Yuelan stepped forward and continued to glare at Eunuch Tang. ¡°This girl, Long Yuelan, will hear the decree before deciding if she accepts!¡±

    Eunuch Tang nodded and started reading from the scroll without objection while several people around them gasped. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor decrees that he is pleased with Miss Long Yuelan¡¯s wit, intelligence, and status as daughter of a prime minister and ward to Lord Long He. He grants Miss Long Yuelan the privilege of choosing from among the princes who she will marry if she so chooses. He grants Miss Long Yuelan the Crystal Moon residence in the capital and the servants needed to run the residence. He grants Miss Long three million gold taels, two chests of high quality gems, three bolts each of moon water silk, fire brocade, and shimmer silk gauze, one chest of accessories, the deeds to six shops in the capital, totaling one shop from each of the six princes, a carriage with four horses, and a talisman to be used for entering the imperial palace whenever she chooses--so long as the gates are open.¡± The odd-sounding, high-pitched voice of the eunuch stopped and he looked at Yuelan.

    Yuelan stared at the eunuch in shock for several seconds then knelt and raised her hands to accept the scroll, which the eunuch placed in her hands. ¡°Long Yuelan receives the decree and thanks His Majesty for the grace,¡± she said calmly. The emperor had mentioned something about giving her ¡®compensation.¡¯ The gifts she had just received were far beyond her expectations, however, and she wasn¡¯t sure what she was supposed to do with any of them. It wasn¡¯t as though she was going to stay in this kingdom, after all. She was going home just as soon as she figured out how.

    ¡°All of the deeds are in here,¡± Eunuch Tang explained, gesturing for another palace servant to come forward with a small box. ¡°As are the life contracts for the servants. The servants themselves and all of the other gifts except the carriage are waiting for you at Crystal Moon residence. The carriage and horses are here.¡± He gestured to a large carriage made of rosewood and gold. Four large, chestnut horses were tied to it and a driver held the reigns and seemed to be waiting patiently.

    Yuelan slowly got to her feet with the help of Laurel and Willow while Camphor received the box from the palace servant. She swallowed as she looked at the carriage, and especially the horses, and then looked back at Eunuch Tang and gave him a salute. ¡°Yuelan thanks Eunuch Tang for delivering the gifts from His Majesty.¡±

    Camphor passed the box to Willow then pulled a small pouch from her sleeve and offered it to the eunuch, who smiled and took the pouch.

    ¡°This servant will assure His Majesty that Miss Long has received her gifts. Their Highnesses the princes should arrive this evening at Crystal Moon residence to properly greet Miss Long.¡±

    Yuelan could feel a headache coming. She had intended to go back to the library, but now she had a new residence, several things to organize inside the capital city, and she had to greet the princes--one of whom she was supposed to select to be both her husband and the next emperor. Could she possibly try refusing again and give everything back? The emperor¡¯s comment on her gender followed after her thoughts of refusing and her cheeks flushed with anger. Never mind. She¡¯d keep everything and refuse to marry any of the princes. Serve him right!

 Chapter Nine

    After Eunuch Tang and his entourage had left, Yuelan stared at the carriage for a minute before looking around for Long He. The dragon wasn¡¯t far away and was watching Yuelan with a calm expression. She frowned. Why didn¡¯t he seem at all rattled or upset by what had happened? She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

    Long He¡¯s calm expression changed to amused. ¡°Being upset won¡¯t change anything, Miss Yuelan,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I suggest we pack your things into the carriage and go see your new residence. If there is no furniture in it I can take you back to the Library tonight for you to rest and bring you back in the morning, though I would imagine your servants have already been assigned to fill the residence with everything you might need.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have stopped all this at some point?¡± she demanded. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be staying here forever. I have a home to go back to.¡±

    Long He shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or place. If you wish to talk then we should go to your residence.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll take the carriage and everything I bought this morning and go to the residence. At least there will be a spot to put the guzheng in it.¡± When she turned around to tell Camphor and the others to get ready to leave she found the three maids had already gotten busy moving things to the new carriage. ¡°Why did he have to give me so many presents?¡± Yuelan grumbled. ¡°And what about those shops? What am I supposed to do with them?¡±

    The dragon chuckled. ¡°Use them to make money, of course. And he gave you what you needed to be able to live the sort of life you should as a future princess consort.¡±

    Yuelan snorted and went to help her servants move things from her room into the carriage. There wasn¡¯t much, so it only took two trips from each of them. When they¡¯d finished Yuelan got into the carriage and sat by a window so she could look out at the streets some more.

    The inside of the carriage was lined in soft fabrics with thick pads on the seats. A rosewood table sat in the center with a delicate, porcelain tea set decorated with plum blossoms placed atop it, and inside the table there was a space for heating water--or the carriage itself. It was even nicer inside than Prince Guangfeng¡¯s imperial carriage.

    Yuelan leaned back in her seat as the carriage started to move and she found that the padding was thick enough it was more comfortable than sitting in Prince Guangfeng¡¯s carriage, though she still didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be comfortable going for too long inside of any of the horse-pulled contraptions.

    After about twenty minutes the carriage stopped in front of a set of large, ornately carved gates. The three servant girls got out of the carriage then helped Yuelan out and led her to the gates, which were already starting to open. Two rows of servants, both male and female, lined either side of the stone-paved path that led from the gates into the rest of the residence and they all bent over in a salute as Yuelan stepped inside. ¡°Welcome home, Miss,¡± the servants greeted in sync before rising. A middle-aged man and a granny stepped from the front of the two lines and saluted her a second time, though not as deeply.

    ¡°This servant is called Chung Soo. His Majesty as assigned me to be the head housekeeper,¡± the man said in a high pitched voice that marked him as a eunuch.

    ¡°This old one is called Bing Mei,¡± the granny added. ¡°His Majesty assigned me as the head maid for Miss¡¯s residence and asked that I teach her the rules and etiquette of our country.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°These three are Camphor, Willow, and Laurel. They are the personal servants Prince Guangfeng assigned to me last night,¡± she told the two head servants of her residence.

    The two older servants nodded and greeted the three maids.

    ¡°Is there a courtyard prepared for Miss yet?¡± Camphor asked. ¡°She should rest and prepare before Their Highnesses the Princes arrive to greet her.¡±

    Chung Soo nodded. ¡°The main courtyard was set aside for Miss and prepared first. It has been cleaned and new furniture put in place, though it will take some time for the residence to be finished. If Miss will follow this servant, I will show you the way.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Her head was starting to throb from all of the surprises of the day and she just wanted to take the accessories out of her hair and lie down to close her eyes for a while.

    The eunuch explained what each building they passed was for as he led the way to Yuelan¡¯s courtyard, which was a pretty, white building surrounded by a low wall with a moon gate for an entrance. Surrounding the building was a garden filled with flowers and two dogwood trees in full bloom, one on either side of the moon gate.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Thank you, Chung Soo,¡± Yuelan said to her housekeeper. ¡°Please send someone to inform me when Their Highnesses arrive. I¡¯m sure there is a lot to be done, so I won¡¯t keep you.¡± She headed through the moon gate and then the doors and into her courtyard. It took a couple of minutes of exploration to find the master bedroom and she went through a couple of empty rooms that looked like a potential sitting room and dining area first.

    Once she was in her bedroom Yuelan sat down in a wooden chair in front of a vanity. Everything looked to be beautifully carved, though Yuelan wasn¡¯t in the mood to pay too much attention to any of it. ¡°Help me take out my hair, please,¡± she requested of her maids, who quickly started to attend to her. As soon as all the accessories were out Yuelan walked over to lay down on a daybed placed by a window. She opened the shutters to let the fresh air and sun in and yawned. ¡°Wake me in an hour so we can do my hair again before the princes arrive,¡± she instructed before drifting off to sleep.

    ***

    Yuelan had been up with her hair redone and had been practicing her greetings with Camphor for an hour before a servant came to let her know that the princes had arrived. She followed the servant to the main entrance and gave the princes a much more graceful salute than she had given Prince Guangfeng before, though because the emperor had declared her of equal status, she didn¡¯t need to wait for permission or go as deeply as she had before.

    ¡°Since Miss Yuelan and I have met before, I¡¯ll handle the introductions,¡± Guangfeng said once everyone was settled in the appropriate seats. He sat in a lazy, informal position on a chair with a cup of tea in his hand that he sipped at in the same lazy manner.

    ¡°Starting over there is our oldest brother, Xiong Guangfai. His mother became the current empress after my mother died.¡± Guangfeng¡¯s introductions each came with a lazy wave in the general direction of the indicated brother. ¡°Second brother, Xiong Guanghong is there. On this side we have our fourth brother, Xiong Guangzhu. Fifth brother, Xiong Guangrong is in the wheelchair and the one playing with the origami crane is our sixth brother, Xiong Guangjun.¡±

    Yuelan nodded to each prince as they were named by Prince Guangfeng. She gave them all a polite smile, but wondered what had happened to confine the fifth prince to a wheelchair. The sixth prince had an innocent, childlike air even though he was in the body of an adult and he seemed completely focused on the paper crane in his hands as he made gentle tugs on the neck and tail to flap its wings.

    ¡°Fifth brother broke his back in an accident when we were children and has been confined to his wheelchair ever since,¡± the first prince said in a haughty voice that instantly got on Yuelan¡¯s nerves. ¡°He can¡¯t produce heirs, so there¡¯s no point bothering with him. And sixth brother is an idiot who can barely form sentences. I wouldn¡¯t bother yourself with him, either.¡±

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°It isn¡¯t your decision, Your Highness,¡± she said in a gentle but firm voice. ¡°I will choose the person I feel will make the best leader for the people. Your emperor decided on this, but the choice is still mine and I don¡¯t have to choose any of you. You¡¯ll have to prove yourselves to me. At least I have the advantage of not knowing any of you, so I can be unbiased from the beginning.¡±

    The first prince snorted. ¡°You met third brother yesterday and let him take you to dinner and give you gifts. How is that being unbiased?¡±

    ¡°I was with Lord Long as well,¡± Yuelan pointed out. ¡°And I had only just arrived. Prince Guangfeng was merely acting as a guide for me and making sure that I had the things I needed to be presentable here in the capital.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Besides, there were plenty of officials who tried to sell their daughters to him while we were eating. It was a disgusting display.¡± Picking up the teacup on the small table beside her, Yuelan took a few sips.

    The first prince smirked at Guangfeng, then looked back at Yuelan. ¡°You¡¯re only a girl. Instead of playing as though you understand politics you should focus on embroidery or something. Don¡¯t worry about what Father Emperor told you.¡±

    Yuelan set her teacup down on the table again. ¡°Your attitude isn¡¯t getting you any points, Your Highness, and I do understand politics,¡± she said calmly. ¡°My father is a prime minister and I am his only child. My mother died when I was young and I have attended several events with him. He taught me the same way he would have a son. I may be a girl, but that doesn¡¯t make me an idiot. The emperor himself questioned me before making his decision. If you have an issue with it I suggest you take it up with him on your own.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng chuckled and Prince Guangfai scowled. The fourth, fifth and second princes looked amused, though were polite enough to not laugh. The sixth prince looked up from his crane, saw Guangfeng was laughing, and let out a childish giggle.

    ¡°For the next few days I will be quite busy settling into my new residence,¡± Yuelan informed the princes. ¡°I appreciate Your Highnesses coming to visit, but from now on I¡¯d appreciate it if you came one at a time so I can take the time to get to know you better and learn what it is you want to do if you were to become emperor.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Prince Guangfai assured her hastily. ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to come one at a time. Please be sure to make time for us, as some of us have quite busy schedules.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll come visit another time,¡± Prince Guangfeng replied, standing up. ¡°Miss Yuelan only just received this residence and everything in it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like the time to get to know it.¡± He smiled. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve also had quite a trip from your country to ours. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired.¡±

    Yuelan smiled back and rose from her seat. ¡°Thank you. I hope to see Your Highnesses again soon.¡± She gave them a polite salute and then walked with them out of the reception hall and to the gates of her residence. Each prince got into their own carriage and Yuelan noticed that Prince Guangfeng¡¯s was the least ornate of all of them. Even the prince who seemed to have some sort of mental disability had a nicer carriage than the third prince¡¯s. She frowned a little as she watched the carriages drive away, then turned and started to explore her residence.

 Chapter Ten

    For the next three days Yuelan was fairly busy getting to know some of the servants, taking lessons from the granny the emperor had sent her, and making sure that her courtyard and the main areas of the residence were cleaned and decorated in a way that suited her. For some reason, every time she thought she finally had a moment to rest either the first or second prince would come to visit her without notice. The first prince even arrived one evening just as Yuelan was going to get ready for bed, forcing her to stay awake later than she¡¯d planned. It made her incredibly gumpy, but she didn¡¯t want to be rude and make them all leave her alone (even if they were the ones being rude).

    On the fourth day, Yuelan woke up feeling like her head was filled with cotton and she hadn¡¯t gotten enough rest. She let her servants help her wash up and dress without any resistance, ate a breakfast she could hardly taste, and then went to sit in the garden by the koi pond she had found the day before. It was already full of fish and there was a bridge arching across the water as well as a couple of benches on the side of the pond. Yuelan opted for one of the benches.

    Her feet stretched out in front of her, the pair of embroidered, silk slippers peeking out from beneath the simple gown she wore. A single hairpin held half her hair up while the rest flowed over the back of the bench in soft waves as Yuelan turned her face up toward the sun. Long He had mentioned he would be going back to the library for a few days the day before, so she didn¡¯t expect to see anyone and hoped she¡¯d get a chance to just relax.

    Camphor was looking through the books the princes had sent over for the shops Yuelan had been given, so Willow and Laurel sat nearby chatting quietly and keeping an eye on Yuelan in case she needed anything.

    Just as the sun was starting to make Yuelan doze off a servant rushed over to the trio. ¡°Miss, His Highness the first prince has arrived to visit!¡± he called.

    Yuelan sighed and started to stand up. A wave of dizziness hit her and she nearly fell down, but was caught by her two maids. Willow and Laurel waited until Yuelan was steady before they let go and they stayed on either side of her with worried expressions as Yuelan headed for the main hall. ¡°Isn¡¯t morning court still going?¡± she asked her servants.

    The servant who had come to make the announcement bowed slightly. ¡°Morning court was dismissed early,¡± he explained. ¡°His Highness informed us he was passing by on his way home from morning court and thought he would stop and visit Miss.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Yuelan let out another sigh and lifted a hand to her head, which was starting to ache.

    ¡°Is Miss alright?¡± Willow asked. The concerned maid lifted a hand to touch the backs of her fingers against Yuelan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Miss, you have a fever! Perhaps we should ask His Highness to come back another time¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s a member of the imperial family, so we can¡¯t just ask him to leave,¡± Yuelan disagreed. She obviously wasn¡¯t thinking clearly, or she¡¯d have remembered that they didn¡¯t outrank her and she could just kick them out any time she wished.

    Willow frowned and glanced over at Laurel, who gave a slight nod.

    ¡°This servant is going to go see if Camphor needs any help with the books,¡± Laurel volunteered. ¡°Unless Miss needs me to stay?¡±

    Yuelan waved her hand. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Go ahead and help Camphor.¡±

    Laurel bowed and headed in the direction of Yuelan¡¯s office where Camphor was working. It happened to be close to the front gate, but Yuelan¡¯s mind was too muddled for her to think anything of it or the look that Willow had given Laurel.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ***

    As soon as Laurel was out of sight of Yuelan and Willow she headed out the gates and straight for Heping Palace to find the third prince. The guards let her in without question and one took her to where Guangfeng was standing on the bridge going over his own koi pond.

    When he heard footsteps approaching Guangfeng looked up and he frowned when he spotted Laurel. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Miss Long?¡±

    Laurel knelt in front of the prince. ¡°This servant begs Your Highness¡¯ forgiveness. Our Miss has fallen ill. Their Highnesses the first and second princes have come to visit Miss several times over the past three days and Miss has hardly had time to rest. Miss has a fever today and His Highness the first prince came to visit. Our Miss doesn¡¯t feel she can send him away and hasn¡¯t the time to rest. We servants worry that perhaps Miss will push herself too far if she doesn¡¯t receive help!¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°I see.¡± He looked over at the servant who had been standing beside him. ¡°Go and fetch the box that was delivered yesterday. We¡¯ll be going to Crystal Moon residence.¡±

    The servant bowed and headed off at a swift pace.

    Laurel leaned forward and pressed her forehead to the ground. ¡°This servant thanks Your Highness the third prince for coming to our Miss¡¯ aid!¡±

    ¡°You can get up. We¡¯ll see how the three of you have done with your observations when I give Miss Long the gift I¡¯ve arranged. You did well coming to get me to chase away my oldest brother.¡± He pulled a talisman out. ¡°Take this to the imperial palace and request for a physician to come to examine Miss Long.¡±

    Laurel jumped to her feet, took the talisman, and ran out of Heping Palace to obey the order.

    ***

    Yuelan sat in her seat, listening to the first prince rattle on about something she couldn¡¯t really comprehend as her headache continued to get worse. She took a sip of tea every once in a while and tried to make herself look like she was paying attention. Her fever was getting worse and chills had set in, though Yuelan put in quite a bit of effort into hiding them.

    The first prince had been there for over an hour when Chung Soo appeared and announced that this time the third prince had arrived. Yuelan¡¯s first thought was, Don¡¯t these princes have anything better to do?! She set her teacup down and started to get up. Willow quickly stepped in to assist her and keep her steady.

    Prince Guangfeng took one glance at Yuelan and frowned for a moment before speaking: ¡°Miss Long looks quite exhausted and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been busy getting your new residence in order, so I won¡¯t stay long,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I came to deliver a gift.¡± At his gesture the servant beside him stepped forward and held up a carved, wooden box.

    Willow helped Yuelan sit down before taking the box from the servant. She then gently placed the box in Yuelan¡¯s lap.

    Yuelan opened the box and inhaled sharply. The bracelet she had seen in the accessory shop was nestled inside. Her hand reached in to stroke the bracelet before she lifted it out and gave Guangfeng a small smile. Because of her fever, there were tears in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. It probably wouldn¡¯t mean much to you, but my mother had a similar bracelet when I was small. I broke it on accident one day when I was playing with it. This gift is quite meaningful to me.¡±

    Prince Guangfeng smiled back at her and bowed his head politely. ¡°I am glad that Miss Long appreciates it so much. There are stories that say that the stones in that bracelet can have healing properties. I hope they help Miss Long recover quickly.¡± He turned his attention to Prince Guangfai. ¡°We should let Miss Long rest, oldest brother. How about we leave together?¡±

    The first prince stood up. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that Miss Long was not feeling well. I apologize if my visit was inconvenient.¡± He smirked. ¡°Third brother is much more skilled at dealing with women than I am. I haven¡¯t had the pleasure of playing around like he has.¡±

    Yuelan did not miss the implication, but didn¡¯t have the energy to respond. She had Willow help her up and salute the two princes. ¡°I apologizes for not escorting Your Highnesses out, but I truly feel unwell and should return to my room to rest.¡±

    The princes nodded to her and headed out of the residence.

    Yuelan walked out of the main hall and started heading toward her courtyard. Not far away she could see Prince Guangfeng had stayed behind and was speaking to a middle-aged man who stood next to Laurel. She turned away and continued walking. After just a few steps her vision went black and she swayed. A girl shrieked next to her as Yuelan passed out.

 Chapter Eleven

    Willow¡¯s shriek caught Guangfeng¡¯s attention and he turned just in time to see the maid falling to the ground as a cushion for Yuelan. He rushed over to the two girls with the imperial physician who had just arrived, his oldest brother, and Laurel right behind him. From the corner of his eye he saw Camphor run out of a nearby building.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Guangfeng demanded.

    ¡°M-miss just...suddenly passed out!¡± Willow answered, looking shaken.

    The imperial physician knelt next to Yuelan, pulled out a silk handkerchief, and placed it on her wrist as he took her pulse, frowning a little. Once he finished with that he checked her eyes and relaxed. ¡°She fainted due to her fever,¡± he explained. ¡°Has Miss Long been under any emotional stress recently? This looks like an illness caused by exhaustion.¡±

    Willow hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Yes...Miss has been very busy since the imperial decree granting her this residence and the day before that she had just arrived in our Longuo,¡± the maid explained.

    The imperial physician opened his mouth to say something else but stopped when the sky suddenly turned dark, lightning flashed across the sky, and a loud clap of thunder shook the residence.

    Another lightning bolt struck the ground nearby and when it disappeared Long He stood in the exact spot it had struck. Guangfeng stared in shock at the white robed librarian¡¯s furious gaze.

    ¡°What is wrong with my ward?¡± Long He demanded as he walked over to them in just a few large strides.

    The imperial physician stood up and saluted Long He. ¡°It¡¯s a fever caused by exhaustion,¡± he answered quickly. ¡°Miss Long will make a full recovery with some proper rest and good food. I will also provide a prescription to give her constitution a boost.¡±

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± Long He demanded, turning his glare on the three maids who had gathered around Yuelan.

    The maids¡¯ faces were pale and Camphor stepped forward to speak up. ¡°M-miss has been busy with the residence and whenever we convinced her to take a break Their Highnesses the first and second princes would arrive unannounced to visit her,¡± she explained in a shaky voice.

    Long He turned silver eyes on Guangfeng, who was still trying to wrap his mind around the librarian suddenly appearing in a flash of lightning. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Laurel came earlier today and informed me that Miss Long had a fever and eldest brother was visiting her. I sent Laurel to summon an imperial physician and came to help Miss Long by pulling my brother away,¡± the prince explained. His body was trembling from a fear he didn¡¯t understand. The librarian had never released such a bloodthirsty aura before and Guangfeng was unprepared for it.

    The dragon turned furious eyes to the first prince. ¡°And you. What¡¯s this about unannounced visits to the home of a young, unmarried girl while her guardian was away?¡±

    The first prince also seemed to be affected by the librarian¡¯s aura as his face was somewhat pale. ¡°I was only making an effort to get to know Miss Long, as she is my future wife.¡±

    Long He knelt and carefully lifted Yuelan. ¡°Stay put. We¡¯ll talk about just whose wife she¡¯s going to be with your father present,¡± he growled at the princes before turning and striding off in the direction of Yuelan¡¯s courtyard. All three of her maids hurried along behind the librarian and their mistress.

    The imperial physician looked paralyzed from the force of Long He¡¯s aura and Guangfeng had a feeling that it was a very bad idea to disobey the librarian. The first prince seemed to be smart enough to not try and sneak away, so all three men stood where they were and waited a full half hour before Long He came back into view alone.

    The librarian gave the doctor a single glance. ¡°Send someone to fetch the ingredients and make the prescription yourself,¡± he commanded, tossing a heavy purse at the man. ¡°Don¡¯t make it so weak that it has no effect, either.¡±

    The doctor saluted and pulled out some paper and a writing brush, quickly scribbling down the ingredients he needed and looking around for a servant. Chung Soo, who had gone unnoticed nearby, stepped forward and took the list before heading out of the residence to purchase the required herbs.

    Long He¡¯s hard, silver eyes turned to the princes. ¡°Pass word to your brothers that you have all been summoned to the imperial palace,¡± he ordered. ¡°Your father won¡¯t have to wait too long for you to arrive that way.¡± Before Guangfeng could say anything, the librarian disappeared in another flash of light and lightning seemed to strike in the imperial palace itself.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Guangfeng swallowed and tried to force down the feeling that something very bad was about to happen.

    ***

    Long He ignored the guards that tried to stop him and stormed into the emperor¡¯s study unannounced. ¡°Xiong Lijun!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Kneel and accept your punishment!¡±

    The emperor looked up and the blood drained from his face. He scrambled to his feet and hurriedly knelt in front of Long He. ¡°Great Lord He...what has this lowly emperor done to offend you?¡±

    ¡°My mistress collapsed with fever because of you and your sons! Two of them are so eager to claim their spot as crown prince that they didn¡¯t spare a single thought for her health! She has always had a weak body and was given no time to rest after transporting herself to this world before you forced responsibility onto her!¡± Long He¡¯s hand lifted, then slammed into the emperor¡¯s desk, splitting the intricately carved, very expensive, zitan wood desk in two.

    The emperor flinched, then pressed his forehead to the floor. ¡°Great Lord He...this lowly one had no idea! This lowly one only wanted to ensure the best future for his people! Great Lord He, please calm your anger!¡±

    Lightning flashed and thunder cracked, shaking the palace and causing the emperor to flinch again. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know the whole truth yet!¡± Long He snapped. ¡°She understands nothing of this world beyond what was passed down as myth in her own. All she knows is that she somehow crossed from her world to this one! I consented to your idea under the assurance that you would make certain she was well cared for. Is this how you keep your promises, Xiong Lijun?¡±

    The dragon sensed more people gathering and glanced over to see the three oldest princes arriving at the same time. All three froze, startled, at the sight of their father kowtowing to Long He.

    ¡°Deal with your sons in a way that satisfies me, or I will punish them and you myself!¡± Long He snapped at the yellow-robed emperor.

    The emperor quickly scrambled to his feet and glared at his sons. ¡°What have you done?!¡± he demanded. ¡°How dare you cause Miss Long to collapse?!¡± Xiong Lijun was clearly doing his best to make his tone angry and forceful, but his pale face and the slight tremor of fear was still clear.

    Xiong Guangfeng stepped forward and knelt in front of his father. ¡°This prince did not visit Miss Long until today,¡± he explained, doing his best to exonerate himself. ¡°When I heard Miss Long was unwell I went and delivered a bracelet of fine black jade, faden quartz, seriphos green quartz, and amber to her. The stones are said to have healing properties, so I hoped it would make her feel better. As soon as I delivered the bracelet and was sure the imperial physician had arrived I was going to leave, but Miss Long suddenly collapsed from her fever.¡±

    The emperor glanced over at Long He, who nodded. ¡°That is what her maids said to me as well,¡± the dragon replied.

    ¡°And you two?¡± the emperor demanded of the other two princes.

    Xiong Guangfai and Xiong Guanghong knelt next to Guangfeng and bowed their heads. ¡°This son was at fault!¡± the two said simultaneously.

    ¡°This son only wanted to become more familiar with Miss Long after Father Emperor¡¯s decree that one of us must marry her to become crown prince. This son felt it would make Miss Long more comfortable to get to know me before she was required to choose,¡± the first prince, Xiong Guangfai, explained.

    ¡°This son felt the same as eldest brother,¡± Xiong Guanghong added.

    ¡°How often did you visit her since the decree?¡± the emperor demanded. ¡°Did you announce your visits? Did you give her time to prepare for your arrival? Did you even think that she had just arrived in Longuo and was likely to be tired from her journey here and in need of rest?¡±

    The princes glared at each other, causing the emperor to slam his hand on the already broken desk. ¡°How dare you?! For the next month I forbid you from going within a mile of Miss Long¡¯s residence or the library without her invitation! And after the month has come to an end I will have arranged a schedule for all six of my sons, allowing her to spend an equal amount of time with each of you. If it is not your scheduled day you will not go near her unless she personally invites you!¡± The emperor glanced over at Long He again.

    The dragon gave no reaction. He intended to take Yuelan back to the library as soon as she had recovered enough to travel the two hours it took to get there by carriage. None of the princes would be able to get to her without his permission until he was satisfied with her recovery anyway.

    The emperor turned back to his sons. ¡°Now apologize to Great Lord He and have gifts delivered to Miss Long to apologize for causing her illness!¡±

    The oldest prince frowned and looked at his father in confusion. ¡°Great Lord He?¡± he asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be imprisoned or killed for treating you the way he was when we arrived here, Father Emperor? He has committed the crime of attacking the emperor!¡±

    Long He laughed, but it didn¡¯t sound pleasant. The sound didn¡¯t even sound human. ¡°What would you younglings know?¡± he scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re only humans who have barely reached adulthood. I have lived for centuries as the guardian of the gate. No mere human stands above me and only the master I recognize or the Emperor of Beasts can command me.¡±

    The emperor reached out and smacked Xiong Guangfai, leaving a handprint on the prince¡¯s face. ¡°You will show Great Lord He respect! Even I would not dare to impose our laws on the dragon of the Great Priestess!¡±

    All three princes'' faces drained of color and they turned to look at Long He with wide eyes. Guangfeng was the fastest to react as he quickly pressed his head against the floor. ¡°This lowly prince pays respect to Great Lord He! Please forgive this prince¡¯s disrespect!¡±

    The other two princes followed Guangfeng¡¯s example, uttering the same words.

    Long He gave a snort. ¡°My ward is the daughter of a prime minister. Her father is of equal rank as her country¡¯s emperor. She herself is the equivalent of an imperial daughter. Show her the respect she deserves. There will be no forgiveness if something happens to her again.¡± Without waiting for anyone to acknowledge his warning, the dragon left the emperor¡¯s half-demolished study and disappeared in another flash of light.

 Chapter Twelve

    When Yuelan finally woke up Long He was sitting beside her bed with Willow bending over her and replacing a cloth on Yuelan¡¯s forehead with a cool, damp one. Yuelan frowned and shifted to sit herself up. ¡°What happened? I thought you were going to be gone for a few days¡­¡±

    ¡°I felt you collapse,¡± Long He answered. ¡°So I came right away. You don¡¯t need to worry about the princes visiting you at inconvenient times anymore. The first and second prince aren¡¯t allowed near this residence or the library for a month and they are now all required to announce when they are going to come before they do. Take your time and get some rest. When your fever is gone I¡¯ll take you back to the library.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and relaxed against the wooden headboard. ¡°Did you speak with the emperor again or something, then?¡±

    The corner of the dragon¡¯s mouth twitched in a half smile. ¡°¡®Or something,¡¯¡± he answered. ¡°You should remember that your rank is not as far off from theirs as you think. Back in your home you are the daughter of a prime minister. Because your father has a near-equal rank with the emperor, you¡¯re the equivalent to an imperial daughter here. The emperor here doesn¡¯t need to give you a rank that will let you tell the princes ¡®no¡¯. If you don¡¯t feel well or want to be left alone just send them away next time.¡±

    Yuelan hesitated. ¡°But...they¡¯re the imperial family. And the laws are different here than they are back home¡­¡±

    ¡°And the emperor will do what I tell him,¡± Long He replied. ¡°And now so will the princes. None of them will argue.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Yuelan asked, frowning.

    Long He chuckled. ¡°You missed the storm I caused. And the lightning. I let them know I¡¯m not human and don¡¯t have to obey their laws.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t threaten to eat them, did you?¡± Yuelan asked, frowning.

    ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t eat humans. They¡¯re not very tasty.¡± The dragon reached out and put a hand on Yuelan¡¯s head before removing it and looking over at Willow. ¡°Where is the bracelet the third prince gave to Miss Yuelan?¡±

    Willow looked a bit pale and uncertain having Long He speak to her, but she walked over to the dresser and lifted the small box with the bracelet up. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Place it on Miss Yuelan¡¯s wrist. The stones do have healing properties and they will help her recover quickly. Though the type of healing they do is different from what she needs, they will still help a little,¡± Long He instructed.

    The maid nodded and pulled the black jade bracelet out of the box. She carried it to Yuelan and helped slide it on Yuelan¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°What sort of healing do they do?¡± Yuelan asked curiously.

    Long He smiled. ¡°I will teach you eventually,¡± he promised. ¡°But first you need to be more comfortable in this world and allow yourself to absorb the magic here. I will get you some small accessories with the proper stones for that soon. I have to find the ones you need first and a jeweler who can properly make what needs to be made.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Yuelan looked a bit confused, but nodded. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®absorb the magic here¡¯?¡± she asked.

    Long He stood up and smiled. ¡°It has to do with why you¡¯ve always had a weak body, but it¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll explain another time. For now, you should rest. I will come back tomorrow. By then you should be up to the journey back to the library.¡± The dragon turned and left the room without waiting for Yuelan to give an answer.

    ¡°Camphor and Laurel have already packed the necessary things for the trip to the library,¡± Willow assured Yuelan. ¡°Even the guzheng has been packed.¡±

    ¡°Who will handle the businesses while we¡¯re at the library though?¡± Yuelan asked.

    ¡°Miss need not worry. Camphor has said she can stay behind if she needs to, but it is only two hours by carriage to the library. The distance is short enough that things can be managed from there,¡± Willow assured her.

    Yuelan covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned. ¡°Alright. Wake me for dinner, then,¡± she instructed as she slid back down under the silk blankets and rested against the pillows to take a nap.

    ***

    The next day Yuelan got into her new carriage for the second time with her maids and Long He. She was feeling much better than she had been the day before, as her fever had broken, but she still felt weak and wasn¡¯t looking forward to the two hour trip to the library. As the carriage rolled along behind the horses, Yuelan watched out the window. Just as they passed through the gates she drifted off to sleep and napped until the carriage stopped at the base of the mountain.

    The trek up the mountain path to the library had Yuelan, Camphor, and Laurel all sweating a bit, though Willow seemed unaffected. Yuelan led the three maids into her rooms and they all used some fresh water Willow brought in from the well outside to wipe the sweat from their bodies as they changed to fresh clothes.

    Throughout the process of freshening up, Yuelan became quieter and quieter. At first she had been cheerful and chatted with the other three girls just like she had been since they had first started to serve her, but eventually she stopped speaking and the smiles disappeared.

    Once they¡¯d finished, Yuelan looked around her room and sat on the bed with a sigh. She¡¯d been too busy to have much time to miss home before, but now that they were back at the more familiar library she found herself missing her father.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Camphor asked Yuelan, taking the initiative to sit on the bed beside her mistress.

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°Not really. I just...miss my father suddenly.¡±

    Camphor lifted a hand to rub Yuelan¡¯s back. ¡°You haven¡¯t had the time since you arrived to miss him, really,¡± she sympathized. ¡°Now it¡¯s quieter and you¡¯ve had time to relax a bit, so it¡¯s understandable that you would miss him now.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Yuelan let out a quiet sigh and pulled her legs up to hug her knees. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to be alone for a bit. You three can go familiarize yourself with the library.¡±

    Camphor stood and all three maids gave her a brief salute before quietly leaving her alone in the bedroom.

    ***

    Long He watched the maids leave Yuelan¡¯s room with concerned expressions and walked over to them. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Miss is feeling homesick,¡± Camphor answered. ¡°She asked to be left alone¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be alright. It¡¯ll just take some time,¡± Long He assured them. ¡°Feel free to look around as you wish. I have some things I need to do.¡±

    The three maids saluted Long He and the dragon turned and walked deeper into the library.

 Chapter Thirteen

    After sitting on her bed feeling homesick for a while, Yuelan got up and moved over to the small box where her earrings were kept. She searched through it for a little bit before finding what she was looking for: the pair of diamond earrings she¡¯d worn the day she first arrived in Longuo. Her mother¡¯s earrings. They were also the first genuine stones she had touched since her mother¡¯s death.

    Yuelan carried the earrings back to the bed and sat down on it, softly stroking the stones while thinking about her father. She sniffled and a few tears slid down her cheeks. Moving one of the earrings into the same hand as the other she pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and used it to dab at the tears a few times.

    She cried for half an hour before she started to hear the sound of a familiar voice calling her name. Yuelan frowned and looked a little confused. How could she be hearing her father calling her when they weren¡¯t even on the same world? She lifted her head, used the mostly-wet handkerchief to dry her eyes again, and stood up to investigate.

    As Yuelan left her room she felt a burst of dizziness and stumbled. She reached out to grab onto the door jam and held on. For some reason, she was feeling weaker than she had the day before, when she¡¯d been sick, though Yuelan didn¡¯t feel like she had a fever. Frowning a little more, she headed out of her room to the main part of the library.

    Not far beyond the doors to the private areas stood Long He speaking with a man in a black suit, blue tie, white shirt, and silver and blue cufflinks. At first it seemed a little odd to Yuelan and then she sank to the ground with a soft ¡®thump.¡¯

    The two men looked over. ¡°Yuelan!¡± the man in the suit, Long Ansheng, Yuelan¡¯s father, cried out, rushing over to sweep her up into a tight embrace. ¡°Yuelan, I was so worried! You told Cheng you were going to the library and would be back for dinner, didn¡¯t take Ban Li with you, and never returned! When I came to find you, Librarian Long said you were alright and I only needed to wait patiently for you to come back, but I¡¯ve been so worried!¡±

    ¡°I apologize for that. I was a bit busy trying to help her adjust on the other side of the bridge and couldn¡¯t concentrate on maintaining my form here well enough to give you a proper explanation, Prime Minister,¡± Long He explained as he joined the father and daughter. ¡°I had just come back to inform you of what was going on, but it seems that Miss Yuelan chose to surprise me yet again and return here sooner than I expected.¡±

    ¡°R-return?¡± Yuelan stammered. Her face was pale and she leaned against her father for support, feeling weak. ¡°Long He, what¡¯s going on? And why do I feel even more tired than when I was sick yesterday?¡±

    ¡°The other side of the...bridge?¡± Prime Minister Long asked, looking anxious. ¡°You mean she went...there? To the other world Ruzhen told me about?¡±

    Long He nodded. ¡°Perhaps we should sit. Miss Yuelan is probably quite drained from making the return trip and it will take her some time to recover. I will explain everything.¡± He gestured to Yuelan and her father, indicating they should go back into his living quarters where they wouldn¡¯t be interrupted so they could speak freely.

    Long Ansheng nodded and helped support Yuelan into the sitting area and onto a seat. He took a seat right next to her and Long He sat across from them.

    ¡°What has been going on for the last few days, Long He?¡± the prime minister asked in a stern tone. He seemed to have regained his authoritative aura and calm demeanor that hadn¡¯t been there when he¡¯d seen his daughter¡¯s face after days of anxious waiting. ¡°Did she really cross to the other world?¡±

    Long He nodded. ¡°She did. When Lady Ruzhen died the powers and authority of the priestess settled on Miss Yuelan. As I recall, she ran a fever for nearly a week after her mother¡¯s funeral.¡± He paused, then continued when Long Ansheng nodded his head once. ¡°For Lady Ruzhen and most of the others of that line, the fever only lasted a day or two. They received only a part of the powers of the priestess and it wasn¡¯t enough for them to go to the other world. It was...different for Miss Yuelan. The first time you brought her to the library I could sense that she had all of my mistress¡¯ powers, so I advised you not to allow her to touch real stones until she reached high school age. A young child with so much raw ability could have caused devastation just by accident if she had used magic without meaning to or realizing it. And it would have drained her very quickly.¡±

    Long Ansheng nodded. ¡°Yes, I remember. Ruzhen told me the same thing when she realized she was going to die. She had always told me everything about her maternal line, even that in order to survive they had to have some source of magic nearby and that this library was the only source.¡±

    The dragon nodded his head again in agreement. ¡°Yes, but unfortunately it is only a small amount leaking from the other world to this one through the bridge. It isn¡¯t enough to fully sustain them and they have weak constitutions as a result.¡± He turned to look at Yuelan. ¡°That is why you feel so worn out, Miss Yuelan,¡± he explained. ¡°You had a limitless source of magic in Longuo that you don¡¯t have here in Kilin. Your body relies on that magic to stay healthy and support itself. The reason for it is something to be explained another time.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Yuelan asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

    ¡°He¡¯s saying that unless you go back there...you¡¯ll slowly grow weaker and die just as your mother did,¡± her father explained quietly. ¡°That¡¯s why I got you permission to come here to the library even though you were under age and under qualified. And why I locked your mother¡¯s jewelry away until your sixteenth birthday. Crystals and stones can be used in magic. Normally it would be impossible here, but you could use your own life force to do it.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°And without being able to control that magic, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to live very long,¡± Long He added. He pointed at the pair of diamond earrings Yuelan was still holding onto. ¡°Diamonds are the stone my original mistress used to separate the worlds and create the bridge. It took nearly all her magic and life force to be able to do it. Since then, the hereditary powers of her line have slowly grown until they settled in you, when they returned to full power. You can use the diamonds to cross the bridge between the two worlds. Of course, larger diamonds would make it much easier, but the quarter of a karat those two combined make is just enough to allow it.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s hands trembled and she nearly dropped the earrings, but managed to hold onto them. ¡°I was wearing them when I first went to Longuo. And I was trying to find you¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°And then today I pulled them out because I was homesick and wanted to see Daddy again¡­¡±

    Long He nodded. ¡°They helped you connect and cross the bridge to find the person you were looking for,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Yuelan, you should go back there,¡± Long Ansheng said quietly as he reached out to hug his daughter. He gently stroked her silky, black hair and kissed the top of her head. ¡°You can come and visit me any time, but your mother and I always hoped you would be able to live a longer life than the others in your maternal line. The only way for you to do that would be to live your life there.¡±

    ¡°But Daddy...you¡¯d be all alone!¡± Yuelan protested. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to live there! The emperor there is trying to force me to marry one of his sons, and whichever one I marry will become the crown prince. I don¡¯t want to be trapped in a political struggle. I just want¡­¡± Her words tumbled out in a panic and the pitch of her voice rose.

    Long Ansheng put his finger on her lips to quiet her. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid being part of a political struggle, even if you stayed here,¡± he told her gently. ¡°My term as prime minister is nearly over. The people planning to run for office are hoping to arrange a marriage with you either to themselves or to one of their sons to garner support from the people by saying I approve of them as my replacement. Even the emperor has asked me when I will consider introducing you to his children. You come of age in just under two years here. Long He will keep you safe and you¡¯ve learned very well what sort of people make good leaders and what sort don¡¯t. Whatever you decide to do, Yuelan, I hope only that your choice will also make you happy and that you can live a long, fulfilling life.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks puffed out in a pout and she lightly bit her father¡¯s finger to express her displeasure. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just be a normal person?¡± she complained. ¡°How come it doesn¡¯t matter what world I¡¯m in everyone is looking at me to pick the next leader?¡±

    Her father chuckled and pulled his finger away from her mouth as he used his other hand to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. ¡°I love my country too much to not do the best I could for the people who live in it,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that before. And it isn¡¯t just my fault that they want you. You¡¯re beautiful, smart, and accomplished. You carry yourself well and have an aura that draws people in. You have an eye for people and you¡¯re known for being generous and kind. You¡¯re even more popular with the people than I am.¡±

    Yuelan leaned over and wrapped her arms around her father¡¯s waist. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± she whined, acting her age for the first time in days. ¡°I want to stay with you. They don¡¯t have running water or actual toilets. They use fire to cook in wood burning stoves! I don¡¯t have any friends. Two of the princes look at me like I¡¯m some especially delicious cut of meat and not a person and another one has a reputation for being a lazy, no good, playboy who just fools around and parties. He gave me servants, but he had them report to him. I know he did because he brought me a bracelet I saw in one of the shops and I told the girls he sent me that it looked just like the one of Mom¡¯s that I broke.¡± She continued to pour out everything that had happened to her since going to the other world while her father silently listened and stroked her hair.

    ¡°Do you really think that third prince is a good-for-nothing?¡± Long Ansheng asked his daughter. To her annoyance, he sounded a bit amused.

    Yuelan shoved on her father¡¯s chest and leaned back, folding her arms and glaring at him with a tear-streaked face. ¡°I think he¡¯s hiding something. I think they¡¯re all hiding something.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± her father pressed.

    She stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°And the third prince at least looks at me like a person, but there¡¯s no smoke without fire and I am not going to be in someone¡¯s harem! The other three princes I¡¯ve only met once, when they came and introduced themselves.¡±

    Her father patted her head and smiled at her. ¡°Yuelan, that world needs you and you need that world. I want you to spend most of your time there. Visit me when you feel lonely or need someone to talk to when you can¡¯t tell anyone else. Make friends with those three maids. If you need to, have each of the princes send another maid to you to make things more fair. Choose who you trust wisely, and always remember to be yourself. And when you¡¯ve decided who you want to marry, come back and let me know.¡±

    ¡°But...what about my life here? My friends and everyone else?¡± Yuelan asks.

    ¡°No one would be surprised if you fell ill. You¡¯ve had fevers often since you were little. If you develop a chronic illness, I can have you declared dead by a doctor I trust and have a funeral for you. The country would mourn for a while, but then move on,¡± Long Ansheng explained. ¡°Nobody knows you went missing. I told your school you were ill after Long He promised me you were safe.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡±

    ¡°If you practice your magic and learn to control it, you might be able to bring him to that world to stay with you,¡± Long He suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it will work, of course, but it might.¡±

    Yuelan relaxed and smiled a little. ¡°After he finishes his term as prime minister, of course. It¡¯s only another year.¡±

    ¡°And I can retire to somewhere private and alone where no one can come looking for me,¡± Long Ansheng added, smiling. ¡°And mourn my wife and daughter in peace.¡±

    Yuelan frowned and rubbed her head.

    ¡°For now, I think you should get some rest and then go back to that other world,¡± her father told her, frowning as well. ¡°I¡¯ll send some things to you with Long He. Your mother¡¯s jewelry and guzheng and the parts of your dowry that can be taken.¡± He stood up and pressed his lips to Yuelan¡¯s hair again. ¡°Remember that I love you, and always will.¡±

    She nodded and stood up to give her father another hug, then made her way back to her room and collapsed on the bed.

 Chapter Fourteen

    Yuelan spent a few days staying in the library and talking with her father. He came to the library to see her every day after he finished with his responsibilities as the prime minister and Yuelan was glad for some semblance of normalcy. Once she¡¯d calmed down and her father had helped her start to adjust her feelings over her situation, she held the diamonds and thought of the three maids she had left behind.

    This time, instead of appearing in the same place she¡¯d been like the last two times Yuelan had changed worlds, she appeared directly in front of the three maids, who were in the middle of cleaning the kitchen. All three maids dropped what they were holding and let out startled yelps.

    Laurel was the first to recover. ¡°Miss has returned!¡± she said happily, picking up a rag to wipe her hands on and then running over to hug Yuelan. ¡°We were starting to worry!¡±

    Long He came into the kitchen and looked around. ¡°I see you three have kept yourselves busy cleaning up the place while Miss Yuelan was gone.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Camphor replied calmly. ¡°Miss, we started with your room. Everything is put away and organized now and it should be much more comfortable.¡± She hesitated, then took a deep breath and added, ¡°We...also informed His Highness the third prince that you were not at the library and we didn¡¯t know where you were. He asked that we inform him as soon as you returned¡­¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Yuelan sighed. ¡°Inform Prince Guangfeng that I plan to return to my manor in the capital as soon as Long He has finished bringing the things from my dowry that my father is sending here and ask if we can borrow a couple of carriages to transport the items.¡± She paused and frowned. ¡°And...invite the three younger princes to visit one day each next week. I¡¯d like to get to know all of the princes better and they¡¯re the only ones who haven¡¯t tried to visit at all since our first meeting.¡±

    Camphor nodded and looked over at Laurel. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go? You can see how your family is doing along the way if Miss doesn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. If your families are near enough to visit then you should each choose a different day each week where you¡¯re released from your duties to visit your families,¡± Yuelan told them, smiling. ¡°Starting from next week. Family is important, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d all feel better being able to see them.¡±

    ¡°As Miss is aware, my mother is a servant for His Highness the third prince and my father is in prison. I have no idea where any of my other siblings are as they were the children of concubines. I was the only child of the first wife,¡± Camphor explained. ¡°I cannot visit my father at all and shouldn¡¯t trouble my mother. Willow is an orphan and has no family.¡±

    ¡°You still get one day off a week,¡± Yuelan insisted. ¡°Working all the time isn¡¯t good for your health, physical or emotional.¡±

    ¡°This servant thanks Miss for the kindness,¡± the three servant girls said simultaneously as they gave her a salute.

    Yuelan waved a hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s normal in my country for everyone to have a day off to rest. Laurel, take your time when you stop to visit your family. Camphor, give her three taels of silver to give to her parents.¡±

    Laurel looked startled, then gave Yuelan another bow and said a few heartfelt words of gratitude while the other two servant girls smiled.

    Camphor went to get the money from where it was stored and Yuelan covered her mouth to yawn.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go rest for a while,¡± Yuelan announced.

    The other two maids nodded and went back to work as Yuelan headed to her room. Once inside it she looked around and smiled. A vase had been placed in the window sill and filled with fresh flowers and a few other homey and feminine touches had been added as well. Yuelan yawned and headed for the bed, where she lay down on top of it, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

    ***

    A few days later, Yuelan woke and got ready for the day with the help of her maids, as usual, then went to take a look at the things that Long He had brought over from her father. She studied them and frowned a little.

    ¡°Something the matter?¡± Long He asked as he came into the library, likely having just returned from morning court.

    ¡°How are we going to get everything down the mountain?¡± Yuelan asked him. There were three chests full of items her mother had left behind, including high quality fabrics and her mother¡¯s wedding attire, jewelry, and items her mother had made by hand to add to Yuelan¡¯s dowry that were considered useful when starting your own home. Besides the chests, there was also furniture, most of it antique, and several other large items. Most importantly was her mother¡¯s guzheng.

    ¡°I thought I could help with that,¡± said another male voice that Yuelan recognized. She turned around to see the owner of the voice: Prince Guangfeng. ¡°You asked for a couple of carriages, but didn¡¯t request any strong servants. I brought both.¡± He stepped to one side and gestured as several large men came in and started lifting items to carry them down the mountain path.

    Yuelan pointed at the case where the guzheng was. ¡°Leave that one,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯d rather Long He carried it.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The servants nodded and didn¡¯t say anything, though the prince looked curious. ¡°Why must Lord Long carry it?¡± he questioned.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s guzheng is inside,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°It¡¯s over six hundred years old and extremely precious to me.¡±

    ¡°May I have the privilege of listening to you play it once you¡¯ve finished settling in?¡± Prince Guangfeng asked courteously.

    Yuelan looked over and studied his face for a bit before giving him her best political smile. ¡°Certainly. If you will agree to have my maids stop spying on me for you. It¡¯s creepy.¡±

    Guangfeng looked a little startled, then glanced at the three maids by Yuelan¡¯s side and sighed. ¡°What exactly would that entail? I do want them to inform me if you are in danger, after all.¡±

    ¡°Funny. I thought Lord Long was my guardian here, not you,¡± Yuelan countered, folding her arms and staring into Guangfeng¡¯s eyes with a calm confidence. ¡°If you refuse to have them stop spying then I will need to request more personal maids from the other princes.¡±

    The third prince stiffened and his expression turned somber. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend that, for your own safety and peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t give me any peace of mind to know that I have three spies serving me and reporting everything back to you,¡± she countered. ¡°What difference does fifteen more make?¡±

    Guangfeng sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. ¡°Alright. Laurel, Camphor, and Willow will no longer report to me at all. I gave you their life contracts anyway, so you could have just threatened to sell them.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes flashed and she glared at him. ¡°That¡¯s a disgusting thing to do. They¡¯re people, not livestock. And where I come from slavery is illegal. Though thank you for reminding me. I¡¯m going to burn all those life contracts that I have and give everyone in my manor the choice to stay or go as they please.¡± She spun on her heel and walked away to oversee moving the items from her dowry down the mountain.

    It took most of the afternoon for everything to be moved down the mountain and carefully placed in the prepared carriages. Yuelan waited until everything was loaded, and then got into her personal carriage with her three maids. Long He and Prince Guangfeng opted for the prince¡¯s imperial carriage and the group set off.

    The two hour trip passed more easily for Yuelan than her previous two trips had. She spent the time chatting with her maids and getting to know them a little better and also asked them questions about how they felt about the different princes and the current state of the country. Naturally, the three maids were uncomfortable expressing their opinions, but Yuelan encouraged them and promised that what they said would not leave the carriage.

    When they reached Crystal Moon residence Yuelan left the carriage with the assistance of her maids, thanked the third prince for his help, and headed inside. Laurel had prepared the residence for Yuelan¡¯s arrival during her trip a few days beforel, so several strong servants headed out to bring in the items in the carriage and Chung Soo and Bing Mei were waiting to greet their mistress as she stepped through the gates.

    ¡°Dinner is nearly prepared,¡± Chung Soo informed Yuelan. ¡°Nothing of note has happened during Miss¡¯ absence from the residence, so would Miss please rest easy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will eat dinner in my courtyard.¡± Yuelan replied before turning to Bing Mei. ¡°I¡¯ve brought my mother¡¯s guzheng with me along with the other items left by my mother for my dowry. Most of them can be placed in the storage rooms until I decide where to place them within the residence, but I want the guzheng placed where I can easily access it. His Highness the third prince asked that I play it for him after I have settled in. Will you show Long He where to put it? Also, I would like to continue my etiquette lessons starting tomorrow.¡±

    Bing Mei nodded and headed for the dragon, who was holding the case containing the instrument.

    Chung Soo smiled at Yuelan and gave her a bow. ¡°It is good to see that Miss is feeling much better after her trip to the library. This servant was worried at first as Miss did not seem comfortable.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°I had a chance to speak with my father,¡± she explained. ¡°So I am feeling much better. Thank you for your concern, Chung Soo. Would you bring me all of the servant contracts, please? And call all of the servants. I want to speak with everyone.¡±

    The eunuch looked rather confused, but he nodded. ¡°Of course, Miss. The contracts are kept in your office, but did you not wish to rest first?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d like to take care of this now.¡± She smiled at the eunuch. ¡°Just have them come here while I fetch the contracts.¡± She turned and headed for her office, leaving Chung Soo to go and gather all the servants feeling very confused.

    Half an hour later, Yuelan was standing on a small set of steps that Chung Soo had thought to bring out for her with all of the manor¡¯s servants in front of her. She held the box with the servant¡¯s contracts in her hand and had carefully removed everything that wasn¡¯t a life contract granting her ownership of another human being. She faced her servants and smiled at them.

    ¡°Now that everyone has gathered here, I have an announcement to make. Slavery is illegal where I come from and I find the practice of owning another human being despicable. So at least for this manor, I am going to end it. You are all free, as of this moment, to choose whether to stay here and work or to go somewhere else. If you stay, we will draw up new contracts that indicate what day you have off each week, the number of hours you are permitted to work, and your weekly pay. If you choose to leave, you are welcome to do so. There will be no punishment.¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice was calm and clear as she spoke, drawing the attention of the servants. All of them seemed shocked except for her three maids, who knew this was coming already. ¡°You have one week to make your decision and report it to one of my personal maids.¡±

    Chung Soo stepped forward. ¡°Miss, they can report it to me instead of bothering your personal maids,¡± he assured her. ¡°I will be staying here.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and nodded at the eunuch. ¡°Thank you, Chung Soo. Camphor will be drawing up the contracts with me, so please bring a list of any decisions that have been reported to my office each evening for the next week.¡±

    The steward bowed. ¡°Of course, Miss. May I ask what you will be doing with the life contracts in that box?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will burn the contracts. Each night I will burn the contracts of all the servants who have reported whether they wish to stay or go. I will personally hand the contract to the servant, then allow them to add it to the fire,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°Are there any other questions?¡±

    The servants stared at Yuelan for a moment, stunned, then shook their heads.

    ¡°In that case, I will be going to rest now. Please make sure you have all made your decisions within a week.¡± She smiled at them and headed toward her courtyard.

 Chapter Fifteen

    The next day, Yuelan received an invitation from a ¡°Princess Xiong Liling¡± to attend a cherry blossom viewing the seventh day of the following week. As a result, Granny Mei (who had already expressed her desire to stay), Camphor, Willow, and Laurel were all in a frenzy to make preparations. At Granny Mei¡¯s insistence, Yuelan was measured that same day by the best seamstress in the city, who was instructed to make clothes for Yuelan to wear out of the moon water silk given to Yuelan by the emperor.

    Yuelan had a feeling the unfortunate seamstress had been dragged from her shop by Granny Mei and Chung Soo, though the kind, middle-aged woman with medium brown hair still seemed pleased to be asked to make the first thing Yuelan would wear to a public event. It seemed word had spread that Yuelan had been given the task of selecting a prince to marry and the prince she chose would become the crown prince, making her the future crown princess.

    For the next week, Granny Mei pushed Yuelan a bit harder than usual in her etiquette lessons and once those lessons were over she and the three personal maids would keep Yuelan occupied with going through all of the accessories Yuelan had brought from the library to find something suitable for the cherry blossom viewing. According to Granny Mei, the hair accessories were lacking, which meant that Yuelan spent the last three days of the week going to every accessory shop in the capital to find a set of accessories that was up to Granny Mei¡¯s standard. In the end, Yuelan and Granny Mei agreed on a set of gold and rose quartz accessories they found in what was reputed to be the best accessory shop in the capital (and was coincidentally owned by the third prince, as Camphor, Willow, and Laurel all seemed happy to point out).

    Meeting with the servants and forming new contracts for those who were staying (which turned out to be all of them) took up what time Yuelan had left over during the week of preparations and between herself, Camphor, and Chung Soo she barely managed to get it all done. As the last contract turned into ashes, Yuelan smiled and felt a sense of peace. None of her servants were slaves anymore.

    Two days after purchasing her new accessories, Yuelan sat at a marble table under a gazebo in the gardens of her residence playing with a silk fan. A gentle breeze was blowing, occasionally ruffling Yuelan¡¯s hair, which she had insisted on wearing partly down that day. The sound of footsteps approaching drew her attention and she stood and turned to greet the guest she had been expecting: Prince Xiong Guangzhu, the fourth prince. What she didn¡¯t expect was for a young woman to be walking with him, her arm looped casually through his.

    The woman¡¯s hair was elaborately done and her clothes exquisitely made of some of the finest materials. She gave Yuelan a pleasant smile when she and the fourth prince stopped and all three performed their greetings.

    ¡°This is my younger sister, the first princess, Xiong Liling,¡± Prince Guangzhu explained after the small group was seated. ¡°She heard I was coming to visit today and insisted on meeting you before the cherry blossom viewing at the end of the week. I hope Miss Long doesn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Yuelan assured the prince. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m grateful to meet Princess Liling before the cherry blossom viewing.¡± She smiled and nodded at the princess.

    ¡°Just call me Liling,¡± the princess said as she cheerfully reached across the marble table to take one of Yuelan¡¯s hands. ¡°I want for us to be good friends, so if you don¡¯t mind I¡¯ll call you Yuelan as well.¡±

    Liling¡¯s friendly bearing helped Yuelan relax more and she smiled back as she gave the princess¡¯ hand a gentle squeeze. ¡°Thank you, Liling. I¡¯d very much like to make a friend in this kingdom.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure my brothers are absolutely fascinating conversationalists. Assuming you¡¯re interested in talking only about politics, hunting, and war, that is,¡± Liling drawled in an amused tone. ¡°But every woman needs other women to talk to and be friendly with.¡±

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know the princes very well yet,¡± she admitted. ¡°And I don¡¯t mind discussing politics, since my father and I spoke about them all the time, but I¡¯ve missed having someone to talk to who wasn¡¯t expecting anything of me.¡±

    Liling stood up and gave Yuelan a gentle tug on the hand she was still holding. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s explore your garden. I¡¯ve heard the Crystal Moon residence is quite beautiful, but never had the chance to see it. Fourth brother can tag along if he wants to and we can get to know each other better. I hope the invitation didn¡¯t come too late...will you have everything prepared in time?¡±

    Yuelan stood up and linked her arm with Liling¡¯s, then headed out of the gazebo and to a path leading through the garden. ¡°I haven¡¯t had much time to explore my garden either. And Granny Mei went into a frenzy, but we have everything except my gown, which is still being made. I¡¯m told it will be ready in a few days.¡±

    Liling looked relieved. ¡°I¡¯m so glad. If you weren¡¯t going to have something I was going to loan it to you. It¡¯s your first public event here and some of the daughters of officials aren¡¯t going to be pleased to see you, nor will one of my sisters. Your appearance has ruined quite a few hopes and dreams of becoming the next empress or marrying into the royal family. Second sister is furious. She had plans for her best friend to marry first brother and become empress. You¡¯ll have to be careful. Do you have any skills other than politics?¡±

    ¡°I play the guzheng,¡± Yuelan answered as she felt a flood of gratitude for the genuine, cheerful attitude of her new friend. ¡°Will displaying skills be part of the viewing?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always a competition among the girls at these events,¡± Liling explained, rolling her eyes. ¡°So bring your instrument. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll receive challenges for guzheng, poetry, and anything else they can think of in an effort to embarrass you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the warning¡­¡±

    The two young women continued to walk and chat about the upcoming cherry blossom viewing and Liling continued giving Yuelan tips and information on the current situation in court and with the princes. The fourth prince followed along behind them and added his own input at appropriate moments and by the end of the visit Yuelan was grateful to both of them for their offered friendship, the lack of pressure from either, and their insight into what lay ahead of her.

    Before she left, Liling insisted on making plans to have tea together a few days after the cherry blossom viewing at the private tea house Yuelan had received as part of the gifts from the emperor. The tea house was called Red Orchid Tea House and had previously belonged to the third prince, Guangfeng. According to Liling, it had been his most profitable business along with Red Orchid Pavilion and he had given her not only the tea house, but all of the land connected to it, which was home to acres of the highest quality tea trees, whose leaves could be purchased only through Red Orchid Tea House.

    Yuelan saw her guests off and started to wander through her residence, her mind off in thought. She would take the guzheng she had purchased in the capital with her to the cherry blossom viewing. Her mother¡¯s instrument was too old and precious and she couldn¡¯t risk anything happening to it. In fact, when she¡¯d pulled the instrument out to play for Prince Guangfeng the day before she had discovered it needed some minor repairs. Yuelan was hoping the kind old craftsman would be willing and able to repair it for her. She had played the newer instrument instead for the third prince to hear.

    Willow and Laurel followed quietly behind Yuelan. Something seemed a little different about their mistress, but they weren¡¯t sure if it was only that things had gone well between Yuelan and Princess Liling, or if there was something more.

 Chapter Sixteen

    The morning of the cherry blossom viewing Granny Mei had Yuelan woken earlier than usual. As a result, Yuelan ate her breakfast in a daze with her eyes half open while she struggled to wake up and Granny Mei stood before her watching her every move. ¡°Even when you¡¯re tired, your movements must be graceful!¡± the elderly woman insisted. ¡°There is a lot of competition in the imperial harem and you must keep your husband¡¯s attention with your elegance and refinement!¡±

    Yuelan chose not to argue that she wasn¡¯t going to let anyone else into the imperial harem in the first place. Surprisingly, none of the princes had any concubines or wives yet. That suited Yuelan just fine, as she had no intention of competing for her husband¡¯s attention. Polygamy wasn¡¯t allowed in Kilin anymore and while she couldn¡¯t get rid of it in Longuo she could at least try to keep her own spouse from practicing it. She finished her meal without speaking, letting the palace granny nag at her about her posture and the way she was eating.

    As soon as Yuelan was finished with her breakfast Granny Mei had the dishes taken away and sent Yuelan behind the changing divider with Camphor to help her get dressed in the gown made of lavender moon water silk embroidered with silver thread that the seamstress had delivered two days before as promised. Next came the accessories and hairstyle followed by, at Granny Mei¡¯s insistence, makeup. Yuelan insisted on using the makeup someone from her father¡¯s manor had managed to make sure went with her dowry items and applied it herself to show Willow and Laurel how it was used. If she was going to be forced to use makeup then she was going to make sure it was at least good for her skin. The cakey powders Longuo used would ruin her complexion over time instead of helping it like the high quality things she had used in Kilin.

    Getting ready for the cherry blossom viewing took three full hours, the longest Yuelan had ever spent getting ready for anything. When she was finally finished Chung Soo appeared in the doorway. As a eunuch, he wasn¡¯t barred from entering Yuelan¡¯s courtyard like the rest of the male servants of the manor.

    ¡°Lady Yuelan, Craftsman Jin is here,¡± the eunuch told her. ¡°He says you sent word asking him to come and take a look at an instrument?¡±

    Yuelan nodded and headed out of her rooms. ¡°I did. I want him to look at my mother¡¯s guzheng. It needs some repairs and I¡¯m hoping he can manage them.¡±

    ¡°This servant would be happy to oversee the inspection on Lady Yuelan¡¯s behalf¡­¡± Chung Soo began, though he quieted when Yuelan waved a hand.

    ¡°No, this is something I want to oversee myself. The instrument has been handed down on my mother¡¯s side for six hundred years. It¡¯s very special to me,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°Just lead him to where it is.¡±

    The housekeeper nodded and headed away as Willow, Camphor, Laurel, and Granny Mei followed along behind Yuelan. Granny Mei didn¡¯t look happy, but she didn¡¯t argue with Yuelan or try to lecture her.

    Yuelan went straight to the courtyard that had been set up as her conservatory. Both of her guzheng were set up and displayed in one of the rooms and there was plenty of space for her to practice as well as places that had been set up outside in the courtyard¡¯s garden where she could play if she wished.

    Chung Soo and the old instrument maker Yuelan had purchased her guzheng from arrived a couple of minutes after Yuelan had entered the room and the man called Craftsman Jin smiled and offered Yuelan a deep salute.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°This lowly one is most grateful to have received the patronage of Lady Long Yuelan,¡± he said in his old, trembling voice.

    Yuelan offered the man a slight salute of her own and smiled. ¡°I am happy to see Master Jin again. My father sent my mother¡¯s guzheng to me and I noticed it is in need of some repairs. I was hoping Master Jin could take a look and see what he can do?¡± She placed her hand gently on her mother¡¯s instrument.

    The old craftsman stepped over, took one look at Yuelan¡¯s instrument and drew in a sharp breath before he started very carefully inspecting the instrument. ¡°Lady Yuelan...this instrument¡­you say it was your mother¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was passed from mother to daughter in her family for six hundred years. When my grandmother died, she passed it to my mother, Feng Ruzheng, and after she died it was passed to me,¡± Yuelan explained.

    The craftsman¡¯s face was visibly pale and his hands trembled as he touched the decorations. ¡°Lady Yuelan...this guzheng is famous. There are records and paintings of the Dragon Priestess with this very instrument...it was thought to be lost when she disappeared¡­¡± He looked up at Yuelan with a face filled with awe. ¡°You really...wish for this lowly one to repair it?¡±

    ¡°I...yes,¡± Yuelan answered. She felt a little overwhelmed at the news that her precious heirloom was more confirmation of her heritage.

    The old man¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Is it really the instrument belonging to the Dragon Priestess?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I suppose it is,¡± Yuelan admitted. ¡°Though I only learned recently from my father and my guardian, Lord Long He, that I¡¯m descended from her.¡±

    The old man knelt on the ground and pressed his forehead to the floor in front of him. ¡°This lowly one is honored by Lady Yuelan¡¯s grace. Please allow this lowly one to repair the instrument. It will be the greatest honor to work on the instrument played by the Dragon Priestess herself.¡± He lifted his head and looked at Yuelan with shining eyes. ¡°This instrument was made by the most famous craftsman of instruments in history. Its quality exceeds any instrument I have ever made. That Lady Yuelan found one of my instruments suitable to be played when she has such an instrument is also a great honor.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°I chose the instrument I purchased from you because it sounded most like this one,¡± she told him. ¡°I don¡¯t think your skills are as far removed from the craftsman who made this as you think.¡±

    ¡°I thank Lady Yuelan for the praise!¡± the old man exclaimed, putting his head back on the floor with a soft thunk.

    Yuelan felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, though she managed to keep her expression calm and elegant as she signaled to Camphor to help the old man to his feet. ¡°Please repair the instrument for me as soon as you can,¡± she said softly. ¡°Will it be too inconvenient to ask you to repair it here?¡±

    The old man shook his head as he got to his feet. ¡°Not at all. I have already brought my tools with me, as you had mentioned the instrument was quite old in your message, and I can begin immediately.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Chung Soo will see to it that you receive anything you need while you¡¯re repairing my mother¡¯s instrument. I am afraid I won¡¯t be able to accompany you as I have another engagement.¡± She turned and looked at Laurel and Willow. ¡°Please pack my other guzheng and have it sent to the carriage. Princess Liling suggested I may be needing it at today¡¯s Cherry Blossom Viewing.¡±

    The two maids nodded and set to work and the old craftsman looked pleased to have an instrument he made being taken to be played for someone in the imperial family.

    ¡°This old one will get started on the repairs immediately. Would Lady Yuelan please be at ease,¡± the old craftsman said softly.

    Yuelan nodded and headed out of the courtyard and toward the front gates of her residence. Camphor followed behind and after a couple of minutes Willow and Laurel caught up. One of the strong, male servants in the residence followed not far behind carrying the box with the guzheng.

 Chapter Seventeen

    When Yuelan¡¯s carriage arrived at the location for the cherry blossom viewing there were already several other carriages there. Her driver had a bit of trouble finding room close to the bottom of the hill, but managed to make it so Yuelan wouldn¡¯t have to walk too far. Leaving the guzheng in the carriage, Yuelan and her three maids got out and headed up the hill. When they reached the top they found several chairs and tables had been set up, and a dozen young ladies and their maids had arrived and were trying to chat with Liling and two other girls who looked similar to the oldest princess.

    It was easy to notice when Liling spotted Yuelan as she gave a delighted smile and started toward the lavender-clothed girl. ¡°Lan-lan!¡± she cried, slipping her arms around one of Yuelan¡¯s. ¡°You made it! Is that the moon water silk Father Emperor gave you? It¡¯s so beautiful!¡±

    Yuelan laughed and gave Liling a helpless smile as she let herself be pulled to a table by the first princess. ¡°It is. Granny Mei was very pleased with how the dress turned out when it arrived at my manor two days ago.¡±

    ¡°Your accessories are very nice too. I love pink crystals. They¡¯re from third brother¡¯s shop, aren¡¯t they? I asked for the set, but he said I couldn¡¯t have it because you¡¯d already ordered it.¡± Liling¡¯s bottom lip stuck out in a charming pout, drawing another laugh from Yuelan.

    Yuelan touched one of the rose quartz earrings. ¡°These crystals are called rose quartz,¡± she explains. ¡°I¡¯m fond of them too.¡±

    ¡°Eldest sister, is this the Miss Long that Father Emperor declared must marry one of our brothers?¡± the younger of the two girls who shared similar features and bearing to Liling asked, making her way over and sitting down at the table with them.

    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Liling answered. ¡°Ruzhen, this is Long Yuelan. Lanlan, this is my younger sister and the third princess, Xiong Ruzhen.¡±

    Yuelan gave a proper salute to the third princess along with a genuine smile. ¡°My mother¡¯s name was Ruzhen,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought it was a beautiful name.¡±

    Xiong Ruzhen studied Yuelan for a moment and smiled as well. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°My second sister, Xiong Ainuan, is just over there,¡± Liling said with a hint of warning in her voice. ¡°Her mother is the current empress, but Ruzhen is Father Emperor¡¯s favorite.¡±

    Yuelan remembered the warning Liling had given her earlier that week about Longuo¡¯s second princess and nodded to indicate she understood Liling¡¯s warning just as the other girls gathered around the table to speak with the princesses and a few more joined the group at the top of the hill from the carriages below.

    At first, the cherry blossom viewing was calm and relaxed. A group of servants brought out individually boxed meals and placed them in front of each guest, made sure all the glasses were kept filled, and generally stayed out of the way while the girls chattered away and ate. It didn¡¯t seem any different from the cherry blossom viewings Yuelan had attended back home, except that she was sitting at a table instead of on a blanket on the grass. Once the food was gone, however, things started to change. Girls started to challenge each other to competitions in painting, poetry, music, dancing, and anything else they could think of.

    Yuelan watched the ¡®duels¡¯ as she sat calmly next to the three princesses. She¡¯d tried to get up and move a couple of times, but Liling had pulled her back down each time. Some of the daughters of influential families glared in Yuelan¡¯s direction on occasion as a result. Eventually, one of the glaring girls seemed to gather enough courage to approach Yuelan.

    ¡°I wonder if Miss Long would be interested in a friendly competition?¡± the girl asked, arching an eyebrow in a challenging manner.

    ¡°That would depend on the competition,¡± Yuelan answered, giving the girl a gentle, calm smile in return.

    ¡°Music,¡± the girl decided without any hesitation. ¡°Does Miss Long play an instrument?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I do,¡± Yuelan answered before turning to Camphor. ¡°Bring my guzheng from the carriage, please, Camphor.¡±

    The maid bowed and hurried down the hill as Yuelan stood and saluted the princesses. ¡°If Your Highnesses will excuse me, it seems I need to prepare for a test of my skills.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m excited to hear you play, Lan-lan,¡± Liling replied while the second princess played with a folding fan and pretended to ignore them. ¡°Third brother says you¡¯re very skilled.¡±

    ¡°His Highness the third prince is known for flattering women,¡± Yuelan pointed out with a polite smile. ¡°I hope Liling won¡¯t be disappointed in my meager skills.¡± She turned to her challenger and gave another polite smile. ¡°I hope Miss won¡¯t mind my frankness, but I have no idea to which family this miss belongs?¡±

    The girl sniffed in disdain as her maid stepped forward. ¡°My miss is Miss Wang Chunming, daughter of the first wife of the prime minister of the right.¡± The maid covered her mouth and smiled. ¡°We heard that Miss Long is the daughter of a prime minister as well, but nobody seems to know what country Miss Long is from¡­¡±

    ¡°Kilin,¡± Yuelan answered calmly. ¡°My father is the Prime Minister of Kilin.¡± She smiled, her eyes glittering. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t expect the daughter of a prime minister here in Longuo to have heard of my country, as it is quite far from here and difficult to travel to.¡±

    Wang Chunming glared at Yuelan. ¡°I have received an excellent education from the best tutors. I learned the name of every country on this continent and there is no such place as Kilin!¡±

    ¡°Kilin isn¡¯t on this continent,¡± Yuelan replied. Movement caught her attention from her peripheral vision and she turned to see Camphor and one of the servants from the palace carrying the case with the guzheng toward them. ¡°Where is Miss Wang¡¯s instrument? Mine has arrived, so we should begin our friendly competition.¡±

    The right prime minister¡¯s daughter frowned and pointed to a spot beneath a nearby cherry tree. ¡°It¡¯s there,¡± she answered. ¡°Miss Long should go and set up. Fortunately you brought your instrument today. No one will have to risk having theirs damaged due to an accident from Miss Long playing.¡±

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°Master Jin would have agreed to repair any damage done to any instrument if I were to accidentally cause it,¡± she replied without seeming to care. She gave a brilliant smile to the daughter of the prime minister. ¡°After all, he sold me this one himself and is repairing the guzheng that has been handed down in my mother¡¯s family for over six-hundred years.¡±

    Some of the other girls started whispering and Wang Chunming¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Master Jin? Perhaps Miss Long means Master Jin¡¯s son, who is also called Master Jin?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Yuelan replied calmly. ¡°The older Master Jin is the one I mean.¡± She headed over to the tree and started setting up her guzheng on a stand that a servant quickly placed in front of her. Once she was finished setting up she sat in the seat and started to check the tuning of her instrument, adjusting each string by ear.

    At the sight of Yuelan¡¯s instrument there were more whispers and several envious looks in the direction of her beautiful guzheng. Even Wang Chunming didn¡¯t have anything more to say and simply sat behind her instrument in a huff.

    ¡°Would Miss Wang care to play first?¡± Yuelan offered politely once she¡¯d finished tuning her instrument.

    "Miss Long must be confident in her skills to invite me to play first. I have never lost a competition on the guzhen." Wang Chunming sniffed and started to play her own guzheng. The music was light and airy, fitting for a spring day watching the cherry blossoms. She played well and looked satisfied when she finished. The look she gave to Yuelan was filled with challenge.

    Yuelan smiled and nodded at the right prime minister¡¯s daughter, then turned her attention to her own instrument and started to play. The song was one she¡¯d found, handwritten, among her mother¡¯s things. She had taken the time to memorize it long before coming to Longuo and her body moved along with the notes as she concentrated on bringing out the emotions of the piece. It started with a deep, quiet, loneliness and grew to a light, cheerful happiness that fit the theme of winter turning into spring. She let the last notes linger in the air before putting her hands down and standing up to salute her challenger. ¡°I thank Miss Wang for the invitation to play,¡± she said in a gentle voice.

    Everyone at the cherry blossom viewing looked stunned. They stared at Yuelan with eyes that seemed full of awe--except for a few who were glaring at her with resentment.

    ¡°I think Lan-lan has won this challenge,¡± Liling said from her seat. ¡°Lan-lan, you played so beautifully! But I don¡¯t recognize the song. Is it from Kilin? Or did you write it?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and briefly saluted Liling. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she admitted. ¡°It seemed quite old when I found it among my mother¡¯s music things. I never heard anyone in Kilin play it, but I found the piece beautiful and play it often.¡±

    Liling smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful piece. We are fortunate to have heard it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Liling,¡± Yuelan said, saluting the princess. ¡°I¡¯m happy you were pleased with my song.¡±

 Chapter Eighteen

    Wang Chunming shot Yuelan a resentful glare. ¡°Miss Long is quite skilled,¡± she sniffed. ¡°Did you perform often in Kilin?¡± Her tone made it sound as though she was comparing Yuelan to a lowly street performer.

    Yuelan returned the glare with a pleasant smile. ¡°My mother died when I was a child and my father is the prime minister. As the only girl in the household, I occasionally would play for my father and his guests while they discussed business or matters of state. I also would play for foreign ministers visiting the country. Miss Wang played well. Do you perform often?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! How could I, the daughter of a prime minister, perform for random strangers?¡± Miss Wang snapped.

    ¡°I see...How unfortunate for you to be lacking in political experience,¡± Yuelan replied, her smile gentle and sympathetic. She was laughing inside at this girl who was trying so hard to bring her down. ¡°I found it an honor to be able to assist my father with his work and help to improve relations between our country and other countries. It gave me experience to be able to assist my future husband, after all. I will be able to be a valuable asset instead of just a pretty decoration.¡±

    Wang Chunming¡¯s face turned bright red and she glared at Yuelan, then turned and went to join a couple of other girls, including the second princess.

    Yuelan pulled a fan out of her sleeve and opened it, waving it softly in front of her as she returned to her seat next to Liling.

    ¡°Lan-lan, that was beautiful! You left Wang Chunming with nothing to retort!¡± Liling chuckled, keeping her voice down. ¡°She wants to marry my eldest brother and become empress, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she keeps trying to challenge you. You must have experienced things like this a lot in Kilin¡­¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Yuelan admitted, smiling. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know how to stand up for myself. Besides, I know what I¡¯m capable of and what my qualifications are. There¡¯s no reason for me to be intimidated by others who don¡¯t even know me.¡±

    Another girl approached Yuelan and Liling and saluted them. ¡°Your Highness, Miss Long. I was wondering if perhaps Miss Long would be interested in a friendly painting competition?¡±

    ¡°Lan-lan, this is Miss Zhou Xiuya. Her father is the left prime minister,¡± Liling explained.

    Yuelan returned Miss Zhou¡¯s salute. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Zhou. I would be happy to compete with you, but I¡¯m afraid my painting skill is very lacking.¡± She gave the other girl an apologetic smile. ¡°A competition with me would prove an easy victory for you.¡±

    ¡°Your guzheng is so beautiful, though,¡± Zhou Xiuya replied. ¡°Surely you were taught other feminine arts?¡±

    ¡°I was, but my guzheng is beautiful because that is what I worked on the most. I can appreciate paintings and visual arts and recite poems that I learned before, but unfortunately I cannot paint or create my own poems,¡± Yuelan explained.

    ¡°So Miss Long is afraid to embarrass herself?¡± Zhou Xiuya asked, arching an eyebrow.

    Yuelan smiled a little more. ¡°I am not afraid to embarrass myself, but I do think that trying to paint this beautiful scenery would do a disservice to the spirits of the trees that are blooming so beautifully for us to see.¡± She waved her fan in front of her a bit and nodded at Zhou Xiuya. ¡°I am grateful that Miss Zhou wishes to compete with me, however. I saw one of the paintings you did earlier and it is quite beautiful. You have admirable skill.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Xiuya, do sit down,¡± Liling cut in. ¡°We haven¡¯t spoken in some time. I think you and Lan-lan would make good friends, so why don¡¯t we just get to know each other better?¡±

    Zhou Xiuya¡¯s cheeks turned a little pink and she took a seat beside Yuelan. ¡°Of course, Princess Liling.¡±

    Liling beamed at the girl. ¡°Excellent! Perhaps another time the three of us can get together. You and I can paint while Yuelan plays her guzheng and keeps us company.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and nodded. ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡±

    Zhou Xiuya looked a little startled. ¡°You don¡¯t mind being treated like a mere entertainer?¡± she asked.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not being treated that way,¡± Yuelan chuckled. ¡°Playing the guzheng is something I enjoy doing, and part of the pleasure is having people listen. You enjoy painting, right? Isn¡¯t part of that enjoyment having other people see your work?¡±

    The left prime minister¡¯s daughter tilted her head and thought about it for a moment before nodding. ¡°You¡¯re right. My father has displayed some of my nicer pieces in our home and I do like to see people enjoy what I¡¯ve painted. I hadn¡¯t thought of playing an instrument the same way though. Usually it¡¯s something you should only do for your future husband¡­¡± Her cheeks turned a little pink again.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t the case in Kilin. It¡¯s normal for the wives and daughters of the upper classes and officials to play their instruments during business or political meetings. It helps to set the mood and keep tempers down so things go more smoothly,¡± Yuelan explained. She chose not to mention that sometimes things were switched, and it was the wife in charge of the business or in politics and the husband who handled the work of setting the mood and such. Gender equality didn¡¯t seem to be something the people in Longuo thought about.

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s very...different¡­¡± Zhou Xiuya placed her hands in her lap and turned her eyes to the table as she pondered over the societal differences.

    Yuelan left her to her thoughts and turned her attention back to the competitions that were taking place. ¡°Liling, look over there at that painting. It¡¯s very well done,¡± she said cheerfully.

    Liling looked over and smiled. ¡°That looks like it was painted by Wu Ying. She and her twin sister are the daughters of a first rank official, though I forget what he¡¯s minister of,¡± the princess explained. ¡°Her paintings and poems usually turn out very nicely.¡±

    ¡°Her sister, Wu Yan, is skilled in the flute,¡± Zhou Xiuya added. ¡°And embroidery.¡±

    ¡°The girls dancing over there are quite good as well,¡± Yuelan observed, nodding her head to acknowledge the new information.

    Zhou Xiuya looked pleased. ¡°The one in pink is the daughter of a second rank official, Zhao Hanju. Our families are well acquainted. She is a very good dancer, but it isn¡¯t a skill she¡¯s allowed to show off except at gatherings like this where only women are present.¡±

    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t,¡± Liling added. ¡°Doing so would damage her reputation.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯d like to join us when we get together?¡± Yuelan suggested. ¡°If we met in my residence there wouldn¡¯t be anyone to see her dancing who shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°She might,¡± Xiuya agreed. ¡°I can invite her to come with me. Her family won¡¯t mind it.¡±

    Liling chuckled. ¡°Of course not. It would be a good opportunity for her, after all. She¡¯ll get to spend time with a princess, the daughter of a prime minister, and the girl the emperor has declared his future daughter-in-law. All very good connections for her to make.¡±

    Yuelan enjoyed the rest of the cherry blossom viewing and spent most of it chatting with Liling and Xiuya. She was challenged to a couple of other ¡®friendly competitions,¡¯ but only one of them was for the guzheng and that was the only one she accepted, politely turning down the challenges she knew she wasn¡¯t capable of doing well in and praising the skills of the one who challenged her instead. When the shadows of the trees grew longer and signaled the coming of sunset the gathering ended and Yuelan headed for her carriage with her three maids and her guzheng to return home to the residence.

 Chapter Nineteen

    Xiong Guangfeng sat in a seat in one of his favorite courtyards at Red Orchid Teahouse. It was the largest of the courtyards and where he often hosted gatherings. He had invited several of the spoiled, useless offspring of the wealthy and influential families and they lounged in various positions with their teacups as they talked and laughed among each other.

    Mixed in with the useless were some of the most promising of the younger generation, including the son of Longuo¡¯s most respected general, Chang Taikang. The son¡¯s name was Chang Biming and, as a general in his own right, he was engaged to Xiong Liling. The privilege of marrying the eldest princess was given to him because of his efforts in quelling a rebellion near Longuo¡¯s southern borders.

    Instead of mingling with the lazy sons of the influential families, Chang Biming was seated next to Guangfeng and speaking in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ve received reports recently from my men in the south that Lanzhou is building their defenses along the border,¡± the young general explained. ¡°There are indications they intend to attack Longuo, possibly as soon as a month from now.¡±

    Guangfeng sat lazily in his seat, one leg hanging over the arm of the chair as he sipped at his tea. It was a very improper position for a prince to be in, but Guangfeng found it useful. If any of his enemies managed to get into the party it would look like he was fooling around. A trusted maid from his palace sat beside him while pretending to look flustered. ¡°See if you can have someone infiltrate their army and gather what information you can about their plans,¡± he instructed. And inform your deputy generals to begin preparations of our own covertly. We want them to think we¡¯re being lazy. Try to begin evacuating the towns closest to the border discreetly as well so the citizens will be protected. Have the poorer ones sent to my lands to work and assure them they will have enough to eat when they return to their homes. Don¡¯t report it to the court just yet. Wait as long as you can before you have to speak up to keep others from getting suspicious.¡±

    Chang Biming nodded and glanced at the servant girl before raising his voice to a normal level. ¡°Your Highness, do you think it¡¯s wise to be playing around with a servant girl? What if Lady Long were to hear of your escapades? Aren¡¯t all of the princes supposed to be trying to gain her favor?¡± he asked in a respectful but chiding tone.

    The prince chuckled and sipped his tea, placing his hand on the maid¡¯s back. ¡°So what? I came here to have fun. Playing with the daughters of proper families is impossible without having to accept the consequences, but nobody will argue with me over a servant. Younger General Chang has been spending too much time with this prince¡¯s younger sister. You¡¯re starting to nag just like she does.¡±

    Chang Biming sighed. ¡°Her Highness the first princess often expresses distress at Your Highness¡¯ antics,¡± he explained. ¡°I only hope Your Highness will take her feelings into consideration more. After all, we will soon be family.¡±

    Guangfeng swirled the tea in his cup and lifted it to his lips again. ¡°Mm. Indeed we will. Perhaps Younger General would like to take the opportunity to enjoy himself before he is no longer permitted to look at other women?¡± he teased.

    The muscular man frowned. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I don¡¯t wish to cause Her Highness any unnecessary stress. She has been busy with preparations for today¡¯s cherry blossom viewing.¡±

    The prince yawned and rubbed his chin with his free hand. ¡°That was today, wasn¡¯t it?¡± he drawled. ¡°Perhaps this prince should go and intrude¡­¡±

    Chang Biming gave Guangfeng a frown. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± he chided.

    Guangfeng chuckled and waved his free hand. ¡°This prince was poking fun. I know better than to intrude on a gathering of young ladies when my three younger sisters are there. Liling, Ainuan, and Ruzhen would all be upset with me for ruining their fun and who knows what punishments I would be forced to submit to. This prince is afraid of pain and suffering the most.¡±

    The son of a wealthy merchant had somehow managed to get himself drunk from drinking tea in a place where alcohol was not served. He staggered over to Guangfeng and Biming and burped. ¡°Your Highness the third prince! Someone suggested we should play a game! Would Your Highness care to join us in some gambling?¡±

    ¡°Of course. This prince loves to gamble,¡± Guangfeng replied. ¡°Will Young General be joining as well?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Chang Biming sighed and saluted Guangfeng. ¡°I will have to pass,¡± he said respectfully. ¡°I have a wedding to continue preparations for.¡±

    Guangfeng waved lazily. ¡°Go and do your boring preparations then. This prince will stay to have fun.¡± He turned to stop paying attention to Chang Biming and studied the son of the right prime minister with a glint in his eye. So far, he¡¯d had little success getting someone into the right prime minister¡¯s manor, but today he¡¯d brought the servant girl along for a very special reason. The right prime minister¡¯s son was known to have a weakness for beautiful girls, and this particular maid was just his type. Guangfeng had spent most of the gathering observing this particular young man¡¯s reactions to the maid¡¯s presence and had even had the young woman spend a little time wandering among the children of the elite so she could get close to the right prime minister¡¯s oldest son and catch his attention a little more. Today he intended to get her placed as that particular person¡¯s concubine.

    The right prime minister¡¯s son, Wang Zhong, was one of those who had been invited to the party who wasn¡¯t completely useless. He had scored high in the imperial exams and already had a good position in the court of his own. At present, he didn¡¯t have a wife or concubine. Guangfeng having one of his own people placed at this scion¡¯s side would be a convenient asset in the battle over the throne and would allow him to keep a better eye on what that Wang Chunming was plotting as well. That girl was trouble, and Guangfeng knew it. If he could keep an eye on her on Yuelan¡¯s behalf that would be best. Yuelan seemed too naive to survive the cutthroat politics of a harem while most girls in the well-off families had been raised and taught to handle the poison attempts, trickery, and other such things women got up to to gain attention from husbands and fathers.

    The prince stood up and moved over to join the group of young men who had started up a game of mahjong to join them. He took his time and carefully planned his moves as he patiently waited for Wang Zhong to take the bait.

    While Guangfeng played, the servant maid he¡¯d brought with him made her way over to Wang Zhong and started subtly flirting. It wasn¡¯t anything overt nor something to make the intelligent young man suspicious, only enough to get him to take the bait: a glance, a movement, a hint of her wrist peeking out from beneath her sleeve for just a moment¡­.

    After two hours of careful manipulation, Wang Zhong finally took the bait. He looked over at Guangfeng and smiled. ¡°Perhaps Your Highness would care to wager his servant girl this time?¡± he suggested. It wasn¡¯t the first time Guangfeng would have done something like put up a servant girl he¡¯d brought with him as the prize for winning, though the prince tended to win more often than he lost when one of his maids was the prize.

    Guangfeng pretended to frown. ¡°This prince hasn¡¯t tasted her yet,¡± he replied, making himself look unhappy while secretly feeling quite pleased. ¡°What makes Younger Official Zhong interested?¡±

    Wang Zhong smiled back at Guangfeng. ¡°She interests me. I¡¯d like to take her in as my concubine.¡±

    The prince snorted and rubbed his chin, pretending to be irritated. ¡°Wanting something that belongs to this prince...you certainly are brave.¡±

    ¡°Is Your Highness afraid of losing?¡± one of the other young men in the room asked, grinning.

    ¡°Very well, this prince accepts!¡± Guangfeng declared, pretending to glare at the person who had interrupted. ¡°Little Camellia will be the prize for the winner this time, but the game will be only between this prince and Younger Official Wang.¡±

    The maid, Camellia, let her expression turn mournful. ¡°Your Highness,¡± she protested, making her eyes larger and more round and filling them with tears. ¡°Please don¡¯t send this servant away!¡±

    ¡°Where is there room for you to interrupt?¡± Guangfeng growled at her. ¡°Be quiet and wait for this prince to show off his skills! When we return to the palace you will accompany this prince and see his skills in bed as well!¡±

    Camellia looked even more upset, but closed her mouth and didn¡¯t argue. Guangfeng silently praised her for her excellent acting as he turned his attention to the game of mahjong.

    When the game ended, Guangfeng had lost. He stood up and threw the mahjong table to the side in a sudden ¡®rage¡¯ and glared at Wang Zhong. ¡°Hmph! You had better appreciate this prince¡¯s gift! Daring to defeat this prince and take what belongs to him! Everyone leave!¡±

    The guests who hadn¡¯t already sprung to their feet when Guangfeng overturned the table scrambled to their feet. They and the other guests quickly left the courtyard. Wang Zhong walked over to Camellia and wrapped an arm around her waist. ¡°I will await her papers at my Wang residence,¡± he told the prince before leading her out of the courtyard as well.

    Guangfeng waited until everyone was gone before letting out a delighted chuckle. The employee of Red Orchid Teahouse responsible for the courtyard came in and gave the prince a mournful look. ¡°Your Highness Prince Heping...our teahouse¡¯s new master has yet to come and visit. If Your Highness destroys the things here how can things possibly be fit for her to see?¡±

    ¡°Send the bill to my palace,¡± Guangfeng reassured the employee. ¡°Anything broken can be replaced with more expensive things.¡±

    The employee saluted Guangfeng and nodded. ¡°This servant will obey.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Guangfeng looked around at the spacious room that was filled with empty teacups, an overturned table, scattered mahjong tiles, and some broken bits of china, let out a satisfied sigh, and left to return to his palace.

 Chapter Twenty

    A woman sat on the empress¡¯ seat in the Phoenix Palace, which was located in the imperial palace and was the home of the empress. The woman wore red robes embroidered with gold phoenixes as she lounged elegantly on the couch made of rosewood and silk cushions. Her makeup was done in a way to conceal as many wrinkles as possible, making her nearly- forty-year-old face appear ten years younger. A palace maid knelt in front of the empress, giving a report.

    ¡°The girl the emperor has given the choice of who becomes crown prince to is sixteen. She plays the guzheng with considerable skill, but doesn¡¯t seem to have any other feminine skills,¡± the maid was explaining. ¡°She claims to have assisted her father in politics, but what man would put so much faith in a girl?¡± The maid¡¯s expression was filled with disdain. ¡°Except for a black jade bracelet given to her by His Highness the third prince she hasn¡¯t received any gifts since the ones granted to her by His Majesty and it is difficult to determine what the miss likes.¡±

    The empress opened light gray eyes and frowned at the maid. ¡°This one¡¯s son must become the crown prince,¡± she insisted. ¡°Remind him that women love beautiful things and he should put more effort into doting on that upstart miss.¡± Her nostrils flared and her eyes hardened. ¡°Who knows what that girl¡¯s true background is. She appeared out of nowhere and fooled His Majesty into believing what she wanted. This one does not believe she is truly the daughter of a prime minister. More likely she was a musician or a courtesan that Lord Long found to pass off as some noble miss to solidify his position in the court.¡±

    The palace maid bowed her head and listened as the empress spoke, choosing to remain quiet. Before she could say anything more a eunuch came into the palace and announced the arrival of the first prince, Xiong Guangfai.

    The empress immediately adjusted herself in her seat and put on a pleased smile as she watched her son enter the room. ¡°Guangfai! Come and sit with Mother. Tell me, how are you doing with convincing that Miss Long to choose you?¡±

    Guangfai moved up to the empress¡¯ seat and bowed over her hand before sitting down beside her. ¡°Empress Mother. This son is doing his best, but not being allowed to meet with Miss Long for two more weeks makes it somewhat difficult,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± The empress let out a delicate snort. ¡°Just because you cannot see her does not mean you cannot work to win her affection. What gifts will you send her? You should make your move as quickly as possible.¡±

    The prince let out a mournful sigh. ¡°Son is unskilled in the art of wooing women,¡± he confessed. ¡°So I came to Imperial Mother hoping for some guidance in this matter.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°All women love beautiful things,¡± the empress assured her son. ¡°Have a set of accessories made for her out of the finest materials and send it to her. Do not make her think that just because you cannot see her you are not thinking of her. That nuisance Guangfeng is skilled in wooing women and hasn¡¯t been barred from seeing her. And Guangzhu has used that Liling to get closer to Miss Long as well.¡± The empress¡¯ hands clenched into fists and a vicious light appeared in her eyes. ¡°If you do nothing until you are allowed to see her again, they will have the advantage. As soon as you are allowed to see her again invite her to go with you for a meal and take her shopping. Spend money on her. The more you spend the more pleased she will be.¡±

    ¡°Son understands,¡± Guangfai acknowledged. ¡°I will have suitable accessories made for her and have them sent to her residence. Sapphires seem like suitable stones. What does Empress Mother think?¡±

    The empress nodded her head in approval and patted her son¡¯s cheek, smiling. ¡°Good. Remember, you must become the crown prince. If this young miss seems to be leaning toward one of your brothers inform Mother immediately. Mother will take care of her for you. Now go. Making accessories takes time and you must choose the stones yourself.¡±

    Guangfai stood and bowed to his mother before heading out of the Phoenix Palace.

    Once her son had left the room, the empress lifted a hand and bit on the nail of her thumb. Her eyes narrowed as she thought silently. A maid brought over a plate of peeled and seeded grapes and started feeding them to the empress, who opened her mouth and ate them absently. After several minutes, the empress finally came out of her thoughts. ¡°Have Yun Cai investigate Miss Long thoroughly. We must have as much information as possible to make her submit to us. If we can prove she is not who she says she is then perhaps we can have her tried for the crime of deceiving the emperor. I will not allow my son to degrade himself by marrying some slut who just wants to climb the social ladder and reach the pinnacle! He needs an outstanding woman to be his empress!¡±

    A eunuch standing nearby saluted and quickly left. Five minutes after the eunuch had left another eunuch arrived, saluted the empress, and opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Your Highness Empress Lin, His Majesty the Emperor commanded me to inform you that he will be visiting your palace tonight. He hopes that Your Highness will have dinner prepared for him.¡±

    The empress¡¯ lips curved in a smile. ¡°This one understands. Please inform His Majesty that I will be waiting for his arrival with eagerness.¡±

    The eunuch bowed again and left the Phoenix Palace as the Empress relaxed into her seat and started to lounge again.

    ¡°Excellent...I must bend his majesty¡¯s ear and encourage him to show Guangfai more favor¡­Perhaps I may even be able to get him to doubt that Miss Long¡¯s suitability to become the wife of any of the princes¡­¡± Empress Lin got to her feet and summoned a maid to inform her kitchen staff that the emperor would be arriving in a few hours for a meal before heading toward her room to bathe and make sure she was fully prepared to please the emperor and bend his ear.

 Chapter Twenty-One

    It took nearly two weeks for Yuelan and Liling¡¯s schedules to allow them to meet up at Red Orchid Teahouse. Yuelan wore a peach colored gown that went over a mint-green half-coat. The fabric was high quality, but the decorations were fairly simple. For accessories Yuelan chose a set of gold accessories with white opals that had been set as petals for blossoms.

    The two young women met up at the entrance to the teahouse, arriving at nearly the same time. Yuelan smiled and gave Liling a polite salute without being too formal and Liling cheerfully returned it before grabbing Yuelan¡¯s arm and heading inside. ¡°Third brother¡¯s carriage is here,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Should we go and greet him before having tea ourselves?¡± the excitable princess suggested.

    ¡°Sure. We may as well, right?¡± Yuelan answered cheerfully as she allowed Liling to pull her into the teahouse.

    The teahouse¡¯s manager came forward to greet them, having already recognized Liling and knowing in advance the princess would be coming with the teahouse¡¯s new owner. He gave both young women a respectful bow, but before he could say anything to them Liling cut him off.

    ¡°I noticed my third brother is here. Lan-lan and I would like to greet him before you take us to our courtyard for tea,¡± the princess told the manager.

    The manager looked a bit uncomfortable, but nodded his head. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Lady Long, Princess, if you two will follow me I will show you to his courtyard¡­¡±

    Yuelan frowned a little and her eyebrows pulled together in a slight crease. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± she asked the manager.

    ¡°No, no,¡± the manager quickly assured her. ¡°It¡¯s just...His Highness is having a gathering with a group of friends. However, he has stated previously that Princess Liling is always welcome to interrupt him at such gatherings¡­¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s frown increased a bit. The way the manager was speaking and acting made her feel even more suspicious rather than set at ease. ¡°Lead the way then,¡± she instructed.

    The manager swallowed and led the way toward a large, private courtyard that was surprisingly filled with noise. Most of the voices were male, but some of them came from women.

    ¡°Miss Long, Your Highness, if you¡¯ll wait just a moment I¡¯ll go and ask¡­¡± the manager started only to be cut off again, this time by Yuelan lifting a hand.

    ¡°No need. We¡¯ll go inside to greet His Highness,¡± Yuelan insisted. Her thin lips were pressed together into a thin line and she walked to the door of the building with determined steps.

    Liling sighed and followed after.

    When the doors opened the sight that met Yuelan was one she immediately disliked. Rich young men and women were obviously having fun with their party, and while they weren¡¯t doing anything that could cause any of the young women to be unable to find good husbands, their actions were verging on inappropriate as they flirted and laughed.

    A small group of girls had gathered around Prince Guangfeng, who was sitting in a seat off to the side and seemed to be holding some sort of court as he and the girls surrounding him flirted. A male servant standing just behind him leaned over to say something into the prince¡¯s ear and Prince Guangfeng turned his attention to Yuelan.

    Yuelan¡¯s jade green eyes narrowed and her lips pressed into an even thinner line as she folded her slender arms under her breasts. She said nothing before taking Liling¡¯s arm again and saying, ¡°Come on Liling. Your third brother seems to be too busy for a greeting right now.¡± Her voice was stiff and had a sharp bite to it that drew a wince from the prince who had just stood up.

    ¡°Miss Yuelan-¡± Prince Guangfeng began, but Yuelan pretended not to hear him and gestured for the manager to lead the way.

    The manager swallowed, bowed, and quickly headed toward a different, much smaller courtyard that had been previously prepared for Yuelan and Liling.

    Yuelan waited until the manager had left the courtyard, leaving behind a pretty-looking young woman to care for his boss and the princess. Once she and Liling were more or less alone, Yuelan slapped her hand on the table in front of her and her jade eyes flashed. ¡°How dare he be flirting around with other women?¡± she snapped. ¡°Has he always been like that? My country practices monogamy. I won¡¯t accept my husband having any concubines or other wives!¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Liling looked calm and rather unsurprised. ¡°Yeah, he has,¡± she answered. ¡°He¡¯s never slept with any of them, but he does flirt quite a bit.¡± The princess took the cup of tea from the servant girl and lifted it to her lips to take a sip. ¡°Lan-lan, have some tea and snacks.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Yuelan demanded as she took the teacup the servant girl was offering her. As soon as it came close to her nose the smell caught her attention and she couldn¡¯t help taking a sip. A soothing, almost fruity flavor came through and Yuelan couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°This tea is really excellent¡­¡± She frowned when she realized what her friend was trying to do. ¡°Liling, don¡¯t distract me!¡±

    Liling laughed. ¡°The tea here is the best in all of Longuo. It¡¯s very fresh too and comes from the mountains just over there. They all belong to the teahouse, which belongs to you. Third brother was very generous with which property he gave you, don¡¯t you think? This was his most profitable business.¡±

    Yuelan glared at the princess. ¡°Generous because he felt guilty?¡± she demanded. ¡°Because he¡¯s always surrounded by young women trying to get him to take them home with him and he doesn¡¯t do anything about it?¡±

    ¡°Lan-lan, he¡¯s really not a bad person. He flirts, but that¡¯s all. He¡¯s never done more than that to any woman. Of course, it frustrates Father Emperor, but that might even be the point,¡± Liling sighs. She pushes a plate of pastries toward Yuelan. ¡°Have some snacks. We¡¯re supposed to be here to enjoy ourselves. I¡¯ve been so busy preparing for my wedding that this is the first chance I¡¯ve had to get away from the palace. Please don¡¯t be angry anymore.¡±

    Yuelan bit her lip to keep from saying anything more. She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh to calm herself. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry, Liling.¡± Her hand reached out to pick up a pastry as she gave Liling a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it right now. Are you excited for your wedding? Do you like the young general?¡±

    Liling¡¯s cheeks turned a little pink and she smiled as she took a sip of tea. ¡°He¡¯s very kind. I like him very much. Though we don¡¯t get to meet often. I haven¡¯t seen him since the New Year celebration.¡± She let out a sigh and put her teacup down before reaching for a pastry and nibbling on it with a wistful look. ¡°He¡¯s been very busy with his responsibilities to the court and his men as well as preparations for the wedding. We probably won¡¯t get to see each other until our wedding day.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame, though some of the more traditional families back home don¡¯t allow their engaged children to meet with their fiancees at all for the last few months before the wedding,¡± Yuelan sympathized. ¡°I think I¡¯d be very lonely if I had to deal with that.¡±

    ¡°It is lonely. And I would probably have to sneak out if I wanted to see him...I was hoping he would be with third brother today, but I didn¡¯t see him in the courtyard.¡± Liling let out a mournful sigh.

    ¡°Why would he be at a party like that?¡± Yuelan asked, frowning.

    Liling giggled. ¡°Because other influential people are there. Not everyone at those parties is a hedonist. It¡¯s a great way to get to know others of the younger generation and cement alliances and relationships with influential families. General Chang Biming wouldn¡¯t do any flirting or anything like that.¡±

    A glimmer of light shone in Yuelan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I see...because a prince is hosting the gathering, everyone invited almost has to show up or they¡¯d be disrespecting a member of the imperial family. Since they have to make an appearance they might as well use the opportunity to network and make connections with those who will be influential in the future.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Though a lot of the guests are really just useless, spoiled children of influential families.¡± Liling shrugged. A moment later Liling looked a bit dizzy and confused. She lifted her hand to her forehead and blinked her eyes a couple of times.

    ¡°Liling? Is something wrong?¡± Yuelan asked, getting up from her chair and moving over to the other side of the table to check on the princess.

    ¡°I-I think so,¡± Liling answered. ¡°I just suddenly felt a bit dizzy¡­¡±

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°Maybe we should leave then. If you don¡¯t feel well you should rest and have a doctor see you.¡± She started to help Liling from the chair, then stumbled a bit and ended up falling on top of the princess. Her vision swam in a familiar way and her head spun. Her face paled. ¡°Liling...we¡¯ve been drugged¡­¡± She pulled Liling up from the chair and headed out of the small building. ¡°Go, quickly. Before whoever it is gets here.¡±

    The two girls started to run, stumbling as they went. Neither one had thought to bring their maids with them. Before they could get far, a trio of men dressed in black appeared next to them. One of them reached for Lilling, but Yuelan shoved the princess out of the way and in the direction of Prince Guangfeng¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Go, quickly! Get help!¡± she shouted as the masked man in black wrapped his fingers around Yuelan¡¯s arm instead.

    Yuelan started to try and struggle, but two of the men restrained her while the third chased after Liling. "Oh no, little miss. See, we might need you to get the Princess," one of them growled. He pulled a knife out and pressed it to her throat. "Now stop struggling."

    She paled and stiffened. While she didn''t actively struggle, she did the best she could to subtly make it harder for the two men to drag her away.

 Chapter Twenty-two

    When Liling suddenly burst into the room alone, everyone inside it was startled, including Guangfeng. He stood up and quickly made his way over to his younger sister, brushing off the girls who had been unsuccessfully trying to get his attention since Yuelan had walked out looking upset. As soon as he reached Liling he tried to pull her aside, but she fought him.

    ¡°No, third brother...you have to come outside with me,¡± Liling begged. ¡°Please!¡± Tears formed in the lovely princess¡¯ eyes and she pulled on Guangfeng¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Guangfeng stepped outside of the courtyard with Liling. ¡°Liling, what happened? Where is¡­¡± his sister covered his mouth with one of her milk-white hands before he could finish his question. She pulled him further away from the courtyard and looked around to make sure there were no people around before she released him.

    ¡°Third brother, someone drugged us. They have Yuelan!¡± Liling explained, panicking. ¡°They tried to grab me, but she shoved me out of the way and they took her instead. I don¡¯t know how I got away from the one who was chasing me...Third brother you have to help her!¡± She covered her face with her hands and started to sob.

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Shadow. Shade. Find her. Do not return until you know where she is and one of you is to stay with her to keep her safe until I can get there.¡±

    Two black figures with masks appeared in front of Guangfeng, bowed, and then just as suddenly disappeared as the prince turned his attention back to comforting his sister.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, Liling,¡± he promised. ¡°They¡¯ll find her quickly. I¡¯ll keep this quiet so her reputation won¡¯t get damaged. There¡¯s a young doctor I trust in that courtyard. We¡¯ll say Miss Yuelan suddenly fell ill and have him come with us back to your courtyard to treat you for the drug that was used. After that, you go straight back home to the palace.¡±

    Liling nodded. When her brother turned to head back into the courtyard she followed after him on trembling feet. After the first time she stumbled, Guangfeng gave her his arm to hold so she could keep herself steady.

    Several curious wastrels wanting gossip came forward as Guangfeng led his sister into the courtyard. Guangfeng ignored all of them and headed straight for the promising young doctor he¡¯d decided to support secretly. ¡°Doctor Wei, my sister¡¯s close friend, Miss Long, suddenly fell ill and my sister is in quite a panic. Please come with us back to their courtyard to examine her.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± the doctor agreed, quickly getting to his feet. He gave a polite salute to acknowledge the request. ¡°If you could have someone get my medical bag from my carriage I would appreciate it.¡±

    Guangfeng turned to one of the servants for the courtyard. ¡°Go and fetch the doctor¡¯s bag,¡± he ordered.

    The servant bowed and quickly left.

    Without waiting for anything else, Guangfeng turned to his sister. ¡°Lead the way, Liling. I don¡¯t know which courtyard you were in.¡±

    Liling nodded and headed back the way she¡¯d come, still holding onto Guangfeng for support.

    The prince could feel her body trembling through their linked arms and his heart ached. He kept his expression as calm as he could even as he tried not to panic about what would happen if they didn¡¯t find Yuelan quickly and unharmed before Long He appeared from wherever he¡¯d gone off to. The idea of facing a dragon¡¯s wrath for a second time wasn¡¯t something he wanted to entertain.

    They hadn¡¯t gotten far when Shade appeared in Guangfeng and whispered into the prince¡¯s ear. Guangfeng nodded and looked over at the doctor. ¡°Take my sister to her courtyard,¡± he instructed. ¡°Shade, you go with them for protection.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    The guard saluted and stepped over to stand to the side as Doctor Wei took Liling¡¯s arm to give the shaking woman support. The trio continued on as Guangfeng hurried off in another direction.

    ***

    Yuelan was struggling to stay awake and still being dragged by her two would-be captors when the third showed up. ¡°Princess made it to the third prince,¡± the attacker snorted. ¡°This just got more complicated. We¡¯ll have to use this one as bait now.¡±

    As soon as Yuelan knew Liling was safe, she started to struggle again. She couldn¡¯t be bait if she was dead, after all. Unfortunately, the drug was making her head swim and her movements were weak. Why hadn¡¯t she taken those martial arts classes like her dad had wanted her to?

    The trio hadn¡¯t gotten far before Guangfeng arrived. ¡°Release Miss Long immediately,¡± he said in a voice full of fury. Somehow, the prince had managed to procure a sword. He slid his feet apart to shoulder height and held the blade in front of him, both hands on the hilt.

    Yuelan was barely struggling, but she stopped when one of the two men holding her pressed a knife to her throat again. ¡°Now now, Missy,¡± the man growled. ¡°You just stay nice and quiet.¡±

    ¡°Come any closer and we¡¯ll kill the miss,¡± the man who had gone after Liling snapped at Guangfeng.

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If there is a scratch on her you will regret it,¡± he retorted.

    There was only one man holding Yuelan now and the other two drew swords of their own, preparing to face off against Guangfeng. They darted forward and suddenly attacked him. As the two moved in on Guangfeng, Shadow appeared behind the one holding Yuelan and took the man out with a strike to the base of the skull. The guard caught the knife before it could scratch Yuelan.

    The third prince made quick work of the two other criminals, knocking each of them out as well with a few quick blows. Once all the attackers were down, Guangfeng hurried over to Yuelan and went to wrap his arms around her. ¡°Shh...it¡¯s alright. You¡¯re safe now.¡±

    A feeling of irritation welled up within Yuelan as the memories of seeing him surrounded by flirtatious women resurfaced and opened her mouth just before sinking her teeth into his hand.

    The prince hissed and pulled his hand away. ¡°Is this how you thank someone for saving you?¡± he protested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with your dirty hands,¡± Yuelan insisted, her eyes narrowing.

    ¡°They¡¯re not dirty. I didn¡¯t kill anyone, they¡¯re just unconscious,¡± Guangfeng protested, keeping his voice low.

    ¡°Your hands are filthy. And they stink of perfume.¡± Yuelan¡¯s cheeks puffed out in an angry pout and she turned her eyes away from him to glare some bushes nearby. Her legs trembled and she started to sink down to the ground.

    Guangfeng let out a sigh and wrapped an arm around her waist. ¡°Unfortunately, Miss Yuelan, I¡¯m the only one here who can help you. I didn¡¯t bring any female servants with me because there wasn¡¯t time. Did they hurt you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dizzy,¡± Yuelan answered. She sagged against him, though her expression showed she wasn¡¯t happy about it.

    ¡°But they didn¡¯t do anything to you. That¡¯s good.¡± The prince sounded relieved.

    Yuelan gave a weak snort and passed out, no longer able to resist the drug she¡¯d ingested.

    Very gently, Guangfeng lifted Yuelan into his arms. He gave Shadow instructions before carrying her toward the courtyard he was pretty sure his sister was in. After all, as the former owner of the Red Orchid Tea House, Guangfeng was very familiar with the layout.

    ***

    When they arrived at the courtyard, Guangfeng set Yuelan down on a wooden couch with red cushions. Doctor Wei had just finished examining Liling and he moved over to start examining Yuelan as well.

    ¡°It should be the same drug,¡± Guangfeng told the doctor. ¡°She said she hadn¡¯t been harmed before she passed out.¡±

    Doctor Wei nodded his head and then moved to sit down in a chair and wait. Liling was unconscious on the second couch in the room. ¡°They will be fine. It will take a few hours for them to wake up on their own, but there won¡¯t be any ill effects from what I was able to tell,¡± he informed the third prince.

    Guangfeng nodded his head and turned to Shadow. ¡°I am assigning you to Miss Long,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Keep her safe. For now, go and inform her manor to send some strong maids to help get her back home.¡±

    Shadow saluted and disappeared.

 Chapter Twenty-three

    When Yuelan¡¯s servants arrived and took the young woman back to her carriage, Guangfeng escorted them and carried his younger sister. He put Liling in her own carriage and sent it off to the palace and turned to watch as the servants put Yuelan in her carriage and left toward the Crystal Moon Residence. As the carriage disappeared into the distance, the prince thought about his interactions with her so far. Things seemed to be changing within him and he wanted to identify what it was.

    At first it was just because her reactions to his teasing were so cute. Her cheeks would turn pink and puff out like origami balloons and she¡¯d turn her face away so he could view her profile. Her pale skin, eyes that looked like they were made of fine, green jade, and raven black hair that seemed like it would feel like silk if he reached out to touch it. Then the emperor made her the way to obtain the title of crown prince. Guangfeng realized it would be a challenge to get her to accept him, but his older brothers were more materialistic and he had planned to convince her with his future plans rather than just wooing her.

    When he¡¯d seen her collapse from a fever he hadn¡¯t been so upset, though he was frustrated that she wasn¡¯t being given enough space by his brothers. It was why he hadn¡¯t gone to visit her. He¡¯d agreed not to use the maids he¡¯d given her to spy on her, but he had people watching her residence. The near-constant presence of his two older brothers combined with his remembering that she had only just arrived in Longuo had kept him away. She must have been tired with no chance to rest.

    Seeing her get angry with him earlier is what changed Guangfeng¡¯s mind. This woman was strong, opinionated, and determined. She knew what she wanted and seemed like the type who could make sure she got it. Yuelan was kind to those who showed her kindness and respect and wasn¡¯t afraid to tear off someone¡¯s mask. From what Liling had said about the happenings at the cherry blossom viewing, Yuelan knew her own capabilities and couldn¡¯t be coerced into something she knew she couldn¡¯t do. This young woman deserved his respect, and even though he could see her anger, she hadn¡¯t said anything to him at all about what was happening at his gathering that afternoon. She¡¯d just taken Liling and left. The look of disdain in her eyes had made Guangfeng feel as though something had clawed his heart.

    When Liling had burst in and then told him Yuelan was in danger Guangfeng knew his decision had been made. It was time to stop pretending.

    The third prince sighed and told the teahouse¡¯s manager that he was leaving and to inform the people attending his party. He got on his horse and headed for the imperial palace to inform his father of what had happened, but first he looked toward one of the guards on a horse beside him. ¡°Have those three been placed in my dungeon?¡± he asked, his tone stern.

    ¡°They are on their way there now, Your Highness,¡± the guard answered promptly.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Good.¡± Guangfeng turned his attention to the road, dug his heels into the horse¡¯s flanks and headed for the palace at full speed.

    ***

    When Guangfeng walked into his father¡¯s study he first noted that the damage Long He had done previously had all been repaired and the expensive desk replaced. He knelt in salute. ¡°This son greets Father Emperor,¡± he said in a calm tone, acting as though he hadn¡¯t just forced the eunuchs to let him in. ¡°Son has something urgent to report.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± the emperor demanded in a grumpy voice. ¡°We were busy with reports from our officials.¡±

    ¡°Son has just returned from rescuing Lady Long Yuelan after three men tried to kidnap her and Liling at Red Orchid Teahouse this afternoon,¡± Guangfeng explained, his voice still calm. ¡°The perpetrators have been caught and placed in the dungeon in my Heping Palace. It seems the attackers were after Liling, but Lady Long pushed Liling out of the way and allowed her to get to safety by sacrificing herself. Fortunately, Liling was able to get word to me soon enough that I could rescue Lady Long before anything happened.¡±

    The emperor stiffened and his face paled. ¡°Does...does Long He know?¡± he asked.

    ¡°This son is unsure. I did not see Lord Long. It is possible he is elsewhere and does not yet know about what happened,¡± Guangfeng said honestly. He got to his feet and gave his father a serious look. ¡°Son wishes to handle the investigation personally.¡±

    The emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed and he studied the determined look on Guangfeng¡¯s face. ¡°You have finally decided to reveal your true colors?¡±

    Guangfeng smirked. ¡°I have decided to be serious,¡± he replied. ¡°Hiding behind a facade may protect me, but it won¡¯t protect those I care for. I am strong enough now to defend myself from my enemies without needing the facade.¡± He paused, then added: ¡°I also wish to handle the trouble in the south in place of Young General Chang. Liling should not have to postpone her wedding or send her husband off to war just after it.¡±

    Two pairs of identical, dark eyes stared each other down, each gaging the other¡¯s reaction. Finally, the emperor nodded. ¡°We will grant your request. I will send gifts to thank Lady Long in the morning. Tomorrow we will announce you taking over the southern army in morning court. How is Lady Long?¡±

    ¡°A doctor I trust saw to her care. There won¡¯t be any ill effects from the drug that was used and she has been taken to her home by some strong maids from her residence,¡± Guangfeng answered. ¡°I have been assured there is no cause for concern.¡±

    ¡°Good, good...perhaps Lord Long will be lenient. It seems we neglected to have proper hidden guards assigned to her,¡± the emperor replied.

    ¡°I assigned Shadow to her,¡± Guangfeng informed the emperor. ¡°This won¡¯t happen again.¡± He saluted his father one last time. ¡°If there is nothing else, this son will be heading back to his palace to begin the questioning.¡±

    The emperor waved a hand. ¡°Go. We will not keep you.¡±

    Guangfeng left the imperial palace the same way he¡¯d come, got on his horse, and headed for his own palace. When he arrived he left his horse to a servant and headed straight for the dungeons located beneath a false mountain in the gardens. His palm opened the door and he headed down the slightly damp stairs, his dark eyes hard.

 Chapter Twenty-four

    Guangfeng stepped into a room made of cold, hard stone and took a seat in a wooden chair. Parts of the stone floor had puddles of water and three men wearing only their underwear were tied down on the ground on their stomachs. The men had to turn their heads to the side to keep their faces out of the puddles so they could breathe.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Guangfeng asked calmly, staring at the two prisoners with a bleak expression. ¡°Speak and I may consider sparing your life.¡± He wasn¡¯t really expecting an answer. The three prisoners seemed well trained, perhaps hidden guards for a wealthy family or even another kingdom or possibly even assassins. Either way, their training likely included keeping silent. Breaking them would be difficult.

    The prisoners remained silent, keeping their mouths closed with determined looks on their faces.

    Guangfeng frowned and stood up. ¡°You have one hour. Make them willing to talk,¡± he instructed the black-dressed guards in the stone room with him before he headed to the stairs and started up to above ground as he contemplated the issue of how to get the kidnappers to open their mouths as soon as possible.

    The screaming didn¡¯t start until Guangfeng had reached the top, but it was loud enough he could still hear it. It didn¡¯t seem to bother the prince as his face retained the same dark expression it had before and he continued walking until a black-clothed man appeared and knelt in front of him.

    ¡°What are your orders, Master?¡± the hidden guard asked.

    ¡°Start trials to find a replacement for Shadow. He has been reassigned to Miss Long Yuelan.¡±

    The man saluted, rose to his feet, and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

    Guangfeng went to his study and sat down. He frowned and rubbed at his chin as he thought. He had two problems to consider: the kidnappers in his underground room and the fact that Yuelan was upset with him. He needed to not only find who had ordered Liling¡¯s abduction but to come up with a suitable present he could give to her as an apology along with his promise. The gift would be the easiest and most pleasant, so Guangfeng chose to start there.

    The prince sighed and rubbed the back of his neck while he thought about what to get for her. There wasn¡¯t enough time to have something made for her, so he pulled out a scroll and started looking it over. Written in feminine characters was the list of things in his mother¡¯s dowry, all of them items he had inherited after her death. His hope was he would find something that the young woman would like and find useful. After a while something caught his eye on the dowry list and he frowned. An opal accessory set...Yuelan had been wearing one before the struggle, but most of the pieces had disappeared by the time he got to her and they had only been able to retrieve two or three that hadn¡¯t been broken. His mother had had a set as well. It was quite different, using fire opals instead of white opals and gold instead of silver, but he could give it to Yuelan while he had the white opal set remade for her.

    Guangfeng summoned his housekeeper and sent the eunuch in search of the set then stood and started pacing around his office. His hands were clasped behind his back and he frowned as he walked, puzzling over the problem. After some time he remembered an alchemist he had met while he had been disguised in the city to see what the needs of the citizens were. The alchemist had been trying to sell a bottle filled with liquid he claimed would force anyone to tell the truth. Unfortunately, it was something that should only be used on someone you didn¡¯t need to keep alive as the liquid would also cause intense pain, coughing, and eventual death.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    A vicious smile spread across the third prince¡¯s lips and he headed back to the false mountain and the prisoners. This time as he sat down the three men were covered in bruises and open wounds. ¡°Are they ready to talk?¡± Guangfeng asked, calmly leaning back in the chair.

    One of the prisoners lifted his head and glared at Guangfeng without saying anything. The second seemed to be in a half daze and lay on the ground, not even making an effort to keep his head out of the water, though he still had his mouth and nose above the top of the puddle. The final prisoner smirked at the third prince and bit down on something. A moment the prisoner went into convulsions.

    ¡°It seems not.¡± Guangfeng sighed and crossed one leg over the other. He waved a hand to have the guards in the room leave the thrashing prisoner alone for now. The prisoner would die, there was already bloody foam forming at the corners of his lips, but there was no need to do anything about the body just yet. ¡°Bring the bottle the alchemist delivered last week. It is time to test its effectiveness.¡± His eyes narrowed at the prisoner who was glaring at him. ¡°I do not have time to waste on torture. Since you won¡¯t speak, I will make you speak.¡±

    A guard left the underground room and returned a few minutes later holding a crystal bottle.

    ¡°Force them both to drink it,¡± Guangfeng ordered. It was a small bottle, but supposedly only a small amount was needed and the alchemist who had given it to him had assured him there were four doses inside. There were only two prisoners left, so Guangfeng would still have some left over and if it actually worked he would have the Alchemist start providing him with a regular supply of the stuff.

    The guards moved forward, forcing the prisoners up on their knees as the man holding the bottle forced some of its contents into each prisoner¡¯s mouth.

    Guangfeng watched impassively, his green-flecked brown eyes staring at the prisoners as he waited. The prisoner who had commited suicide with poison continued to thrash until eventually his body stilled. ¡°Burn the body,¡± the prince instructed calmly. Two guards saluted and dragged the body out of the underground room.

    After a few moments both remaining prisoners started moaning in pain, curling on their sides and holding their stomachs. Guangfeng¡¯s expression changed to a satisfied smirk.

    ¡°Who was your target?¡± Guangfeng asked, settling more comfortably into his chair.

    The prisoners struggled for a moment before the weaker of the two finally spoke. ¡°F-first Princess Liling.¡± The words came out in a cough and a few spots of blood came out, mixing into the water.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Guangfeng asked in a calm voice.

    ¡°Th-the emperor of Lanzhou,¡± the weaker prisoner answered again, coughing out more blood.

    ¡°Why take Liling¡¯s companion instead? What is Lanzhou¡¯s goal?¡± Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed and he frowned at the prisoners.

    The weaker of the two men fell into a fit of coughing and eventually coughed out enough blood to turn the pool of water beneath him light red. The stronger prisoner finally began to speak, no longer able to resist what he had been forced to drink: ¡°The gemstone mines in southern Longuo. Lanzhou is struggling to acquire resources and wants the gemstone mines to be able to get what it needs from other empires. The other girl was a witness. We were going to hold her until we managed to get Princess Liling, then we were going to threaten the princess to behave or we would hurt her companion. If we couldn¡¯t get the princess then we were going to kill her.¡±

    Both prisoners started coughing and couldn¡¯t seem to stop. Guangfeng watched them for a moment before standing up. ¡°Dispose of them,¡± he instructed as he headed out of the underground room and headed back to his study to write a report to give to the emperor the next day before morning court.

 Chapter Twenty-five

    When Yuelan woke up the next morning her arm was sore and bruised from where her captors had held on tight. She grimaced and got out of bed with a sigh. At least there wasn¡¯t anywhere she had to go that day. And the requirements for modesty in Longuo were so different from back home that nobody would ever see or touch the bruise except herself and her maids. A moment later, Willow and Laurel came into the room, likely having heard her movements.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to wear something with slightly thicker fabric for the sleeves,¡± Yuelan told her maids. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to notice the bruise on my arm and start asking questions.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Miss,¡± Willow agreed immediately. She moved over to start selecting clothes for Yuelan from the wardrobe. ¡°Also, Camphor asked me to remind you that she was taking today off and Chung Soo asked me to inform you that Her Highness the first princess will be coming today to visit and His Highness the third prince wishes to come with her if you are willing to allow him to.¡±

    Yuelan was silent as she thought over the request. ¡°Laurel, go and tell Chung Soo that I will see the third prince,¡± she sighed. ¡°Willow can help me dress while you do that and then she can get breakfast while you fix my hair.¡±

    Laurel saluted Yuelan and headed out of the courtyard to find the steward.

    Willow finished selecting a few items and set them on the dividing screen while Yuelan moved behind it. ¡°Miss should try to take it easy today,¡± the maid advised. ¡°Perhaps Miss would like to read some of the books that Lord Long brought from the library last time?¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°That sounds good,¡± she agreed as she started taking her white night dress off and let Willow help her put on the clean garments. The clothes Willow had selected had opaque sleeves that went to Yuelan¡¯s knuckles and the skirt of the gown touched the ground and had a short train at the back. The gown was pale green and the short-sleeved coat that went over it was a soft lavender and fell to the tops of Yuelan¡¯s thighs. The only embroidery was a simple pattern along the edge of the sleeves, the hem of the coat, and the sash that held everything closed.

    Almost the same moment as Yuelan had finished dressing with Willow¡¯s assistance, Laurel returned from speaking with Chung Soo. Yuelan sat at the dressing table and closed her eyes as Laurel selected a single, silver hairpin with flowered engravings to do Yuelan¡¯s hair with. She left half of Yuelan¡¯s hair down, letting it flow down her back, and pinned the other half up in a simple knot.

    Laurel carefully applied make-up to Yuelan¡¯s face, hiding the paleness of Yuelan¡¯s cheeks, and Willow arrived with breakfast just as she finished.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Yuelan said softly as she stood and made her way to the table in the room to sit down and eat. She picked up a pair of silver chopsticks and began to eat the rice, lotus root, and smoked fish. Once she finished she stood and smiled at the two maids. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the gazebo,¡± she decided. ¡°I can read comfortably there and meet with their highnesses in the same place when they arrive.¡±

    The two maids nodded and Willow took up the position next to Yuelan to give her support in case she was still feeling lingering effects of the drug.

    ***

    When Liling and Guangfeng arrived that afternoon they followed Chung Soo to the gazebo to find Yuelan curled up on a padded bench with a book in her hands. Liling looked over at her brother and smiled a bit when she saw the look on his face. The third prince seemed content to just watch Yuelan enjoying her book.

    Chung Soo cleared his throat, causing Yuelan to look up from the book. She took a piece of silk ribbon and set it between the pages before handing the book to Laurel to hold. ¡°Liling, it¡¯s good to see you,¡± Yuelan said in a cheerful voice before looking over at Guangfeng. Her smile stiffened, but remained on her face. ¡°Prince Guangfeng, thank you for rescuing me yesterday.¡± Her tone was very formal.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Guangfeng was about to open his mouth to speak, but Liling cut him off before he could utter a sound. ¡°Lan-lan, are you alright?¡± the princess asked anxiously. She hurried forward and picked up Yuelan¡¯s right hand.

    Yuelan smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she promised. ¡°Just some bruising is all. It¡¯ll go away in a few days.¡±

    Liling let out a sigh of relief and hugged Yuelan. ¡°I¡¯m so glad. Thank you so much for protecting me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what friends should do,¡± Yuelan replied, returning the princess¡¯ hug. She tried to stand up, but couldn¡¯t with the princess leaning on her as she was.

    Liling sat down next to Yuelan. ¡°When I woke up back in the palace I had no idea what happened. I was so anxious! But one of the maids told me that my brother had rescued you before anything happened.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and reached over to gently squeeze Liling¡¯s hand. She turned her eyes to Guangfeng and her smile disappeared. ¡°You had something you wanted to speak with me about?¡± she asked.

    Guangfeng waved a hand and the servant who had followed him approached, holding out a box. ¡°I brought you a gift,¡± he explained, offering the box to Yuelan, who waved for Willow to take it for her. ¡°And I wanted to apologize...and explain to you what was going on when you saw me yesterday.¡±

    Yuelan leaned back against the cushion on the back of the seat of the gazebo and silently watched Guangfeng, her jade eyes giving no hint that she might be willing to accept his apology.

    Guangfeng sighed. ¡°My mother died when I was seven. She had been sick for years, but the doctors couldn¡¯t figure out the cause. I believe she was poisoned and am sure of the culprit, but have no evidence and therefore can¡¯t do anything about it. Mother was the empress, and normally that would make me the crown prince, but unfortunately after her death my father promoted the mother of the first prince to empress, making him eligible for the seat as well.¡±

    He paused, took a breath, and was about to continue when he saw Yuelan wave her hand toward a chair at the table inside the gazebo. He sat down in the indicated chair before continuing. ¡°My mother left me with a warning before she died. She said that I couldn¡¯t show my talents or I would be in danger. From then on, I started acting out. I did things to make others believe I was useless. As a child it was mostly mischief, but when I got older and realized I would need to fight for the throne I started to throw those parties. I¡¯d invite all the dandy children of the influential families, sometimes on their own and sometimes with the ones who would be able to take over and increase their family¡¯s influence. By doing that, everyone assumed I was just continuing to be a useless prince, but I was able to start connecting with heirs like Young General Chang. Sometimes I could also gain the support of their fathers, or at least keep them neutral. The parties also let me plant spies in some of the other families. I¡¯ve had a few maids leave the palace to become concubines for men who aren¡¯t on my side already.¡± He stopped speaking and looked over at Yuelan, his expression earnest. ¡°Flirting with women is just something to keep up appearances. It doesn¡¯t mean anything and the women I flirt with are carefully chosen. They know it¡¯s a ruse and are willing to help me act the part.¡±

    Yuelan continued to listen through Guangfeng¡¯s story, though she maintained her frown as she did so. ¡°So?¡± she asked. ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Guangfeng disagrees. ¡°I owe you an apology. I wasn¡¯t overly serious in my efforts to court you. I thought I could convince you with what I want to do for my father¡¯s empire once I have the authority to do it. I also showed you something you hated by not changing what I was doing. If I am going to earn the throne then I need to earn your trust and respect as well as prove that I can keep those who are important to me safe no matter what threat is presented to me. I¡¯ve decided to stop hiding. I won¡¯t be throwing those parties anymore--or at least, not in the same way. And I won¡¯t flirt with other women either, even if it¡¯s only an act.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed. She wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to believe Guangfeng or not and took everything he told her with a grain of salt. ¡°Alright...prove it,¡± she replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you then.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°There is...one more thing. I¡¯ve assigned one of my personal hidden guards to watch over you. His name is Shadow. It¡¯s his job to keep you safe and unharmed so that what happened yesterday won¡¯t happen again.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-six

    Yuelan frowned at Guangfeng and folded her arms under her breasts. She shifted on the seat so she was no longer curled up and instead sat facing the third prince with one leg crossed over the other. Her feet were still hidden beneath the long gown. ¡°What would you do if you became emperor?¡± she asked him. Her tone and attitude made it clear she was still upset with Guangfeng, but she hadn¡¯t forgotten what the emperor had forced her into: choosing the crown prince was her responsibility now.

    ¡°I want to improve the circumstances of the common people,¡± Guangfeng answered earnestly. ¡°The way your country handles medical care interests me. I¡¯d like to do something like that here. I also want to make a place where doctors can study and improve their skills and a school for anyone who wants to learn.¡± He paused and thought about how to phrase where he came up with the ideas. ¡°I...go out once a week without telling anyone who I am and walk among the commoners to listen. Some of them are very intelligent, but don¡¯t have the means to go through the processes required to become officials. Only a few officials listen to the commoners while the rest look down on them.¡±

    Yuelan leaned back and relaxed her posture, uncrossing her legs and listening patiently to what Guangfeng had to say. When he finished speaking and fell silent again she nodded. ¡°I understand. I still need to hear what your brothers have to say. You also need to be aware that I don¡¯t accept polygamy. I won¡¯t marry anyone who can¡¯t accept that.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°I can. My mother¡¯s death was a result of the fighting between the women of my father¡¯s harem. Several of my father¡¯s concubines had miscarriages or died because of it. I decided long ago to only have one wife. If I have only one wife then it wouldn¡¯t be because of fighting among women if something happened to her.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Yuelan gave Guangfeng a small smile then turned to look at Laurel. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have tea brought out for the guests?¡± she suggested.

    Laurel saluted in acknowledgement and left the gazebo.

    Yuelan turned her attention to Liling and smiled. ¡°Are you doing alright? No bad aftereffects from the drug we were given?¡± she asked.

    Liling nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Third brother said all the ones who attacked us were caught and Father Emperor handed the case to him so as few people would know of it as possible. He doesn¡¯t want to give details on what he knows though¡­¡±

    ¡°I gave a report to Father Emperor this morning,¡± Guangfeng told the girls. ¡°There¡¯s no need to cause you stress by saying anything other than the issue will be dealt with and there¡¯s no need for you to be afraid.¡± He leaned back in his seat, letting himself get more comfortable, and decided to change the subject. ¡°Miss Long, are you going to inspect the contents of my gift to you?¡± he asked.

    Yuelan sighed and took the box from Willow then lifted the lid and looked inside. The accessory set made of fire opals was well made and as she touched them she could feel that they were light enough that they wouldn¡¯t cause her a headache. She smiled and stroked one of the pins. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she told the third prince.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°It was my mother¡¯s,¡± Guangfeng explained. ¡°Father Emperor had it made for her not long after she became his crown princess. If it¡¯s placed properly then the set forms a phoenix.¡±

    Liling leaned over and peeked into the box. Her bottom lip poked out in a pout and she looked over at her brother. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t third brother ever give me such nice gifts?¡± she complained.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything lately to make you angry with me,¡± Guangfeng chuckles. ¡°Besides, I do give you nice gifts. Just not anything from my mother¡¯s dowry.¡±

    ¡°Stingy.¡± Liling pretended to pout and looked away from him.

    Yuelan giggled. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I¡¯ll have to have some clothes made that will suit these beautiful accessories.¡±

    ¡°You should wear the set for the mid-autumn banquet,¡± Liling suggested. ¡°It isn¡¯t for half a year, but you¡¯d be the envy of every girl there if you did.¡±

    Laurel reappeared with tea and served it to everyone and Yuelan, Guangfeng, and Liling continued to chat idly for a while longer before Guangfeng and Liling needed to leave.

    Shortly after the two left, Chung Soo approached Yuelan in the gazebo and respectfully offered her a piece of paper. ¡°His Highness the first prince is inviting you to eat lunch with him tomorrow,¡± he explained. ¡°Now that their one month punishment has passed I am sure the second prince will not be far behind in issuing invitations.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and took the paper from Chung Soo. She scanned its contents and handed it back. ¡°Accept the invitation,¡± she said calmly.

    ¡°Are you sure, my lady?¡± Chung Soo asked, looking concerned. ¡°You were drugged and should still be resting. It would be fine for you to refuse.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t go it could make people suspicious,¡± Yuelan replied. ¡°Especially after meeting with the third prince today. Besides, I haven¡¯t felt any ill effects left over from the drug. Willow and Camphor will come with me, so it won¡¯t be a problem even if I do start to feel something.¡±

    The eunuch nodded and went to send word that his lady had accepted the invitation.

    ¡°I wonder why Long He hasn¡¯t come back,¡± Yuelan mused quietly to herself. ¡°When I was sick last time he was back when I woke up...but this time I was nearly abducted and he hasn¡¯t shown himself.¡± She frowned and tapped her lips with her index finger as she thought over the problem. ¡°Could something have happened?¡±

    ¡°Lord Long is a dragon,¡± Laurel quietly reminded Yuelan. ¡°I don¡¯t think he is in any danger, and even if he was what could we do about it?¡±

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m still a bit worried, though. He¡¯s been gone for almost two weeks...I suppose he could be at the library, but it¡¯s not convenient for me to go and look right now.¡±

    Of course, it not being convenient to go to the library also meant it wasn¡¯t convenient for Yuelan to go and visit her father. She missed him quite a bit and wanted someone to talk to about what had happened and the conversation she¡¯d had with Guangfeng that day. Yuelan frowned a little, realizing that she seemed to have stopped thinking of the third prince by his title. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure about when the change had happened, but waved the thought away, considering it unimportant.

    ¡°I suppose we should choose what I¡¯ll be wearing tomorrow¡­¡± Yuelan mused.

    ¡°Perhaps the accessory set that His Highness the first prince had delivered to you last week?¡± Willow suggested.

    ¡°Mm...maybe.¡± Yuelan¡¯s response was half hearted. The gold and sapphire set was beautiful, but she wasn¡¯t particularly drawn to it. Her favorite color was blue, but she would have preferred silver instead of gold for the accessory set the first prince sent to her.

 Chapter Twenty-seven

    The next morning, Yuelan sat at her dressing table and stared at the set of sapphire accessories in front of her. Today was the day she was supposed to have a meal with the first prince, but Yuelan wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about it. The accessories in front of her were beautiful with detailed etching in the headpiece that was made to look like a peacock was resting atop her head. The matching hair pins would form the tail, fanning out with her hair.

    Lifting a thin finger, Yuelan nudged the gold and sapphire peacock and sighed. She put her left elbow on the dressing table and propped her head up with her hand as she used her right hand to nudge the peacock around on the table. It was heavy. Most likely wearing the set would give her a headache.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Miss?¡± Laurel asked. The maid was standing just behind Yuelan, waiting for her miss to let her do her hair. ¡°Do you dislike the accessories from His Highness the first prince?¡±

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them,¡± she answered, letting out another sigh. ¡°They look beautiful, but I feel like wearing them is impractical...Putting all of this on my head at once will give me a headache, but if I don¡¯t wear all of the pieces it¡¯ll look strange as well.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll be going out this afternoon with His Highness and he sent them to you as a gift,¡± Laurel gently reminded her.

    ¡°It would be rude to wear something someone else had given me,¡± Yuelan concluded. ¡°Why don¡¯t we choose some of the accessories in my dowry instead? There are some in there that I haven¡¯t worn and it¡¯s not as though I¡¯ll be attending a formal occasion. I don¡¯t have to wear a complete set of accessories.¡±

    ¡°Of course Miss.¡± Laurel started carefully picking up the peacock set and placing it in the box it came in. ¡°Could you perhaps wear only the earrings from this set? I think they would look quite nice, even without the full set with them.¡±

    Yuelan looked at the large, dangling earrings decorated like peacock feathers and grimaced. ¡°I feel like if I put on something so large and heavy they¡¯ll tear through my ears,¡± she disagreed. ¡°And then I won¡¯t be able to wear any at all.¡± Several stones larger than the nail on Yuelan¡¯s thumb were used on each of the earrings along with more gold and other, smaller sapphires.

    Laurel nodded and put the earrings away as well, leaving the dressing table empty. ¡°Then this servant will put the set away and find some nice accessories from miss¡¯ dowry to wear instead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Laurel,¡± Yuelan sighed. ¡°Though blue stones would be nice with this gown, so try to find some of those.¡±

    Laurel bowed her head and left the room with the box. She returned a few minutes later with another box and started setting out hair pins, earrings, and necklaces from that box for Yuelan to choose from.

    Yuelan studied the items, all containing blue stones, and selected a pair of silver hair pins that had butterflies decorated with sapphires and aquamarines at the decorative end. Two thin chains just under each butterfly hung down with little bells attached that would tinkle whenever Yuelan moved her head. ¡°Use these,¡± she said, handing them to Laurel so the maid could do her hair.

    Laurel took the hairpins and picked up the engraved, redwood brush and started brushing and styling Yuelans long, thick, black hair while Yuelan studied the necklaces and earrings on the table.

    By the time Laurel was done with Yuelan¡¯s hair, Yuelan had found a pair of small butterfly earrings and a simple necklace with only a chain and a single, larger butterfly that matched the ones on the hairsticks. She gave the necklace to Laurel to put on her while she put the earrings in herself.

    Fully ready for the day, Yuelan stood up from the dressing table. The sleeves of her dress were just as long as they had been the day before, reaching to her knuckles with the lower part flowing down several inches, but today the dress and half-coat were not as simple as yesterday¡¯s. The gown was made of soft, light blue silk with light pink and white orchids and birds embroidered on it. The half-coat was a soft pink and had pale green willow tree embroidery. The gown covered her feet completely, but the embroidered shoes were pale green with light blue.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Yuelan wasn¡¯t hungry, so she only had a small bit of porridge before heading out of her courtyard and into the garden near the residence¡¯s main gate to wait for the first prince¡¯s arrival. Morning court would be over soon, and he had sent word that he would be picking her up directly after.

    There was a swing hanging from an elm tree in the garden and Yuelan took her seat on that, gently swinging back and forth in lazy motions. As her feet moved to pump the swing Yuelan stared at the bows of the tree that bent down toward the ground with a small frown on her thin lips.

    Guangfeng wanted to help the people. What did the other princes want to do as emperor? She¡¯d have to ask each one individually. Of course, there was a chance they would lie to her and tell her what she wanted to hear. Yuelan would have to secretly observe their actions somehow to see what they were doing when they weren¡¯t putting on a show for her. She could ask Liling as well. The oldest princess seemed to get along well with Guangfeng and she probably had opinions about her other brothers¡­

    ¡°My lady, His Highness the first prince has arrived.¡± the high-pitched voice of Chung Soo broke through Yuelan¡¯s musings and she looked up, then carefully dismounted from the swing.

    ¡°Thank you, Chung Soo,¡± she said softly before heading to the front gates of her manor.

    The first prince¡¯s carriage was ostentatious. Those were Yuelan¡¯s first thoughts. It was made of expensive rosewood and covered in gold and expensive silks. The horses seemed to be in good condition, but the driver and the servants standing to either side of the carriage entrance seemed pale and possibly malnourished. Yuelan frowned a little, but didn¡¯t say anything as she stepped up to the carriage.

    Xiong Guangfai lifted a curtain and held his hand out to help Yuelan into the carriage. ¡°Lady Long,¡± he said in a respectful tone as Yuelan took his hand and stepped inside, followed by Willow. He saw the accessories in her hair and frowned a little. ¡°Did you not like the gift I sent you?¡±

    Yuelan gave the first prince a diplomatic smile. ¡°It¡¯s lovely, but I felt something simpler would suit the occasion better,¡± she replied. The accessories really were beautiful, but they were ostentatious and heavy, completely against Yuelan¡¯s preferred style.

    Guangfai reached a hand out to touch one of Yuelan¡¯s butterfly hairpins. ¡°These are quite nice. Who gave them to you?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed and her thin lips got thinner, but she still kept a smile on her face as she moved away from Guangfai¡¯s hand. ¡°They were my mother¡¯s,¡± she answered in a calm voice. ¡°Your Highness, please keep in mind that men and women are different and should not be too familiar.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± the first prince asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be engaged eventually anyway.¡± He smiled at her, but pulled his hand back.

    ¡°That has yet to be decided,¡± Yuelan reminded him. ¡°His Majesty granted me the right to choose between all of his sons.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I am the eldest prince and the son of the empress. Naturally the title of crown prince should be mine, which would make you my future wife,¡± the first prince argued.

    ¡°It¡¯s my understanding that the current empress is the second empress and that the third prince is the oldest son of the first empress,¡± Yuelan replied. ¡°So he has as much right to the title as you do. Also, the decision on who I marry still belongs to me. I¡¯m less interested in who has the most rights to the title of Crown Prince and more interested in who is best suited to it. Why should I choose you over any of your brothers?¡±

    Guangfai frowned and his eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned back against the seat of the carriage. ¡°I am the most suited. I have studied the hardest, learned the most, and been helping Father Emperor with running the empire for the longest. I know better than my brothers what should and shouldn¡¯t be done. Second brother has ambition, but no ability. Third brother has neither ambition nor ability and knows only how to fool around with women. Fourth brother has no ambition. Fifth brother cannot produce an heir. Choosing him would only cause uncertainty and make the people lose faith. And Sixth brother¡­¡± The first prince snorted. ¡°Is an idiot who will never act like anything more than a child.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s lips tightened imperceptibly. ¡°I see...Still, I think it¡¯s too soon for me to simply take you at your word. I want to spend some more time observing everything.¡±

    ¡°You may observe me as much as you like,¡± Guangfai replied, giving her a lazy smile. ¡°Starting with today¡¯s lunch.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-eight

    Yuelan sighed and leaned back in her seat. She shifted the curtain beside her slightly and looked out the window, watching the people on the streets as the carriage rolled by. ¡°What would you do if you became emperor?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about it,¡± Xiong Guangfai answered calmly. ¡°But what¡¯s there to really think about? The emperor rules all and handles problems as they come up. It¡¯s the job of the ministers to present things to the emperor and handle everything that the emperor doesn¡¯t have to oversee.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s thin lips pursed slightly and she looked over at the first prince, who smiled and shrugged when he noticed her glance. ¡°I see¡­¡± It seemed the first prince was ambitious, but didn¡¯t really care about improving his country. ¡°And what about making improvements? What would you do to benefit the people?¡±

    ¡°Benefit the people? I benefit the people by existing. Without an emperor they would have no one to serve, no purpose. My existence is a benefit.¡± Xiong Guangfai¡¯s expression was haughty and his words made Yuelan want to gag. She kept her expression carefully calm and turned back to the window. This prince was a definite no. How could anyone be so disgustingly selfish?

    The carriage stopped in front of a restaurant and the two stepped down from the carriage with the assistance of their servants. Yuelan followed a couple of steps behind the first prince with Willow behind her and headed into the restaurant. She didn¡¯t say anything at all until they were seated and the prince had ordered food for them both without asking her about her preferences.

    ¡°Am I allowed to ask you questions?¡± the first prince asked. His dark eyes were slightly narrowed as he studied Yuelan.

    Yuelan gave him a diplomatic smile. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I hear you play the guzheng?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Yuelan nodded her head once and continued to smile. ¡°My mother started teaching me when I was small and after she died I continued lessons with another instructor.¡±

    ¡°My younger sister, Ainuan, said you performed well during the cherry blossom viewing. When can I expect a performance?¡± The first prince leaned back in his seat, a confident, lazy smile on his face.

    Yuelan gazed calmly back at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be an opportunity eventually,¡± she replied, shrugging. This prince was giving her an uncomfortable feeling and she didn¡¯t want to invite him into her home or let him see her mother¡¯s instrument. ¡°What role would you have me play if I did choose you?¡±

    The first prince laughed. ¡°What role is there to play? You¡¯d be my Imperial Consort and then Empress. Obviously you would stay in the harem except for formal events and you would be over all my other wives.¡±

    ¡°And if I didn¡¯t want you to have any other wives or concubines?¡± she asked.

    Xiong Guangfai looked a bit startled, then snorted. ¡°I will be the emperor eventually. Of course I must have many wives and concubines. There¡¯s no need to feel that you would suffer, though. I¡¯d treat you well.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s gaze remained calm, but she turned to look at the servants who were bringing food in and setting it on the table. Inside she was feeling rather upset. Once the food was placed on the table she picked up her chopsticks and started to eat. The first dish she tasted was quite spicy. She hated spicy food, but was too well mannered to let it show on her face or to spit it out.

    The first prince continued to ask Yuelan questions, which she answered using as few words as possible as she continued to taste each dish. Every single one was spicy, much to her disappointment. Yuelan began to pace herself and slowly eat small amounts of food at a time while the prince ate most of what was on the table.

    By the end of lunch, Yuelan was still hungry but most of the food was gone. She set her chopsticks down and took a sip from her cup before standing up. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for the meal,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we look around on the streets and see what we can find to purchase?¡± Guangfai suggested.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Yuelan smiled and gently shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m feeling a bit tired now, Your Highness, and I¡¯d like to return home.¡±

    The prince looked unhappy with her request. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go shopping together next time,¡± he decided. ¡°Would three days from now be convenient for you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m meeting with some misses I met at the cherry blossom viewing that day,¡± Yuelan answered, making a mental note to have Chung Soo send invitations to Zhou Xiuya and Zhao Hanju as soon as she returned home so that it wouldn¡¯t be an outright lie. She didn¡¯t want to see the first prince again for a while if she could avoid it.

    ¡°Perhaps next week then,¡± Xiong Guangfeng offered. ¡°Father Emperor had my brothers and I make a schedule. We¡¯re each permitted time with you two days a week.¡±

    Yuelan wasn¡¯t stupid. She recognized the implied meaning behind Guangfeng bringing up the emperor. He was trying to pressure her into seeing him. ¡°Perhaps. I¡¯ll have Chung Soo notify you if I have the time.¡±

    The prince smirked. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you have the time? You¡¯re a young miss who stays at home most of the time. Surely a chance to go out with a prince willing to be your escort and purchase whatever you like is a welcome one.¡±

    ¡°Long He hasn¡¯t been available. He is my guardian here and I am not sure if he has any plans,¡± Yuelan answered, giving a light shrug. ¡°So I cannot speak for next week.¡±

    He frowned and his eyes narrowed. ¡°I see...did I upset you somehow, Miss Long?¡±

    ¡°Do I look upset?¡± Yuelan countered, returning his look with calm eyes and a light smile that seemed quite sweet but was, in fact, diplomatic.

    Xiong Guangfai relaxed. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Send word once you know if you will be available a week from now, then.¡± He turned and led her out of the restaurant and back to the carriage, not even bothering to make sure she was actually following him.

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she walked behind him. This prince did not suit her tastes at all. He seemed to think she was nothing more than a decoration with no opinions or feelings. His arrogant attitude rubbed her the wrong way and obviously the man wasn¡¯t truly interested in her. If she weren¡¯t the only way to get the throne he probably wouldn¡¯t even give her a second glance. He had noticed her hair only because she wasn¡¯t wearing the ridiculous accessories he had sent to her and hadn¡¯t seemed to care at all whether she ate anything or liked the food he selected. It seemed this prince didn¡¯t see her as a person at all, merely a means to an end. In comparison, the third prince, Guangfeng, was much better. Guangfeng had his faults, to be sure, such as his insistence on putting his own people in her home, but at least he was reasonable enough to agree to not have them spy on her and report back. And he offered explanations for his actions and apologies when he was wrong. And he seemed to actually listen to her and cared about his people.

    When they reached the carriage the first prince climbed in first and Willow assisted Yuelan inside. The two young women sat down opposite the prince and Yuelan turned to look out the window as she continued to think things through. The first prince had no plans for the future of his country, but Guangfeng had at least mentioned making improvements to the quality of life of his people and had even remembered the conversation about health care they¡¯d had the day they¡¯d first met. That meant he actually listened to her and acknowledged that she wasn¡¯t just a decoration.

    So far, her mind and her heart were in agreement. The first prince was out of the question, but the third prince had possibility. She still needed to meet with the other four princes and get to know them better, though she suspected that it would be impossible to become more than friends with the last two. A kingdom needed an heir to the throne, and if the fifth prince truly was infertile after his accident there wasn¡¯t anything Yuelan could do about it.

    She propped her chin on her hand and watched the streets go by, ruminating over the princes and potential issues. Fortunately, the first prince didn¡¯t try to engage her in conversation and it didn¡¯t take long for them to reach her residence. She thanked the prince for his hospitality and received an arrogant ¡°You¡¯re welcome¡± that sounded like she should feel honored for him to even appear before her. Yuelan wanted to roll her eyes, but restrained herself from doing so.

    Willow helped Yuelan from the carriage and the two headed into the residence. Yuelan sighed and looked around for Chung Soo, who fortunately was waiting for her to enter.

    ¡°Send invitations to Miss Zhou Xiuya and Miss Zhao Hanju,¡± she instructed him. ¡°Invite them to visit in three days for tea.¡±

    Chung Soo bowed. ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± he agreed.

    Yuelan gave him a tense smile. ¡°Thank you, Chung Soo.¡±

    Chung Soo nodded and went to do as he¡¯d been instructed as Yuelan headed toward her conservatory.

    ¡°Miss, would you like me to have some snacks prepared and bring them to you?¡± Willow asked softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much during your lunch with His Highness the first prince¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes please,¡± Yuelan sighed. ¡°The food was too spicy. I thought my tongue was going to burn to ashes.¡±

    Willow smiled. ¡°I will inform the chef to make sure the pastries are extra sweet then.¡±

    ¡°Candied hawthorns sound good as well¡­¡± Yuelan mused.

    Willow didn¡¯t reply, but she did smile at Yuelan before turning and heading to the kitchens.

 Chapter Twenty-Nine

    The next day, Yuelan was sitting on a patch of grass by her koi pond with a book in her lap, a bowl of fish food in her hand and staring at the fish as they swam around with a glazed look in her eyes as she let her mind wander. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and snapped her from her reverie and she turned to see a man in dark clothes kneeling beside her, the lower half of his face covered in a black, cloth mask.

    ¡°Master...I am Shadow,¡± he said in a low voice that sounded rather scratchy from not being used often. ¡°His Highness the third prince asked me to pass a message to you that the matter of your attempted kidnapping is settled and you can set your mind at ease. It was another kingdom responsible for the crime and they will be dealt with appropriately by His Majesty the Emperor.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Guangfeng mentioned a few days ago that he was leaving you with me to protect me. Why are you only appearing now?¡±

    Shadow gave a shrug. ¡°There was no reason to appear. It is my job to protect you from the shadows. I will not interfere with anything you do. As a hidden guard, it¡¯s best if no one is able to sense my presence. Should you require anything, you need only call my name and I will appear.¡±

    The response made Yuelan¡¯s mouth twitch toward an amused smile. It was like he was a character from an ancient period drama back in Kilin. She wondered how he would feel about watching those dramas¡­

    ¡°I see.¡± Yuelan pushed the senseless thoughts away and nodded. ¡°Thank you for informing me of the situation, but remember not to report to the third prince about my activities. Spying for me is acceptable. Spying on me is not.¡±

    Shadow bowed his head. ¡°Yes master. I will make sure there are no spies in your residence.¡±

    Yuelan was about to turn her attention back to the fish in the pond when she spotted Chung Soo hurrying toward her and she sighed. Now that Granny Bing Mei was satisfied with Yuelan¡¯s etiquette and didn¡¯t need to pester her with lessons every day Chung Soo had taken over bothering her about checking over the manor¡¯s books and other responsibilities she honestly didn¡¯t want to deal with.

    The steward stopped in front of Yuelan and bowed. ¡°My lady, you¡¯ve received a request from His Highness the second prince inviting you for tea at Crescent Moon Teahouse this afternoon,¡± he informed her. ¡°How shall I respond?¡±

    ¡°Accept it,¡± Yuelan answered. She threw out a handful of fish food into the pond, picked up her book, and got to her feet. ¡°I will meet him there.¡± She didn¡¯t want to end up stuck in a carriage with a prince who bored her again, so she decided it would be best to go separately.

    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Chung Soo saluted again and headed back toward the front of the residence.

    Yuelan handed the fish food to one of the male servants who tended the garden and the book to Laurel then stretched her arms up above her head and yawned. ¡°Camphor, Laurel, I think you two should come with me this time,¡± she decided. ¡°Unless you¡¯re busy handling the accounts, Camphor?¡±

    Camphor smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already finished settling the accounts from Miss¡¯ businesses. They were handed to Miss in good order, so it didn¡¯t take much time and effort.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Yuelan put her arms down and gazed over toward the front of the residence. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s been any word from Long He yet, is there?¡±

    ¡°No, Miss. As soon as we hear anything we¡¯ll be sure to inform you,¡± Willow assured her. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and started walking to her courtyard. ¡°I suppose I should go get ready to meet with the second prince...I¡¯ve heard what the first prince and Guangfeng are after, so he needs a chance to voice his opinions as well.¡±

    The three maids didn¡¯t reply, but they looked at each other and smiled a little as they took note of the difference in how their mistress addressed the princes.

    ***

    Yuelan was dressed in shades of green as she stepped into the Crescent Moon Teahouse and looked around. She waited while Camphor stepped forward and spoke with the employee that approached them in quiet voices. The employee gave a respectful salute and led the way to a private room.

    When the door to the private room opened Yuelan saw the second prince rise and give her a slight salute. ¡°Miss Long,¡± he greeted. ¡°Welcome.¡±

    Yuelan gave the prince a salute in return after she stepped past the doorway and into the room. ¡°Your Highness Prince Guanghong,¡± she returned. ¡°Thank you for the invitation.¡±

    The prince gestured to an empty seat as he sat down. ¡°Please, sit.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I take it that today is your turn to request my company?¡± Yuelan asked as she sat down.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ve heard about that,¡± the second prince replied, looking a bit amused. ¡°Frankly, I find it a bit silly, but I suppose it¡¯s our own fault for causing you to fall ill. Father Emperor doesn¡¯t want you tired out again.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Yuelan watched as the second prince started preparing the tea and an employee came in to set out some sweets. She studied the options and noticed that they were all things she had requested previously, either at Red Orchid Teahouse or at her residence and her lips twitched. ¡°It seems that there are people spying on me¡­¡±

    ¡°Forgive me. I took the liberty of inquiring about your taste in food in an effort to make you more comfortable,¡± the second prince explained.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only food I like to eat, so it¡¯s not as though it¡¯s secret.¡± She picked up a pastry and took a bite. ¡°How are the days organized among you and your brothers?¡±

    ¡°Well, fourth brother said he isn¡¯t interested in the crown and doesn¡¯t need a day for getting to know you, fifth brother voluntarily pulled out of the running as well due to his condition and father didn¡¯t feel it would be appropriate for sixth brother to be forced to try to compete, so first brother, third brother, and I each have two days in the week where we are allowed to request to see you and one day that is left for you to do as you please. We cannot make requests to see you, but of course none of us are required to object if you request to see us,¡± Prince Guanghong explained. ¡°Yesterday was eldest brother¡¯s day, tomorrow is third brother¡¯s. The day after will be eldest brother¡¯s again. We just rotate in order, is all.¡± The prince shrugged his shoulders and passed a teacup to Yuelan. ¡°I hope you like the tea. It¡¯s a special blend of herbs that is supposed to help maintain a person¡¯s beauty.¡±

    Yuelan took the teacup and lifted it to her lips for a sip. The tea had a good flavor and aroma to it and she smiled as she set it down. ¡°It must be quite popular with women then. It has a good taste and beneficial effects.¡±

    Prince Guanghong smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it, Miss Long. It¡¯s a blend I came up with personally. All of the teas here in this teahouse are.¡±

    ¡°This teahouse is in the middle of the capital though. Are you envious of the Red Orchid Teahouse I recently acquired? As well as its mountain?¡±

    ¡°A bit,¡± the prince admitted honestly. ¡°I do have a tea farm of my own, though. It¡¯s a little farther from the city, but produces good quality tea. And third brother was always generous enough to allow me a limited supply of the tea leaves from his mountain for my personal use.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and took another sip of tea. ¡°I have some questions for you. I¡¯ve already asked the first and third princes the same questions, so now it¡¯s your turn to voice your thoughts.¡±

    The prince gave her a serious look and nodded. ¡°Third brother hinted as much,¡± he replied. ¡°Please feel free to ask your questions and I will answer as honestly as I can.¡±

    ¡°Why do you wish to become crown prince?¡± she asked, getting right to the point.

    ¡°Third brother seemed to have no interest prior to the last few days and I don¡¯t want my eldest brother to obtain the position,¡± he explained. ¡°The empress is...someone to be wary of. Her son enjoys power largely because of her. If he became the emperor then his mother would be the empress dowager and even if he thought he was the one making the decisions it would really be her. I don¡¯t think that is what would be best for the empire or its citizens.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and took a bite of her pastry as the prince took a sip of his tea. ¡°What will you do now that the third prince is taking interest?¡± The question she wanted to ask was probably not one that could be asked anywhere there could be people you didn¡¯t trust to keep a secret. Speaking ill of the empress was probably punishable by death. Or so Yuelan remembered from period dramas.

    Prince Guanghong smiled and leaned back in his seat. ¡°See how things go for the moment and, if my third brother seems capable, likely withdraw,¡± he admitted. ¡°You¡¯re a lovely woman, but there is someone else I¡¯m interested in. While my mother is the consort with the highest ranking next to the empress, it will still be a very dangerous battle and I don¡¯t wish for that girl to be involved in it.¡±

    ¡°And if you withdraw you¡¯d choose to support your third brother?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Third brother has been playing around, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I haven¡¯t seen what happens when he gets serious about something. If he¡¯s truly serious about becoming the emperor then it would be in my best interest to support him rather than compete with him.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and took a sip of her tea. Her mind became lost in thought, but the second prince didn¡¯t seem to mind and just watched the serious and thoughtful expression on her face in silence for a while.

    Both teacups were nearly empty when Yuelan finally came out of her thoughts. She smiled at the second prince. ¡°Thank you for your answers. It seems I¡¯ll need to watch and wait for a while to see what happens. Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be available after tomorrow. I¡¯ve invited some friends for tea the day after tomorrow and then I¡¯ll be going back to the Library. I¡¯m not sure what happened to Long He, but I will probably be able to find him there and I¡¯d like to speak with him as well.¡±

    The second prince nodded his head and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. My brothers will be disappointed at the lost opportunity to fight over you, but they¡¯ll get over it. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking the responsibility seriously. You seem much more capable than I thought.¡±

    ¡°My father is a prime minister,¡± Yuelan pointed out. ¡°And Kilin doesn¡¯t hide their daughters and wives behind screens and forbid them from doing anything. He had me help with quite a lot as I was growing up, so I know some of what it takes to rule a country.¡±

    The second prince¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡°That almost sounded like a criticism of Longuo,¡± he chuckled.

    Yuelan gave him a sweet, innocent looking smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t criticise another country¡¯s ways,¡± she replied. ¡°Every country has its own culture, traditions, beliefs and practices. Just because one country¡¯s differs from my own doesn¡¯t mean one is right and the other wrong.¡±

    The prince laughed and put his teacup down on the table. ¡°Enough about politics. Let¡¯s just enjoy our tea before you return to your residence,¡± he suggested.

    Yuelan smiled and picked up a pastry. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±

 Chapter Thirty

    After Yuelan returned to her residence Chung Soo informed her that the third prince had requested to spend some time with her the next day after morning court and Yuelan told the eunuch to accept the request. She took a little more time getting dressed than normal the next morning, but still only put on sunscreen to protect her skin and a bit of lip gloss instead of makeup. Once she was dressed she picked up the book she had been reading and went to sit on the swing in the garden of her courtyard to read until Guangfeng arrived.

    About midmorning, a servant came to inform Yuelan that the third prince was waiting outside the gates of the residence. Yuelan handed her book to Laurel, who was staying behind this time, and headed to the front gates with Camphor and Willow. She greeted Guangfeng, who was standing outside his carriage, and then let Camphor help her up when Guangfeng indicated she should get inside. Once everyone was settled the carriage started to move and the third prince began to speak.

    ¡°I assume Shadow passed on my message, so I¡¯ll just flesh out the rest of the information for you,¡± Guangfeng told Yuelan. ¡°The country to the south of us is Lanzhou. They¡¯ve been getting greedy for resources lately, but haven¡¯t started an open war yet. We have a standing treaty with Zhongshu to the west. My mother was a princess of Zhongshu and my younger sister, Ainuan, will be going to Zhongshu to marry into their royal family before winter, so Lanzhou is still hesitating. It¡¯s well known that Liling is engaged to one of our most talented young generals. They probably thought they could use abducting her as a way to keep us from retaliating, so she was their target, and not you.¡±

    Yuelan leaned back in the carriage and looked out the window, nodding to indicate she was actually listening. That Liling had been the target had been obvious to her at the time anyway.

    ¡°They tried to take you because they intended to use you to threaten Liling. We¡¯re preparing to go to war with them already and Father Emperor and I felt it would be best for you if your reputation wasn¡¯t questioned by making formal accusations against them over the attempted abduction. That doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re going to get away with it, though. Father Emperor has imposed trade sanctions against them in retaliation.¡±

    Yuelan nodded again and turned to look at him. ¡°Thank you. Where are you taking me?¡±

    Guangfeng smiled a little. ¡°The library,¡± he admitted. ¡°Long He hasn¡¯t been attending morning court and he didn¡¯t appear when you were abducted. You¡¯re worried about him, right?¡±

    ¡°Well...yes,¡± Yuelan admitted, startled. ¡°Thank you. I was going to go the day after tomorrow¡­¡±

    Guangfeng smiled at her. ¡°I know, but I thought you shouldn¡¯t have to wait to ease your mind. He¡¯s a dragon, so he¡¯s probably fine, but you know him better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t actually know that much about dragons. Just what I¡¯ve read about them in the library, and Long He didn¡¯t show me many books and scrolls about them.¡± Yuelan shrugged her shoulders a little and turned to look out the window again.

    ¡°That seems surprising. You seemed well read on the way to the capital from the library.¡±

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve studied politics, mathematics, history, language, music...but creatures like dragons weren¡¯t on my list of important studies before.¡± She turned to look out the window to watch the passing scenery.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Sensing that Yuelan didn¡¯t seem interested in talking about it, Guangfeng dropped the conversation and left her in peace.

    The carriage continued moving while its passengers sat in a mostly comfortable silence. That it was a comfortable silence was a bit of a surprise to Yuelan. There were few people she¡¯d felt comfortable enough to be in a room with and not speak with them. Her father was one and a girl who had been in elementary school with her was another. The girl had moved away from the capital after they moved on to jr. high and Yuelan hadn¡¯t been able to see her again since, though they had exchanged letters for a while before eventually stopping. In Longuo there was only her three maids and, apparently, now there was Guangfeng as well.

    They reached the library after a couple of hours and Willow helped Yuelan down from the carriage. The group headed up the path leading from the bottom of the mountain and Yuelan was a bit out of breath by the time they reached the library doors. The giant, heavy doors were closed, but Guangfeng walked forward and confidently opened one of them, which allowed Yuelan to enter. She looked around and frowned a little.

    ¡°Long He?¡± she called; her voice sounded a bit shaky and nervous. ¡°Long He, are you here?¡±

    In the middle of the main floor, a silver light appeared and started to pulsate. Yuelan stopped and watched it, apprehensive. The light continued to pulsate until it gradually took the form of Long He.

    ¡°Mistress,¡± Long He said courteously. ¡°This is an apparition, not my physical form. I¡¯m a bit busy and back at the dragon clan at the moment. Is there something urgent?¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No...I was just worried because I hadn¡¯t seen you in a while.¡±

    ¡°I apologize. The dragon emperor summoned me and I had to return and report to him. I will return as soon as I can.¡±

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    ¡°Was there something you wished to discuss with me, Mistress?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I suppose it can wait until you return,¡± she answered.

    Long He¡¯s expression turned thoughtful and he scratched his chin. ¡°Well...perhaps you could speak to your father about it?¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°I will, but I wanted to speak with you and gather a little more information first.¡±

    ¡°I see. I will hurry back then,¡± Long He promised. ¡°In the meantime, please be careful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Long He.¡±

    Long He gave her a smile. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty, after all. Are you sure you wish to discuss it with me and not your father?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I want to talk to him as well, but not until after I¡¯ve spoken to you.¡±

    The dragon nodded, then turned his head. ¡°I will return soon. I must go.¡± The image disappeared.

    Yuelan let out a sigh. ¡°Well...at least I know he¡¯s alright¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, though I wonder why he didn¡¯t ask if anything happened,¡± Guangfeng mused. ¡°He felt you fall ill and immediately appeared. Why didn¡¯t he show up when you were kidnapped?¡± He rubbed his chin and frowned, staring at the spot where Hong Le¡¯s image had been before.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s something I¡¯ll have to ask about when he comes back.¡± She looked around the library and tilted her head to the side. ¡°I wonder if that scroll I was reading before is still on the table¡­¡±

    Guangfeng gave her an amused look. ¡°Go find out if you want to. I¡¯ll make sure to take you home before it gets dark.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Yuelan happily bounced over to the desk she had been reading at the first day she arrived in Longuo and spotted the scroll right away. It had been carefully placed in a case, but left on the desk. Yuelan sat in the chair and gently pulled the scroll out, unrolling it to where she had been reading from last and almost instantly getting absorbed enough in its contents to not hear what was going on around her.

 Chapter Thirty-one

    Just as he¡¯d promised, Guangfeng made sure to get Yuelan back to the capital before dark, though it had taken quite a bit of effort to get her to put the scroll down. He took her to Red Orchid Pavilion for a meal, this time going into a private room instead of sitting in the main area. Yuelan felt the prince was being kind and attentive, but still wasn¡¯t sure what to make of him and his previous apology. At least he made sure the food was to her liking and there were only a couple of spicy dishes selected for himself.

    The next day, Zhou Xiuya and Zhao Hanju arrived and the three girls sat together in the gazebo talking and laughing and practicing their embroidery. As it turned out, Xiuya and Yuelan were both terrible at it, so most of the ¡®practicing¡¯ involved Hanju patiently teaching them and helping them improve while the trio drank tea and ate sweets.

    Just before Xiuya and Hanju left the three girls made an agreement to get together again the next week at Red Orchid Teahouse and invite Princess Liling to come along as well. Now that Yuelan knew how the princes were scheduled, she cheerfully picked one of the two days that the first prince was allowed to seek her out to cut back on the amount of time she had to spend with him.

    On the third day after coming back from the library, Yuelan slept late. It was nearly noon when she finally woke and got out of bed to eat breakfast and dress for the day. As she didn¡¯t plan to see anyone she chose comfortable, light-weight clothes that suited the weather and had sleeves that reached the edges of her wrists in two shades of blue with simple embroidery.

    As she walked out of her courtyard and headed toward her conservatory she saw Long He walking toward her. The dragon wore his usual silver and white robes and had a tired look on his face, but he smiled when he saw Yuelan and quickly approached her.

    ¡°I apologize for leaving for so long, Miss Yuelan, but I was summoned back to report on what has been happening for the past several years outside the dragon¡¯s territory,¡± Long He explained. ¡°After that there was quite a bit of discussion I had to stay for as well and I was gone for longer than I thought I would be.¡±

    Yuelan smiled back at him. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Why didn¡¯t you do that thing you did at the library when I went there a few days ago?¡±

    ¡°The apparition?¡± the dragon inquired. ¡°That¡¯s a simple question. I am the library¡¯s guardian by contract, so I can appear there even if I¡¯m not physically there. It¡¯s how I can usually handle the library no matter which world I¡¯m in, though it¡¯s easier to do it if I¡¯m here instead of in Kilin. I can¡¯t appear directly in front of you because we haven¡¯t formed a contract yet. Because of your unique constitution and the contract I made with your ancestor I can sense when your life is at risk and travel to you, but otherwise there isn¡¯t anything I can do.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t appear when I was being kidnapped,¡± Yuelan mused. ¡°My life wasn¡¯t actually in danger yet when Guangfeng saved me¡­¡±

    Long He¡¯s expression immediately darkened. ¡°You were kidnapped?¡± he growled. The dragon¡¯s hands clenched into fists and his eyes turned stormy.

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°Not exactly. Liling and I were attacked and they were actually after her. I pushed her out of the way and helped her escape, so they were going to try and take me to get to her. Fortunately, Guangfeng wasn¡¯t far away, so he rescued me and everything has already been handled. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    Long He growled and his eyes bored into Yuelan¡¯s. ¡°It seems I need to form a contract with you as soon as possible. Obviously the idiots in the imperial family are incapable of seeing to your safety and wellbeing.¡±

    ¡°I have a new hidden guard that Guangfeng assigned to me and I¡¯m sure the emperor has added others, though nobody has said anything to me about it. And I only got some minor bruises. Besides, they weren¡¯t after me. They were after Liling.¡± Yuelan could feel the pressure in the air changing as clouds started to come in. She looked up at the increasingly darkening sky and let out a sigh. ¡°And here I thought it would be nice weather today and I could play the guzheng by the koi pond¡­¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The skies continued to darken for a moment longer, before the clouds started to disperse again, drawing a confused frown from Yuelan.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that everything is fine and someone is doing something about it,¡± Long He said, the storm in his eyes starting to settle along with the storm in the sky.

    ¡°Weird...I¡¯ve never seen the weather do that before,¡± Yuelan commented, not really paying attention to what Long He said.

    The corner of the dragon¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Unnatural storms will disappear when their cause is no longer there,¡± he explained. ¡°As the storm that was coming in was coming in response to my emotions I could naturally disperse it.¡±

    Yuelan blinked and looked over at Long He. ¡°You can control the weather?¡±

    ¡°Not quite. I can summon and disperse storms,¡± Long He clarified. ¡°Specifically rains and lightning. I usually don¡¯t unless I¡¯ve been angered. I believe you had something you wanted to discuss with me, Miss Yuelan?¡±

    Yuelan gave Long He a suspicious look when he changed the subject after such a brief explanation of the storm phenomenon, but she decided not to push the issue. ¡°I did...I wanted to get your opinions on the princes¡­and which one you think would make the best ruler¡­¡±

    Long He laughed. ¡°There¡¯s not much for me to tell you. I¡¯ve no interest in human politics and what I know and do is only in relation to you and my responsibilities in guarding the library and its gate.¡±

    ¡°Will you at least tell me what you do know?¡± Yuelan asked. Her expression changed to one of pleading and her large, green, almond eyes widened.

    ¡°I can only give my opinion on the princes themselves, not on their ability to lead,¡± Long He gave in, sighing. ¡°I am not human, after all, so that is something you will need to observe for yourself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Yuelan assured the dragon. ¡°I really just want to know what you know about them right now.¡±

    The dragon nodded and headed for a nearby bench to sit. Naturally, Yuelan followed and sat beside him to listen.

    ¡°I have difficulty trusting the first prince,¡± Long He explained. ¡°His mother controls the harem, and while she appears kind and gentle on the surface she is underhanded and vicious in reality from what I have seen. She has caused the deaths of a number of concubines, servants, and children of the emperor.¡± He paused and rubbed his chin. ¡°The second prince seems rather ordinary. He works hard, but is difficult to remember outside of academics. However, he has a high learning ability and doesn¡¯t have the arrogance of the first prince.¡±

    Long He¡¯s expression turned to a frown. ¡°The third prince...is difficult to deal with sometimes. He is very intelligent and good at strategy and schemes. I have heard he can be quite ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies. He looks and acts like a lecherous playboy, but he has no offspring at all and doesn¡¯t seem to actually dally with women like it appears on the outside. I¡¯ve always suspected that it was a mask he was using to protect himself and he isn¡¯t as lecherous as he seems.

    Yuelan nodded and frowned thoughtfully as she listened to what Long He had to say. ¡°And the other three?¡±

    ¡°The fourth prince is steady and patient, but has stated more than once he isn¡¯t interested in pursuing the throne. The fifth prince¡¯s condition may be treatable with the help of magic, but currently there isn¡¯t anyone capable of doing so. As for the fifth prince¡­¡± Long He sighed. ¡°He is a tragic case. He started out seeming to be normal, but as he got older it became more apparent there was something wrong with his brain. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any solution for what happened to the fifth prince.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Thank you for your honesty.¡±

    ¡°Was there anything else?¡± Long He asked.

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No, I just wanted your opinion on the princes, since I¡¯m being forced to marry one of them.¡±

    Long He smiled. ¡°Still feeling like it¡¯s forced, then?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to make a decision. The emperor is still in good health and you can take your time observing and deciding for yourself if you like one of them. And if you decide you don¡¯t want to marry any of them you can always refuse. The emperor won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡±

    She sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright. Thanks, Long He.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-two

    Yuelan spent the next six weeks spending her time between the library for some peace and quiet and occasional visits to see her father and her Crystal Moon Residence in the capital. When she was in the capital she met with the princes one at a time or spent time getting to know the girls she had met at the cherry blossom viewing and was getting along with. There wasn¡¯t much opportunity to spend time with Princess Liling, but when the first princess wasn¡¯t busy preparing for her upcoming wedding they would get together for tea and chat, usually with the other two girls that Yuelan was getting along well with joining them.

    The time Yuelan spent with the first prince was either boring or frustrating. He ignored her opinions, likes, and dislikes, and bestowed expensive gifts on her that she didn¡¯t even want to look at, let alone actually use. Everything Xiong Guangfai gave her was sent into her manor¡¯s storage, including the peacock accessory set that Yuelan decided she couldn¡¯t stand because it reminded her of the first prince¡¯s attitude.

    In contrast, Xiong Guangfeng sent gifts that were either useful, such as medicinal herbs and medicines, or to Yuelan¡¯s taste, like beautifully intricate but lightweight accessories, soft fabrics in various shades of blue, green, and purple (an obvious choice, since those were the colors she wore the most often), or even music scores for the guzheng for her to learn. He also had a tendency to send her books to read on subjects he knew she was interested in from their conversations.

    Yuelan was pleased that the third prince was paying attention to her and had kept his promise not to spy on her through her maids or even the hidden guard he had assigned to her. She was also glad that he was willing to ask her preferences and get to know her as a person and didn¡¯t treat her like an object. She still wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he actually liked her or if he was just used to pleasing women.

    The second prince, Xiong Guanghong, had not officially declared his decision to pull out of the battle for the title of crown prince as yet, so he also made time to spend with Yuelan, though it was more for the sake of appearances than anything else. Without the need to feel the pressure to choose him, Yuelan was able to be much more relaxed and act like herself with the second prince. He didn¡¯t do things to annoy her like the third prince (who would always turn around and present her with something she liked to get her in a good mood again), and he didn¡¯t ignore her as a person with thoughts and feelings like the first prince. He did seem surprised whenever Yuelan revealed her intelligence and insight on matters generally only men were concerned with and would occasionally comment on how it seemed odd that a woman would know such things.

    Occasionally, the second prince would bring the fourth, fifth, or sixth prince along with him, generally one of the latter two, which allowed Yuelan to get to know the three younger princes who weren¡¯t competing for the throne in the first place. With the exception of the sixth prince, the princes not competing for her attention were all polite, intelligent, and happy to make conversation. The sixth prince was more like a child who wanted to play and Yuelan and the second prince would help make kites to fly or find some other way to entertain Xiong Guangjun during his visits.

    With Liling¡¯s wedding only two weeks away, Granny Bing Mei had started up another round of lessons for Yuelan on how to behave and act. Since she wanted to see him as little as possible, Yuelan cheerfully used Granny Bing as an excuse to avoid spending time with the first prince. While the elderly woman didn¡¯t object, she did seem amused by Yuelan¡¯s actions--not that her amusement in any way changed how strictly she taught Yuelan how to behave during a wedding ceremony, both as a guest and as a bride. Fortunately, wedding ceremonies in Longuo were quite similar to traditional wedding ceremonies in Kilin, though much of the traditional things that took place outside the actual wedding hall were rarely used in Kilin anymore. Unfortunately, Yuelan had never attended a wedding ceremony, as none of her friends (which were few in the first place) in Kilin were of age yet, she had no living relatives on her mother¡¯s side, and no one on her father¡¯s side had gotten married since before her mother had died and Yuelan had been too young to attend.

    Granny Bing had also sent in an order for a new dress for Yuelan to be made for attending the wedding out of emerald green and light pink fabrics. Yuelan had no idea what embroidery or anything else Granny Bing had decided on for the gown, but she trusted the older woman¡¯s judgement in what would be appropriate for her to wear for the occasion.

    The morning of the third day of the week, Yuelan woke and started getting ready for the day. Guangfeng had invited her to walk around the shops with him after morning court and she had accepted. Going into town was a pleasant activity for her and he had mentioned that he was planning to go incognito to see how the shops were doing without the interference of his family background and title.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Keeping the third prince¡¯s intentions in mind, Yuelan dressed in some of her less expensive-looking clothing and only wore a single hairpin, a set of earrings, and the black jade bracelet that Guangfeng had given her not long after she had first arrived in Longuo. Almost as soon as Yuelan had finished preparing for the day, Guangfeng arrived outside her residence and she went out to meet him.

    At first, walking along the streets with Willow and one of Guangfeng¡¯s guards a short distance behind them was quite enjoyable. Yuelan watched Guangfeng¡¯s serious attitude as he looked around the shops and spoke with people on the streets, managing to find out information about how they were faring and their feelings on how they felt the kingdom was doing without making anyone suspicious. Unfortunately, before too long Yuelan started to feel a pain in her abdomen that was both sharp and crushing. She tried to keep the pain from her face, but walking became more difficult with each step and her face turned pale.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Guangfeng asked as he turned from the person he was speaking with to talk to Yuelan. ¡°You look pale¡­¡± He lifted his hand and nearly touched her face before pulling his hand back and looking over at Willow. ¡°See if your miss has a fever,¡± he ordered.

    Willow nodded and hurried closer, lifting a hand and checking Yuelan¡¯s temperature with the backs of her fingers. She frowned and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no fever,¡± she assured the third prince.

    Yuelan was almost certain she knew what was going on and she pulled Willow close to whisper quietly into the maid¡¯s ear to explain. Willow¡¯s eyes widened and she nodded, then reached out to support Yuelan.

    ¡°Could Miss trouble Yo--Sir to call the carriage?¡± Willow asked Guangfeng, barely managing to keep from slipping up and revealing his identity to the people around them. ¡°Miss needs to return home to rest¡­¡±

    Guangfeng frowned and turned to gesture to his guard, who nodded and quickly made his way down the street. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± he demanded of Willow.

    ¡°Nothing is wrong,¡± Willow answered honestly.

    ¡°She¡¯s obviously in pain and her face is pale,¡± Guangfeng argued. ¡°Obviously something is wrong. Do not lie to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing,¡± Yuelan told him, pain evident in her voice as she tried to keep from curling up on the ground. ¡°Please don¡¯t ask anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you home and call for a doctor,¡± Guangfeng insisted.

    Yuelan¡¯s face turned slightly pink, though it wasn¡¯t enough to make her look any less pale and a few beads of sweat formed on her nose and forehead. ¡°I really don¡¯t need a doctor,¡± she told him. ¡°Willow, Camphor, and Laurel can take care of this just fine. I just need rest and I¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°How can you be sure? What if it¡¯s something serious? Did you eat something bad?¡±

    Tears appeared in Yuelan¡¯s eyes as the cramps got worse and she shook her head. ¡°This happens every time. I really don¡¯t need a doctor and I haven¡¯t eaten anything bad. It¡¯s nothing serious, either. Please¡­¡±

    The servant Guangfeng had sent returned with a low-key carriage and Willow started trying to help Yuelan into it. Unfortunately, Yuelan was obviously in too much pain to walk on her own.

    Frowning, Guangfeng made a quick decision. He lifted Yuelan up with one arm and climbed into the carriage. To his surprise, something wet touched his arm seconds after he lifted Yuelan, whose bottom was supported by his arm, and he frowned as he started to set her on the seat.

    Yuelan¡¯s face turned even more pale and she bit her bottom lip as Willow climbed into the carriage and quickly joined them. She helped Yuelan settle herself and took up a position beside her mistress hiding a red spot on the pale blue dress that Yuelan was wearing.

    Guangfeng¡¯s face turned red when he caught just a glimpse of the spot and realized what was going on. He stopped asking questions and just ordered the carriage to return them to Crystal Moon Residence with as little bumping as possible.

    Yuelan, pale faced, leaned against Willow and saw Guangfeng¡¯s embarrassed expression. She smiled, thinking he was a little cute when embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after some rest,¡± she assured him again. ¡°This always happens. I just...forgot to keep track of the day and was taken by surprise.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain,¡± Guangfeng assured her, his face turning a bit more red. ¡°Close your eyes and rest. We¡¯ll be at your home soon.¡±

    She gave him a faint, pained smile before closing her eyes and trying to relax as much as possible in the bumpy carriage. Each bump made her cramps more painful and she tried hard to distract herself by making up math problems to solve in her head--which she admittedly had never been all that good at.

    Before many minutes had passed the carriage stopped and Guangfeng stepped out. He went straight to the gates and instructed that a pair of strong servant women be sent out to assist in getting Yuelan back to her courtyard to rest before going to help Willow get Yuelan out of the carriage as gently as possible. Before lifting the young woman he removed his outer half-coat and wrapped her in it to save her from embarrassment then carried her into the manor with Willow right beside him.

    Once the two servant women arrived Guangfeng released Yuelan to their care and watched them take her toward her courtyard before he turned and left.

 Chapter Thirty-three

    With the wedding fast approaching and Yuelan not feeling like going out because of her period, she informed all of the princes she would be spending her time preparing to attend the wedding of the first princess, Xiong Liling. The cloth pads used in Longuo made her uncomfortable, so she headed back to Kilin and stayed in the library there until her monthly torment from mother nature had ended before returning to her residence and preparing for the wedding in earnest.

    With Granny Bing Mei and all three of her personal maids in tow, Yuelan spent several days going through nearly every shop in the capital, including all the shops she owned, to find a suitable wedding gift for the bride and groom.

    Inside an antique store, Yuelan studied a matching set of paintings and a porcelain vase, all three of which had been created as a set by the same artist. She wasn¡¯t sure if the artist was famous or valuable, but the paintings and vase were beautiful and Yuelan felt they would be a suitable gift for Liling and her general. After spending a few more minutes deciding, Yuelan gestured to the set and looked over to the shopkeeper. ¡°I¡¯d like to take these,¡± she informed him.

    Before the shopkeeper could speak up a young woman dressed in bright yellow interrupted. ¡°I saw this set first and have already decided to purchase it,¡± she insisted. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±

    Yuelan felt the other girl looked familiar and she frowned a little as she tried to place where she had seen her and what her name was. After a couple of seconds she managed to remember. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Wang,¡± she said, her tone pleasant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I made the request of the shopkeeper first.¡±

    Wang Chunming frowned and her eyes narrowed at Yuelan. ¡°Oh, so you do know who I am. Who do you think you are, trying to take something that belongs to me, a daughter of the first wife of a prime minister and the eldest young miss of the right prime minister¡¯s manor?¡±

    ¡°It seems Miss Wang has forgotten our meeting at the cherry blossom viewing,¡± Yuelan answered calmly. ¡°Even though it was Miss Wang who challenged me to compete with our guzhengs.¡± She gave the other girl a polite smile.

    Wang Chunming snorted. ¡°A nobody from nowhere who claims to be the daughter of a prime minister in some country nobody has ever heard of before. Who are you to challenge me? You¡¯re probably just an orphan Lord Long picked up on the streets and made up a story for to give you some presentability.¡± Her tone was scathing and she flicked a lock of dark brown hair over her shoulder as she lifted her chin.

    ¡°The country is called Kilin,¡± Yuelan politely reminded Wang Chunming. ¡°And this has nothing to do with purchasing the paintings and vase.¡± She turned to look at the shopkeeper. ¡°My maid, Camphor, will supply the taels. Please have it delivered to my Crystal Moon Residence in the next two hours.¡±

    The shopkeeper started to open his mouth, but he was again cut off by Wang Chunming. ¡°How dare you? I told you, I am purchasing these paintings and that vase! What do you even know about the artist? Probably nothing at all! How could you appreciate the value of what you¡¯re purchasing?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and ignored the irate prime minister¡¯s daughter, instead keeping her attention on the shopkeeper. ¡°Please. I still have a few more stops to make before I return home, but I¡¯d like these delivered as soon as possible.¡±

    The shopkeeper didn¡¯t bother trying to speak this time. He saluted politely and went to start moving the items.

    Wang Chungming let out an enraged shriek. ¡°What are you doing?! I said I was purchasing these items! How could you sell them to this floozy?!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps Miss Wang should be mindful of her face,¡± Yuelan suggested in a kind tone. ¡°There are other customers and more outside. Such words and actions would not benefit your prime minister¡¯s estate at all.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The other girl¡¯s dark eyes flashed and she lifted a hand, bringing it down to slap Yuelan.

    Yuelan could have resisted, but she happened to see a certain someone entering the shop and let the blow land on her cheek instead. The slap was harder than she¡¯d anticipated and the stinging pain on her fair-skinned cheek caused a few tears to well in her eyes.

    The noise attracted the attention of the person who had just entered and he looked over, his eyes darkening when he saw Yuelan¡¯s fair cheek had a red mark in the shape of a handprint on it. ¡°What happened?¡± Guangfeng demanded, arriving in front of the two girls in just a few steps.

    Wang Chunming looked startled, then quickly tried to cover up the issue with a story. ¡°This horrible miss was making inappropriate comments about Your Highness and the other princes,¡± she lied. ¡°I slapped her to teach her that what she was saying should not be said!¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes went from Yuelan¡¯s red cheek to Wang Chunming. ¡°I was not asking you, Miss Wang,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°Be silent.¡± His eyes moved on to the shopkeeper as Wang Chunming frowned in confusion. The third prince had an aura about him that he had never seemed to have before. ¡°Speak.¡±

    The shopkeeper dropped to his knees to salute Guangfeng. ¡°Your Highness the third prince, this young miss here offered to purchase this set of two paintings and a vase made by the artist Bolang. She is prepared to pay and has already made arrangements, but Miss Wang came over and insisted that the vase and paintings belong to her and started making accusations against this miss,¡± he explained.

    The third prince turned his hard, hazel eyes to Yuelan and they softened as he reached out to gently brush her red cheek with the tips of his fingers. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Long?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Is what the shopkeeper said true?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Yuelan answered, lifting her hand to brush his away. ¡°It was only one slap. And yes, that is what happened. I am trying to purchase these items for Liling¡¯s wedding gift, but Miss Wang came over and started shouting for no reason.¡± She tilted her head to the side and gave him an innocent looking smile. ¡°But Your Highness, I don¡¯t understand a word that Miss Wang used. What is a floozy?¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression immediately darkened and he turned his eyes to Miss Wang. ¡°You would insult the young woman chosen by the emperor himself to become the next crown princess by calling her a prostitute?¡± he demanded furiously. ¡°You would accuse the ward of Lord Long He of being a flashy woman with loose morals? You would insult the imperial family by making such allegations against someone chosen to become the wife of a prince?¡±

    Wang Chunming¡¯s expression paled and she quickly dropped to her knees in a deep salute. ¡°Your Highness the third prince, I said no such thing!¡± she protested. ¡°M-miss Long is lying to you!¡±

    The third prince turned to look at Granny Bing Mei. ¡°Granny Bing. You have served in the palace and are known for your loyalty to the imperial family. Who is telling the truth?¡±

    The old woman smiled. ¡°Miss Long is, of course. Could she ask Your Highness to define a word she had never heard before?¡±

    Xiong Guangfeng raised his hands and clapped twice. Two guards immediately came forward and saluted. ¡°Take Miss Wang back to the right prime minister¡¯s manor and inform her father of what has happened. Tell him that if he does not properly discipline his daughter and teach her the rules then this prince will send a granny from the palace to do it.¡±

    The guards nodded then each grabbed one of Wang Chunming¡¯s arms and dragged her out of the store. The girl seemed too stunned and frightened to try to resist them and her face was chalk white.

    Guangfeng turned to Yuelan. ¡°I believe you have medicine in your residence to ease the pain in your cheek and bring down the swelling?¡± he asked, his green-flecked, brown eyes softening again.

    ¡°I do,¡± Yuelan assured him. The corners of her small mouth turned down in a frown and she pouted a little. ¡°I was going to do some more shopping while I was out, but if the swelling is really that bad I suppose I¡¯ll have to go home and take care of my face first¡­¡±

    The third prince gave her a helpless smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re recovered from the last time we met,¡± he tells her. ¡°What were you shopping for? Perhaps I can help?¡±

    Yuelan waved her hand. ¡°Nothing really. I just wanted to keep looking around.¡±

    ¡°Would you like me to send you home?¡± Guangfeng offered.

    ¡°No, I have my carriage nearby,¡± Yuelan answered. She turned to Camphor. ¡°Settle things with the shopkeeper and I¡¯ll wait for you in the carriage,¡± she instructed.

    Camphor stepped toward the shopkeeper, gave him a charming smile, and started discussing the price and the delivery of the paintings and vase as Yuelan headed out of the antique shop and toward her nearby carriage.

    Guangfeng watched Yuelan go with a helpless look on his face.

 Chapter Thirty-four

    The handprint on Yuelan¡¯s cheek had faded on its own by later that same evening and she spent the remaining days preparing to attend Liling¡¯s wedding. The three items she had chosen for a gift were packed carefully into a red and gold chest so they wouldn¡¯t be damaged and the gown that Granny Bing Mei had made was brought for a fitting then put away carefully to wait for the day of the wedding.

    The first day of summer Yuelan was woken early by Laurel. She ate breakfast, then dressed in the new, green gown and embroidered slippers with some assistance from Willow before sitting down and allowing Laurel and Willow to do her hair while Camphor explained what Yuelan would need to do for the wedding and wedding banquet. Since Yuelan was a guest and not part of the wedding party, there wasn¡¯t actually much for her to do. She only needed to show up, deliver the gift, greet the imperial family, and take her seat to watch the proceedings and eat the food after.

    Once hair and makeup were finished Yuelan turned to look in the full-length mirror. Half her long, raven hair had been wrapped around wires to form two loops that stood up and the rest flowing down her back. Elegant accessories made of silver and pearls adorned the spot where the loops met and a string of pearls had been carefully positioned to appear like a circlet. The formal, ancient style felt odd to Yuelan and it all seemed rather heavy. Seeing her appearance in the mirror, Yuelan felt like she was staring at another person from some period drama back in Kilin instead of looking at her own image. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d felt that way, but this time the feeling was the strongest. Most of the time her hairstyles were simple, but elegant with only a few accessories. She¡¯d dressed up that way for the new year celebrations every year, so it wasn¡¯t such a big deal. Even the cherry blossom viewing she¡¯d attended hadn¡¯t been as formal as this wedding and hadn¡¯t required such an intricate style.

    ¡°Very well done,¡± Yuelan complimented her maids, who both looked quite pleased with themselves. ¡°I don¡¯t even recognize myself.¡±

    The maids smiled and Willow opened her mouth to speak: ¡°Miss, this style is the simplest formal style. There are many more we are capable of and we would be happy to style Miss¡¯ hair this way at any time¡­¡±

    Yuelan waved her hand. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I much prefer the simple styles you do every day,¡± she told them.

    Laurel and Willow both sighed, clearly wanting to be allowed to make their mistress look more elegant every day.

    The corner of Yuelan¡¯s mouth twitched and her green eyes sparkled in amusement. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need to be at the wedding soon, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± all three maids agreed before gathering around her and heading out of the courtyard a couple steps behind her. They followed Yuelan to the carriage while discussing quietly among themselves. Once Yuelan was inside Camphor and Laurel got in with her and Willow stayed behind.

    ***

    The wedding banquet was being held at the Chang family¡¯s residence, though Liling had informed Yuelan that she and Chang Biming would be moving into the princess¡¯ estate the emperor had prepared after the first month of their marriage. Liling had seemed quite excited discussing it and her cheeks had flushed a rosy pink, so Yuelan knew the princess was pleased with the marriage, even if she hadn¡¯t had a say in who she married at all.

    Yuelan¡¯s carriage stopped in front of the Chang residence and Camphor and Laurel helped her out of the carriage, then took up their places behind her while a couple of servants got the red and gold trunk containing the paintings and vase Yuelan was gifting and carried it to the gates to deliver it to the manor¡¯s servants.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    The entire manor had been decorated in red and gold ribbons and plaques with the characters for ¡°happiness,¡± ¡°wealth,¡± ¡°longevity,¡± and ¡°fertility¡± painted on them hung from the ribbons, doorways, walls, and other surfaces.

    Yuelan had never met the old general, but the middle-aged man was standing in the entrance to the manor greeting the guests as they entered. When Yuelan stepped up to the general she gave him a polite salute, but the general gave one that was much deeper and more formal.

    ¡°Lady Long,¡± the older man said in a deep, gruff voice that carried easily to all the guests. ¡°You honor my home with your presence.¡±

    Never having had anyone actually salute her so formally, Yuelan wasn¡¯t quite certain what to do and her cheeks turned a little pink. ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to be so formal,¡± she said in her softer, higher voice. ¡°Today is a joyous occasion for Liling and the young general.¡± Fortunately, the spartan training Yuelan had received both in Kilin and from Granny Mei took over and allowed Yuelan to ease through the situation.

    The older general stood and grinned at Yuelan. ¡°Thank you, my lady. My son says most of the princes have high praises for you and the first princess enjoys your company greatly.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for the princes or Princess Liling, but I do enjoy Princess Liling¡¯s company. The young general is fortunate to have such a beautiful and kind wife,¡± Yuelan replied. She nodded to the general and excused herself so he could greet other guests as she followed another member of the Chang family to the tables.

    All of the princes except for the fourth prince were present, though the rest of the imperial family had not arrived and were presumably still at the imperial palace with the bride participating in the part of the ceremony where the groom had to go and claim her. Yuelan saluted the princes. ¡°Your Highnesses,¡± she said, giving the four young men a polite smile.

    The princes smiled back at her and returned her greeting, though the sixth prince grinned at Yuelan and waved cheerfully like a young child, his innocent eyes sparkling. Yuelan turned and followed the girl from the Chang family who was escorting her to her seat, which happened to be at the same table as the princesses from the royal family. Because the princesses had yet to arrive, Yuelan was all alone at the table.

    Other guests were mingling and Yuelan watched them all curiously. Having never attended a wedding banquet and never seen so many families still adhering to traditions her country considered antiquated, she was curious.

    After a few minutes of Yuelan observing others, Guangfeng approached her and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the look on your face before,¡± he teased. ¡°It¡¯s the same look you had the first day you arrived here. Are things so strange for you?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± she replied. ¡°The traditions are similar in both our countries, even though there are some differences. I¡¯ve just never been to a wedding before.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled and sat beside her. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± Yuelan smiled and chuckled as well. ¡°Granny Mei made sure to go over every single detail with me every day for the last two weeks. How could there possibly be any remaining questions?¡±

    The third prince smiled and leaned back, the aura around him relaxed and calm. ¡°Not even questions about the people attending?¡±

    ¡°I prefer to observe and learn for myself,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°When they¡¯re not sure who you are people tend to act more naturally. Those are the interactions I¡¯m most interested in.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°You¡¯re at a table for the imperial family, though, so most will be trying to get on your good side.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m already used to that. I¡¯ve had plenty of people try to get close to me since I started attending events with my father when I was a child. With enough experience you learn to distinguish between who is genuine and who wants something from you.¡±

    ¡°What of those who are both?¡± Guangfeng asked, his gaze losing its lazy feeling and becoming more intense.

    Yuelan turned her head to look at him and shrugged. ¡°It depends on the person and what they want from me. In your case, I¡¯m in no rush to make a decision.¡±

    ¡°Mm, so I noticed. You should do your hair up like this more often. It looks good on you.¡± The prince stood after giving the compliment and returned to his seat with his brothers.

    A bit startled, Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned a bit pink and she forced herself to look out at the other guests instead of at the princes.

 Chapter Thirty-five

    A eunuch¡¯s high voice announced the arrival of the emperor, empress, and Princesses Ainuan and Ruzhen. All the guests rose and most of them knelt and put their heads to the floor. Yuelan performed a salute down to her knees as she¡¯d been taught to do by Granny Mei and the princes performed a similar salute, but intended solely for men. Everyone maintained their positions until the emperor, empress, and two princesses had taken their seats, when the emperor waved his hand and announced, ¡°You may all rise. The bridal sedan will be here shortly.¡±

    Yuelan rose gracefully to her feet, unlike the first time she¡¯d tried to perform such a salute and ended up tripping over her own feet in front of Guangfeng. She sat down and gave a polite smile to each of the two princesses, who were sitting to her right. The only one who returned the smile was the younger princess, Ruzhen.

    The sound of bells and drums announced the arrival of the bridal sedan and Yuelan turned her attention back to the gates of the General¡¯s estate. She watched General Chang Biming help his bride out of the sedan and hand her one end of a silk ribbon, which they each held in their right hands as they walked toward the emperor side by side. Liling¡¯s red gown was embroidered with phoenixes outlined in gold and her veil covered her face, making it impossible for anyone to see her face or, most likely, for her to see where she was going, but Yuelan could see the young general carefully guiding her so she wouldn¡¯t fall.

    Yuelan smiled and watched as the couple performed the required bows to the statue of the marriage goddess that had been placed in a prominent place near the emperor, then to both parents before finally bowing to each other. After that, General Chang Biming lifted the princess¡¯ veil and each of them was handed a glass of wine. They crossed their arms at the elbows and each took a sip to complete the ceremony.

    Curious, Yuelan studied Liling¡¯s makeup as best she could from where she was sitting. It was a bit heavier than normal and a red flower had been painted between her eyebrows. Her cheeks were more pink than usual, though a lot of that could have been from blushing rather than blush.

    The couple walked around to each table and saluted the guests and when they reached Yuelan¡¯s table the two princesses to her right gave congratulations to Liling and then fell silent. Yuelan smiled at Liling. ¡°Congratulations, Liling,¡± she said happily. ¡°You look very happy and beautiful.¡±

    Liling¡¯s cheeks turned a little more pink and she smiled. ¡°Thank you, Yuelan. When is it going to be your turn?¡± The first princess¡¯ eyes sparkled as she teased her friend.

    Yuelan smiled and shook her head. ¡°Not yet, I think. I¡¯m not ready to make such a decision. And I want to speak with my father about it as well.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t make my brothers and father wait for too long or they¡¯ll start to get impatient,¡± Liling continued to tease.

    ¡°You should go and greet your other guests,¡± Yuelan replied, changing the subject to avoid having to continue the discussion in a public setting.

    ¡°I will, but I¡¯m looking forward to the day I get to call you sister, Yuelan.¡± Liling smiled at Yuelan and her new husband gave a polite bow before walking to the next table.

    ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t know what Father Emperor sees in riffraff like you,¡± Princess Ainuan snorted in disdain. ¡°And how could he possibly put the fate of the entire kingdom in the hands of a woman nobody even knows, whether Lord He approves of you or not.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Yuelan looked over at the second princess. ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness, but I don¡¯t think such words are fitting for such an important celebration. This is an auspicious day and we wouldn¡¯t want to bring bad luck to the bride and groom.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s right, second sister,¡± Princess Ruzhen agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin eldest sister¡¯s special day with your poor attitude. You¡¯d be furious if she said something similar at your own wedding, which will be just after the mid-autumn banquet.¡±

    ¡°None of you will be attending my wedding,¡± Princess Ainuan snorted and turned her head away, ignoring both of them.

    The third princess turned to Yuelan and gave her an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about second sister¡¯s attitude. She¡¯s always like this,¡± she said gently. ¡°Her imperial mother is the empress and she is the only daughter of an empress, so she has to be sent to Zhongshu to marry a prince from their imperial family and she¡¯s upset because she doesn¡¯t want to travel so far.¡±

    ¡°I remember Prince Guangfeng mentioning Zhongshu once. His mother was from there, correct?¡± Yuelan asked curiously.

    ¡°She was. It¡¯s to the west,¡± Princess Ruzhen answered. ¡°To the east is the sea, the south has Lanzhou, and the north is Kitakuni. Kitakuni speaks a different language, so their country¡¯s name is quite strange.¡±

    ¡°It means ¡®north country,¡¯ right?¡± Yuelan asked, smiling a little.

    Princess Ruzhen looked a bit startled. ¡°Well...yes, I think so. I¡¯m not familiar with the language myself, so I couldn¡¯t tell you for certain. Fourth brother or fifth brother might be able to, though. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I learned a bit of that language back home in Kilin,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I¡¯m not as skilled in it as I would like to be, but I can understand and speak a little.¡±

    ¡°Even a little is rather impressive. Father Emperor always has a translator when he¡¯s speaking with their representatives,¡± the third princess praised.

    The first princess let out a snort. ¡°It¡¯s just one language. What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°I speak three other languages nearly as fluently as I speak our language as well,¡± she answered. ¡°It¡¯s just that the language of Kitakuni is a little difficult for me.¡±

    Princess Ruzhen¡¯s large eyes widened even more. ¡°Miss Long is quite impressive!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°What need is there to know so many languages?¡± Princess Ainuan scoffed. ¡°Is she a man who will participate in politics? No. She¡¯s a woman who will remain in the harem to be pampered and rarely seen. It¡¯s not as though those languages will ever come in handy.¡±

    The third princess¡¯ cheeks puffed out in an adorable manner and she glared at her sister, but Yuelan put a hand on Ruzhen¡¯s shoulder and smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Yuelan assured her. ¡°I¡¯m not offended. She¡¯s wrong, anyway. I¡¯m not the kind to be hidden away and pampered. I prefer to assist in any way that I can.¡±

    A cheer broke out among some of the younger men attending the banquet, drawing the attention of the three girls. The bride and groom had greeted the last of the tables and were making their way toward a courtyard that had been decorated and set up as the bridal chambers.

    General Chang Taikang stood, thanked the guests for coming, and announced that they were welcome to stay longer, but the official banquet had ended. The members of the imperial family all rose and started to leave, though the third prince stopped in front of Yuelan.

    ¡°May I have the pleasure of escorting you home, Miss Long?¡± Guangfeng asked her. ¡°There is...something I wish to speak to you about in private.¡±

    Yuelan considered the request for a moment, then nodded and rose to her feet. ¡°I suppose I should accept, in that case,¡± she replied.

    The third prince looked a bit relieved and he smiled at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± He held his arm out to Yuelan to help her walk once she had come out from around the table and Yuelan placed her hand on his forearm where it was covered by his sleeve and let him lead her out of the general¡¯s manor and toward his carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone inform your carriage to follow mine.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-six

    Once everyone was settled in Guangfeng¡¯s carriage, Yuelan looked over at the third prince and waited for him to say what it was he wanted to say. To her surprise, the usually flippant prince seemed unexpectedly serious and even a bit nervous. There was a tense silence in the carriage for two full minutes before the third prince finally let out a sigh and started to speak:

    ¡°I am leaving the capital. I volunteered to handle the war with Lanzhou in place of Chang Biming so that Liling¡¯s wedding wouldn¡¯t have to be put off and she wouldn¡¯t have to send him off right after. At the rate things are going, I¡¯ll be officially ordered south at the end of next week.¡±

    Yuelan wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so she remained silent and just nodded to acknowledge she was paying attention, though when Guangfeng looked at her, his eyes were pleading and she had no choice but to ask, ¡°Why are you telling me this? What is it that you want?¡±

    ¡°I want you to wait to make a decision until I come back,¡± Guangfeng told her. ¡°Leaving the capital will give my brothers a great advantage when it comes to being able to spend time with you and trying to win you over. I won¡¯t be able to do anything more than send you letters and hope you read them and maybe respond, and I may not even have time for that. I¡¯ll be fighting a war. Most of my time will be focused on how to win it with the fewest number of losses possible.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re asking me to wait to decide on a future husband while you go out and do your job as a prince?¡± Yuelan clarified, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t mind promising that at all. You volunteered for your sister¡¯s happiness, right? Not only are you being a caring older brother, but you¡¯re caring for your people and being responsible for them. That¡¯s worth more to me than hiding in the capital where it¡¯s safe and making someone else handle all the dangers for you.¡± She hesitated, then decided to give him a small reward. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t stand the first prince and your second brother would rather support you if you¡¯re going to actually be serious about fighting for the throne. He just doesn¡¯t want the first prince to have the throne.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s entire body stiffened and his hazel eyes widened a little. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­¡±

    She smiled and shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re really the only one in the running anyway,¡± she told him. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to just give in and announce a decision because of that. Especially with you leaving the capital. The first prince gives me a bad feeling and all the other princes have been warning me to watch out for him and the empress. To keep myself safe, the best thing to do is to wait.¡± Her look turned serious and she stared straight at Guangfeng. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t love you. Even if the emperor wants to force me to choose one of you princes I¡¯m not going to marry anyone unless I have feelings for them. If I had never come here I would have been free to choose anyone I wanted, and I¡¯m not going to give that up.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Guangfeng assures her. ¡°I promise I will do my best to court you properly when I return. You may not love me yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean your feelings can¡¯t change. Besides, you¡¯re still young and your country doesn¡¯t even allow you to get married for another two years, I believe. There¡¯s still time and I agree that feelings are important. Especially if we¡¯re making a commitment to a monogamous marriage.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s smile returned to her face and she nodded. The carriage stopped right in front of her residence and she prepared to get down as she told him, ¡°Come see me again before you leave. I want to give you a present.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Guangfeng promised, getting up to help her down from the carriage.

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    Two days later Yuelan came out of her courtyard to find herself face to face with Long He. ¡°Miss Yuelan,¡± he greeted. ¡°I¡¯ve come to invite you to the library. Everything is arranged for the ceremony needed for me to bind myself to you as your contracted spirit beast. Once that is done, it will be much easier for me to protect you. It took some time to gather some of the items needed because they¡¯re quite difficult to find now, but I finished gathering them.¡±

    Yuelan blinked a few times while she tried to convince her still-tired brain to finish waking up and start working. ¡°Isn¡¯t...morning court still in session?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I skipped it,¡± Long He answered, shrugging. ¡°This is more important. You¡¯ll need to form a contract with a divine spirit beast before you can begin your tenure as the priestess, but you also need a contract with a member of the dragon clan and as I am the guardian of the library and promised your ancestor I would assist her descendant, that responsibility and pleasure is mine.¡±

    ¡°So...We¡¯re going now?¡± Yuelan clarified as she covered her mouth to yawn.

    ¡°Correct.¡± Long He nodded and headed toward the front gates. ¡°I already had Chung Soo prepare the carriage for you.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Yuelan followed along behind Long He, still feeling rather sleepy. She had been intending to go and read in the gazebo and maybe take a nap there, but it seemed she¡¯d have to travel in the carriage instead. ¡°How long will this take? I want to meet with Guangfeng before he leaves for the south¡­¡±

    Long He frowned. ¡°The third prince is heading south?¡±

    ¡°Mhm. He¡¯s taking over the armies for General Chang Biming, who just married Liling,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°I wanted to find something that could be used as a protective charm to give him before he left¡­¡±

    The dragon looked over at Yuelan and studied her for a moment before smiling. ¡°I see. Something made with black tourmaline would be suitable,¡± he suggested. ¡°It has properties that would be beneficial to him in such a situation.¡±

    Yuelan looked down at the black jade bracelet on her wrist. ¡°You said something similar before when you were talking about the stones in this bracelet,¡± she recalled. The two reached the carriage and she climbed inside it, Willow following behind her and then Long He.

    The dragon smiled as he sat down. ¡°Well, if you know what you''re doing you can use black jade to create a barrier to protect yourself.¡± He lifted a finger and pointed at each stone as he continued. ¡°The seriphos green quartz here can be used to cauterize wounds and stimulate healing. Amber draws out infection and impurities. And faden quartz can be used to heal broken bones, muscle tears, and even reconnect nerves or repair the nervous system. Of course, to be able to manage the last one you¡¯d need as much knowledge on the nervous system as a neurologist from your world has. For the others you could get by with studying anatomy and knowing how the muscles and bones connect to each other.¡±

    Yuelan stared at Long He. ¡°Wait...how do they do that? Aren¡¯t they just pretty rocks?¡±

    Long He chuckled. ¡°By themselves, yes. And it¡¯s been a long time since magic was commonly used by humans in this world. It¡¯s out of balance, so unless a human has a strong natural talent for it, like yourself, it isn¡¯t really possible for them to learn anymore. To use magic, you have to have a stone that has properties related to what you want to do. Most of them have healing or protection properties, though there are others, such as diamonds, that allow for other things. Diamonds are what allow you to travel between your home and this world, remember?¡±

    Yuelan chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. ¡°This...is something I¡¯ll need to learn, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked with a quiet sigh.

    ¡°It is, but it¡¯s also something I can teach,¡± Long He assured her. ¡°And there are books left behind by the last priestess that you can study as well.¡±

    ¡°I think I know what I¡¯ll be doing while Guangfeng is in the south then. ¡°I need to be able to defend myself. And being able to heal others doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea, either.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish, I¡¯d be happy to assist. Once we¡¯ve finished the contract ceremony I will pull the books you need from storage and give them to you.¡±

    Yuelan gave the dragon an odd look. ¡°The library has a storage? I thought everything was always available¡­¡±

    The corner of Long He¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Only to you, Miss Yuelan¡­¡±

 Chapter Thirty-seven

    When they reached the library, Long He took Yuelan to a door she had never seen before that led to a set of stone stairs heading down. The dragon glared at Willow to keep the servant girl back as he closed the door and started down the stairs with Yuelan.

    Looking a bit more closely, the stairs seemed to have been carved from the bedrock underneath the library and glowing stones lit the way just as they lit the library. Yuelan continued down the spiraling staircase for a while and was feeling dizzy by the time she reached the bottom. She put her hand on the rough, damp wall to steady herself and shuddered a bit at the unfamiliar feeling.

    Once the world was no longer spinning around her, Yuelan turned her curious eyes to look around. She was in a cave. It couldn¡¯t really be described as a room because the walls looked like they were naturally formed instead of cut by human hands. There was a tunnel a few feet from where Yuelan stood at the bottom of the stairs. On the floor of the cave was a pool of water. From where she stood, Yuelan couldn¡¯t tell how deep the pool was, but in the center was a low, stone pillar with a stone placed on top of it. Nine more pillars at the edge of the pool also had stones placed on them. The light was too dim for Yuelan to be able to tell what color the stones were, let alone what kind of stone they were.

    ¡°Stand in front of the purple jade in the center of the pool. I will be on the other side in my natural form,¡± Long He instructed Yuelan. The dragon walked over to the pool and stepped into the water before diving underneath. A rumble started and some loose rocks at the edge of the pool rattled on the ground before the head, shoulders, and forelegs of an immense, silver dragon rose above the water. One of the dragon¡¯s fingers was the same length as Yuelan¡¯s entire body.

    Yuelan stared at Long He with her green eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. She had seen Long He¡¯s dragon form before, but he hadn¡¯t been much bigger than a human at the time. Apparently he¡¯d been serious about destroying the library if he¡¯d taken to his full size when he first revealed his secret.

    The silver dragon said nothing and waited, his large eyes on Yuelan, for her to step onto the water, which was obviously quite deep just based on the amount of dragon above the water.

    It took a few minutes for Yuelan to regain her composure and step toward the pool. When she looked down she saw that part of Long He¡¯s serpentine body was just under the surface of the water, making a path for her to stand on so she wouldn¡¯t have to swim or risk drowning.

    Licking her lips, the girl stepped onto the dragon and carefully made her way toward the pillar in the center. The top of the pillar only reached Yuelan¡¯s waist and the stone placed on top of it was a vibrant, purple jade, just as Long He had said.

    ¡°Relax and concentrate on the crystal.¡± Long He¡¯s voice was deeper and rumbled in the cave as he spoke, guiding Yuelan in what to do to begin the bonding ritual. His voice continued to instruct her until her mind was in the state it needed to be in.

    Yuelan felt relaxed with her mind open and even a little vulnerable, which made her a bit nervous, though she kept Long He¡¯s instructions in mind and her eyes closed to concentrate better. After a while she could feel another, familiar presence merging with hers and she deeply inhaled, slowly letting the breath out. The presence wrapped itself around her, then slowly withdrew until only a glowing spark remained in a corner of her heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s finished,¡± Long He said softly as Yuelan slowly opened her eyes. She felt strange, weaker but somehow stronger at the same time. Her legs shook as she started to walk along Long He¡¯s body toward the edge of the pool and stepped onto solid ground again.

    ¡°I will take you up to your room to rest,¡± Long He told Yuelan. ¡°You will have recovered your strength by tomorrow morning. While you¡¯re resting I will collect the books you¡¯ll need to begin your training.¡± He pointed with one claw at the tunnel Yuelan had noticed in the beginning. ¡°The library storage is through there. All books in there are intended only for you to see as the priestess. Follow your instincts when perusing them and you will find what you need.¡±

    Yuelan didn¡¯t feel up to speaking, so she only nodded and started toward the stairs, though she wasn¡¯t really looking forward to climbing them. Just as she set her foot on the bottom step she felt a gust of wind and found herself being carried in the dragon¡¯s foreclaws, which were now smaller, the entire hand from palm to tip of claw the length of Yuelan¡¯s body instead of only one claw. When he set her down seconds later she was already at the top of the stairs. Her hair was in disarray from the wind, her cheeks a bit flushed, and the startled look in her eyes made her look a bit wild.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Willow had obviously been waiting and worrying, as once Yuelan appeared at the top of the stairs she ran over. ¡°Miss! Are you alright?¡±

    Yuelan nodded and tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry.

    ¡°She needs rest is all,¡± Long He informed the maid. The dragon had resumed his human form before Willow could notice him. ¡°Take her to her room and get her some tea.¡±

    Willow looked at Yuelan¡¯s disheveled state. Her hair was a mess, the hem of her gown and her shoes were wet, and one sleeve was sliding off her shoulder, revealing fair, white skin.

    ¡°Lord Long, what did you do to my miss?!¡± Willow exclaimed. The maid clearly had gotten the wrong impression. She wrapped her arms around Yuelan and pulled her over, taking a protective stance.

    Long He looked confused. ¡°I formed a bond with her,¡± he explained.

    Willow¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°Lord Long!¡± The maid stamped her foot and glared at him. ¡°You can¡¯t treat Miss this way! How could you take her purity?!¡±

    The dragon blinked, then frowned. ¡°I did no such thing. We formed a contract as mistress and spirit beast, that is all. I¡¯ve no interest in...those sorts of things. Take your misunderstanding elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Then why is Miss in this state?!¡± Willow demanded.

    Yuelan lifted a shaky hand and put it on Willow¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The wind. Long He flew me up the stairs. I¡¯m tired and could use a cup of tea¡­¡± Her dry throat made her voice a bit scratchy and the sound drew Willow¡¯s attention back to her.

    ¡°Of course, Miss. I¡¯ll get you some tea once you¡¯re back in your room. Is there anything else?¡±

    Yuelan shook her head and started walking to her room in the library¡¯s living quarters as Long He turned and went back down the stairs.

    ***

    Yuelan stayed in the library for a couple of days before packing up the books Long He gave her and going back to the capital. As soon as they were back she headed for the shops to find a gift made of black tourmaline that she could give to Guangfeng to take with him. She searched nearly every shop before she finally found a waist pendant made of black tourmaline and carved into the image of a tiger. Smiling, she purchased the pendant and headed back to her residence, then instructed Chung Soo to send an invitation to Guangfeng¡¯s palace to invite him to tea the next day at Red Orchid Teahouse.

    Yuelan made sure to arrive at the teahouse early and was taken to a private room. Willow, Camphor, and Laurel were all present and had opted for seats that were inconspicuous and still allowed them a view of their miss just in case. When Guangfeng arrived he brought only one male servant with him, who joined the three maids as Guangfeng sat across the table from Yuelan.

    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve sent an invitation to any of us,¡± Guangfeng observed, smiling a little. ¡°Not worried it might cause you some trouble?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Yuelan answered, smiling a little. The teahouse employee set snacks on the table, poured them each tea, and then disappeared. Yuelan lifted her teacup and took a sip. ¡°I¡¯ve dropped enough hints lately that I don¡¯t really like the first prince, but he hasn¡¯t seemed to notice. A more obvious hint seemed appropriate, especially with you leaving soon.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and took a sip of his own tea. ¡°So the beautiful Miss Long Yuelan only wanted to see her potential lover before he left, is that it?¡± he asked. His eyes were serious, but there was a sparkle to them and a smile on his face.

    Yuelan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself. I just wanted to give you something.¡± She snorted and looked down as she reached into her sleeve and pulled the small box with the black tourmaline pendant out of it. She set it on the table and pushed it toward the third prince with two fingers.

    Curious, Guangfeng took the box and opened it. He blinked and lifted the black pendant from the box. ¡°A black tiger? Seems an interesting choice¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s black tourmaline,¡± Yuelan explained, her voice an embarrassed mumble. ¡°Long He said it could help you while you¡¯re taking care of the coming war. It has protective properties and something about it helping you have a clear mind to make sound judgements¡­¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression turned soft and he studied the girl in front of him. He smiled and removed the pendant at his waist made from green jade, setting it on the table in front of her before tying the new pendant to his belt. ¡°Thank you. This pendant was given to me by my mother when I was a child. I¡¯d like you to hold onto it until I return.¡±

    Yuelan frowned at him. ¡°Why should I? There¡¯s nothing actually between us.¡± Her cheeks puffed out a little and she frowned at him.

    The third prince chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear it. I just want you to keep it safe for me, that¡¯s all.¡± His hand stretched out and he touched her chin to look carefully into her green eyes with his hazel ones. ¡°Please?¡±

    Yuelan stared blankly for a moment, then jerked her head away as a blush stained her cheeks. ¡°Fine, but if you take too long to come back I might sell it.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and picked up his teacup to give his hands something to do other than try to touch her soft, white skin again. ¡°It¡¯s adorable when you act like this,¡± he said softly.

    Yuelan stood up, teacup in hand, and poured the tea onto his head before she turned and walked out of the private room to go back to her residence.

 Chapter Thirty-eight

    The third prince left the capital the following day with a group of thirty thousand soldiers to add to the thirty thousand already at the southern border. More soldiers were being gathered and redistributed to increase the numbers in the south and would join Guangfeng and his forces there within the next couple of months.

    On the day that Guangfeng left the capital, Yuelan joined the crowds that gathered to bid farewell to the prince and his soldiers. She said nothing and didn¡¯t stand out from the crowd, only finding a place to stand where she could see and watch them leave the capital. The jade pendant Guangfeng had asked her to keep safe for him hung from her waist and she rubbed it absently.

    When the procession was out of sight, Yuelan turned and headed back to the Crystal Moon Residence. She went straight to her study and dove into the scrolls that Long He had given her to study so that she would be able to start learning the basics of magic. Most of the scrolls described various crystals that had power to them and what those crystals could do. They were divided into three types: healing, protection, and ¡®other.¡¯ The ¡®other¡¯ category included things like foresight, transportation, or creating bonds.

    It was a lot to take in, and Yuelan wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to remember it all, but she at least did what she could to remember the ones that she thought would be the most useful. The scrolls also indicated that while humans had to have crystals in order to bring out magic, spiritual beasts like dragons had no such requirement. Also, magic couldn¡¯t be used to attack (unless you were a spiritual beast), only defend, heal, or grant extra abilities.

    Two months passed as Yuelan continued to study and she turned down every invitation the first prince sent. He made her uncomfortable and she didn¡¯t want to see him, so she felt no guilt about refusing him. Besides, she was truly busy as she started to move from just reading to actually starting to practice connecting with the stones themselves.

    ***

    While Yuelan was focused on learning more about magic, Guangfeng was in the south. The climate was warmer than in Longuo¡¯s capital and it was already summer. The war had started and Guangfeng was busy every day handling the details and redirecting troops and arranging battle plans. It wasn¡¯t often that he had any spare time at all, let alone enough to write a letter to Yuelan. Still, the third prince did his best and usually managed to write a sentence or two before falling asleep at night.

    One such night, Guangfeng sat in the chair in his tent holding a brush in his hand and writing characters onto a sheet of off-white paper in black ink. The characters had a strong, intense look to them and were full of vitality, though the prince didn¡¯t pay much attention to making them look nice and focused more on putting his thoughts onto paper. Occasionally he would pause and his left hand would rub the black tourmaline pendant that he never took off with a small smile on his face and a gentle look in his hazel eyes.

    Just as Guangfeng finished the letter and signed his name, one of the generals underneath him arrived outside the tent. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve received a report from the front lines!¡± the general called.

    Guangfeng sighed and set down the writing brush as he stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to receive the report in a moment. Meet me in the command tent,¡± he instructed.

    The sound of a fist hitting a palm sounded and the general¡¯s affirmative declaration was easy to hear. Guangfeng sighed again. ¡°Shade...see that the letter dries and gets delivered to Miss Long,¡± he instructed the seemingly empty air. ¡°Just have someone else deliver it. There¡¯s no need for you to go yourself.¡±

    A black-clothed figure appeared, saluted the prince, and took the letter from him before disappearing again.

    Guangfeng sighed and rubbed at the tiger pendant, his eyes thoughtful. After a moment he released the pendant and headed toward the command tent.

    ***

    It had been two months since Guangfeng went south and Yuelan was feeling bored and lonely. Almost as if her thoughts were being read, Chung Soo hurried over to where Yuelan was sitting in the gazebo by the koi pond.

    ¡°Miss Long, Her Highness Princess Liling has sent an invitation for you to visit the Princess¡¯ estate,¡± the steward informed her.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Yuelan¡¯s bored expression brightened and she looked over at Chung Soo. ¡°Really? Does the invitation give a date?¡±

    The steward smiled and handed over the invitation.

    Yuelan accepted it and read through it quickly. ¡°Thank you, Chung Soo. Please order the carriage. I¡¯ll be leaving as soon as I¡¯ve gotten ready.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Miss.¡± The steward bowed and went to follow her instructions while Yuelan picked up the book she¡¯d been trying unsuccessfully to study and hurried to her courtyard to change into something more appropriate for visiting the home of a princess.

    An hour and a half later, Yuelan was seated next to Liling on a bench in the gardens of Liling¡¯s estate. They¡¯d chatted about the weather and tea on the way over and had been silent for the last couple of minutes.

    ¡°Yuelan, are you doing alright? You seem a little down.¡± Liling put a hand on Yuelan¡¯s forearm and studied the younger girl with concern written across her features.

    ¡°What?¡± Yuelan was a little startled, since she¡¯d been staring off into space. ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m fine. Guangfeng isn''t around to annoy me, I¡¯ve been avoiding the first prince successfully, and I¡¯ve had all this time to study.¡±

    Liling laughed softly. ¡°Third brother is annoying? How so?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s always teasing me. It¡¯s like he finds making me mad amusing.¡± Yuelan lets out a huff. ¡°The first prince has a tendency to treat me like an object, but Guangfeng is always making fun of me. When we first met he teased me about not being able to light a fire and told me I couldn¡¯t make tea. Almost every time I see him he teases me a little. Even right before he went south. He even said I¡¯m cute when I¡¯m annoyed, so I poured tea on his head.¡±

    Liling, first princess of Longuo, stared at Yuelan in shock. ¡°Third brother teases you? And you poured tea on his head? Yuelan, third brother doesn¡¯t tease anyone. Not normally. He must think you¡¯re special.¡±

    Yuelan snorted, but her cheeks turned a little bit pink. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±

    The two girls continued their chat until Yuelan needed to head back to her residence. Yuelan was frustrated with her boredom in the capital and that visiting Liling had just resulted in her complaining about Guangfeng and Liling¡¯s answers making her more confused and annoyed with him. It seemed that getting away from the capital was the best solution, so she decided to go up the mountain to the library for some research and to get away.

    Even getting away from everything didn¡¯t really work, as she still kept thinking about annoying Guangfeng, so she informed Long He she was going home, wrote a letter to the third prince, and then sent Shadow to deliver it before taking her mother¡¯s earrings and going to Kilin.

    While she was there she bullied her father into taking her shopping and spent some time at the prime minister¡¯s estate. She¡¯d purchased a beautiful accessory set made in an ancient style that would fit right in in Longuo while she¡¯d complained about Guangfeng and being bored and lonely to her father, who had listened to her with an amused smile on his face.

    After returning to the library, Yuelan sat on the chair in front of the dressing table making an attempt at putting her new accessory set into her hair. The set was made of platinum and had diamonds set in the shape of clusters of blossoms, making the pins appear like branches. Small pieces of light green barite formed leaves.

    By some miracle, Yuelan managed to arrange her hair on her own into a pretty style that would have made her maids quite happy to see. The matching earrings and necklace were much easier to deal with, as they could be put right on without having to arrange anything. She sat there, looking in the mirror, and smiled a little. After a few minutes, Yuelan started to wonder what Guangfeng would think of her appearance and she got up to change her clothes. She put on a light green gown, white belt, and white, long-sleeved, floor-length robe, all embroidered with silver thread. Even though the robe¡¯s sleeves were long, it was made out of silk crepe, so it was lightweight and wouldn¡¯t make her overheat.

    Yuelan studied herself in the full-length mirror in the room. After about a minute she found herself wondering what Guangfeng would think yet again and she frowned. It was annoying that now that he was gone she kept thinking about him. She had the urge to see him just so she could give him a good kick in the shin just for existing, but he was all the way in the south. Even if she went back she wouldn¡¯t be able to¡­

    The scenery around Yuelan changed. Her bedroom in the library, which looked the same no matter whether she was in Longuo or Kilin, disappeared and she found herself standing partway down a grassy hill with a familiar figure standing at the top. Around that familiar-looking back stood more men, all of whom were looking away from Yuelan. She looked around, confused, and happened to spot something out of the corner of her eye: a person with a bow, arrow locked, aiming at Guangfeng¡¯s back.

    Without really thinking about what was going on, Yuelan started to run up the hill toward Guangfeng. A moment later, the archer loosed his arrow. ¡°Guangfeng!¡± Yuelan shouted.

    The third prince heard a familiar voice that he was certain he shouldn¡¯t be able to hear and thought he had started daydreaming without realizing it. He shook his head and ignored the voice, only to hear her call his name a second time sounding panicked. This time he turned his head just in time for Yuelan to crash into his chest. Not even a second later, an arrow pierced into her shoulder and Guangfeng felt his entire body stiffen as blood soaked the hands he instinctively used to support her.

 Chapter Thirty-nine

    Guangfeng¡¯s mind went blank as he felt Yuelan¡¯s hands cling to his robes. He stared at the girl bleeding in his arms as the generals and assistants around him started shouting orders or chasing after the archer. His mind reengaged when someone tried to take Yuelan away from him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Guangfeng roared, pulling Yuelan closer and turning his body. He heard a sharp inhale from the girl and loosened his grip a little to try and reduce the pain. ¡°Summon one of the doctors to my tent immediately!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, this woman could be working with the assassin to get close to you!¡± one of the generals argued. The soldiers and army leaders had, of course, heard of Yuelan, but very few of the ones in the south had actually met her. Women were not allowed in the military camps and the third prince had banned military prostitutes, so it was impossible for a woman to have shown up without a reason.

    ¡°This prince is familiar with this girl. Get a doctor immediately!¡± Guangfeng didn¡¯t say another word to his subordinates as he carefully lifted Yuelan into his arms and started running for his tent.

    While the general who had tried to take Yuelan started to fume, another sent a runner to the physicians¡¯ tents to get a doctor sent to the prince¡¯s tent.

    Once in his tent, Guangfeng carefully put Yuelan on her stomach on the bed, grabbed a blanket, and started trying to slow the bleeding without moving the arrow. He adjusted his hands so he could staunch the bleeding with one hand and gently stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers on the other hand. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked as he did his best to keep his voice gentle. There was a slight tremble in it and he grit his teeth for a moment before asking another question. ¡°How did you even get here?¡±

    Yuelan didn¡¯t answer. Her eyes were closed and her face pale. She had fainted.

    ¡°Just hold on. I know it hurts, but a doctor will be here soon.¡± Guangfeng¡¯s voice was coaxing and gentle, even though she couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the arrow hit anything vital, but I don¡¯t want to try pulling it out. Where is Shadow? And your maids, where are they?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long for Lord Long to arrive,¡± Guangfeng comforted himself. ¡°He¡¯ll be able to explain what happened. I hope...¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I am coming in,¡± a voice called from outside the tent before a man in white robes carrying a box of medical supplies stepped into the tent. The man looked a bit confused when he saw that his patient was a woman and not the prince himself. The runner had informed him to go to the prince¡¯s tent, so he had assumed it was the prince who was injured. ¡°This miss is¡­¡±

    ¡°Lady Long Yuelan,¡± Guangfeng answered. ¡°See to her shoulder and do your best to keep it from scarring.¡±

    The doctor nodded and moved over to remove the blanket Guangfeng was using to slow the bleeding. He looked carefully at the wound then looked over at the prince and cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Your Highness...perhaps you could find one of her ladyship¡¯s maids? For uh...modesty¡¯s sake?¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s face darkened. ¡°They aren¡¯t here,¡± he said bluntly.

    ¡°Your Highness, there are no women in the camp and I will need to remove some of her ladyship¡¯s clothing to treat the wound...is her ladyship perhaps married?¡± the doctor pleaded.

    ¡°No. Just start the treatment,¡± Guangfeng ordered.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Start the treatment before she bleeds to death!¡± Guangfeng roared.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The doctor jumped, startled. ¡°Your Highness, the arrow did not hit any major vessels, so her ladyship will not bleed to death. I only mean to protect her modesty.¡±

    ¡°How long do you plan to let the arrow sit in her shoulder? Until it scars?¡± The third prince glowered at the doctor until the man started working and noise from outside caught his attention.

    People had started shouting outside the tent as the doctor checked Yuelan¡¯s wound. It had gone all the way through her shoulder, so he cut the shaft and forced it the rest of the way through to get it out with the least amount of damage.

    Guangfeng frowned and went to the entrance to the tent to shout at everyone to be quiet. As he pulled back the flap to stick his head out he spotted Long He with a shaken-looking Camphor trembling beside him.

    Long He looked at Guangfeng. ¡°You. Out. Camphor. Go in,¡± the dragon ordered.

    Guangfeng didn¡¯t argue and stepped the rest of the way out of the tent as Camphor hurried into it.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Long He asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She suddenly appeared on the hill with me. The archer was aiming at me and she intercepted the shot. She passed out, so I couldn¡¯t hear what happened.¡± He ignored the shocked looks on all the soldier¡¯s faces as they stared at the way their prince was clearly deferring to the angry, unfamiliar intruder.

    ¡°How bad?¡±

    ¡°It went through her left shoulder, but I don¡¯t think it hit anything vital. The doctor just started treating the wound,¡± Guangfeng explained honestly. His blood-covered hands clenched and he looked pale.

    Long He nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t blame you for this. It was probably an accident that she appeared here. Questions can wait until she¡¯s recovered.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°Thank you for bringing Camphor¡­¡±

    ¡°I felt her get injured and grabbed the nearest maid,¡± Long He explained with a shrug. ¡°She screamed the entire way here. I¡¯m not sure if it was the height we were flying or me that she was afraid of.¡± The dragon looked the prince up and down. ¡°I suggest a bath, Your Highness...and a change of clothes.¡± His lips curved and he chuckled. ¡°She has not been in the best mood since you left the capital. The first princess, her father, and I have all had to listen to her complain about you and then I was forced to sit through her father¡¯s interrogation on your behalf--which I left early, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Her father? I thought Kilin was too far for her to get to easily¡­¡± Guangfeng frowned and looked down at his blood-soaked clothes, then at the tent where his spare clothes were kept.

    ¡°Oh, that. It¡¯s not a complicated explanation, but this isn¡¯t the time or place. And it¡¯s her decision if she wants to tell you or not. At least clean the blood off your hands and face.¡±

    Guangfeng was about to go and comply when the doctor stepped out of the tent and bowed. ¡°Your Highness...I¡¯ve removed the arrow and bandaged the wound, but...it seems the arrow was poisoned. I¡¯m taking it back to analyze with one of my fellow physicians to see which type of poison was used so we can give Lady Long the antidote. I¡¯m not sure how she knew to check, but the maid who arrived suggested I look.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m her contracted spirit beast. I told Camphor to tell you to check for poison,¡± Long He informed the doctor. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know which kind.¡±

    The doctor looked at Long He with wide eyes, then back at the tent before quickly heading for the medical tents to start figuring out which poison they needed the antidote for.

    A moment later, Camphor stepped out of the tent and handed a set of clean clothes to Guangfeng. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve brought you a clean set of clothes.¡±

    One of the soldiers took the clothes for Guangfeng when the prince gestured for him to do so and then followed the third prince to one of the tents where baths had been set up. Just after Guangfeng had washed his hands and taken the clothes from the soldier, Shadow appeared and knelt in front of him.

    ¡°Your Highness...Master insisted I deliver the letter to you myself, or I would not have come on my own. She promised to stay in the library with Lord Long while I was gone¡­¡± The hidden guard pulled a letter from his clothes and held it out to Guangfeng.

    Guangfeng let out a sigh and took the letter. ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Guangfeng informed Shadow. ¡°In my tent and injured.¡±

    Shadow¡¯s entire body stiffened and he looked up at Guangfeng in horror. ¡°Master is...here? And injured?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to take responsibility. Her arriving here was likely an accident according to Lord Long and she was injured saving my life. Just go and watch over her to make sure she stays safe.¡± Guangfeng waved his hand and stepped into the bathing tent as Shadow disappeared.

 Chapter Forty

    Once Guangfeng had bathed and changed he handed his clothes over to the guard that usually followed him but had been on an errand earlier. He returned to his tent and stood outside it, frowning as he tried to figure out whether he could just go in or if he should ask permission to enter his own tent first.

    Fortunately, the doctor who had started treating Yuelan¡¯s injury before hurried up to him and saluted. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve brought the antidote for her ladyship¡¯s poison. It will take some time to counteract the symptoms, but I¡¯ll be able to actually close the wound now and finish her treatment.¡±

    Guangfeng relaxed and waved. ¡°Go.¡± He didn¡¯t have to make a decision yet. If the doctor was going to be removing bandages and stitching the wound then it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for him to follow after and enter the tent.

    The doctor bowed and headed inside. About half an hour later he came back out followed by Camphor.

    ¡°Your Highness, Miss is awake and said you may come in if you¡¯d like,¡± the maid told the prince before turning to the nearest soldier. ¡°Go and get clean bedding and bring it here immediately.¡±

    The soldier looked a bit startled and then his expression darkened. He started to open his mouth to object, but was cut off by Guangfeng before he could.

    ¡°Listen to her,¡± the prince ordered in a tone that did not allow for argument. ¡°While you''re at it, inform the entire camp that if she or her mistress give an instruction it is to be followed without argument.¡±

    The soldier closed his mouth and headed off, still looking quite grumpy.

    Guangfeng turned to the doctor. ¡°Any special instructions?¡± he asked.

    ¡°She is not to use that arm and until we¡¯re sure that there¡¯s no risk of infection she should stay here and not travel. It should only be a couple of days and I¡¯ve put her arm in a sling so she won¡¯t use it on accident,¡± the doctor explained. ¡°When she returns to--wherever she came from--she should see a doctor again, but it¡¯s unlikely she¡¯ll be able to use that arm for a few weeks.¡±

    The third prince sighed and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He stepped past the doctor and into the tent, followed by Camphor.

    The first thing Guangfeng looked at when he entered was Yuelan. She was still wearing the clothes she¡¯d come in and the blood on her white robe and green dress made his heart ache. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to get you a new set of clothes to wear,¡± he said quietly as he moved the only chair in the room next to the bed and sat down. ¡°They¡¯ll have to be ready-made instead of custom, but at least they won¡¯t be covered in blood¡­¡±

    Yuelan nodded, a small frown on her face as she looked at him with slightly narrowed, jade green eyes.

    Guangfeng wanted to reach a hand out and rub the crease between her eyebrows. He lifted his hand and moved it toward her, then pulled it back and put it in his lap again with a sigh. ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± he asked gently. ¡°It¡¯s my fault that you were injured¡­¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Did you shoot the arrow? No. Therefore, it¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m not mad at you.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I just got the letter you had Shadow bring me...I¡¯m not sure what I did to make you so angry, but you seemed quite upset¡­¡± Actually, the contents of the letter had made Guangfeng smile. The girl in front of him had clearly been upset when she wrote it and the tone of it felt as though he was being scolded, but everything in it had indicated she had been thinking about him quite a bit and had felt lonely in the two and a half months since he¡¯d left the capital.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The girl¡¯s cheeks puffed out and turned red as she turned away from him with a huff. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault,¡± she complained. ¡°Your oldest brother is a jerk who won¡¯t leave me alone. Your second brother decided to officially pull out and has started bugging one of my friends. There¡¯s nothing to do but study the scrolls Long He pulled out for me and there¡¯s so much information sometimes it feels like my brain is going to explode if I don¡¯t find something fun to do. But I can¡¯t go anywhere interesting because it¡¯s ¡®not proper¡¯ in your society for me to go because I¡¯m not married!¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s all my fault,¡± he agreed, even though none of it had anything to do with him in reality. ¡°Why did you step in front of that arrow instead of letting it hit me? Now you can¡¯t even use that shoulder and it¡¯ll probably leave a scar¡­¡±

    Yuelan glared at him. ¡°What else was I supposed to do? You wouldn¡¯t turn around and look so you could dodge on your own!¡±

    She was so adorable that Guangfeng couldn¡¯t help leaning closer to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought I was hearing things. You being there should have been impossible.¡±

    The girl seemed to only just realize that Guangfeng¡¯s fingers were stroking her face and she lifted her free hand to smack his away and her glare turned more angry. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded.

    The prince sighed and leaned back again. ¡°Trying to comfort you¡­you seem to have missed me quite a bit¡­¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s entire face turned red as a cherry. ¡°In your dreams! Obviously I can¡¯t stand you!¡±

    ¡°Mhm. Which is why you somehow showed up here just in time to save my life and didn¡¯t even stop to think about it first,¡± Guangfeng replied, smiling.

    She lifted her hand and leaned forward to hit him with her little fist, but Guangfeng caught it and gently wrapped his other arm around her waist. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move around too much. You¡¯ll pull the stitches and make the wound worse,¡± he advised. ¡°You¡¯ve also been poisoned. They gave you the antidote, but you still need to rest.¡±

    When she pulled her hand away he let it go, but kept his arm around her waist. It felt quite nice to hold her.

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s allowed to hurt you. Why do you think I gave you that pendant?¡± Yuelan snapped at him, pounding on his chest with her tiny fist.

    Guangfeng chuckled and stroked her hair with his free hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful,¡± he promised her. ¡°If I die, I won¡¯t be able to marry you, after all.¡±

    Yuelan stiffened. Her small, oval face turned so red it was almost purple and she looked away from him.

    The third prince smiled and carefully pulled her closer to his chest. ¡°I won¡¯t propose yet...a military camp isn¡¯t the place for it. Wait for me to go back to the capital, alright? Biming will be coming down to replace me in a few weeks now that his leave is over and I¡¯m expected to attend Ainuan¡¯s wedding after the mid-autumn banquet because my mother was a princess of the country she¡¯s marrying into and she¡¯s my younger sister.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about wanting to marry you?¡± Yuelan demanded, turning to glare at him. She reached her right hand up and pulled on his left ear. ¡°With which ear did you hear it? Hmm?¡±

    Guangfeng winced, but didn¡¯t want to let go of her and just let her pull on his ear. ¡°You didn¡¯t say it, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t make the offer¡­¡± His words were enough to make her let go of his ear and her usual anger dissipated to be replaced with shyness instead.

    Very gently, he used his fingers to turn her head to face him and gave her an earnest look. ¡°I mean it, Yuelan,¡± he said softly. ¡°I want to marry you. Not for the throne, though I won¡¯t deny that I do want to be named crown prince. I¡¯ve missed you these last two and a half months. So wait for me to come back and propose...please? And no more adventures where you could end up in danger?¡±

    Yuelan pushed on his chest to try and get him to release her, but it was so weak Guangfeng wasn¡¯t sure she was actually trying. Still, he pulled his arms back and let out a helpless sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she mumbled, refusing to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so go away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have some soldiers bring some water so Camphor can help you bathe,¡± Guangfeng told her. ¡°You can use one of my spare robes for tonight and I¡¯ll have new clothes ready for you in the morning.¡± He stretched a hand out and gently stroked her hair before he stood and headed out of the tent.

 Chapter Forty-one

    Camphor apologized for not bringing any of Yuelan¡¯s clothes with her more than once while she was helping Yuelan bathe and prepare for bed, though just before she was about to help her mistress into one of the third prince¡¯s robes the two girls heard a voice coming from outside. The voice belonged to Long He, so Camphor quickly went over to see what he wanted.

    ¡°I went back and had Laurel and Willow pack up some of Miss Yuelan¡¯s clothes,¡± Long He explained, handing a bundle to Willow. ¡°There should be enough to last her until I can fly the two of you back.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lord Long,¡± Camphor said, bowing a little out of gratitude. ¡°I¡¯m sure Miss will be much more comfortable in her own clothing.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you put those accessories she¡¯s wearing somewhere safe. And don¡¯t let her use them for a while,¡± Long He instructed.

    Camphor looked confused by the additional instructions, but didn¡¯t argue. Instead, she lowered the tent flap and went back to Yuelan¡¯s side to help her dress and settled her miss in the chair before going out and getting the bedding that the soldier she¡¯d sent earlier had finally brought back. Instead of the soldier she¡¯d expected, the third prince was holding the bedding and he silently handed it to Camphor.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Camphor took the bedding, but frowned in confusion. ¡°Did you want to come in and speak with Miss for a little while?¡±

    ¡°No. She needs rest so her wound can heal. Inform me if there is anything she needs,¡± Guangfeng instructed. ¡°A military camp isn¡¯t the most comfortable place and the two of you are the only women here. Be on guard so nothing happens.¡±

    Camphor nodded and went back inside, quickly changing the bedding and then carrying the blood-soaked blankets out and shoving them into the arms of the nearest shoulder. ¡°Take care of these,¡± she ordered before going right back into the prince¡¯s tent.

    The soldier happened to be one of the generals, who looked over at the prince and frowned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t argue, just do it,¡± Guangfeng instructed.

    ¡°Your Highness, who is the woman in your tent?¡± the general asked.

    The corner of Guangfeng¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Hopefully, my future princess consort. Her name is Long Yuelan and His Majesty the emperor declared that whichever of his sons can obtain her hand in marriage will become the crown prince,¡± he answered honestly.

    The general stiffened. ¡°I will...inform everyone.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded.

    ¡°I can go without sleep longer than you humans can, so I will guard the tent,¡± Long He informed the third prince. ¡°Your men need you rested in case of emergency. I suggest you find some place to sleep, Your Highness.¡±

    The third prince glanced at the tent entrance, sighed, and walked away.

    ***

    The next morning, Camphor helped Yuelan dress and put her injured arm back in the sling and then took the tray of breakfast that a young soldier standing just outside the tent had just called out to inform them he had.

    Yuelan had a difficult time swallowing the food as she wasn¡¯t used to how it was seasoned: either no seasoning at all or an overabundance of salt in each dish. Fortunately, the third prince had some decent quality tea in his tent and Camphor personally prepared a pot and gave Yuelan a cup once she¡¯d finished eating to help wash it all down.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    With nothing else to do, Yuelan insisted on leaving the tent to walk around. Camphor hovered at Yuelan¡¯s side looking anxious the entire time even though Long He was trailing not far behind them.

    Around lunch, Yuelan had explored her way through the make-shift, tent-lined streets filled with sweat-covered men to a large tent in the center. It wasn¡¯t actually that far from Guangfeng¡¯s tent, but Yuelan had gone the opposite direction at first and then made a few turns to get to it.

    Just as she reached the tent a group of men stepped out of the large tent, all of them dressed in armor. Guangfeng was one of them and he frowned as soon as his eyes met Yuelan¡¯s.

    ¡°What are you doing outside?¡± the third prince asked in a disapproving tone. ¡°This isn¡¯t the capital where you can explore as you wish. It¡¯s a war camp.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks puffed out a little and she pouted. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a place like this before,¡± she argued. ¡°I wanted to see what it was like.¡±

    Guangfeng walked over and took hold of Yuelan¡¯s uninjured arm just above the elbow then started pulling her back to his tent. ¡°You¡¯re already injured, shouldn¡¯t that prove that this place isn¡¯t safe?¡± he demanded. ¡°You need rest to recover and nobody here will be able to focus if they have to worry about your safety! Women are a distraction in a place like this. Be good and stay in the tent!¡±

    Yuelan tried to pull her arm away, but Guangfeng was holding on tight enough that she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Let go of me! Who says women can¡¯t be in a war camp? There are women in my country¡¯s military and they do just fine! They¡¯re allowed to fight and even be commanding officers!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your country, Yuelan!¡± Guangfeng shouted at her. He stopped and glared down at her pretty face. ¡°And you¡¯re not a soldier! If you wanted to be considered anything other than a normal woman you¡¯d be a scholar at most! Even if you knew martial arts, you¡¯re injured and can¡¯t fight back! I have a war to fight and men to lead. I can¡¯t afford to be distracted with wondering where you are, what you¡¯re doing, and whether or not you¡¯re going to be captured or injured or killed!¡± He started dragging her again and then shoved her into his tent as soon as they reached it. ¡°Now behave yourself and stay in here! If you can¡¯t then I¡¯ll assign soldiers to make you!¡±

    Yuelan staggered and Camphor had to run over and help her catch her balance before she fell. Once she was stable, Yuelan turned and glared at Guangfeng. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay in the tent! There¡¯s nothing to do!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be selfish!¡± Guangfeng shouted back at her. ¡°For once, don¡¯t argue with me!¡± He turned and glared at Long He. ¡°Why did you let her run around the camp?¡± he demanded.

    The dragon looked back at the prince with an amused expression. ¡°She¡¯s in no danger with me here,¡± he answered calmly. ¡°I may not be able to heal her wounds, but I can kill anyone who has any ill intentions before they can do any harm to her.¡±

    Yuelan smirked at Guangfeng. ¡°See? There¡¯s no reason for me to stay stuck inside a tent with nothing to do all day. I¡¯m perfectly safe!¡±

    Guangfeng turned back to Yuelan and glared. ¡°Yuelan,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°You are in a military camp. I have the authority in this camp. My camp, my rules. You will stay. In. The. Tent!¡±

    The slender girl stomped her foot. ¡°I won¡¯t! If you make me stay stuck in here I¡¯ll go crazy! There has to be something I can do to help!¡±

    The third prince felt like pulling his hair out from the roots as he glared at the willful girl he was trying to keep as safe as he could. ¡°You can stay put! That¡¯s the only way you can help!¡± he roared before turning and glaring at the nearest group of soldiers. ¡°Do not let her leave this tent for any reason!¡± he snapped at them, pointing his finger right at Yuelan¡¯s small nose. ¡°If she needs something then someone else can get it for her!¡±

    The soldiers snapped to attention and gave the furious prince a crisp salute, then stationed themselves around the tent as Guangfeng stormed away.

    ¡°Xiong Guangfeng, you get back here!¡± Yuelan shouted as she started to follow him. Unfortunately, the soldiers held their arms out and blocked her way. She glared at them, then stomped her foot and went back into the tent, flopping onto the bed in a huff.

    Camphor had remained silent during the argument, but she helped her miss get settled on the bed again and tucked her in. ¡°Miss, His Highness is worried about you. Please try to understand from his point of view. The woman he cares for is in a dangerous place. It must be difficult enough for him to be able to focus even if he knows where you are. This camp could be attacked at any time and swords have no eyes. Even with Lord Long here to protect you, accidents could still happen.¡±

    Yuelan let out a huff. ¡°He didn¡¯t have to be such a jerk about it.¡±

    Camphor tried to coax Yuelan until the doctor came and gave Yuelan a bowl of medicinal soup. The medicine made her drowsy and she fell asleep.

 Chapter Forty-two

    Guangfeng, on the other hand, seemed to be in a bad mood as he went back to the large, central tent that served as the command tent. He listened to reports from the front lines and issued orders for the soldiers accordingly. By the end of the day, he¡¯d dispatched one of the generals and about 50,000 soldiers to go and take an enemy city that had lowered its defences in accordance to one of his plans.

    Two hours after most of the camp had eaten dinner and those who weren¡¯t on watch were turning in for the night, Guangfeng left the tent and let out a sigh. He ran his hand over the top of his hair and rubbed the back of his neck, then headed toward his tent to check on Yuelan.

    Before the third prince had gone far he encountered Long He, who seemed to have been waiting for him. ¡°Lord Long...how is Miss Long?¡±

    The dragon shrugged. ¡°She refused to eat dinner,¡± he answered. ¡°Though I can¡¯t really blame her. Her own cooking is better than what she¡¯s being served and she¡¯s only had high quality meals her entire life so she isn¡¯t used to what¡¯s available.¡± The dragon¡¯s lips twitched in amusement. ¡°Though it could also be she¡¯s still sulking over not being allowed out of the tent and having nothing to do.¡±

    ¡°This place isn¡¯t set up to be entertaining,¡± Guangfeng growled. ¡°It¡¯s a war camp. If she weren¡¯t injured and traveling wasn¡¯t an issue for her then I¡¯d have sent her back to the capital already.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her back once the wound is less likely to reopen,¡± Long He promised. ¡°Should only be a couple of days. I can carry her easily in one of my claws and the journey will take only a couple of hours.¡±

    The third prince nodded and glanced toward the tent. ¡°Is she still up?¡±

    The dragon chuckled. ¡°Probably. The pain medicine she got from that doctor has worn off by now and she¡¯s hungry but refusing to eat.¡±

    ¡°Could you get her something from a nearby town?¡± Guangfeng asked, frowning. ¡°There should be one that at least has a noodle stall¡­¡±

    ¡°I could...but it¡¯s too late to do that now. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t fix her mood.¡±

    The prince¡¯s eyes narrowed and he frowned at the dragon. ¡°Are you trying to imply something?¡±

    Long He lifted an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants to marry her, not me,¡± he pointed out. ¡°As long as she isn¡¯t in danger, I¡¯ll allow her to do whatever she likes. I¡¯m responsible for protecting her and teaching her, nothing more.¡±

    Guangfeng gave him a flat look and continued toward the tent. ¡°In other words, you¡¯re not going to do anything to try to fix her mood. You¡¯ll leave it to me instead.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡± The dragon shrugged and followed along. ¡°Helping you isn¡¯t part of my job and if she decides she doesn¡¯t want to marry you or any of your brothers not even the Emperor will be able to force her.¡±

    There was nothing Guangfeng could say to argue with that, so he fell silent. When he reached the tent he stopped and let out a sigh. ¡°Miss Long...may I come in?¡±

    He heard the sound of low, feminine voices speaking for a moment before Camphor lifted the tent flap and stepped out. ¡°Miss says...that she won¡¯t let you in unless you¡¯re willing to let her go out,¡± the maid informed him.

    The corner of Guangfeng¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°What else did she say?¡±

    Camphor lifted her hands in a helpless gesture. ¡°That she doesn¡¯t want to see you or speak to you until she¡¯s allowed to leave the tent. She feels that distracting you from your war efforts would be unwise, and since her existence in the camp is such a distraction she will stay in the tent and not speak to anyone, especially not Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Did she say why she refuses to eat?¡±

    The maid frowned. ¡°She said it¡¯s because your camp¡¯s chefs are useless and can¡¯t even season things properly. She also doesn¡¯t want to use supplies intended for the soldiers without being allowed to do something for them in return.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Guangfeng¡¯s eye twitched some more. ¡°What exactly did she have in mind?¡±

    Camphor smiled a little. ¡°Miss said that she will discuss it with Your Highness personally when she is allowed out of the tent.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves. ¡°Yuelan, either let me in or come out here so we can talk!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°Why should I? You made it quite clear earlier that you want nothing to do with me!¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice had a sulky quality to it that made Guangfeng¡¯s teeth itch, but her words upset him even more.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I said!¡±

    The only answer the prince received was silence and he glared at Camphor, who shrugged and lifted her hands helplessly. ¡°Miss is quite upset. There is nothing this servant can do.¡±

    One of the generals happened to pass by at that moment and looked from Guangfeng¡¯s frustrated face to the tent and the apologetically helpless maid blocking his way. He chuckled and walked over, giving the prince a salute. ¡°Your Highness, would you like some advice on coaxing a woman?¡±

    Guangfeng turned his head and gave the general a flat look. ¡°What sort of advice would the general like to give this prince?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, if there is no immediate danger, it is best to simply give in to her whims. There is a time to be stubborn and a time to be soft. It is usually best to be soft if you are not certain of your position in her heart yet,¡± the general answered in a respectful tone.

    ¡°Is the general implying that this prince should allow a young, lovely, unmarried woman to wander the military camp?¡± Guangfeng asked in a flat voice. ¡°To subject her to the staring of soldiers who have not seen one in months and put her at risk of being harrassed by those who do not know who she is or do not care who she is and are less inclined to control themselves in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the general quickly assured him. ¡°But perhaps finding a compromise you can both agree to would be a possibility? For example, allowing her to come out if you are there to protect her. Few would dare to do or say anything to a woman walking by Your Highness¡¯ side.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed and he frowned, though the rustling of silk from behind Camphor caught his attention and he turned to look at the tent. ¡°I know you¡¯re listening. You may as well come out, Miss Long.¡±

    Camphor stepped aside and held the tent flap up as Yuelan, dressed in violet, stepped out of the tent, her left arm in a sling. She had a stubborn expression and even in the torch light there was a glimmer in her eyes that indicated her unhappiness.

    ¡°Would the general¡¯s suggestion of a compromise be amenable to Miss Long?¡± Guangfeng asked while he tried to keep his frustration with her out of his voice.

    Yuelan put her free hand on her hip and lifted her chin to look the third prince straight in the eye. ¡°I would not dare to do something so terrible as to distract the soldiers and their leaders from the all-important war efforts,¡± she retorted stubbornly. ¡°Especially since their meals are so poorly made that they may already be distracted by upset stomachs.¡± She sniffed and turned her head away.

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What do you expect me to do about it?¡± he asked. ¡°We do the best we can with the cooks we have.¡±

    ¡°Cooks who don¡¯t even know how to properly salt a dish?¡± Yuelan shot back. ¡°Cooks who can¡¯t even make rice properly? I may not be able to move things around due to my injury, but at least I can supervise and improve the quality of the food. And if you hired women from the nearby villages to assist in cooking, the meals would improve and you would be helping the people who struggle to provide for their families. It wouldn¡¯t even have to be permanent. You could hire them to train your army¡¯s cooks and once the cooks can provide decent meals on their own the women can return to their families.¡± She frowned and her eyes narrowed as they bored into Guangfeng¡¯s. ¡°Or do you not even realize that good meals can do quite a lot for the morale of your men?¡±

    As Guangfeng looked back into Yuelan¡¯s eyes he frowned a little. ¡°Alright...Then tomorrow I will assign a group of soldiers I trust to escort you to the nearby villages. You may select capable teachers for the cooks here.¡± He turned to look at the general who had dared to provide advice. ¡°You will go with her to determine wages for those she selects and ensure her safety.¡±

    The general cleared his throat a bit uneasily, but didn¡¯t argue and pressed his hands together into a salute to acknowledge the order.

    Yuelan gave Guangfeng a brilliant smile that stunned him as well as the general and the soldiers who had been guarding the tent and keeping her confined inside it. They were all even more shocked when she stretched up a hand, rose up on her toes, and patted the prince¡¯s cheek. ¡°See? Was that so hard? All you had to do was listen a little instead of shouting at me. I know a military camp is dangerous and that I¡¯m not able to fight. I also know that I¡¯d be a distraction in a place like this. But people need sunlight and decent food in order to be healthy. And you wouldn¡¯t listen to me at all. You just shouted.¡±

    Guangfeng sighed. He didn¡¯t feel like pointing out that she hadn¡¯t been listening to him at all either. It wouldn¡¯t do either of them any good and he didn¡¯t want to anger her again.

    He gave Long Yuelan a helpless look. ¡°Go back in and get some rest. Long He and Camphor can go to one of the cooking tents and make something for you so you can get something to eat before you sleep.¡±

    Yuelan gave the third prince a mischievous grin, then disappeared into the tent.

 Chapter Forty-three

    The general standing nearby gave his prince a sympathetic look, which made Guangfeng frown.

    ¡°Do you have a problem with this prince¡¯s woman?¡± Guangfeng asked.

    ¡°This general wouldn¡¯t dare, Your Highness,¡± the man answered quickly. ¡°It¡¯s only that Miss Long seems the type who is difficult to coax and I was sympathising with Your Highness¡­¡±

    ¡°Xiong Guangfeng, I can still hear you!¡± Yuelan called from inside the tent. ¡°And I am not your woman yet!¡±

    The prince frowned and this time didn¡¯t comment on the sympathetic expression on the general¡¯s face. Instead, he turned to Long He and Camphor. ¡°Lord Long, do I need to show you and Camphor to the cooking tent?¡± he asked politely instead.

    The dragon¡¯s expression was one of amusement as he studied the third prince. ¡°No. Camphor already knows where it is and I can follow her. I¡¯m sure you have other things to do.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and headed to make sure everything was going smoothly before going to the tent he had started using after giving up his own tent to Yuelan.

    ***

    The next morning Yuelan was up early and looking quite cheerful. She ate the congee mixed with medicinal herbs as quickly as she could and dressed in a sapphire blue dress. As soon as she was finished she stepped out of the tent and looked around to see if the general Guangfeng had assigned her before was there yet.

    Fortunately, the general had already arrived and was waiting patiently for Yuelan to come out. As soon as he saw her, he bowed, cupping a hand around a fist in a salute. ¡°My lady. This general is prepared to escort you in your task. May I ask if my lady is comfortable riding a horse?¡±

    Yuelan looked startled at the question and then her face turned light pink as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never learned to ride a horse,¡± she admitted. The truth was, Yuelan was actually a bit afraid of horses. She didn¡¯t mind them pulling the carriages as she didn¡¯t have to actually get close to the creatures. The idea of getting on one caused her to start trembling.

    The general watched Yuelan¡¯s reaction as her embarrassed blush drained away into pale nervousness and he let out a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately, there are no carriages that can be used and while it would be possible to go to and from one village before dark, there is more than just one village around here that we need to visit and this general is concerned that so much walking would make my lady uncomfortable and cause stress to her wound¡­¡±

    Yuelan swallowed and bit her bottom lip as she clenched her small hands into fists. ¡°Then I suppose I need to learn to ride a horse,¡± she replied, managing to keep her fear out of her voice. ¡°General, please lead the way¡­¡±

    The middle-aged general was rather impressed by Yuelan¡¯s determination and ability to at least partially conceal her fear. He nodded and headed toward where the horses were tethered with Yuelan and Camphor following behind him and Long He taking up the rear.

    As they passed by the command tent, Guangfeng was standing just outside it. He watched the group pass by before moving to catch up with them. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked curiously, noting Yuelan¡¯s pale face and clenched, trembling fists.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The general turned and offered Guangfeng a salute. ¡°Only that our mission may be slightly delayed, Your Highness,¡± he explained. ¡°It seems Miss Long is unable to ride a horse and will need to be given lessons first.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Miss Long can get lessons when she returns to the capital. This prince will personally accompany her. It will be a while before reports from the battlefield begin to come in, so this prince will help Miss Long ride on his own horse.¡± Guangfeng smiled and tried to look innocent.

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed as she studied Guangfeng. She wanted to argue and maybe even hit him, as his intentions were obvious. He wanted an excuse to hold her. Unfortunately, Yuelan wanted the soldiers to have better food as soon as possible, so she had no reason to refuse. Besides, she was afraid of horses and learning to ride one would likely take much more time than a few minutes. Instead of giving Guangfeng an answer she snorted and turned her face away from him, her cheeks puffing out slightly in a pout.

    The general watched, then tried to hide a smile behind his hand as he forced himself to cough a couple of times to hide his amusement. ¡°In that case, this general thanks Your Highness for providing a solution on behalf of the soldiers.¡± He turned and continued walking toward the tethered horses.

    Yuelan refused to look at Guangfeng as she walked past him to follow the general and an amused Guangfeng followed after her with a grin on his face.

    When they reached the horses Long He stayed back and made sure to stand downwind of the beasts so his scent wouldn¡¯t spook them.

    Guangfeng led the still-pouting Yuelan over to a magnificent, black horse that looked to be about two hands larger than any of the other horses. A couple of teenage boys rushed over carrying the tack for the horse as soon as they noticed Guangfeng and helped him put the saddle and bridle on.

    Yuelan stared at the large horse and took a couple of steps back, her body trembling. She did not want to get on the thing. She was certain it was going to hurt her somehow.

    The third prince finished saddling his horse and turned to look at Yuelan¡¯s pale face. He chuckled and reached a hand out to take hers, gently pulling her closer. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Try not to be too nervous or you¡¯ll make the horse nervous,¡± he told her, his lips nearly brushing against her ear. He took her uninjured hand and gently opened it before placing the palm on the horse¡¯s neck. ¡°Raven is a good horse. He won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s hand trembled as she touched the horse and her body twitched in a nervous reaction as she let out a frightened squeak. Because Guangfeng was standing right behind her, she jumped against him, which startled her again and caused her to let out another squeak.

    Guangfeng chuckled and used his free hand to stabilize her by placing it gently on her waist. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I won¡¯t let anything hurt you,¡± he promised. He freed her hand, placed that hand on the other side of her waist, and lifted her onto the horse¡¯s back before swinging himself into the saddle behind her. He took the reins and wrapped an arm securely around her. ¡°If you¡¯re frightened you can hold on to me.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s pale cheeks turned red and she looked up at Guangfeng, her frightened eyes still managing an angry flash as she hit his chest with her fist. ¡°You¡¯re hateful!¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled and tightened his arm around her slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t squirm too much, Miss Yuelan,¡± he advised. ¡°You could fall off¡­¡±

    She glared at him and turned away. Unfortunately, Guangfeng spurred the horse into a walk at that moment. Yuelan let out a frightened scream, turned, and wrapped her good arm around his waist, hiding her face in his chest.

    The third prince grinned and turned to the others in the group. ¡°Are we ready to go?¡±

    The general, Camphor, and Long He all looked amused. The two humans were seated on horses of their own, as were the soldiers who were coming along, and the dragon stood nearby, but downwind of the horses. ¡°They¡¯re ready,¡± Long He assured the prince. ¡°I will remain here. Horses are not fond of having me too near them.¡±

 Chapter Forty-four

    Each time Guangfeng helped Yuelan off the horse she felt relief and moved away from it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, after they found a couple of cooks in one village, she would have to get back on the terrifying beast again just to go to the next village. Each time Guangfeng stuck her back on his horse and started moving again she would hide in his chest and tremble while also wishing that she had enough strength to hit him for seeming to enjoy her terror.

    Gathering cooks from each of the nearby villages to help the army took most of the day and Guangfeng escorted Yuelan back to the tent once they arrived. Before she went inside he raised a hand and gently stroked her hair before leaning in to speak softly into her ear. ¡°Rest well, Yuelan¡­. I¡¯ll help you get over your fear of horses when I have time¡­¡± He then swiftly kissed her cheek before heading for the command tent.

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks burned and she fled into the tent, instructing Camphor to prepare a bath for her as she went to the bed and hid herself under the blankets.

    ***

    By the next morning the quality of food in the military camp had improved. With the improvement in the food, the soldiers all seemed to be in a better mood. They also all seemed to know that it was Yuelan who had suggested a way to improve the food, though as she spent the day in her tent hiding from Guangfeng nobody was able to thank her directly.

    The following morning, the military doctor who had been treating Yuelan¡¯s shoulder declared that she could head back to the capital. Camphor packed everything up and the two girls left Guangfeng¡¯s tent and walked away from the camp with Long He and Shadow. Guangfeng was stuck in a strategy meeting and unable to leave the command tent, so he couldn¡¯t see them off and sent Shade to make sure they left safely.

    When they were far enough away that Long He was sure nobody would see more than they should, he stopped walking and shifted into his dragon form. Once again, a single one of his claws was as long as Yuelan was tall, but this time his entire body was exposed. His serpentine body was coiled around many times, looking like it could extend for at least a mile if he wasn¡¯t curled up. The dragon set one of his ¡®hands¡¯ in front of Yuelan and waited for her to sit down on it, then let Shadow and Camphor sit on the other with the things he¡¯d brought for Yuelan. With the humans settled, the dragon uncoiled and lifted himself into the sky.

    Camphor let out a shriek and hid her face in the sack holding all of Yuelan¡¯s things. Shadow¡¯s face looked a bit pale under his mask. Yuelan, on the other hand, peeked out over Long He¡¯s thumb and watched the scenery below her as they headed back to the capital. ¡°I wonder if this is what riding in an airplane would be like,¡± she called out to the dragon.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Long He chuckled. ¡°There¡¯d be less wind for you,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And less of a view. Be careful not to fall off. I¡¯d rather not have to catch you.¡±

    ¡°I will!¡± Yuelan promised. She watched the ant-sized people below her moving about on the roads in their toy-sized carriages and carts or working on their patchwork farms. Her jade green eyes were bright with excitement as she studied everything, her lips spread into a cheerful grin.

    ¡°Long He, why didn¡¯t you tell me we could travel this way?¡± Yuelan complained after they¡¯d been flying for about an hour. ¡°I could get to the library in minutes instead of having to take the carriage! And no matter how well made the carriages here are, they¡¯re still more uncomfortable than a car at home!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to reveal your full identity just yet, Master,¡± Long He explained. Since bonding with Yuelan he¡¯d changed the way he addressed her unless they were in public. ¡°Not until after you¡¯ve made a contract with one of the four divine beasts and are able to start taking on the responsibilities your identity requires.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and didn¡¯t argue. Her dragon most likely had a good reason for wanting to keep things quiet for the time being, even if he hadn¡¯t told her what it was. She settled herself in his palm and closed her eyes, falling asleep a short while later.

    Once he was sure Yuelan was asleep, Long He turned his attention to Camphor and Shadow. ¡°You two will say nothing about Master¡¯s identity,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Not to anyone. She is not ready to take on the identity in full yet. When that time comes, everyone will realize who she is and it will not be possible to hide it anymore.¡± He didn¡¯t bother to tell them what the punishment for ignoring his warning would be and neither of them felt the need to ask.

    ***

    They arrived at the library three hours after leaving the military camp in the south. Long He landed carefully outside and set the humans he was carrying down before shifting back to his human form. Yuelan had woken up from her nap by then and she looked around the library. ¡°I think we¡¯ll need to head back to the capital,¡± she decided. ¡°It¡¯ll be more convenient for a doctor to take care of my injured shoulder while it heals if they don¡¯t have to come all the way out here.¡±

    ¡°I will get Willow and Laurel and have them help to gather Miss¡¯ things,¡± Camphor said quickly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Thank you. He, will you have them prepare the carriage while we¡¯re waiting so we can leave as soon as possible?¡±

    The dragon nodded. ¡°Of course, Master.¡± He smiled at her, then turned and walked toward the stables.

 Chapter Forty-five

    After Yuelan returned to the capital she rested in her residence until her injured shoulder had healed. There was a scar left behind, but it was small and faint. With any luck, one of the creams from Kilin would be able to help the scar disappear.

    Once her shoulder was declared fully recovered Long He started putting Yuelan through a much more intense training with the world¡¯s crystal magic than before. He also sent Granny Mei out to have accessories made with specific stones, all stones Yuelan could use to create wards that would deter or at least lessen the injuries from physical attacks. The dragon refused to allow her out of the residence or to allow any of the princes to come and visit before he was satisfied that she had mastered the protection magic.

    After protection magic came healing, and Yuelan found herself feeling as though she was being forced into university courses intended for doctors as her study became filled with books on anatomy, the brain, and everything else.

    Yeulan had only breached the surface of the things she needed to learn to be able to heal injuries, but two months had already gone by and summer was changing to fall. She pleaded for a reprieve from Long He¡¯s lessons so she could go out and relax for an afternoon. The dragon agreed and Yuelan nearly ran out of the Crystal Moon Residence, heading straight for the shopping district to look for new music to learn for her guzheng, her three maids following closely behind her.

    They hadn¡¯t been out on the streets for long when people started exclaiming that the third prince and his army of victors had arrived at the capital and were going to come through the streets at any moment on their way to the palace. People started moving to the sides of the street, looking eagerly in the direction of the city¡¯s southern gates.

    Yuelan stiffened, frowned, then decided to pretend that nothing was happening and continued on her way to the shop that sold musical scores, walking down the middle of the street. She hadn¡¯t heard anything about the war or received any letters from Guangfeng since returning to the capital and hearing that he was coming back victorious made her feel a surge of anger directed at him.

    Before she could go very far, a parade of soldiers turned onto the main street of the shopping district where she was walking. At the front were a few foot soldiers carrying spears and they were followed by the generals with Guangfeng at their center. After the leaders came the rest of the army. The parade took up the entire street, forcing Yuelan to stop.

    Gauangfeng caught sight of her immediately and lifted his hand, calling the parade to a halt. He dismounted his horse and made his way over to her, grinning. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Yuelan to come out to meet me¡­¡±

    Yuelan glared at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t. This is a coincidence. Long He hasn¡¯t let me out of my residence for two months. I finally convinced him to give me a break and came here to get a new musical score. It has absolutely nothing to do with you, since I didn¡¯t even know you were returning.¡± She made a ¡®hmph¡¯ sound, folded her arms under her breasts, and turned away from him, her cheeks puffed out a bit in a pout.

    The third prince looked a bit startled. ¡°You¡¯ve been stuck in your residence for two months? Doing what?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s lips tightened and she refused to answer or look at him.

    Guangfeng sighed. ¡°Will you come with me to greet Father Emperor?¡± he asked, his tone coaxing. ¡°I mean to keep my promise to you that I made back then...Your shoulder is recovered, right? Did it leave a scar?¡±

    Yuelan still refused to answer, forcing Guangfeng to turn to her maids and let out a sigh.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Camphor and Willow looked amused, though Laurel looked a bit distracted.

    ¡°Your Highness...Miss is upset that she did not receive any more letters from Your Highness,¡± Willow explained.

    ¡°Who¡¯s upset over not receiving letters?¡± Yuelan demanded, turning her head to glare at Willow. ¡°I don¡¯t care one bit about receiving letters from a no good prince!¡± She let out another huff and turned her red face away, stomping her foot.

    Guangfeng couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°I meant to send you letters, but I didn¡¯t have time. I wanted to quickly finish up the war and come back. And if I had sent one after the war had ended it wouldn¡¯t have gotten here any sooner than I would arrive in person.¡± His sincere, pleading gaze made Yuelan feel like he was going to stare a hole through her head. ¡°Please come with me to greet Father Emperor?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed and she turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m not getting on that thing,¡± she insisted, glancing toward his horse.

    ¡°Of course. Where is your carriage?¡± Guangfeng replied.

    ¡°I walked here.¡± Yuelan tilted her chin up and glared at Guangfeng, her expression challenging. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to take a carriage and continue to feel trapped.¡±

    ¡°The palace is too far for you to walk to from here,¡± Guangfeng pointed out. ¡°Allow this prince to escort you to your residence to retrieve your carriage?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°And if I refuse?¡±

    ¡°You could ride a horse with Willow¡¯s help. She¡¯s quite skilled and could keep you from falling off¡­¡±

    She shuddered then gave him a defiant look. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to go at all?¡±

    The third prince sighd and gave Yuelan a resigned smile. ¡°Well, you certainly don¡¯t have to, Miss Yuelan. Though it will take longer for me to send the gifts I brought back for you to your residence. And my father will likely summon you there anyway.¡±

    Yuelan gave him a flat look. ¡°I cannot be bribed with presents, Your Highness. But I¡¯ll allow you to escort me to my residence. Have someone go ahead and tell them to prepare the carriage so I don¡¯t have to wait when we get there.¡±

    Guangfeng kept a straight face as he nodded and turned to one of his personal guards, who was still mounted. ¡°Go ahead to Crystal Moon Residence and inform them to prepare Miss Long¡¯s carriage.¡± He turned to the generals and the army. ¡°Return to your homes. This prince will enter the palace with the generals to report your victory to the emperor. You have all done well and made your families proud!¡±

    The army, except for the four generals, dispersed. The generals dismounted and led their horses to follow Guangfeng as he walked at Yuelan¡¯s side.

    Yuelan started back toward her residence with a grumpy expression and refused to look at Guangfeng. The third prince didn¡¯t seem to mind too much and just quietly followed after her, smiling gently as he watched her thin figure swaying gracefully in front of him.

    After a while, Guangfeng moved forward to walk at her side and speak to her. ¡°It¡¯s in part thanks to you that I was able to obtain victory so quickly,¡± he said softly. ¡°Because you thought to improve the meals, fewer men became ill, morale improved, and we were able to move faster. Lanzhou requested peace talks after just a few weeks. They¡¯ll be offering tribute to Longuo for the next ten years and one of their princesses will be marrying one of my brothers to ensure there will be peace for a while. Of course, whichever brother marries her will not be eligible to become crown prince.¡±

    Yuelan said nothing and continued to walk. She maintained her displeased expression, but even though she was pretending to ignore the third prince he could tell she was at least listening to him.

    Guangfeng continued to speak of the politics that were now in play, the agreements that had been made, and what they would mean for both countries. He knew that Yuelan found politics interesting, even if nobody felt like it was something she should bother with, and his goal at the moment was to appease her.

    By the time they reached her residence the carriage was ready and her expression had softened. The third prince waited until they reached the carriage and she was about to get in to lean close and whisper in her ear: ¡°Yuelan...I am in love with you. I mean to ask Father Emperor to agree to our engagement. Will you support me?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned bright red and she quickly got into the carriage without giving Guangfeng an answer.

 Chapter Forty-six

    Yuelan¡¯s three maids each gave the third prince a sympathetic look. Willow climbed into the carriage with her mistress and Camphor and Laurel headed into the manor. Inside the carriage, Yulean was sitting by the window looking through the curtains at Guangfeng, her face still flushed. When the carriage started moving she lowered her eyes to stare at her hands, her eyes filled with thought.

    The trip to the palace only took a few minutes and when they reached it Yuelan allowed Guangfeng to help her down from the carriage, though she quickly withdrew her hand from his as soon as her feet were on the ground. She didn¡¯t look at him and her cheeks were still burning as she walked with him and the generals into the palace and toward the throne room. Yuelan had never been interested in anyone before and she only had vague memories of her parents¡¯ relationship. She couldn¡¯t be sure if Guangfeng was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

    Morning court had been over for some time, but the emperor had been informed that the generals and his third son were coming, so he was seated on the gold-plated throne with dragons engraved into it when the group arrived. The generals, Guangfeng, and Yuelan all sank to their knees to salute the emperor and repeated, ¡°Long live the emperor.¡±

    At a gesture from the emperor, Eunuch Tang stepped forward and held a hand out to help Yuelan to her feet while telling the group, ¡°You may rise.¡±

    Everyone stood and Guangfeng stepped forward to give his verbal report while Eunuch Tang took a scroll from each of the generals and the prince and carried them back to the emperor¡¯s side. Yuelan listened as Guangfeng described what took place during the war and then finished with the agreements that had been reached between the two countries.

    When Guangfeng¡¯s report was finished the emperor nodded. ¡°Our son has done well and should be rewarded for his meritorious service,¡± he declared before moving on to announce a list of gifts to be delivered to Heping Palace as Guangfeng¡¯s reward.

    Guangfeng bowed, his fists together. ¡°This son thanks Father Emperor for the grace and hopes that he can make one further request?¡±

    Emperor Xiong Lijun glanced toward Yuelan, who really had no purpose in being present, and then back at his son a moment after Yuelan felt her cheeks start to heat again. ¡°You may ask,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°This son finds Lady Long Yuelan beautiful, intelligent, and virtuous and wishes to request her hand in marriage before Father Emperor,¡± Guangfeng informed the emperor, bowing again with his hands together, though not as deeply as when accepting the gifts.

    ¡°And what does Lady Long Yuelan think?¡± the emperor asked, turning his eyes to her.

    Yuelan knew her face was probably the same color as a cherry. She bit her bottom lip and took several deep breaths as she tried to steady herself and regain her composure. She failed rather miserably, as her cheeks got hotter the more she thought about it. ¡°I...Yuelan wishes to accept His Highness the third prince¡¯s proposal,¡± she answered in a quiet voice. ¡°Of the princes, Yuelan believes that His Highness the third prince is most fit to become Emperor. He cares about the people and listens to the wisdom of others. His Highness also treats Yuelan very well.¡±

    The emperor nodded. ¡°Then We will agree to this engagement and have the imperial advisors search for an auspicious day¡­¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Yuelan interrupted, looking a bit nervous. Everyone turned to stare at her, the generals all with shocked expressions.

    ¡°Our future daughter-in-law has some objection?¡± the emperor asked, frowning.

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No, only a request. Yuelan wishes to be of age in her own country when the wedding takes place. Yuelan¡¯s birthday is ten days before the lunar new year. This year Yuelan turns seventeen on that day, so Yuelan hopes that the wedding can be postponed for one year to allow for the laws of both countries to be met.¡± She was also hoping that maybe by then she would have figured out how to bring someone with her between worlds so that her father could be present.

    The emperor sat back in his throne and studied Yuelan¡¯s determined face for a moment before he nodded. ¡°We can grant this request,¡± he agreed. ¡°Perhaps by then your parents will also be able to arrange time to attend your wedding.¡±

    ¡°It would only be my father attending,¡± the girl explained, her smile a little sad. ¡°Mother died when I was a young child and Father never remarried. But Yuelan thanks Your Majesty for the grace.¡± She gave a shallow salute. ¡°Your majesty, Yuelan has one more request.¡±

    The emperor studied her for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°My father has always said that he wishes for me to marry for love. At the moment, I am not certain of my feelings for the third prince. I would like the ability to break off the engagement if I decide that this is not what I want without his highness suffering any repercussions.¡±

    This request startled the emperor, though it didn¡¯t show on his face. The generals all looked surprised as they looked from Yuelan to Guangfeng. Nobody spoke for a few minutes while the emperor considered the request. ¡°Alright. I will grant your request. Lady Long Yuelan is wise and kind-hearted and contributed much to the war effort.¡± He smiled. ¡°Besides, if you are truly determined not to marry there is nothing I can do about it.¡±

    Yuelan gave the emperor a bright smile and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    The emperor waved his hand, then turned to the other generals and started listing gifts for each of them as rewards for their contribution to the war. When he¡¯d finished everyone was dismissed. The generals glanced at Yuelan and Guangfeng, then went ahead.

    Yuelan glanced at Guangfeng, blushed, and headed out of the throne room as soon as she looked away. It didn¡¯t take long for the third prince to catch up to her and take her hand into his palm. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, letting out a contented sigh as he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on top of her head.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d actually agree...You act as though you hate me most of the time...I¡¯ve always thought it was because you were embarrassed and that it was cute, but part of me was uncertain¡­.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face was hidden in Guangfeng¡¯s chest and she was able to relax just a little. ¡°It¡¯s annoying how you¡¯re always teasing me and trying to make me uncomfortable, but you also recognize that I¡¯m a person with my own likes and dislikes and feelings and I know you try to accommodate them. Between you and the first prince I¡¯d much rather be with you.¡±

    She felt his arms tighten around her and heard him let out a sigh. ¡°Yuelan, I am in love with you. I hope you¡¯ll fall in love with me as well.¡±

    Yuelan blushed, but said nothing. No words would come out. While she wasn¡¯t sure she loved him, she at least found him attractive and sweet in a rather frustrating way. She let him hold her for a bit longer before pushing on his chest and stepping back, his arms loosening to accommodate her. ¡°We should go back,¡± she mumbled.

    Guangfeng smiled and stroked her head with his hand once. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be sure to deliver the betrothal gifts to your residence as soon as I get them together. Did you still want to go and buy some new music? I¡¯d be happy to accompany you.¡±

    Her cheeks red, Yuelan hesitated for a moment before nodding to accept his offer. She then turned away and started along the path they¡¯d taken to get from the palace gates to the throne room with Guangfeng a couple of steps behind her and watching her movements with a smile on his face.

 Chapter Forty-Seven

    After visiting the music stores, Guangfeng escorted Yuelan¡¯s carriage back to her Crystal Moon Residence before returning to his palace with promises to send her the betrothal gifts very soon. He made sure she safely went through the gates of her residence before mounting his horse, which had been left waiting for him, and heading back to his own palace.

    Yuelan went straight to her conservatory and sat down at her mother¡¯s guzheng to start playing. At first she played well, but before long she started getting distracted by the events of earlier. Nothing had really happened while shopping for scores with Guangfeng, but she still felt strange. In the end, she just picked at the strings absently, not playing any particular song, while she thought over the things that had happened earlier.

    Did she love Guangfeng? She didn¡¯t think so. The man was a frustrating flirt who loved to make her angry. Of course, he could also be quite sweet when he wanted to be and she knew he cared. He¡¯d made it plenty obvious when she¡¯d accidentally ended up with the army and was shot in the shoulder saving his life. If that had been the only time he¡¯d been obvious about his feelings perhaps she could have ignored it, but he¡¯d also left some pretty obvious hints before he left about how he felt, and she hadn¡¯t saved his life yet then.

    Yuelan sighed and leaned against the back of her chair as she picked at the strings in front of her. She stretched her legs out underneath the instrument, sitting in a way that would have had smoke billowing out of her instructor¡¯s ears if he¡¯d ever seen it. Why had she agreed to the engagement if she didn¡¯t actually love Guangfeng? What was it that had made it feel like she had to accept him in that moment?

    Her mind kept going in circles, around and around, asking the same questions, for an hour while Willow sat nearby to keep her company. Camphor had gone to handle the businesses and accounts and Laurel seemed to have disappeared while Yuelan was in the palace.

    After a few more minutes Yuelan¡¯s contemplative expression turned into one of frustration and she abruptly stood and left the conservatory to track down Long He. ¡°He!¡± she called. ¡°He! I want to go to the library!¡± she called out.

    Long He appeared not far from Yuelan¡¯s side and studied her, one eyebrow raised. ¡°Master...what are you going to the library for?¡±

    ¡°I want to talk to my father,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°He should know about the engagement and I haven¡¯t seen him in a couple of months, so I miss him.¡±

    ¡°Alright. How long do you plan to be there this time? We should inform your new fiance so he doesn¡¯t embarrass himself by bringing betrothal gifts to an empty residence,¡± the dragon replied calmly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yuelan answered, looking grumpy. ¡°He can just do what he wants. He always does anyway.¡±

    Long He chuckled. ¡°First you agree to marry him, and now you¡¯re angry with him?¡±

    She frowned at Long He. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I just want to go home and talk to my father. Also, somehow you managed to make it so that nobody noticed us while we were flying back from the military camp, right? Can¡¯t you do that again and fly me to the library so I don¡¯t have to take that carriage?¡±

    ¡°Certainly,¡± the dragon answered. ¡°It isn¡¯t anything difficult.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and took a few steps back to give Long He room to transform. He shimmered in front of her and then suddenly a large, silver, serpentine dragon was tightly coiled where he had just been. He held a giant, clawed hand out and Yuelan stepped onto it and sat down before Long He lifted himself into the air and flew toward the library.

    The trip only took a few minutes, instead of the hours that it usually did in the not-quite-comfortable carriage. Yuelan ran into her room and pulled out the diamond earrings she kept in the library just in case, put them on, and then concentrated. Seconds later she was in Kilin¡¯s version of the library. A cell phone on the dressing table waited patiently for her, and Yuelan picked it up to call her father and ask him when he would be able to come meet her. They scheduled a time for him to pick her up and he even promised to take her to dinner, making her smile a bit.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Yuelan put the phone back down after the call ended and started to change her clothes and remove her hair accessories. She folded the ancient style dress she¡¯d been wearing and neatly placed it in the wardrobe, then pulled out a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a water-blue, long sleeved, ruffled blouse. The diamond earrings went with anything, so those she left alone and added a simple, pink sapphire necklace and tied her hair up in a bun with a pink, chiffon bow barrette she pulled out of a wooden box in the wardrobe set above the bun as decoration.

    After all of that was done, Yuelan carefully applied makeup to make herself look as though she¡¯d been sick for a while. Since her father had informed everyone that she had contracted a serious illness and could rarely leave the place where she was recuperating, she needed to look the part. It wasn¡¯t until after she was certain everything looked right that Yuelan stepped out of her room and headed into the main part of the library to read while she waited for her father¡¯s arrival.

    Long Ansheng arrived at the library to pick up his daughter about two hours later. He headed straight over to her at the table and put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention, chuckling when she jumped.

    ¡°Daddy!¡± Yuelan scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping over herself as she reached out to hug him. ¡°I missed you!¡±

    ¡°I missed you too, Yuelan.¡± The prime minister smiled. He returned the hug and patted her head. ¡°Are you ready to go to dinner?¡±

    ¡°Of course! There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about, too...can we get a private room at the restaurant?¡±

    ¡°I already reserved one at your favorite Caladrian restaurant. I thought you might appreciate eating something a bit different from normal today.¡±

    Yuelan stepped out of her father¡¯s arms and hugged one of them, beaming up at him. ¡°Daddy knows me best!¡±

    The prime minister of Kilin chuckled and patted her head, then escorted her out of the library and into the waiting, black SUV. The driver headed into the busy streets of the capital city and Yuelan leaned against the back seat and closed her eyes, acting the part of a frail and ill girl. It wasn¡¯t until they were seated in the private room of the restaurant and had ordered that Yuelan dropped the act and turned serious.

    ¡°Daddy...you remember me telling you about the different princes, right?¡± she questioned. She waited for her father¡¯s nod before continuing. ¡°Well...The third prince, Guangfeng, proposed earlier today. I don¡¯t really know what I was thinking, but I said yes right in front of the emperor.¡±

    Long Ansheng studied his daughter¡¯s expression, which was frustrated and a bit confused, and smiled. ¡°Do you like him?¡±

    Yuelan snorted, crossed her arms, and leaned back. ¡°He¡¯s so frustrating! He¡¯s always teasing me and saying I¡¯m cute when I¡¯m angry. And when I accidentally went to the military camp instead of the capital he wouldn¡¯t even let me out of the tent for a whole day!¡±

    ¡°But do you like him? I¡¯m not asking if you love him. I think it¡¯s still a bit too soon for you to really know the answer to that for certain,¡± Long Ansheng replied, smiling a little.

    Her face turned a little red and she let out a huff. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He makes me so angry sometimes, but when I couldn¡¯t see him for months I wanted to see him. I wanted to fight with him and show him how angry I was that I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him.¡±

    Long Ansheng chuckled and ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair gently. ¡°Yuelan, that¡¯s a form of ¡®like¡¯ too,¡± he said gently. ¡°You missed him. You¡¯ve always been embarrassed easily and tend to act angry when you are, even though you¡¯re not actually angry. Just don¡¯t always be angry or he¡¯ll probably start to think you really do hate him. How soon will they want you to get married?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face flushed even more. ¡°I asked the emperor to let me turn eighteen first,¡± she explained in a low voice. ¡°So not until the end of next year at the earliest¡­¡± Her eyes turned upward to look at her father. ¡°I want you to be there,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m working hard on learning how to use magic with Long He. Hopefully I¡¯ll be able to bring you to the wedding.¡±

    The prime minister smiled. ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    Their server arrived just then and started passing out their food, setting a plate of chicken alfredo in front of Yuelan and lasagna with meaty marinara sauce in front of her father.

    Yuelan unfolded her napkin and placed it neatly in her lap then picked up her fork and knife and started eating, suddenly feeling much better. ¡°Thank you, Daddy,¡± she said quietly.

    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do,¡± Long Ansheng replied. ¡°Perhaps you could bring him here to meet me? It might help him understand you better, as well.¡±

    She blinked, looking a bit startled. ¡°I--maybe...I¡¯ll ask Long He¡­¡± Her face turned a bit flushed again. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of doing that¡­¡±

    The prime minister chuckled. ¡°Well, if you can then I¡¯m sure it will prove to be an enlightening experience for him.¡±

 Chapter Forty-eight

    Yuelan enjoyed the rest of her dinner with her father and spent the night in her old bedroom at the prime minister¡¯s manor. When she woke up in the morning she said goodbye and let Ban Li, her personal driver, take her back to the library. She went into her room, changed into clothes from Longuo, and then concentrated on going to that world.

    Waiting inside Yuelan¡¯s room in the Longuo version of the library was Willow. The maid looked relieved to see Yuelan when she appeared before her and quickly ushered her mistress to the dressing table to do her hair.

    ¡°Why are you so anxious, Willow?¡± Yuelan asked.

    ¡°Miss, you didn¡¯t even wait for the imperial decree announcing your engagement to His Highness the third prince before leaving the capital for almost an entire day!¡± Willow explained. ¡°What if you¡¯re not there when it arrives?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. Once you¡¯re finished with my hair Long He can take us back to the capital,¡± Yuelan reassured the maid. ¡°Try not to mind it too much.¡±

    Willow frowned and continued working on Yuelan¡¯s hair. ¡°But Miss!¡±

    ¡°What can the emperor do about it? If I¡¯m not there then I¡¯m just not there,¡± Yuelan pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not as though not being immediately present is a crime, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯d punish me anyway.¡±

    The maid sighed and continued to look upset by the situation, but didn¡¯t try to argue with Yuelan. She finished doing her mistress¡¯ hair and stepped back.

    Yuelan examined herself in the mirror for a bit and stood. ¡°You always do an excellent job with my hair, Willow. Thank you.¡± Without another word, she headed out of her room to find Long He so they could return to the capital.

    Long He was arranging books on one of the shelves and turned when Yuelan approached. ¡°Did you get the answers you needed?¡± he asked Yuelan.

    She nodded. ¡°I did. I had a good talk with my dad as well.¡± She frowned and lifted a finger to rub her nose. ¡°He...would it be possible to take Guangfeng to Kilin, do you think?¡±

    The dragon frowned and studied her. ¡°Possibly...though I don¡¯t think you¡¯re quite ready for that yet. And you drain your reserves each time you go back, so they¡¯ve never quite reached full capacity. You¡¯ll have to wait until they¡¯re full before you¡¯d be able to handle bringing someone from Kilin back here and you wouldn¡¯t be able to stay there for more than twenty-four hours.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Thank you. Dad wants to meet Guangfeng and he thought it would be a good experience for Guangfeng to learn a bit more about me¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to tell His Highness everything,¡± Long He pointed out.

    ¡°I was already going to,¡± Yuelan assured him. ¡°We¡¯re going to be getting married, so he deserves the whole truth. For now, though, I need to head back to the capital. Willow¡¯s worried about missing the imperial decree announcing my engagement.¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t arrived at the Crystal Moon Residence yet,¡± Long He replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on things there while you¡¯ve been gone. We¡¯ll be back in plenty of time.¡± He set the books back on the cart beside him and headed toward the library¡¯s exit.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Yuelan nodded and followed after the dragon.

    ***

    As it happened, Long He landed in the front courtyard of Yuelan¡¯s residence in the capital and shifted back into his human form just as the imperial decree arrived and Yuelan went forward to receive it. She knelt and listened patiently as Eunuch Tang read the decree in his high-pitched voice and then took the scroll in both hands to receive the decree. Just as she was standing up the gatekeeper hurried over. ¡°Miss Long, His Highness the third prince has arrived to present your betrothal gifts!¡±

    Based on the novels she had read back home, usually a servant was the one who delivered the betrothal gifts in ancient times and not the fiance, so Yuelan was a bit startled. Still, it was a good thing for her, since she wanted to talk to Guangfeng anyway. ¡°Then let him in,¡± Yuelan told the gatekeeper. She didn¡¯t realize her cheeks had turned a little bit pink or that she was smiling.

    The gatekeeper nodded and went to let the third prince in as Eunuch Tang smiled and stepped back, apparently intending to stay and observe before reporting back to the emperor.

    A minute later Guangfeng and a couple of servants came into sight. He strode over to Yuelan, a large smile on his face. When he reached her he bowed a little. ¡°This Prince, Xiong Guangfeng, comes to present the betrothal gifts to Miss Long Yuelan. Will Miss Long receive them?¡± he asked formally.

    Yuelan blushed and nodded her head. ¡°I will.¡±

    Guangfeng clapped his hands twice as he turned to face his servants. ¡°Bring in the gifts and read the report!¡± he commanded.

    The servant that always stood at Guangfeng¡¯s side stepped forward and opened a scroll as chest after chest was brought in. ¡°The betrothal gifts for Miss Yuelan are as follows,¡± he called in a confident tenor. ¡°Five hundred thousand gold taels, five hundred thousand silver taels, three chests of various gems¡­¡± The list continued and included paintings, ceramics, accessories, fabrics, some businesses both in and out of the capital that Guangfeng owned, a large chunk of land, a mountain known for its high quality medicinal herbs, and a gem mine.

    As Yuelan listened to everything that Guangfeng was giving her she started to feel dizzy and her expression became dazed. Her small, fair hand trembled as she took the scroll with the list from Guangfeng after the prince had taken it from the servant and offered it to her. She stared at the third prince with wide eyes, unsure what to say, even if she could say anything.

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression turned anxious the longer Yuelan remained silent. ¡°Is it not enough?¡± he asked, worried. ¡°I can have more brought over¡­¡±

    The prince¡¯s words woke Yuelan from her daze. Her cheeks turned red and she hit his arm with the scroll in her hand. ¡°Not enough? It¡¯s too much! What am I going to do with all of it?¡± she demanded.

    Guangfeng relaxed and chuckled as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. ¡°You can do whatever you wish with it. All of it is yours.¡±

    Yuelan rolled her eyes, but actually leaned into him a little. ¡°Thank you. And I need to talk to you about something. Are you busy, or can you stay for a while longer?¡± She shifted in his arms and looked up at him. The blush on her cheeks was still there and her jade eyes stared up at him with an earnest, almost innocent expression that made the prince¡¯s heart start to pound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else today,¡± he told her automatically. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he remembered he¡¯d intended to go and speak with a few people to garner more support in court. ¡°Or at least...not anything that can¡¯t be put off until tomorrow.¡± He hadn¡¯t actually informed them he¡¯d be coming, so not showing up wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Behind the couple Eunuch Tang, Long Hes, and Guangfeng¡¯s servants all started to twitch at the corners of their mouths. It looked like they were trying not to smile or laugh.

    Yuelan beamed up at Guangfeng. He wasn¡¯t used to her smiling at him, especially not so happily, and his mouth opened a little as he stared. When she stepped back his arms released her automatically and his palm felt like it was burning when she took his hand and started to pull him further into the residence and toward the garden. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. It¡¯s important¡­¡±

    Guangfeng regained control of his senses and smiled, letting her pull him along.

 Chapter Forty-nine

    Guangfeng came back to his senses after a while and he smiled as he adjusted his grip on Yuelan¡¯s hand and walked beside her. ¡°What was it you wanted to talk to me about?¡± he asked as they made their way toward the koi pond.

    ¡°My father wants to meet you,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°And...if we¡¯re going to get married, or even if you just become emperor, you should know as much as you can about where I come from.¡±

    The third prince turned his head and studied Yuelan¡¯s profile. Her cheeks were a bit flushed and she looked nervous, but there was a determined glint in her green eyes. ¡°Do you want to sit in the gazebo, or keep walking?¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I thought maybe stand on the bridge and feed the fish for a bit?¡± Yuelan countered. She turned to look up at him and a pointed tooth nibbling at a corner of her bottom lip.

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯d like,¡± Guangfeng assured her, heading toward the now visible bridge. He gestured for the servants following them to step back out of ear shot. Once they were alone and on the bridge he leaned against it and looked down at her. ¡°So, how much do I not know about Kilin?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯ve spoken a bit about how it¡¯s governed and mentioned that the traditions are very similar¡­¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Yes, but the technology is much more advanced,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°And it¡¯s not even in this world.¡±

    Guangfeng stiffened and stared at her. ¡°What...do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When the previous dragon priestess separated the two worlds she couldn¡¯t come back to this one, which still has magic,¡± Yuelan explained quietly. ¡°So she was trapped in the other world. Long He can explain it much better, but he said the library is the connecting point between the two worlds. It¡¯s the only point in my world that still has any magic at all. In Kilin, the library is in the capital city, not on a mountain near it. I was there looking for Long He and ended up accidentally transporting myself from Kilin¡¯s library to the one here in your world.¡± She stared at the pond for a bit before turning to look up at Guangfeng. ¡°The day I met you, actually.¡±

    ¡°And something similar happened when you ended up at the military camp? You were coming back from Kilin?¡± Guangfeng guessed.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what happened there. My father had just bought some new accessories for me and I was trying them on and then I somehow ended up on that hill with you. I thought I could only go back and forth between the two libraries.¡± She grimaced. ¡°Long He took the accessories away from me, so I¡¯d guess it has something to do with the combination of stones in them.¡±

    Her green eyes turned back to the pond, staring at the fish as they swam around. She stayed silent and Guangfeng didn¡¯t interrupt her thoughts as he attempted to process what she had already told him. Her coming from a different world entirely explained the odd clothing she¡¯d been in at first as well as some of the odd words she occasionally used or her different mannerisms and not being quite sure of what she should do to maintain proper etiquette and decorum.

    After a couple of minutes, Yuelan finally spoke again. ¡°I actually can cook,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And make tea and all of that. Just...not on a fire. We don¡¯t need fire to do any of that back in Kilin. And there¡¯s no need to draw water from a well because it can come straight to our sinks and toilets. We have candles, but don¡¯t use them for light anymore. Most of the time we don¡¯t need ice or fire to cool or heat rooms, there¡¯s a system that will do it without that. And we don¡¯t need birds or people to send messages to others most of the time. There¡¯s a device that will let us do it instantly. We can talk to someone anywhere in the world, no matter how far apart they are, as if they¡¯re standing right next to us.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°And...horses don¡¯t pull carriages anymore. The carriages--or cars, as we call them--move under their own power and they can go much faster than a carriage or a horse.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Guangfeng tried to imagine things as Yuelan explained them and found that he wasn¡¯t able to. He frowned and tried to wrap his mind around what she was saying. Water that could come into the house straight to a sink or bathtub or toilet? It sounded so convenient! And not needing ice to cool a room in the summer could save quite a bit of money! But...how would it even work? And it all sounded so very different from what he knew.

    ¡°Is there a way that I could see Kilin for myself?¡± he asked hopefully after the silence had continued for a few minutes. ¡°Or bring these conveniences to Longuo?¡±

    ¡°Well...there might be a way to get indoor plumbing using aqueducts. It¡¯s different from how it¡¯s done in Kilin now, but it would work with the technological capabilities Longuo currently has,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°The rest would take quite some time to manage. We wouldn¡¯t live long enough to see it.¡±

    ¡°Aqueducts?¡± Guangfeng asked, frowning.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to explain them, but I can get a book from the library for you to look through. Unless you¡¯re good at architecture you might need an architect to help you understand it, though.¡±

    ¡°And what about going to Kilin and meeting your father? If the library is the connecting point then it should be something we could do in a day or two, correct?¡± Guangfeng asked.

    ¡°That might take a little time. Long He said something about my reserves not being full enough for me to bring us both back even if I can manage to get you there with me. I don¡¯t really understand what he was talking about, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll let me know when it¡¯s possible,¡± Yuelan explained.

    ¡°Could you bring something back from Kilin that I can see? Like that device that will let you talk to people no matter where they are?¡± Guangfeng looked rather eager.

    ¡°I can, but it won¡¯t work here,¡± Yuelan told him, smiling. ¡°In fact, I had to replace mine when I first went back. It was in my pocket when I came here and something about this place broke it. I can¡¯t even use it to play games or anything.¡±

    ¡°Games?¡± Guangfeng looked confused. ¡°I thought it was for talking to people?¡±

    ¡°It is, but it does a lot more than just that. It can access information, books, games, almost anything, as well,¡± Yuelan explained patiently. ¡°Just not here. The whole system gets fried when it comes here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what that means...the system gets cooked in oil?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s another way of saying that it stops working and breaks,¡± Yuelan explained.

    ¡°The next time you go to the library, would you let me know so I can join you?¡± Guangfeng asked. ¡°I want to see these books on aqueducts you mentioned.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Yuelan looked over at Guangfeng and smiled. ¡°Indoor plumbing is something I really miss the most. Everything else I can survive without. I¡¯m still working on cooking over fire, but it¡¯s starting to come. Being able to cool the rooms more effectively would be really nice too, but at least it didn¡¯t get too hot for me to handle this summer with the ice. But being able to fill a tub without carrying buckets of water or have the contents of a chamber pot leave instead of staying until someone empties the pot are things I really miss.¡±

    Guangfeng had to admit that those things sounded very convenient. He lifted a hand from the bridge and stroked her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to give you as much of the comforts of Kilin as I can,¡± he said quietly. ¡°And I¡¯d like to see it, because I will admit that I couldn¡¯t understand most of your explanation.¡±

    Yuelan blushed and nearly pushed his hand away, but remembered what her father had told her when she¡¯d spoken with him and forced herself to lower her hand and let Guangfeng stroke her face.

    The third prince smiled and his eyes turned more gentle. He¡¯d expected to get hit for touching her, but she seemed to be making an effort not to do so. She¡¯d also taken his hand of her own free will and let him embrace her earlier. All these things boosted his confidence that her usual reactions were due to embarrassment and not dislike.

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes studied her face and slowly moved to her slightly thin lips before stopping. His thumb moved from her cheek to her lips and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. ¡°Yuelan...may I kiss you?¡± he asked quietly.

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned red and she immediately shoved the third prince. His defences were down, since she had been unusually calm, and as a result he stumbled back and into the railing along the bridge. The railing broke, causing Guangfeng to fall into the koi pond with a resounding splash.

 Chapter Fifty

    Fortunately, the pond wasn¡¯t very deep and Guangfeng only had to stand up. Unfortunately, his clothes were completely soaked. He coughed a few times as he got to his feet and looked mournfully up at Yuelan. ¡°This is how you treat your fiance?¡± he protested in a joking tone.

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks were still a bright pink and she looked away from him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to fall into the pond¡­¡±

    The servants had all rushed forward when Guangfeng fell through the railing. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Guangfeng¡¯s personal servant cried out as soon as he was within earshot.

    Guangfeng waved a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It was my fault. Just have someone go back to Heping Palace and bring me a change of clothes.¡±

    Camphor reached the edge of the pond and turned to send Laurel to get blankets for the third prince only to discover the maid wasn¡¯t there. She frowned. ¡°Where is Laurel? Oh never mind. Willow, go and get blankets for His Highness. It wouldn¡¯t be good if he caught a cold.¡± She then turned and bowed. ¡°This servant will go and have Chung Soo prepare a room for Your Highness to rest until your new clothes arrive.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and got out of the pond. ¡°Tell him the railing over the bridge will need to be repaired as well,¡± he advised as the two maids ran off.

    Yuelan frowned a little as she watched the maids go.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Guangfeng asked as he started squeezing water from his robes and hair.

    ¡°Laurel has been acting strange lately,¡± Yuelan answered quietly. ¡°I think something is bothering her, but she hasn¡¯t said anything.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Strange how?¡±

    ¡°She disappears a lot, even if it¡¯s not her day off.¡±

    ¡°When did it start?¡± A pool of water was starting to form beneath the third prince¡¯s feet as he continued trying to get as much water out of his navy blue, silk robes as he could.

    ¡°A couple of weeks ago after she came back from visiting her family,¡± Yuelan answered.

    ¡°Have Shadow look into it. You can¡¯t take any risks with your safety,¡± Guangfeng warned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Laurel would do anything to harm me,¡± Yuelan protested.

    ¡°Yuelan, you can¡¯t take risks. That woman will use anything to get at you now that we¡¯re engaged. I won¡¯t be named crown prince until we¡¯re actually married, so if something happens to you before then her son will be able to keep fighting for the throne.¡± Guangfeng gave Yuelan a firm look. ¡°Camphor¡¯s mother is safe in my palace and Willow has no family that can be used against her. If someone is threatening Laurel¡¯s family you could be in danger.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Guangfeng walked over to her and gently stroked her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. Please listen to me.¡±

    Yuelan blushed and looked down as he stroked her hair. Her right hand held her left elbow and she slowly nodded. ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    The third prince wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but he sighed and leaned down to press his lips to her forehead instead. ¡°If you need anything send Shadow to let me know,¡± he said gently. ¡°I¡¯ll assign more hidden guards to keep you safe as well, just in case.¡±

    The kiss made Yuelan¡¯s cheeks burn again, but she managed to keep from pulling away from him and nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pushing you into the pond,¡± she said quietly, changing the subject.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°I should have expected it, given your tendency to lash out at me when you¡¯re embarrassed.¡±

    Chung Soo and Willow arrived then, both of them carrying blankets. Chung Soo offered the ones he was holding to Guangfeng, who took them and wrapped them around himself.

    ¡°If Your Highness will follow this servant, I will show you to the room that has been prepared for you.¡± Chung Soo informed the prince as Willow offered her blankets.

    Guangfeng took those blankets too. It was fall and a cooler day. Pretending he wasn¡¯t cold had started getting difficult. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Yuelan reached a hand out and gently tugged on a blanket as she looked up at Guangfeng. ¡°After you¡¯ve changed I¡¯ll play the guzheng for you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°If you want¡­¡±

    The third prince¡¯s eyes turned gentle and he smiled. ¡°I¡¯d like that very much,¡± he assured her. ¡°Shall I meet you in your music room then?¡±

    Yuelan nodded and turned to head away. The prince stared after her for a moment before turning to gesture for Chung Soo to lead the way.

    ***

    After changing and listening to Yuelan play the guzheng for him, the third prince took his newly appointed bride-to-be out to Red Orchid Pavilion for dinner and informed the people who worked in the restaurant that as his future wife she was also their future mistress, so she would be permitted to use his private room whenever she wished and he would pay any expenses she incurred while there.

    The gesture made Yuelan a bit happy. She liked the food, but hadn¡¯t wanted to deal with the hassle of reserving a private room for herself previously. Now she could invite her friends to eat there with her and enjoy a quiet meal with them instead of always going to Red Orchid Teahouse.

    In an effort to make Yuelan feel more comfortable around him, Guangfeng didn¡¯t make any more advances on her while they were eating or while he was escorting her back to her residence. He asked her more questions about her home, trying to understand as best he could what she explained to him.

    While he didn¡¯t understand much, he was at least able to learn that her home was a very peaceful place and even though she was good at reading people, she was unfamiliar with people scheming against her. The idea worried him a bit. Even if he would never take any concubines and she wouldn¡¯t need to deal with schemes in his palace after they were married, there were still the machinations of the very skilled empress to worry about.

 Chapter Fifty-one

    Yuelan followed Guangfeng¡¯s suggestion and had Shadow look into the situation with Laurel¡¯s family, but he reported back that everything seemed normal. Since that was the case, Yuelan set her worries to the side for the time being and focused on studying the anatomy books so she could learn healing.

    As Yuelan was taking a break a few days after Guangfeng had delivered the betrothal gifts, Zhou Xiuya and Zhao Hanju came to visit. Neither had seen Yuelan in some time, so they came to invite Yuelan to go out shopping with them. Because it had been a while since she¡¯d spent time with friends and she needed a break from her studies, Yuelan agreed. The three girls and their maids climbed into Yuelan¡¯s carriage and headed for the shopping district.

    ¡°Yuelan, you¡¯ve been neglecting us!¡± Zhao Hanju complained in a teasing tone. ¡°And you got engaged without even saying a word!¡± Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout, but the corners of her lips were doing their best to curve up into a smile and her eyes glittered with mischief. ¡°You always complained about his highness the third prince before. What changed your mind?¡± She lifted a teacup to her lips and took a sip before setting it back down on the table in the middle of the carriage.

    ¡°I had to pick somebody,¡± Yuelan replied, her cheeks turning pink. She took a sip from her own teacup and grimaced. ¡°And it definitely couldn¡¯t be the first prince. I don¡¯t like being treated like an object or decoration. At least the third prince treats me like a person with thoughts and feelings. And he seems to genuinely want to do things for the people.¡±

    ¡°What about the other princes?¡± Zhou Xiuya asked curiously as she nibbled on a pastry.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°They either said they weren¡¯t interested in the throne or...well, you two know the situations of the fifth and sixth princes already.¡±

    The three girls¡¯ expressions became solemn and Xiuya and Hanju nodded.

    ¡°I thought the second prince was interested in the throne though?¡± Xiuya¡¯s voice lifted up at the end, turning the statement into a question.

    Yuelan giggled and gave Xiuya a mischievous look. ¡°Oh, he decided he was more interested in a certain girl than becoming the crown prince once the third prince started showing he was serious. I think it won¡¯t be long before he gets engaged too¡­¡±

    Hanju looked over at Xiuya and grinned, nudging the right prime minister¡¯s daughter with her shoulder. ¡°Looks like maybe you stand a chance after all, Xiuya,¡± she teased. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been pining for him for two years now?¡±

    Xiuya¡¯s cheeks reddened and she stuffed a pastry into Hanju¡¯s mouth. ¡°I think you¡¯re too hungry to properly consider your words, Hanju,¡± she declared. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything between me and any of the princes.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Yuelan continued the teasing. ¡°He didn¡¯t specify, but I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s been sending gifts to your family lately.¡±

    Hanju¡¯s mouth was full of pastry, but she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled, nodding her head to confirm Yuelan¡¯s statement.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Xiuya tried to take a sip of tea, but ended up choking on it instead and Yuelan moved over to rub her back. ¡°Are you trying to be a fish?¡± Yuelan teased. ¡°But even fish can¡¯t breathe tea!¡±

    The right prime minister¡¯s daughter pretended to glare at Yuelan and playfully shoved at her. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not being a fish!¡± she protested once she had stopped coughing.

    The carriage pulled to a stop outside Eight Treasures Shop, the accessory shop owned by Guangfeng and the teasing stopped for the time being as the three girls got out and went into the shop.

    ¡°The mid-autumn festival is coming soon,¡± Hanju reminded the other two girls. ¡°We should order some accessories while we¡¯re here!¡±

    Yuelan considered the suggestion, then remembered the fire opal accessory set that Guangfeng had given her before. ¡°I have one I think I¡¯m going to wear already,¡± she replied. ¡°But I can help you two decide what to order.

    ¡°Was yours a gift from His Highness?¡± Xiuya teased. It seemed she wanted to take revenge for the teasing she¡¯d received in the carriage.

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned pink as she nodded. ¡°Yes. It belonged to his mother. It¡¯s very beautiful. I¡¯m not sure what to wear with it, though.¡±

    ¡°Ooh! Let us help with that after you help us with choosing our accessories!¡± Hanju volunteered. ¡°What¡¯s it made out of?¡±

    ¡°Gold and fire opals,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I considered wearing something red, but wouldn¡¯t that be too ostentatious?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so at all,¡± Xiuya disagreed. ¡°You¡¯d look very pretty in red. Besides, you¡¯re a future princess now. It¡¯s definitely appropriate for you to wear.¡±

    One of the shop employees noticed them at that moment and quickly hurried over, offering a deep bow. ¡°Miss Long, Miss Zhao, and Miss Zhou, welcome. Would you like me to take you upstairs for a look?¡± The employee was a young woman and she gave Yuelan a pleasant smile. ¡°Miss Long, his highness the third prince is upstairs as well.¡±

    Yuelan blushed. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± she wondered.

    Xiuya giggled and nudged Yuelan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Probably looking for more presents for you,¡± she teased before turning to the employee. ¡°Thank you. We would like to go upstairs. We¡¯d also like to order some accessories. Would that be possible?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Please follow me.¡± The young woman bowed and led them up a set of stairs to an area where access was limited to the misses and madams of the most influential families. ¡°Should I show you to His Highness?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Yuelan hastily denied. ¡°I¡¯m here with my friends today, not to search for the third prince.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet my butterfly hairpin that he comes to find us,¡± Hanju whispered to Xiuya.

    Xiuya rolled her eyes and shoved at Hanju¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why would I bet against a sure thing?¡± she grumbled. ¡°Of course he¡¯ll come looking. The whole capital knows they just got engaged!¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks burned. ¡°I can hear you two,¡± she reminded them as she started looking through the available accessories. ¡°What kinds of things do you two like? Have you already decided what to wear to the banquet?¡±

    The employee who had led them to the upper floor bowed and excused herself to return downstairs to assist more customers, allowing the trio to start browsing. Hanju and Xiuya cheerfully chatted with Yuelan about what they were going to wear and what stones they liked.

    Within five minutes, Hanju and Xiuya noticed the third prince was standing not far away and watching them, though neither said anything to Yuelan, who seemed content to stay focused on the accessories in the shop until her focus was interrupted by the voice of a young woman speaking in a rather rude tone.

 Chapter Fifty-two

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Miss Long?¡± The voice came from a girl who was standing not far away from Yuelan and her two friends. The girl was pretty, with a small face, large eyes, and pouty lips. Her hand was hidden inside the long sleeves of her outer robe as she lifted it to cover her mouth, large eyes twinkling with mocking laughter. ¡°Here to purchase premade accessories? What, you can¡¯t even afford to have them custom made?¡±

    Yuelan thought the girl looked vaguely familiar, but didn¡¯t actually recognize her. Another girl stood beside the first. The two looked like identical twins and even wore the same mocking expressions. Yuelan didn¡¯t feel like arguing with them and chose to ignore them instead as she turned her attention back to the displays. ¡°Hanju, I think sapphires like these would look very good on you,¡± she said cheerfully, pointing at a hairpin with blue and pink sapphires.

    Hanju and Xiuya looked at each other, then looked over at the hairpin that Yuelan was pointing at. ¡°Those are quite pretty,¡± she agreed. ¡°But what are the pink ones?¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re sapphires as well. Some sapphires form in blue and others in pink. It¡¯s quite pretty when you combine them like this, don¡¯t you think?¡± She frowned as a thought occurred to her. ¡°Though maybe something like this would be better for spring?¡±

    ¡°I think the stones will be perfect to go with what I¡¯m wearing, and I¡¯m ordering custom accessories, so we can have the design be different,¡± Hanju replied, smiling.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Xiuya spoke up. She was about to continue when the three were interrupted by the twins again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to ignore someone? How did your mother teach you growing up?¡± the first twin demanded, stamping her small foot.

    Yuelan lifted her eyes to look at the girl. ¡°My mother died when I was still small and my father never remarried,¡± she answered calmly. ¡°But I still had instructors in etiquette. I¡¯m not sure who Miss is, but I was taught that it was impolite to speak of my financial situation with anyone not related to me and not to criticize someone else¡¯s. As I come from Kilin, I¡¯m still not entirely clear on all the rules of etiquette here in Longuo. Also, I am not sure where Miss¡¯ hostility is coming from? I don¡¯t recall ever offending Miss.¡±

    The girl¡¯s face turned red and she glared at Yuelan as the second twin stepped forward and gave a polite smile. ¡°I am Wu Ying and this is my twin sister, Wu Yan. We happened to see Miss Long at Princess Liling¡¯s cherry blossom viewing, but didn¡¯t have the opportunity to speak.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Yuelan slightly drew out the single word and she smiled. ¡°Could it be I somehow upset Miss Wu Yan at the cherry blossom viewing? I don¡¯t recall seeing her at all since then.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Wu Yan continued to glare at Yuelan. ¡°You¡¯re just a nobody from a place that no one has ever even heard of pretending to be something she isn¡¯t. Your very existence is offensive!¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes dimmed and her thin lips formed an even thinner line. When Hanju and Xiuya stepped forward to try to defend her, Yuelan stretched out a hand to hold them back. ¡°Just because you have not heard of a country does not mean it doesn¡¯t exist,¡± she said calmly. ¡°And spouting words such as these in public will only highlight your own ignorance. Would Miss Wu please consider her own reputation. It would be terrible if you were considered too stupid to become someone¡¯s wife.¡± She put her hands together and performed a polite salute, then turned and started walking toward the other side of the shop with a stiff expression. After only a few steps she collided into a rather firm object and looked up.

    The ¡®object¡¯ turned out to be a smiling Xiong Guangfeng. He lifted a hand and gently helped her fix a lock of hair that had fallen into her face when she collided with him. ¡°Yuelan, did you come with your friends to choose accessories for the mid-autumn festival?¡± he asked her in a pleasant tone. His eyes lifted to give the Wu twins a piercing stare, causing Wu Yan¡¯s face to pale. The look only lasted a moment before he lowered his hazel eyes to Yuelan¡¯s face again. It was obvious he had overheard the conversation between the twins and Yuelan.

    Yuelan blushed as soon as she recognized Guangfeng and she quickly took a step back. ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted in a quiet voice. ¡°I came to help Hanju and Xiuya order their accessories. I¡¯m not going to buy any today.¡±

    Guangfeng looked a bit confused. ¡°Why not? Is there nothing here that you like?¡±

    Her blush deepened and she shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I already have a set of accessories that I¡¯ve decided to wear, so I don¡¯t need to order something new.¡±

    His eyes softened and he smiled at her. ¡°I see. If there is something you like you need only say so and this prince will happily buy it for you.¡± The third prince¡¯s hand reached up to stroke her cheek, but Yuelan dodged and shot him an angry, pouting look, her cheeks slightly puffed out. As usual, the expression she was making caused him to smile and he chuckled. ¡°Enjoy your time with your friends. This prince won¡¯t disturb you and will just wait on the side for you to finish.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression softened a little and she even gave him a slight smile as she nodded and looked back at Hanju and Xiuya. Her two friends looked like they were doing their best not to laugh and Wu Yan looked like she was going to explode in anger. The expression on Wu Yan¡¯s face enlightened Yuelan and she smiled, then turned back to the third prince, stretched onto her toes, and beckoned for him to lean over.

    Curious, Guangfeng did what she wanted, leaning down until she stopped beckoning him. The result caused his entire body to turn stiff and his eyes to widen. Yuelan kissed his cheek and gave him a shy smile. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng,¡± she said quietly before stepping over to Hanju and Xiuya, looping her arms through theirs, and pulling the two girls over to another display.

    Guangfeng was frozen in the bent over position for several seconds as he watched Yuelan walk away from him with a stupefied expression on his face. He didn¡¯t even notice Wu Yan¡¯s hands clench as her face twisted with anger and jealousy, nor did he notice when Wu Ying pulled her sister toward the stairs to leave the shop.

 Chapter Fifty-three

    Yuelan and her two friends finished looking at the accessories in the shop and finally ordered what they wanted, though Yuelan did decide not to order or purchase anything. She had more than enough accessories already and was looking forward to wearing the fire opal set that Guangfeng had given her before.

    The three girls bade the third prince goodbye as they left the shop and then went on to have some tea and snacks before heading to shop for fabric for Yuelan so she could have a new gown made. They found a beautiful burgundy fabric with gold embroidery as well as a light orange fabric to use as an accent. After enjoying their day of play the three parted company on cheerful terms and went back to their homes.

    As Yuelan walked into her manor she lifted a hand to her mouth and yawned. It had been a while since she¡¯d gone out to play and now she was physically and emotionally drained from it. As she started toward her courtyard to rest, Chung Soo approached holding paper in his hand. The steward bowed and offered the paper to Yuelan.

    ¡°My lady, this arrived for you from the palace while you were out with your friends,¡± the eunuch explained. ¡°Please, read it.¡±

    Yuelan unfolded the paper and read through the missive inviting her to travel with the members of the imperial family that would be escorting the second princess to her wedding in Zhongshu three days after the mid autumn banquet. She lifted her thumb to her mouth and nibbled on the tip of it for a moment before letting out a sigh and looking over at Camphor. ¡°Inform Granny Bing Mei that I will be traveling after the mid autumn banquet and heading to Zhongshu,¡± she instructed. ¡°If she could help me learn some of the etiquette of that country before then I would appreciate it. You, Willow, and Laurel will come with me, so make sure everything is prepared before it is time to leave.¡±

    Camphor curtsied to accept the order and headed off to find the older servant woman and etiquette instructor.

    She wasn¡¯t really sure why, but Yuelan felt it was important that she travel to Zhongshu this time. Not in support of Second Princess Xiong Ainuan, but for something else unrelated to the upcoming marriage.

    ***

    The streets of the capital were very busy as the various noble families prepared for the mid autumn banquet and the imperial family started preparations to send the second princess off to Zhongshu for the marriage alliance. Even Guangfeng was busier than usual and didn¡¯t spend as much time trying to bother Yuelan. However, the third prince did send additional hidden guards to protect her as he had promised before as well as many gifts and advice for her to use on the trip to Zhongshu once he learned she intended to go. He also made sure to remind her that he would be traveling to Zhongshu as well in the hopes that it would make her less nervous about traveling.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Yuelan spent her time more or less focused on studying the use of magic. Occasionally, a certain dragon would appear and test her, either on her ability to control herself and not accidentally activate whatever stones she happened to be wearing or on what she was studying in preparation for learning healing techniques. She was never sure if Long He was satisfied with her results or not, as the dragon never said.

    The morning of the mid-autumn banquet arrived and Yuelan ate breakfast then allowed Camphor and Willow to help her dress and do her hair and makeup. Laurel had made an excuse and begged to go visit her family the previous evening and so was unavailable.

    A tan short coat went on underneath the long, burgundy gown that was tied with a dark brown and gold ribbon over her bust. The gown flowed smoothly and the light orange outer robe finished the outfit nicely. The clothes went perfectly with the fire opal accessory set and Yuelan was very pleased with her appearance. She took the circular fan embroidered with a fall lake scene from Willow and headed out of the manor and toward the waiting carriage.

    Yuelan relaxed against the cushions in the carriage and let out a quiet sigh. She moved the curtain slightly so she could watch the bustling streets on the way to the palace while her two maids sat across from her.

    ¡°Is something troubling Miss?¡± Camphor asked in a gentle voice after a while.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been to something like this,¡± Yuelan admitted as she let the curtain fall back into place. ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡±

    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Just be your usual self. Your station is higher than any of the Misses who will be attending and you only need to watch for the princesses. The second princess is the only one who may cause you trouble,¡± Camphor reassured her.

    ¡°Thank you, Camphor.¡± Yuelan smiled a little and looked down at her pale hands. Since coming to this world her skin had gotten even more pale than before because she spent so much less time in the sun and most of her skin was always covered by the ancient-style clothing.

    The two maids saw that Yuelan still seemed uncomfortable and did their best to make cheerful conversation by talking about unimportant conversation topics intended to lighten the atmosphere and help their miss relax along the way.

    Before long the carriage stopped in front of the imperial palace and the maids helped Yuelan out of the carriage. They intended to lead her to the front of the line, but Yuelan shook her head and entered the line instead. ¡°I¡¯m not a princess yet and these other women and girls have been waiting patiently. It would be unfair of me to pressure my way in more quickly.¡±

    The two maids sighed and resigned themselves. They had gotten used to Yuelan¡¯s ignorance of the privileges her position allowed her to take advantage of and her subsequent refusal to use them even after they were explained to her.

 Chapter Fifty-four

    Yuelan listened quietly as the women around her gossiped. They talked mostly about hair accessories, makeup, clothes, what others were currently wearing, and what shops they liked to visit. Naturally, the daughters of prominent families were discussed by the women standing in line, too. What was going on with the prominent families was what Yuelan was most interested in, even if she wasn¡¯t familiar with most of them.

    Before long, Yuelan heard her name come up. She kept facing forward and listened quietly. None of the women around her were familiar, which meant that they had no idea the topic of their gossip could hear them.

    ¡°Can you believe the emperor picked some random girl from who knows where and gave her the authority to select the crown prince?¡± a nearby woman in a burnt orange dress scoffed. Her hair was pinned up into a knot that flopped to one side and looked like it could come undone any time, though it seemed to be holding the tastefully expensive hair pins just fine.

    ¡°Not only that, but now she¡¯s been decreed a marriage to the third prince! Who doesn¡¯t know what sort of person he is? What sort of brains does this girl have to pick such a person as our future emperor? He may never have been inappropriate with anyone¡¯s daughters, but who knows what he¡¯s done with the servants in his palace?¡± The woman who replied was wearing a subdued purple and had her medium-brown hair done up to look like a boat-shaped gold nugget used as currency. Her gold jewelry and hair accessories were a bit more ostentatious than the first speaker¡¯s.

    ¡°Shh!¡± a third woman wearing dark blue cut in. ¡°You can¡¯t say such things! Especially not right outside the palace! If someone reports you then what sort of punishment do you think you¡¯ll get?¡±

    The two women looked around nervously and quickly changed topics without realizing they were still discussing Yuelan.

    ¡°Look at that pretty girl! She looks so beautiful and intelligent!¡± the second woman exclaimed when she spotted Yuelan. ¡°The clothes she¡¯s wearing look so expensive, too. I wonder which family¡¯s daughter she is¡­I haven¡¯t seen her at any banquets before.¡±

    ¡°Her accessories, too. Those look like fire opals and it¡¯s a complete set! She must be well-loved by her family to have such nice things. Where do you think her mother is?¡± the second woman added.

    Yuelan sighed and lost interest in continuing to listen. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t far from the gates at this point. After a couple more women and their daughters handed their invitations to the palace maids it was Yuelan¡¯s turn. Camphor stepped forward and handed the invitation to the waiting middle-aged woman, who looked from the invitation to Yuelan and back again several times before offering a deep bow. ¡°Miss Long! If you had come to the front of the gates we would have let you in immediately! As a future princess how could it be necessary for Miss to wait in line?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I enjoyed waiting in line,¡± Yuelan assured the woman. ¡°Besides, I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble anyone else.¡± She smiled slightly and let Willow help the servant woman up. ¡°Is there someone who could guide me to the banquet location? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m rather unfamiliar with the palace.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The women who had been discussing Yuelan before paled and looked at each other with wide eyes. Willow and Camphor looked back and smirked at them, though Yuelan paid them no attention at all. She didn¡¯t care what others said or thought about her.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the palace servant woman assured Yuelan. ¡°This servant would be happy to escort Miss Long¡­¡±

    Yuelan waved a hand to cut her off. ¡°No, no. You have your duties here and I wouldn¡¯t want to take them from you. If there isn¡¯t anyone else I can just follow the other women going through. We¡¯re all going to the same place anyway.¡± She gave the servant a kind smile and stepped through the gates and into the palace, following the closest group of women to her.

    As she walked, Yuelan studied her surroundings. The path was paved with cobblestones and lined with maples and other trees. The leaves had turned from green to bright reds, yellows, and oranges. The grass lining the path was still green with fall flowers blooming in rings around the trees.

    Eventually, the path opened up to show a large, outdoor area filled with tables separated into two sections. The section on the right had men seated according to rank while the women sat in the section to the left. Small areas had been set up for painting, music, poetry, archery, and other skills that could be showcased later by the young men and women from prominent families. Camphor stood beside Yuelan and explained in a hushed voice what was expected at the banquet and Yuelan nodded to indicate she understood.

    Less than a minute after Yuelan had arrived she saw Guangfeng making his way over to her. The third prince stopped in front of her and looked her up and down with an appreciative expression. ¡°You look beautiful today,¡± he said, looking pleased. ¡°And you¡¯re wearing my mother¡¯s fire opals.¡± His hand reached out and lightly touched a golden tassel hanging from Yuelan¡¯s head. ¡°This prince is happy to see you enjoying them.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks flushed and she looked down as she curtsied to the prince. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for the praise,¡± she said softly.

    Guangfeng looked rather pleased that he wasn¡¯t being attacked by his spicy fiance after giving a compliment. ¡°Will this prince have the pleasure of listening to your guzheng performance later?¡± he asked hopefully.

    The blush on Yuelan¡¯s cheeks darkened. ¡°Yuelan has never performed for so many people before and I had thought the performances were for those who haven¡¯t already made marriage arrangements¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to show off your skills,¡± Guangfeng explained. ¡°Only those who attended Liling¡¯s cherry blossom banquet and my brothers know of your talent in music. How could I allow anyone to look down on my future wife and think she has beauty but no skills?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s hands clenched inside her wide sleeves and she gently bit her bottom lip. So it was for the purpose of showing her capability that he wanted her to perform. It was true that she didn¡¯t have much of a reputation in Longuo and this banquet was an opportunity to make herself better known. ¡°Then...I would be happy to play a song,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Will there be an instrument that I can borrow?¡±

    ¡°Of course. All of the instruments in the music area belong to the palace. You can choose any of them to play on later,¡± Guangfeng assured her. ¡°Or I can send someone to collect your guzheng if you would prefer to play on that.¡±

    ¡°If you could have someone sent for mine I would appreciate it,¡± Yuelan replied, looking up at Guangfeng with a relieved smile. ¡°I prefer to use my own instruments, since I know and like their tonal quality.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and indicated to a servant behind him to go and fetch Yuelan¡¯s guzheng. He glanced around, then sighed a little. ¡°We can speak more later. You should go and find your friends.¡±

    Yuelan smiled, nodded, and headed toward the women¡¯s side of the banquet to find Princess Liling, Zhou Xiuya, and Zhao Hanju.

 Chapter Fifty-five

    Princess Liling was chatting politely with some married women who looked to be about in their mid-twenties when Yuelan found her and approached. When she turned to look she beamed at Yuelan. ¡°Yuelan you came!¡± she called cheerfully. ¡°Are you nervous about attending your first palace banquet?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and curtsied to Liling. ¡°A bit,¡± she admitted, her cheeks turning a little pink. ¡°There is so much happening and so many people watching. I¡¯m not used to it.¡±

    ¡°Even though your father is a prime minister?¡± Liling teased.

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°He is, but events like this are a bit different in Kilin,¡± she explained.

    ¡°And all the important people already know who you are and what you look like so you don¡¯t have everyone staring at you and trying to figure out your identity,¡± Liling agreed. ¡°This is the wife of the heir to Duke Cheng Yi and the wife of Count Dong Li. The Duke and the Count are very loyal to Father Emperor. Ladies, this is Miss Long Yuelan, my third brother¡¯s future wife.¡±

    The two women turned and curtsied in greeting to Yuelan, who returned the gesture and gave them both a polite smile. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both.¡±

    The countess was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Kilin. Is it very far, Miss Long? Do you miss your family?¡±

    ¡°You could say that it is quite far,¡± Yuelan answered honestly. ¡°And I do miss my father very much, but fortunately we have been able to keep in contact without problems.¡±

    ¡°What about your mother? Or your brothers and sisters?¡± the duke¡¯s daughter-in-law inquired.

    ¡°I have no brothers and sisters and my mother died when I was very young,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°Father never married anyone else, so he raised me himself and it has been just the two of us for a very long time.¡±

    The two women gave Yuelan sympathetic smiles. ¡°Losing your mother must have been very difficult,¡± the countess said gently.

    ¡°It was. Sometimes I worry that father will be lonely and alone for the rest of his life, but I also understand that he still loves my mother very much and this is his way of honoring her memory.¡± Yuelan sighed and looked up at the clouds with a sad expression.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough sadness for today,¡± Liling interrupted. ¡°Today is a celebratory day and not a day to think of sad things.¡± She smiled. ¡°Yuelan, will we have the privilege of hearing your guzheng performance today? It has been so long since I¡¯ve been able to hear you play.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned somewhat pink. ¡°Yes. His highness the third prince sent someone to fetch my guzheng. He also seems eager to have me display my skills.¡±

    Liling beamed and clapped her hands together. ¡°Wonderful! Yuelan¡¯s skills with the guzheng are extraordinary. I¡¯m excited to hear you play again and I¡¯m sure Father Emperor will be happy to hear your music as well.¡±

    ¡°Princess Liling is just saying that to embarrass me. I¡¯m sure there are many who have greater skill on the guzheng than I do.¡± Yuelan didn¡¯t want anyone to think that she thought herself better than anyone else on anything. She knew the idea of the more praise the harder the fall and didn¡¯t want to crack her skull or break her nose when she landed.

    ¡°If Princess Liling feels Miss Long is very skilled then I am looking forward to hearing Miss Long play,¡± the countess declared cheerfully.

    ¡°As am I,¡± the future duchess agreed.

    Yuelan looked uncomfortable, but didn¡¯t argue with them and smiled instead. ¡°I hope I can live up to your expectations, then.¡±

    When the two women eventually wandered away, Liling stood up, slipped her arm through Yuelan¡¯s, and started pulling her along to meet as many noble women as possible. It seemed Liling was determined to make sure Yuelan would be able to hold her head up in front of these women, though Yuelan didn¡¯t think that just meeting them and playing the guzheng would be of much use. The fact she came from a place nobody had ever heard of put her birth in question. There wasn¡¯t anything Yuelan could do about that. Unless she did something to earn a status of her own Yuelan was sure she wouldn¡¯t be truly accepted by anyone.

    After about an hour of being dragged here and there by Liling, the odd voice of a eunuch announced the arrival of the emperor and empress and everyone turned toward the spot where the thrones had been set up to kneel with their heads lowered. After maintaining that position for what felt like a couple of minutes, the emperor¡¯s voice sounded, allowing everyone to rise.

    Silks and satins rustled and the tinkling sound of accessories swaying and hitting against each other was soft but clear around Yuelan as she rose. Liling once again claimed Yuelan¡¯s arm and started pulling her along, this time toward the emperor and empress to give greetings. As Yuelan allowed herself to be pulled she saw the princes and other princesses making their way over as well.

    The emperor¡¯s children and Yuelan all saluted the royal couple and greeted them.

    The emperor smiled and said, ¡°Rise, all of you. Today is a day of celebration. Enjoy the festivities and don¡¯t worry so much about the formalities.¡±

    Yuelan straightened along with Liling and glanced at the woman seated next to the emperor. She seemed to be a tall, proud woman with a delicate, oval face and pale skin. Her dark hair was pinned atop her head and covered in accessories that looked heavy enough to make Yuelan¡¯s neck start to ache. The woman¡¯s dark eyes looked back at Yuelan and even though her face had a neutral smile, Yuelan could see in the empress¡¯ eyes that the woman felt disdain and anger towards her. With the disdain and anger was a cold ruthlessness that made Yuelan shiver a bit.

    This was the empress. The woman that Guangfeng wanted her to watch out for.

 Chapter Fifty-six

    The empress stared hard at Yuelan, a frown forming on her perfectly made-up face. ¡°Which family is this unfamiliar girl from?¡± she asked in a sweet-sounding yet arrogant voice. ¡°This empress has not seen her before.¡±

    Guangfeng stepped forward to partially shield Yuelan from the empress¡¯ gaze. ¡°She is Long Yuelan and is betrothed to this prince,¡± he answered on her behalf.

    Yuelan frowned at Guangfeng¡¯s back. ¡°I can speak for myself,¡± she grumbled in a voice soft enough that only Guangfeng and Liling, who were closest to her, could hear.

    ¡°He knows that. He just wants to protect you,¡± Liling comforted in an equally soft voice.

    Yuelan fixed her expression to appear calm, though her eyes still had a hard glint in them. Now wasn¡¯t the time to argue with either of them over whether or not she needed protection in such a public place.

    In front of them, the Empress placed her circular fan to cover her mouth and her eyes curved into crescents. ¡°I see. So this is the girl from another country nobody has heard of before whom the emperor has placed everyone¡¯s hopes on.¡±

    ¡°This emperor knew of the country Kilin before Miss Long came,¡± the emperor said calmly, his voice loud enough that others could hear it. ¡°This emperor has a reason for doing what he did and wishes to remind everyone that they should not speculate. Even if the reason is not understood yet, it will be made clear eventually. This emperor has heard of the rumors regarding Miss Long and advises everyone that they should be careful to not do something they will regret in the future.¡±

    The empress waved her fan in front of her for a moment before speaking. ¡°This one heard Miss Long is skilled with the guzheng. Would Miss Long be willing to favor us with a song?¡±

    Yuelan glanced at Guangfeng, wondering how soon the servant he¡¯d sent would arrive with her guzheng. She turned her eyes back to the empress and curtsied. ¡°Yuelan would be happy to play for the emperor and empress. His highness the third prince sent someone to my residence to retrieve my guzheng. As soon as the servant returns Yuelan would be delighted to perform.¡±

    The empress¡¯ smile looked more like a smirk as she nodded. Her eyes as she looked at Yuelan seemed to be calculating something. Yuelan returned the gaze with a calm, steady expression. The two stared at each other for several long seconds before the empress spoke again. ¡°Then we will wait for the servant. Ainuan, why don¡¯t you perform a song for us while we wait?¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The second princess gave her mother an elegant smile and curtsied, then waved a hand to summon a servant woman who was holding a bamboo flute. Ainuan took the flute and stepped to one side, bringing the instrument to her lips and beginning to play.

    Most of the conversation among the banquet attendees ceased as everyone listened and watched the second princess with delighted expressions. Yuelan was willing to admit that the second princess was very skilled on the bamboo flute. The song she had selected was reminiscent of autumn and the leaves dancing in the wind as they fell from the trees. She smiled and closed her eyes so she could better appreciate the song until it ended five minutes later.

    Polite applause from everyone at the banquet sounded and Yuelan joined in before curtsying to Ainuan. ¡°Second Princess is very skilled on the flute. Yuelan is happy to have had the chance to appreciate your song.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s sincere praise seemed to surprise the second princess, who looked at Yuelan with suspicion hidden in her eyes before forcing a smile and nodding. ¡°Thank you, Miss Long. This princess looks forward to hearing you play as well. Your skill on the guzheng is something this princess remembers clearly from eldest sister¡¯s cherry blossom banquet.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for the praise.¡±

    The empress¡¯ hands slid into her sleeves and Yuelan thought the woman looked tense. The look in her eyes made Yuelan¡¯s skin crawl with a prickling sensation, though she didn¡¯t let it show on her face. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong and wasn¡¯t sure why the empress seemed to be even more angry at her than before, but felt it was best to pretend she hadn¡¯t noticed.

    The emperor asked the third princess, Ruzhen, to perform as well. Ruzhen smiled and complied, having a servant produce a pipa and a stool. The third princess sat down and played a cheerful song. When her song finished, Liling, as the first princess, decided to join in and played a song on the erhu. By the time the last notes of Liling¡¯s song had faded away, Yuelan¡¯s guzheng had arrived.

    Nobody was speaking with anyone else among those attending the banquet and everyone was watching the royal family and Yuelan. Yuelan sat down on the provided stool, placed her fingers on the strings, and started to play one of the songs that Guangfeng had given her to learn. It was a longer song and lasted almost fifteen minutes before the last notes sang in the air before softly fading to nothing. Yuelan lowered her hands, stood, and curtsied toward the emperor and empress.

    The banquet was silent for almost a minute before everyone remembered to applaud. The emperor had a bright grin on his aging face and the empress looked furious, though she was hiding it well behind her smile and waving fan.

    ¡°Miss Long plays exceptionally well. She will not be an embarrassment to the women of the imperial family with her musical skill,¡± the empress stated.

    Yuelan curtsied to accept the praise that felt more like it was intended to be an insult, especially with the empress¡¯ eyes seeming like sharp daggers that bored into Yuelan¡¯s forehead.

    Before anyone else could say anything, the emperor called for the guests to be seated and ordered the food served. Yuelan went with Liling to her seat and was pleased to see that her spot was beside her friend Xiuya. At least she would have someone to talk to other than Liling.

 Chapter Fifty-seven

    ¡°Yuelan, that song you played was so beautiful!¡± Zhou Xiuya sighed as the food was served and they started to eat. ¡°Did you see the looks on some of the Madams¡¯ and Misses¡¯ faces? They looked absolutely green.¡± The left prime minister¡¯s daughter giggled. ¡°After having to listen to them talk about how unrefined you were and how there was no way you had any sort of high birth the slap you gave them was so satisfying!¡±

    Liling laughed. ¡°It¡¯s much more unrefined to gossip behind someone¡¯s back out of jealousy,¡± she replied, her voice loud enough that some of the women who had been doing just that could hear it. Their faces turned red, but none of them dared to say anything.

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t need them to believe in Kilin or that my father is a prime minister. I have good friends who care about me and that¡¯s what matters.¡±

    The first princess¡¯ eyes sparkled and she nudged Yuelan. ¡°What about your fiance?¡± she asked. ¡°Third brother would feel sad if he wasn¡¯t included in the people that matter.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°What about him? It¡¯s not as though I can spend that much time with him. He¡¯s busy with other matters.¡±

    ¡°What do you think, Xiuya? I think Yuelan is complaining that third brother doesn¡¯t spend enough time with her,¡± Liling teased.

    ¡°That¡¯s what it sounds like to me,¡± Xiuya agreed, grinning.

    Yuelan¡¯s blush deepened.

    The banquet continued after everyone had eaten. The young ladies from various families displayed their artistic abilities while the young men put on displays of prowess in their own areas of expertise. A winner was chosen from each category and presented with a reward by the emperor or empress. Even though the princes and princesses performed, they were not included among those who could receive an award and neither was Yuelan.

    Xiuya won the painting category with an elegant depiction of a young woman surrounded by blooming chrysanthemums in several colors. Almost as soon as her painting had finished and her award given her parents were surrounded by men and women putting out feelers to arrange for her to marry their sons.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Not far away, Yuelan could see the second prince, Xiong Guanghong, frowning in the direction of the people surrounding Xiuya¡¯s parents. She smiled, amused, and turned away.

    ***

    Her head throbbed and she could feel herself being carried like a sack of potatoes over someone¡¯s shoulder. When she opened her eyes it was dark and stuffy. She couldn¡¯t see anything around her and it took a moment for her to register her head was in a sack of some sort that was tied around her neck. Her hands and feet were tied as well.

    Yuelan tried to move, but her muscles didn¡¯t respond at all. It seemed all she could do was blink. She¡¯d probably been drugged. All the clues pointed to her being kidnapped. That wasn¡¯t good. Her reputation was bad enough in Longuo with her past being questioned just because nobody had ever heard of Kilin (and why should they have? It wasn¡¯t even on their world).

    Forcing her brain to try to work through the pounding in her skull, Yuelan thought back. She remembered leaving the banquet. The empress had watched her with satisfaction in her eyes before returning to her own palace. A knowing look covered by a flat, round fan and a twinkle in the eye that didn¡¯t bode well for Yuelan. It had made Yuelan¡¯s spine tingle.

    After leaving the banquet, Yuelan had gone home and Laurel had given her some tea. The tea had tasted different, but when Yuelan asked about it, Laurel said she¡¯d added lavender to help her relax. Had it really been lavender? Or had Yuelan been betrayed? She didn¡¯t want to think about it.

    The bouncing stopped and Yuelan felt herself thrown to the ground. She bounced once on the stone and tried to cry out in pain, but couldn¡¯t make a sound. There was something wet on the stone as well. Water? It smelled like water. At least it wasn¡¯t urine. That would have been disgusting.

    Yuelan couldn¡¯t move, so there was no way for her to check if any of the pain she was feeling was because something was more than bruised. Fortunately, she remembered taking off the fire opal accessory set. She could feel the black jade bracelet Guangfeng had given her on her wrist still, too. That was good.

    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sack covering her head being yanked off suddenly. A rough hand grabbed her hair and pulled her up. A pained, muffled whimper came out of Yuelan¡¯s throat, the first sound she had been able to make since she woke up. The sound of something metal hitting the stone rang in her ears as she was forced to look at a man with a scar that went from above his right eye across his nose and left cheek and down to his jaw.

    ¡°Well, ain¡¯t you a pretty one?¡± the man growled before pushing her back to the ground and spitting right next to her face. ¡°Too bad you ain¡¯t mine to play with.¡± The man stroked her cheek with a heavily calloused finger, sending a frightened shiver down Yuelan¡¯s spine.

 Chapter Fifty-eight

    Yuelan tried to move away from the man¡¯s hand, pushing with her heels to slide across the ground, but she ended up pressing herself against a wall as the man¡¯s finger slid down to touch her collarbone. She took a deep breath, then lifted her feet, leaned against the wall, and kicked. The man probably wasn¡¯t expecting it. Her aim was perfect and she got him right between his legs.

    ¡°You bitch!¡± the man squealed as he instinctively curled up and withdrew his hand from her to cover himself. He forced himself to his feet and kicked Yuelan in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

    As Yuelan bent over and tried to breathe again the man sneered and went over to a ladder Yuelan could just barely see. Just before he went up he blew out all the lights, leaving her in darkness as the trap door above slammed down.

    It took time, but eventually, Yuelan managed to start breathing properly again. She coughed a few times and then started to try and work her wrists and hands out of bondage. Her teeth bit her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood as she struggled against frightened tears.

    Crying wouldn¡¯t do any good. She needed to try and remember what had happened and how she¡¯d ended up in her present situation while she figured out a way to get out. Ignoring the pain of the ropes burning her wrists as she struggled, Yuelan closed her eyes and forced herself to think through the fog in her mind and remember what had happened after she drank the tea from Laurel.

    After the tea, Yuelan had been tired and gone into her room to sleep. That¡¯s when things started to get more difficult to remember. Only bits and pieces came to mind: Laurel¡¯s tear-streaked face as she pleaded for Yuelan to forgive her and understand that she was just trying to keep her brother safe. Her maid had also put a necklace around Yuelan¡¯s neck. White quartz with red and brown cinnabar veins and...a purple stone. She hadn¡¯t had time to identify it. After that, a tall, thin man with a raven on his shoulder had shown up. There was something odd about that raven. It felt like it had called to her somehow. The man had carried her out of Crystal Moon Residence, but none of the hidden guards had reacted. Once he¡¯d carried her for a bit, he had said something to the raven. Yuelan remembered being surprised when the raven spoke back then looked at Yuelan and touched her forehead with a wing. After that, Yuelan couldn¡¯t remember anything until she woke up bound and being carried by the man who had put her down here.

    ***

    Guangfeng was in his study pouring over the information on aqueducts that Yuelan had given to him and doing his best to understand it without an architect. He frowned and tapped a finger on the desk covered in books and sketches as he struggled to make sense of the information. Just as his hand reached for a nearby teacup the door to his study burst open and a panicked Long He appeared in front of him.

    ¡°Do you know where she is?¡± the dragon demanded, rushing into the room. ¡°Where is Yuelan?¡±

    The teacup in Guangfeng¡¯s hand fell, smashing to pieces on the embroidered silk rug covering the floor below. ¡°Yuelan is missing? I thought you would be able to sense her once you formed that bond!¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s interfering. Two of her maids said she went to bed early. One of them went in to check on her a few minutes ago and found her gone. The third maid is gone too,¡± Long He explained.

    ¡°What do you mean something is interfering?!¡± Guangfeng shouted. ¡°What could possibly interfere with a dragon¡¯s ability to sense their master?!¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Long He¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°A human experienced in concealing magic,¡± he answered in a flat voice. ¡°There aren¡¯t many humans left who can use magic, but there are still some.¡±

    The third prince slammed his fist on his desk and started pacing. After a moment he stopped and looked over at Long He again. ¡°You said the third maid is gone? Is it Laurel?¡±

    The dragon thought for a moment. ¡°I think that¡¯s what they called her. I haven¡¯t paid that much attention to the maid¡¯s names.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and called, ¡°Shade.¡±

    A young man dressed all in dark clothing dropped down from a concealed location. ¡°Master?¡±

    ¡°Go investigate Laurel. And Shadow.¡±

    Shade blinked, then nodded and went out of the study, disappearing into the dark, moonless night.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know where Yuelan is either,¡± Long He clarified, his eyes narrowing.

    ¡°No. But Yuelan did mention Laurel was acting suspiciously a couple of weeks ago. Shadow was supposed to look into it. She told me he didn¡¯t find anything strange,¡± Guangfeng answered.

    Before Long He could ask anything else, Shadow appeared in the doorway of the study, lowered himself to his knees, and put his forehead on the ground. ¡°Your Highness, I failed. When I originally investigated Laurel I didn¡¯t find anything strange. After Laurel and Mistress disappeared I went to investigate again. Her youngest brother was taken away yesterday morning by a group of men who left a note behind for Laurel. Her father came to the residence and begged for her to return home. Laurel pleaded with Mistress, who allowed her to go home today. She left the note behind when she left her family home.¡± The guard pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and offered it up to the third prince, who took it and started to read.

    After Guangfeng read the note he frowned. ¡°Were there any other messages that had been left for Laurel or her family?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°No, but they mentioned they had seen Laurel speaking with someone on the streets a few times on the days she returned to visit them with Mistress¡¯ permission,¡± Shadow explained. ¡°They described him as having medium brown hair and lightly tanned skin wearing dark clothing and often having a raven on his shoulder.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed and he rubbed his chin. ¡°That sounds like Yun Cai¡­¡±

    ¡°Who is Yun Cai?¡± Long He interrupted.

    ¡°An information broker who works for the highest bidder,¡± Guangfeng answered. ¡°I¡¯ve hired him a time or two myself, but usually he works for the empress.¡±

    ¡°Yun Cai is skilled in stealth,¡± Shadow added. ¡°He can evade even the hidden guards surrounding the emperor. It¡¯s said he talks to his raven and the bird sometimes talks back, though none of us have confirmed that.¡±

    Long He¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Does he wear or carry any particular gems?¡± he asked.

    Shadow nodded. ¡°He always wears the same earring in his left ear and a ring on his right pinky finger.¡±

    The dragon nodded, mulling over the information.

    ¡°Do you know who has employed him at the moment, Shadow?¡± Guangfeng asked, leaving the dragon to his thoughts for the time being.

    Shadow shook his head. ¡°No. And the hidden guards at Crystal Moon Residence say they did not see anything. None of them know how Mistress disappeared.¡±

    ¡°It was most likely this Yun Cai who took her,¡± Long He sighed. ¡°And who is concealing her presence from me so I can¡¯t find her. I suspect the raven is a spirit beast rather than an ordinary bird and that Yun Cai is capable of using magic. He likely already knew what I am or was warned beforehand by someone who knew that it would be necessary.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°I agree. I will do what I can to find her, Lord Long.¡±

    ¡°I will contact the spirit beasts here in the capital. Perhaps one of them will be able to find her even if I cannot,¡± Long He agreed.

    ¡°If we work together I¡¯m sure we can find her quickly.¡± The third prince sounded like he was trying to reassure himself as much as the dragon.

 Chapter Fifty-nine

    Yuelan winced and blinked quickly as the trap door opened and light attacked her eyes. She didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been trapped in the dark alone, but it had been long enough to loosen the ropes binding her hands at least. She kept her wrists and hands hidden as she watched a figure descend the ladder and her ears caught the soft sound of a boot stepping in a puddle of water.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give her a chair to sit on. How could you mistreat the future crown princess this way?¡± a familiar, drawling voice said as a second figure came down the ladder.

    ¡°Apologies, Highness. I was told not to give her special treatment,¡± a second male voice explained. The second voice belonged to the man who had been in the small, dark prison with Yuelan before.

    ¡°Well, never mind.¡± Yuelan¡¯s eyes finished adjusting to the lamp light and she looked up at the face of the first prince as he spoke. ¡°Miss Long. It¡¯s been quite a while since we had a chance to chat.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed and she glared at him. ¡°You¡¯re responsible for this?¡± she demanded.

    The first prince chuckled. ¡°Of course not. I just happened to find out that you were here and decided to take the opportunity to convince you that you¡¯re making a very big mistake. My third brother doesn¡¯t have what it takes to be the next emperor. He¡¯s stupid and lazy and spent all his time galavanting about with equally stupid and lazy offspring of wealthy and influential families who relied on their fathers¡¯ wealth and good name to do whatever they wanted.¡±

    ¡°How are you any different?¡± Yuelan asked. ¡°You don¡¯t care about anyone but yourself. The people don¡¯t matter to you. When I spent time with you you wouldn¡¯t even ask my preferences and I had to eat whatever it was that you wanted to eat. I don¡¯t like spicy foods. They make my stomach hurt if I eat them too much, but you never bothered to find that out and when I told you, you ignored me. All you ever talked about was yourself. What good would you do for the people? At least Guangfeng listens to others and has interest in improving their lives. He¡¯ll make a better emperor than you will.¡±

    The back of the first prince¡¯s hand connected with Yuelan¡¯s cheek and she was flung sideways. Her head knocked against the stone wall and she felt dizzy.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a woman with a dragon guarding her. It¡¯s not like the dragon is your bonded servant,¡± the first prince spat. ¡°I found an old scroll detailing how to form a bond with a creature like him. I¡¯ll be able to bend that dragon to my will soon enough when I bind him to me as my spirit beast and then he will no longer be a problem. You¡¯ll have no more protection and will have to do whatever I say.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    Yuelan carefully sat herself up, making sure to keep her hands where they were so nobody would suspect she¡¯d loosened the ropes. Something liquid slid down from her forehead and touched her lips and she tasted blood. Even though she was nervous and frightened, she refused to show it and glared at the first prince. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Spirit beasts have to agree to form a contract. You can¡¯t force it on them. Not with your limited level of ability, anyway.¡±

    ¡°And what would you know? You¡¯re just a woman.¡± Prince Guangfai snapped. Instead of slapping her again, he kicked her side, causing her to cough and try to catch her breath for a moment before she could speak again.

    ¡°I have access to everything in the library,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°The scroll you found probably only has a very small bit of the information you need to fully form a bond with a spirit beast and Long He said that very few humans are able to use magic anymore. It¡¯s been declining since the priestess disappeared after she split the world.¡± She coughed a few more times and glared at the first prince. ¡°None of you princes have the ability to wield enough magic to form a bond with a spirit beast right now.¡±

    The first prince crouched down and grabbed Yuelan by the hair. He held on tight and smirked at her. ¡°A woman like you has no right nor ability to decide what this prince is and isn¡¯t capable of. Women are stupid and uneducated. They can barely read and write, let alone make decisions and judgements beyond what is needed to run a household. All they¡¯re good for is providing sons for their husbands.¡±

    Having her hair pulled was painful, but Yuelan refused to back down and she glared at Guangfai. ¡°Your ignorance caused by your upbringing is showing,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°There are matriarchal societies where men are in the same position that women are here, didn¡¯t you know? Women are capable of being warriors and leaders too. They¡¯re just as intelligent as men. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate us.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s head was wrenched sideways as the first prince threw her to the ground and stepped on her head, forcing her face into the water for a moment. When he released her she coughed, expelling the dirty water from her mouth and nose.

    ¡°Fool. Agree to marry me instead of my idiot brother. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you out of here,¡± the first prince insisted.

    ¡°No,¡± Yuelan snapped. ¡°I won¡¯t let your country¡¯s people be ruled by a tyrant like you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± The first prince smirked and looked over at the servant who had come down with him. ¡°Leave her here in the dark. She¡¯ll break and give in eventually.¡±

    The large, rough man bowed in acknowledgement and followed the first prince up the ladder.

    Yuelan watched them go until the trap door closed and she was left in darkness once again.

 Chapter Sixty

    Guangfeng studied the man lounging on the slightly faded sofa in the main room of an old house on the edge of the capital. The third prince was frowning, but the man looked calm and collected. A raven perched on the back of the sofa, it¡¯s beady eyes staring straight at Long He, who stood behind Guangfeng. The air in the room was full of tension that the man on the sofa seemed to be ignoring.

    ¡°You know I never betray my employers, Your Highness,¡± the man said calmly as he lay back with his hands behind his head. One foot rested on his other knee and tapped the air. ¡°No matter how much money I¡¯m offered. It¡¯s bad for business.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking who hired you, Yun Cai, and I already know you were hired to take my fiance from her home. Tell me where you took her,¡± the third prince insisted. ¡°I will pay any price for that information.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is,¡± Yun Cai said calmly. ¡°I was only hired to get her out of the residence and turn her over to someone else. They were responsible for taking her wherever she is now.¡± The man turned to look at Guangfeng. His lips held a smile, but his eyes looked bored. ¡°You can have that information for free. I won¡¯t charge you for something you already know.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s fist tightened and he turned to look at Long He, who had remained silent since they had come in the room. The dragon seemed unusually focused as he stared at the raven on the back of Yun Cai¡¯s couch. The prince felt a twinge of annoyance at the dragon¡¯s seeming disinterest and turned back to Yun Cai. ¡°Did you think Lord Long came out of his library to see you because he was bored?¡± he asked the information broker. ¡°The girl you abducted is his ward and he wants her back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Yun Cai replied calmly. ¡°You can¡¯t threaten me with Lord Long, though. I have my own considerations. The library¡¯s guardian can¡¯t do anything to me.¡±

    The raven on the back of Yun Cai¡¯s chair spread its wings and flapped down to the floor before shifting into the form of a black haired woman with a full figure. ¡°I suggest you tell them what you know, Yun Cai. The dragon says he¡¯s going to eat me if you don¡¯t and I don¡¯t want to become food.¡±

    ¡°Lueduo?¡± Yun Cai finally sat up and looked over at the raven-turned-woman. ¡°What dragon?¡±

    The woman pointed her finger at Long He. ¡°That one. The priestess¡¯ dragon.¡±

    ¡°Priestess?¡± Yun Cai frowned and looked at Long He with narrowed eyes. ¡°What priestess?¡±

    ¡°The dragon priestess, of course. The one who built the library he protects,¡± Lueduo answered. ¡°The woman you took is her descendant and the dragon has formed a contract with her. You cast the spell to conceal her presence from anyone, so he can¡¯t find her. If we don¡¯t tell him where his master is, he¡¯s going to eat me.¡± The woman looked calmly at Yun Cai. ¡°We have an agreement, as well, Yun Cai. I agreed to form a contract with you on one condition. You haven¡¯t forgotten it, have you?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll keep my promise, Lueduo.¡± Yun Cai stood up and walked over to the side of the room. He pulled down a bowl of water and set it on a table. ¡°Your Highness. I can¡¯t provide her exact location, but I can show you who you need to find to be able to find her. As for payment...I would like to meet with your fiance in private once you have recovered her.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned and looked over at Long He. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It seems that Yun Cai is capable of scrying,¡± Long He answered. ¡°I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. That¡¯s what the stone on his ring is best suited for.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡± Guangfeng pointed at the woman. ¡°What is she?¡±

    The dragon blinked. ¡°A spirit beast, obviously. She seems quite high ranked within the raven clan, judging by her powers and ability to transform into a human.¡±

    ¡°Can they be trusted? I don¡¯t think letting someone capable of hiding Yuelan¡¯s presence from you be alone with her is a good idea.¡±

    Long He looked over at the raven.

    ¡°Yun Cai won¡¯t hurt her,¡± the raven said quickly. ¡°It goes against the terms of the contract he has with me. And I don¡¯t want to be eaten.¡±

    ¡°There you have it. My mistress will be fine. Accept the terms.¡± Long He turned to look back at Guangfeng. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to negotiate. She has already been missing for two days and is supposed to leave with you the day after tomorrow to go to Zhongshu.¡±

    Guangfeng clenched his fist again at the reminder and walked over to Yun Cai and the bowl of water. ¡°Then we¡¯ll accept. I¡¯ll allow a meeting in private with Yuelan.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ll look into the water, Your Highness, you¡¯ll see the man I handed her over to. While I don¡¯t know where he took her, I do know he has been where she is being held more than once,¡± the information broker said calmly.

    ¡°Why can you bring up his image and not find her?¡± Guangfeng asked bluntly as he looked into the water.

    ¡°Because where she is being held is dark, Your Highness,¡± Yun Cai answered, shrugging. ¡°I can tell you that it¡¯s underground, the floor and walls are stone, the room isn¡¯t large, and there¡¯s water covering the floor, but that¡¯s all. There isn¡¯t anything to see and no distinguishing characteristics about any of it. Magic isn¡¯t perfect and my abilities are limited.¡± He nodded at the bowl of water again. ¡°Please quickly memorize the face. I can¡¯t hold the image up forever.¡±

    Guangfeng studied the image of the heavy-set man with a scar going from his right eye to the left side of his face and down to his jaw for a few seconds then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve remembered it. Is it possible to transfer the likeness from the water to paper?¡±

    Yun Cai gave Guangfeng a flat look. ¡°If it was, would I have to hold it for you in the water?¡± The information broker¡¯s words were pointed and his tone annoyed. ¡°Maybe if this were in the time of the priestess it would be, but if it was possible then the way to do it has been lost since.¡±

    ¡°Never mind then. The scar is enough to find him with,¡± Guangfeng replied. ¡°Release the spell you cast to conceal Yuelan¡¯s presence.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t. She isn¡¯t here and the spell is on her. I can¡¯t lift it unless I can touch her.¡± Yun Cai shrugged. ¡°I was paid extra for that spell, too. Didn¡¯t ask any questions, but looks like I got the answers anyway.¡± He looked pointedly at Long He before picking up the bowl of water and putting it away on the shelf.

    Guangfeng understood the words were a reminder that whoever had kidnapped Yuelan had most likely known Long He¡¯s true form. That information was limited, which narrowed down the potential suspects.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Guangfeng looked over at Long He and headed out of the house.

 Chapter Sixty-one

    Yuelan didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been trapped in the dark, dank room. She hadn¡¯t been given anything to eat since she¡¯d been brought in, only water. Her hunger had reached the point her stomach was sending stabbing pains and she wasn¡¯t sure how much longer she could hold on. The ropes were off her hands and feet, but the trap door locked from the outside and Yuelan hadn¡¯t been able to find anything she could use to try and unlock it.

    The first prince knew the ropes were undone, but he didn¡¯t seem to care at all about Yuelan escaping. He¡¯d come a couple of times since the first time, each time to try and get her to change her mind about choosing Guangfeng. Yuelan had continued to refuse. The last time he¡¯d come he¡¯d brought food and promised to give it to her if she agreed, but even though Yuelan was starving she had still refused. If he was willing to do something like this to someone who would potentially bear his children then she didn¡¯t even want to think about what he¡¯d be like as a ruler with no one above him.

    Wood scraping against stone sounded above as the trap door opened and Yuelan opened her eyes to look up and watch as two figures came down the ladder and she squinted her eyes against the light. She¡¯d managed to figure out what the other stone was. Time to act.

    Yuelan concentrated hard. Just as the two figures reached the bottom of the ladder they collapsed into the water. Lepidolite. That was the second stone on the necklace. It could put people to sleep. She had to remember to thank Laurel for that later and ask where she¡¯d gotten the necklace.

    With the first prince and the scarred man now sleeping, Yuelan climbed up the ladder. She shivered and wondered if she had a fever. Probably, since she¡¯d been sitting in dirty water for an unknown length of time. Not to mention what was in that water. They hadn¡¯t given her a chamber pot.

    As soon as Yuelan had gotten to the top of the ladder she thought hard. Cinnabar allowed for shapeshifting. She couldn¡¯t hold the shape for long, but she could at least get away. It was dark, so Yuelan chose the shape of an owl. Taking on the shape and holding it was a struggle, but she managed to fly away.

    ***

    Guangfeng had gotten a clue on the location of the scarred man and was walking swiftly down an alley. Shade and Shadow were both with him and he heard them cry out in surprise before something landed on top of him and he fell on the ground. Whatever it was, it was wet and smelled terrible. It was also...crying?

    ¡°G-guangfeng¡­¡±

    The trembling voice made all of the prince¡¯s muscles tense at once. He carefully moved himself out from under the thing on his back and his eyes widened when he recognized Yuelan¡¯s face. She was filthy. Her hair and clothes were a mess. The cleanest part of her was where the tears were sliding down. The sight made Guangfeng¡¯s heart squeeze.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright now. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± With Shade and Shadow¡¯s help, Guangfeng stood. He removed his outer robe and wrapped it securely around the shivering girl before picking her up into his arms. ¡°Shadow, inform Lord Long. Shade, find Yun Cai. Tell them we found Miss Long.¡±

    The two hidden guards disappeared as soon as the prince finished speaking.

    Yuelan¡¯s arms trembled as she tried to wrap them around Guangfeng¡¯s neck and he gently helped her so she could hold on to him while he headed toward the house he¡¯d met with Yun Cai. She would need a doctor, but first he had to get her safely home.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°How did you get away?¡± Guangfeng asked, holding her closer.

    Yuelan whimpered and hid her face in his shoulder. ¡°The necklace I''m wearing has two stones I needed to escape. One let me put them to sleep and the other helped me turn into an owl. I had to change shape a few times to find you.¡±

    The idea seemed amazing to Guangfeng. Changing shape? That could be very useful for gathering information. And putting people to sleep could help with surprise attacks in a war. No, that wasn¡¯t important now.

    The two hidden guards arrived with Long He and Yun Cai. The dragon stared at Yuelan for a moment, then reached out and took her from Guangfeng. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°All I did was break her fall, Lord Long. Yuelan saved herself with magic.¡± Guangfeng didn¡¯t want to let go of her, but he let the dragon take her anyway and turned to give instructions.

    ¡°Shade, get Doctor Wei and take him to Crystal Moon Residence,¡± Guangfeng ordered.

    The guard nodded and disappeared yet again.

    ***

    When they arrived at Yuelan¡¯s residence, the doctor was already waiting for them. He didn¡¯t say a word and followed Long He, who was carrying Yuelan, Guangfeng, and Yun Cai to Yuelan¡¯s courtyard.

    Doctor Wei silently observed Yuelan with only his eyes and when they reached her courtyard he barred Yun Cai and Guangfeng from entering. He himself stayed with Long He while Camphor and Willow bathed their mistress and dressed her in clean clothes. Once his patient had been settled, the doctor stepped forward to check her pulse and asked a few simple questions about how she was feeling. The last question was: ¡°When was your last meal?¡±

    Yuelan hesitated. The questions before had all been answered with a nod or a shake of her head. This was the first one she had to actually speak for. ¡°I...I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered honestly. Her voice sounded weak and hoarse. ¡°I wasn¡¯t given anything to eat.¡±

    Guangfeng and Camphor tensed beside her, but the doctor didn¡¯t look surprised.

    ¡°Have someone make a bowl of congee,¡± Doctor Wei instructed Camphor. ¡°Help her drink it slowly or it will cause problems with her stomach. She should also take a hot bath to help her warm up.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Guangfei had come into the room, unable to wait any longer to see how Yuelan was doing.

    ¡°Other than being starved for a few days and getting too cold there isn¡¯t anything wrong with Miss Long,¡± the doctor explained. ¡°She needs to be warmed up, eat some food, and get some rest is all. If she rests properly today she should be alright to leave tomorrow with the rest of the group following Her Highness the second princess to Zhongshu.¡±

    Guangfeng let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Doctor Wei.¡± He passed a pouch of money over to the doctor then looked over at Camphor. ¡°Take good care of her. We¡¯ll deal with the problem of Laurel¡¯s betrayal after we return from Zhongshu.¡±

    Yuelan waited until the doctor had left the room before saying quietly, ¡°So it was Laurel. I remember hearing her apologize just before I fell unconscious. I think she put the necklace on me too. When I woke up I was in that room where you found me.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s being kept in the prison in my palace,¡± Guangfeng told her. ¡°The decision on what to do about her will be yours, since she¡¯s your servant, but it was too dangerous to leave her here. I don¡¯t want someone getting to her to silence her before we have the chance to question her.¡±

    There was silence for almost a minute before Yuelan finally spoke again. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng.¡±

    The third prince gave her a gentle smile. ¡°It was what I should do. I¡¯m just glad you weren¡¯t hurt. Why don¡¯t you have Camphor and a couple of other maids take you back to your courtyard so you can rest? I can see myself out.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and let Camphor help her up. A couple of other maids had already been sent over by Chung Soo and they moved over to assist as well.

 Chapter Sixty-two

    As Yuelan had returned home at dawn, she spent the whole day in bed just as Doctor Wei had recommended. While she rested, Camphor and Willow worked with Granny Mei and Chung Soo to make sure everything was ready for Yuelan to travel to Zhongshu the following day with Princess Ainuan and the other members of the wedding party. Yuelan¡¯s two personal maids stopped packing at regular intervals to take food or medicine to their mistress so she would recover as soon as possible.

    The next day, Yuelan was running a fever. Nobody was surprised, as she had spent two full days without food and trapped in a small room covered in water. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t time for her to rest properly and recover from her illness. Camphor and Willow carefully helped Yuelan into her carriage and settled her as comfortably as they could, piling up pillows behind her and covering her in blankets. They also made sure there was plenty of fuel for the brazier. Once the two maids were sure Yuelan was comfortable enough she could get some rest, they signaled the driver and the carriage headed for the palace to join the group leaving for Zhongshu.

    Guangfeng was waiting outside the palace gates on a horse when Yuelan¡¯s carriage arrived. Behind him was his own carriage and standing beside it was Doctor Wei holding his bag. The third prince tapped on the side of Yuelan¡¯s carriage as it came to a stop.

    Camphor lifted the curtain to look outside and attempted to salute the prince. ¡°Your Highness. Miss has just fallen back to sleep. She¡¯s running a fever, so if possible we¡¯d like to let her rest¡­¡±

    ¡°Let her sleep. I¡¯ve brought Doctor Wei along to monitor her condition. I¡¯m sure he can examine her without waking her,¡± Guangfeng replied. He glanced back at the doctor, who nodded in confirmation and stepped away from the prince¡¯s carriage and toward Yuelan¡¯s.

    Willow opened the carriage door and let the doctor in and the two maids sat beside Yuelan while the doctor examined her and then handed them a small bundle.

    ¡°No need for concern, Your Highness, it seems to just be a cold,¡± the doctor said quietly. ¡°Boil the herbs in water and have her drink it as tea. Let me know if her condition changes at all.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Camphor¡¯s voice was just as soft as the doctor¡¯s and she started to reach for Yuelan¡¯s coin purse.

    Doctor Wei raised up a hand. ¡°No need for payment. His Highness has already promised to pay. I will be in His Highness¡¯ carriage should you need me.¡±

    Camphor nodded and Willow opened the carriage door and let the doctor out.

    The doctor stepped out of Yulan¡¯s carriage and climbed into the third prince¡¯s.

    Over the next half hour, more carriages and wagons arrived. Once everyone was gathered and Princess Ainuan¡¯s carriage had come out of the palace, the caravan set off, heading out of the capital and onto the western highway toward Zhongshu.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ***

    Yuelan dozed off and on for the next couple of days as she recovered from her cold and the ordeal of being abducted. She didn¡¯t leave the carriage or make an attempt to carry out a conversation with anyone outside it. When she was awake she would chat with her maids or study the books and scrolls they had considerately packed for her, but for the most part she slept.

    On the fourth day after leaving the capital Yuelan was fully recovered and had lifted the curtain to watch the scenery as the caravan traveled along the highway. Guangfeng rode his horse next to her carriage, though kept back a bit from the window so he wouldn¡¯t impede her view.

    ¡°When we cross the bridge just ahead we¡¯ll be in Zhongshu,¡± Guangfeng said, pointing ahead along the road.

    Yuelan poked her head out of the carriage window to look ahead and smiled. ¡°And how long after that before we reach our destination?¡± Yuelan asked as she turned her head back to look at him.

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°Another four days. Would you like to come out and ride on the horse with me for a bit?¡±

    As the prince had expected, Yuelan¡¯s face paled and she quickly shook her head. ¡°No thanks. You know I don¡¯t like horses.¡±

    ¡°Just thought I would offer in case you wanted a change of pace.¡± He smiled.

    They had just crossed the bridge Guangfeng had pointed out earlier and Yuelan was going to respond to his teasing but just as she opened her mouth to speak the horses pulling her carriage suddenly panicked. They reared and darted off the road toward the forest, ignoring the driver¡¯s attempts to get them back under control.

    ¡°Ah!¡± The sudden change in speed threw Yuelan back against the seat and she bit her tongue. It wasn¡¯t bad, but was painful and the taste of blood filled her mouth. She lifted her hand and covered her mouth, wincing.

    Camphor and Willow had also been tossed about. Camphor had hit her head against the table in the center of the carriage and been knocked out and Willow was thrown against the door, which opened, and she tumbled out of the carriage.

    ¡°Send someone ahead to stop the caravan!¡± Guangfeng snapped at one of the nearby guards. ¡°Circle around and keep everyone safe. You five, come with me!¡± He pointed at five guards and then spurred his horse to chase after Yuelan¡¯s carriage.

    The carriage seemed to be hitting every rock and bump as it sped toward the nearby forest. Yuelan did her best to keep herself steady inside the carriage, but she kept being tossed around. Before long, Shadow came in through the window, wrapped an arm around Yuelan¡¯s waist, and jumped out of the carriage with her. ¡°Apologies, my lady,¡± he muttered just before they landed on the ground. The guard managed to land on his feet and kept Yuelan lifted up. He ran a few steps before he managed to stop and set her down. Not far away, the horses ran on opposite sides of a tree, smashing the carriage into it. The driver had already jumped off his seat and Yuelan couldn¡¯t see any sign of him.

    ¡°Thank you, Shadow.¡± Yuelan gave her guard a tense smile.

    The guard only nodded and stepped away to an appropriate distance.

    Yuelan looked around at the trees around them and frowned. She couldn¡¯t see the road at all or any sign of anyone else. Just as she was about to ask Shadow which way they should go, she heard a loud roar sounding from nearby, causing her to shiver. Oddly, she didn¡¯t feel fear, but a sense of familiarity from the roar and she unconsciously took a step toward the sound.

 Chapter Sixty-three

    Before she could take another step, Shadow grabbed Yuelan¡¯s arm and pulled her back. ¡°Mistress, where are you going? The carriages are the other way.¡±

    Yuelan looked back at Shadow, frowned, and then turned toward where the roar had come from. ¡°No...I need to go this way,¡± she told her guard. She tried to take another step only for Shadow¡¯s grip on her arm to tighten slightly and refuse to let her go.

    ¡°Let go of me,¡± Yuelan ordered.

    ¡°Mistress, that was the roar of a large beast. This forest is known to contain spiritual beasts and it is my job to keep you safe,¡± Shadow objected, refusing to let go. ¡°If you insist on not heading for the carriages then I must insist that you at least stay right here and wait for His Highness the third prince to arrive before you try to go anywhere else. I need to ensure your safety.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t follow. In fact, you probably should follow,¡± Yuelan pointed out as the creature roared for a second time. This time, the sound made Yuelan feel a sense of urgency. ¡°Now let go so I can walk. I don¡¯t have time to wait around.¡±

    Shadow¡¯s expression turned stubborn. He continued to grip her arm and firmly planted his feet, refusing to budge.

    Since Shadow wasn¡¯t going to cooperate, she was going to have to do something a little more drastic. Yuelan¡¯s eyes narrowed and she touched the pendant on the necklace she was wearing. The stone set in the pendant was round, smooth, light purple, and half the size of her thumb. It was the same kind of stone as one of the two in the necklace she¡¯d had on when she was abducted. As her fingers stroked the pendant she concentrated on Shadow¡¯s eyes, staring at him until his grip on her arm loosened, his eyes closed, and he started to fall. She did her best to catch him and managed to keep him from hitting his head on anything, then left him to sleep where he was as the beast roared for the third time and she headed toward the sound.

    ***

    Not long after Yuelan had disappeared into the woods, Guangfeng arrived at the site of the crashed carriage only to find Shadow sound asleep on the ground. The prince¡¯s face darkened and he dismounted then picked the guard up by the collar and shook him until he woke up.

    Shadow saw Guangfeng and felt confused for a moment before he frantically tried to look around and cried out, ¡°Where did Mistress go?!¡±

    ¡°You tell me,¡± Guangfeng growled, his voice low and filled with fury. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, what were you doing sleeping?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± The guard¡¯s expression was full of confusion and panic. ¡°Mistress wanted to go toward the beast that was roaring and I was trying to keep her from doing so. She wasn¡¯t happy and I was trying to keep her here until Your Highness arrived, but everything went black for a moment and then the next moment Your Highness was shaking me,¡± he explained, his face pale.

    ¡°When I got here you were sleeping.¡± Guangfeng looked like he was considering strangling Shadow with his bare hands. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t dream the whole thing?¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°I believe there should be a different explanation, Your Highness,¡± another voice called. The owner of the voice joined them, still mounted on his own horse and looking as though it wasn¡¯t at all odd that he was there.

    Guangfeng frowned and turned to look at Yun Cai with narrowed eyes. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness promised me a meeting with Miss Long. After I wrapped up some unfinished business in the capital, I naturally followed after you,¡± the information broker answered as a raven flew down from above and settled onto his shoulder.

    ¡°And what would your explanation be?¡± the prince demanded.

    Yun Cai didn¡¯t answer the question, but instead asked one of Shadow. ¡°Was your mistress wearing any jewelry?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the guard answered immediately.

    The information broker pulled something out of his pocket and held it up, showing a stone the same type as the one in Yuelan¡¯s necklace. ¡°Did any of it look like this stone?¡±

    ¡°The pendant on her necklace. She was stroking it just before His Highness started shaking me.¡±

    ¡°There you have it.¡± Yun Cai put the stone back in his pocket. ¡°She¡¯s wearing Lepidolite. I used the same thing to make sure she was asleep when I slipped her out of her home. Someone with enough magic ability can use Lepidolite to put others to sleep. If you have enough ability to form a contract with a spirit beast, especially one with as much power as a dragon, then you have enough to put someone to sleep. It seems she was quite determined to go in that direction.¡± He pointed toward the direction Yuelan had gone. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s there. It wasn¡¯t the guard¡¯s fault. Most can¡¯t defend themselves from something like this if they¡¯re not expecting it and even if they were, they¡¯d have to be able to use magic and start up a defense.¡±

    Guangfeng clenched his jaw and dropped Shadow, then turned and headed in the direction Yun Cai had indicated without saying a word.

    ***

    Yuelan pushed through the underbrush until she reached a small clearing. The branches from the large trees surrounding the clearing met in the middle, completely shading it from the sky above. In the center of the clearing was a white tiger twice the size of a normal tiger. Even though the massive predator was looking right at Yuelan with an intense, golden-eyed gaze, she wasn¡¯t afraid.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said as she stepped into the clearing and approached the tiger. ¡°Were you calling me? It felt like you were.¡±

    The tiger said nothing and continued to focus on Yuelan until she was standing right in front of it. It felt as though the creature was sizing her up and she lifted her hand, holding it out in front of the tiger¡¯s nose.

    The white tiger touched Yuelan¡¯s hand, then rubbed its head against her. It circled around her and then nudged her to the middle of the clearing before sitting down in front of her. The tip of its striped tail tapped as it stared at her with an expectant gaze.

    At first, Yuelan was confused, but as she looked around for some clue she saw familiar stones placed in a familiar pattern and at her feet was a piece of purple jade. She blinked. ¡°You want me...to form a contract with you?¡± she asked hesitantly.

    The tiger nodded once and a deep, resonant voice sounded in her head: Form the contract, Priestess, and call my name. There isn¡¯t as much time as that dragon thinks.

    Yuelan was startled and she stared at the white tiger with wide eyes for several seconds before she took a deep breath and started the same process that Long He had walked her through before. At the very end she opened her mouth and called, ¡°Byakko¡­¡±

 Chapter Sixty-four

    Guangfeng, Shadow, and Yun Cai arrived outside the small clearing while Yuelan was still in the middle of the bonding ritual. The third prince saw the large, white tiger and tried to go into the clearing to protect her, but Yun Cai reached out a hand, grabbed Guangfeng¡¯s wrist, and held him back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt the ritual,¡± the information broker advised. ¡°It¡¯ll hurt both her and the divine beast she is forming the bond with.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Guangfeng demanded.

    Yun Cai smiled. ¡°Lady Long is in the middle of a bonding ritual,¡± he explained calmly. His free hand stretched out to indicate the stones set in specific locations around the clearing. ¡°Those stones and the purple jade in the center are used to form a bond between a high ranked spirit beast and a human. The one in front of us looks like the White Tiger, which would make it a divine beast. Forming the contract bond is difficult and tiring. If you interrupt it then it could hurt the two in the middle of it, especially the human.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that¡¯s the White Tiger? Or even that a bonding ritual is taking place?¡±

    ¡°The answer to the first question is that it¡¯s just an educated guess. As for the second, I can feel the stones resonating with each other and the two of them. I¡¯m also familiar with the stones required, even if I only needed the purple jade to form the contract with Lueduo,¡± Yun Cai explained patiently. He studied Guangfeng¡¯s face and his expression became curious. ¡°Are you telling me you haven¡¯t realized who your fiance is yet?¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you implying?¡±

    ¡°As soon as Long He showed up in my house with you and Lueduo said he had formed a contract with her I knew who she was. That¡¯s why I want to meet with her. If you haven¡¯t figured it out, then I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡± The information broker shrugged and gave Guangfeng a smile.

    Just as Guangfeng was going to ask how much he wanted for the information he heard Yuelan¡¯s voice calling out ¡°Byakko.¡±

    ¡°So...it really is the divine beast,¡± Guangfeng said instead, turning to look at Yuelan.

    ¡°I thought so. You should be careful, Your Highness. If she decides she really doesn¡¯t want to marry you then not even the emperor will have the ability to force her,¡± Yun Cai advised. He smirked at Guangfeng. ¡°And I¡¯ll give that piece of information free of charge just for you.¡±

    ¡°I already knew that,¡± Guangfeng replied as he started to walk toward the slender girl in the middle of the clearing. ¡°I learned that the day I delivered the betrothal gifts.¡±

    ***

    Yuelan stretched her hand out and stroked it along Byakko¡¯s head until she reached his neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, feeling a comfortable sense of familiarity. Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. ¡°Your fur is very soft and warm, Byakko.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    The tiger snorted. Of course it is. I take excellent care of it. Someone followed you, by the way.

    Yuelan opened her eyes and turned to look only to see Guangfeng striding toward her and looking upset. She sighed. ¡°My fiance, Guangfeng. The horses pulling my carriage suddenly panicked and went wild.¡±

    Oh, that was my fault. You didn¡¯t seem like you were stopping, so I told them I was going to eat them.

    She frowned, released the tiger¡¯s neck, and put her hands on her hips, glaring at it. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. I have a hard enough time being that close to horses without them panicking because you threatened them just to get me to stop!¡±

    Byakko didn¡¯t seem at all apologetic. He even made a growling sound. You shouldn¡¯t rely on food to get you from place to place. That dragon or I can carry you instead.

    Guangfeng stopped next to Yuelan and gave her a disapproving frown. ¡°Your carriage went out of control, crashed into a tree, knocked out both your maids, and you decided to knock out your guard yourself and wander off alone?¡± he asked.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°Shadow wouldn¡¯t listen to me. I did what I had to do.¡±

    ¡°You could have waited for me to get there and I could have come with you.¡±

    The look Yuelan gave Guangfeng was pointed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have let me come either. Waiting would have just made it more difficult for me to get here.¡±

    As she spoke the sky darkened and both of them looked up to see Long He, in his full-sized, natural form, forming a circle above them. Bright light flashed and the dragon roared. Next to them, Byakko let out a roar of his own in reply and then the two roared together.

    ¡°The contract is formed. The priestess has claimed her inheritance!¡± Long He announced in a thunderous voice that spread for miles.

    Yun Cai stepped up from behind Long He and knelt down on the ground in front of Yuelan. ¡°Yun Cai and Lueduo answer the call of the priestess and swear our loyalty. We specialize in the gathering of information, scrying, and concealing magic.¡± The information broker looked up and smiled. ¡°Also, I apologize for kidnapping you before. I didn¡¯t know who you actually were and it was a job.¡±

    Yuelan looked from the dragon above to the white tiger beside her, and then to Yun Cai kneeling before her. ¡°Um...what exactly is going on?¡± she asked. ¡°Long He said he wasn¡¯t going to reveal it, but now suddenly he is?¡±

    The air around the tiger shimmered and shifted until the great beast had disappeared and a man with golden eyes stood in its place. ¡°Oh, you hadn¡¯t formed a contract with a divine beast before, so there wasn¡¯t enough protection around you. Now that you have it¡¯s almost impossible to conceal who you are, so he had to announce it.¡± He pointed at Yun Cai and the raven perched on the broker¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As for them, the raven clan swore allegiance to your ancestor. They and any humans they contract with serve as scouts and information gatherers on your behalf. They¡¯re quite useful.¡±

    Yun Cai smiled and then turned to look at Guangfeng. ¡°The contract is only with the priestess. You still have to pay to hire my services.¡±

    Guangfeng raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re still going to let yourself be hired by others?¡±

    ¡°Of course. One of the best ways to find out about a threat to someone is to be hired by the person who wants to threaten them,¡± Yun Cai replied, shrugging. ¡°I double hire all the time, though naturally my allegiance is to the one who paid me first. Now, however, my allegiance will be primarily to the priestess. Any other jobs are just part of the work for her.¡±

    Yuelan frowned and glared at them. ¡°Excuse me, but I¡¯m still here. Could you two stop acting like I¡¯m not?¡±

 Chapter Sixty-five

    Guangfeng looked back at Yuelan and gave her a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget you were here,¡± he assured her. ¡°We should get back to the caravan. It would be best to stop for the night in a town, so we can¡¯t stop for too long. Since your carriage was smashed you can ride back on my horse with me.¡±

    Yuelan shivered. ¡°I¡¯d rather walk. You know I¡¯m scared of horses¡­¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need a horse to ride on,¡± Byakko snorted. ¡°I can carry her or she can ride on the dragon. What does she need to ride on food for?¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t spook the horses.¡±

    ¡°With a dragon roaring above them and a tiger roaring from the woods nearby, every horse in that caravan is probably already spooked,¡± Yun Cai pointed out. ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll get any farther today.¡±

    ¡°Mistress will ride on my back,¡± Byakko insisted. ¡°No need for her to ride a horse.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Byakko. I¡¯ll do that,¡± Yuelan told the white tiger. ¡°And just to remind all of you, I¡¯m capable of making decisions for myself. I don¡¯t need you all trying to tell me what to do.¡±

    The two human men and the tiger in human form glanced at each other. The tiger had a smirk as he shifted back to his massive tiger form and lowered himself onto his belly so that Yuelan could climb onto his back.

    Guangfeng sized up the tiger and then Yuelan before offering, ¡°Would you like some help getting up?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I want to do it myself,¡± Yuelan answered. She walked to the tiger¡¯s side and considered for a bit before using Byakko¡¯s foreleg to climb up onto his back and settle herself between his shoulder blades.

    Once Yuelan was settled, Byakko got to his paws and headed toward the road with the caravan. He didn¡¯t bother waiting for the others to follow after.

    Yun Cai managed to catch up to Yuelan on his very nervous-looking horse before they got out of the trees. ¡°The prince said he is going to get the guards who followed him to bring your carriage and maids back to the caravan,¡± he explained in a cheerful voice.

    Yuelan nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t much feel like talking at the moment. Above her, Long He was still in his dragon form with his head staying over her and Byakko. His gigantic, serpentine body seemed to ripple as he moved.

    When they came within sight of the group of carriages and wagons carrying the people and dowry headed for the second princess¡¯ wedding, the guards all raised their weapons. Their eyes all seemed glued to Byakko and their expressions were grim mixed with nervousness and possibly a little fear.

    Long He started to descend from the skies and as he did his enormous body shimmered until it mostly disappeared and he took his human form, landing next to Byakko. ¡°Put your weapons down,¡± the dragon commanded. ¡°The tiger isn¡¯t going to hurt anyone unless they try to harm the priestess.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The guards looked at Long He and some of them recognized him. They lowered their weapons and instructed the others to do the same, though all of them still looked nervously over at Byakko and some seemed frightened of Long He as well.

    The head of the guards stepped forward and bowed slightly to Long He. ¡°Lord Long...Please explain what is happening here?¡±

    Long He raised an eyebrow. ¡°The descendant of the Dragon Priestess has received her inheritance and is ready to be recognized for who she is,¡± he answered calmly. ¡°Did you not hear me announce it just now?¡±

    ¡°And the...the tiger?¡± the head guard asked, glancing nervously at Byakko.

    ¡°Is the divine beast Byakko, the White Tiger,¡± Long He answered, shrugging. ¡°He has formed a contract with Lady Long Yuelan, who is the new Dragon Priestess.¡±

    The guard stiffened and looked around. ¡°Miss...Lady Long¡¯s horses were spooked and her carriage ran off. His Highness the third prince went to search for her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Yuelan called from on top of Byakko¡¯s back. She seemed to have realized that her presence had been hidden because the guards were distracted by having a dragon and a giant tiger right in front of them. She lifted a hand and waved, smiling a little at the nervous guard.

    ¡°L-lady Long!¡± The guard looked relieved when he finally spotted her. ¡°Is His Highness¡­¡±

    ¡°Prince Guangfeng is getting my carriage and maids,¡± Yuelan assured the guard. ¡°He¡¯ll be back soon. The carriage didn¡¯t go very far before it crashed into a tree.¡±

    ¡°Should we call for a doctor? Is Lady Yuelan injured?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I wasn¡¯t hurt at all, only startled.¡± Yuelan smiled. Movement from the carriages caught her attention and she turned to watch the people inside coming out of them. Every person who came out looked nervously at Byakko. Most of them didn¡¯t notice Yuelan sitting on the tiger¡¯s back, but those who did got on their knees and pressed their foreheads to the ground, not seeming to care about the dirt getting on their expensive clothes.

    A small group of people who came out of their carriages noticed Yuelan but did not bow. They were the second princess, Ainuan, and her personal servants. Princess Ainuan glared at Yuelan with narrowed eyes.

    Sounds of horses came from behind Yuelan and she turned to look. Guangfeng had come back. Her carriage was nowhere in sight and her two maids were riding on the carriage horses. The luggage that had been on the carriage was now being carried by the guards mounted on horses and following Guangfeng.

    ¡°Your carriage is too badly damaged to continue on,¡± Guangfeng explained to Yuelan. ¡°You can use mine if you¡¯d like. I¡¯m riding anyway.¡±

    Byakko let out a low growl. ¡°She can continue to ride on my back as well,¡± the tiger says. His voice sounded odd coming from a tiger¡¯s mouth rather than from his mind or his human form like it had before. ¡°Those creatures you ride on are too easily spooked. What is the point of using them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as though they can convince spirit beasts to do it,¡± Long He explained in a patient voice. ¡°And a normal tiger would sooner eat the humans than pull their carriages. They have to make due with less dangerous options.¡±

    ¡°I suppose. But what does our mistress need such creatures for when she has us?¡±

    ¡°She is human and still has to sleep. The wind will also make her cold and could cause her to get sick as the days get colder,¡± the dragon answered, shrugging. ¡°A carriage will keep her warm and provide her with some privacy while she rests.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at the kneeling people and then back to Yuelan, then interrupted the two beasts¡¯ conversation. ¡°Yuelan, are you going to let them up?¡± he asked, smiling. ¡°We do need to keep going if we¡¯re going to reach a town before dark.¡± He turned to look at Byakko. ¡°And if you could please take your human form so the horses can calm down that would be appreciated.¡±

    The tiger snorted and lowered himself to his stomach to let Yuelan down. Long He held a hand out to help her, which she accepted as she slid off the tiger¡¯s back.

    ¡°Everyone can rise,¡± she called out. ¡°And thank you, Guangfeng. I think I will use your carriage.¡±

 Chapter Sixty-six

    Instead of shifting to his human form like the others expected, Byakko shrank his size down to the size of a house cat. He looked up at Yuelan and batted at her skirts with a forepaw. Pick me up, please.

    Yuelan smiled and bent down to pick up the ¡®cat¡¯, holding him in her arms. ¡°He won¡¯t scare the horses like this, right?¡± she asked Guangfeng.

    The third prince sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to get them to calm down so we can keep going,¡± he assured her. He raised his voice and turned to everyone else. ¡°Prepare to continue. We need to reach the next town before dark.¡±

    The guards and servants set to work calming the horses and everyone else got back into their carriages. Guangfeng got Yuelan settled in his carriage along with her luggage before joining the guards in preparing to leave. Once everyone was settled the caravan set off again.

    ***

    It took another three days to reach Zhongshu¡¯s capital and the procession stopped at the post house designed for visiting dignitaries. While Guangfeng was giving instructions and making sure the post house¡¯s steward and servants were getting everyone settled, a eunuch arrived from Zhongshu¡¯s imperial palace. A servant ran to inform Guangfeng, who went to meet the eunuch in the main hall of the post house.

    The eunuch bowed when Guangfeng entered. ¡°Your Highness is Longuo¡¯s third prince, correct?¡± the eunuch asked. When Guangfeng nodded, the eunuch continued. ¡°We received word that a dragon priestess has been named...would the holy priestess happen to be among Your Highness the third prince¡¯s party?¡±

    Guangfeng raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is Zhonghsu more concerned about the priestess than about the arrival of my sister for the wedding to your prince?¡± he asked in return.

    The eunuch smiled and bowed. ¡°His Majesty the emperor sent this servant to see if additional preparations would need to be made to greet the priestess,¡± he explained. ¡°There will be another group coming later to bring greetings to her highness, the second princess.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Guangfeng leaned back in his seat and studied the eunuch. ¡°Yes, the priestess came with us. Her dragon companion and the White Tiger are with her.¡±

    ¡°In that case, His Majesty wishes for this servant to greet the priestess and invite her into the royal palace so that he may pay his respects to her.¡± The eunuch bowed again, hands clasped together respectfully in front of him.

    ¡°I will have someone go and ask if the priestess is willing to go. We have only just arrived, so the priestess may need to rest first.¡± Guangfeng looked up and waved his hand at a servant maid, who curtsied and hurried out of the hall.

    After about twenty minutes, Yuelan came into the hall with Long He and Byakko on either side of her in their human forms. Both men were wearing white and had white hair while Yuelan was wearing bright red. A drop of blood on a piece of otherwise pure, white cotton that drew eyes to the spot of color.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Guangfeng stood and walked over to Yuelan. ¡°If you were tired you could have declined,¡± he said, looking at Yuelan with concern. ¡°I know riding in a carriage is hard on you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Yuelan assured him, smiling. ¡°But thank you for your concern. I¡¯ve been sitting so much lately that getting up and walking around is a nice change.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± He smiled back at her before turning his attention to the eunuch. ¡°The priestess is here. I will accompany her into the palace to greet His Majesty the emperor.¡±

    The eunuch looked a bit hesitant when he heard Guangfeng would be going as well, but he didn¡¯t dare to argue and only nodded. ¡°There is an imperial carriage waiting¡­¡±

    ¡°No need for that,¡± Byakko said firmly. ¡°The priestess will ride on my back.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Byakko.¡± Yuelan smiled at the white tiger and started out of the main hall. ¡°Won¡¯t that cause the people to panic, though?¡±

    ¡°You are the priestess. It is more appropriate for you to appear mounted on my back than in a carriage,¡± Byakko insisted.

    ¡°It will also be easier for the people to recognize that they have a priestess again,¡± Long He added. ¡°Riding on the white tiger is the most appropriate choice for formal occasions, Lady Yuelan.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that settles it then.¡± She turned to look at the eunuch. ¡°Thank you for the offer of the carriage, but I will be riding on Byakko.¡±

    The eunuch had nothing to say in response and only bowed.

    Once they were all outside, Byakko shifted into the form of a massive, white tiger and Long He helped her up onto the tiger¡¯s back. As soon as Yuelan was settled Guangfeng and the eunuch followed her out of the post house with Guangfeng riding on his horse and the eunuch riding on the outside of the empty imperial carriage.

    Yuelan smiled and looked around as they headed through the streets of Zhongshu¡¯s capital and toward its imperial palace. Much of it seemed similar to Longuo, though there was a different feel to the shops and people they passed by. Without the hindrance of having to move curtains out of the way, Yuelan was able to look at everything without trouble and she kept track of the places she wanted to see while she was in the capital.

    There is a shrine here that I will take you to tomorrow. Byakko''s voice sounded inside Yuelan¡¯s mind. There is something that we must begin there. I will explain what it is when we arrive at the shrine.

    Yuelan looked down at the tiger¡¯s head with a curious expression on her small face. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t ask for now, then.¡± Even though she was very curious, Yuelan recognized that there was probably a reason that Byakko hadn¡¯t explained immediately.

    After about half an hour they reached the gates of the imperial palace. The guards outside it let them in and the eunuch guided them along the unfamiliar paths to the throne room where the emperor was waiting. Yuelan stayed on Byakko¡¯s back the entire way at the tiger¡¯s and dragon¡¯s insistence. It wasn¡¯t until they were in the throne room that Long He helped Yuelan get down and Byakko shifted back into his human form.

    Do not salute the emperor. This time, it was Long He¡¯s voice that entered Yuelan¡¯s mind. As the dragon priestess you are his equal and possibly outrank him.

    Yuelan had been about to curtsy, but with Long He¡¯s warning she remained standing straight while Guangfeng offered a salute to Zhongshu¡¯s emperor.

    ¡°You may rise,¡± the emperor said to Guangfeng, who stood up as soon as the words had finished being spoken. The man in the yellow, dragon-embroidered robes then stood from his throne and approached Yuelan. He put his hands together and gave her a slight bow. ¡°Holy Priestess, welcome to Zongshu. It is our great honor to have the legendary Dragon Priestess join us for your first official appearance.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and nodded at the emperor in return. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter Sixty-seven

    ¡°May I ask the priestess¡¯ purpose in coming to Zhongshu?¡± The emperor was polite, but curious.

    ¡°I came to attend the wedding,¡± Yuelan answered calmly. ¡°The emperor of Longuo requested I do so and I felt that this was something I needed to do.¡±

    ¡°Will the Holy Lady be granting the couple your blessing?¡± Zhongshu¡¯s emperor seemed both surprised and pleased.

    Both Long He and Byakko were giving Yuelan advice utilizing the bond between them to speak directly to her mind, allowing her to get through the hurdles of appearing as a priestess rather than just the daughter of a prime minister. She was grateful to them, but it was starting to give her a headache already. Instead of directly answering Zongshu¡¯s emperor¡¯s question about giving her blessing, she smiled and remained silent.

    The emperor of Zhongshu asked Yuelan several more questions before Long He stepped forward. ¡°Our mistress has just arrived after a long and tiring journey. She even lost her carriage along the way,¡± the dragon informed the emperor. ¡°The white tiger and I will be taking her back to the post house now.¡±

    Zhongshu¡¯s emperor frowned, but couldn¡¯t find any reason to delay them. He turned to the mostly-ignored Guangfeng and waved a hand. ¡°Prince Guangfeng should return as well. We will discuss the details of the wedding and the treaty tomorrow.¡±

    Guangfeng saluted the emperor politely and turned to head out of the palace with Yuelan, Long He, and Byakko.

    ***

    Camphor and Willow woke Yuelan early the next morning. She listened to Camphor explain that Long He and Byakko had insisted on waking her as she ate her breakfast and prepared for the day. When she¡¯d finished she stepped out of her room in the post house and easily spotted the two spirit beasts.

    ¡°Today we¡¯re going to one of the shrines for the dragon priestess,¡± Long He explained. ¡°Byakko says your presence there is necessary and there are some things there that you¡¯ll need to pick up anyway.¡±

    ¡°What things?¡± Yuelan asked curiously.

    ¡°Your tools. When we get there and you see them you¡¯ll understand,¡± the Dragon answered.

    Byakko shifted into his tiger form and Yuelan got up on his back once again. A nervous Camphor was put behind Yuelan by Long He and the tiger headed out of the post house and toward the edge of Zhongshu¡¯s capital with the dragon easily keeping up even in his human form.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    It took almost an hour to reach the shrine, which turned out to be a large, old, worn temple. A red lacquered torii gate stood at the top of the stairs and they passed through it as they entered the grounds. The stones covering the paths were uneven and the paths themselves covered in leaves. It seemed as though people rarely came to the shrine and as nobody came to greet them, Yuelan felt that perhaps the shrine was abandoned. After six hundred years of waiting for a new priestess, Yuelan felt that wasn¡¯t unexpected.

    Byakko lowered his stomach to the ground and let Yuelan and Camphor down. Camphor¡¯s legs were pretty shaky and she stayed further away from the white tiger than she had since meeting him. Yuelan felt that was probably the more normal reaction when compared with her own strange feeling of calm, so she didn¡¯t mind it.

    The white tiger shifted into his human form and turned to look at Yuelan. ¡°In each shrine there is a secret room in the main building. That¡¯s where we¡¯re heading,¡± he explained before he started to walk. ¡°There are five shrines in total, one in each country and the last under the library. The shrines are in key locations and are supposed to keep the magic in this world balanced. Unfortunately, without a priestess to care for them the magic has become out of balance. If it isn¡¯t fixed then this world could cease to exist.¡±

    Yuelan looked startled and turned to Long He, who nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°Even before the world was split between your world and this one, the dragon priestess had important responsibilities,¡± the dragon explained. ¡°She is the guardian of magic. You¡¯ve seen for yourself that this world is far behind your own, even though originally there was still magic being regularly used here. Without the priestess to keep the world¡¯s magic balanced accessing it became more and more difficult for humans. This world is reliant on magic, and without it the humans cannot advance. As you¡¯ve seen, technology from your world cannot function here. The energies conflict with each other, causing the devices and conveniences from your world to break when brought to this one.¡±

    ¡°So any advances would need magic to be what operates them?¡± Yuelan asked.

    Long He and Byakko both nodded and the white tiger spoke once more, ¡°Things are near to spiraling out of control. Many of the spirit beasts here in Zhongshu are starting to go mad from the magical energy here. You will need to put it back in balance by using what is found in the secret room.¡±

    Yuelan became anxious when she heard this explanation. ¡°But-,¡± she hesitated and bit her bottom lip. ¡°I have no idea what it is I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an issue,¡± Byakko assured her. ¡°There are ways for you to learn. For now we should find the secret room of this shrine.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know where it is?¡± Yuelan asked in surprise.

    ¡°Only that it is in the main building. Spirit beasts live longer than humans and divine beasts a bit longer than normal spirit beasts, but we still are not immortal. It was my father who assisted in building the shrine here, so I have never seen the secret room. He did tell me before he died that the priestess would be drawn to it on her own if she was needed.¡±

    Yuelan fiddled with the earring in her right ear. ¡°What about Long He? He knew the previous priestess and she died six hundred years ago.¡±

    ¡°My lifespan is unknown,¡± Long He answered. ¡°Nobody has figured out why I haven¡¯t aged or died yet. That isn¡¯t important. Byakko said that this matter with the shrines is important and we have to work quickly.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and started walking toward the main building of the shrine.

 Chapter Sixty-eight

    The buildings didn¡¯t seem to be in any better shape than the grounds. As Yuelan and the others approached the buildings they could see the chipped paint on the red and gold pillars. The wooden pillars were worn in places and shingles had come off the roofs. Yuelan felt a little sad for the abandoned shrine. The overall design was very similar to the shrines from her world, but this one had been left untended for so long it looked like it could start to fall apart.

    ¡°Are the floors going to be able to support our weight?¡± Yuelan asked as they opened the door to the main building and she looked into the hall. She didn¡¯t want to accidentally fall through the floor and get hurt. The state of the floor made her nervous. There were places that already had holes where the wood had rotted.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Long He assured her. ¡°Byakko and I can adjust our weights and yours as well. We can keep you from falling through if there¡¯s a problem.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and cautiously stepped into the temple¡¯s main hall. When she reached the middle of the hall she stopped and looked around. Worn and rotting paintings and banners hung from the weather-beaten walls. A statue of a proud tiger with a paw placed over a luminescent pearl stood on a raised section of floor. The statue seemed to be the only thing in the temple that wasn¡¯t damaged at all.

    When Yuelan started to move again, she headed for the statue. Her hands gently ran across its surface until finally resting on the glowing pearl. Her hand pushed on it and the groaning of rusted gears sounded as the statue began to move, revealing a ladder descending into the dark underneath the temple.

    ¡°It seems your father was right,¡± Long He commented to the white tiger.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have known where it was?¡± Byakko asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You were contracted to the last priestess as well, after all.¡±

    ¡°But the shrines were not my responsibility and were built by the four divine beasts under the instruction of the azure dragon,¡± Long He replied. ¡°I was responsible for the shrine underneath the library.¡± The dragon shrugged and headed for the ladder that Yuelan had already started climbing down. ¡°The shrines were all built at the same time and it isn¡¯t possible to actually be in more than one place at a time. I can send apparitions of myself, but it isn¡¯t easy and I was busy.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Byakko followed the other two down the ladder, but paused when he saw Camphor about to come down as well. ¡°You stay up here. Only the priestess and her contracted beasts are allowed in the secret room.¡±

    Camphor frowned. ¡°I need to stay with Miss,¡± she argued.

    ¡°Mistress will be perfectly safe with Long He and I there to protect her. Your presence will only hinder what needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°Stay above, Camphor,¡± Yuelan called from the bottom of the ladder. ¡°Someone needs to be up there in case someone comes looking for us.¡±

    With Yuelan speaking up, Camphor no longer argued. She didn¡¯t look happy, but she knew better than to argue with her employer and remained silent.

    Yuelan turned her attention to the underground area. The walls were made of stone and there were four glowing pearls on each wall placed above four identical doors. Without any hesitation, Yuelan walked toward the western door and opened it. She walked down a hallway and through a couple more doors before stepping into a room with a bumpy, forest green, uncut crystal the size of her head placed on a pedestal in the center of the room. A purple, silk cushion sat in front of the pedestal. ¡°This is the secret room?¡± she asked quietly for confirmation.

    ¡°It looks like my father described, so it should be,¡± Byakko answered, shrugging.

    Yuelan looked around for some hint of what she was supposed to do only to find nothing in the room but the cushion, pedestal, and crystal. ¡°No instructions¡­¡±

    ¡°Face the crystal and meditate.¡± A woman¡¯s gentle voice came from one side of the room. Yuelan looked over and frowned, then realized that one of the stones in the wall had started to glow and was actually a crystal. ¡°Let what needs to be done come naturally as you focus your thoughts and powers on the crystal.¡± The voice fell silent.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Yuelan asked.

    ¡°The voice of the last priestess,¡± Long He answered. ¡°Crystals last longer than paper, so it isn¡¯t surprising that she chose to record the instructions that way.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and positioned herself on the purple cushion. She took a deep breath and let it out, then concentrated her gaze on the crystal and started trying to meditate like Long He had shown her before. Byakko and Long He shifted into the smaller versions of their natural forms and settled themselves beside and around her. The white tiger put his head in Yuelan¡¯s lap and the dragon curled around them both as the two beasts lent her their power.

    It took half an hour for Yuelan to settle into her meditation and when she succeeded the air around her and her companions started to glow and the crystal produced light as well. The light pulsed slowly and as it pulsed it spread in a dome from the secret room out and up, covering the shrine and continuing onward.

 Chapter Sixty-nine

    Yuelan didn¡¯t notice the light. In her focused mind she saw what seemed like a large tapestry made of glowing threads. There was no pattern or design on it, but there were several large holes. At each hole there was a tangled mess of the glowing threads. Yuelan reached out with her mind and started to carefully untangle the mess....

    ***

    All the posthouse¡¯s servants could tell Guangfeng was that Yuelan had left early in the morning with Camphor, Long He, and Byakko. They didn¡¯t know where the group had gone. Willow provided a bit more information, telling him that Long He and Byakko were taking Yuelan to a shrine, but she didn¡¯t know where it was or when they would be back. Shade said that Shadow wasn¡¯t in the posthouse, so at least Yuelan had her hidden guard with her, but Guangfeng still wasn¡¯t at ease. He sent more hidden guards out to find the shrine and report back.

    While Guangfeng was anxiously pacing and waiting for news, Ainuan came into the main hall. ¡°Third brother seems quite worried,¡± she sneered. ¡°It seems third brother is afraid of being abandoned by his only hope for the throne?¡±

    Guangfeng turned to look at his second sister. ¡°I¡¯m only worried that something may have happened to her. You should be worried as well. She¡¯s your future sister-in-law and has just been revealed to be the dragon priestess. If she is missing how can she bless your marriage?¡±

    Ainuan snorted. ¡°What do I care about some fake priestess¡¯ blessing? It¡¯s obvious to anyone with eyes that Long He is just trying to build her status up. The dragon priestess disappeared six hundred years ago and never returned. Where have the generations of priestesses gone? How could a priestess show up now if there wasn¡¯t ever anyone to teach her? It¡¯s impossible for her to be the real thing.¡±

    The third prince studied his sister¡¯s haughty expression for a while and let out a sigh. ¡°Just because the last one disappeared doesn¡¯t mean a new one can¡¯t resurface now,¡± he explained patiently. ¡°Long He has no reason to lie. You saw for yourself that he¡¯s a dragon. And you saw the white tiger as well. I saw Yuelan forming the bond with the white tiger personally. There¡¯s enough evidence for me to know that she really is what Long He says.¡±

    ¡°Well I don¡¯t believe it. She¡¯s Long He¡¯s ward, right? Of course he¡¯d say anything to boost the status of some orphan he found. Saying her father is a prime minister that¡¯s equal to an emperor and in some country nobody has ever heard of? How ridiculous. Father Emperor respects that thing too much to call him out on his lies, so he¡¯s going along with the story. Third brother, you should open your eyes to the truth. That girl is nothing but a slut trying to seduce her way into a high position.¡±

    Guangfeng sighed as he looked at his sister with a sympathetic gaze. ¡°Ainuan, you¡¯re about to get married into the imperial family of another country. You should fix your temper and your attitude. The emperor of Zhongshu believes that Yuelan is the dragon priestess. Be happy that you will have the prestige of being the first in six hundred years to receive her blessing at your wedding.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Ainuan snorted and stormed out of the hall.

    A few minutes after Ainuan left, one of the hidden guards came and knelt in front of Guangfeng. ¡°We have found the shrine. Camphor and Shadow are there, but the others are nowhere to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Show me,¡± Guangfeng ordered. He strode out of the hall and straight for the stables. Before he could get there to find his horse he encountered Yun Cai leading his own and Guangfeng¡¯s horses.

    ¡°Your Highness. I saw the guard come back and thought I would go with you to the shrine where my lady is.¡± The information broker smirked. ¡°It would have saved you quite a bit of time if you had just asked me.¡±

    ¡°And what would you have charged for the information?¡± Guangfeng retorted.

    Yun Cai shrugged and handed the reins over to Guangfeng. ¡°Who knows? My lady is perfectly safe, though. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± He mounted his horse and smiled at the third prince.

    Guangfeng rolled his eyes and mounted his own horse then headed out of the posthouse. ¡°Since you know where it is, lead the way,¡± he ordered Yun Cai.

    The information broker raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your Highness is certainly demanding. Is this how you were taught to ask for favors of people? After all, I can take you to find your fiance, but I¡¯m not obligated to do so.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going anyway? And you even offered yourself to take me there.¡± The prince looked calmly back at the glorified snoop.

    Yun Cai laughed. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He pointed to the dome of light and said cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s where she is. I would guess, since your guard managed to get in and out of the shrine to see that Camphor is there, we can get in while she¡¯s working.¡±

    ¡°Working?¡± Guangfeng asked, frowning.

    ¡°Of course. What other reason would a priestess have for going to one of the shrines she is responsible for?¡± Yun Cai chuckled.

    Guangfeng decided not to keep talking with the information broker. It was only going to make him feel more ignorant and frustrated anyway.

    When they reached the shrine the two men dismounted and headed into the main hall where they found Camphor standing by the statue of the white tiger and looking anxious. There was no sign of the entrance to the secret room. As soon as the maid saw Guangfeng she hurried forward and knelt in front of him.

    ¡°Your Highness the third prince. Miss is in the secret room. Lord Long and Lord Byakko said that no one else is allowed inside it, so this servant was left up here,¡± Camphor explained quickly.

    ¡°She¡¯s been in there all day. Have you eaten yet, Camphor?¡± Yun Cai asked.

    Camphor shook her head. ¡°This servant has not eaten since breakfast in order to be here as soon as Miss came back up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯ll finish today. Why don¡¯t you have something to eat?¡± The information broker took a small package of sweets wrapped in oil paper from his sleeve and offered them to Camphor. ¡°I can go get something more filling in a little while.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yun.¡± Camphor smiled at Yun Cai and accepted the sweets. She peeled back the oil paper and popped a piece of caramel into her mouth.

    ***

    Yuelan had no idea that more people had come looking for her. She was still entirely focused on the moldavite crystal in front of her. Time seemed to have no meaning as she finished untangling the mess of shining threads by the first hole and started carefully weaving them in to repair it.

 Chapter Seventy

    Third prince Xiong Guangfeng paced back and forth in front of the tiger statue in the main hall of the shrine with his hands behind his back and an impatient expression. ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± he grumbled. He had been waiting for Yuelan to come out for several hours and she still hadn¡¯t made an appearance, causing him to worry. The sun had set long ago.

    Yun Cai sat nearby with his legs crossed underneath him and shrugged. ¡°As long as it takes. There¡¯s no standard to measure by, so all we can do is guess. We don¡¯t even know what it is that she¡¯s supposed to be doing. Being impatient won¡¯t do any good. If you have other things you need to be doing then perhaps you should go do them, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the entrance?¡± Guangfeng demanded, looking over at Camphor. ¡°I¡¯m going to go check on her.¡±

    ¡°That would be ill advised,¡± Yun Cai warned before Camphor could say anything. ¡°What if your presence distracts her and she ends up injured or dead? She has two of the highest ranked spirit beasts with her and one of them is massive. If there really was a serious problem this shrine wouldn¡¯t still be standing because the dragon would have destroyed it just from taking to his natural form.¡±

    ¡°Lord Long and the white tiger were adamant,¡± Camphor adds. ¡°They said my presence would only hinder what needed to be done. Please, Your Highness, continue to be patient for the sake of Miss.¡±

    Guangfeng let out a frustrated snort and continued pacing. ¡°Fine, but if she¡¯s not out before dawn¡­¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to keep waiting,¡± Yun Cai said firmly. ¡°I¡¯d rather not be forced to fight you, Your Highness, but if I have to in order to keep you out of her way then I will.¡±

    The prince gave Yun Cai a threatening look. ¡°You would fight me? That is a serious crime punishable by death.¡±

    The information broker shrugged. ¡°I serve the dragon priestess. According to the ancient laws, I cannot be charged unless the evidence is presented to her and she agrees that what I have done is deserving of punishment.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s hands clenched into fists inside his long sleeves. He shook his sleeves in frustration and went back to pacing.

    ***

    Yuelan continued detangling and then weaving the shining threads into the tapestry in her mind until she could no longer ¡®reach¡¯ the other holes. Her eyes slowly opened and the glow receded as though it were being absorbed by the large, forest green crystal. While she¡¯d been meditating Yuelan had remembered the name of the crystal: moldavite.

    As Yuelan¡¯s eyes opened, Byakko removed his head from her lap and shifted to his human form while Long He did the same thing on her other side. Once they had both moved Yuelan¡¯s body started to lean sideways and she collapsed on the ground.

    Byakko bent down and lifted Yuelan into his arms to carry her out of the room and back through the underground maze to the ladder that they had come down. Long He didn¡¯t say a word and neither did the tiger as they climbed the ladder and resurfaced.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The shrine had changed while Yuelan was in the secret room. The broken flooring looked like it had all been replaced with fresh wooden flooring. The chipped paint had been repaired. Everything inside looked like new.

    Yuelan felt very weak and could barely turn her head to look around, but her eyes widened in shock. ¡°What...what happened?¡± she asked in a scratchy, weak voice. She hadn¡¯t yet noticed Yun Cai sleeping in one corner or Camphor standing by the tiger statue looking anxious. Guangfeng had been forced to leave to deal with other matters and was gone.

    ¡°You finished what you needed to do, so the shrine repaired itself,¡± Byakko explained. ¡°This is a shrine of the dragon priestess and was built by a divine beast. Of course it will be magic.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The shrines reflect the state of the balance of magic in their area.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Alright. I suppose that explains it then.¡±

    The sound of voices woke Yun Cai and he smiled. ¡°Welcome back, milady,¡± he said cheerfully. ¡°Your fiance was here for a while, but he had other things he needed to do and had to leave first.¡±

    The exhausted-looking priestess only nodded again.

    ¡°How long were we in the secret room?¡± Byakko asked.

    ¡°Three days,¡± Camphor sighed. ¡°His Highness had to leave after the second day.¡±

    Byakko nodded. ¡°Get some food and water. Mistress has had nothing to eat or drink in all that time.¡±

    Yun Cai pulled a waterskin and some crackers out and offered them to the white tiger, who set Yuelan down with her back against the pedestal that the statue of the tiger was placed on. Byakko handed them to Camphor, who carefully helped Yuelan take a few sips and eat a couple of crackers.

    Once Yuelan had finished the crackers and half the water skin Byakko picked her up again. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the posthouse. She needs proper rest and food. We¡¯ve finished what needed to be done here.¡±

    ¡°The first part is completed anyway,¡± Long He sighed. ¡°Until all five shrines are repaired there still won¡¯t be enough magic to support this world.¡±

    The white tiger only shrugged and headed out of the shrine and toward the posthouse, still carrying Yuelan in his arms.

    When the group arrived back at the posthouse Guangfeng was just returning from meeting with Zhongshu¡¯s emperor in the palace. As soon as he saw Yuelan in Byakko¡¯s arms he hurried his steps to reach them. ¡°Is she alright? What happened?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just sleeping,¡± Byakko answered calmly. He shrugged. ¡°After all, she spent three days in a deep meditative state. She¡¯s exhausted and needs food and rest.¡±

    Guangfeng let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s alright. Give her to me and I¡¯ll carry her to her room.¡±

    The white tiger raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You¡¯re her fiance, so you should keep an appropriate distance. Long He and I are her contracted beasts. Caring for her is our responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re also men,¡± Guangfeng argued.

    Byakko shrugged. ¡°Technically speaking, yes, we are both male. Practically, we¡¯re not even the same species as Mistress. There¡¯s nothing wrong with a beast being in the same room as a human of the opposite gender. Our presence won¡¯t harm her reputation in the least.¡±

    Guangfeng looked grumpy, but was forced to concede. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll have a physician come make sure there aren¡¯t any problems.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not really necessary. She only needs rest,¡± Long He cut in. ¡°Just leave her care to us. If we need anything we¡¯ll inform you.¡±

    The third prince sighed, nodded, and started away.

 Chapter Seventy-one

    When Yuelan woke up both Willow and Camphor were sitting on stools by her bed. Once she opened her eyes and sat up Willow stood and hurried out of the room. Yuelan looked around feeling a little confused for a moment before realizing she was back in the posthouse and must have fallen asleep while leaving the shrine. ¡°Where is Willow going?¡± Yuelan asked Camphor. Her voice was hoarse and her mouth felt like she¡¯d tried to eat cotton.

    ¡°To get Miss some congee,¡± Camphor explained as she stood up and poured a glass of water for Yuelan. She offered the glass to Yuelan and watched as her mistress drank the contents in just a few swallows. ¡°Would Miss like some tea?¡±

    ¡°Yes please.¡± Yuelan covered her mouth and yawned. ¡°How long was I asleep for?¡±

    An entire day. Byakko¡¯s mental voice had become quite familiar and Yuelan looked around her room for the tiger. What she found was a black and white tiger the size of a housecat curled up on her bed beside her.

    ¡°...Byakko?¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice was hesitant as she studied the creature.

    The little cat nodded. This form is easier for staying in confined spaces. It will also let me watch over you more closely. The dragon says you¡¯ve been abducted before. Byakko snorted and stepped on top of the blankets to curl up in Yuelan¡¯s lap. He should be capable of doing much better than he has been no matter how busy he gets.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°I managed to escape and come back safely. I was kidnapped as a child a few times as well, so it isn¡¯t really anything new.¡±

    Byakko only snorted again and closed his eyes as Yuelan started petting him. I am not a pet. But I will permit this if it makes you feel better.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yuelan smiled and continued to pet the cat-sized tiger.

    Camphor set a cup of tea on the small table next to Yuelan¡¯s bed and looked over at her mistress. ¡°His Highness asked to be informed as soon as you were awake. Should I go and tell him?¡± she asked.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°May as well. He¡¯s probably worried.¡±

    ¡°Miss was in the secret room of the shrine for three days. His Highness wanted to remain at the temple to wait for you, but had to return to confirm details with Zhongshu¡¯s emperor for her highness the second princess¡¯ wedding,¡± Camphor explained. ¡°When Miss finally came out His Highness wasn¡¯t there to welcome you and Miss was asleep already when we returned here to the posthouse. His Highness has been waiting anxiously for Miss to wake.¡±

    Yuelan waved a hand. ¡°I understand. Help me get dressed before you go and inform him that I¡¯m awake.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Camphor dipped a shallow curtsy. ¡°Of course, Miss.¡±

    Yuelan slid off the bed and went behind an elegant folding screen with paintings of birds on branches covered in plum blossoms. Camphor picked out clothing and helped Yuelan dress. The pretty maid had just finished putting Yuelan¡¯s hair up with a simple hairpin when Willow returned with a bowl of congee for Yuelan to eat.

    While Yuelan sat down to eat her congee at the small table in the room, Camphor headed out to inform Guangfeng that Yuelan had woken up.

    A few minutes later Camphor returned and smiled at Yuelan. ¡°Miss, His Highness asks that you join him in the main hall once you¡¯re finished eating if you feel up to it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think I¡¯ve more or less recovered. And I¡¯m almost finished with breakfast. We¡¯ll go and join him soon.¡±

    Both maids bowed a little and stood to the side to wait for more instructions. As soon as Yuelan was finished eating they followed her to the main hall of the posthouse to join Guangfeng.

    The third prince of Longuo was sitting in the main seat with his younger sister in a chair beside him listening to an official of Zhongshu droning on about the preparations that were underway for the upcoming wedding. As soon as Yuelan stepped into the room Guangfeng stood up and made his way over to her, causing the official to stop speaking.

    The interrupted official looked quite grumpy as he watched Guangfeng head over to Yuelan and take one of her hands.

    ¡°You look much better,¡± Guangfeng said in a relieved voice as he gently stroked the back of Yuelan¡¯s hand with his thumb. ¡°I was worried when you came back from the shrine unconscious and pale¡­¡±

    Yuelan smiled at Guangfeng. ¡°I was just tired. I hadn¡¯t slept for three days and it was draining work as well.¡±

    ¡°Come sit down. Zhongshu¡¯s Minister of Rites was just explaining the wedding for us. Since you¡¯ll be giving Ainuan¡¯s marriage your blessing you should listen as well.¡± Guangfeng smiled and led her by the hand to the main seat, letting her sit down there while he moved to the seat on the other side of her from his sister. He ignored the startled expression of the minister of rites and waved for the man to continue speaking.

    The official started droning about the upcoming ceremony only to stop and stare with wide eyes as a large, white tiger came into the room and lay down at Yuelan¡¯s feet. The tiger ignored the official and everyone else as he put his head on his paws and closed his eyes.

    ¡°Y-y-your Highness¡­¡± the official stammered. ¡°This tiger¡­¡±

    ¡°Byakko is my contracted divine beast,¡± Yuelan said calmly as she leaned back in the seat. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be concerned unless you have thoughts about me that you shouldn¡¯t. Please continue, Minister.¡±

    The official frowned at Yuelan and turned to Guangfeng. ¡°Your Highness, this woman is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Priestess Long Yuelan,¡± Guangfeng answered calmly. ¡°Did your emperor neglect to inform you that she was here and would be granting her blessing during the marriage ceremony?¡±

    ¡°I did not hear anything about a priestess,¡± the official answered in a grumpy voice. ¡°But even if that were the case, does Longuo not abide by the rules that women should remain silent in the presence of their superiors?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression darkened and Byakko lifted his head to stare at the official with golden eyes.

    Guangfeng raised an eyebrow. ¡°She has no superiors,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°Yuelan is the Dragon Priestess as recognized by theWhite Tiger, Byakko, and the dragon Long He. She is also my betrothed and you should treat her with respect.¡±

    The official did not look happy, but he also didn¡¯t have the authority to argue and was forced to move on and return to explaining the details of the ceremony.

 Chapter Seventy-two

    The wedding of the prince of Zhongshu and the second princess of Longuo, Ainuan, took place a couple days later. The day before, Long He had disappeared and when he had returned the sun had already set. He had handed Yuelan a bundle carefully wrapped in paper and smelling of cedar. Inside the folds of the paper was a set of exquisite robes made of white silk embroidered with symbols of silver thread and one large, five-toed, horned dragon covering the back. Silver brocade ribbon lined the hems and the dress and inner robes were made of the same silver brocade and white ribbons. The dragon had explained that they were robes for the dragon priestess and they were intended for formal occasions. Yuelan put these robes on when she got up in the morning and started preparing to attend the wedding. Willow and Camphor worked hard on coming up with a hairstyle that suited the robes and eventually decided on a simple one: a bun held with a single, dragon-shaped hairpin made of blue jade.

    Guangfeng was waiting outside Yuelan¡¯s courtyard when she walked out and he stared at her for a bit before he smiled and saluted her. ¡°Priestess. You look beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yuelan smiled back at him. ¡°Did the palace send the carriage for me like they said they would?¡±

    Her fiance nodded. ¡°It¡¯s waiting just outside. Long He and Byakko are already waiting there as well. Byakko seems a bit grumpy that you¡¯re going to take a carriage, though.¡±

    ¡°If I ride on his back I¡¯ll get his fur on these robes,¡± Yuelan sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t attend a wedding in a formal capacity covered in fur. I¡¯ll look ridiculous.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°The carriage is a way for them to show you respect as well. I¡¯ll see you after the wedding. I need to stay here to send my sister off properly.¡± He smiled at her and escorted her to the gates of the posthouse.

    Yuelan smiled at Guangfeng and stepped into the carriage with Long He¡¯s assistance. The dragon was in a smaller version of his natural form and the white tiger was his full-sized tiger self. They took up positions on either side of the carriage and followed it toward the palace. The horses pulling the carriage rolled their eyes and snorted, frightened by the two predators on either side of them, and the driver had a difficult time keeping them under control.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    When the carriage arrived at the palace Zhongshu¡¯s emperor was waiting to greet Yuelan himself. He gave her a slight bow and helped her down from the carriage as everyone around got down on their knees.

    ¡°Priestess. We appreciate you agreeing to bestow your blessing on our son¡¯s marriage,¡± the emperor said politely.

    ¡°I just happened to come for other responsibilities. I don¡¯t mind bestowing my blessing before I leave,¡± Yuelan replied. Politics indicated that in order for her to maintain the status of the dragon priestess she needed to pretend that she hadn¡¯t set out from Longuo with the original intention of attending the wedding. Fortunately, there had been other responsibilities for her to take care of while she was in Zhongshu¡¯s capital, so it wasn¡¯t exactly a lie.

    Yuelan followed Zhongshu¡¯s emperor through the palace to the location where the wedding was to take place and took the seat he offered her that had been placed beside his throne. As she sat down, Yuelan smoothed the robes she was wearing then folded her hands together in her lap and sat up with a straight back and her head held high.

    It took almost two hours for the bride and groom to make their way into the hall and Yuelan sat quietly and calmly through the wait and the ceremony. At the end she stood and stepped down from the raised dias where the emperor¡¯s throne and her chair had been placed. Her steps were measured and slow and didn¡¯t make a sound on the dark, stone floor. Byakko and Long He went with her, one on each side, and the trio stopped right in front of the bride and groom.

    In one of his front claws, Long He held a bowl filled with water. Yuelan dipped two fingers into it and brushed them across first the bride¡¯s and then the groom¡¯s foreheads in swift, gentle strokes. Her voice was soft, but still carried to every ear in the large hall. ¡°I grant you the blessings of long lives and good health. May you have peace and harmony in your home and your marriage.¡± She put her fingertips on both hands together and bowed her head, then turned and went back to her seat. Byakko stretched out and settled himself on the ground just in front of her chair while Long He coiled himself around her chair. Yuelan leaned back against the seat and crossed her legs, one arm resting on the chair and supporting her head as she watched the wedding banquet begin.

    This time, Yuelan did not sit at a table and eat. People didn¡¯t approach her and instead stopped a bit away from Byakko to bow to her and then the emperor as they passed by to greet others. The banquet continued for several hours before Yuelan could leave without making it seem like she had an issue with Zhongshu or an objection to the wedding. Once she was free she left the palace and rode on Long He¡¯s back to return to the posthouse where Guangfeng was waiting for her.

 Chapter Seventy-three

    Once the wedding was over, Yuelan and Guangfeng didn¡¯t stay in Zhongshu. The servants packed everything and the group from Longuo left to return to their own country, leaving Second Princess Ainuan and her personal servants behind. As Yuelan¡¯s carriage had been ruined on the trip to Zhongshu, she took the now-empty imperial carriage that had belonged to Ainuan back.

    Just like the trip to Zhongshu, it took eight days to return to Longuo¡¯s capital. Yuelan took Camphor¡¯s hand as she stepped down from the carriage outside of her Crystal Moon Residence and went inside. She covered her mouth as she yawned and headed for her courtyard after instruction Chung Soo to take charge of unpacking and everything else that needed to be done for her return.

    As she stepped over the threshold into her courtyard Yuelan remembered that there was still the issue of Laurel to deal with. She frowned, sighed, and decided to deal with it first thing after she had gotten some rest.

    ***

    Guangfeng¡¯s first action upon returning home was to go into the palace to meet with the emperor. He entered Emperor Xiong Lijun¡¯s study and knelt in salute. ¡°Father Emperor, son has come to request an audience.¡±

    ¡°Rise. How was your sister¡¯s wedding? Will she be treated well in Zhongshu?¡± The emperor set down his brush and looked up from the reports to study his third son.

    ¡°Ainuan¡¯s wedding went smoothly, there should be no problems,¡± Guangfeng reported as he stood up. ¡°But that isn¡¯t what I came to speak with you about.¡±

    ¡°What is it then?¡± The emperor leaned back in his gold-painted chair and watched Guangfeng with steady eyes.

    ¡°On the way to Zhongshu, Yuelan¡¯s carriage went out of control and ran into the forest. The carriage wasn¡¯t able to be fixed, so we had to abandon it. Yuelan¡¯s hidden guard protected her, so she wasn¡¯t harmed. While she was in the woods alone she formed a contract with a divine beast, the White Tiger called Byakko.¡± Guangfeng frowned and hesitated before finally asking the question he had been troubled by since that incident. ¡°Father Emperor, were you aware that Yuelan is the dragon priestess?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The emperor¡¯s calm answer startled Guangfeng and the prince looked at his father¡¯s face, frowning. ¡°The library is a special existence and the emperors of Longuo have always been responsible for protecting it. Lord He¡¯s identity is also something that all of the emperors have known.¡±

    ¡°And Kilin? Do you know where it really is?¡± Guangfeng asked.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The emperor chuckled. ¡°Yes. The more important question is: do you?¡±

    ¡°Yuelan told me the day I delivered the betrothal gifts.¡± Guangfeng frowned and thought about how to phrase his next question. The emperor remained quiet and said nothing while he waited, even though it took several minutes for Guangfeng to open his mouth again to ask, ¡°Why was the dragon priestess in the other world for so long?¡±

    ¡°That I don¡¯t know,¡± the emperor answered. ¡°Lord He probably does, though. You would have to ask him.¡±

    ¡°Then do you know why she came here now?¡± Guangfeng rubbed his thumb and forefinger together inside his sleeve and kept his eyes on his father as he waited for the emperor¡¯s answer.

    Xiong Lijun said nothing for a while before he finally sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t, but I would assume it is very important. I have heard there is a prophecy left behind by the last priestess and that may have something to do with it, but I truly do not know.¡±

    ¡°There is such a prophecy. Lord He has the original in the library and allowed me to study it the day Yuelan first came here. I¡¯m not sure what it could mean, though.¡± The admission frustrated the third prince and it showed on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll understand it after it has been fulfilled,¡± the emperor replied, looking rather amused. ¡°You should go back to your palace and get some rest. You had a long journey.¡±

    Guangfeng bowed, then left the study and the imperial palace to return home to his own palace.

    ***

    Yuelan rested until early afternoon of the next day. As she let Willow and Camphor help her dress and do her hair she was deep in thought. As Willow put the last hairpin into Yuelan¡¯s hair the priestess finally spoke, ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the third prince¡¯s palace today. It¡¯s time to deal with Laurel¡¯s issue.¡±

    ¡°But Miss, your carriage hasn¡¯t been replaced yet,¡± Camphor reminded Yuelan.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ride on Byakko. It isn¡¯t too cold today and I expect to be back before dark.¡±

    Camphor and Willow looked at each other and then back at Yuelan. ¡°What does Miss plan to do?¡± Camphor asked hesitantly.

    ¡°I won¡¯t know the answer to that question until I¡¯ve spoken to Laurel myself.¡± Yuelan looked out the window and sighed. ¡°Camphor, while I¡¯m gone, start the arrangements for new winter clothes for all the servants. Also, I plan to pass out congee and tea to the poor starting the end of the month. Make a list of madams and misses from wealthy families who might be willing to help. Gather all the old clothes that any servants are no longer using as well. We¡¯ll donate them to the poor. I¡¯d like to try to avoid having anyone starve or freeze to death in the streets if we can.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Camphor bowed to acknowledge the order and headed out of the courtyard to begin preparations.

    Yuelan stood up and walked out of the courtyard. As soon as she set foot outside Byakko appeared beside her. The large, white tiger nuzzled her. Where are you going? I will carry you.

    ¡°Heping Palace,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°Where the third prince lives. There are some things I need to take care of there.¡±

    Byakko lowered himself to the ground and let Yuelan climb up onto his back before he got back to his paws and headed out of her residence and toward Guangfeng¡¯s palace.

 Chapter Seventy-four

    Many people stopped and stared, but most screamed and ran away when they saw Byakko as he carried Yuelan through the capital to Guangfeng¡¯s palace. Yuelan tried to pretend she didn¡¯t notice the panicking people, but it was hard. She felt a bit guilty for inciting the panic and she leaned over to rub behind the white tiger¡¯s ears. ¡°I think maybe I should take a carriage from now on if we¡¯re in a town. People could get hurt if there¡¯s so much panic every time they see you.¡±

    They will grow used to it and it will allow word to spread that there is now a priestess, Byakko replied. Eventually they will stop screaming at my presence.

    ¡°And what of the people who are injured before that?¡± Yuelan argued. ¡°It¡¯s something that could easily be prevented. Don¡¯t be selfish, Byakko.¡±

    The tiger made a snorting noise, but didn¡¯t continue to argue with her. When they finally reached Guangfeng¡¯s Heping Palace the tiger lay down on the ground to let Yuelan slide off of his back. At the same time one of the soldiers in front of the palace came over.

    ¡°Who are you and what business do you have here at Heping Palace?¡± the guard asked. He frowned at Yuelan and Byakko.

    ¡°I am Long Yuelan and I came to see my fiance, the third prince,¡± Yuelan answered calmly.

    ¡°His Highness has not returned from court and did not mention anyone coming today. Do you have some identification to show you are who you say you are?¡± the guard demanded as a carriage pulled up nearby.

    The carriage had the same symbol on the door as there was on the large, wooden gates to Guangfeng¡¯s palace and Guangfeng himself stepped down from the carriage. He looked surprised to see Yuelan. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming. Why didn¡¯t you send a messenger?¡± Guangfeng asked as he hurried over to her. ¡°Was the guard causing trouble for you?¡±

    ¡°He was just wanting to make sure I am who I say I am,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. And I decided to come last minute. We put off Laurel¡¯s matter while we went to Zhongshu, but we¡¯re back now and I want to deal with it right away.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and looked over at the guard. ¡°The tiger is her identification. Next time just let her in. Make sure all the other guards know. I¡¯ll have her portrait distributed among you as well just in case.¡±

    The guard saluted and stepped out of the way as he gestured for someone to open the gates to Heping Palace.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have done that already, but I didn¡¯t expect you to come here before I¡¯d had a chance to bring you,¡± Guangfeng said to Yuelan. ¡°Laurel has been in the prison, so I¡¯ll send someone to bring her here. While we wait for her we can listen to the reports from the investigations I had done. You should summon Yun Cai, too. He had a part in what happened.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Yuelan nodded and put her hand in Guangfeng¡¯s. She felt him stiffen for a moment before gently wrapping his hand around hers. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have done anything to her in the prison, would they?¡± she asked anxiously. ¡°Was she at least treated decently?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to check on her situation there yet, so I don¡¯t know,¡± Guangfeng answered honestly. ¡°I did leave instructions that she was not to be mistreated, but we left right after the incident.¡± He shrugged and led her into his palace and toward the main hall.

    ¡°How do I summon Yun Cai? He didn¡¯t tell me where he was going when we got back to the capital yesterday and just disappeared.¡± Yuelan frowned as she followed after Guangfeng. ¡°And what did he have to do with my kidnapping?¡±

    I can let his crow know to tell him to come here, Byakko answered as he calmly followed the couple in through the gates. The guards tried to hide it, but it was still obvious from the tightening of their hands on their weapons and the way they were watching the tiger that he made them nervous.

    ¡°Please do, Byakko. Thank you.¡± Yuelan turned her head and smiled at the tiger, who didn¡¯t respond.

    When they reached the main hall, Guangfeng let Yuelan sit down in the main seat and took the one next to her. He ignored Yuelan¡¯s protests that it wasn¡¯t proper. While they waited for Yun Cai and Laurel to arrive, Guangfeng had the hidden guards he¡¯d sent to investigate come and report their findings to him and Yuelan.

    As it turned out, Laurel¡¯s younger brother had been taken by a eunuch from the palace. The description of the eunuch was too generic, so it was impossible to find out for certain which person had brought the child in. Laurel¡¯s brother was the only son in her family, so her parents had panicked when their son had been taken to the palace. They had begged Laurel to do something about it. The rest of the details were unknown and the hidden guards hadn¡¯t managed to discover which palace Laurel¡¯s brother was in and were unable to go and bring him to be questioned.

    Yun Cai arrived before Laurel did and had no problem explaining everything he knew when Yuelan made the request. ¡°Every time I¡¯ve been hired by anyone in the palace it has always been through the same eunuch. I don¡¯t actually know who they work for for certain, but I believe that it¡¯s the empress,¡± the information broker explained. ¡°The eunuch said I would be given double my usual fee to get the priestess out of her residence and hand her over to someone else, who would be waiting at a specified location. I didn¡¯t know the person I was being sent to abduct was going to end up being the priestess, Miss, or I wouldn¡¯t have done it. I was asked to contact your maid, Laurel, a couple of times before her brother was taken away and then I was instructed to tell her that her brother would become a eunuch if she didn¡¯t do as she was told. I gave her the drugs to make you sleep and when I got in to take you away I made sure to use a spell that would keep you asleep longer.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Thank you for the explanation, Yun Cai. If there¡¯s anything else you remember please let me know.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The information broker saluted her, smiled, and stepped to the side as a pair of guards brought a haggard and tired-looking Laurel into the hall.

 Chapter Seventy-five

    The former maid sank to her knees and kowtowed to Yuelan and Guangfeng without any prompting from the guards escorting her. She said nothing as she waited for Yuelan and Guangfeng to speak.

    Yuelan got up from her seat and walked over to Laurel. She knelt in front of the servant and helped her sit up. As soon as her hand touched Laurel¡¯s arm the servant girl flinched, but she still sat up and looked at Yuelan with tear-filled eyes.

    ¡°Did you drug my tea the night I was abducted, Laurel?¡± Yuelan asked quietly.

    Laurel nodded. ¡°Yes, Miss, I did.¡± A tear slid down her cheek and she looked down at her knees in shame.

    ¡°Why did you do it? Did I do something to cause you to dislike me?¡±

    The servant girl¡¯s head shot up and she looked at Yuelan with wide eyes. ¡°No, Miss! You¡¯ve been very kind and understanding. No master treats their servants as well as Miss does!¡± Laurel¡¯s expression changed from shock to pain again. ¡°It was for my younger brother. He¡¯s my family¡¯s only son. With the money I¡¯ve been sending home from my wages my parents have been saving up to start a shop and my brother will need to inherit it.¡± She looked over at Yun Cai. ¡°But that man there said that if I didn¡¯t do as I was told the palace would take him and force him to become a eunuch. He would never leave the palace and my parents would have no heir and no one to care for them when they became old.¡± More tears slid down Laurel¡¯s cheek and she covered her face with her hands as she started to cry. ¡°I didn¡¯t want my parents or my brother to suffer. He¡¯s only a child. How could he survive in a place like the imperial palace? I tried to resist and kept telling him I wouldn¡¯t do it but...but then my brother was taken. I¡¯m so sorry, Miss. I know I was wrong. I know what I did is punished with death, but I couldn¡¯t just abandon my younger brother!¡±

    Yuelan wrapped her arms around Laurel. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I would have done the same thing in your place. Nothing should be more important than your own family.¡± She looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°Can you save her brother?¡± she asked him. ¡°It¡¯s not too late already, is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Guangfeng told her, sighing. ¡°But I can do my best. Children brought in to become eunuchs are usually kept in the same hall. I¡¯ll have someone check and see if they can find him if that¡¯s what you want.¡± He frowned. ¡°Regardless, Laurel¡¯s punishment still has to be carried out. The punishment for betraying and harming your master is to be beaten to death.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Yuelan said firmly. She wrapped her arms tightly around Laurel and glared at Guangfeng. ¡°That punishment is ridiculous for something as minor as this and there are extenuating circumstances.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Yuelan, she betrayed you once. What¡¯s to say she won¡¯t do it again?¡±

    ¡°Understanding inspires loyalty, Guangfeng,¡± Yuelan insisted. ¡°She¡¯s a person, not an object, and she has thoughts and feelings too. I¡¯ll protect her family. I have a shop that needs reliable workers and her brother can work as my page until he¡¯s old enough to work in the shop with his parents.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°If you just forgive her then others will be more inclined to take advantage of your kindness. You won¡¯t be safe in your own home,¡± Guangfeng argued. He turned toward the guards on either side of Laurel and Yuelan and started to give the order to have Laurel beaten.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Yuelan snapped. She stood up and her eyes flashed as she glared at the third prince. ¡°She is my servant and I will make the decision! We aren¡¯t married yet, and even if we were I wouldn¡¯t let you do this. Now shut your mouth and let me do as I see fit.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Yuelan, I¡¯m trying to protect you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of managing my own household, Guangfeng. I did it for my father and I¡¯ve been doing it since I came here. Yes, customs and laws are different where I¡¯m from, but people are still people. I prefer to be the kind of master who inspires loyalty rooted in love and appreciation, not fear. And I don¡¯t need your protection. I have Byakko and Long He for that and I¡¯ve been learning how to protect myself.¡± Yuelan put her hands on her hips and stared into Guangfeng¡¯s eyes until he sighed and rubbed his forehead with his hand.

    ¡°Fine. Have it your way.¡± The third prince sank back into his seat and looked over at the table with a grumpy expression.

    ¡°I will.¡± Yuelan sniffed and looked back at Laurel. ¡°I won¡¯t have you killed, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re going to go without punishment. Given that you have been locked in the prisons for a while, I¡¯ll give you a lighter punishment. You¡¯ll spend the next month working in the laundry in the manor. At the end of the month you¡¯ll return to being my personal servant. However, this is your last chance. If you betray me again you¡¯ll be kicked out of the manor completely.¡±

    Laurel stared at Yuelan in shock. ¡°M-miss, you¡¯re going to forgive me?¡± The servant girl¡¯s voice trembled with disbelief.

    ¡°Of course. This is your first offense. You only slipped something into my tea and only because you wanted to save your brother. You¡¯ve been very helpful and an excellent servant except for this one incident. It¡¯s much more difficult to find someone I can get along well with to replace you than it is to forgive you for something like this.¡± Yuelan smiled and pulled Laurel to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s enough kneeling. It makes me uncomfortable when people do that. Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Laurel started to cry again. She sniffed and wiped at her tears with the dirty sleeve of her dress. ¡°Thank you, Miss. I swear I will not betray you again.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°I want her brother brought to my manor as soon as possible. Until then, I don¡¯t really want to talk to you. You should think about the value of a life in the meantime.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at Yuelan, a little startled. ¡°You¡¯re that angry with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course. How about you think about why that might be as well, since you don¡¯t seem to understand it yourself. I¡¯m not going to give you any hints, either. I¡¯ll see myself out. Laurel knows the way, I¡¯m sure.¡± Yuelan turned and headed out of the main hall with Laurel and Byakko right behind her.

    Yun Cai chuckled and looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°Good luck, Your Highness.¡± Without saying anything else, he followed after the others to leave Heping Palace.

 Chapter Seventy-six

    A few days later, Yuelan sat at the table in the gazebo by the koi pond with her arms in front of her, her chin on the table, and a morose expression. She let out a long sigh that was almost a groan. Willow set a steaming tea cup in front of Yuelan and the priestess poked the handle with a finger, turning it around on the saucer slowly.

    ¡°Miss, if you¡¯re bored we could hire a performance troupe to come in,¡± Willow suggested. ¡°There are several here in the capital at this time of year.¡±

    Yuelan waved a hand. ¡°Maybe another time. I don¡¯t feel like watching a performance right now.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you could pay a visit to Miss Zhou or Miss Zhao then?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t available and we just had tea together at Red Orchid Teahouse yesterday. And before you ask, Princess Liling is busy too.¡±

    Willow frowned as she tried to come up with a way to alleviate her master¡¯s boredom. ¡°Perhaps...Miss would like to go and visit your father?¡± she suggested.

    Yuelan stopped playing with the teacup and traced the patterns on the marble table instead. ¡°I would, but I can¡¯t right now. Long He said things still need time to settle down after the work I did in Zhongshu before I can travel to Kilin again.¡±

    ¡°Then what if you summon Yun Cai? Perhaps he knows of something that could relieve Miss¡¯ boredom.¡±

    ¡°And how would I find Yun Cai? I don¡¯t even know where he lives or anything like that.¡± Yuelan sighed again and thought about her phone and the games she had installed on it that would have been able to entertain her if it would work in Longuo.

    Having no technology at all was starting to wear on her. Until her trip to Zhongshu she¡¯d been able to go back home whenever she was bored and wanted to play a game, but Long He had said that things needed to rebalance for a while after what she¡¯d done in the shrine there so it was impossible for her to travel back and forth. Now she had nothing to do and no phone to waste her time with.

    She¡¯d studied anatomy until her head felt like it would explode and passed all of Long He¡¯s tests on it. He and Byakko had gone to look for a way for her to practice healing without having everyone find out about it and start flocking to her for miracle cures for whatever ailed them. She needed the practice, but healing with magic wasn¡¯t something that should be taken lightly. Long He and Byakko both said that it took a lot of energy.

    ¡°Perhaps Byakko could--¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t. He and Long He are out right now.¡±

    Just as Willow was about to open her mouth for another suggestion, Chung Soo hurried over and bowed to Yuelan. ¡°My lady, his highness the fourth prince has arrived wondering if he might accompany you for a while.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Sure. Go ahead and bring him back here. I¡¯m feeling too lazy to get up,¡± Yuelan agreed.

    The steward¡¯s mouth twitched toward an amused smile and he bowed again. ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± The eunuch hurried back to the gate to let Prince Guangzhu in and returned a few minutes later with the fourth prince following after and taking long strides.

    Yuelan waved at Prince Guangzhu without getting up. ¡°Hello, your highness. You have good timing.¡±

    The fourth prince smiled. ¡°Hello, Priestess. Was there something you needed from me?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just bored,¡± Yuelan answered, shrugging.

    Guangzhu chuckled. ¡°Does priestess know how to play go? Perhaps we could have a friendly match?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, so perhaps your highness could teach me instead?¡± Yuelan countered.

    ¡°I would be delighted.¡± The fourth prince smiled at her.

    ¡°I will go and get a board and pieces,¡± Chung Soo volunteered before he hurried away.

    Guangzhu sat down opposite Yuelan and studied her face with its bored expression for a while before he finally spoke. ¡°I came on my third brother¡¯s behalf,¡± he admitted, sighing. ¡°He looked quite upset during morning court and when I asked about it he said you were angry with him but he wasn¡¯t sure what it was that he had done wrong.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression darkened immediately and she snorted as she sat up. ¡°He hasn¡¯t figured it out?¡± She crossed her arms and glared at the koi pond.

    ¡°Would you mind explaining it to me? Neither of you will get anywhere if you don¡¯t communicate.¡± Guangzhu¡¯s voice was patient and coaxing.

    ¡°He wanted to have Laurel beaten to death!¡± Yuelan turned her glare on Guangzhu. ¡°He didn¡¯t even bother to try discussing it with me and just made the decision on his own. She is my servant. This is my household. I get to make the decisions for my house and my employees, not him. And it¡¯s not like this is the first time he¡¯s treated me like an object. Yes, most of the time he¡¯s nice and he buys me presents and things like that, but I could care less about things. I have thoughts and feelings and a better education than he can even hope to get here but he still treats me like I¡¯m somehow inferior to him. I hate it.¡±

    The fourth prince blinked. ¡°But...women are inferior to men.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression became scathing and Guangzhu felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°No, we aren¡¯t. Men and women are different, but that doesn¡¯t make one inferior to the other. Women are every bit as capable of doing whatever sort of work they want as men are and where I¡¯m from they¡¯re allowed to prove it by doing whatever sort of work they want. There are women who are doctors and leaders and rulers and soldiers. Sure, there are also women who stay home and take care of their families, but there are men who do that too. I¡¯m angry with Guangfeng because he didn¡¯t show respect for my thoughts and feelings and ideals and tried to do what he wanted in the name of keeping me safe. I can keep myself safe. And just because someone slipped something into my tea to put me to sleep doesn¡¯t mean that someone deserves to be beaten to death for it. That¡¯s cruel and inhumane and I¡¯m not going to stand for it. I deserve his respect and to have my thoughts and opinions heard and my feelings cared for and if you¡¯re going to have the same attitude as him then you can leave because I don¡¯t want to talk to you either!¡± She stood up and stormed away from the gazebo, leaving Gangzhu to stare after her in shock.

 Chapter Seventy-seven

    Guangfeng was pacing in his study with his hands clasped behind his back when his fourth brother came in. The third prince looked up and studied Guangzhu. ¡°Did she say anything?¡± he asked anxiously.

    The fourth prince grimaced. ¡°Well...yes. She shouted at me and kicked me out and doesn¡¯t want to speak with me anymore either.¡±

    A hint of worry flashed across Guangfeng¡¯s hazel eyes. ¡°Did she at least explain why?¡±

    ¡°Sort of, but I don¡¯t really understand it. She said women aren¡¯t inferior to men and that where she¡¯s from they can do whatever they want. She also said you didn¡¯t consider her thoughts and feelings and ideals.¡± Guangzhu shrugged and lifted his hands in a helpless gesture.

    Guangfeng rubbed his face with one hand. ¡°I just wanted to keep her safe. If she was betrayed once she can be betrayed again by the same person.¡±

    ¡°About that...she said she can keep herself safe.¡± Gaungzhu sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t envy you. Your fiance is pretty, but she seems difficult to deal with.¡±

    The third prince let out a sigh of his own. ¡°I suppose I should go see if she will let me in. We won¡¯t get anywhere if we don¡¯t try to talk things through.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that. I heard she¡¯s the dragon priestess? Seems you¡¯ll be marrying someone who outranks everyone, even the emperors.¡±

    ¡°Her rank doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m more concerned with not sabotaging myself and ruining our chances to have a happy marriage.¡± Guangfeng sighed and rubbed his face again. ¡°Thank you for trying. I guess I¡¯ll have to take care of it myself somehow.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you could get permission from father to go back to her country for a visit?¡± Guangzhu suggested.

    Guangfeng gave his brother a tense smile. ¡°That¡¯s actually a very good idea. I¡¯ll try it. Thank you, Guangzhu.¡±

    The fourth prince nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He turned and left Guangfeng to his troubles.

    Guangfeng thought for a bit longer before leaving his study and going to get his horse. He headed into the palace to speak with his father.

    In the emperor¡¯s study, Guangfeng spent over an hour speaking with his father, Emperor Xiong Lijun. It took the time to convince the emperor to give Guangfeng a few days off, but the prince managed to succeed. Once he had acquired permission to not show up for morning court for a few days, Xiong Guangfeng headed for Crystal Moon Residence to speak with Yuelan.

    ***The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Yuelan frowned at Chung Soo. The steward had just come to find her in a part of the garden filled with trees, all the leaves having already turned shades of red, yellow, and orange. ¡°His Highness the third prince wants to come in and speak with me?¡± she repeated. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain I said I wouldn¡¯t be seeing anyone else today, no matter who they were.¡±

    The eunuch wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. His mistress looked more angry than he¡¯d ever seen her. ¡°You did, but his highness was most insistent. He says he wishes to repair your relationship and that he will wait outside until you permit him entry.¡±

    ¡°Well, then he can stay there. I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Yuelan crossed her arms and glared at her steward.

    ¡°His Highness asked me to deliver this letter. He hopes you¡¯ll at least agree to read it.¡± Chung Soo held a letter out to Yuelan.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Yuelan snatched the letter from her steward and started to read it:

    "Yuelan,

    I realize that things are different where you come from and that those differences are causing difficulty in our relationship. While I still don¡¯t understand why you are angry with me, I want the opportunity to learn what it is that bothers you so much. If it¡¯s possible, I¡¯d like to visit your world and see it for myself. Perhaps understanding you better will help me keep from upsetting you again.

    Guangfeng."

    Yuelan finished the letter and snorted as she crumpled it up. The words repeated in her head a couple of times before she uncrumpled it and read through it once again. This time she sighed. Long He, how much longer do I have to stay here without going home? And when are you and Byakko coming back? She wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, so when she got one she squeaked and jumped.

    It should be possible for you to go back in two days. You won¡¯t be able to stay for more than a day, but it should be alright for you to go for a short visit. The dragon¡¯s reply made it sound like he wasn¡¯t at all surprised to be contacted.

    How did you...Long He! Are you close enough to be reading my mind?

    Amusement rippled through the dragon¡¯s mental voice as he responded. Not really, no. But I can hear you through the bond when you reach out to me.

    That would have been nice to know. I didn¡¯t know it worked over longer distances! When are you two coming back? And would it be possible for me to take Guangfeng with me when I go home? Yuelan sounded tired and resigned. Guangfeng was right. How they were raised was very different. Taking him home with her would be the best way to help him understand.

    It should be possible. I will let you know when we return tomorrow.

    Alright. Thank you, He. Yuelan turned to look at Chung Soo. ¡°Tell his highness to return at nine in the morning the day after tomorrow. I will fulfill his request then.¡±

    The steward bowed and went back to the gates.

    ***

    When Chung Soo returned without Yuelan, Guangfeng felt his heart sink in his chest. ¡°She still refuses to see me?¡±

    The steward lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. ¡°My lady said to return at nine the morning after tomorrow and she will fulfill your request then. Your Highness, please go back.¡±

    Guangfeng sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He mounted his horse, nodded to the steward, and then headed back to his palace.

 Chapter Seventy-Eight

    Long He and Byakko returned the next day as they¡¯d promised. They hadn¡¯t come up with a perfect solution, but they had managed to think of something that Yuelan could try to practice healing magic. Since she was going to Kilin the next day it would wait until she returned.

    The morning after that, Guangfeng arrived before the appointed time on his horse with his carriage prepared. He at least wanted Yuelan to have the option of riding in it, even if he knew she could ride Byakko or Long He instead.

    Yuelan did not step out the gates until a few minutes after nine. She was dressed casually and holding the house-cat-sized Byakko in her arms.

    Guangfeng smiled at Yuelan and bowed. ¡°Thank you for agreeing to do this for me, Yuelan.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for you. It¡¯s for myself.¡± She barely even looked at Guangfeng as she got into his carriage. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve thought about what I told your brother.¡±

    ¡°I have. I will do my best to understand what you meant.¡± He didn¡¯t try to get onto the carriage with her and mounted his horse instead.

    ***

    When the carriage pulled up to the base of the mountain, Yuelan didn¡¯t wait for Guangfeng to assist her but hopped down on her own. She set Byakko down on the ground so the tiger could return to his normal size and then settled herself on his back.

    Do you want me to stay by the prince, or should we just go as fast as possible to the library? the white tiger asked.

    ¡°I suppose we should play nice and stay by Guangfeng,¡± Yuelan sighed. ¡°He won¡¯t get lost, but it wouldn¡¯t be nice to make him run up the mountain.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s lips twitched toward a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes as he got down from the carriage. ¡°You¡¯re really angry with me, aren¡¯t you, Yuelan?¡±

    ¡°More frustrated with everything. I¡¯m tired of the treatment women receive. It¡¯s like we¡¯re less than human.¡± She patted her tiger¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Byakko.¡±

    The tiger started up the mountain path toward the library. Guangfeng struggled a little to keep up without having to run as the prince followed along behind them. When they reached the library Yuelan got off the tiger¡¯s back and headed inside without saying another word to Guangfeng.

    Byakko shifted into his human form and followed Yuelan inside with Guangfeng.

    Long He was behind the check-out counter examining some recently returned manuscripts and he looked up when he heard people entering. ¡°Mistress, Your Highness,¡± he greeted the two humans. ¡°Byakko. Everything is ready for your trip back home.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. It won¡¯t be a problem if we only stay for one day, right?¡±

    The dragon frowned a little and studied Yuelan carefully. ¡°You should be able to manage two. Just don¡¯t stay for more than three days or you may not be able to get back.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Why would that be?¡± he asked.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Yuelan is different from normal humans. She has dragon blood in her. It makes her magical ability and connection to the forces of magic much stronger, but it also means she has the same restrictions as a magic beast. Most don¡¯t notice it anymore, but in order for a magic beast to use magic they have to have a reserve built up inside of them. That reserve comes from the world¡¯s magic. Because Yuelan has both dragon and human blood, she uses magic constantly just to stay alive. She has to. The dragon blood is too strong and will overpower a human if she doesn¡¯t. Unfortunately, the world where Kilin is has no inherent magic. The only source of magic there now is the library and it doesn¡¯t produce enough magic for her to sustain herself away from it. The dragon blood in Yuelan is much stronger than it has been in any generation since the original dragon priestess, who was my half-sister. That makes her powerful enough that once she inherited the calling she was able to travel here, but it also means she uses more magic for her own survival. Her reserves aren¡¯t full yet, but she has enough that she can manage to take you there and stay for seventy-two hours before she doesn¡¯t have enough to get you both back here anymore,¡± the dragon explained.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Yuelan spoke up before Guangfeng could. ¡°Did you just say that I¡¯m part dragon and you¡¯re basically my uncle with several ¡®greats¡¯ attached?¡±

    Long He looked over at Yuelan and smiled. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I said. You¡¯ll likely experience a few physical changes sometime between now and your eighteenth birthday, but they¡¯ll be rather minor.¡±

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t think maybe I should know that sooner? Like when I first came here?¡± Yuelan frowned and put her hands on her hips.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary for you to know then and I wasn¡¯t really certain how strong your dragon blood was until we went to the temple in Zhongshu. When you first came here you already had a considerable amount of information to absorb. I didn¡¯t want to overload you with too much.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s face reddened and she glared at the dragon. ¡°I just love how everyone else is making decisions that are supposedly for my own good but don¡¯t consider my feelings at all. Oh, and let¡¯s not forget that all of these decision makers are males, too. In case you all forgot, I have a brain and it works just fine. I am capable of making my own decisions and deciding things for myself. I don¡¯t need everyone constantly trying to meddle in my business and not even bother to get my opinion! If it¡¯s about me then I deserve to know. I¡¯ve had enough of everyone deciding what I should and shouldn¡¯t know and what is and isn¡¯t safe. I didn¡¯t even really get to decide my own marriage!¡± Her eyes filled with angry tears as her voice rose steadily until she was shouting. ¡°If you all don¡¯t knock it off then I¡¯m going to just refuse to do anything! I¡¯ll cancel the engagement, stay in my residence, and refuse to listen to anything any of you say because apparently I can¡¯t trust you to give me all the information so that I can make an informed decision!¡±

    Long He blinked. ¡°Did...something happen while I¡¯ve been gone?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The prince tried to have Laurel killed without giving our mistress a chance to decide what to do about the girl drugging her tea on her own,¡± the tiger explained, shrugging. ¡°She¡¯s been angry ever since.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The dragon turned his attention back to Yuelan. ¡°I apologize for making the decision on my own. It is not that I doubted your abilities in any way, nor do I feel that you are incapable of deciding things for yourself. I was going to tell you the next time I saw you because I finally had all of the information to give you about your dragon blood. It seems the way I explained just now was not thorough enough.¡±

    Yuelan snorted and folded her arms under her breasts. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t care anymore. I just want to go home and see my dad and pretend none of this is happening for a while. Though I suppose I can¡¯t really do that, since I agreed to take Guangfeng along with me to experience the differences between Longuo and Kilin himself. Just tell me how to get back home with a tag-along.¡±

    ¡°The accessories you wore when you appeared in front of Guangfeng by accident should be sufficient,¡± the dragon answered. ¡°Just use them as normal and concentrate on making sure Guangfeng goes along with you. I¡¯ve put the accessories in your room here. You seem to have enough control now that it shouldn¡¯t be a danger for you to have them. Just make sure to pay attention when you¡¯re wearing them so you don¡¯t use them on accident again.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and headed for the room she used when staying in the library to get the diamond and barite accessory set.

 Chapter Seventy-nine

    Yuelan didn¡¯t bother putting the accessories on as she snatched them from the box they were stored in. She held them in her hand and walked back out to rejoin Long He and Xiong Guangfeng. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Do I have to touch him or anything?¡±

    Long He chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it will probably make it easier to make sure he comes along. This is more along the lines of an experiment. My sister never had an opportunity to actually test the theory.¡±

    Yuelan grimaced, then frowned at Guangfeng¡¯s clothes. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have anything that will fit him he can put on, do you? He¡¯s going to look like he¡¯s an actor for a drama who forgot to remove his costume before leaving the set like that.¡±

    The third prince frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my clothes?¡± he asked, looking down at them.

    ¡°Nothing if you¡¯re going to stay here,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°But you¡¯ll draw a lot of attention if you wear it in Kilin and that will draw a lot of attention to me, which I would prefer to avoid.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Long He agreed. ¡°Come with me, Your Highness, and I¡¯ll help you change.¡± The dragon looked over at Yuelan. ¡°You may as well change at the same time. Even if it¡¯s not as odd as a man wearing robes, wearing your gown will still draw attention.¡±

    Yuelan waved a hand to brush the words off. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m going to go change now.¡± She turned and headed back to her room to change while Long He took Guangfeng to do the same. When she came back out of her room she was wearing a long, white qipao with pink peonies embroidered into the silk. The slits on the sides went halfway up her thighs. Instead of embroidered slippers, she had on a pair of white, two-inch heels.

    Guangfeng stared at Yuelan¡¯s bare arms and visible legs and swallowed hard. He was now dressed in a dark blue dress shirt and black slacks that looked like they had been custom tailored to fit him; he even had a pair of black leather dress shoes on his feet.

    Yuelan eyed Guangfeng and nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll do.¡± No way was she going to admit that he looked really good in what he was wearing. The fit of the clothes was perfect and Guangfeng more muscular than she¡¯d thought.

    She put her hand on Guangfeng¡¯s arm, took a deep breath to center herself, and concentrated on taking herself and Guangfeng to Kilin¡¯s library. Nothing visibly changed around them, but Yuelan could still tell that she had succeeded. ¡°Wait here,¡± she instructed Guangfeng before heading back to her room. This time she returned holding her cell phone up to her ear as she waited for her father to answer his phone.

    ¡°Hey Daddy. I came back to visit. Can you send a car to pick me up from the library? And I brought someone back with me to meet you this time,¡± Yuelan said into the phone. She ignored Guangfeng¡¯s look of confusion as he looked around to see who she was talking to and saw no one.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Holding up the cell phone, Yuelan looked at her fiance and explained: ¡°This is a cell phone. It allows me to communicate with anyone as long as they have a phone with them and are in an area that will allow them to use it. My dad is having someone come to pick us up, but he won¡¯t be available until dinner.¡±

    Guangfeng looked at the thin, rectangular object in Yuelan¡¯s hand and nodded, pretending he understood what she just said.

    Yuelan smirked at him and headed out to the main part of the library. ¡°Come on. Just stay close and don¡¯t ask a lot of questions until we¡¯re in the car.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®car¡¯?¡± Guangfeng asked, frowning.

    ¡°A carriage that doesn¡¯t get pulled by horses,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t get pulled by anything. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°How does it move, then?¡±

    Yuelan rolled her eyes. ¡°The driver pushes a pedal inside that makes it go on its own,¡± she answered. ¡°Now no more questions or you¡¯ll draw attention to yourself.¡±

    ¡°And attention is bad? You rode a tiger though mph!¡± Guangfeng¡¯s words were cut off by Yuelan putting her hand over his mouth.

    ¡°Hush! I¡¯ll explain when we get in the car. For now just be quiet and don¡¯t ask questions or there will be a lot of troublesome people asking troublesome questions!¡± Yuelan kept her hand on Guangfeng¡¯s mouth until the prince nodded acceptance. She led the way over to her usual table and sat down in a chair. She crossed her legs and pulled her phone out to play a match three game until a notification popped up alerting her to a text from Ban Li, her personal driver, that he was just outside in the black, high end sedan.

    Guangfeng watched Yuelan fiddling with the object called a ¡®cell phone¡¯ until she put it away and stood up. He still didn¡¯t understand what it did, but she was already angry with him and he didn¡¯t want to continue to upset her. He stood with her and followed her out of the library. The sight before him made him stop in his tracks as he stared around at everything with wide eyes. ¡°What--?¡±

    ¡°Come on. The car is over here.¡± Yuelan grabbed Guangfeng¡¯s sleeve and pulled him after her as she headed for the car where Ban Li was waiting, the back passenger door already open. Yuelan slid in first and Guangfeng mimicked her to slide in after. He followed the instructions she gave him on how to buckle the seatbelt and then turned his attention to look all around, both inside and outside of the car.

    ¡°Ban Li, this is Xiong Guangfeng. He¡¯ll seem a little odd, but just answer his questions patiently and don¡¯t worry that he might cause trouble,¡± Yuelan said to the driver. ¡°For now, take us home to the manor.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Miss Long.¡± Ban Li spoke in a respectful voice and smiled as he put the car in gear and drove down the crowded streets of the capital to the prime minister¡¯s manor.

    Guangfeng spent the entire trip asking questions about everything he saw and having them answered either by Yuelan or Ban Li. He asked about traffic lights, cars, buildings, street signs, clothing, and everything else he spotted that was new or strange to him. Seeing couples walking down the street hand in hand confused him.

 Chapter Eighty

    When they reached the prime minister¡¯s manor, Ban Li opened the car door for them and Guangfeng and Yuelan slid out. As they stepped onto the concrete steps, Guangfeng looked down. ¡°These large rocks look strange. What kind of rock are they?¡±

    Yuelan had calmed down on the way to her home, so Guangfeng¡¯s question made her giggle. ¡°It¡¯s concrete,¡± she explained. ¡°I guess it is sort of a man-made rock. It¡¯s basically powdered rock mixed with water, spread out in place, and then left to harden.

    Guangfeng looked impressed by the explanation. ¡°You can make rock?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, no. And I don¡¯t know that it counts as ¡®making rock,¡¯ but that¡¯s one of the things construction crews do.¡± Yuelan shrugged and led the way up the steps and into the house. When she saw her family¡¯s butler, Cheng Man, she smiled and nodded as she greeted him: ¡°Hello Mr. Cheng. Would you please have someone get a guest room ready for this man? His name is Xiong Guangfeng.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Miss Long.¡± The butler bowed a little and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have a room ready for him in an hour. Should I prepare tea while you wait?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Yuelan replied cheerfully. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to cook in a while and I miss it. Just let me know when Daddy gets home, please.¡±

    The butler nodded and turned to go about his duties while Yuelan started to lead the way toward the kitchens. She turned to look at Guangfeng and found him studying a lightswitch intently. He looked up at her when she walked over to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± the third prince asked.

    ¡°A light switch. We don¡¯t use candles very much here. If you flip that switch you¡¯ll turn the lights in the room on,¡± Yuelan explained. She walked over to Guangfeng and pointed to the lights in the chandelier on the ceiling. ¡°Watch.¡± She flipped the switch and the light bulbs lit up.

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes widened and he played with the switch, flipping the lights on and off until Yuelan giggled.

    ¡°If you keep doing that someone will have to change out all the lightbulbs in the chandelier,¡± she chided.

    ¡°Is it magic?¡± the prince asks, turning his excited, hazel eyes on her. ¡°It¡¯s so much faster than lighting candles!¡±

    ¡°They last longer than candles too,¡± Yuelan told him. ¡°But no, it¡¯s not magic. Weren¡¯t you paying attention to Long He? There is no magic here except inside the library and what¡¯s there is very weak. Come on. Let¡¯s go down to the kitchen and I¡¯ll make some tea and snacks.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°So you¡¯ve learned how to light a fire finally?¡± he asked her. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll make something edible?¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned pink. ¡°I don¡¯t need to light a fire to cook here. And I started learning how to cook when I was eight. I¡¯m not a professional, but my food isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    ¡°Cooking without fire? How does anything get cooked then?¡±

    ¡°Follow me and I¡¯ll show you.¡± Yuelan rolled her eyes and gave Guangfeng a slight smile before heading toward the kitchen.

    Guangfeng got distracted by several more things on their way to the kitchen: the blinds, the air vents that started blowing hot air as the heater turned on, the lamps on the accent tables, the vacuum one of the maids was using on the area rug in the parlor, and anything else that was new or different as they walked through the halls to get to the kitchen.

    When they entered the kitchen, Guangfeng looked around with eyes that looked like those of a child in a toy store. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, pointing.

    ¡°The refrigerator. It keeps food from going bad by keeping everything in it cold.¡± Yuelan answered.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°The stove.¡±

    ¡°How does it work without fire?¡±

    ¡°The same way the lights do.¡±

    Guangfeng continued to point at almost everything in the kitchen while Yuelan patiently answered as she started getting out what she needed to make the tea and snacks. Eventually, the prince had satisfied his curiosity and sat on a stool at the kitchen island and watched as Yuelan bustled around the kitchen making tea and fry bread.

    As Yuelan was kneading the dough for the bread Guangfeng frowned. ¡°What are you making?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Fry bread to go with the tea. It¡¯s really good with butter and jam or cinnamon and sugar. And I haven¡¯t had it since before I went to Longuo,¡± Yuelan answered. She finished kneading the dough and set it aside to rise then hunted down everything she needed for tea and found some cookies the pastry chef had made. Ginger snaps, Yuelan¡¯s favorite.

    Yuelan took the kettle to the sink and turned on the hot water. Guangfeng knocked over the stool as he saw water coming out of the tap, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice as he rushed over to stare at the faucet.

    ¡°Is this the ¡®running water¡¯ you told me about before?¡± he asked eagerly.

    For some reason as Yuelan looked at Guangfeng this time she thought she could see a dog¡¯s tail wagging behind him and she giggled. ¡°Yes, this is one of the things that running water can do.¡± With the kettle full, Yuelan put it on the stove and turned the dial to start boiling the water for the tea.

    Guangfeng reached a hand out to play with the knob, but Yuelan smacked his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. You are not going to play with the stove!¡±

    The prince frowns and rubs his hand. ¡°Fine.¡± He sighs. ¡°I just wanted to see how it works.¡±

    ¡°Well, the stove is more dangerous than the lights are. You could get hurt playing with it like that.¡±

    Guangfeng looked disappointed, but he didn¡¯t try to argue with her. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± he promised instead.

    ¡°Good. Why don¡¯t you pick up the stool you knocked over then?¡±

    The prince sighed and walked over to the stool he had been sitting on. He picked up the stool and set it back in place.

 Chapter Eighty-one

    Guangfeng went through the kitchen opening everything he found and peering inside. Just as he was about to open one of the ovens Yuelan snapped at him again: ¡°Don¡¯t touch it! It¡¯s baking something and very hot right now!¡± She pointed at the stool that Guangfeng had knocked over and then returned to its proper position. ¡°Sit there and stop wandering around!¡±

    The prince sighed and walked over to sit on the stool again. ¡°I just want to see everything,¡± he complained.

    ¡°Well, some things you can¡¯t just open and look at. Baked goods can be touchy. Some of them won¡¯t turn out if you open the oven in the middle.¡± Yuelan pulled out the tea tray and added tea leaves to the tea ball, which she placed into the teapot. Once everything was prepared, she walked over to the stove and turned it off. Using an oven mitt on her left hand to support the bottom of the kettle, she carried the water over and poured it into the teapot. Finally, she set the timer and put the kettle back on the stove. As she went to sit on the stool next to Guangfeng the head chef came into the kitchen.

    ¡°Oh! Miss Long! I didn¡¯t realize you were back. I¡¯m just about to pull some cranberry orange muffins out of the oven. How would you like some with your tea?¡± the middle-aged woman asked cheerfully as she picked up an oven mitt.

    ¡°That sounds delicious, Meilin, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Who is your friend?¡± The cheery chef walked over to the oven that Guangfeng had tried to open earlier and pulled it open to pull the muffin tin full of delicious smelling muffins out to set on the quartz countertop.

    ¡°His name is Xiong Guangfeng. He¡¯s visiting from another country,¡± Yuelan answered.

    ¡°Oh. Someone important, I take it?¡±

    Yuelan giggled. ¡°You could say that.¡± The timer that Yuelan had set went off and she stood to remove the tea ball and pour the tea into three cups. She handed one to Guangfeng and one to Meilin before taking the last for herself.

    Guangfeng looked a bit suspicious as he sipped the tea, though his suspicion became surprise. ¡°This is well-made tea, Yuelan.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Miss Long¡¯s tea is the best in the manor,¡± Meilin said proudly. ¡°And when she hosts a tea ceremony everyone accepts the invitation. She prepares everything for it herself and only allows us to assist. The tea and snacks are all delicious.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned a little pink. ¡°Thank you for the praise, Meilin, but you¡¯re the one who taught me how to do all of that. I¡¯m afraid you might be biased.¡±

    Guangfeng looked from Yuelan to Meilin and back. ¡°You haven¡¯t hosted a tea ceremony since I¡¯ve met you. Is there a reason?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yuelan grimaced. ¡°I haven¡¯t quite got the knack of baking in a wood-burning oven. Or making tea with a wood-burning stove.¡±

    ¡°So have the servants handle it.¡± Guangfeng shrugged as if it were no big deal.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°I do it on my own to express my sincerity. Having the servants handle it defeats the purpose.¡± She took a sip of her tea and smiled at Meilin as the chef put a plate of muffins in front of the two.

    ¡°Alright. I understand why now.¡± Guangfeng smiled at Yuelan, though the smile looked a bit anxious as he worried Yuelan was going to be upset with him again.

    ¡°Will you be hosting a tea party while you¡¯re here, Miss?¡± Meilin asked to break the tense silence.

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ll only be here for a couple of days at most. There isn¡¯t time for me to host a tea party. Besides, I¡¯ve been very ill, remember?¡±

    Meilin sighed. ¡°I do. You¡¯re so rarely home now and you never go to school. When you do return home you¡¯re unable to meet with any of your friends. We worry about you, Miss Long.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Meilin. I appreciate all of your concern.¡± Yuelan smiled at Meilin. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about the situation, though. My body isn¡¯t well enough for me to be away from where I¡¯m staying for too long.¡±

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s the same illness that your mother died from. It hurts all our hearts to think that we might lose you too. And your poor father...You¡¯re all he has left.¡± The chef sighed and turned to busy herself with cleaning the muffin tin.

    ¡°Speaking of Daddy, do you know when he plans to be home?¡±

    ¡°I was informed he will be here for dinner, Miss. I¡¯m about to start the preparations for it. Do you have any requests for dishes?¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Some of your wontons would be excellent, Meilin, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    The chef laughed. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t mind. I know they¡¯re your favorite and I was already planning on making them.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for letting me use your kitchen, Meilin.¡± Yuelan slid off the stool and started cleaning up her own mess. ¡°Your muffins were delicious, as always.¡±

    Guangfeng, who had just put the last bite of his own muffin into his mouth, nodded his head to show his enthusiastic agreement. He swallowed and smiled at the chef. ¡°Yes, they were. As was the tea that Yuelan made.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the cleaning up, Miss,¡± Meilin hastily told Yuelan. ¡°You¡¯ve a guest to entertain.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I do. Thank you, Meilin.¡± Yuelan gave the chef a one-armed hug. ¡°And thank you for taking care of my father while I¡¯m not home.¡± She released the chef and gestured for Guangfeng to follow her as she headed out of the kitchen.

    Guangfeng stayed by Yuelan¡¯s side as she gave him a tour of her home and he studied the fascinating things he didn¡¯t recognize as they walked. Whenever he encountered something he didn¡¯t know he asked and Yuelan explained it. The few servants they encountered were all polite and greeted Yuelan with delighted smiles.

    ¡°Why do you allow your servants to be so casual with you, Yuelan?¡± Guangfeng asked after yet another servant had stopped their work to greet Yuelan and express their joy that she was able to be at home for a little while.

    ¡°They¡¯re people, Guangfeng,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I want them to be happy and express themselves. Besides, some of them raised me more than my father did after my mother died. My father is very busy, after all.¡± She turned to frown at him. ¡°Also, this isn¡¯t Longuo. There are no life contracts here. We pay the servants and they¡¯re free to stay or leave as they wish.¡±

    The idea was obviously foreign to the prince and he frowned in confusion. ¡°Then...how do you control them if they get out of line?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t need to be ¡®controlled¡¯ Guangfeng. We treat them well and they reciprocate. You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.¡± Yuelan sighed.

    Guangfeng wasn¡¯t sure he understood the meaning of the phrase, but he still smiled and nodded at her to indicate that he did.

    Yuelan was headed toward the manor¡¯s library when Cheng Man hurried up to her. ¡°Miss Long, your father has returned. He¡¯s expressed his desire to meet your guest.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Cheng Man. We¡¯ll be there right away.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Two

    Yuelan headed toward the manor¡¯s front door at a faster pace than Guangfeng had ever seen her use. When they reached the foyer, Yuelan¡¯s father was there waiting. A delighted squeal came from Yuelan and she ran over, nearly knocking the older man over as she hugged him. ¡°Welcome home, Daddy!¡±

    Long Ansheng chuckled and wrapped his arms around his daughter. ¡°Welcome home to you too, little one.¡± Kilin¡¯s prime minister stroked Yuelan¡¯s hair as he held her close and smiled down at her. ¡°How was your time in Longuo?¡±

    Yuelan grimaced. ¡°I miss electricity and running water,¡± she sighed. ¡°And you.¡±

    ¡°Cheng Man mentioned you brought someone home with you today. Is this him?¡± Ansheng asked, looking over at Guangfeng.

    Guangfeng stepped forward and gave a slight bow. ¡°I am Xiong Guangfeng, third prince of Longuo,¡± he said, introducing himself. ¡°I asked Yuelan to bring me here so that I could understand her better.¡±

    Ansheng studied Guangfeng for a bit and then looked over at his secretary, who was just coming in through the door. ¡°Cancel or postpone as many of my appointments as you can for the next couple of days. I¡¯ll be spending my time with my daughter, since she is well enough to be at home.¡±

    The secretary nodded and headed for one of the studies he used as an office, pulling his phone out and starting on his task as he went.

    ¡°Have you shown his highness the garden yet, Yuelan?¡± Ansheng asked once the secretary was gone.

    ¡°No, I was just about to show him the library, but I think that can wait until later,¡± Yuelan answered.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s take him out to the gardens. The chrysanthemums are blooming and I was waiting for you to come back before going out to enjoy them. Is that alright with you, Your Highness?¡± Ansheng smiled at his daughter and then turned to look at Guangfeng.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Guangfeng smiled back at the prime minister. His smile became a thoughtful frown and he rubbed at his chin. ¡°I do have a question, though. I heard that you have equal power to your emperor. How should I address you?¡±

    Ansheng chuckled. ¡°Ansheng is fine. I remember Yuelan mentioning before that you were the one she was going to choose to be her fiance. I¡¯ve been hoping to meet you at some point.¡±

    ¡°Then please call me Guangfeng,¡± the prince requested. ¡°It would be quite arrogant for me to have you address me by title when I address you by name, both as my elder and as someone of higher social status.¡±

    Long Ansheng nodded and headed for the door. ¡°The gardens are at their best in late spring, but there are a number of beautiful spots during the fall. My wife was very fond of flowers and she designed the gardens here herself. She and Yuelan used to spend quite a lot of time outside tending to them when Yuelan was young.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Yuelan mentioned only having you as a parent. You have no concubines you could promote to head wife?¡±

    The prime minister turned to look at Guangfeng with a frown. ¡°Polygamy isn¡¯t considered socially acceptable anymore, so I have never had a concubine. I chose not to remarry after her death as I felt it would be unfair to whomever I chose. I¡¯m still very much in love with Yuelan¡¯s mother. She is and always has been the only woman for me.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Yuelan mentioned that before, I think. She also insisted I promise that I would take no concubines and only have her.¡±

    ¡°Does that upset you?¡± Ansheng asked.

    The prince shook his head. ¡°No. My mother died as a result of fighting in the emperor¡¯s harem. I have no desire to see that take place in my own family.¡±

    Ansheng nodded. ¡°Good answer. I want only for my daughter to be happy. So long as you can work to ensure her happiness I will be content. However, should you hurt her or make her unhappy we will have a problem.¡±

    Guangfeng winced and looked over at Yuelan, who had walked further ahead to lead the way and was pretending she couldn¡¯t hear the conversation between the two men.

    ¡°She¡¯s already unhappy, isn¡¯t she?¡± The prime minister had caught Guangfeng¡¯s look and he frowned. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    The third prince sighed and explained the situation with Laurel. At the end, he rubbed the back of his neck and let out another sigh. ¡°After that she became upset with my younger brother and myself because she finds me to be overprotective and inconsiderate of her thoughts and feelings. She also insisted that she doesn¡¯t need my protection.¡±

    Long Ansheng sighed and looked over at his daughter. ¡°My daughter is a very independent young woman. She learned quickly to do things for herself because there weren¡¯t many she could rely on. I was often gone and the servants were quite busy. Sometimes her independence becomes stubbornness. She dislikes feeling weak or showing weakness.¡±

    ¡°Are you attempting to reassure me or help me?¡± Guangfeng asked curiously.

    The prime minister shrugged. ¡°Either. Or perhaps both. Knowing her better will both assist you and reassure you.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°Are women really equal to men here?¡±

    ¡°They are. The previous prime minister was a woman. The heads of many companies are women. Of course, there are men in those positions as well. And in positions that would normally be considered work reserved for women.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re not soldiers, are they?¡± Guangfeng asked, frowning.

    ¡°Of course. There are many women who serve in the military. As long as they aren¡¯t pregnant they¡¯re permitted in combat, too.¡± Ansheng studied Guangfeng¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°Things are very different here compared to where you are from. Yuelan has received an education equal to any boy¡¯s her age and better than most. Because of the higher technological level here, her education is no doubt better than your own. Tell me, your highness, if you were to go to a place where you were better educated than anyone else and treated as inferior only because you happen to be a man, how would you feel? Would you continue to see the kindness of others only as kindness? Or would you start to feel that they are looking down on you and ignoring your capabilities?¡±

    Guangfeng had no answer to the prime minister¡¯s question. He turned to look at Yuelan¡¯s slender back as she walked ahead of them in her qipao with a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°I suppose that does put things in perspective,¡± he finally sighs.

 Chapter Eighty-Three

    Guangfeng continued to ask Ansheng questions about things that he had heard Yuelan say about her home or what he had seen of it so far. Ansheng answered all of his questions calmly and explained them more clearly than his daughter was able to, even if he couldn¡¯t fully explain them. Most of Guangfeng¡¯s questions had to do with the way Kilin¡¯s government was set up, how the running water, lights, and cars worked, or how the fridge kept things cold without ice or the stove cooked food without fire. By the time they had reached the chrysanthemums in the garden Guangfeng still had more questions than he felt he had answers.

    ¡°I feel so...ignorant here,¡± Guangfeng sighed as he joined Yuelan by the flowers. ¡°Is this how you felt when you first arrived in Longuo?¡±

    Yuelan turned to look at him. Her jade eyes studied his as she tried to determine his sincerity and then, slowly, she nodded her head. ¡°It is. I still feel that way a lot. I haven¡¯t even been there for a year, after all.¡± She crouched down in front of the flowers and hugged her knees. ¡°It feels like I can¡¯t be myself and there are a bunch of chains holding me down as I try to keep my head above the water. I can¡¯t cook as well there as I can here. I have to be careful who I talk to and what I talk to them about. I can¡¯t tell anyone the truth about where I¡¯m from. I¡¯m separated from my dad and lying to everyone here about my health. Almost nothing is the same. Pretty much the only thing that is is my mother¡¯s guzheng.¡±

    Guangfeng listened without interrupting. He crouched down next to her and wrapped his arms around her to embrace her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You said that things were different, but I didn¡¯t realize just how different they really are. And I admit that I didn¡¯t believe you were telling the truth about women and men being equal here. You¡¯re a very capable woman and I know a few women who are capable, but I¡¯d never thought of them as really being equal to me.¡±

    ¡°I noticed.¡± Yuelan sighed and rested her head on Guangfeng¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s been really hard to remember that we¡¯re from two cultures that are very different, even though some parts of them are similar. Sometimes I get really mad at you for being so overbearing and acting like I belong to you. It¡¯s hard to remember that in Longuo that¡¯s more or less how it is for women. They don¡¯t have any more rights than their husband or father gives them. What¡¯s even worse is how women can be killed for ¡®betraying¡¯ their husbands even if they were forced. If a man rapes a woman how is it the woman¡¯s fault? She didn¡¯t ask for it and she didn¡¯t want it, but the woman is blamed and not the man. It¡¯s disgusting. And women being killed for losing their virginity before they get married? That¡¯s ridiculous too. You can¡¯t spout nonsense about keeping us locked up inside where nobody can see us for our ¡®protection¡¯ and then refuse to protect us when it really matters. Things are so unbalanced between men and women that sometimes it makes me want to throw up.¡±

    Guangfeng winced. There was nothing he could say that would be a valid argument. Not after talking with her father about how things were between men and women here. She had grown up in a place where women had already proven that they were equal to men. How could he justify saying that they weren¡¯t when she knew they were? And after seeing some of what her world had managed to do in the six hundred years since the worlds were separated he understood that even though he had received the best education possible because of his status as a prince and potential heir, her education was more extensive than his own.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Yuelan¡­¡± Guangfeng¡¯s voice was pained. He tightened his arms around her and rested his head on hers. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. There isn¡¯t much I can do right now. I can start making changes after I become emperor, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to make changes right now, Guangfeng. I already know you can¡¯t. But do you understand now why I get so upset sometimes? And why I was so angry with you over Laurel?¡±

    The prince grimaced. ¡°You felt like I was ignoring your authority,¡± he said quietly.

    Yuelan shifted in his arms so she could look at him. ¡°It¡¯s more than just that. I have servants here too, you know. But they aren¡¯t slaves. I don¡¯t own them. They can work here or leave whenever they want. They¡¯re just as human as you or me. Think about it. If somebody wanted you to do something you didn¡¯t want to and they threatened Liling, would you let them harm her, or would you do what you had to to keep her safe?¡±

    Guangfeng sighed. ¡°You already know the answer to that, Yuelan. I¡¯d do my best to keep my sister safe without causing harm to more people.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all Laurel was doing,¡± Yuelan pointed out. ¡°She was protecting her brother. And even if she hadn¡¯t drugged my tea, Yun Cai probably could have kidnapped me anyway. How could you want to have her killed for that?¡±

    ¡°When you put it that way I can understand a little better why you¡¯re so angry over it.¡± He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and gave her a tense smile. ¡°But you¡¯re announcing to everyone that you¡¯ll forgive betrayal, Yuelan. What happens if someone gets close to you to hurt you knowing that you won¡¯t treat them harshly for it?¡±

    Yuelan glared at him. ¡°You think I¡¯ll forgive any betrayal, Guangfeng? I forgave Laurel because she¡¯s been with me since the second day I was in Longuo. You trusted her enough to send her to me as one of my personal maids. She did the best she could for me every day and I chose to trust her. I¡¯m not an idiot. I may not be used to all the infighting and backstabbing that goes on in the imperial family in Longuo, but that doesn¡¯t make me helpless. Do you think taking her family in was just for their protection and her piece of mind? I¡¯m not a heartless person who would threaten them to force her to behave, but with her entire family working for me they can¡¯t be used against her anymore. Her family may have been a weakness originally, but now they¡¯ll all be grateful and loyal to me. Kindness can inspire more loyalty than fear.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question, Yuelan,¡± Guangfeng pointed out.

    ¡°If someone gets close to me intending to harm me I won¡¯t be as forgiving as I¡¯m being with Laurel. They¡¯ll be punished according to the law. I won¡¯t speak up for them.¡±

    The prince let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I appreciate your gentleness, Yuelan, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not gentle to the point of foolishness.¡±

    Yuelan smacked his arm. ¡°You haven¡¯t known me for that long. I still have plenty of things I can surprise you with, Xiong Guangfeng.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled and kissed her forehead. ¡°Good. And I¡¯ll do my best to not limit your freedom or step on your toes anymore.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better. By the time we go home you¡¯ll be out of excuses for doing it.¡± She smiled and poked his arm.

 Chapter Eighty-Four

    Ansheng¡¯s secretary approached the group and spoke quietly with the prime minister. The secretary glanced in Yuelan¡¯s direction a couple of times. After the conversation had ended, Ansheng sighed and turned to look at his daughter. ¡°It seems the crown prince has come for a surprise visit and is insistent on meeting you, Yuelan. He heard that you¡¯re feeling well enough to be at home, so I don¡¯t think we can just send him away saying you¡¯re ill.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Daddy. I can meet him.¡± Yuelan smiled at her father and stepped out of Guangfeng¡¯s embrace to start walking toward the house.

    ¡°Should I give you time to change?¡± her father offered.

    ¡°Nope. He decided to show up unannounced, so he can deal with any discourtesy. It¡¯s not like my qipao is informal, after all.¡± Yuelan shrugged. ¡°Besides, if he¡¯s insisting on meeting me then I have a good idea what he¡¯s here for and I don¡¯t want to act like I may be interested.¡±

    Ansheng gave his daughter an amused and approving smile, then turned to Guangfeng. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re welcome to come along as long as you don¡¯t mention your rank or where you¡¯re from.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°That¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m curious to see this crown prince and find out what he wants with Yuelan.¡±

    The trio walked toward the house together with the secretary walking beside Ansheng and explaining which appointments he had been unable to cancel or postpone and why. The butler, was waiting as they entered through the back door and nodded his head to greet them.

    ¡°His Highness is waiting in the parlor,¡± the butler informed Yuelan and Ansheng.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cheng. Would you bring the rose tea set please? And some of the cookies that I¡¯m sure Meilin has made by now?¡± Yuelan requested.

    The butler nodded and smiled. ¡°Of course, Miss. I¡¯ll bring them to you immediately.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and headed for the parlor, her father and Guangfeng following behind her while the secretary headed back to his office.

    In the parlor, a tall, young man with short, neatly groomed, black hair and blue eyes stood examining an ink painting on the wall. He wore a fashionable, expensively tailored suit that accented broad shoulders and long legs. When he heard the group entering he turned his head and nodded politely to Ansheng before making his way to Yuelan.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Miss Long. It¡¯s such a pleasure to finally meet you. I¡¯ve heard many good things about you and your charity work over the past few years.¡± The man gave Yuelan a charming smile and looked her up and down as he held his hand out to her, then lightly kissed the top of the hand she offered him. ¡°When I heard you were feeling well enough to be at home I naturally had to come and visit.¡±

    As Guangfeng stiffened beside her, Yuelan smiled at Kilin¡¯s crown prince. ¡°I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about your exploits as well. Your Highness is quite popular with the girls at my school. I wonder what you could want from me to show up uninvited and unannounced like this?¡±

    The hint of a bite in Yuelan¡¯s tone helped Guangfeng relax and he smiled fondly at Yuelan.

    The crown prince caught Guangfeng¡¯s fond expression and narrowed his eyes. ¡°As I said, I¡¯ve been eager to meet you. Since your health has been poor for so long I didn¡¯t want to miss my chance.¡± He hadn¡¯t let go of Yuelan¡¯s hand and tightened his grip on it slightly.

    Yuelan calmly removed her hand from the crown prince¡¯s. ¡°Please have a seat, your highness.¡± She walked over to an armchair and sat down in it, leaving the two sofas and a second armchair for her father and the two princes. Guangfeng took the seat on the sofa next to Yuelan¡¯s chair and her father took the other armchair, leaving the crown prince of Kilin to sit on the other sofa, farthest from his apparent target. ¡°What was it you wanted to see me for?¡±

    ¡°I had hoped to invite you to dinner tomorrow night, Miss Long,¡± the crown prince explained, smiling. ¡°As you¡¯ve only just gotten home, you shouldn¡¯t have any other plans, right?¡±

    The pretty young woman studied the crown prince and raised an eyebrow. ¡°As a matter of fact, I do have plans already. I¡¯m only allowed to visit home for a few days, so I made plans ahead of time. My schedule is already full for the next two days and I go back to where I¡¯ve been staying for my recovery the following morning.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you find some way to fit me in, Miss Long? I¡¯d very much like to take you on a date.¡± The crown prince made his expression seem sincere.

    Yuelan sighed and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in a relationship with your highness. Besides, I¡¯m already seeing someone. Guangfeng would be quite upset if I canceled any of our plans together to go on a date with another man.¡± She looked over at Guangfeng and smiled.

    The prince frowned at Guangfeng, then sighed. ¡°How unfortunate that I was not the first to make my intentions known. If things do not work out with your boyfriend I hope you will consider trying a relationship with myself,¡± he said as he turned back to Yuelan.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t wait for things to not work out for me, Your Highness. There are plenty of lovely young women who would be delighted to be with you. I am not one of them. Besides, my time is already limited. My doctors are not at all hopeful for a permanent recovery for me.¡± Yuelan¡¯s smile was polite.

    The prince was about to open his mouth and respond, but was interrupted by Mr. Cheng arriving with the tea tray. Yuelan stood up to help the servant.

    ¡°Please stay and have some tea, Your Highness. My family¡¯s chef is very skilled. Though after tea I¡¯ll need to ask that you take your leave.¡± Ansheng smiled at the prince as he interrupted the conversation. ¡°My daughter¡¯s time is truly limited and Guangfeng and I would like to spend as much of it with her as we can.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Five

    Guangfeng didn¡¯t like the way the prince of Kilin kept looking at Yuelan during tea. It didn¡¯t help that the prince kept offering to do things for Yuelan when he saw her doing them. Even worse was that Yuelan let him. He didn¡¯t understand what Yuelan might have been thinking, but it was obvious that Kilin¡¯s prince wanted Yuelan. His expression didn¡¯t change, but his aura grew darker and more angry the longer the tea went on. By the time the tea had finished anger radiated off Guangfeng.

    The third prince of Longuo went with Yuelan and Ansheng to send off Kilin¡¯s prince. He waited until Ansheng went to speak with his secretary before he looked at Yuelan. ¡°What was all that about with that other prince?¡± he demanded, his arms folded.

    Yuelan looked calmly at Guangfeng and shrugged. ¡°I was giving you an opportunity to see how things work here when it comes to trying to court someone. It¡¯s not just about nice presents and fancy restaurants, Guangfeng. Little gestures are nice too. Opening doors for a woman to show you respect her or taking the time to make sure she¡¯s comfortable. I know where you¡¯re from it would seem odd, but from listening to the wives and daughters there it feels like women are expected to be servants their entire lives. Here a marriage is a partnership between equals.¡± She smiled and lifted a hand to place it on his cheek. ¡°I have no interest in him at all. The rumors about him are even worse than the ones about you were and based on what I saw today, they¡¯re not entirely unfounded. He made me uncomfortable, but you came here to learn and I had to give you an opportunity for that.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned and ran a hand over his hair. He sighed, then wrapped his arms around Yuelan and pulled her close. ¡°I understand. It made me jealous to see him acting that way toward you.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Yuelan smiled up at him. ¡°Because I don¡¯t have to marry you. Long He and Byakko told me that now that I¡¯ve officially become the priestess I outrank your father. I think you¡¯re the right choice to become the crown prince, but we still have things to work out as a couple if you really want me to marry you. One of those things is that I need to feel like you really love me.¡±

    The third prince stiffened, then sighed. ¡°I suppose this is your way of saying I¡¯m not doing a very good job of that?¡±

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°Not really. But wanting to come here to learn more definitely gives you some points in your favor.¡±

    Guangfeng gently stroked her hair with one hand and gave her a resigned smile. ¡°Alright. I guess I¡¯ll just have to keep observing for the next couple of days to see how different things are in Longuo from what you¡¯re used to.¡±

    Yuelan reached up a hand and patted his cheek. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I can understand now why you haven¡¯t already gotten over your fear of horses. Though I don¡¯t understand why you weren¡¯t afraid of a giant tiger.¡±

    The priestess laughed. ¡°Easy. I knew he was a divine beast from the start. Horses are animals, not spiritual beasts. When Byakko was calling for me I could sense that he wasn¡¯t going to hurt me.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and nodded. ¡°I suppose that makes sense. It scared everyone else though.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Yuelan smiled and shrugged one shoulder. ¡°I know. I had to knock Shadow out just to go and you were pretty angry. Maybe you should try trusting me more.¡±

    The prince sighed. ¡°I will try,¡± he promised.

    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll show you the rest of the house.¡± Yuelan smiled at her fiance and headed toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

    When the tour had finished, Yuelan went to find the butler. The older man was in the dining room inspecting the silver tableware. As Yuelan entered the room with Guangfeng the butler looked up. ¡°Can I help you, Miss?¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Have you gotten a room ready for Guangfeng?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the suite right next to yours.¡± Cheng Man smiled at her. ¡°One of the servants also included some...necessary items. Please remember to be responsible, Miss.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Cheng!¡± Yuelan blushed to the roots of her hair. ¡°Nothing like that is going to happen! Guangfeng is very traditional.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but it¡¯s likely you won¡¯t survive long enough to get married.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Cheng, please! This is hardly an appropriate conversation!¡± her blush deepened to shade that was almost purple.

    The old butler only chuckled and went back to work.

    Yuelan gripped the sleeve of Guangfeng¡¯s shirt and pulled him out of the dining room and toward her bedroom.

    Guangfeng frowned as he walked with her. ¡°Why would your steward encourage physical relations before marriage like that?¡±

    Yuelan let go of his sleeve and covered her burning face with both hands. She took a couple of deep breaths before sighing. ¡°Because a lot of people don¡¯t care about marriage anymore. I think it¡¯s important, but not everyone does. And keeping yourself pure isn¡¯t a requirement here.¡±

    The prince¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Is a person¡¯s value really dependent on their virginity? What about personality? What about whether or not you get along with them? Besides, it¡¯s not like you can check a man for purity. Also, it¡¯s not anybody¡¯s business whether someone has done anything like that before marriage.¡± Yuelan¡¯s tone was firm and even a little angry.

    ¡°So you¡­¡±

    ¡°Have never been interested in anyone that way,¡± Yuelan cut him off. ¡°Not that it should matter at all, but at least it¡¯s convenient considering your country¡¯s customs. I¡¯d rather not be killed for something so ridiculous.¡±

    Guangfeng looked like he disagreed with it being ¡®ridiculous¡¯ but he knew better than to argue with Yuelan over something when it looked like she was going to be infuriated by the idea. He nodded instead.

    Yuelan frowned at Guangfeng¡¯s expression. ¡°The very idea that you have to be a virgin when you marry or you could be killed is disgusting. What should matter is the couple¡¯s feelings for each other. Not whether or not the wife has had sex or been raped. Why should someone get killed for being forced to do something they had no desire to do? It¡¯s not like women in your country could fight a man off them. They¡¯re not even taught how to fight or defend themselves. It¡¯s just one more ridiculous notion that makes men feel superior.¡±

    The third prince winced at the venom in her tone. He did think over her words, however, and nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. At least about how what should matter are the feelings between the couple.¡± When Yuelan¡¯s jade eyes bored into his he cleared his throat and added, ¡°And about how being killed for something you had no say in shouldn¡¯t happen.¡±

    Yuelan sighed, but didn¡¯t pressure him to agree with everything. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s show you where your room is for the next couple of days. And then I need to get some rest. I¡¯m feeling a little tired.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Six

    After some rest, Yuelan and her father took Guangfeng out for dinner and shopping. Their first stop was a pizza parlor. Yuelan hadn¡¯t had pizza in ages and she knew Guangfeng had never had it, so she took him to a buffet-style where they could pick their own and he could try whatever appealed to him. As they took a seat at their table with plates of pizza and Yuelan smiled and showed him how to eat it.

    ¡°This is very strange, Yuelan,¡± Guangfeng told her after eating a slice.

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°It tastes good, right? It¡¯s not common here, but it¡¯s a normal food in another country.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste bad. What is the red sauce made from?¡±

    ¡°Tomatoes. They don¡¯t grow in your country.¡± Yuelan took a bite of her ham and pineapple pizza.

    ¡°What do they look like?¡±

    Yuelan looked around then pointed at one of the pictures on the wall that had tomatoes and other garden goodies. ¡°The round, red fruit. Though some argue that tomatoes are a vegetable instead.¡±

    ¡°That seems like a strange thing to argue about. Aren¡¯t there better things?¡± Guangfeng looked amused.

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t much care about which one they are. I¡¯m not a chef or a nutritionist or a botanist.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°I only understood one of those words.¡±

    ¡°A nutritionist is someone who manages diets and makes sure you¡¯re getting everything you need so you can eat healthy and well. A botanist is someone who works with plants, studying them and learning more about them,¡± Yuelan explains.

    ¡°I see. So a nutritionist is a special kind of chef? And a botanist a scholar who focuses on just plants?¡±

    ¡°Something like that. Though not all nutritionists are good at cooking.¡± She smiled and finished her pizza.

    Guangfeng finished his own pizza and went with Yuelan to pay for their meal. He watched as Yuelan handed a card over and the person slid it then gave Yuelan a slip of paper and her card. He waited until they were back in the car to ask her about the transaction and listen to her explanation.

    Finding clothes that suited Guangfeng took some time. Yuelan took him to a shop that sold clothes a bit more on the traditional side and helped him select appropriate colors and fabrics. She wasn¡¯t sure how much he¡¯d be using them, but only bought him two outfits for the time being. They¡¯d be going back to Longuo in a couple of days, after all. With their shopping done, Yuelan and Guangfeng returned to her home and Yuelan went to bed.

    Guangfeng wasn¡¯t quite ready to sleep, so he started wandering the house, curious to know more about her. He hadn¡¯t been exploring for long when her father approached him and bowed a bit.

    ¡°Guangfeng. I¡¯d like to have a talk with you, if you have a moment,¡± the prime minister said calmly.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Of course. I have some questions for you, actually.¡± Guangfeng returned the bow and smiled.

    ¡°This way, then.¡± Long Ansheng led the way through the halls to his private study and the two men sat down. The butler poured tea for them and then discreetly left the room.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with your questions first, Guangfeng. Your questions may answer some of my own.¡± The prime minister took a sip of his tea.

    The third prince of Longuo nodded. ¡°Does Yuelan have friends here she¡¯d like to spend time with? I get the feeling she hasn¡¯t seen anyone but you and the servants here whenever she comes back.¡±

    Ansheng sighed. ¡°I am sure my daughter would love to see her friends, but I think she¡¯s trying to distance herself from them. They believe she is dying and she doesn¡¯t like lying to others. Spending time with them would make her feel guilty.¡±

    ¡°And they can¡¯t be told the truth about what is happening with her?¡± Guangfeng sipped his own tea and frowned.

    ¡°The issue is whether or not they would believe her. Here in Kilin, magic and dragons and other such things are only myth. Legends passed down that are believed to be only stories. If you went home and told your closest friends about the things that you have seen here what would they think of you?¡±

    Guangfeng sighed. ¡°They would think I had gone mad.¡±

    ¡°Yuelan¡¯s friends would think the same of her. One or two might believe, but even they would have doubts. And we can¡¯t ask Yuelan to be taking people back and forth between here and your home too much. It will wear her out.¡± Ansheng¡¯s expression was solemn and he set down his tea cup. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you really want to know, though.¡±

    The prince stayed quiet to organize his thoughts then spoke after a minute had passed. ¡°What was her mother like?¡±

    The prime minister¡¯s expression turned gentle and sad. ¡°Feng Ruzhen was an amazing woman. She was kind and generous and rarely spoke ill of others. Her body was weak, but her eyes sparkled with a light that drew me to her. She was very intelligent and gave good advice. Yuelan is a lot like her. My Ruzhen disliked politics and scheming, but she knew how to play the game. She was soft until she was forced to be otherwise.¡± Ansheng chuckled. ¡°I once saw her scold someone without them realizing that¡¯s what she was doing. She was very skilled with words.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°She sounds like a remarkable woman.¡±

    Ansheng nodded. ¡°She was, even for our country. Yuelan has always done her best to follow in her mother¡¯s footsteps.¡± He looked over at a picture hanging from a wall: a young woman holding a small girl in her lap and both of them smiling. The picture drew Guangfeng¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Who is in the picture? And what is it made of? It doesn¡¯t look like a painting.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a photograph. I¡¯m not quite sure how to explain it, so I won¡¯t try right now. The people are Yuelan and her mother.¡±

    Guangfeng stood and walked over to study the picture better. ¡°Your wife was beautiful. Yuelan looks a bit like her.¡±

    The prime minister smiled and nodded. ¡°She does.¡±

    ¡°Yuelan was quite cute as a child, too.¡± The prince looked over at the prime minister. ¡°I hope that in the next couple of days I will be able to understand Yuelan better. I asked her to bring me here so that I could. I don¡¯t want the argument we had to happen again.¡±

    Ansheng nodded. ¡°Learning about where she is from like this will help you to remember that she is from a place very different from where you come from. I hope that it helps you.¡± He stood and smiled at Guangfeng. ¡°And I believe you have answered the questions I had for you. At least for the time being. You should rest, and I should as well. I have a meeting with an ambassador tomorrow that I was unable to get out of.¡±

    Guangfeng stood up and nodded at Yuelan¡¯s father. ¡°Thank you for speaking with me. I will see you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Rest well, Guangfeng.¡± Ansheng left the study, leaving Guangfeng on his own to try and absorb what he had learned.

 Chapter Eighty-Seven

    Yuelan spent the next day showing Guangfeng around. When they stopped for breaks she would fiddle with her phone and when he asked her about it she explained that she was sending messages to her friends. The prince was impressed at the speed and seeming ease with which the messages went back and forth. He was also amazed by the busses, cars, trains, stores, restaurants, and variety everywhere they went. Walking around with Yuelan allowed Guangfeng to see for himself that there were women in many different positions and with capabilities beyond what he¡¯d known.

    After returning to Yuelan¡¯s home and resting for a bit in the late afternoon, Cheng Man knocked on the door to the sitting room where Yuelan and Guangfeng were having tea and reading. ¡°Miss, Madam Fang from Fang corporation is here. Your father is in the middle of an important phone call.¡±

    Yuelan looked up from her book and set it aside. ¡°Alright. Invite her up and she can have tea with Guangfeng and I. Ask Carrie to come in to help with serving it. I¡¯m feeling tired.¡±

    The butler nodded and left. A couple of minutes later a red-headed girl with green eyes and wearing a maid uniform walked into the room leading a middle-aged woman with stern eyes. The older woman carried herself with confidence and grace. She nodded her head to Yuelan and took the seat that was offered to her.

    ¡°Madam Fang. Excuse me for not getting up to greet you. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard, I¡¯m not feeling very well.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly a lie. The time spent running around had exhausted Yuelan and she had already decided to cut the visit to Kilin short and return the next morning. She hadn¡¯t expected there to be such a difference in the amount of energy she had and had worn herself out. ¡°And this is Xiong Guangfeng. He works in my recovery center.¡± Also not entirely a lie. After all, Guangfeng worked as a prince and Yuelan¡¯s ¡®recovery center¡¯ was his entire world.

    ¡°Of course, Miss Long. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Xiong.¡± The middle-aged woman nodded her head to him and smiled at Yuelan. ¡°The entire country hopes for your recovery and I apologize for disturbing you when you¡¯re so rarely at home. I came to meet with your father and was informed he is occupied at the moment.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Cheng Man said Father is in the middle of an important call. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll come as soon as he¡¯s finished. What can I do for you?¡± She looked over at the red-headed girl. ¡°Carrie, please pour Madam Fang some tea.¡±

    Carrie nodded and walked over to the teapot to pour tea into a cup and handed it to the visitor. ¡°Here you are, Madam.¡±

    Madam Fang smiled and took the cup. ¡°Thank you, Carrie. Miss Long you have such excellent servants. I¡¯m impressed every time I come here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I do my best to treat them well and am happy that they do the same for me.¡± Yuelan reciprocated the smile with one of her own and nodded her head to Carrie in silent praise. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you came here to have tea with me, Madam Fang. Or is it something I won¡¯t be able to handle on my father¡¯s behalf?¡±

    The madam leaned back in her chair a bit and crossed her ankles as she sipped the tea. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could. Do you know much about the tax law that your father and some of the other officials are trying to put into place?¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m a bit behind on current events in the government,¡± Yuelan confessed. ¡°I don¡¯t get a lot of news. The most recent tax law I remember my father mentioning had something to do with taxing corporations based on the percentage of the market for certain items they control.¡±

    Madam Fang nodded. ¡°Precisely. Such a tax can hardly be beneficial to the country. I don¡¯t understand why your father would be wanting to implement it.¡±

    Yuelan shrugged and took a sip of tea. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know. My father did mention that there is a problem with monopolies at the moment and he is trying to figure out a way to let smaller businesses thrive along with the large corporations. Perhaps that¡¯s the reason.¡±

    The middle-aged woman frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a problem with monopolies at all. There¡¯s a problem with that tax, though. Such a thing would do a considerable amount of damage to my own company. I might have to lay off workers and that could affect the economy as a whole.¡±

    Yuelan took another sip of tea. ¡°Madam Fang, I¡¯m afraid I cannot help you. My father and I are very close, but I don¡¯t interfere or get involved when it comes to his decisions on policies. Unless my father seeks for my opinion I won¡¯t even advise him on something like this.¡±

    Madam Fang frowned. ¡°But Miss Long, I¡¯m aware that your opinion holds a lot of sway with the prime minister. Couldn¡¯t you at least put in a few good words for me?¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Madam Fang, but I don¡¯t interfere in such matters for a reason. I am still only a high school student. I have no degree in finance or economics nor is it something I am skilled with. I am sorry that you feel it would be a threat to your company, but I cannot try to advise my father. He has economists and financiers he trusts and consults over such decisions and I am sure he will do what he feels is best for Kilin.¡±

    The middle-aged woman did not look pleased with Yuelan¡¯s response. ¡°Miss Long, I am sure you are aware that my company deals with medicine and the healthcare industry. The best doctors in the country are on my payroll¡­¡±

    Yuelan lifted a hand to stop Madam Fang just as Long Ansheng walked into the room. The prime minister had apparently overheard part of the conversation as he was frowning.

    ¡°Madam Fang, please leave. My daughter¡¯s time here at home is short and I do not want her stressed. I will pretend that you did not come today and try to coerce my daughter into convincing me to make a policy decision based on my feelings for her.¡± The prime minister¡¯s eyes bored into Madam Fang¡¯s. ¡°My daughter is leaving in the morning to return to the recovery center and I want to spend as much time with her before that as possible.¡± He turned to look at Carrie, who was pouring a cup of tea for him. ¡°Thank you, Carrie. As soon as you¡¯ve finished please show Madam Fang out.¡±

    The maid nodded as Madam Fang¡¯s face paled and her eyes flashed. ¡°I see I am not welcome here. Very well. Do not expect assistance from me in the future, Prime Minister. You will not be receiving it.¡± The middle-aged woman stood and swept out of the room, forcing Carrie to quickly set the teapot down and hurry after her to lead the way.

    Long Ansheng sighed and picked up his teacup then sat down in an armchair. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I would want her assistance anymore anyway.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°I see politics still work similarly here.¡±

    ¡°Politics work the same everywhere. Fundamentally, humans are selfish creatures. We can¡¯t help trying to work for our own self-interest. Still, it is examples like my wife and daughter who convince us to work for others.¡± Ansheng smiled fondly at Yuelan. ¡°Those who believe that bettering others will better everyone are remarkable people.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Eight

    Yuelan and Guangfeng returned to Longuo the next morning. Guangfeng was thoughtful and took care with helping Yuelan go from the library to his carriage at the bottom of the mountain. Byakko didn¡¯t even complain about it after taking a single glance at Yuelan¡¯s pale and tired face.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask to go again, Yuelan,¡± Guangfeng promised her. ¡°Your country is fascinating, but seeing it isn¡¯t worth the cost to your health.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright; I just need rest.¡± Yuelan seemed to have forgiven Guangfeng and gave him a smile.

    Guangfeng looked skeptical, but he didn¡¯t argue with her. He was silent for the rest of the trip from the library to Yuelan¡¯s Crystal Moon Residence. When they arrived, he helped her down from the carriage and let her maids help her inside to go rest. ¡°Let me know when I can come to see you again.¡±

    Yuelan turned her head, smiled a little, and nodded. ¡°I will. Thank you, Guangfeng, for making this effort for me.¡±

    The third prince smiled and bowed his head. ¡°It was my pleasure, Yuelan.¡± He waited until she had gone inside before getting in his carriage and heading to his palace. Guangfeng went straight to his study to write up a report for his father on what he had seen and learned and the things he wanted to try to implement in their own country.

    The report didn¡¯t only include what he wanted to do, but the beginnings of a plan to follow through with it. To start with, Guangfeng wanted to let women take the imperial exam and become officials and scholars. He also wrote out his plans for building an aqueduct. Running water could go to every house. Most homes wouldn¡¯t be able to afford to heat the water, since it required fire for them, but if they built bath houses that the lower classes could pay a copper or two to use it could make the people very happy.

    Writing out his plans took all day and by the time he had finished Guangfeng was worn out and getting a headache. One of his servants handed him a cup of tea and started massaging his shoulders. The third prince wasn¡¯t sure when this servant girl had come in and her sweet fragrance made him frown. He didn¡¯t take even a sip of his tea and quickly stood up. ¡°Shade.¡±

    The hidden guard appeared in front of him, kneeling. ¡°Master?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this maid. Take her for questioning and find out how she got in.¡±

    The servant girl¡¯s face paled and she dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the ground. ¡°Your highness, this servant is innocent! This servant saw you had been working all day and only wanted to help your highness relax!¡±

    ¡°Shade.¡± Guangfeng¡¯s tone was full of warning. He ignored the maid and walked out of his study.

    The hidden guard stood and stuffed a rag in the maid¡¯s mouth then dragged her out of the study.

    It seemed there were spies in his palace. Guangfeng was going to need to do something about that. He also made plans to send all the young women employed by his palace elsewhere. He didn¡¯t want to risk Yuelan misunderstanding something.

    ***The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The emperor looked over the report and the plans that Guangfeng had presented. Morning court had finished and his third son had asked for a meeting right after. ¡°Have you considered that allowing women to become scholars and officials will make many angry?¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°I have, but Yuelan is very capable and there were other women I saw who seemed quite capable as well. I¡¯d also like to allow girls to inherit. While it may upset some, there are others who will be pleased because they do not have sons.¡±

    Xiong Lijun considered then nodded his head. ¡°Indeed it will. And those daughters who will inherit titles and positions will need the same education that the sons receive. Alright, make the proposal tomorrow in morning court. If you can get it to pass I will formally name you crown prince. However, you will have to do this on your own without my assistance. If you cannot, you will have to wait until Priestess Yuelan marries you.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Father Emperor, for this chance. I will do my best to prove my ability.¡±

    The emperor nodded and waved his hand. ¡°Good. Go. You will be busy for a while.¡±

    The third prince bowed again and left the imperial palace to begin preparations for the next morning. The first thing he did was send word to Red Orchid Teahouse that he wanted their largest courtyard to hold a gathering that afternoon and then sent his servants to deliver invitations to the sons and daughters of the influential members of the court on his side, including Chang Biming. When all the invitations had been sent out, Guangfeng took his carriage to Yuelan¡¯s residence. He didn¡¯t want her to have any more misunderstandings.

    ***

    Yuelan was resting on her favorite bench in the pagoda by her koi pond when Cheng Soo informed her that Guangfeng had arrived and wished to see her. She nodded her head. ¡°Bring him back here to me, Cheng Soo.¡±

    The steward bowed and hurried off to the entrance. A few minutes later he brought Guangfeng to the pagoda.

    Yuelan looked up and smiled at Guangfeng. Her face was pale, but she looked a bit better than the day before. ¡°What brings you here? I thought you were going to wait until I let you know that I was feeling better.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and bowed a bit to her. ¡°I have news I want to share with you and I wanted to prevent any misunderstandings before they occur.¡±

    The prince¡¯s words made Yuelan curious and she sat up a little. ¡°What news? What misunderstandings?¡±

    ¡°I spoke with my father after morning court and proposed a plan inspired by what I learned in Kilin. If I can get it to pass without his assistance, he will name me crown prince. In a couple of hours I will be holding a gathering at your tea house to speak with the young officials and children of influential officials and convince them. There will be some young ladies attending as well.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes showed understanding and she nodded her head. ¡°What is the plan?¡±

    ¡°Allowing girls to inherit their family property and titles and to let them become officials and scholars themselves.¡±

    Jade green eyes sparkled and Yuelan jumped at Guangfeng to hug him. ¡°Thank you! I know nothing will happen right away, but it makes me happy that you¡¯re going to start changing things and making an effort to let women show they¡¯re just as capable.¡±

    Surprise and joy filled Guangfeng¡¯s heart as he wrapped his arms around Yuelan. He held her close and gently patted her back. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Are you feeling up to coming with me to the gathering?¡±

    Yuelan hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s a gathering at my tea house, right? I can sit and drink tea just as well there as I can here.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep them from bothering you too much, then. I sent invitations to your friends, Miss Zhou and Miss Zhao, as well. And Liling may come with her husband.¡±

    Yuelan stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss Guangfeng¡¯s cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The third prince smiles and gently strokes her hair once before taking a step back. ¡°It will benefit the people and the country. I should be thanking you.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Nine

    Camphor and Willow helped Yuelan change and fix her hair then followed her out of the manor and into Guangfeng¡¯s carriage. Byakko changed into his cat-sized form and settled himself in Yuelan¡¯s lap. Guangfeng sat on the opposite side of the carriage as Yuelan and smiled as he watched her.

    ¡°Go ahead and rest on the way there. You still seem tired.¡±

    Yuelan smiled at the third prince. ¡°I am, a bit. But I want to see what you¡¯re going to do.¡± She leaned against the carriage wall and closed her eyes.

    ¡°You will. Camphor and Willow will wake you when we arrive,¡± Guangfeng promised. ¡°You can join in, or just watch and drink tea.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for inviting me to come along, Guangfeng. And for not assuming that because I am tired I shouldn¡¯t go.¡±

    The corner of Guangfeng¡¯s mouth twitched into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m trying to do better. I learned a lot from your father while we were there. And from you.¡±

    She nodded and fell silent. Guangfeng watched her with a smile on his face as she rested the rest of the way to the teahouse.

    When they arrived, Camphor and Willow got out first followed by Guangfeng, who stopped and held a hand out to help Yuelan down from the carriage. Byakko hopped out on his own. The group followed the manager to the reserved courtyard and settled themselves on their seats. Byakko returned to his normal size and lay down at Yuelan¡¯s feet.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the guests to start arriving. Yuelan didn¡¯t recognize most of them, but she was happy when Xiuya and Hanju arrived. Her two friends started to come over with happy expressions but then became nervous when Byakko opened his eyes and looked at them.

    ¡°Y-Yuelan?¡± Xiuya called anxiously. ¡°He¡¯s not going to attack us, is he?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, he won¡¯t. Unless someone gives him a reason to, he won¡¯t hurt anyone. This is Byakko, the White Tiger.¡±

    Both girl¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The divine beast?¡± Hanju asked. ¡°Why is he following you?¡±

    ¡°I think Guangfeng will explain that to everyone once they¡¯ve arrived,¡± Yuelan answered, smiling. ¡°I thought there would have been rumors, though.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Hanju and Xiuya looked at each other, then at Yuelan. ¡°You mean the rumors about the dragon priestess of legend being you?¡± Xiuya asked.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m her descendant, actually, but yes. I¡¯ve taken over her responsibilities.¡±

    The two girls looked at Yuelan in a daze for a moment before they managed to school their expressions.

    ¡°We¡¯ve tried to ignore any rumors about you, Yuelan. Most of them have been negative and wrong anyway,¡± Hanju explained. ¡°So when that rumor started we just thought it was someone trying to build you up to tear you down for being a fake later.¡±

    ¡°I can assure you that she is not a fake,¡± Guangfeng cut in. ¡°I watched her form the bond and heard the announcement myself while traveling to my sister¡¯s wedding. My father has recognized her as has the emperor of Zhongshu.¡±

    Hanju walked over to Yuelan to give her a hug. ¡°I¡¯m glad. I would hate to see what happened if the rumors were false.¡±

    Xiuya quickly nodded her agreement and joined Hanju in going past Byakko to hug Yuelan.

    As the two girls were stepping back again, Chang Biming and Liling walked into the room. Liling hurried over to Yuelan and gave her a hug. ¡°Yuelan, I¡¯ve missed you! I¡¯ve been so busy I haven¡¯t had a chance to come see you since you came back from Ainuan¡¯s wedding!¡± She leaned back and frowned. ¡°You look so pale and tired! Did you fall ill?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve just been busy as well. I did a couple of things that took a lot of energy recently. I was resting at home when Guangfeng invited me to come with him and I wanted to join in the fun.¡±

    Liling gently pinched Yuelan¡¯s cheek. ¡°You could have stayed home to rest, you silly. It¡¯s important to pay attention to your health! Especially when your position is as important as yours!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful,¡± Yuelan promised. ¡°I just want to show my support for what Guangfeng is trying to do this time.¡±

    The first princess looked over at her brother. ¡°I knew it! I knew you were up to something. Is everyone here? I want to find out what it is.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°You were the last to arrive, Liling. After everyone gets some tea I¡¯ll explain.¡±

    Liling gave her brother an annoyed huff but smiled right after and shook her head. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be good and not make you explain more than once.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Liling. Though since everyone is here already I wouldn¡¯t be explaining more than once.¡±

    The first princess lifted up her hands and shrugged then took a seat near Yuelan. Xiuya and Hanju sat down next to her and the other young ladies joined them at that table while the young men sat at a different one.

    When everyone was settled with a cup of tea, Guangfeng stood up. ¡°The reason I called you all here today is because in the morning I will be putting forth a suggestion in the court. As most of you have heard, Yuelan is the current Dragon Priestess. Thanks to her, Lord Long, and the White Tiger Byakko, I was able to visit her country of Kilin. Things are very different there and I want to implement some of their policies, starting with allowing women and girls to inherit lands and titles from their fathers and enable them to attend schools and become scholars and officials.¡±

 Chapter Ninety

    The gathered young people all turned to the third prince with mixed expressions. The girls all looked nervous and excited while most of the boys were uncertain. After a moment they turned to start discussing it among themselves and one of the young men turned to Guangfeng.

    ¡°Your Highness, are you certain that¡¯s a good idea? Women are weaker and less intelligent. How can they be expected to¡­¡± The youth was cut off by the growling of the tiger at Yuelan¡¯s feet. He turned to look at Byakko and shivered.

    ¡°Women are less intelligent?¡± Yuelan asked, her tone scathing. ¡°Do you think that because women haven¡¯t been allowed to compete with you before? Or is it because you¡¯ve never actually spoken to one? Women are indeed physically weaker than men, but a girl who is skilled in martial arts can still defeat a man who has never trained. As far as mental capacity, women have the same ability as men. Physical differences do not affect the mind. If women are so inferior then why is it that I, as the dragon priestess, outrank every man in this world.¡± Her green eyes stared at the youth who had spoken and there was not even a hint of softness.

    The youth swallowed. ¡°I...Y-Your Highness¡­¡±

    Guangfeng shrugged. ¡°This prince will not be standing up for you. I was only just able to receive her forgiveness for voicing similar opinions after returning from Zhongshu. What I learned during my time in Kilin is that Yuelan has a better education than I do. Her country has no restrictions based on gender except for excluding women who are currently pregnant from combat. You will never convince her that women are not as capable as men because her entire life has proved that they are just as capable.¡±

    The young men and women in the room turned to look at Yuelan, who gave a slight smile and sat back in her seat again.

    ¡°Your highness, are you suggesting that we allow women to become generals and fight in wars as well?¡± Chang Biming asked, frowning slightly.

    ¡°No. That much of a change would be too much too quickly for Longuo,¡± Guangfeng explained. ¡°However, I see no reason that we cannot open up the ranks of merchants, scholars, and officials to women. Let the most capable person, no matter their gender, become the heir to a family. I believe this will only benefit Longuo.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I agree. My brother is useless and only knows how to fool around and cause heartache to my parents. My father often laments that I was not born a son so that he could name me as the heir.¡± This time, it was one of the girls who spoke up. ¡°It would not be difficult for me to convince him to support this, or to ask him to convince others close to our family to support it. Your Highness, thank you for being willing to try to give me this opportunity.¡± She nodded her head to Guangfeng.

    ¡°What do you need from us?¡± One of the young men asked. He glanced at the tiger and Yuelan, then turned his focus back to Guangfeng.

    ¡°Some of you are already officials yourselves. Write up a report in support of the idea to submit. I will open the discussion tomorrow and push for officials to research and consider it and then submit reports within a week. I also want you to convince your fathers to support the idea and see if they will convince others as well.¡±

    The children of nobility and officials considered the request and then nodded their heads one by one. It didn¡¯t seem like too difficult of a request.

    ¡°Good. If this succeeds you will all be rewarded.¡± Guangfeng smiled and nodded toward the tea and snacks on the table. ¡°Please enjoy your tea and feel free to discuss it among yourselves. If you have questions for myself or the priestess then feel free to ask.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°I think I will be leaving early, Guangfeng. I need rest. If they have questions for me you can just have them written down and delivered to my residence. I will write a reply that you can send out.¡±

    Guangfeng stood. ¡°Would you like me to escort you back?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Byakko will take me. It might startle the citizens of the capital a bit, but he thinks I need to make sure everyone knows who I am.¡±

    ¡°Then I will visit again when they¡¯ve all passed me their questions for you.¡± He smiled and briefly touched her hand before releasing it. One thing he had noticed was that people in Kilin were much more affectionate in public. That was something he could try to do for her to make her happy.

    Yuelan smiled at him and nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to seeing what they come up with to ask.¡± She took Guangfeng¡¯s hand as he tried to release hers so he could help her stand up while Byakko got to his feet. ¡°Would you mind helping me get up on Byakko, though?¡± Since he was being so nice, she figured she could be nice too.

    ¡°Of course.¡± The third prince walked out the door with her and lifted her up onto the white tiger¡¯s back. He watched her leave until she was out of sight and then returned to the discussion going on inside. She was still tired and it looked like coming out for tea had exhausted her, so he wanted to take on as many of the questions that he could and send her those he couldn¡¯t answer on his own.

 Chapter Ninety-One

    The next day during morning court, Guangfeng waited for all of the usual business to be taken care of before stepping forward and bowing to the emperor. ¡°Father Emperor, Son has a suggestion that I believe will benefit our country.¡±

    Xiong Lijun nodded and gestured for Guangfeng to speak. ¡°We would like to hear it.¡±

    ¡°I have spent a lot of time with my fiance, Priestess Long Yuelan, and have learned much. There are many women and girls who are highly talented, much like the priestess, but who lack opportunity. Son suggests that for the next week the officials of the court research the ways that our country might benefit from the skills of these women and girls if we allow them to attend school, become scholars and officials, and inherit the titles and properties of their families.¡± Guangfeng was about to continue, but there was a sudden uproar among the officials.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the third prince¡¯s idea is ridiculous! This cannot be allowed! Women are not as capable as men and are too easily swayed by their emotions! How could they be allowed to become officials or scholars? Is His Highness suggesting we allow them on the battlefield as well? We will be laughed at by the other countries!¡±

    More arguments along similar lines were shouted out, refusing to acknowledge what Guangfeng wanted to do. Others spoke up on his behalf, most notably, those families who had capable daughters but either no sons or sons who were too lazy or handicapped.

    The emperor raised a hand and the court fell to silence again. ¡°The third prince, Guangfeng, suggested doing research to see how it might affect the country. You also interrupted him and did not allow him to finish.¡±

    Guangfeng gave his father a half bow as the shouts became unhappy grumblings. ¡°Thank you, Father Emperor. Son will finish now.¡± He turned to the officials. ¡°I do not suggest that women be permitted to become soldiers and generals or take up places on the battlefield. But I have spent time with many women even before meeting Priestess Long. There are many women with capable minds and extraordinary skills comparable to men. Priestess Long comes from a country where she received the same education as the men her age. In fact, her education is even better than my own. I propose the officials take one week to prepare arguments, either for or against this change, and we begin discussions of the change then.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness the third prince, it is well known that your fiance is not from Longuo, but do you truly expect us to believe that she received an education? His majesty has indeed acknowledged that her country exists, but where did this idea that she is a priestess come from? And how can you prove that she did indeed receive such an education?¡± The official who spoke up was someone who openly supported the first prince, and was secretly in the pocket of the empress.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°On my way to Zhongshu for Princess Ainuan¡¯s wedding I saw for myself that Miss Long formed a bond with the White Tiger, Byakko. I also heard with my own ears and saw with my own eyes as a dragon appeared and announced the return of a dragon priestess and that the priestess is Long Yuelan. How could there be any doubt? As for proving the quality of her education, she has agreed to answer any questions anyone might have for her herself. Though she has also requested that they be submitted to her in writing. She has been very busy lately and requires rest and time to recover.¡±

    ¡°We have known since Miss Long¡¯s arrival that she would be named the dragon priestess,¡± the emperor spoke up. ¡°Lord Long is the guardian dragon of the library and had formed a contract with the first dragon priestess who separated the worlds long ago. At Lord Long¡¯s request, We did not say anything to Our officials about who she was. The emperor of Zhongshu has also recognized Miss Long as the dragon priestess and Princess Ainuan and the prince of Zhongshu were the first in a thousand years to receive the blessing of the dragon priestess at their wedding.¡± The emperor¡¯s eyes hardened and his expression became stern. ¡°Do Our officials doubt Us?¡±

    Several officials swallowed and even paled and all of them knelt before the emperor. ¡°This official does not dare!¡± they called in unison.

    ¡°Good. We agree to Our son¡¯s request. All officials will prepare a report for one week on how allowing women and girls to attend school, become scholars and officials, and inherit their families¡¯ lands and titles will benefit Longuo.¡± The emperor stood. ¡°You are all dismissed.¡±

    The officials bowed and waited until the emperor was gone before they turned and started to discuss among themselves as they left the court.

    Guangfeng smiled and headed for the palace gates. He wanted to go and visit Yuelan, but didn¡¯t want to disturb her rest. Since she needed rest, he would settle for sending her a gift. When he reached his carriage he settled himself inside. ¡°Go to Eight Treasures Shop.¡±

    The driver acknowledged and set off for the third prince¡¯s jewelry store.

    The manager of Guangfeng¡¯s jewelry shop quickly ushered Guangfeng right up to the second floor. There were a few madams and daughters of wealthy families there, but Guangfeng ignored them as he browsed for an appropriate gift.

    Not far from Guangfeng were the Wu twins and both girls were studying Guangfeng. Wu Yan¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed as her eyes followed the third prince and her sister, Wu Ying, was watching Wu Yan. After a moment, Wu Ying leaned over and whispered into Wu Yan¡¯s ear.

    Wu Yan smiled and walked over to Guangfeng, dipping into a graceful salute. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness the Third Prince. It is a pleasure to see you again.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned and turned to look at who had spoken. ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter Ninety-Two

    Miss Wu Yan looked up at the prince as she started to stand and her cheeks flushed. She looked quite pretty as she gave him a gentle smile. ¡°My name is Wu Yan, Your Highness. My father oversees the ministry of rites.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Guangfeng had no interest in the girl who was pretending to be shy. She had approached him first, so where did this shyness come from? ¡°I¡¯ll remind him he needs to be more strict with his daughters, since they don¡¯t seem to remember not to rise without being allowed and that men and women should keep a distance.¡± He turned to the shopkeeper. ¡°Have someone bring the latest pieces to a private room for me to view. I don¡¯t want to be interrupted while I select a gift for my fiance.¡±

    Wu Yan stiffened and her cheeks blushed even more. She quickly sank back into her salute and waited for the third prince to tell her to rise. Unfortunately, Guangfeng ignored her and headed for a private room and it wasn¡¯t until after he had gone in that one of his servants walked over to her and bowed slightly. ¡°Miss Wu, His Highness says that if you¡¯re still here you may as well finish your shopping and leave.¡± The servant didn¡¯t wait for her to reply and went back to Guangfeng¡¯s side.

    ¡°Yan¡­¡± Wu Ying was anxious and she put a gentle hand on Wu Yan¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. His Highness has to be careful right now and there are so many people here. If word got back to Miss Long and she were to be angry His Highness would suffer. The decree for his marriage included that Miss Long can sever it any time she chooses.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with it?¡± Wu Yan stood and shot an angry glare at her sister. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he becomes crown prince or the emperor someday. I just want to be his wife!¡± She clicked her tongue and nibbled on her nail for a second. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to find a way to get rid of that Miss Long first, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Yan!¡± Her twin quickly covered her mouth. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say things like that in public! What if someone were to hear?¡±

    ¡°Nevermind. Let¡¯s go.¡± Wu Yan didn¡¯t feel like shopping for accessories anymore.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Back in the private room, Guangfeng sat with some of the newest accessories that his shop had created while Shade quietly reported to him what the girls had just said outside. He waved a hand to indicate he¡¯d heard and the hidden guard disappeared.

    ¡°Send the silver and amethyst accessory set to Crystal Moon Residence,¡± Guangfeng instructed the shopkeeper. ¡°I think my fiance would like it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The shopkeeper nodded and started wrapping the set to be delivered while one of the attendants took the others to put away. ¡°May I speak frankly, Your Highness?¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°You may.¡±

    The shopkeeper looked up at Guangfeng, his eyes a bit uncertain. ¡°Miss Wu Yan and Miss Wu Ying are two of our shop''s most loyal customers. I am concerned that the way you treated Miss Wu Yan just now could affect the shop.¡±

    The prince raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are worried about losing two small customers? Is this shop doing so poorly that it must rely on those two young misses to survive?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Your Highness!¡± The shopkeeper¡¯s face paled as he realized he¡¯d misspoken. ¡°They do purchase more accessories than any one other customer, but the shop will be fine without their purchases.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you worried about? They are only customers. Treat them as you would any other customer.¡± Guangfeng¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°And keep in mind that the only woman who will ever enter my palace is the priestess, Long Yuelan. I will take no concubines and she is my fiance.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The shopkeeper bowed his head and quickly finished packaging the accessory set to send to Yuelan and hurried out of the room to send one of the shop attendants to deliver it.

    Guangfeng sighed and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Shade, have someone investigate the shopkeeper¡¯s connection to the Wu family. They have two days.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The reply was barely a whisper.

    A frown tugged at the corners of Guangfeng¡¯s lips and he recalled something important. He needed to order a birthday gift for Yuelan. Something she would like that would give her status in the eyes of others as well. The third prince stood and left the accessory shop to return home and carefully consider what to get for her. He had another month before her birthday, but that may not be enough time.

 Chapter 93

    Yuelan had no idea what had happened in Eight Treasures Shop. She had slept late then gone to sit in her conservatory to play her guzheng. She was in the middle of playing a song she was learning when Chung Soo entered and bowed.

    The steward¡¯s brow was furrowed and he frowned as he explained his reason for interrupting her. ¡°Priestess, there are some women at the gate requesting an audience with the priestess. They said it is urgent.¡± Since Yuelan¡¯s identity had been revealed he had changed how he addressed her.

    ¡°Is there a problem, Chung Soo?¡± Yuelan asked as she stopped playing and stood up.

    ¡°They do not appear to be from Longuo, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Just bring them in, Chung Soo. I¡¯ll meet with them in the main room.¡± She carefully removed the picks from her fingers and set them aside. ¡°If they said it¡¯s urgent then it¡¯s best to see what they want.¡±

    Chung Soo bowed and left the room, leaving Yuelan to stretch her arms over her head and go to the main room with Willow following behind her. Byakko had been sitting outside the conservatory and when Yuelan came out he stood and followed as well.

    The three women that Chung Soo led into the main room were dressed in clothes that were certainly not native to Longuo. They were different from any clothes Yuelan had seen before with their elbow-length, wide sleeves, cropped tops and fitted pants. They had long, wide strips of fabric that fell from one shoulder to be pinned at the other hip with a simple brooch. Each woman also had a leather whip attached to a cord that went around the waist and under the scarf.

    A middle-aged woman, the oldest of the three, stepped forward and bowed, wrapping her right arm across her stomach and sliding her left foot back a bit as she bent her knees. It was different from the salute used in Longuo, but Yuelan didn¡¯t mind at all. Every culture had its own ways of doing things, after all.

    ¡°Priestess.¡± The older woman¡¯s voice had an almost leathery quality to it and her skin was tanned and weathered. ¡°I am the leader of the Hechuan people. We travel the rivers and lakes of Longuo and the barren lands to the east leading to the sea. These two are my daughters, training to become the next leader of their own branches of our people.¡±

    Yuelan gestured to the seats nearby. ¡°Please have a seat. Chung Soo said that you have something urgent to tell me.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The three women sat down on the edges of their seats. From the way they moved and carried themselves and the whips they had Yuelan could tell that they were all trained in some form of martial arts.

    ¡°Leila will explain, Priestess,¡± the middle aged woman indicated the younger of the other two women, who looked to be in her early twenties and had bright red hair and freckles.

    Yuelan turned her focus to Leila. She was curious about what brought these interesting people to her door.

    Leila nodded to Yuelan, took a breath, and spoke confidently. ¡°The barren lands aren¡¯t actually barren. The empires call them that because many magical creatures live there and they consider it dangerous. Our people have always gotten along well with the magical creatures, so it never caused us any trouble. We¡¯ve even had bonds with them, though there are fewer who can form a bond every year. Recently those lands have been dangerous, even for us. The magic creatures there are going mad. Even the ones with bonds do when they enter those lands.¡± There was a sadness in Leila¡¯s manner as she spoke. ¡°Some of our people have been seriously wounded or even killed by their own contracted companion.¡±

    Byakko growls a little. It should be problems with the temple there. Long He and I should be fine, but you¡¯ll need to leave Yun Cai and that raven behind.

    ¡°There¡¯s a temple in those lands, isn¡¯t there?¡± Yuelan asked. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡±

    Leila nodded. ¡°I do, but the temple is little more than ruins now. I lead the scouts and am most familiar with those lands. Why do you ask about that?¡±

    ¡°Byakko said that the problem with the magic creatures you¡¯re experiencing is because of the state of the temple. I can go there and restore it, but I¡¯ll need a guide,¡± Yuelan explained.

    ¡°I would be honored to be your guide, Priestess,¡± Leila volunteered. ¡°It will be very dangerous, but if we go by water most of the way it should be a bit safer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to speak with my fiance and prepare for the journey. I¡¯ll have Chung Soo arrange rooms for you to stay in and we¡¯ll leave as soon as possible.¡± Yuelan looked over at Willow, who bowed and left to alert the steward.

    Leila¡¯s mother stood up. ¡°Thank you, Priestess. Food and supplies can be handled by my people, so only bring the bare minimum you will need. We can also ensure your safety, please rest assured.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Willow with me along with Byakko. Prince Guangfeng will most likely insist on accompanying me, but I¡¯ll try to dissuade him.¡±

    ¡°Men are foolish sometimes. They¡¯re skilled warriors but lack the intelligence we have as women. Still, if he has to come we will be able to protect him as well.¡± Leila sighed and shrugged.

    Yuelan blinked, then smiled. ¡°On second thought, I think I will bring him along. It will be a good experience for him.¡±

 Dragon Priestess 94

    Guangfeng was surprised to see Laurel waiting outside his palace when he arrived home. Before he could get down from his carriage she had walked toward it and bowed.

    ¡°Your Highness, my lady has asked me to inform you that she would like you to go to her Crystal Moon Residence right away.¡± Laurel had changed since her family was threatened, her brother rescued, and her crimes forgiven. She was more solemn and serious than before. Her younger brother was still training to be Yuelan¡¯s page, so she had come in his place this time.

    ¡°Has something happened? Is she alright?¡± The third prince felt a moment of panic. Yuelan had never taken the initiative to invite him before. Something must have happened.

    Laurel smiled. ¡°My lady is fine, Your Highness. Some guests arrived and she wants you to meet them.¡±

    He relaxed and let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. ¡°Oh. I¡¯ll go immediately.¡±

    The servant girl bowed and went back to the carriage she had come in to follow after him.

    Crystal Moon Residence was only a few minutes away by carriage, so it didn¡¯t take Guangfeng long to get there. He picked up the carefully wrapped package of amethyst accessories he¡¯d gotten for Yuelan and headed inside. A young boy of about seven was waiting for him by the gate. He looked quite a bit like Laurel.

    ¡°Your Highness, please follow me.¡± The boy bowed a little clumsily, but he looked happy and cheerful with slightly chubby cheeks. He was also missing a tooth and the hole caused a slight whistling sound as the boy talked.

    ¡°What is your name, child?¡± Guangfeng asked as he followed the boy.

    The boy grinned. ¡°My lady said that I should have a name to match my sister¡¯s. Since Laurel is a type of tree I should also have a tree name. She called me Rowan. When my contract has ended I can return to my original name, too. Lady is really nice!¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is.¡± Guangfeng smiled. He was a bit surprised to be led to the main hall. Yuelan hadn¡¯t used it since his brothers had first started to visit her. Chung Soo was waiting at the door to let them in and the boy hurried forward and bowed to Yuelan.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°My Lady, His Highness the third prince is here.¡± Rowan said cheerfully.

    ¡°Thank you, Rowan. You may go and play in the garden.¡± Yuelan walked over and patted the boy¡¯s head.

    Rowan let out a happy ¡°whoop!¡± and ran outside.

    Guangfeng chuckled as he bowed to Yuelan. ¡°He seems to be doing well here.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the only child in the residence, so he gets lonely. I¡¯m thinking of getting a couple more for him to play with and to help with some of the easier chores,¡± Yuelan explained. She didn¡¯t mention that they wouldn¡¯t have life contracts as soon as they entered her home. ¡°Anyway, I brought you here to meet my guests, the leader of the Hechuan people and her two daughters.¡±

    The three women stood and bowed in the same way they had to Yuelan before. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡±

    Guangfeng returned their bow with a slight one of his own. ¡°Greetings. We don¡¯t get many of your people here in Longuo.¡±

    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been much need to come through here, Your Highness,¡± the older woman replied. ¡°We came to see the priestess and ask for her help.¡±

    Yuelan took a seat and gestured for Guangfeng to take one near her. ¡°I need to make a trip to the barren lands east of here. The magical creatures are starting to go insane and I have a duty to do as the priestess in the temple there. Would it be possible for you to go with me?¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. He didn¡¯t like the idea of her going to the barren lands on her own, but it was a bad time for him to leave the courts. The proposition he was trying to put through had only just started and he needed more time. ¡°I want to, but I don¡¯t know if I can,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I have responsibilities in court and I only barely managed to convince the officials to consider the idea that women be given the same opportunities as men.¡±

    ¡°What a barbaric country,¡± the older of the two daughters snorted. ¡°Run by men? No wonder its laws are so ridiculous.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned and turned to look at the speaker. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°The Hechuan people are led by women. We are superior to men in every way but physical strength, after all. Why shouldn¡¯t we lead?¡± the woman explained when she saw Guangfeng¡¯s confused and slightly angry appearance.

    Yuelan hid a smile behind a cup of tea that she lifted to her lips. ¡°By the way, the Hechuan people seem to be matriarchal. Coming along and getting to know them could help you with your efforts in the court.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at Yuelan and smiled. ¡°Then I will ask my father for leave. Do we need to leave immediately, or can we wait until the end of the week?¡±

    ¡°The end of the week will be fine as long as we hurry. It¡¯ll still take several days by river,¡± Leila answered. ¡°About seven days.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°Then I will work quickly to finish what I need to do before then.¡±

 Chapter 95

    Guangfeng was very busy for the rest of the week as he worked hard to make sure there were enough people in the court who would support him. Fortunately, there were enough fathers among the officials who had useless sons and brilliant daughters (or no sons at all) that were happy to support allowing girls and women to inherit and work as officials. At the end of the week those who were in support of the change overwhelmed those against it with the facts that they presented and the emperor agreed to change the laws.

    That same day, after morning court, Guangfeng joined the emperor in the royal study. He needed to ask permission to leave to escort Yuelan. The three women from the Hechuan people were getting impatient and two of them had already gone back to where their people were staying. The third, Leila, was staying as a guest in Yuelan¡¯s residence.

    ¡°You have done well, Guangfeng,¡± the emperor praised. ¡°We are proud.¡±

    Guangfeng bowed. ¡°Son thanks father emperor for the praise.¡±

    ¡°We will name you crown prince as soon as preparations are completed,¡± the emperor promised.

    ¡°Thank you, father emperor, for this grace. Son has another request, though.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± The emperor frowned as he studied his third son.

    ¡°Son wants to accompany his fiance, the priestess, on a journey to the barren lands. The Hechuan people have requested she travel there and she said she has things she must do there and asked that I travel with her.¡±

    The emperor leaned back in his chair as he considered the request. ¡°It will delay your being named crown prince. The longer We delay this the more difficult it will be to pass. You succeeded this time and the officials currently favor you, but they can be swayed against you during your absence.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled. ¡°Son is not worried. There are other things that I have learned that I can use to sway the officials and convince them to stay with me. I am confident in my abilities as a prince.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I will grant you leave and inform the court that you have been sent to accompany the priestess as she carries out her duties in the barren lands.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The third prince put his hands together and bowed to his father. ¡°Then I will go and quickly prepare to leave. The Hechuan people have waited all week and wish to leave as soon as possible.¡±

    Emperor Xiong Lijun nodded. ¡°Go. Guard the priestess well.¡±

    Guangfeng bowed again in acknowledgement and left the study and then the palace. He had already made preparations, so he sent a servant to inform his steward and headed for Yuelan¡¯s residence.

    ***

    Yuelan had changed into warm traveling clothes. The temperature was getting colder and it could start snowing any day now. When Guangfeng arrived she got on Byakko¡¯s back. Leila and Willow got into her carriage, and Guangfeng rode in his own carriage as they headed for the river just outside the capital where the Hechuan people were waiting.

    The boats in the river were large with wide, flat bottoms and each one had a two story cabin with curled edges to the peaked roofs. On the banks of the river and on the boats were people dressed in much the same way as Leila, her mother, and her sister had been when they first arrived. Leila had added a fur-lined cloak to her normal clothing to combat the cold of the capital at the end of fall.

    ¡°Priestess, you can stay on my boat,¡± Leila told Yuelan as she indicated one of the larger boats. ¡°There is plenty of room for you, your servant, and Lord Byakko.¡± She looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°The prince can stay with my brothers on their boat.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and smiled at Guangfeng then Leila. ¡°Thank you, Leila.¡±

    Willow started taking the luggage from Yuelan¡¯s carriage and carrying it over to the indicated boat and Guangfeng¡¯s servant quickly started to help.

    Leila put an arm around Yuelan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Even though things are urgent, we can still have a good time on the way there.¡± She grinned and headed toward the boat. ¡°Though first we need to get underway. You get settled in and I¡¯ll go let my mother know we¡¯re here and ready to go.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Leila. I look forward to getting to know you better.¡± She smiled. ¡°I enjoyed the stories you told while Guangfeng was busy.¡± Yuelan was also happy to have a friend who was as casual with physical contact as the friends she¡¯d had back home in Kilin. She missed those friends a lot, but couldn¡¯t ever do more than send them messages on occasion when she went to the library.

    ¡°My pleasure, Priestess.¡± Leila released the younger woman, waived, and headed off to find her mother.

    Willow and Guangfeng¡¯s servant had managed to move all the luggage from both carriages onto their designated boats by the time Leila returned. The men and young women separated onto the boats and everyone set off down the river.

 Chapter 96

    Yuelan had never been on a boat before. Leila¡¯s boat was in front of all the others and Yuelan stood at the prow looking at the river ahead. They flowed along with the current and Yuelan¡¯s hair was tossed around in the wind behind her as her elbows leaned on the wooden railing in front of her.

    ¡°Glad to see you don¡¯t get sick on boats.¡± Leila¡¯s voice came from behind Yuelan and she turned to smile at the Hechuan woman.

    ¡°Me too. This is the first time I¡¯ve ever been on one.¡±

    Leila looked surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t there some boat festival in Longuo every year?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not from Longuo. And there is one in my country a month after the new year, but I was never allowed to go on the boats. My father is the prime minister and I was a target for enemies of our country and my father. He thought it was too dangerous to let me on them.¡± She shrugged.

    Leila snorted. ¡°You just need to be able to defend yourself. Then no one can mess with you. I can teach you how to use a whip if you want.¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°Thanks, but I have ways of defending myself without hurting anyone. Besides, my father was just concerned for me. My mother died when I was little and I¡¯m his only child. He didn¡¯t want to lose me too.¡±

    ¡°And yet he lets you run around as you wish in Longuo?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still back home. Once his time as Prime Minister is over I¡¯ll bring him here.¡± Yuelan smiled and propped her chin up on her hand. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to have time with him again.¡±

    Leila reached out and patted the top of Yuelan¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ve never spent that much time with my father. The men teach the boys here and the women teach the girls. We stay on separate boats and don¡¯t interact much unless we¡¯re not traveling or we¡¯ve stopped for the day. Sorry to hear about your mother.¡±

    ¡°It was almost eleven years ago now. I remember a few things about her and sometimes I wish she could be here with me, but there are ways for me to remember her and honor her memory. I have her guzheng. It was passed down from mother to daughter in her family from the first dragon priestess.¡± Yuelan looked down at the water and smiled. ¡°She started teaching me how to play it when I was five years old. After she died, my father got a new instructor for me. I play my mother¡¯s favorite song whenever I miss her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good way to remember her, I suppose.¡± Leila looked out at the river ahead and frowned then turned to shout at the women steering the boat. ¡°Prepare for the river to fork! We¡¯ll be going down the port side!¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    The women made a sign of acknowledgement and one of them started ringing a bell to let the other boats know.

    Yuelan turned around to watch the bustle and smiled. It had been so quiet just a moment before and now everyone was running around to get to oars or shouting back and forth to one another in preparation for the direction change while bells rang out everywhere.

    Leila watched her people for a bit then looked over at Yuelan and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re a pretty relaxed people, going where the currents take us, but there are times when action is needed for us to stay together.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± Yuelan grinned at Leila.

    You should head inside, Mistress. You¡¯re going to burn if you stay out here any longer. Byakko¡¯s voice in Yuelan¡¯s mind was calm and the tiger came over on silent paws to nudge her toward the door into the boat¡¯s house with his head.

    Yuelan laughed and patted the white tiger. ¡°Alright, Byakko, I¡¯m going. I¡¯ll make sure to put sunscreen on before I come back outside.¡±

    Leila chuckled. ¡°Get some rest, Priestess. It¡¯s quite a journey and we don¡¯t want you to tire yourself out.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Leila. I should be alright though. Boats are easier for me than carriages, it seems. I don¡¯t like horses and carriages aren¡¯t all that comfortable. Too much bouncing.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable. We haven¡¯t hit a storm yet.¡± Leila patted Yuelan¡¯s shoulder in an easy and familiar manner then went to go help her people navigate the river.

    Willow was standing by the door waiting for Yuelan as soon as she entered. The maid looked anxious and was relieved to see Yuelan. ¡°Miss! You can¡¯t stay out in the sun all day. Your skin will get dark!¡±

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°So what if it gets a little dark? If Guangfeng can¡¯t accept me no matter what I look like then I won¡¯t bother to marry him.¡±

    Willow¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Miss! You shouldn¡¯t say such things!¡±

    ¡°And why not? I¡¯ve agreed to marry him, but I can always break off the engagement if it turns out that we don¡¯t fit well together. Of the choices I was offered he¡¯s been the best, but that¡¯s only as a candidate for emperor.¡±

    ¡°Miss, his highness cares a great deal for you,¡± Willow coaxed. ¡°He has shown it in every way he can, but you are not very good at giving back. His highness may grow discouraged.¡±

    Yuelan was a bit surprised as she studied Willow and after a moment she smiled. ¡°Are you scolding me, Willow?¡± She sounded amused. ¡°But you do have a point. I¡¯ll think about things a little more seriously from now on. Marriage wasn¡¯t something I expected to even think about for another two years, but Guangfeng is serious about it. I suppose I should at least acknowledge that much.¡±

    Willow looked relieved and bowed a little. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve prepared your room for you if you¡¯d like to get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I think I will go sit down and read for a while.¡± Yuelan followed her maid to the room in the boat.

    It was small and cramped, barely enough space for herself and Willow. Byakko had to shrink himself to the size of a housecat to fit. Yuelan went inside and pulled a book from the shelves bolted to the wall then sat down on her bed to start reading. Within fifteen minutes she¡¯d fallen asleep.

 Chapter 97

    The boats didn¡¯t stop for the first four days of the journey and Yuelan spent the time reading the books that were available on Leila¡¯s boat. There was a decent variety of them: poetry from all the kingdoms as well as the Hechuan people, studies on nature and magical creatures, notes on how to form bonds and care for magical creatures. There was a lot that Yuelan had been interested in before. While she read, Byakko stayed in her lap or on her feet and Willow stayed by her side.

    The evening of the fifth day the boats moved to the banks of the river and everyone disembarked. Yuelan looked around and saw an anxious Guangfeng hurrying over to her.

    The third prince wrapped his arms around Yuelan and hugged her for a moment before letting her go and looking her up and down.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Guangfeng. I spent the last few days reading or enjoying the scenery,¡± Yuelan reassured him. She smiled up at him. ¡°Thanks for worrying about me, though.¡±

    Guangfeng returned her smile with a smile of his own that was full of relief.  ¡°None of the men seem interested in knowing what¡¯s going on. They just follow the women. It¡¯s odd.¡±

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°The Hechuans are matriarchal. The women are in charge.¡±

    ¡°They had mentioned that before. I just found it strange. It¡¯s very different from what I¡¯m used to.¡±

    She smiled and took his hand to walk toward where Leila and some of the others were working together to get fires built. ¡°It is different. Everything here is different from what I¡¯m used to, but different doesn¡¯t make it bad. How did things go for you in court?¡±

    Guangfeng grinned. ¡°I managed to get the majority to speak favorably of the idea and Father Emperor said he would write the decree. It should be official by the time we get back.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations. That means you¡¯ll be granted the title of crown prince, too, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It does.¡± The third prince studied her in silence as they sat down on a log that some of the men had moved to be close to the fire. ¡°Your marriage to me won¡¯t affect whether or not I become crown prince now, so you¡¯re free if you want to be.¡± His words were quiet and he sounded sad.

    Yuelan studied his face carefully. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng. That means a lot to me.¡± She gave him a small smile. ¡°For now, I think I¡¯ll leave things as they are. You¡¯ve done a lot for me and I haven¡¯t been very good at being nice to you. I¡¯ll give it a try this time.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Guangfeng stared at her for a moment, then grinned and hugged her close. ¡°I¡¯m glad your culture doesn¡¯t mind hugging before marriage,¡± he whispered.

    Yuelan hugged him back and giggled at his comment. ¡°You still have to behave though. At least when we¡¯re in public. Though the Hechuan people don¡¯t seem to mind too much.¡± She nodded toward where she could see a few couples hugging each other or cuddling on a log.

    ¡°Which means the only one who might care is Willow and she¡¯s pretending not to notice.¡± Guangfeng looked around and caught sight of the maid, who was looking up at the tops of the trees nearby and indeed pretending like she didn¡¯t know that Guangfeng and Yuelan were hugging.

    ¡°Willow won¡¯t say anything.¡± Yuelan giggled. It actually felt kind of nice to cuddle with Guangfeng and she rested her head against his chest.

    Leila walked over to the two and smiled. ¡°Alright lovebirds, it¡¯s time for us to have a chat.¡±

    Yuelan blushed and pulled away from Guangfeng, who sighed and looked resigned. ¡°Is this about the next two days of the trip to the temple?¡± Yuelan asked.

    Leila nodded. ¡°Yup. The boats will stay here and wait for us. The next two days we¡¯ll be going on foot. It¡¯s going to be dangerous, since there are many creatures who have lost their senses around here. Yuelan, you¡¯re not trained to fight at all, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Yuelan shook her head.

    ¡°Willow has had some martial arts training,¡± Guangfeng offered. ¡°And I have had quite a lot of it.¡±

    ¡°Good. Willow can stay next to Yuelan and you can take up the rear. I¡¯ll take the front since I know the way.¡± Leila didn¡¯t bother asking and just gave instructions.

    ¡°Byakko will stay next to me as well,¡± Yuelan added.

    Leila studied the sacred beast with a slight frown. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it was a good idea to bring him. What if he turns on us?¡±

    Byakko growled at Leila. Tell the foolish human that I am not like those beasts who have gone insane. I am stronger than they are and contracted to you. Nothing can harm my mind.

    ¡°He says he¡¯ll be fine. Byakko is one of the four sacred beasts and has a contract with me,¡± Yuelan translated.

    Leila still looked doubtful. ¡°I¡¯d still feel better if we left him behind.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll need Byakko¡¯s help in the temple. We¡¯ll also have to find the Azure Dragon before we get there.¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°I need them both to complete the ritual in the temple.¡±

    Leila grimaced. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll head for the temple and hope nothing happens to you and that we find another dangerous beast to try and kill us along the way.¡±

    ¡°Everything will be fine, Leila. You just need to trust me. I can fix the problem. I did it in Zhongshu and I¡¯ll do it here in the Barren Lands too,¡± Yuelan coaxed.

    ¡°We leave at first light. Make sure you get a good hot meal and plenty of rest.¡± Leila stood and went to go carry out her other duties.

    Guangfeng looked down at Yuelan. ¡°You seem more like the priestess than you did when I first met you.¡±

    Yuelan smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m getting a little more confident and comfortable with it.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Leila really did wake Yuelan and the others before dawn the next morning and at first light they headed off into the woods on the far side of the river from where the boats were anchored. As previously agreed, Leila led the way and Guangfeng took up the rear with Yuelan, Willow, and Byakko in the middle.

    Yuelan started to tire after a couple of hours of walking. Leila had made sure she and Willow had good shoes for walking in, but Yuelan¡¯s feet still hurt. She regretted not taking the time to exercise every day. If she¡¯d taken even a few minutes to run around her garden every day she¡¯d be in better shape for this trek. She resolved to exercise every day from now on. There were more temples she needed to visit after this one and if they were as remote as this was she was going to have a hard time getting to them.

    Another hour after Yuelan thought she couldn¡¯t go on any farther, Byakko suddenly roared next to her. It sounded more like a challenge than friendly and it startled Leila, who turned around and had her whip in her hand and ready to use against the tiger. Byakko ignored Leila and stared into the woods as he roared a second time.

    Guangfeng frowned at the Tiger¡¯s behavior and pulled out his sword. ¡°Leila, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s angry with us. Something¡¯s coming.¡±

    The ground started to shake and Yuelan staggered into Willow, who caught her and helped to steady her.

    ¡°Move to the side. They will not stop.¡± Byakko¡¯s voice was deep and gravely and he started nudging the four humans toward a thicket of bushes nearby. Yuelan, Willow, Leila, and Guangfeng stagger as they¡¯re shoved through the bushes into the middle of the thicket. The thorns on the bushes tore their clothes and the four humans crouched down.

    Outside the thicket a horde of furious creatures of all kinds stampeded past just a few feet away from the thicket. Manticores, kilin, ravens, rhinos, foxes with snowy fur and multiple tails, and many others rushed past where the group was hidden with Byakko standing between the humans and the strangely mismatched creatures.

    The stampede continued for an hour before it finally stopped and Byakko let them come out of the thicket. The white tiger shifted into his human form and looked at Yuelan with his golden eyes. ¡°This is not normal behavior for those creatures,¡± he informed the priestess. ¡°They would never travel together nor ignore a challenge from one of the four divine beasts.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°We find the Azure Dragon as quickly as possible. I believe those creatures may have been running from where the Azure Dragon is.¡± Byakko¡¯s tone is solemn. ¡°You may need to form a contract with them as well.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Yuelan brushed herself off and pulled a couple of sticks from her hair that had gotten caught when she was shoved through the bushes by the tiger. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too hard to follow the trail to where they came from.¡±

    It was indeed easy to follow. The creatures had left trampled plants and even pushed down trees in their path. Yuelan walked with the others until her feet were throbbing and Byakko made her get on his back. After a couple of minutes riding the tiger, Yuelan fell asleep.

    Guangfeng frowned as he watched Yuelan swaying dangerously on Byakko¡¯s back and when she started to fall he hurried forward to catch her only to discover that she¡¯d somehow changed positions and was lying securely between the great tiger¡¯s shoulder blades instead of falling. He blinked.

    Byakko huffed. ¡°I would not let her fall off. Worry about your own task.¡±

    The prince returned to the rear and kept an eye out for potential dangers.

    ***

    The group continued until it started to get dark and Leila called a halt. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to travel at night when we can¡¯t see. There¡¯s a cave over there we can take shelter in for the night.¡± She pointed to a group of rocks stacked into a hill shape. In the middle of them there was a hole. ¡°No fires, so eat the rations we packed.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Why no fires?¡±

    ¡°Fires attract the creatures here. We need rest, so we shouldn¡¯t ask for a fight. I¡¯ll take first watch.¡± Leila headed toward the cave and the others followed behind her.

    Willow set out blankets for Yuelan to sleep on and pulled out the rations for them to eat before making up her own blankets to sleep on.

    Even though Yuelan had taken a nap earlier in the day, she was exhausted. She barely managed to eat her share of crackers, dried meat, and fresh fruit before falling asleep in her blankets.

    Byakko shifted into his human form and studied Yuelan for a bit before looking at Guangfeng and Leila. ¡°This area is draining her. She will ride on my back tomorrow and rest. We must find the Azure Dragon quickly.¡±

    Leila frowned. ¡°Draining her? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°It is pulling her magic from her. The temple here must be in even worse shape than the one in the west was. She will need all her strength to repair it.¡±

    Guangfeng thought back to what he¡¯d learned when he went with Yuelan to Kilin and he paled a little. ¡°If we stay here too long she¡¯ll die, won¡¯t she?¡±

    Byakko nodded. ¡°At least until the temple is restored, yes. There is very little magic here. It¡¯s what drove the beasts insane. It is affecting even me. I am safe because of my bond with the Priestess, but most creatures are not so fortunate.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like we need to hurry then,¡± Leila interrupted. ¡°Get some sleep. Guangfeng, you take last watch and wake us up at first light. Willow can have second watch and we¡¯ll just let the priestess sleep.¡±

 Chapter 99

    It was still dark out when Yuelan woke up. She felt like something was calling to her, but it was only a faint, pleading whisper. As she sat up a pair of golden tiger eyes opened and studied her in the dark. What is it? Byakko¡¯s voice sounded in her head.

    Something¡¯s calling me. But it¡¯s faint. Yuelan sat up and looked around, searching for the direction the call was coming from.

    Guangfeng was on watch and he turned to look when he heard the rustling of movement. ¡°Yuelan? What are you doing awake?¡± He sounded concerned and stood up to walk over to her.

    Yuelan looked up at Guangfeng, then back out to the forest around them. ¡°I can feel something calling me, but I don¡¯t know where from.¡±

    Byakko nuzzled her. You won¡¯t find it by looking with your eyes. Search with your mind.

    ¡°Can I help with anything?¡± Guangfeng asked.

    ¡°Not right now, but I¡¯ll let you know if you can,¡± Yuelan told him. ¡°Are you keeping watch right now?¡±

    The third prince made a noise of confirmation. ¡°I¡¯ll be right over there. If you need something just call.¡±

    ¡°I will. Thank you, Guangfeng.¡± Yuelan closed her eyes and tried to focus on the faint calling, but she fell asleep again before she could find it.

    ***

    Guangfeng woke everyone in the gray light of predawn. They ate dried meat and crackers that had been brought along and the prince helped Yuelan up onto Byakko¡¯s back, in spite of her protests that she could walk.

    ¡°Please, Yuelan. You need to conserve as much of your energy as you can,¡± he coaxed. ¡°The whole point of doing this is to get you where you need to go so that you can do whatever it is to fix the problem. It was hard on you in Zhongshu and getting there wasn¡¯t so difficult.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and submitted. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ride on Byakko. Sorry for making you worry about me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he minds worrying, Priestess,¡± Leila chuckled. ¡°My fiance mentioned that was all the prince did on the boat.¡±

    Guangfeng kept a straight face that wouldn¡¯t admit whether Leila was right, but he did reach up to brush Yuelan¡¯s hair back behind her ear. ¡°Just rest and let Byakko carry you.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    If you find what was calling you last night let me know. I will take you to it. The tiger turns his head and studies Guangfeng. ¡°Can you recognize blue tourmaline if you see it?¡±

    The prince looked confused. ¡°What? I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Leila said, raising her hand. ¡°I actually have a piece of it.¡±

    ¡°Let the priestess borrow it.¡± Byakko didn¡¯t seem to care about asking permission or being polite.

    The Hechuan woman looked a bit confused. ¡°What for?¡±

    Byakko didn¡¯t answer and just looked at her with golden eyes. Leila seemed unsettled by it and pulled the stone out of a pouch at her waist and held it up to Yuelan.

    Yuelan took it and looked at her contracted divine beast. ¡°What does blue tourmaline do?¡±

    Helps you focus and communicate across distances. Use it to find who is calling you. Byakko kept looking at Leila, waiting.

    ¡°What?¡± Leila¡¯s hand moved to the whip on her belt. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡±

    ¡°You are the one who knows where we are going. Lead.¡± Byakko snorted.

    ¡°Grumpy and demanding, aren¡¯t you? This is why males shouldn¡¯t be in charge.¡± Leila sighed and started walking.

    Guangfeng frowned at the last part of Leila¡¯s statement, but said nothing.

    ¡°Leila, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t make statements like that,¡± Yuelan said from Byakko¡¯s back as the tiger and the others started to follow. ¡°Men and women are both capable of the same things and one way isn¡¯t necessarily better than another. They¡¯re just different.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got an odd point of view there, Priestess. I thought you¡¯d hate a place like Longuo and the other empires where women are treated like objects.¡± Leila glanced over her shoulder and then back to where they were going.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really like it, no, but Guangfeng is already working on making it more equal for men and women. But can you really say that men are less than women when you have examples like the empires?¡± Yuelan answered.

    Guangfeng chuckled.

    ¡°Something amusing you, Prince?¡± Leila snapped.

    ¡°Just that you are getting the same lecture that Yuelan gave me not too long ago,¡± he answered. ¡°Only she didn¡¯t know about your people yet.¡±

    Leila snorted. ¡°We should be quieter. What if we attract more beasts like yesterday?¡±

    You should be focusing on that call, Byakko reminded Yuelan.

    Yuelan fell silent and rubbed the blue tourmaline in her hand. She closed her eyes and settled herself comfortably between Byakko¡¯s shoulder blades. With the others having fallen silent after Leila¡¯s terse response to Guangfeng it was easier for the young priestess to concentrate and feel the sensation of being called like she had during the night. She still couldn¡¯t find where it was coming from at first, but it became clearer as the group moved on. The whispering call was coming from the direction they were headed.

    As the sun was starting to set and the forest darkened, an ancient, worn group of buildings came into view. It looked larger than the temple in Zhongshu and curled around it was an enormous, azure blue, serpentine body with fur running down the spine.

 Chapter 100

    At the sight of the creature wrapped around the temple, Leila pulled the whip from her waist and took a defensive stance. Guangfeng¡¯s hand moved to the sword at his waist and Willow also took up a martial stance.

    Byakko snorted and lowered himself to his belly to allow Yuelan to get down on her own and the young priestess slid off the tiger and walked forward and past the others.

    ¡°Yuelan--¡± Guangfeng reached out to try and stop her.

    She turned to look at him and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Guangfeng. The three of you don¡¯t stand a chance against the Azure Dragon, even with him as weak as he is right now. And if he were going to harm us, he already would have.¡±

    As if to confirm what Yuelan had said, the serpentine body shifted until a head appeared. The giant dragon uncoiled itself until the head reached Yuelan then ever so gently nuzzled her before the dragon¡¯s body shimmered and a human man with hair the color of the dragon¡¯s scales took its place. The man looked weak and tired, but he wrapped his arms around Yuelan and hugged her. ¡°I would never harm my own granddaughter, no matter how many generations may have passed between her and my daughter. I see that brat He did not come.¡±

    Yuelan looked up at the Azure Dragon. ¡°You¡¯re the one who has been calling me.¡± It was a statement, not a question, and Yuelan¡¯s voice was firm and sure.

    ¡°Of course. Unfortunately, I have been too weak to do more than whisper to you. I am Seiryu, but you, Yuelan, may naturally call me Grandfather.¡± The Azure Dragon gave her a tired smile. ¡°Now come. There is much work to be done and little time in which to do it. Your companions must wait outside and guard the temple, but Byakko may come with you.¡±

    The white tiger shimmered and took on his human form and then the two divine beasts ushered Yuelan into the ruins of the temple, leaving Guangfeng, Willow, and Leila behind with stunned expressions.

    Yuelan followed Seiryu through the ruins and into the main building. Rotting floors made it so the trio had to step carefully to get to the entrance to the secret room. Just as in the temple in Zhongshu, Yuelan had to go down stairs and through passageways, but this time Seiryu led her instead of having her decide which way felt right.

    The chamber Seiryu led her to looked just like the one that had been in the secret room of Zhongshu: small with a large piece of moldavite placed in the center on a pillar and three silk cushions for meditating on, but this time there was no crystal in the wall to play a message for Yuelan.

    ¡°You know what to do?¡± Seiryu asked her.

    ¡°The same thing as I did in Zhongshu, right? I repair the tapestry.¡± Yuelan settled herself on the center cushion and tried to relax.Stolen novel; please report.

    Seiryu nodded as he and Byakko settled themselves beside her. ¡°If that is how you see it, then yes. Repair the tapestry.¡±

    Yuelan focused her eyes on the moldavite crystal in front of her and steadied her breathing as she began to meditate. When the tapestry appeared before her there was the section to the left she had already repaired, the section representing the west and Zhongshu. Before her was a section riddled with holes, more than she remembered there being the last time she¡¯d seen it. There was hardly anything left of it for her to work with. Before she started, Yuelan checked the rest of the tapestry. The sections at the top and bottom were in bad shape, but not nearly as bad as the section before her.

    Her scrutiny finished, Yuelan started carefully repairing the tapestry.

    ***

    Outside the temple, Guangfeng, Willow, and Leila watched as the air around them began to shimmer. It was faint at first, but as more time passed it became stronger and stronger. The creatures in the forest started to gather around. At first, the three had to fight to defend themselves because the creatures that came attacked them, but as the shimmering air grew stronger, the most of the beasts became less and less aggressive, but some still tried to attack only to find themselves unable to get through the shimmering, which had formed into a barrier surrounding the temple.

    ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± Leila asked on the second day after the barrier had formed. It was the fourth day since Yuelan had gone inside.

    ¡°It took three days last time,¡± Guangfeng answered. Willow was sleeping nearby. The group had decided on sleeping in shifts, one would sleep and two would stand guard, just in case.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been longer than three days. Don¡¯t you have a better answer? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be your fiance?¡± Leila frowned at Guangfeng.

    ¡°I do not know how long it will take her or even what exactly she¡¯s doing in there. No one was allowed in last time either.¡± Guangfeng looked back at Leila with a calm expression that was very different from the anxiety he felt. ¡°All we can do is wait for her to finish and return.¡±

    ¡°Useless,¡± Leila snorted. Her eyes turned away from the prince and back to the creatures trying to get through the barrier. ¡°You¡¯re so calm, like whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°To survive in the imperial family you learn to hide your emotions,¡± Guangfeng retorted. ¡°Otherwise they¡¯ll be used against you.¡±

    ¡°Some family.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at Leila. ¡°The concubines and the empress fight for my father¡¯s favor and they use whatever means they have at their disposal. Including murder. Those with sons fight to have their sons named crown prince. They stage ¡®accidents¡¯ and cause others to miscarry, plot who their sons should marry to give them the best advantages, and in general the place is worse than the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re going to just throw the priestess in your harem and leave her to a constant fight to the death for the rest of her life?¡± Leila¡¯s eyes narrowed and she frowned at him.

    ¡°Of course not. I have no intention of ever taking a concubine. Yuelan will be the only one in my harem.¡± Guangfeng looks calm, but he turns his head toward the temple, looking for some sign that Yuelan is coming out. ¡°My mother was murdered when I was still a child. I was fortunate to survive. I won¡¯t subject anyone to that sort of life.¡±

    Leila snorted. ¡°At least someone in Longuo has their head on the right way.¡±

 Chapter 101

    A burst of light shot up from the temple¡¯s main building and the collapsing buildings fixed themselves. Even the paint repaired itself and the temple started to look brand new again. Leila and Guangfeng stopped their conversation and the prince ran up the stairs and into the temple to find Yuelan with Willow and Leila following right behind.

    Exhausted to the point she had fallen unconscious, Yuelan was being carried out of the hidden passage by Seiryu just as the others came in. The dragon in human form nodded his head to them. ¡°There are rooms here you can all rest in. It will take Yuelan some time to recover enough to travel again and I must stay here to maintain the temple and take charge of the creatures of these lands again.¡±

    ¡°Is she alright?¡± Guangfeng asked, his eyes studying Yuelan¡¯s pale face. She looked exhausted and somehow thinner since he¡¯d seen her five days before.

    ¡°Of course. She¡¯s only tired. Even with the support from Byakko and I and the moldavite she had to work hard with little time for rest. And her work still is not complete. This is only the first step of what she needed to accomplish here. Once she has rested and had a good meal I have things to teach her and items to give to her.¡± Seiryu headed toward a door behind a statue of himself. ¡°Guangfeng, correct? I¡¯ll show you to your room later. The two ladies may come with me to help Yuelan bathe and go to bed.¡±

    Willow quickly followed after Seiryu and Yuelan, but Leila snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not a servant.¡±

    Seiryu paused and looked over at Leila. ¡°Have things changed so much among humans that serving the priestess is no longer an honor even royals would fight to have?¡±

    Leila raised an eyebrow. ¡°Being a servant is still being a servant, no matter who you¡¯re serving.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But I cannot help a young lady bathe and change her clothes and I do not think this young woman here is able to do it on her own.¡± Seiryu remained calm as he spoke. ¡°And Yuelan is exhausted after her work to restore the magic keeping this world together. What purpose does your pride serve if you do not exist? This world is supported by the magic of the priestess who created it. That it has lasted this long without being maintained is miraculous. Now Yuelan must go and fix the very fabric of our world in order for us to continue to live. Without the work she is doing, none of us would survive.¡±

    Leila frowned a little. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Seiryu smiled a little. ¡°When my daughter, the last priestess, separated the two worlds she did it by using her magic to create a second world that was supported by magic. It took the efforts of all four divine beasts and my son and daughter to accomplish it. You cannot have a world without magic that is supported by magic, and so this world is where all those who use magic or need magic to survive were sent and the other is the original world where we all lived together. Since this world did not originally exist, it is a magic construct. The temples are the pillars that support it and the condition they are in indicates the strength and stability of the magic supporting our world. They are on the brink of collapse and if Yuelan had not come when she did then our world would have disappeared. Whether we would return to the world we came from or just disappeared along with the world is unknown.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Leila stared at Yuelan with a solemn expression. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is our existence is relying on this girl who is too fragile to walk for a day?¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡± Seiryu nodded his head and turned to head through the doors with Willow following behind.

    Leila thought for a moment, then followed after. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help take care of her then.¡±

    Willow gave Leila a half bow. ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Leila returned the bow with a nod.

    Seiryu led the two young women to a set of rooms not far from the main room where the blue jade statue of the Azure Dragon was. When they all went inside, he set Yuelan down on the cushioned, wooden daybed. ¡°I will leave her to the two of you then.¡± He turned and left the room to show Guangfeng to a room.

    Yuelan was so tired that she didn¡¯t wake at all as Willow and Leila removed her clothes, bathed her, and helped her into clean clothing and then put her to bed.

    Willow bowed to Leila. ¡°I can watch over her while she sleeps, Miss Leila. Thank you for your help.¡±

    Leila nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then.¡± She headed out of the room and found Seiryu was waiting for her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a room where you can rest,¡± the dragon explained before turning and heading down the hall.

    Leila followed after him and frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go mad like all the other creatures here?¡±

    Seiryu gave her an amused glance. ¡°I am the Azure Dragon. Divine beasts are more resistant to such things. Also, I stayed close to the temple and was able to keep my mind by staying closest to the strongest magic source in this area. Now that the temple is restored and the area is filling with magic again Yuelan will recover as will the creatures who live here.¡±

    ¡°What about those that had bonds with humans?¡±

    ¡°The bonds have not broken. So long as they aren¡¯t dead, they will return to their contractor.¡±

    Leila looked relieved. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be immediate,¡± Seiryu warned. ¡°First, they must recover from the loss of their magic. And the magic has to spread out from here. It will take time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright. As long as things will go back to the way they were before, it¡¯s all fine.¡±

 Chapter 102

    The group spent the next few days resting and letting Yuelan recover from the trip and her efforts in the temple. Yuelan did not leave her room at all for the first two days after she finished and spent them sleeping unless Willow woke her up to eat. Guangfeng stayed near Yuelan¡¯s room and either trained by himself outside or, after Leila caught him doing it, with the Hechuan woman.

    On the third day, Yuelan finally came out of her room in the early afternoon to find Guangfeng and Leila sparring outside. Guangfeng was using his sword and Leila her whip and they seemed evenly matched. She didn¡¯t want to disturb them, so Yuelan sat to the side to watch.

    Guangfeng was the first to notice Yuelan and he stepped back to lift a hand and stop the spar.

    Leila lowered her whip and turned her head. She smiled at Yuelan and nodded to her. ¡°Priestess. It¡¯s nice to see you up and out of your room.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Guangfeng asked as he walked over to her.

    ¡°A little, yeah.¡± Yuelan smiled at both of them. ¡°At least enough to get up and walk around a bit.¡±

    Guangfeng leaned against a pillar that happened to be next to where Yuelan was sitting on the exterior porch. ¡°I¡¯m glad. It was harder on you than in Zhongshu, wasn¡¯t it? I was worried, since Byakko said the area¡¯s magic was fading.¡± He didn¡¯t mention their visit to Kilin, but he was remembering it and how she seemed paler and more drained the longer they¡¯d stayed there.

    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. We should head back to Longuo tomorrow.¡± Yuelan reached out and took Guangfeng¡¯s hand for a moment before letting go again. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for a while when you were supposed to be named crown prince.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be up to it? I don¡¯t want you worn out.¡± The third prince looked at his fiance with a face full of concern.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. I can ride on Byakko and he¡¯s big enough I can take a nap on his back when I need one.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°She can rest on the boat on the way back upriver, too,¡± Leila added. ¡°At least to the nearest city where you can get a carriage to go back to your country.¡±

    Guangfeng gave Leila a half bow. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Leila nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my duty, so no need for thanks.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not, but I appreciate it too, Leila.¡± Yuelan smiled at the older young woman. ¡°Thank you for showing us the way here and in advance for taking us back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Leila smiled back. ¡°I¡¯ll go make sure everything is ready for leaving tomorrow then.¡± She turned and walked away.

    ¡°It will be cold in the capital by the time we get there. Did you bring a warm cloak?¡± Guangfeng asked Yuelan as he reached a hand out to gently stroke her cheek.

    ¡°I brought one for Miss,¡± Willow answered for Yuelan. ¡°And winter clothing as well.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded. ¡°Well done, Willow.¡±

    Willow dipped into a curtsy to accept the praise.

    Yuelan looked up at Guangfeng and smiled at him. ¡°I actually came out to ask if you wanted to go on a walk with me. I need to move around a bit instead of just sleeping.¡±

    The prince smiled and offered a hand to help her stand up again. ¡°I would be happy to walk with you.¡±

    Yuelan took his hand and stood up then tucked her arm through his and started walking arm in arm with him. As she walked, Yuelan looked around. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to take a look at this temple. It¡¯s bigger than Zhongshu¡¯s and it looks really nice.¡±

    ¡°Well, this temple was probably designed to accommodate the magic creatures instead of humans,¡± Guangfeng pointed out. ¡°And its guardian is the largest. Dragons aren¡¯t small, after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Yuelan looked from the raised porches surrounding each building to the gardens that were all in various stages of going to sleep for the winter. The trees still had some leaves on them, but they were falling. A nearby bush was covered in leaves so red the bush almost seemed to be burning. ¡°The temple and its gardens are beautiful. And I really like that bush.¡±

    Guangfeng turned to look at the bush in question. ¡°The firebush? It is quite pretty.¡± He made a mental note to himself to have some planted in his palace garden as a surprise for Yuelan. ¡°What other plants do you like?¡±

    ¡°Irises and peonies,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I like chrysanthemums too.¡±

    He nodded and added to his list. He had plenty of time before their wedding, so he could take the time to redo a section of the gardens and fill it with her favorite plants. He hoped she would like it when it was completed.

 Chapter 103

    The next day Guangfeng made sure Yuelan was settled on Byakko¡¯s back safely and the group headed back toward the river where they had left Leila¡¯s people. The trib back went more easily than the trip to the temple. The magic creatures living in the forests were hardly seen, almost as if they were hiding themselves. The ones that they did see were spotted only from a distance and quickly disappeared.

    Leila¡¯s people were all excited to see them return and they spent two days celebrating Yuelan¡¯s success before setting off back upstream. Yuelan spent most of her time resting in the small room she shared with Willow as she didn¡¯t have much energy. Every morning she woke up feeling just as tired as the one before, causing Willow to feel concerned. Byakko stayed in his small, house-cat sized form curled up on Yuelan¡¯s bed and watched her pale, sleeping face.

    When they reached the first city in Longuo, the boats stopped for supplies and to let Yuelan, Willow, and Guangfeng off. It had been a week since they¡¯d left the eastern temple and Yuelan was still exhausted. One look at her pale face had Guangfeng¡¯s lips turned downward and he hurried to her side.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been getting enough rest?¡± he asked her, concerned.

    Yuelan gave him a tired smile. ¡°All I¡¯ve been doing is resting, Guangfeng. I thought I was sleeping too much and tried getting up to walk around the boat every day, but I couldn¡¯t last more than about five minutes.¡± She covered her mouth with her sleeve and yawned.

    Guangfeng frowned and reached a hand out to gently stroke her cheek with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll find the most comfortable carriage I can for you,¡± he promised. ¡°You stay here with Willow and Byakko. Don¡¯t strain yourself.¡± He waited for her to nod before heading into the city.

    Leila had watched the whole interaction and had a slight frown on her face as she approached Yuelan. ¡°He treats you well. Like you¡¯re a precious treasure to him.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°He does. I want to do something for him when I get back to the capital.¡± She turned to study Leila¡¯s expression. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    The Hechuan woman shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just different from how my fiance and I interact. He doesn¡¯t come to look for me. I always have to go find him.¡± Leila looked off toward a group of men that were working on repairing one of the boats.

    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s because you don¡¯t treat him well,¡± Willow suggested from nearby. ¡°You treat him as though he is inferior to you, speak to him the same way, and make demands. Men have pride. Perhaps you have wounded his.¡±

    Leila frowned at Willow. ¡°What would you know?¡±

    Willow shrugged. ¡°I was a maid in His Highness the third prince¡¯s palace before he sent me to serve Miss Yuelan. Your culture is different, but people are still people. I am a servant and have signed my life away to my master, but even I am still a person with pride.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Yuelan added. ¡°If you treat someone like an object then they won¡¯t be happy. If you treat them with respect and show that you treasure them then they¡¯re more likely to reciprocate.¡±

    Leila looked over at the group of men again. ¡°I suppose so¡­¡± She looked back at Yuelan. ¡°I have a favor to ask. I¡¯d like to go with you back to Longuo. Men aren¡¯t allowed to get too close to you, right? Then you need a woman who can stand at your side and go with you everywhere to provide protection. I can fill that role.¡±

    Yuelan studied Leila. ¡°Are you sure this is something you want to do? What about your fiance?¡±

    Leila shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him about it. And about our betrothal. If it¡¯s something he still wants then he can come along. If it isn¡¯t, then I guess I should set him free to find someone else. I don¡¯t want to be with someone who doesn¡¯t want me, after all.¡±

    ¡°In that case, you¡¯re welcome to come. And don¡¯t worry about needing to sign a life contract or anything like that. I¡¯ll give you monthly wages, but I don¡¯t believe in slavery.¡± She looked over at Willow. ¡°I already gave all my servants¡¯ contracts back to them. Or tried to. Most of them refused to take them.¡±

    Leila smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. We don¡¯t believe in slavery either.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and covered her face with her sleeve as she yawned again. ¡°Gather your things, Leila. We¡¯ll leave when you¡¯re ready and Guangfeng is back with the carriage.¡±

    The Hechuan woman nodded and first went to speak with her fiance, one of the men repairing the boat, before going to pack her things. Yuelan caught a glimpse of something shiny sliding down Leila¡¯s cheek as she left her fiance¡¯s side and headed into her boat to pack her things.

 Chapter 104

    Guangfeng returned after an hour in a large carriage pulled by four fine horses. The driver was dressed in clothing too fine to be a normal carriage driver for hire. The third prince himself was riding on a horse. When the carriage and Guangfeng came close enough they pulled to a stop and Guangfeng dismounted. ¡°I went to the governor¡¯s manor and asked to borrow his finest carriage,¡± he told Yuelan with a smile. ¡°Naturally he agreed.¡±

    Yuelan smiled back at Guangfeng. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I also got supplies for the trip and plenty of blankets to make the carriage more comfortable for you. There¡¯s a brazier inside it to keep you warm as well.¡±

    ¡°What about you? Will you be alright riding on a horse? It¡¯s getting colder every day.¡± Yuelan frowned a little and looked concerned.

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression softened when he saw her concern and he reached out to gently pat her head. ¡°I will be fine. I¡¯m a man, after all. You and Willow can ride in the carriage together.¡±

    ¡°Leila is coming too. She has volunteered to be my guard,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°So she can ride in the carriage with me as well.¡±

    ¡°Since when do guards ride inside the carriage?¡± Leilia chuckled as she walked over with a bag holding her things. ¡°I¡¯ll get myself a horse.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Alright. Though you can come in the carriage whenever you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Priestess. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Once Leila had selected a horse with Guangfeng¡¯s help in the city, the group set off toward the capital. The trip took longer by carriage going back than it had by boat leaving and when they finally arrived there was snow everywhere and Yuelan¡¯s birthday was fast approaching.

    Guangfeng escorted Yuelan¡¯s carriage to her residence then gave the driver a letter and a bag of silver before sending him back to his master. He reminded Yuelan to get plenty of rest before leaving to enter the palace and report to the emperor about the trip and his return.

    Yuelan had spent most of the trip resting and she did a little better the closer they got to the capital. Even though she wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, she was quite a bit better than she had been when they¡¯d first left and didn¡¯t spend all day sleeping like she had before. She saw Guangfeng off before heading inside and asking Chung Soo and Granny Mei to handle the invitations and preparations for her birthday and asking that Camphor bring the account books for her to review in her courtyard. By the time Yuelan arrived there, Camphor was waiting with the account books and Laurel had tea and some light snacks prepared.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Laurel had been working harder than ever for Yuelan since the incident where she had betrayed the young priestess. Her cooking skills had improved and she was very attentive to Yuelan¡¯s needs and preferences, so the tea suited Yuelan¡¯s tastes perfectly.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had such good tea, Laurel. Thank you.¡± Yuelan smiled as she took a second sip of tea before turning to Camphor. ¡°How are my shops doing?¡±

    ¡°Very well, Miss,¡± Camphor answered as she placed the account books in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you asked in regards to setting aside funds for the employees to see doctors when they are ill and to provide a stipend for them when they become older. Knowing they will be cared for seems to have made them all work harder.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Good. Have there been any problems while I was away?¡±

    ¡°None that I could not handle, Miss. I did have to fire the manager of your antiques store. I caught him inflating prices of what he sells, cheating those who come to sell, and stealing the store¡¯s money, but the new manager is working diligently and has a reputation for honesty.¡± Her eyes twinkled in amusement. ¡°I was able to convince him to leave the first prince¡¯s antique store for yours.¡±

    Yuelan grinned. ¡°Excellent. Normally I would frown on doing something like that, but I don¡¯t like the first prince at all. You did well, Camphor.¡±

    Camphor nodded. ¡°Thank you, Miss. It didn¡¯t actually take much to convince him. The first prince was not paying him well enough and your terms are much more agreeable. He is a bit older, but he has agreed to train an apprentice and will let me know when he has found someone suitable.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good news. Skills should always be passed on. I¡¯d like all my shopkeepers and craftsmen to be encouraged to take on apprentices, but be sure to remind them that I value quality over speed and quantity. They should choose their apprentices carefully.¡±

    Camphor bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Miss. I will be sure to notify them.¡± She studied Yuelan¡¯s face and then smiled a little. ¡°Though I think perhaps you should get some rest now, Miss. You look pale and tired.¡±

    Yuelan covered her mouth with her sleeve and yawned. ¡°I will. Be sure to wake me for dinner. Now that I am home, I can take care of myself and recover.¡±

    Her three maids gave graceful salutes as Yuelan stood and headed for her bedroom. ¡°And please arrange for a permanent courtyard for Leila. Or a room in mine if she prefers that. She has joined us as my personal guard.¡±

 Chapter 105

    The day after the group returned, Guangfeng was named crown prince by the emperor, despite the objections of just under half the court. Word spread quickly that Yuelan was ill as well and with her now known as the future crown princess many families sent valuable healing herbs to her residence. As soon as the herbs started arriving Yuelan instructed her servants to spread word that she was not ill, merely exhausted from performing her duties as the dragon priestess. Even more healing herbs arrived after that from those who were not in the faction supporting the third prince.

    Yuelan did not leave her residence and even when her friends came to visit her she wasn¡¯t very cheerful and looked quite down. Even Princess Liling arrived to spend time with her only to find that Yuelan was tired and sad. Thinking that perhaps there was something troubling Yuelan, the princess set time aside later in the week and came to visit again. It was now only a few days before the banquet that would celebrate Yuelan¡¯s birthday.

    Liling sat next to Yuelan in the music room listening to Yuelan playing the guzheng. The song being played was filled with loneliness. When the final notes disappeared, Liling sighed. ¡°Yuelan, what¡¯s the matter? You haven¡¯t been yourself since you got back from the barren lands and even though your birthday is coming you look so unhappy.¡± She stood and put a gentle hand on Yuelan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t anything that anyone can do about it,¡± Yuelan said as she gently removed Liling¡¯s hand from her shoulder. ¡°I miss my father. This is the first birthday I will spend without him with me. It¡¯s lonely.¡±

    Liling reached out and pulled Yuelan in for a hug. ¡°I should have realized that myself. I¡¯m sorry, Yuelan. Of course you would be feeling lonely for your father. It must be difficult for him to come, since he is a prime minister and your home country is so far away.¡±

    Yuelan hugged Liling in return and nodded her head. ¡°I miss him. But it could be months before I¡¯m recovered enough to go and visit him. I certainly won¡¯t be recovered by my birthday.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help you feel better? I¡¯ve received the invitation for your birthday banquet and my husband and I will attend. My third brother will be there as well, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, but thank you for offering, Liling. I¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    Liling sighed and nodded her head. ¡°Alright. By the way, I¡¯ve never heard that song you played before. It was beautiful.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Yuelan smiled a little sadly. ¡°My mother told me when I was little that it was written by the original owner of her guzheng. That would mean that the first dragon priestess was the composer.¡±

    ¡°She must have really missed whoever she was thinking about when she wrote it.¡± Liling smiled.

    ¡°She probably felt much the same as I¡¯m feeling right now. That¡¯s why I chose to play it.¡± Yuelan sighed and stood up. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go and have some tea? And thank you for coming over to try and cheer me up.¡±

    Liling poked Yuelan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Of course. What are friends for?¡±

    ***

    The Crystal Moon Residence became even busier for the next few days and finally the day of Yuelan¡¯s birthday party arrived. Chung Soo and Granny Mei had been very busy with the preparations and that morning Yuelan¡¯s three maids meticulously dressed her up. By the time the guests started to arrive Yuelan was ready and she went into the main hall of her residence with Byakko in his full-size tiger form walking next to her. She wore a peacock blue gown with a rabbit fur cloak as she sat in the main seat with Byakko at her feet with her beaded slippers tucked under him to keep her feet warm. Since there was no one who outranked Yuelan, she did not need to greet anyone personally and with her recent exhaustion, she chose to let all her guests come to her and present their gifts as they arrived.

    Many officials of high rank had their daughters step forward to present the gifts from their families and Yuelan received many precious gems, statues, fabric, accessories, and other similar gifts. Guangfeng was the last to arrive with Liling and Chang Biming. Liling presented her gift, a hand-embroidered handkerchief done by Liling herself, and then went to sit down while Guangfeng approached Yuelan.

    The third prince reached into his sleeve and produced a small stack of papers folded together. ¡°I thought this was most appropriate after Liling came to visit me the other day,¡± he explained to her. ¡°I hope you like it, Yuelan.¡±

    Curious, Yuelan took the papers and unfolded them. When she saw the familiar writing her eyes filled with tears. ¡°How did you get this?¡± she asked, looking up at him with a smile. ¡°Guangfeng, thank you so much!¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and gently touched the delicate, dangling chain of one of her hair ornaments. ¡°I asked Lord Long to help me speak with your father. He delivered it to me just before I came.¡±

    Yuelan stood up and hugged Guangfeng, ignoring the sounds of shock coming from her other guests as they quickly turned their heads away to pretend not to notice. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng. A letter from my father is the closest thing you could get me to what I wanted.¡±

    He smiled and gently patted her head while she hugged him. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m glad it made you smile.¡±

    The voice of a eunuch rang out from the entrance to the hall then. ¡°The emperor has arrived!¡±

 Chapter 106

    Everyone in the room quickly stood and bowed toward the entrance with expressions of shock on their faces. The only exception was Yuelan. She¡¯d been informed beforehand that the emperor would be coming to help her celebrate her birthday.

    ¡°You may all rise,¡± the emperor declared as he walked toward Yuelan, who was still seated. He gave her a slight bow. ¡°I am here today to help celebrate the birthday of the dragon priestess. It would not be so much of a joyous occasion if everyone spent their time paying respects to me.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Welcome, Your Majesty. Thank you for coming.¡±

    ¡°I would not miss it, Priestess. I hope you have had an enjoyable birthday so far.¡± The emperor gestured and a eunuch came forward holding a pillow with a delicate, jeweled box placed on it. ¡°I, too, have brought you a gift to celebrate. Though I suppose in this case it is more an act of returning something to its owner. This was discovered in my treasury. I understand it belonged to the first priestess.¡±

    The eunuch stepped forward, bowed, and offered the gift to Yuelan, who gestured for Camphor to step up and receive it and bring it to her.

    ¡°I have had an enjoyable birthday. And Prince Guangfeng gave the gift with the most value to me.¡± Yuelan looked over at the third prince with a gentle expression before turning her attention back to the box and studying it. The box was beautiful, but had no obvious lock or way to open it. A puzzle box. She smiled.

    ¡°And what was that?¡± Longuo¡¯s emperor looked over at his son with an approving gaze.

    ¡°A letter from my father. This is the first time I have ever celebrated my birthday without his presence, so it made me very happy to have some piece of him after all.¡± Yuelan turned the puzzle box around, gliding her fingers along its surface as she searched for the way to open it. ¡°Is this box the gift itself? Or is there something in it as well?¡±

    The emperor chuckled. ¡°I honestly do not know. Nobody has been able to figure out how to open it since it was found.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Yuelan¡¯s smile grew. ¡°So the box is the gift. That¡¯s alright. I enjoy puzzles. Thank you, your majesty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± The emperor¡¯s eyes took on a teasing glint to them. ¡°Since Guangfeng pleased you so much with his gift, I don¡¯t suppose you would consider moving the wedding date forward?¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I still have one more year before I come of age and my father has the same amount of time before his term as prime minister is up. I don¡¯t wish to get married without my father present.¡±

    The emperor sighed and nodded. ¡°I understand. I shall just have to be patient then.¡±

    Yuelan nodded too. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I will not stay. I have delivered my gift to you and will leave to allow your guests to relax and enjoy your banquet.¡± The emperor nodded his head to her and headed out of the hall.

    ¡°Be well, Your Majesty.¡± Yuelan leaned back in her chair and watched the emperor leave.

    Once the emperor had gone the hall grew quite loud exclaiming over the fact that he had been present. Everyone was surprised and there were quick discussions about how to treat Yuelan in the future.

    Guangfeng stepped back to Yuelan¡¯s side and smiled at her. ¡°Did you know he was coming?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Of course. I was informed two days ago that he intended to attend.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite an honor for the emperor to leave the palace to attend your birthday. Everyone is probably re-evaluating you right now.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Probably. I¡¯m sure he did it for that reason. And to let everyone know that I have been recognized as the dragon priestess.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded his head. ¡°Most likely.¡±

    Yuelan lifted a hand and covered a yawn with her sleeve. ¡°I need to rest. Would you mind seeing to my guests?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. As your fiancee it is my duty and my privilege.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng.¡± Yuelan stood and, carrying the puzzle box from the emperor and the letter from her father that Guangfeng had brought to her, left the hall and headed for her courtyard.

    The guests were surprised to see that Yuelan left not long after the emperor, but when Guangfeng stepped forward and explained that she was tired and still recovering from her most recent journey they all understood. Most of them stayed for just a few minutes before leaving while a few left immediately after hearing the news.

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    Yuelan spent the next couple of days mostly resting. She practiced her guzheng each afternoon, but otherwise read books, took naps, or bundled up warm and went for walks in her snow-covered gardens. Guangfeng had become very busy after returning home and celebrating her birthday, so she didn¡¯t see him at all.

    On the fourth day after her birthday, Yuelan received an invitation to visit the palace from the empress. She frowned and studied it while deciding whether or not she should go. In the end, she took Leila and Willow with her, rode on Byakko¡¯s back, and went to the palace.

    News had spread, at least in the capital, that the dragon priestess had appeared and had a large white tiger, so the people moved out of the way and bowed respectfully as she and Byakko passed by.

    When Yuelan and her group arrived at the palace the gates were immediately opened wide and one of the guards bowed. ¡°Priestess, is there somewhere we can guide you to?¡±

    ¡°The empress has invited me to meet with her,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°A guide to her palace, or wherever she is, would be appreciated.¡±

    The guards bowed again and one of them instructed a couple of the guards to show her the way before looking back at Yuelan and studying Byakko. ¡°Excuse me Priestess, but will your tiger be staying here with your maids¡¯ horses?¡±

    Leila¡¯s face darkened the moment she was called a maid, but she didn¡¯t say anything yet.

    ¡°Byakko is a divine beast and I have a contract with him. Where I go, he goes.¡± Yuelan¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°And only one of these two women is my maid. The other is my guard.¡±

    The palace guards looked uncertain. ¡°Priestess, we cannot allow your guard to bring weapons and letting you bring a dangerous creature, even a divine beast, in to meet the empress is¡­¡±

    ¡°If you have an issue with it, tell the emperor.¡± Yuelan frowned at the guard. ¡°If he dislikes it he can tell me himself. I will not enter the palace without Byakko and Leila will be keeping her whip. I understand that this may put you in a difficult position, but these are my conditions.¡±

    The leader of the guards looked offended. ¡°Priestess, the palace is well protected and safe. There is no need for you or your entourage to enter it armed and prepared for battle.¡±

    Yuelan frowned at him and was about to open her mouth when a carriage pulled up behind her with the crest of the sixth prince, Xiong Guangjun, on it. Two servants left the carriage first then helped lower the sixth prince from the carriage in his wheelchair. The prince inclined his head to Yuelan. ¡°Priestess. It is good to see you again.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Yuelan turned her head and smiled. ¡°Hello, Prince Guangjun. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°What brings you to the palace?¡± He looked over at the guards at the gates. ¡°Are you having some trouble? Perhaps they don¡¯t realize who you are?¡±

    ¡°The fools want to take my weapon away and refuse to let the White Tiger, Byakko, inside.¡± Leila snorts.

    Guangjun frowned, a little confused. ¡°Priestess? Who is this woman?¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°She¡¯s my guard, Leila. The daughter of the chief of the Hechuan people.¡±

    The fifth prince nodded in understanding then turned to the imperial guards. ¡°The laws of the palace do not apply to the dragon priestess,¡± he said calmly. ¡°If you wish for confirmation, I can send one of my servants to Father Emperor to request his ruling.¡±

    The guards looked nervous when the emperor was brought up, but the leader bowed to Guangjun. ¡°Please, Your Highness. We fear for our lives if we make a mistake in this instance.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Tan, go speak with the head eunuch and inform him of the issue here at the gates. Let him inform the emperor.¡±

    One of the servants by Guangjun¡¯s side bowed and hurried into the palace. The third prince looked over at Yuelan and smiled. ¡°We should have an answer soon. Please don¡¯t mind the wait, Priestess.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Guangjun. I appreciate the assistance.¡± Yuelan smiled at him.

    Leila was quiet as she studied the sixth prince for a while before finally speaking. ¡°That was well handled, Your Highness.¡±

    Guangjun looked over at her and nodded his head in thanks. ¡°Thank you, Princess. And it is my pleasure to meet you. I have heard quite a bit about the Hechuan people. Perhaps you would be willing to discuss a business proposition sometime? I believe both our people could benefit.¡±

    The Hechuan woman rubbed her cheek with a finger. ¡°I suppose we could discuss it. Another time.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to visit my home any time, Prince Guangjun,¡± Yuelan offered. ¡°Leila is staying with me and it would be good for her to have the chance to get to know other men from Longuo.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Priestess. I will be sure to visit soon.¡± He smiled. ¡°I will also be sure to inform you at least a day or two in advance before coming. Guangfeng mentioned you have been quite worn out since you returned from the barren lands.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the concern. I am recovering and starting to feel much better now.¡±  Yuelan smiled. ¡°But being informed in advance is very much appreciated.¡±

    The group continued with their idle chat for about half an hour before Xiao Tan returned along with the head eunuch, who had a message from the emperor to deliver to the guards. The message contained the emperor¡¯s stance on Yuelan¡¯s entourage and what they are and are not allowed. It stated that Yuelan was free to do as she wished and her entourage was welcome to retain their weapons, so long as Yuelan agreed that if her entourage caused trouble they would be subject to a trial and punishment according to their crime.

 Chapter 108

    ¡°Any more problems?¡± Yuelan studied the palace guards with a pointed expression. ¡°Or can I go in and meet with the empress now?¡±

    Guangjun frowned when he heard that Yuelan would be meeting with the empress and beckoned one of his servants to lean down. He gave some quiet instructions and the servant quickly went down the street.

    The palace guards bowed, not noticing the fifth prince¡¯s actions, and let Yuelan pass. The fifth prince followed after her into the palace. When they were out of earshot of anyone else, Guangjun looked over at Yuelan. ¡°Priestess, please be careful when meeting with Her Majesty. I worry for your safety.¡±

    Yuelan smiled at him. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I will be careful. And I have Byakko, Leila, and Willow to protect me.¡±

    ¡°I sent a servant to inform my third brother, just in case. And if needed, I will stand as a witness that you went to see her should something happen.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness is very considerate. Perhaps you¡¯d like to come visit my residence with your brother soon. We could have tea and I can play my guzheng for you. Leila is also rather good at chess. We played together a few times on the way to the barren lands.¡± Yuelan looked over at Leila, who had started to frown when she was brought up.

    Guangjun smiled and inclined his head. ¡°It would be my pleasure, Priestess. They reached a fork in the paths and the fifth prince indicated one of them. ¡°The empress¡¯ palace is along that path. I am headed to meet with Father Emperor, so I cannot escort you any further.¡±

    Yuelan studied the indicated path with a slight frown. Even though it was winter and there was snow everywhere, the path had flowers blooming along it. ¡°Such a beautiful path...it¡¯s a shame what lies at the end of it.¡± She sighed and patted Byakko¡¯s neck. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Byakko. We should probably make an impressive entrance when we get there.¡±

    The white tiger growled softly. I can do that. He stepped onto the indicated path and continued along it with Willow and Leila following behind.

    ¡°Priestess, why did you suggest that I should play chess with that cripple?¡± Leila asked once they were far enough along the path that they couldn¡¯t see anyone around.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t always a cripple, from what I understand. He was thrown from a horse and his legs paralyzed.¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice was full of disapproval and she studied Leila with cold eyes. ¡°Being forced to sit in a chair does not make him any less of a human being, and he is still a prince. It wouldn¡¯t be bad for you to make friends with him.¡±

    ¡°In the future, I¡¯d appreciate you not volunteering me for such things as playing chess.¡± Leila frowned back at the young priestess.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t volunteer you for anything. I said you were good at chess. I never said I would make you play it.¡± Yuelan¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Leila, you need to lighten up.¡±

    The idiom made Leila frown in confusion. ¡°Priestess, are you saying I need to lose weight? Are you calling me fat?¡±

    Yuelan sighed and lifted a hand to rub at her temple. ¡°No. It¡¯s your attitude that needs lightening. You¡¯re very harsh on anyone who isn¡¯t a woman. You''re harsh on women too, but you¡¯re especially harsh on men. If you¡¯re going to stay with me as my guard then you need to learn to treat all people as people. Just because someone is a different gender from you doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re worth less. Men and women are equals in my eyes. Equal, but different.¡±

    Leila sighed. ¡°Is that why you want me to play chess with that cripple?¡±

    ¡°His name is Prince Guangjun, fifth prince of Longuo. And you can stop calling him a cripple. To answer your question, though, yes. I want you to play chess and interact with him because I think you¡¯ll learn something from it.¡± Yuelan studied Leila. ¡°And maybe you¡¯ll figure out why your fiance didn¡¯t want to stay with you.¡±

    Leila winced and looked away, no longer feeling like talking.

    Willow had remained silent through the entire conversation and had a solemn expression. She still said nothing as she followed Yuelan and Leila along the flower-lined path leading to the empress¡¯ palace.

    Yuelan felt a little hypocritical about what she¡¯d said to Leila. After all, she¡¯d been pushing Guangfeng down quite a bit in reaction to how she felt she was being pushed down. That everyone around them had been doing it just as much was no excuse for her own behavior. Willow scolding her had helped her realize that and now she wanted to help Leila realize it too. Maybe if they worked together they could change things for everyone.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they arrived in front of the empress¡¯ palace and Yuelan studied the building. She was nervous. The owner of that palace had kidnapped her before, there just wasn¡¯t more evidence beyond Yun Cai¡¯s words to bring it to the attention of the emperor. And it would get Yun Cai in trouble as well.

    Her eyes moved, looking up to the sky as she took a breath, and Yuelan saw a raven swoop down to land on the roof of the empress¡¯ palace. Yuelan smiled and patted Byakko. She wasn¡¯t alone to face this woman. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 109

    The palace guards stopped Yuelan and her group, glaring at Leila and frowning at Yuelan as she sat on Byakko¡¯s back. ¡°Only Miss Long may enter,¡± one of the guards declared.

    Before Yuelan could respond, Willow stepped forward. ¡°How dare you? My mistress is the Dragon Priestess! Who are you to block her path and demand she enter alone?¡±

    The guard snorted and stared at Yuelan. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a Dragon Priestess in six hundred years. Why would there be one now? And how dare you bring someone carrying a weapon into the palace? Or ride a tiger to intimidate Her Majesty?¡±

    Yuelan sighed and looked over at Leila. ¡°You would think the gates would have sent word ahead of us. I¡¯ll have to suggest the emperor make his palace more efficient.¡±

    Leila chuckled. ¡°It does seem odd that nobody sent word to our destination that His Majesty the Emperor granted permission for me to carry my weapons in the palace. And I¡¯m surprised anyone is dumb enough to try and kick out a Divine Beast. The fact that you¡¯re riding on one should give pretty clear indication that you are who you say you are, too, but this idiot doesn¡¯t seem to realize that.¡±

    The guard¡¯s face had started to flush in anger. ¡°How dare you be so presumptuous as to advise the emperor on anything? You are all just women!¡±

    Yuelan turned to study the guard. ¡°I am the Dragon Priestess. Byakko, the White Tiger, Lord Long He, and the Azure Dragon have all acknowledged me as such. The emperors of both Longuo and Zhongshu have acknowledged me as such. If you continue to cause trouble for me here I will leave and refuse to meet with the Empress again. Should his majesty wish me to attend events in the palace then he will have to forbid his Empress from attending them. The empress requested to meet with me, but she does not have the authority to forbid a Divine Beast from going wherever he pleases nor from forbidding me to bring my maid and my guard in with me.¡±

    A eunuch ran up just as the guard was about to begin shouting and prostrated himself to Yuelan. ¡°Priestess, please forgive this lowly servant for being late. The emperor has sent me to deliver your identification tile. From now on, you should have no more troubles with anyone in the palace.¡±

    ¡°Get up,¡± Yuelan said calmly to the eunuch. ¡°Willow, accept my tile from him on my behalf.¡±

    Willow stepped forward to help the eunuch to his feet. The eunuch pulled a silk-wrapped object from his sleeve and offered it to Willow, who accepted it with a polite nod.

    The eunuch turned to the guards blocking Yuelan¡¯s path. ¡°His Majesty has declared that Priestess Long Yuelan may go anywhere she wishes in the company of whomever she wishes and that she and her company are to be permitted to carry their weapons. Her safety is paramount, more important even than his own. Should anyone block the Dragon Priestess from now on they will be immediately dismissed.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    The guards lost their belligerence at once and stepped out of Yuelan¡¯s way.

    Yuelan studied the guards, but did not move. ¡°What is the punishment for insulting me?¡± She sounded like she was just curious, but her calm sentence had the guards trembling.

    The eunuch bowed. ¡°Priestess, none would dare to insult you. If someone does, you may request they be punished however you like.¡±

    ¡°I want the guard who insulted me and called me a liar given the most distasteful chores in the palace for the next week before he is transferred away from the Empress¡¯ palace. Someone so belligerent toward me cannot possibly protect someone as important as the Empress well enough,¡± Yuelan nodded toward the guard who had argued with them.

    The guard paled and bowed. ¡°Priestess, please be lenient! This lowly guard did not know and was only doing his job!¡±

    ¡°Even after we informed you of the situation you ignored it. I am already being lenient.¡± She looked down at Byakko. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The empress is waiting.¡±

    Byakko snorted at the guards as he padded past them with Yuelan on his back. Willow and Leila followed right behind the great tiger. Once they stepped into the hallway a maid dressed in an elegant, flowing gown saluted them. Apparently, she¡¯d heard everything going on in front of the palace as she did not repeat the guard¡¯s demands and silently led the way.

    Seated on a throne in the grandly decorated main hall of the empress¡¯ palace was the mother of the first prince, the current empress. Her chin was raised and her expression proud as she looked down at Yuelan. The sight of Byakko and Leila¡¯s whip caused her to frown.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Miss Long? How dare your servant bring a weapon into the imperial palace? And get that beast out of my palace immediately!¡± The empress¡¯ voice was arrogant and cut like a knife and she trembled in rage. ¡°Have you come to murder me?¡±

    ¡°Willow.¡± Yuelan turned to her maid, who unwrapped the silk and held up a gold pass with precious gems embedded in it in the image of a dragon. The maid held it up high for the empress to see. ¡°Does Your Majesty have any further objections about Leila¡¯s right to keep her weapons or Byakko¡¯s right to be here?¡± Yuelan asked. Her light soprano was soft and calm, but still cut through the empress¡¯ arrogant and angry words.

    The empress studied the pass and frowned. ¡°Where did you get that? The four empires agreed that Longuo would hold the pass of the priestess until she returned. How dare you steal it!¡±

    ¡°I grow tired of this. I¡¯ll inform the emperor that he needs to do better about informing his palace of current events. Byakko, let¡¯s go find him. Until he has sorted out his palace I will not be visiting it.¡± Yuelan frowned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I summoned you?¡± The empress demanded.

    ¡°Not really. If I were to guess? You want to command me to marry your spoiled son, the first prince. Well my answer is no. I refuse to marry someone who sees me only as an object and not as a person. Goodbye, Empress. We will not see each other again.¡±

    The empress smirked. ¡°That is what you think. But Miss Long, we will be seeing each other for a very long time.¡±

    Willow and Leila started to show symptoms first. They swayed, then collapsed to the ground. Yuelan frowned as she started to feel dizzy and tired. ¡°Byakko¡­¡± She slid off his back and onto the ground unconscious.

 Chapter 110

    Fortunately, Guangfeng had already arrived at the palace, but even if he hadn¡¯t been the entire capital could hear the enraged roar of Yuelan¡¯s contracted divine beast, the White Tiger Byakko. He acted quickly, turning to the nearest palace guards and barking out orders: ¡°You, quickly go and report that the Priestess is in trouble at the empress¡¯ palace. The rest of you, follow me to investigate the situation at the empress¡¯ palace!¡±

    Guangfeng didn¡¯t wait to see if any of them had followed his orders as he turned and started running toward the empress¡¯ palace. The guards who had been nearby did as they were commanded with one running for the emperor¡¯s study and the other two following after the third prince.

    The group of guards surrounding Guangfeng grew as he ran toward the Empress palace and gathered up any he spotted or joined with others heading in the direction of the tiger¡¯s roar. When he arrived outside the Empress palace he found the situation a mess. The guards right outside it were barring entry from anyone else and insisting the situation was well in hand.

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Guangfeng commanded the guards as he started to push them aside.

    One of the guards drew his sword and placed it at Guangfeng¡¯s throat. ¡°Your Highness, these are the Empress¡¯ orders! If you disobey them then you will be accused of treason!¡±

    ¡°The Empress¡¯ orders are nothing in the face of the safety of the Dragon Priestess!¡± Guangfeng snapped. ¡°I heard the anger of the divine beast Byakko, now get out of my way!¡±

    ¡°Her Majesty believes the Emperor has been deceived. You may not enter!¡± The guard glared at Guangfeng.

    ¡°The emperor has arrived!¡± The eunuch¡¯s cry was loud enough that everyone in the area could hear it. Most of the guards turned and bowed, but the one facing Guangfeng kept his sword out and pressed against Guangfeng.

    ¡°You dare to point a sword at a prince?!¡± the emperor bellowed.

    ¡°This subject does not dare!¡± the guard immediately lowered his sword and prostrated himself on the ground. ¡°This subject was defending the Empress!¡±

    ¡°Arrest the guard! We will see for ourselves what is happening in Our empress¡¯ palace!¡± The emperor nodded to Guangfeng. ¡°Come with Us, Crown Prince.¡±

    Guangfeng bowed. ¡°Of course, Father Emperor.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The emperor and his son walked past the guards and up the steps into the empress¡¯ palace while other guards arrested the one who had drawn his sword on Guangfeng. As the royal pair entered the empress¡¯ throne room Guangfengs hands tightened into fists and began to shake and the emperor¡¯s expression darkened.

    Yuelan was tied to a chair, her hair a mess and her shoes removed with instruments of torture placed beside her waiting for her to wake up. Leila and Willow were in much the same state. Nearby, Byakko was being pressed against a wall by guards holding spears with black, matte crystals at the ends of them. Half-laying on the dias was the empress, who wore a lazy expression. She did not stand up but waved a hand to a palace maid who was standing at an incense burner nearby. The maid added a couple more sticks of incense then bowed and left the room.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Empress?¡± the emperor snapped. ¡°You have become so daring as to openly defy the heavens?¡±

    The empress laughed, cold and calculating. ¡°So what? What have the heavens ever done for me? It should have been me as the empress in the first place! This seat was always rightfully mine, but instead you ignored my father¡¯s contributions and gave me the seat of a mere concubine instead! You doted on that woman who came from a family with no power at all and gave her the seat of empress instead! I was your first wife! I gave birth to your first child! Everything you gave to her belonged to me! Now I¡¯m just  taking it all back and ensuring that our son gets what has always been his!¡±

    The emperor frowned. ¡°I chose her because I loved her. And because she had no family connections she could use to sway the courts yet still earned the respect and love of the people and the members of the court. Her kindness and charity along with her intelligence and grace made her a fitting mother of the kingdom. She was more worthy than you, who spent your time scheming against others and depending on your family¡¯s power.¡±

    The empress picked up a peeled grape from a plate next to her and threw it at the emperor. It hit him in the face. ¡°I received word this morning. My family¡¯s power has fallen. It was all your fault! After all this time, now you move against me? All these years of marriage, years of safety after having that woman murdered and only now you start to act?¡±

    ¡°I had no evidence, but two days ago evidence was given to me that allowed me to finally take action against you. You sealed your own fate, Empress.¡± The emperor studied the furious woman. ¡°You chose¡­¡± He frowned as his head started to spin. ¡°What have you¡­¡±

    Guangfeng had been surprised by the revelations. He was certain the woman they were speaking of was his mother. It was the only explanation. Now, he too was starting to feel dizzy and swayed where he stood. His eyes moved to the incense burner and he grit his teeth, then pulled the pendant from his belt that Yuelan had given him before he went to war and threw it at the burner.

    Clang! The burner toppled over and hit a vase of dried flowers. The flowers caught fire. Instead of putting out the fire, the palace maids and eunuchs in the room started to panic, as did the Empress. The now broken vase was close to her carved and beautiful arhat bed that served as her throne and as she stood her sleeve brushed over the flames and caught fire as well. Her screams grew louder and she and her servants fled from the room, leaving Guangfeng and the emperor, who could no longer resist the incense, to collapse to the ground unconscious.

 Chapter 111

    Fortunately, the guards who had been keeping Byakko at bay with their spears also panicked and fled and the white tiger was able to pull Yuelan, her entourage, the emperor, and Guangfeng to safety before the fire reached any of them. In the clean air of the empress¡¯ garden, the five humans started to wake. The emperor and Guangfeng were the first to open their eyes and sit up and Byakko shifted into his human form to speak with them. The white tiger, now in the form of a human man dressed all in white with white hair, glared at the emperor.

    ¡°Your empress has caused too many problems. The priestess was nearly killed to fill her ambitions! Without the priestess, this world will not survive much longer. If you do not wish me to tear her to shreds then deal with her before the day is out,¡± Byakko snapped.

    The emperor bowed. His face also showed anger. ¡°Do not worry, Lord Byakko. The empress will not survive the day.¡±

    ¡°She is probably going to insist that it was me trying to assassinate you, father emperor,¡± Guangfeng mused. ¡°We could use that against her.¡±

    ¡°That will take too long. Let us go.¡± The emperor brushed off his robes, straightened his crown, and headed toward the front of the empress¡¯ palace.

    Guangfeng bowed and looked over at Yuelan. He sighed and took off his outer robe to wrap around her before picking her up and carrying her with him.

    ¡°I will stay with my priestess¡¯ servants until they wake. Then I will bring them to you.¡± Byakko shifted back into his tiger form and settled himself beside Willow and Leila.

    ***

    In front of the empress¡¯ palace was chaos. The empress was sobbing into the arms of a maid about how the emperor was dead and Guangfeng had killed him before starting the fire. Servants and guards were working to put out the fire, but it seemed to be larger than it should have been and some of the fire had already reached the front. Nobody noticed the emperor and Guangfeng arrive at first. The first one to do so was a palace maid who was so shocked she fell to the ground and cried out, ¡°Your Majesty! The emperor is alive!¡±

    The empress stopped sobbing immediately and turned to glare at the emperor and then at Guangfeng, who was carrying the still unconscious Yuelan. Everyone else paused their efforts to put out the fire to look and stared with wide eyes.

    ¡°Continue to put out the fire. Do not let it spread to the other buildings of the palace,¡± the emperor commanded. ¡°The empress is lacking in compassion, modesty, sincerity, humility, and every other way. She has attempted to murder the Dragon Priestess and bring ruin on the entire world. Remove her head at once then arrest his highness the first prince and her nine generations. They are to remain under house arrest until the evidence has been presented to the court. I hereby remove the empress¡¯ title and demote her to the rank of commoner. Throw her headless body in a mass grave.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The guards and maids stared for a moment, until a head guard bellowed for them to carry out their orders, walked over to the empress, and cut off her head himself with the sword he drew from his belt before she even had time to scream.

    Yuelan was just starting to wake up and opened her eyes in time to witness the empress¡¯ decapitation. She paled, turned green, then started to vomit. She really did try to avoid getting any on Guangfeng, who quickly set her down, but still got quite a lot on his lower robes and shoes. Her eyes filled with tears and her entire body trembled.

    Guangfeng anxiously held her up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright? She can¡¯t hurt you anymore. There¡¯s no need to be so afraid.¡±

    The emperor looked over and frowned. ¡°Take the priestess to rest. She has had a trying day and must be shocked.¡±

    Yuelan continued to vomit until there was nothing left in her stomach and by then Byakko, Willow, and Leila had arrived. The latter two looked like they were still recovering from the effects of the incense.

    ¡°Take her to the Peony Palace,¡± the emperor instructed Guangfeng.

    The third prince nodded and lifted Yuelan onto Byakko¡¯s back then led the way to the Peony Palace, which was closest to the emperor¡¯s own palace.

    They were halfway there when Yuelan finally spoke. ¡°Horrible.¡± She shuddered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yuelan. I should have arrived sooner.¡± Guangfeng reached up to gently squeeze her hand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve never seen someone die before.¡± Her hand was trembling and there were still tears in her eyes. ¡°It was horrible.¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s eyes widened in sudden comprehension. The empress¡¯ death had made his fiance uncomfortable. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it any more. After all the things she had done, she got better than she deserved.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that? She was still a person, Guangfeng. Even if she wasn¡¯t a very good person.¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice trembled and she started to cry again.

    ¡°She killed my mother. She had you kidnapped more than once and tried to kill you. She tried to kill me and my father. The former empress was a vicious woman. Even if she had been granted a trial before her death the outcome would have been the same.¡±

    Yuelan looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°What about her family? The innocent people who had nothing at all to do with it?¡±

    Guangfeng looked confused. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course the family of a traitor such as her will be killed.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Yuelan sounded horrified and angry. ¡°No, you cannot kill innocents because of one person¡¯s actions! Especially not children! I won¡¯t allow it!¡± She looked down at Byakko. ¡°Take me back to the emperor!¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Guangfeng pleaded. ¡°There is still time for you to plead on their behalf, Yuelan. The evidence will be presented to the court over the next few days. Clean yourself up and get some rest first. Then you will have a clearer head to think about how to convince the courts to show mercy.¡±

    Yuelan hesitated, then looked over at Guangfeng. She studied his earnest and worried expression before slowly nodding. ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Guangfeng went with Yuelan to the peony palace and sent a servant to go and summon Wei Jun to check her condition. The imperial doctors wouldn¡¯t hurt the emperor, but Guangfeng didn¡¯t trust them with himself or Yuelan. Not yet, at least. He didn¡¯t know which ones had been in the empress¡¯ control and the first prince was still around.

    Palace maids took Yuelan, Willow, and Leila to bathe and change into fresh clothing. By the time Yuelan had finished her bath and was resting on a large couch Wei Jun had arrived. He stepped forward to check her pulse, ask her questions, and examine her overall health before bowing politely. ¡°The priestess will be fine with some rest. The effects of the drugs seem to have already faded, but you received quite a shock. Please rest well and calm your heart. Have some tea.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and leaned back against the couch. ¡°Thank you, Doctor Wei.¡± She let out a sigh, then looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°Will you please ask the Emperor to come here? I want to speak with him about the current situation.¡±

    Guangfeng hesitated, then sighed and nodded. ¡°Since it seems you won¡¯t rest until you have spoken to him, I will go.¡± He reached out and gently stroked her hair once before turning and walking out of the peony palace.

    ¡°Willow, give Dr. Wei his fee and find a eunuch to escort him out of the palace,¡± Yuelan instructed. Her maid saluted and took the doctor with her as she headed out of the room, leaving only Leila, Byakko, and Yuelan left in the room.

    ¡°What shocked you, Priestess?¡± Leila asked as she sat down. ¡°The situation? Or something else?¡±

    ¡°The empress was beheaded right in front of me.¡± Yuelan shuddered. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about that moment. ¡°It was horrible. I¡¯ve never seen someone die before¡­.¡± Her voice grew quieter until she fell silent and her eyes filled with tears.

    Leila moved to sit beside Yuelan and put an arm around her shoulders. ¡°At least she can¡¯t hurt you anymore. Or anyone else. I¡¯ve seen the papers Yun Cai put together to present to the emperor. He¡¯s quite efficient and thorough. That woman did a lot of terrible things.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Yes, but that wasn¡¯t something I ever wanted to see.¡± She leaned against Leila, accepting the comfort of the older woman.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Leila gently patted Yuelan¡¯s back to try and calm her down. ¡°I hope you will not need to get used to such sights, Priestess, but it may be unavoidable. Still, mourning your enemy¡¯s fate like this makes you a better person than many. Enough situations like this and so many people become numb to the deaths occurring around them.¡±

    Willow returned at that moment with a couple of palace maids carrying things for tea. The maid prepared the tea and handed a cup to her mistress before moving to the side.

    ¡°Thank you, both of you.¡± Yuelan took a sip of the tea and let out a sigh. ¡°Rather than getting used to seeing someone killed in front of me, I would prefer to never see it again.¡±

    ¡°The emperor has arrived!¡± A eunuch proclaimed from the doorway.

    Leila stood and bowed and Willow knelt with her head bowed. Yuelan stayed where she was and took another sip of tea.

    ¡°Priestess,¡± the emperor gave her a polite half bow. ¡°My son expressed you wished to see me and you were distressed after what happened with the empress. I apologize. I should have been more considerate of you.¡±

    Yuelan waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s not just that, Your Majesty. Guangfeng said something about nine generations of her family being killed. So many innocents who had nothing to do with it. And how many of them are only children? I ask that only those actually responsible be held accountable. Don¡¯t murder innocents that had nothing to do with it.¡±

    The emperor studied Yuelan in silence for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Priestess is magnanimous. I will do as you ask. Please feel free to rest here in this palace until you¡¯ve recovered.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No. After I finish my tea I¡¯ll return to my own residence to recover. I¡¯m more comfortable there.¡±

    The emperor nodded. ¡°I will have Guangfeng prepare to escort you home and send more hidden guards to protect you. With the former empress gone you could be in danger from those seeking to avenge her.¡±

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°I understand. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Please excuse me, Priestess. I have many things to attend to after what happened today.¡± The emperor bowed and headed out of the peony palace.

    Guangfeng had been behind his father and he stepped aside as the emperor left. When it was just them in the room, Guangfeng walked over and bent down to place a light kiss on Yuelan¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home. You can just ride on Byakko and take it easy.¡±

    She gave him a tense smile. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng. I appreciate what you¡¯ve done for me today.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and held a hand out to help her stand up then supported her over to Byakko and helped her climb up onto the white tiger¡¯s back. ¡°It is both my duty and my pleasure, Yuelan.¡±

 Chapter 113

    When they reached the Crystal Moon Residence Yuelan was still trembling. Guangfeng helped her down and frowned a little as he studied her pale face and felt her trembling hands. ¡°Yuelan¡­¡±

    She looked up at him, her green eyes filled with anxiety. ¡°Will you stay for a while and play chess with me?¡±

    Guangfeng¡¯s expression softened and he smiled as he gently stroked her cheek. ¡°Of course. Shall I invite Liling and young general Chang to come as well?¡±

    Yuelan shook her head. ¡°No. But maybe Yun Cai has some stories he can share to help me take my mind off what happened.¡±

    I will inform Lueduo to bring him here. Byakko¡¯s voice was gentle and he rubbed his head against Yuelan to offer reassurance.

    ¡°Thank you, Byakko.¡± The priestess patted the tiger¡¯s head and headed toward the main hall of her residence. ¡°Chung Soo, have someone pull out the jade chess set I received for my birthday.¡±

    The steward bowed and sent one of the nearby servants to fetch the set from where it was stored while Guangfeng walked hand in hand with Yuelan to the main hall. Willow, Leila, and Chung Soo followed behind the prince and priestess.

    When they reached the main hall, Guangfeng helped Yuelan sit on the cushioned seat of the wooden couch with a table set in the middle. He then sat on the other side of the table and reached across it to hold her hand. ¡°Are you alright?¡± The third prince¡¯s eyes were filled with concern.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Yuelan admitted. ¡°I could use a hug.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and stood up. He walked over to her and bent down to wrap his arms around her. ¡°I¡¯m happy to oblige.¡±

    Yuelan cuddled into his embrace and rested her head against his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the steady beating of his heart.

    Chung Soo and Willow looked like they wanted to object, but Leila waved them off. ¡°Leave them alone about it. This is something the priestess requested, after all. And after what happened at the palace I think she needs it.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Chung Soo turned and went to call Laurel, who was already arriving with a tray of sweets and Camphor right behind carrying a tea set. The two maids nearly dropped their trays when they saw the third prince embracing Yuelan, but they quickly recovered and focused on serving the tea.

    Yuelan leaned against Guangfeng, who remained standing and bent over slightly rather than joining her on her side of the couch, until Yun Cai arrived with Lueduo on his shoulder. The raven eyed Byakko for a moment before flying up to perch on top of one of the beams along the ceiling.

    ¡°Priestess. Lueduo said you sent for me.¡± Yun Cai knelt in a deep salute, his focus on Yuelan while he pretended not to see Guangfeng standing with her.

    Yuelan took a breath and slowly let it out then moved away from Guangfeng, who released her and sat down on the other side of the couch again. ¡°I did. I was hoping you had some stories to share to help distract me from the events that happened in the palace today.¡±

    Yun Cai gave the priestess a sympathetic look. ¡°I heard about that from Lueduo. She saw what happened to the former empress. What sort of story would you like, Priestess? I know several.¡±

    ¡°Anything. I just need a distraction.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at Yun Cai. ¡°Something light-hearted,¡± he suggested.

    The information broker nodded and studied Yuelan for a moment before smiling. ¡°When I was in a small village a few years ago there was a married couple who got into a fight. The husband had been secretly hiding away money from his wife and she found the sum. They¡¯d been struggling to buy food for the past couple of years, so she was furious when she found such a large sum of money. You could hear her shouting at him through the entire town, so I went to take a peek. She was chasing him with one of her shoes in her hand and hitting him with it while he tried to explain. It wasn¡¯t until she was too tired to keep going that he finally managed to get a word in and told her that the money he¡¯d been setting aside was to buy enough cloth that she could make herself new clothes. He¡¯d noticed that she kept repairing her old ones with patches so that he and the children would have new clothes because there wasn¡¯t enough cloth for her, so he wanted to buy extra cloth so she could have some nice clothes. The wife looked a little lost for a moment, then hugged him and apologized. He gave her the money, since she¡¯d found it, and after that I don¡¯t know what happened. I was there for another reason and just happened to have a spare moment to watch the scene.¡±

    Yuelan smiled a little. ¡°That poor husband. It sounds like his wife is quite fierce. I hope things are going better between them now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they are.¡± Guangfeng smiled at her. ¡°I hope you will trust me and ask before you make an assumption when you learn I¡¯m doing something.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Yuelan promised. ¡°I¡¯ll at least not chase after you with a shoe.¡±

    The third prince chuckled. ¡°Thank you. If you did I¡¯m sure the servants would be very amused, but it would be quite embarrassing for both of us in the end.¡±

 Chapter 114

    The servant who had been sent to get the chess set came into the room and set it on the table in the middle of the wooden couch then bowed and went back to their other work. Yuelan felt the timing was perfect and she turned to Guangfeng. ¡°Do you want black or white?¡±

    ¡°How skilled are you?¡± Guangfeng countered, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever played each other before.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t played in a while, but I used to play with my dad,¡± Yuelan answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that good.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you go first.¡± He offers her a small box with her pieces. ¡°And perhaps give you some tips while we¡¯re playing so you can improve.¡±

    Yuelan gave him a small smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She started setting up the flat, white pieces with red characters on the board while he set up the ones with black characters. The pieces were all made of milk-white jade that matched the board. Lines were carved into the board to mark the spaces.

    After they were done setting up the game, Yuelan made the first move. Guangfeng didn¡¯t say anything during the first game as he gauged his fiance¡¯s skill level. When the game ended with his win he started explaining as they played the second. The lesson took them until dinner and Guangfeng joined Yuelan for the meal at her request before leaving for his residence.

    The occasional light-hearted story from Yun Cai along with the lesson and meal with Guangfeng helped Yuelan calm down. She headed to her courtyard and changed into her sleeping robe. While Camphor brushed Yuelan¡¯s hair, Laurel made Yuelan some tea.

    ¡°This will help you calm down and sleep well, priestess,¡± Laurel explained as she poured the tea into a cup and offered it to Yuelan. ¡°Camomile and lavender.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Laurel.¡± Yuelan accepted the cup and sipped her tea. She finished it about the same time Camphor finished with brushing her hair. ¡°Get some rest, everyone. Tomorrow I¡¯ll need to attend court to speak up for those whose only ¡®crime¡¯ is being related to the first prince¡¯s mother.¡±

    The maids all saluted Yuelan and headed to their rooms to rest, except for Laurel who had the night shift and settled herself in a chair near Yuelan¡¯s bed to be available if Yuelan needed anything.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ***

    The next morning, the three maids helped Yuelan into her white and silver priestess robes and did her hair up in a formal style with plenty of decorative pins. A silver chain with a large aquamarine centered in her forehead wrapped around and was braided into her hair, which was then wrapped carefully around wires into two loops atop her head. A dragon-shaped, silver headpiece was set where the two loops met in the middle, sitting on her head like a crown and small pear pins and other light colored gems were set along her wound hair.

    Once all the preparations were completed, Yuelan headed out of her courtyard and, with the help of her maids, climbed onto Byakko¡¯s back. The white tiger left her residence and headed for the imperial palace. Waiting for her at the palace gates was Guangfeng. Instead of helping her down from Byakko, he walked at the tiger¡¯s side and led the way to the emperor¡¯s palace where the trial was to take place.

    ¡°Did you get any sleep last night, Yuelan?¡± Guangfeng asked her.

    ¡°I did. Thank you for staying with me yesterday. I¡¯m sure you had other things you needed to be doing instead.¡± Yuelan smiled down at him.

    Guangfeng smiled up at her. ¡°It was my pleasure. I was glad you asked for me to stay when you were feeling so distressed.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression turned solemn and she sighed. ¡°If not you, then who? You are the one I am closest to here. Though even if my father were here I still would have asked for you to stay as well.¡±

    The question she had asked made Guangfeng nervous, but he relaxed when she finished what she was saying. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you say that. It¡¯s reassuring to have you rely on me.¡± He reached up and took her hand for a moment before releasing it. ¡°Are you ready for the trial?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to one before, but I¡¯m sure this will be very different from the ones I have seen.¡± Yuelan sighed.

    ¡°Everything will be alright. We will ask Father Emperor to seek justice for you and my mother together.¡±

    I will also be with you, Byakko adds. I will take my human form once we are inside to quell any argument that you are indeed the priestess.

    Yuelan pats Byakko and smiles at Guangfeng. ¡°Thank you, both of you.¡±

    The three stopped just outside the emperor¡¯s palace and Guangfeng spoke to one of the guards before they were let inside and he showed her the way to the throne room. It only took a couple of minutes for them to arrive at the large, red, double doors that were open and waiting for them.

 Chapter 115

    ¡°Her holiness the priestess has arrived! His highness the crown prince has arrived!¡± The call of the eunuch announced their presence at the doors and Guangfeng walked through with Byakko carrying Yuelan right beside him. Everyone in the hall stood and bowed themselves to the ground except the emperor, who only stood and bowed from the waist in Yuelan¡¯s direction.

    When they reached the dais, Guangfeng helped Yuelan come down off Byakko¡¯s back and the large, white tiger shifted into his human form: a tall, pale skinned, black haired man with golden eyes. The members of the court struggled not to gasp in amazement. Some of them failed and the soft sounds filled the throne room.

    Byakko and Guangfeng each took one of Yuelan¡¯s hands and helped her to sit in a seat right beside the emperor¡¯s that had obviously been prepared for her. It was made of silver and done in the shape of a coiled dragon, head high and one five-toed claw lifted up in a defensive manner around one side of where Yuelan sat. The white tiger then moved to stand just behind the chair and Guangfeng stepped off the dais.

    ¡°You may all rise,¡± Yuelan said calmly as she placed her hands in her lap.

    The shuffling noise of people getting to their feet was quickly replaced with silence that lingered for a couple of minutes before the emperor spoke. ¡°Bring them in.¡±

    There was no announcement this time as the first prince and his mother¡¯s family, the Lin family, were brought in. Chains bound their hands together and connected their feet with only enough length between them for the prisoners to walk. The emperor turned to look at Guangfeng and Yuelan.

    Guangfeng stepped forward and bowed low. ¡°Father emperor, this son begs you to seek justice for my mother, the first empress, and for my fiance, the dragon priestess, for myself, and for your royal person.¡±

    The emperor looked to Yuelan. ¡°Your Holiness?¡±

    ¡°I have allowed Guangfeng to speak for me for the moment,¡± Yuelan replied. ¡°I have not recovered from the shock caused by yesterday¡¯s events. If my testimony is required, I will give it, but for now I have asked Guangfeng to handle things.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The emperor nodded and turned back to Guangfeng. ¡°Speak. What evidence do you have and what charges do you wish to place?¡±

    ¡°The former empress, Li Fenju of the Li family, was a vicious woman. She conspired against my brothers, save for her own son, poisoned my mother the first empress, and caused the deaths of my mother, various concubines, and many unborn royal children. She also ordered the abduction of the dragon priestess, attempted to force the priestess into marrying the first prince, and attempted the murder of the emperor, myself, and the priestess. I have gathered the evidence and information here.¡± Guangfeng stepped forward and the servant carrying a thick book stepped forward, raising the book and bowing, as the crown prince gestured toward him.

    A eunuch stepped forward at the emperor¡¯s signal and received the book then delivered it to the emperor.

    Everyone in the hall waited as the emperor looked through the pages one by one. ¡°Make copies and have them distributed to my senior officials. We demand a thorough investigation into the crimes of Li Fenju and her family starting with determining the authenticity of this evidence.¡±

    Guangfeng gestured to his servant again. ¡°Son has already arranged for these copies, Your Majesty. With your permission, they can be delivered immediately.¡±

    The emperor nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Our son, the crown prince, is intelligent and efficient, helping with our burden. We will reward him with one hundred thousand taels.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for this grace.¡± Guangfeng bowed to his father then signaled for his servant to go and collect the copies to distribute with the help of the palace eunuchs.

    As the copies were being passed around, a eunuch suddenly rushed up to the emperor and whispered in his ear. The emperor¡¯s expression turned more and more serious. ¡°Let them in.¡±

    The doors to the throne room opened and three men walked toward the throne. Long He was one. The other was a tall, beautiful man with light blue hair and azure eyes. He had a proud bearing and an angry expression on his face.

    The third was someone Yuelan recognized immediately. He was of average height with short, dark hair parted on one side. Instead of robes, he wore a black suit, white dress shirt, silver cufflinks, and a purple tie.

    ¡°Daddy!¡± Yuelan ignored all formality and rushed toward Long Ansheng. When she was close enough she jumped at him and he caught her up in his arms to hug her.

 Chapter 116

    ¡°Daddy, how did you get here?¡± Yuelan asked as her father set her down on her feet. ¡°Long He said I had to be the one to bring you and I know I didn¡¯t do that!¡±

    Long Ansheng smiled and rubbed Yuelan¡¯s cheek with his thumb. ¡°The Azure Dragon and Long He worked together to bring me here. How could I stay still when I heard that someone tried to kill my precious daughter?¡± The prime minister of Kilin turned his attention to Xiong Lijun, Emperor of Longuo, and bowed. ¡°Your Majesty. This prime minister apologizes for coming unannounced and uninvited. I was worried for my daughter after receiving word of what happened and could not rest until I had seen her for myself.¡±

    Xiong Lijun waved a hand. ¡°We have heard of you before, Prime Minister Long. The priestess speaks fondly of you. It is natural to worry about your children.¡± He turned to a eunuch nearby. ¡°Prepare a seat on the dais for Prime Minister Long of Kilin. Place his chair beside that of the priestess.¡±

    The eunuchs worked quickly to prepare the seat while Yuelan turned to Long He and the azure-haired man beside him. She saluted the second. ¡°Great-grandfather. It is my pleasure to see you again. Thank you for bringing my father to me.¡±

    The azure dragon smiled and reached out a hand to gently touch Yuelan¡¯s face. ¡°Of course. I cannot keep him here for long, but it should be long enough for him to stay through the court proceedings.¡±

    Yuelan nodded, took her father¡¯s hand, and dragged him up to the dais. His chair had been prepared, so he sat on it and Yuelan sat on her own.

    The emperor looked out at the court. ¡°Begin.¡±

    For the next several hours, every piece of evidence and testimony that Yun Cai had gathered was presented to the imperial court. The emperor and Long Ansheng both paid close attention, but Yuelan started to feel drowsy after the first hour and struggled to stay awake. She was only seventeen! And politics wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d ever been interested in!

    Noticing his daughter¡¯s drowsiness, Ansheng leaned over to whisper to his daughter. ¡°Do not show others that you are bored. Sit tall and keep a strong expression.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and shifted in her chair to follow his instructions.

    Finally, the presentation of crimes reached the point where Yuelan had been the victim. The first kidnapping attempt where they had thought it was only Lanzhou involved turned out to have been the empress¡¯ doing as well. Yuelan¡¯s abduction and imprisonment where she had been starved, tied up, and kept in a dark room was brought to light as both the doing of the empress and her son the first prince. As each item was brought forward, each injustice done to Yuelan, her father¡¯s hands tightened on the arms of his chair and his expression darkened.

    Finally, the incident with the fire in the palace was revealed: the empress had attempted to murder the dragon priestess, the crown prince, and the emperor. She had drugged them and left them to die in the flames.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The court officials were outraged and started shouting for the death of the Lin family¡¯s nine generations. At that moment, Yuelan stood and the hall fell silent.

    ¡°Your Majesty, officials of Longuo¡¯s imperial court, I have something to say.¡± Her voice was calm and steady as she made her way off the dais to stand in the middle of the room. Her white and silver robes almost seemed to glow as she moved and her green eyes were filled with determination.

    ¡°Killing nine generations for the actions of a few is no better than slaughtering hundreds of innocents. Only those who participated in the crimes or had knowledge of them but did nothing should be held accountable. Children should not be held responsible for the actions of their parents.¡± She looked around at the officials, her back straight. ¡°Can a child tell a parent not to do something and expect the parent to listen? No. Children are taught to respect their elders, to obey and not to disagree. Those who have been taught falsely should be given an opportunity to learn proper behavior rather than ending their lives before they have the chance to learn. The titles of their parents should, of course, be removed, which would turn the children into commoners, but that is still better than having them lose their lives for something they had no involvement in beyond sharing blood with someone who committed a crime.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s green eyes scanned the room. ¡°Those who are responsible for what happened have been listed in the reports. Have mercy on the innocent.¡±

    The throne room was silent as Yuelan returned to her seat. Her father reached over and patted her hand as he gave her a tense smile. Anger seethed in his eyes, but it wasn¡¯t directed at her. ¡°Well spoken, Yuelan,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Your mother would have been very proud.¡±

    The emperor looked over at Yuelan and her father, then out at the gathered officials. ¡°Out of respect for the dragon priestess, We will follow her words. Only those who have committed the crimes will be punished for them. The innocents will be left to themselves to learn from the mistakes of their family members. Carry out the punishment and spread word. Court dismissed.¡±

    He stood and nodded to Long Ansheng. ¡°Prime Minister Long, We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the union between our children.¡±

    The prime minister of Kilin stood. ¡°I think there are other things to be discussing, Your Majesty.¡± His tone is firm and his expression hardened. ¡°My precious daughter has not been treated well. Long He assured me that she would be cared for and respected while living here and I did not need to worry, but it seems that was not the truth. Unless things change, there will be no wedding between my daughter and your son.¡±

    The officials had not yet left and every one of them stiffened and turned toward the dais at Long Ansheng¡¯s words.

    The emperor sighed. ¡°You are correct. It was my intention to keep the priestess happy and well cared for and my former empress went against such intentions and caused your daughter great harm. You have my promise that it will not happen again.¡±

    Yuelan stood up and hugged her father¡¯s arm. She smiled up at him. ¡°Daddy, I like Guangfeng and he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. He¡¯s been trying to help me and keep me safe from the very beginning. Besides, you met him before and didn¡¯t say you had a problem with him.¡±

    Ansheng looked at his daughter with a doting expression and put a hand on her head. ¡°I know. But I cannot stand for the treatment you have received. You were never treated this terribly while you were at home. If it weren¡¯t because you have to stay here for your own health I would never allow you to remain.¡±

 Chapter 117

    The prime minister of Kilin turned his attention back to the emperor. ¡°I require more than just your promise that my daughter will be safe and treated well, Your Majesty. My daughter is more precious to me than anything else and she lost her mother at a young age. That I have to live separately from her while she still has not come of age breaks my heart, but I allow it because there is no other way for her to live a long life.¡±

    Longuo¡¯s emperor nodded. ¡°I cannot control the actions of others, but the former Empress who harmed the priestess has already been put to death.¡±

    Yuelan shivered at those words, causing her father to frown and put an arm around her to rub her back. ¡°What else will be done? I doubt your former empress was the only one to hold such intentions toward my daughter.¡±

    ¡°I will increase the security around her by adding more hidden guards,¡± the emperor answered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Everyone turned to look at the one who spoke, the blue-haired man Yuelan recognized as the Azure Dragon. ¡°I will protect my granddaughter myself. My son has been very busy with his responsibilities as the keeper of the gateway and now that Yuelan has restored the magic in the east and I have settled things in what you humans call the ¡®barren lands¡¯ I am free to roam at will. Just gather your people in a large area. They can bear witness to Yuelan and I forming the bond between the priestess and the Azure Dragon.¡±

    Byakko studied the Azure dragon. ¡°Seiryuu, what are you planning? What do you mean by granddaughter?¡±

    The Azure Dragon smirked. ¡°The first dragon priestess was my daughter. Naturally, her descendant is my granddaughter. Her heritage will awaken fully soon. My presence would be necessary at that point anyway. Too many generations have passed with my daughter¡¯s descendants marrying normal humans. Yuelan¡¯s body will be unstable for some time when she awakens and Long He is not strong enough to contain her.¡±

    All the humans in the room, except for Yuelan, stared at the Azure dragon and Yuelan in shock. Even Yuelan¡¯s father was surprised, though the surprise quickly turned to concern. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®contain her¡¯? What will happen to my daughter?¡±

    Seiryuu looked over and smiled. ¡°As the dragon blood flowing through her awakens there will be some physical changes. What those are, I can¡¯t tell you. It could be anything, short of her turning fully into a dragon. Without assistance, it could be dangerous, but with my presence she will be perfectly safe, if potentially very uncomfortable.¡±

    Long Ansheng studied Seiryuu, as if measuring how much he could trust the blue-haired human-looking man. ¡°How can you be sure?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Because I helped my own daughter through her awakening. It isn¡¯t common, but I have helped a few other children born between dragons and humans with theirs over the centuries as well.¡±

    Ansheng nodded. ¡°Then I will entrust my daughter¡¯s safety to you.¡±

    Seiryuu¡¯s expression was calm as he nodded. ¡°Leave it to me. With two Legendary Beasts protecting her, one of them witnessed by everyone, there should be few who would dare to make an attempt on her physical well-being. Though with her engaged to a prince, I am sure she will have to deal with the occasional jealous woman. Humans can be quite silly that way.¡±

    Yuelan rolled her eyes. ¡°Are you all done talking about how I¡¯m going to live my life now? Because I think I should have some say in it.¡± She put her hands on her hips and frowned at her father.

    ¡°You do have some say in it, Yuelan. But as your father and with you still being underage, it is my responsibility to ensure your safety. What you do is up to you. Who protects you and how much protection you receive is up to me.¡± Ansheng bent down to kiss her forehead. ¡°I lost your mother. I don¡¯t want to lose you, too. And if you are going to survive long enough for me to retire and for you to bring me here then I need to make sure you are safe and no one else gets so close to taking your life as they already have here.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and relaxed, lowering her hands. ¡°Fine.¡±

    Guangfeng let out a chuckle a few steps away.

    ¡°Something amusing about this, Prince Guangfeng?¡± Ansheng asked, frowning a little.

    ¡°Just remembering a similar conversation I had with Yuelan not so long ago. It ultimately resulted in my visit to Kilin and meeting you.¡± Guangfeng smiled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this conversation is really appropriate to be having in the middle of Longuo¡¯s court,¡± Yuelan cut in again. ¡°Daddy, why don¡¯t we let his majesty finish dealing with his kingdom¡¯s affairs and I¡¯ll take you to see my residence here?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Priestess, but court has already been dismissed,¡± Emperor Xiong Lijun reminded her. ¡°Prime Minister Long, please enjoy your stay here in Longuo.¡± The emperor stood, frowned at his lingering ministers, and then headed out of the throne room.

    The ministers quickly scattered, leaving only Yuelan, Guangfeng, Ansheng. Long He, Seiryuu, and Byakko behind.

    Seiryuu looked over at Guangfeng. ¡°Your Highness, please work with his majesty to arrange the bonding ceremony. There need to be as many people as possible to witness it. Commoners, officials, royalty. Even delegates from other nations. I understand it will take time, but it will put an end to any rumors that Yuelan is anything but the dragon priestess.¡±

    Guangfeng nodded and saluted Ansheng. ¡°Please enjoy your stay, Ansheng. I will look forward to when you can move here permanently.¡±

    Ansheng nodded and looked over at his daughter. ¡°Shall we, then Yuelan? I would love to see the residence his majesty gave you.¡±

    Yuelan hugged her father and smiled. ¡°I think you¡¯ll really like it.¡±

 Chapter 118

    Once they had left the palace, Yuelan chose to ride in Guangfeng¡¯s carriage with her fiance and her father so she could have more time with her father. Byakko shifted to house-cat size and curled up inside the carriage in her lap.

    ¡°How long can you stay, Daddy?¡± Yuelan asked Long Ansheng. She had an anxious and eager expression on her face.

    Ansheng smiled and reached a hand out to pat his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Just for today. I have important meetings to attend to before my term is up. In a few months, I will be able to come here with you permanently.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you. A lot. I was glad to get your letter for my birthday, but it would have been better if I could have seen you.¡±

    Her father smiled. ¡°It would have been. I¡¯ve missed you as well. I had no idea things were so hard for you living here alone.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°It has been hard, but Guangfeng has helped me a lot and I¡¯ve made some good friends here. Things like what the empress did haven¡¯t actually happened that much.¡± After a bit, she smiled at her father. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten to do a lot more traveling than I did back home. I went to a neighboring country and a place called the ¡®Barren Lands¡¯ even though it¡¯s covered in forests. I¡¯ll get to go to two more countries as well.¡±

    Ansheng chuckled. ¡°Good. You always did want to travel, but I couldn¡¯t take you on any of my trips because they were too far from the library. You couldn¡¯t leave the capital or it would have put you at risk.¡±

    ¡°Why would it have put her at risk? She does just fine away from it here.¡± Guangfeng interrupted.

    ¡°Her mother explained it better. It has something to do with the magic inside Yuelan and the fact that there is no magic in the world Yuelan grew up in. The only source of magic there is the library and because Yuelan requires that magic to survive, she couldn¡¯t be taken too far away from it,¡± Ansheng explained.

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°So there are other sources of magic here?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Perhaps you should ask Long He or Seiryuu about that,¡± Ansheng suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this world except what Yuelan or Long He have told me.¡±

    The prince nodded. ¡°I will.¡±

    The carriage pulled to a stop then and Guangfeng and Ansheng got down before reaching in to help Yuelan off it. It wasn¡¯t until after his daughter was safely on the ground that Kilin¡¯s prime minister turned to look at his daughter¡¯s house. An approving smile spread across his lips.

    ¡°Your home is beautiful, Yuelan,¡± Ansheng praised.

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Thank you, Daddy. The emperor gave it to me. Along with most of the guards and servants.¡± Her smile turned into a slight frown. ¡°Some of them refused to take their contracts back from me.¡±

    Ansheng nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t force someone to accept change. That you offered means a lot to them I am sure. Why don¡¯t you give me a tour and then play a song for me on your mother¡¯s guzheng before I go back?¡±

    ¡°I would love that, Daddy.¡± She grabbed her father¡¯s hand and ran inside the residence. Behind them, Guangfeng chuckled and followed along.

    The servants were startled to see a grown man older than Guangfeng being pulled along by Yuelan, but none of them asked about it until Granny Bing Mei arrived with Chung Soo.

    ¡°Miss, who is this man? Holding the hand of someone who is not your husband is improper.¡± The older woman¡¯s chiding tone was gentle but firm.

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°Granny Mei, this is my father, Long Ansheng, Prime Minister of Kilin.¡±

    Ansheng gave a slight bow to the elderly woman. ¡°It is good to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter.¡±

    Granny Mei nodded. ¡°It is what I should do as a servant. There is no need for thanks.¡±

    ¡°And this is Chung Soo, my steward,¡± Yuelan added, indicating the eunuch.

    ¡°My Lord.¡± The eunuch bowed and his voice had that oddly high pitch to it you wouldn¡¯t normally find in a man.

    ¡°These two have been very helpful. Granny Mei has been teaching me about etiquette and culture and Chung Soo manages the manor for me along with most of my errands and handling the servants,¡± Yuelan explained.

    Ansheng sighed when he heard Chung Soo¡¯s voice, but said nothing. He managed a smile and nodded to the two servants. ¡°Thank you for taking good care of my daughter. She seems to be in much better health than the last time I saw her.¡±

    Both servants bowed. ¡°It is both our duty and our privilege, my lord,¡± Chung Soo replied.

 Chapter 119

    Yuelan showed her father all around the Crystal Moon residence and then took him to her conservatory to play the guzheng for him. Guangfeng stayed as well and the two men talked while they listened to Yuelan¡¯s performance. After dinner and a tearful goodbye on Yuelan¡¯s part, Seiryuu took Ansheng back to Kilin.

    The next morning came an imperial decree that added more guards to Yuelan¡¯s residence along with a proclamation declaring to the entire city that a festival would be held the following month in Yuelan¡¯s honor in the middle of the city and all were invited to attend. The emperor himself and the entire royal family would be present.

    Yuelan accepted the decree and then looked over at Willow, Camphor, and Laurel. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go and take a look at my shops today,¡± she told her three personal maids. ¡°I already have my clothes for the festival, but we can look at accessories while we¡¯re out.¡±

    Camphor smiled and saluted Yuelan. ¡°The shopkeepers will appreciate your visit, my lady. Is there anyone you would like to meet for tea at Red Orchid Tea House when we make our way there?¡±

    ¡°Send invitations to the young misses from the Zhou and Zhao families. I haven¡¯t seen them in a while and it would be nice to catch up. We¡¯ll look for accessories after we visit the tea house. Invite them to come with us then as well.¡± Yuelan looked at Laurel and nodded her head.

    Laurel saluted and went to fetch her younger brother, Rowan, and deliver the messages to the two houses with him so he could learn the way.

    ¡°Willow, please go inform Leila of my plans for the day. As my guard, she will be coming with us as well.¡± Yuelan smiled at Camphor. ¡°And that leaves you to help me get ready.¡±

    Camphor and Willow offered salutes and Willow left Yuelan¡¯s courtyard to find Leila while Camphor helped Yuelan dress, do her hair, and prepare to leave the residence for the day. Preparations took a couple of hours and by the time she¡¯d finished, Laurel and Rowan had returned to the residence.

    As Yuelan stepped out of her courtyard, Chung Soo was just arriving. He saluted Yuelan. ¡°Your Grace, I would like to begin training young Rowan. He is serious in his duties and would make an excellent steward some day when I am too old to continue serving you.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Chung Soo. You have my permission.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡± The steward saluted her again. ¡°I will begin his education immediately.¡±

    ¡°He is still young, Chung Soo. Give him regular breaks to play throughout the day and make sure he eats well. Have him receive some training from the guards as well.¡± Yuelan felt it would be good for him to know how to defend himself, just in case.

    The steward nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Behind Yuelan, Laurel had begun to look anxious. ¡°Miss¡­Rowan is my family¡¯s only son. If he becomes your steward then¡­¡±

    Chung Soo smiled as he interrupted Laurel. ¡°Her Grace is against turning men and boys into eunuchs, Laurel. While it goes against tradition, your brother will be safe from that fate so long as he continues to loyally serve our mistress.¡±

    Laurel relaxed and let out a sigh. ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡±

    Yuelan looked over at Laurel, her expression serious. ¡°Did you really think that I would rescue him from that fate just to do it myself? Laurel, do you think so little of me?¡±

    The young maid paled and lowered herself to her knees. ¡°This servant misspoke. I know you would never do something like that. It was only concern for my brother and a moment¡¯s fear that brought out such a question. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Stand up, Laurel.¡± Yuelan reached out to help her maid to her feet. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t punish you for being concerned about your family. Just remember to think things through next time. Trust in me a little more than you do right now.¡±

    Laurel nodded and stood without accepting Yuelan¡¯s help. ¡°Yes, Miss. Thank you.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now, let¡¯s go find Leila and be on our way.¡± She looked back at Chung Soo. ¡°I will be visiting my shops today and then shopping for accessories.¡±

    The steward bowed. ¡°Please enjoy yourself, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Yuelan headed toward the manor gates, looking around for Leila as she went. It didn¡¯t take long for the Hechuan woman to join them.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have enough accessories, Yuelan?¡± Leila teased as she approached.

    Yuelan shrugged. ¡°The ones I have are beautiful, but a little too formal for a festival like this. And the ones that would normally be perfect are the wrong color. Besides, I¡¯d like to pick something out for myself rather than having only gifts from others.¡±

    Leila chuckled. ¡°What a difficult problem, being so well liked that you have too many presents and no excuses to go shopping for yourself.¡±

 Chapter 120

    Yuelan looked up at the sky as she stepped out of the palace with her maids. It felt like it might rain, but the skies were clear. She shrugged the feeling off and smiled as Byakko came out in the form of a large, white tiger. ¡°You¡¯re going to insist, aren¡¯t you, Byakko?¡±

    The tiger snorted and nuzzled her. You do not like horses. Let your maids ride the carriage.

    The priestess stroked his head. ¡°Sometimes I think you just enjoy scaring everyone in the capital by running around with me on your back.¡±

    Byakko¡¯s white and black tail flicked. I do find it amusing, though it is mostly to make your identity known and widespread.

    Yuelan nodded and let Camphor and Leila help her up onto the divine beast¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded to both the humans and Byakko. ¡°Camphor, you and the others will ride in the carriage.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ride a horse, Yuelan,¡± Leila replied as a stable hand walked up and offered the Hechuan woman the reins. ¡°Hard to protect you from inside the carriage if you¡¯re outside of it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Yuelan smiled and waited for Leila to mount the horse. She patted Byakko¡¯s neck and they headed off toward her teahouse. As they went, she kept glancing up at the sky and frowning.

    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± Leila called. She would have been next to Yuelan, if her horse wasn¡¯t terrified of Byakko¡¯s presence.

    Yuelan looked back. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s a storm coming, but the sky is so clear. And I¡¯ve never felt like they were coming before.¡±

    Byakko looked over his shoulder and studied Yuelan, then snorted and continued on without saying anything.

    Leila turned her eyes up to the sky and looked around, then shrugged. ¡°Not a single cloud. I still hear the birds too, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll storm for a while, if it does at all.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I just can¡¯t shake the feeling.¡± Yuelan smiled at Leila then looked back at the road. It only took a few more minutes for them to reach Red Orchid Pavilion and when they arrived Zhao Hanju and Zhou Xiuya were already present.

    ¡°Yuelan!¡± Xiuya hurried over to Yuelan and started looking her over. ¡°I heard about what happened at the palace. Father was so furious! How could that woman try to kill you, the emperor, and the crown prince! Are you alright?¡±

    Yuelan smiled and hugged Xiuya. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Xiuya. Physically anyway. I invited you and Hanju to have tea and go shopping with me to help me take my mind off it.¡±

    Hanju stepped over and joined the hugging. ¡°We¡¯re glad you¡¯re alright, Yuelan. The purple stones in the circlet you¡¯re wearing are beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m not sure what it is, but it was my mother¡¯s. Daddy said it has been in her family for a long time.¡± Yuelan stepped back from her two friends. ¡°Shall we head inside?¡±

    The two young ladies who had come to join Yuelan for tea and shopping smiled, nodded, and turned to salute Byakko. ¡°Lord Byakko, it is our honor to meet you.¡± Their greetings were completely in sync.

    Byakko nodded, then shifted to house cat size and jumped at Yuelan, who caught him in her arms.

    ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t know Lord Byakko could make himself smaller! He¡¯s so cute!¡± Hanju blushed and quickly covered her mouth at her mistake, then saluted Byakko and Yuelan. ¡°Please forgive me, I misspoke.¡±

    Yuelan laughed. ¡°No, I agree with you. He is cute like this. This form is more convenient for being inside, so he tends to be like this when he¡¯s going inside with me somewhere unless he wants to make sure people remember who I am by reminding them of who he is.¡±

    Hanju nodded. She looked like she wanted to pet Byakko, but kept her hands down and didn¡¯t ask.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go inside and have tea while we decide where to go shopping.¡± Yuelan walked toward the entrance to Red Orchid Pavilion and stepped inside with her two friends and entourage behind her. The manager bowed and immediately guided them to Yuelan¡¯s personal courtyard.

    One of the top tea servers made and served the tea for Yuelan and the others and stood by quietly while Yuelan, Hanju, and Xiuya chatted about accessories, fabrics, and where they were going to go shopping after they finished their tea. The two minister¡¯s daughters agreed to go with Yuelan to the shops she owned in the capital with her. They were curious about what the Emperor and the princes had given to her before.

 Chapter 121

    Yuelan and her friends had a good time chatting and catching up on what had been happening lately. The Zhou and Zhao families were looking for good matches to be their daughter¡¯s marriage partners, though neither Hanju nor Xiuya were very excited by the prospects. Yuelan offered encouragement and sympathy while her two friends complained about the young men their families were looking into.

    When the tea was gone the girls stood up to leave. As they walked outside there was a loud clap of thunder and the skies that had been clear before they arrived at Red Orchid Pavilion turned overcast and a sudden downpour started.

    ¡°Run for the carriage!¡± Yuelan called out as she started running from the front door of her tea house to the carriage. Hanju and Xiuya followed right behind her and all three girls quickly climbed into Yuelan¡¯s carriage with their servants right behind.

    Byakko was the size of a house cat and he settled himself in Yuelan¡¯s lap. I thought this might happen. The white tiger has a smug air about him. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if those purple rocks on your head were actually what I thought they might be, so I didn¡¯t say anything.

    Yuelan stiffened and looked down at the smug cat in her la, her eyes narrowed. Explain, Byakko.

    I¡¯d heard there was a purple stone that the Dragon Priestess and a select few other individuals could use to predict the future. I think it might be the ones you¡¯re wearing.

    She rubbed her face and looked up as Hanju and Xiuya reached out to put their hands on her knees.

    ¡°Yuelan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiuya asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She knocked on the carriage wall behind the driver. ¡°Take us back to my Crystal Moon Residence. My friends and I will change clothes there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Holiness.¡± The driver set the carriage in motion and the two carriages belonging to the Zhao and Zhou families followed behind.

    Yuelan looked over at her friends and gave them a helpless smile. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to put shopping off for another day. We can¡¯t walk around outside in this weather.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, Yuelan. It means we¡¯ll get to plan another day to spend time together.¡± Xiuya smiled and Hanju nodded in agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. I can play the guzheng for you after we¡¯ve changed into dry clothes if you want. We can set things up for you to paint and dance at the same time.¡± Yuelan smiled.

    The other two young ladies laughed and nodded. ¡°That sounds like fun!¡±

    They chatted happily on the way to the residence and servants held up umbrellas to shield them from the rain as they headed inside to the courtyards where they could change and make themselves presentable.

    ¡°Camphor, please ask Seiryuu to come speak with me,¡± Yuelan requested as her maids finished helping her change her clothes. ¡°It¡¯s important, so I would appreciate it if he came quickly.¡±

    The maid saluted and hurried out of Yuelan¡¯s courtyard to find the azure dragon. She returned after just a couple of minutes sith Seiryuu following behind her.

    ¡°What is it, Yuelan?¡± Sieryuu asked. His forehead was lined and his brow creased with worry.

    ¡°I sensed the storm before it started,¡± Yuelan explained. ¡°Byakko said it might have something to do with the stones in the circlet I¡¯m wearing.¡±

    Seiryuu studied the stones then nodded. ¡°It does. You are wearing charoite. It helps with prophecy and foresight. Did that son of mine not teach you this already?¡±

    She sighed and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Long He has taught me a lot, but there¡¯s still so much more to learn.¡±

    A large hand patted Yuelan¡¯s head and Seiryuu smiled down at her. ¡°You will learn in time. For now, just be cautious when wearing charoite. The future is always changing and what could take place in the future may change.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I understand. Is there anything I should be aware of?¡±

    ¡°Usually, charoite will warn you when danger is coming your way, but it can warn you of minor things as well. Just be cautious to not rely on it completely or you will miss many important things.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Seiryuu.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather.¡± Seiryuu chuckled. ¡°Call me grandfather instead. My name feels too distant for someone who carries my blood and you are my descendant. Call me by name.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°My friends are probably waiting for me. I should go to the conservatory so I can play the guzheng for them.¡±

    ¡°I would be pleased to hear you play, Yuelan. It has been some time since I heard anyone playing that instrument. I haven¡¯t heard it since before my daughter was still alive.¡±

    Yuelan smiled and curtsied. ¡°I would love to play for you, grandfather, but I¡¯m afraid that may not be possible. Hanju gets nervous dancing in front of anyone and I promised to play for her to dance.¡±

    Seiryuu nodded. ¡°Perhaps another time then.¡±

    ¡°It would be my pleasure, grandfather.¡± Yuelan looked up at Seiryuu. ¡°Perhaps after Hanju and Xiuya go home.¡±

 Chapter 122

    With servants carrying umbrellas so they wouldn¡¯t get wet, Yuelan, Xiuya, and Hanju met each other in the courtyard Yuelan had turned into her music room. Yuelan studied her two guzheng for a moment before selecting the one she had purchased when she first came to Longuo. She settled herself in the chair behind it and smiled at her two friends. ¡°What would you like me to play? Any requests?¡±

    ¡°The one that sounds like a waterfall,¡± Hanju answered. ¡°You never told me the name, but of the songs you have played that is my favorite.¡±

    ¡°I never told you the name because it never had a name. My mother wrote it, but didn¡¯t name it before she died.¡± Yuelan carefully put the picks on her fingers to protect them from the strings and checked the tuning of her instrument.

    Xiuya smiled. ¡°Your mother was very talented, Yuelan. I wish we could have had the chance to meet her.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Me too. I wish she had been able to live longer.¡± She adjusted the strings so they were all in tune, not that they needed much tuning, and started to play the requested song.

    ¡°What happened to her?¡± Xiuya asked. ¡°I know she died, but how? Or would you rather not talk about it?¡±

    Hanju took a seat nearby to listen to the song and the conversation. She could feel the longing in Yuelan¡¯s music as the conversation about her mother continued.

    ¡°She had always had a weak body, but after I was born she got worse. By the time I was six she couldn¡¯t get out of bed anymore. She died a few months after my birthday.¡± Yuelan¡¯s voice was barely audible over her music.

    ¡°So you were raised by your father¡¯s concubine then? Or second wife?¡± Xiuya was full of questions.

    ¡°No. Kilin practices monogamy. Even the emperor has only one wife. And my father never remarried.¡± Yuelan smiled. ¡°So my father raised me himself. It¡¯s not unheard of in Kilin. Boys and girls are raised together and learn most of the same things. Daughters are allowed to inherit titles and be in politics and the military as well. We aren¡¯t restricted just because of our gender.¡±

    Hanju and Xiuya blinked and stared at Yuelan. Both of them thought the idea strange. When Yuelan looked up and saw their expressions she giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not the only ones who find the way I was raised strange. Guangfeng is still getting used to it as well and he¡¯s been to Kilin. It was only for a couple of days, though.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see Kilin some time. How long does it take to get there?¡± Xiuya¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.

    ¡°You would not be able to go without putting a great deal of strain on Yuelan.¡± The smooth, deep voice of Seiryuu came from the entrance to the room and all three girls turned to look. Xiuya and Hanju looked at him with confused expressions.

    Yuelan stopped playing and stood up to greet the Azure Dragon. ¡°Grandfather.¡±

    Seiryuu walked over and patted her head. ¡°I heard the sounds of the guzheng and came to listen. I happened to overhear your conversation when I arrived.¡± His eyes turned to the two young women who were visiting. ¡°It requires the powers of the priestess to go to and from Yuelan¡¯s birth country. I was only able to bring her father here by combining my powers with my son He¡¯s and we will not be able to do it again. The circumstances were special. I suggest you give up the idea of going to Kilin.¡±

    Xiuya and Hanju both looked disappointed. ¡°So only his highness the crown prince is allowed to go?¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°It was only that one time for him. To help him understand me a little bit better. The next time someone other than me travels between here and Kilin it will be me bringing my father to stay here.¡± She looked over at Seiryuu. ¡°Though I¡¯m curious how you and Long He managed it, Grandfather.¡±

    The azure dragon smiled and stroked her head. ¡°I made use of his contract. Now that we¡¯ve sent your father back, He will be sleeping for quite a while. It took quite a bit out of him.¡± His hand paused, then rubbed a specific spot under her hair. ¡°Hmm. Seems you are getting close to awakening. Let me know as soon as you feel any discomfort.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Yuelan brushed his hand away. ¡°Please don¡¯t mess up my hair. Laurel spent quite a bit of time on it this morning.¡±

    Seiryuu chuckled and pulled his hand back. ¡°As you wish. Just keep in mind what I said. And advise your maids to be very careful when they¡¯re doing your hair. I imagine your head is going to be rather sensitive soon.¡±

    Yuelan gave him an odd look. ¡°You speak as if I¡¯m going to suddenly sprout horns.¡±

    ¡°Because you probably will.¡± Seiryuu looked amused. ¡°Your dragon blood is awakening.¡±

    She put her hands on her head and looked up at him with wide eyes. ¡°But...horns?¡±

    ¡°They will be small. If your maids are careful with your styling, they won¡¯t be noticeable at all,¡± the dragon promised. ¡°After all, you are not a full-blooded dragon.¡±

    Hanju and Xiuya looked at each other, then at Seiryuu and Yuelan. ¡°Perhaps if you wear coral accessories?¡± Xiuya suggested. ¡°Hanju and I will not say anything about it, Yuelan.¡±

    Yuelan sighed. ¡°Thank you, both of you. And I guess I¡¯ll have to see when they grow in. If they really do grow in.¡±

    Hanju walked forward and gave Yuelan a hug. ¡°Of course. Perhaps you could ask his highness to get you some? I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be delighted to have you ask for a gift.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± Yuelan smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll check to see what I already have first, though. Then he¡¯ll have more information on what I might need to choose from.¡±

 Chapter 123

    A few days later, Yuelan woke up to two spots on her head itching and feeling a bit sore. Even though Camphor was very careful when brushing and styling Yuelan¡¯s hair, it still caused her some discomfort and Yuelan sent Laurel to get Seiryuu for her.

    The ancient dragon arrived a few minutes later and carefully looked Yuelan over before putting his hands on her head. They glowed softly for a moment and when he pulled them away, Yuelan was feeling better. ¡°Let me know if you need me to do that for you again. Once the horns are done growing it won¡¯t hurt or itch anymore.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, grandfather.¡± Yuelan smiled in relief as she looked up at him. ¡°It feels much better now. How long will it take for them to finish growing?¡±

    Seiryuu shrugged. ¡°A few days to a couple of weeks.¡±

    Yuelan winced. A couple of weeks sounded like much too long to deal with the discomfort.

    The voice of a young boy called from outside. ¡°Your Holiness, there¡¯s a messenger from the palace here to speak with you!¡±

    ¡°Invite them into the main hall and I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± Yuelan called back. She turned back to her maids and Seiryuu after the boy acknowledged her instructions. ¡°Has anyone seen Byakko today?¡±

    I¡¯m right outside. I got hungry while you were sleeping and went hunting. The white tiger sounded a bit bored and sleepy.

    ¡°Never mind. He said he¡¯s outside.¡± The corner of Yuelan¡¯s mouth twitched in amusement and she looked over at Camphor, Willow, and Laurel. ¡°Any adjustments you want to make?¡±

    ¡°No, Miss. You look beautiful.¡± The three maids smiled and followed Yuelan out of her courtyard along with Seiryuu. Byakko joined them as they headed for the main hall.

    The visitor turned out to be Guangfeng and Yuelan smiled as he walked over to her and hugged her. ¡°Father Emperor needed someone to come and give you the schedule for the festival in two days,¡± he explained. ¡°I volunteered, since I wanted to see you anyway.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy. I¡¯m glad you managed to make time.¡± Yuelan hugged him back and rested her head on his chest.

    ¡°The messenger you sent said you want some coral accessories? When do you want them by?¡± Guangfeng kept his arms around her and studied the top of her head.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Yuelan grimaced and looked up at his face. ¡°I¡¯m growing horns, so as soon as possible. Hanju and Xiuya said they think coral accessories might help hide the horns.¡±

    ¡°Horns?¡± Guangfeng blinked. ¡°Why are you growing horns?¡±

    Seiryuu chuckled. ¡°Because, Your Highness, Yuelan¡¯s dragon blood is awakening. Her magic will also grow stronger once the physical changes are finished. Her eyes and hair might change color as well.¡±

    Yuelan¡¯s expression turned nervous as she looked up at Guangfeng and she nibbled on her bottom lip.

    Guangfeng smiled and gently removed her lip from between her teeth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you look like, Yuelan. It won¡¯t change how I feel about you.¡±

    She relaxed and hugged him. ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Guangfeng¡¯s hand hovered above her head and he looked concerned.

    ¡°Grandfather did something to make it so it doesn¡¯t, but yes. Growing horns hurts.¡±

    Guangfeng moved his hand to stroke her cheek instead of patting her head. ¡°Let me know if there is anything else that I can do. I¡¯ll have the crafters make your new accessories as soon as possible.¡±

    Seiryuu studied Guangfeng and Yuelan and looked over at Byakko, who was curled up nearby with his eyes closed. The tiger opened one eye to look back at Seiryuu and something seemed to pass between the two. The azure dragon nodded and turned around. ¡°There are a few things I need to prepare for the festival. Yuelan can fill me in on the schedule later.¡± He headed out of the main hall.

    The dragon¡¯s words reminded Guangfeng of his original purpose in coming and the prince smiled at Yuelan. ¡°Are you ready to go over the schedule? You¡¯ll be quite busy that day.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I expected as much. The whole purpose of this festival is so my grandfather can intimidate everyone into behaving all at once.¡±

    Guangfeng chuckled. ¡°More or less. We asked Yun Cai to deliver invitations to the nearby kingdoms, since he and his companion can get that done much more quickly than normal messengers. The delegates should arrive today and tomorrow, but you won¡¯t need to greet them. They¡¯ll greet you after the ¡®bonding ceremony¡¯ that Lord Seiryuu mentioned. That will take place at noon and you¡¯ll be presented to the people as soon as it¡¯s over. While the people celebrate, you¡¯ll go into the palace and all the officials, delegates, and the royal family members will greet you and present gifts.¡±

    ¡°Will I have any time to enjoy the festival myself? Or will it be a long day of public appearances?¡± Yuelan looked up at Guangfeng with a pleading look.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can arrange.¡± He smiled and pressed his thumb to her lips. ¡°You like festivals?¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to one since my mother died, but yes.¡±

    ¡°In that case, even if you can¡¯t make it out to enjoy this one, I¡¯ll take you to the next one and you can play as much as you like then.¡±

    Yuelan hugged Guangfeng tight. ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. The most important job I have is making you happy, after all.¡± He smiled and booped her nose.

    Yuelan lifted a hand to rub it and glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. I hate it when people touch my nose!¡±

 Chapter 124

    Yuelan spent the next two days feeling much like a doll. Camphor, Laurel, and Willow spent a lot of time deciding how to do Yuelan¡¯s hair to adjust for the horns she was growing, even though they weren¡¯t visible through her hair yet. They also spent quite a bit of time choosing her accessories. Fortunately, Yuelan¡¯s clothes were predetermined: the formal priestess robes she had worn for Princess Ainuan¡¯s wedding.

    The morning of the festival, Yuelan was woken early. She ate breakfast, put on the white and silver priestess gown and robes, and then sat in a daze while her maids fussed over her appearance. In the end, they chose to put half her hair up in one loop supported by silver wires with the other half flowing down her back. Pearls and small pieces of white jade were carefully placed along the loop on top of her head and an aquamarine the size of Yuelan¡¯s thumb nail sat at the center of her forehead held in place by a silver chain woven into her hair.

    Once all the preparations were complete, Yuelan walked out of her courtyard and settled herself on Byakko¡¯s back. The white tiger carried her out of her manor and toward the center of the capital where the main part of the festival had been set up: the location where Yuelan would form her bond with Seiryuu.

    A large stage had been set up on one side of the square. A four golden thrones sat in the center, two on each side of a silver throne in the center and exquisite chairs intended for the imperial families, the princes and princesses and the more important imperial concubines.

    Byakko lowered himself just enough for Yuelan to step directly onto the stage in front of the silver throne, then hopped up to join her and settled himself at her feet once she had seated herself. Are you tired already? The tiger¡¯s voice sounded amused.

    Yuelan¡¯s eyes were closed and she leaned back in her silver seat. I¡¯ve been tired since I woke up, Byakko. I don¡¯t like early mornings.

    A rumbling sound, almost like a chuckle, came from the tiger¡¯s throat.

    People had already begun to gather in the square, vying for the best spots to see from. Shop owners had rented out space in their upper floors for the wealthy to sit and watch the liveliness and people were gathering on balconies and in front of windows as well.

    The next to arrive on the raised platform was Guangfeng. He smiled and walked over to stand beside Yuelan. ¡°Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°More tired than nervous.¡± Yuelan smiled back at him. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve stood in front of a city¡¯s worth of people and delegates of other countries.¡±

    The third prince nodded and reached a hand out to gently stroke her cheek. ¡°You look beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. My maids worked hard all morning.¡± She closed her eyes and leaned against his hand for a moment.

    Guangfeng pulled his hand back and went to go sit down. Other members of the imperial family and the delegates from the other countries were starting to arrive, so he couldn¡¯t keep standing in front of her.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    When the square and the surrounding buildings were nearly full, the cry of a eunuch sounded: ¡°The emperors have arrived!¡±

    Everyone in the square knelt and pressed their foreheads to the ground as four men in yellow robes walked up onto the stage and bowed to Yuelan. Three of the emperors wore similar outfits with flat-topped hats with beaded tassels hanging from the front and back. The fourth had a different style of clothing and instead of a flat hat the color of his robes, the hat was black and came up in the back with a pennon on one side decorated with a crest. His bow was also performed differently from the other three emperors¡¯ bows.

    Yuelan stood and nodded her head to the four emperors. ¡°Greetings, your majesties.¡± She repeated her greeting in both her own language and in one other language. The second language she spoke pleased the differently dressed emperor, who returned her greeting in the same language.

    After exchanging greetings, the four emperors and Yuelan took their seats. They waited a few more minutes before a eunuch stepped forward. ¡°This festival is being held to honor the return of the dragon priestess and to dispel any doubts that her holiness the lady Long Yuelan is the dragon priestess. As the start of the festival, her holiness will now form a bond with the lord of the divine beasts, the azure dragon of the east!¡±

    Overhead, an immense, serpentine, azure dragon appeared and let out a roar. Pillars surrounding the square with the stones Yuelan required to form the bond began to glow as the stones also lit up. Yuelan pulled the center stone of purple jade out of a sleeve and stood up. Her eyes closed as she concentrated and reached out to the Azure dragon.

    She could hear gasps and sounds of amazement from the people in the square and feel the millions of eyes on her. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as a wall of sorts appeared in her mind¡¯s eye. A wall she needed to use the help of the stones to overcome. One by one, she reached out to the stones, causing them to glow brighter, as she worked to force her way through the wall. On the other side, she could sense Seiryuu doing the same thing.

    This bond is difficult to form. Do not give up, Yuelan. Both Byakko and Seiryuu spoke to Yuelan¡¯s mind, encouraging her. She didn¡¯t notice the faint glow that started to surround her and pulse as it grew brighter and brighter. When she and Seiryuu finally broke through the wall and their minds joined in the bond she let out a gasp and sank to the ground as light burst upward toward the sky then spread out in a rainbow of color.

    Cheers roared upward from the gathered people and the four emperors stood to bow deeply to Yuelan while Guangfeng stepped forward to help her back to her feet.

    Yuelan leaned on her fiancee for support and let him pull out a handkerchief to gently dab away the sweat on her forehead and nose. ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Guangfeng¡¯s voice echoed the concern on his face.

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°Just tired.¡± She looked up at him and smiled as the Azure dragon descended from the sky and shifted into his human form. Byakko also shifted to human form and the two stepped forward to support Yuelan with Guangfeng.

    ¡°Can you keep up with the schedule, or should I ask the emperors to give you some time to rest first?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, Guangfeng. It¡¯ll take a few minutes for everyone to gather in the palace. That will be enough time for me to rest.¡± Yuelan gave him a smile in an attempt to reassure him.

    Guangfeng looked doubtful. ¡°I think you should rest a bit more than that. I¡¯m worried for you.¡±

    Yuelan patted his cheek. ¡°Thirty minutes. I only need thirty minutes starting from now.¡±

    He nodded and smiled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let the emperors know.¡±

 Chapter 125

    Yuelan went back to the palace with the four emperors, Guangfeng, her maids, and her two contracted divine beasts. Longuo¡¯s emperor granted her a room to use whenever she came to the palace for her to rest in and Guangfeng showed her the way to it so she could get the rest she needed after forming the contract with Seiryuu.

    After her rest, Yuelan went to the throne room to meet with the emperors and introduce herself to those she hadn¡¯t met yet. Her silk clothes rustled as she walked and she inclined her head to the emperors, who stood and saluted as she walked in.

    Greetings and casual conversation came first, but Yuelan noticed there was something troubling the emperor of Lanzhou. At first, she thought it could be Guangfeng¡¯s presence, since the recent war had been ended with Guangfeng¡¯s victory. However, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case as she noticed the emperor kept glancing uncertainly at her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, is something troubling you?¡± Yuelan asked, looking directly at the Lanzhou emperor. ¡°It seems as though you have something you wish to say.¡±

    Lanzhou¡¯s emperor nodded. ¡°You are correct, Priestess. There is something troubling me. There have been a series of disappearances in my country. All of them have occurred in and around Ziling. Even more strange is that the disappearances seem random. People disappear without a trace even when surrounded by others in public places. They reappear days later in a new location dazed and confused with no memory of where they have been.¡±

    Yuelan frowned. ¡°That does seem strange...what is it you would like me to do?¡±

    ¡°Priestess, magic is something this world has not seen in over a century. I request you come to Lanzhou and investigate the disappearances in Ziling. The southern temple is also located in that city.¡± Lanzhou¡¯s emperor stood and bowed to her.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Yuelan saw no reason to refuse. She needed to go to the southern temple anyway. She could have Yun Cai look into the disappearances while she restored the temple. ¡°In that case, your majesty, I will return with you to Lanzhou.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°Yuelan¡­¡±

    Yuelan turned and smiled at Guangfeng. ¡°It will be alright. I¡¯ll have Byakko, Seiryuu, Leila, Willow and Laurel with me. Camphor will need to stay here to manage my businesses on my behalf.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Lanzhou¡¯s emperor looked a little confused. ¡°Priestess?¡±

    Yuelan looked over and smiled. ¡°His Highness, Crown Prince Guangfeng is my fiancee, Your Majesty. He¡¯s concerned for my safety.¡±

    The emperor nodded, then looked over at Longuo¡¯s emperor. ¡°Perhaps your crown prince could come as well as part of a trade delegation? It would be best to form a lasting peace after the recent war.¡±

    Longuo¡¯s emperor nodded. ¡°Agreed. I will send Guangfeng and a few delegates to begin talks and settle trade agreements. It would also be wise for all of us to forge lasting alliances through marriage. I have one unmarried daughter and while the crown prince is ineligible for such an exchange, all my other sons remain unmarried.¡± He looked to the emperor of Kitakuni in the north and nodded. ¡°I will send a group of delegates to your country as well.¡±

    Kitakuni¡¯s emperor nodded. ¡°It is a good suggestion. Alliances through marriage form a stronger peace, after all.¡±

    ¡°I also have children who are eligible for marriage,¡± the emperor of Zhongshu spoke up. ¡°Perhaps the four of us should continue our discussions here in Longuo before heading back to our respective countries. Rather than sending delegates, we are all here with trusted advisors. It would be much faster to have such discussions among ourselves.¡±

    Yuelan stood up. ¡°In that case, your majesties, I will leave you to your politics. If you plan the weddings appropriately, it would be my pleasure to attend them and give my blessing to the couples as I did for Princess Ainuan and her husband in Zhongshu.¡± She smiled and gave them all a small curtsey.

    The emperors rose and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Priestess. That would be our honor.¡±

    ¡°I will prepare to leave for Lanzhou as soon as possible. Hopefully these disappearances can be stopped and the reasons for them discovered quickly.¡± Yuelan smiled and headed out of the hall.

    Guangfeng stood and bowed. ¡°Your Majesties. If you¡¯ve no objections, I promised the priestess that I would escort her around the festival if there was time today.¡±

    The emperor of Longuo waved a hand. ¡°Go. Keep her holiness company. Be sure to return here with her in time for the banquet this evening.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Father Emperor.¡± Guangfeng saluted one last time and followed Yuelan out of the hall.

    Yuelan had stopped just outside the throne room and she smiled when Guangfeng came out. ¡°I thought you might follow me.¡±

    Guangfeng smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek. ¡°Of course. I have to do everything possible to stay in your good graces. We have until the banquet to explore the festival if you wish.¡±

    Yuelan took his hand as she smiled back. ¡°I would like that very much, Guangfeng. It would be better in less conspicuous clothes, though.¡±

    The crown prince chuckled. ¡°I think your maids can help with that. I had them bring a change of clothes for you, just in case.¡± He gave her a gentle nudge toward the path that led to her resting room. ¡°Once you¡¯ve changed, I¡¯ll take you to the festival.¡±

 Chapter 126

    It didn¡¯t take long for Yuelan to change her clothes. Fortunately, Camphor had thought to bring a set and they didn¡¯t need to change her hairstyle at all. Yuelan left the palace together with Guangfeng and headed out to the streets to enjoy the festival.

    Stands had been set up and vendors were selling various foods, sweets, toys, and accessories. The stage in the central square had been cleared away and there were musicians playing while people danced in celebration. Street performers displayed their skills and the noise and bustle had Yuelan excited and grinning like a child as she pulled Guangfeng along from stall to stall.

    For his part, Guangfeng was happy to watch Yuelan enjoy herself. He paid for her chicken skewers, candied fruits, and other snacks, helped her choose accessories she liked, and enjoyed the bright smile on her face.

    Their maids and guards followed close behind the pair and overhead, Seiryuu had returned to his dragon form and patrolled the skies, causing occasional exclamations of amazement from the throngs of people out in the streets.

    After a couple of hours, one of Guangfeng¡¯s guards reminded them about the banquet in the palace and the crown prince escorted the dragon priestess back to the palace so she could change her clothes again and be formally introduced as the last part of the day¡¯s celebration.

    ??

    Inside the banquet hall, four gilded thrones and one silver throne waited for the four emperors and Yuelan at the head table while other tables were filled with princes, officials, and dignitaries from each nation.

    A eunuch announced the arrival of the emperors and everyone in the hall rose and bowed. The emperors walked to their seats, then bowed to the entrance as the same eunuch announced Yuelan¡¯s arrival with her two divine beasts.

    Everyone waited until Yuelan and the emperors had seated themselves before returning to their seats. Longuo¡¯s emperor lifted a hand. ¡°This banquet is to introduce all of you to her holiness the dragon priestess, Long Yuelan. Her identity was made known to me the day she arrived by Lord Long He, but he requested it remain a secret until she was ready to take up her position. Despite her noble identity, Lady Yuelan has suffered at the hands of the former empress and many others. The divine dragon Seiryuu demanded her identity be made known without question to everyone, and so this festival and banquet were hastily prepared. Let it be known that Lady Yuelan¡¯s identity is even more noble than that of an emperor, for without her our world would not continue to exist. Actions against her holiness are crimes even greater than treason and subject to punishment according to her will and the will of the divine beasts who protect her. Pay your respects to her today and remember her from now on. Let none bring her harm in the future.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Everyone attending the banquet, with the exception of the emperors and Yuelan, rose and bowed toward the head table and shouted in near-unison: ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Blessings to Her Holiness the Priestess.¡±

    Emperor Xiong Lijun nodded. ¡°Then let the banquet begin.¡±

    On cue, servants carrying heavy platters filled with food and drink stepped into the banquet hall and began setting everything out on the tables. Yuelan picked up her chopsticks to sample a little of everything set before her as officials stepped up to begin presenting gifts to her. This part was the most boring part of any formal event. More gifts than Yuelan knew what to do with, all of them as expensive as the officials could manage without much thought beyond what would make them look good in front of others. Jade figurines, golden statues, art pieces, embroidered screens, bolts of cloth, and various other items Yuelan had no interest in were brought before her until her eyes had glazed over.

    Eventually, an older man with confident steps and a definite military bearing stepped forward and saluted. ¡°Priestess, I am General Chang Taikang. I present as your gift this jade pendant, and with it the two hundred soldiers that it commands to act as your hands and feet and to protect you. These soldiers are the best under my command and they will serve you well.¡±

    Yuelan blinked and the glazed look left her eyes as she sat up a little more. ¡°Thank you, General.¡± She reached out her hand and personally accepted the pendant from him. ¡°I will do my best to use your soldiers well, though I have no military training myself.¡±

    The old general smiled and nodded his head. ¡°If the priestess has no objections, it would be my pleasure to join you as your military advisor. I have already retired from the court and the military. Your fiance, his highness the crown prince, is capable, but has many responsibilities. It would not be a bad thing to have someone who serves you as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful. Please arrange a time to visit my manor this week. I will be leaving for Lanzhou before too long to carry out my duties as a priestess in the south.¡±

    The general bowed and returned to his seat among the surprised discussions of the other officials.

    Longuo¡¯s emperor turned to nod at Yuelan. ¡°Old general Chang is very capable. Priestess, please be at ease in accepting his offer.¡±

    Yuelan nodded. ¡°I have met his son before, and the young general is also very capable. I am pleased to have the one who raised and taught him offer to assist me.¡± She smiled. ¡°Thank you, your majesty, for being willing to let him go.¡±

    The emperor chuckled. ¡°He retired due to his age. We could not ask him to stay on, but are grateful he has chosen such a capacity to keep him occupied in his retirement.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Some people are not suited to idleness.¡±

    All four emperors chuckled and nodded their agreement as more officials came to present their own gifts. The banquet continued until late at night and when Yuelan finally left, a few carriages from the palace had to escort her back to her manor to carry the gifts.

 Chapter 127

    The next several days were a blur of activity for Yuelan. The old general came and took her to the camp where her new soldiers stayed to introduce her to them and preparations for her trip to Lanzhou got underway. Instead of Guangfeng, who had responsibilities in the capital, the fourth prince, Xiong Guangzhu, was going with her. He had been chosen to marry one of the princesses from Lanzhou and was going to determine which one he got along with. The princess he was to marry would return to Longuo with him.

    Yuelan¡¯s horns had finally finished growing in two days before she was scheduled to leave. They were white and forked at the end with two points. Fortunately, they were only a couple inches tall and could be disguised with accessories and carefully styled hair if Yuelan wanted. What couldn¡¯t be disguised was the change to Yuelan¡¯s eyes. While they were still jade green, the pupils had changed. They were no longer round like a normal humans, but had become slitted like a cat¡¯s. Or a dragon¡¯s.

    The physical changes upset Yuelan. She couldn¡¯t go back to visit her father with horns and strange eyes! And they looked odd, so she didn¡¯t want to be seen, either. As she sat in front of her mirror in her residence staring at her reflection with her slitted eyes narrowed in distress, she heard speaking coming from outside. A moment later, Camphor stepped in.

    ¡°Priestess, His Highness the Crown Prince is here with the coral accessories you asked for,¡± the maid said in a soft voice. She could see her mistress was upset and didn¡¯t want to upset her too much. ¡°He asked if you would come out to see them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go out,¡± Yuelan answered. She covered her eyes with her hands and put her forehead on the vanity. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to see me like this.¡±

    Camphor reached out and rubbed Yuelan¡¯s back. ¡°You cannot hide the changes forever, Miss. Eventually, His Highness will see them. And in two days you will leave for Lanzhou. If you hide from him then you will not get a chance to see him before you leave.¡±

    ¡°But...my eyes look horrible...and I have horns!¡± Yuelan sniffed.

    ¡°Priestess, I do not think his highness will mind. And you are the dragon priestess. That you have marks of dragon heritage will only serve to remind everyone of your noble status. Even an emperor must bow to you. Who would dare to mock your appearance?¡±

    Yuelan brushed Camphor¡¯s hand away. ¡°Maybe not to my face, but what about behind my back?¡±

    Camphor chuckled. ¡°Does it matter what others say behind your back? It does not matter what others think of you, Priestess. I think seeing his highness will help you feel better. You haven¡¯t left this room since the day before yesterday. The sunshine and company will help you feel better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Camphor, I want to be left alone.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The maid sighed and nodded. ¡°I understand, Miss.¡± She walked out of the room and spoke to someone outside. Yuelan could hear voices, but not understand what they were saying.

    After a few minutes someone stepped into the room again.

    ¡°Camphor, I said I wanted to be left alone.¡± Yuelan hadn¡¯t lifted her head. She was still covering her eyes with her head on the vanity.

    The hand that was put on Yuelan¡¯s shoulder was too big to be Camphor¡¯s. The weight and warmth were familiar, and the surprise was enough for Yuelan to lift her head and frown at Guangfeng.

    ¡°Sorry for not listening to what you said you wanted, but I thought this might be a good time for an exception,¡± the prince explained. He studied the red around her eyes and the tears on her face and leaned down to pull her up and into a tight hug. ¡°Did you think such small changes would be enough to scare me away?¡±

    Yuelan sniffled and hid her face in his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look like a freak.¡±

    Guangfeng frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t. You look like what you are: the only dragon priestess in six hundred years.¡± He used a hand to gently tilt her head so he could look into her eyes. ¡°Just because nobody else looks like you doesn¡¯t mean that they will consider you a freak. Instead, the dragon features will remind them to give you the respect you deserve. In most cases, at least. There will always be fools or those who are jealous who will cause trouble, but at least there will be no denying that you are who you claim to be.¡±

    Tears welled in Yuelan¡¯s eyes. ¡°You really don¡¯t mind it?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Though I think it¡¯s more important that you are confident about your appearance.¡± He smiled and gently poked her nose. ¡°You don¡¯t have a crown and your robes are for formal occasions. Without these small changes, nobody would know for sure who you are.¡±

    Yuelan sighed and rested her head on his chest. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Guangfeng hugged her a little closer. ¡°Feeling better?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. Maybe getting used to it will help.¡±

    The prince gently stroked her hair. ¡°I still think you¡¯re beautiful. If I could go with you to Lanzhou I would and keep reminding you, but unfortunately, you¡¯re going with my brother.¡±

    Yuelan smiled a little. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. Thank you, Guangfeng.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. And next time, I don¡¯t mind if you hide from everyone else, but please don¡¯t hide from me, alright?¡±

    She lifted her head and gave him a bit of a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try to remember. But I won¡¯t make any promises.¡±

    Guangfeng pressed his lips to her forehead. ¡°Would you like to see the accessories now?¡±

    ¡°Yes please. After all, we got them to help hide my new horns.¡± Yuelan took a step back and away from Guangfeng then headed out of her room with him following behind.

    The coral accessories were carefully crafted in several different colors and included full sets with necklaces, hair pins, and earrings. The coral had been carefully polished and placed into settings.

    As Yuelan looked over each of the sets, Guangfeng stood by her side and watched her with a slight smile. By the time Yulean had finished examining them she was feeling much better about her changes. It helped that the accessories were beautiful and she could see that Guangfeng had put quite a bit of effort into working with the crafters.

    ¡°Thank you, Guangfeng. They¡¯re beautiful.¡± Yuelan smiled up at him.

    ¡°Not as beautiful as you, but I¡¯m glad you like them.¡± The third prince smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

 Chapter 128

    Yuelan woke early the morning of departure. Laurel, Willow and Camphor all helped the young priestess wash up and dress then worked with the residence¡¯s servants to move Yuelan¡¯s luggage to a carriage. Outside her courtyard, Seiryuu and Byakko were in their human forms and seemed to be arguing with each other as Yuelan walked toward them.

    ¡°Why does she need a carriage? She can ride on us. It¡¯s much more dignified,¡± Byakko growled at the azure dragon.

    ¡°It is a long journey, Byakko. Riding a creature all day is exhausting and she will be too sore to continue the next day. A carriage is more comfortable. She can rest or study or do whatever she needs to inside it that she cannot do if she is riding on your back or mine. Yuelan still has much to learn. We should be spending that time teaching her, not conveying her from place to place,¡± Seiryuu insisted.

    ¡°What is it she still needs to learn? She has managed to restore two temples. This is just going to restore a third, isn¡¯t it?¡± Byakko folded his arms over his chest and frowned at Seiryuu.

    The azure dragon shook his head. ¡°No. She is going to investigate mysterious disappearances. While she¡¯s there she should restore the temple as well, but her responsibilities are much more than that. How can she investigate something if she can¡¯t even use her magic? From what my son has said, everything she has done thus far has been through instinct, not intent. Yuelan must learn to harness her abilities to draw out magic with the stones. Our bonds with her let us know when she is in danger and we can assist her with a lot of tasks, but not everything. She must learn to stand on her own.¡±

    Byakko opened his mouth to argue only to be cut off by Yuelan.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this my decision? Why are the two of you arguing about it without consulting me first?¡± she asked.

    Seiryuu smiled and nodded his head. ¡°Indeed it is. Which would you prefer, Yuelan? To ride on Byakko and I, or to ride in the carriage with us while we teach you what my son has not been able to manage?¡±

    Yuelan looked up at Seiryuu, her jade eyes filled with determination. ¡°I want to learn. We¡¯ll ride in the carriage.¡±

    Byakko grumbled something about ¡®food¡¯ but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°I guess we¡¯re staying in human form then?¡±

    ¡°That is up to you. I will be, as that will be easiest for teaching her what she needs to know.¡± Seiryuu smirked at the white tiger.

    ¡°If that¡¯s settled, we should go meet the fourth prince. He should be here any minute to pick us up.¡± Yuelan turned and headed for the front of the residence.

    Byakko and Seiryuu followed behind Yuelan, the tiger looking grumpy and the dragon satisfied.

    The fourth prince¡¯s carriage had just arrived and the prince was stepping off it when Yuelan walked out of the gates of her residence to meet him. Xiong Guangzhu bowed to Yuelan and smiled. ¡°It has been quite a while since we¡¯ve had a chance to meet, your holiness. Please be at ease and leave your safety and comfort to me along the way.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Yuelan smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Greetings, Fourth Prince. It has been some time since we last had a chance to chat. I look forward to traveling with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather travel with my third brother, but I¡¯ll try to keep you entertained in his place.¡± Guangzhu chuckled as Yuelan¡¯s cheeks turned a bit pink.

    ¡°Thank you, your highness, but I will be spending most of the trip studying with my contracted divine beasts. I still have much to learn and I¡¯ll be getting a crash course along the way.¡±

    Guangzhu blinked. ¡°A crash course? Why would you purposely head for a crash?¡±

    She waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a saying. It¡¯s a rushed lesson. Sometimes I forget that there are phrases used in my home that aren¡¯t used here.¡±

    The fourth prince smiled. ¡°Well, I hope that means you are getting more comfortable here.¡±

    Yuelan shrugged and didn¡¯t voice her thoughts. She looked over at the carriages. ¡°Shall we be on our way?¡±

    Guangzhu bowed. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Seiryuu had been studying the fourth prince during the conversation and he finally turned his eyes to Yuelan. ¡°Perhaps we should ride with his highness,¡± he suggested. ¡°He seems to have the ability to learn some of what I will be teaching you and it will be good for you to have someone to practice with.¡±

    Yuelan considered for a moment, then looked over at Guangzhu. ¡°What do you think, Your Highness? Would you like to learn magic?¡±

    Xiong Guangzhu¡¯s eyes widened and then he bowed deeply. ¡°It would be my honor, Your Holiness. Which carriage will we be using?¡±

    ¡°Mine. I think it¡¯s larger than yours.¡± Yuelan looked from the prince¡¯s carriage to her own and smiled.

    The sound of horse hooves approached and Yuelan looked up to see Guangfeng arriving. The third prince slid off his horse a short ways away from Yuelan and then walked over to her. ¡°I thought I¡¯d come see you off before you left.¡±

    Yuelan smiled. ¡°Thanks. We were just discussing whose carriage we¡¯ll all be riding in. Since mine is the largest, your brother will be riding with me, Seiryuu and Byakko.¡±

    Guangfeng looked over at his younger brother and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re letting my brother ride with you?¡±

    Guangzhu nodded. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve been offered lessons in using magic. It seems this will be a study trip and not just a diplomatic mission for me.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Guangfeng looked back at his fiancee and pulled a dagger from his robes to hold out to her. ¡°Be careful and stay safe. I know Byakko and Seiryuu will take good care of you, but just in case you should have this.¡±

    Yuelan took the dagger and studied it, running her fingers along the decorated sheathe. ¡°Thank you. I have no idea how to use it, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°Guangzhu can teach you the basics.¡± Guangfeng smiled and brushed a lock of her hair back over her shoulder. ¡°So can Yun Cai. I assume he and his raven will be going along as well.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Yun Cai¡¯s voice came clearly and everyone looked around to find him. It took a moment before he seemingly appeared out of thin air. ¡°I can help with her magic lessons, too, since I use it myself.¡± He looked over at Yuelan. ¡°Lueduo says we should leave now. If we wait any longer there will be trouble getting through the traffic of the capital.¡±

    Yuelan nodded and looked back at Guangfeng. ¡°See you when I get back.¡±

    Guangfeng took her hand and escorted her to her carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you. Write to me if you have a chance to keep me updated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She smiled and let him help her into the carriage then watched from the window as Guangfeng stepped out of the way to let Byakko, Seiryuu, Guangzhu, and Willow into the carriage with her. Laurel went with the prince¡¯s servants to ride in Guangzhu¡¯s carriage. Once everyone was settled, the carriages left.

 Chapter 129

    A box appeared in Sieryuu¡¯s hands and he set it down to open it. Inside were an assortment of uncut crystals and rocks, various colors of jade and quartz and several other stones. ¡°We¡¯ll start from the beginning. Your highness, Yuelan, each of you take the stone that you are drawn to first. Don¡¯t worry about what it is, just pick it up and hold it in your hands.¡±

    Yuelan studied the stones, then reached for a purple stone with ripples of darker and lighter shades in it. She held it in her hands and studied it quietly.

    The fourth prince also took a moment to study the stones before he selected a stone with the appearance of black bark.

    ¡°Charoite and black tourmaline.¡± Seiryuu nodded his head. ¡°Those who are able to use charoite have always been few in number, but it is necessary for a priestess. Black tourmaline is used more often as a focus stone, but if you are skilled enough it can create a protective barrier. It is good for rulers and their advisors.¡±

    ¡°What does Charoite do, then?¡± Yuelan asked.

    Sieryuu smiled. ¡°You will find out soon, Yuelan, but always keep a piece of it on you in some form. Uncut stones hold the most potential and are easiest to use. That one should fit just fine inside your sleeve. I¡¯m sure you will collect others you feel drawn to that you will keep on you as well, but this one you must.¡±

    Yuelan studied the purple stone, a little confused by what the azure dragon had said. ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    ¡°How do we use these stones, Lord Seiryuu?¡± Guangzhu¡¯s question was much more practical.

    ¡°It will take practice to be able to draw on them without having to concentrate all your efforts into it, so for now, hold them in your hands and focus all your mind on the stones. Meditate. Don¡¯t worry about other things, just focus on the stones themselves.¡±

    Guangzhu closed his eyes and Yuelan looked down at the purple stone in her hands. She studied it carefully, focusing on it with her eyes while her mind wandered.

    That is not what I instructed, Yuelan. Seiryuu¡¯s voice came to her mind and the dragon sounded amused. Meditate on the stone. Don¡¯t just look at it. Steady your breathing and clear your thoughts. Use the stone as a focus.

    She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After a bit she closed her eyes, feeling the stone in her hands and imagining it in her mind as her breathing steadied.

    At first, everything was quiet and calm. Yuelan could feel the others in the carriage around her even as she focused on the charoite in her hands. After a few minutes, everything but the stone and her own breathing faded from her senses and everything seemed dark and still. She lost all sense of time and seemed to just be floating in the darkness.

    A softly glowing, purple light caught her attention as it slowly expanded from the charoite in her hands until there was what seemed like a window. The figure of a man stood over the unconscious forms of a small number of people. She couldn¡¯t see his face, but there was an air of smugness about him and something gave her a bad feeling. Yuelan couldn¡¯t hold the image for long and it disappeared. Her eyes opened and she looked around the carriage feeling confused.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Next to her, Guangzhu was still meditating and the black tourmaline in his hand had a faint glow about it. Willow was kneeling in front of the table in the middle of the carriage lighting a small brazier in the center and preparing to make tea. Seiryuu and Byakko were both sitting silently, their eyes intent on Yuelan.

    ¡°Have you learned what charoite is for, Yuelan?¡± Seiryuu¡¯s soft voice broke the silence.

    ¡°I saw something¡­¡± Yuelan frowned. ¡°A man standing over other people. He gave me a bad feeling.¡±

    Seiryuu nodded. ¡°Charoite is a stone used for prophecy and foresight. Don¡¯t worry about what it means right now. Just write it down so you can refer to it later. The meaning will come on its own when it¡¯s time.¡± He held out a journal and a pen to her. They looked like the kinds she used regularly back in Kilin.

    ¡°Where did you get these?¡± Yuelan reached out to accept them and opened to the first page to write down what she¡¯d seen, describing any details she could remember.

    ¡°I picked up a few when I brought your father here.¡± The azure dragon shrugged. ¡°I knew you were going to need them eventually. And you¡¯d been complaining about how difficult it is to write with brushes and that you wanted a pen for studying. I thought this would make it easier for you to write down what charoite shows you as well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She fell silent until she¡¯d finished writing, then looked up at Seiryuu again. ¡°This stone is going to help me with the disappearances, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Seiryuu shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. You can¡¯t control it yet, so it will show you things that could be random and have nothing to do with the disappearances you¡¯re going to investigate. There are other stones I will teach you to use so you can protect yourself. There¡¯s another stone I¡¯ll teach you to use before we arrive at our destination that will be more reliable.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡± Yuelan studied him curiously.

    The azure dragon chuckled. ¡°There are several, but for now the more important ones for healing and recognizing when you¡¯re being lied to or someone is hiding something.¡±

    ¡°Long He said I had to study anatomy to be able to use the healing stones effectively though.¡± Yuelan frowned.

    Seiryuu raised an eyebrow. ¡°What, does he think you have to have as much training as the doctors in your world do? That¡¯s ridiculous. Some knowledge is necessary of course, but you don¡¯t need to know every detail. And you¡¯ve been studying anatomy already, haven¡¯t you? You should have enough knowledge to be able to handle anything in that lovely head of yours. What you really need is practice. Which you will get by fulfilling your responsibilities that have been neglected until now.¡±

    Yuelan frowned a little. ¡°What responsibilities are those? Nobody has ever explained them to me.¡±

    The azure dragon sighed and rubbed his forehead. ¡°What has my son been teaching you all this time? Nothing? My daughter was called a priestess long before she split the two worlds. She guided the leaders, healed the injured and sick, and worked to mend the rift between humans and spirit beasts. Those are your tasks, not just visiting the shrines to mend the magic she died for.¡±

    ¡°If I am to spend so much time traveling then¡­¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°Why would the emperor of Longuo insist that I become the next empress?¡±

    Seiryuu snorts. ¡°Do you want to be an empress?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. Guangfeng would be a good emperor and I like him a lot, but I¡¯m not really interested in being an empress.¡±

    Seiryuu reached out and put a hand on her head. ¡°Do what you feel you should. Nobody can tell you what to do as you do not belong to any country. The reputation my daughter left behind and the tasks you must complete to keep this world stable are enough to put you above any emperor or ruler. Whatever you choose to do, you will have my support and your father¡¯s, though you do still need to visit and repair each of the shrines, for your own sake and this world¡¯s.¡±

 Notice

    The overall premise will be the same, but the ML is going to change to someone else as I realized there are a few conflicts with having Yuelan become an empress while also having the responsibilities she inherited from her ancestor. I have something else I need to finish in the real world first, but after that I will be getting back to writing. Starting from the beginning and doing a reboot! I think this refresh is going to improve the overall quality of the series and it will definitely explain some things much better than before.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Thank you for your patience with me and I apologize for how long my hiatus has been thus far. I am currently transitioning between two medications for my anxiety (going off of one and onto another over the next week and a half). I will be sure to add a link to the new version of the novel when I start uploading it!