Sharing a Pavilion With You
Chapter 136: Investiture of the Crown Prince

Chapter 136: Investiture of the Crown Prince

[Suggested song for this Chapter – Gladiator, Honor Him (Epic Orchestra), Mathias Fritsche]

Ling Lumei sipped delicately on her tea behind a raised hand, lifting one perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Has something happened since we last spoke on this topic?" she asked lightly.

"Only that the little bitch continues to try to seduce both my husband and yours," Li Fengfeng said hatefully.

"Hm," hummed the consort without giving anything away. "You’ve no doubt heard she’s sleeping in the Emperor’s bedchamber now and playing the guqin for him every night. As if any one of us in his harem couldn’t do that for him," the Noble Consort’s voice was cold. "I think it’s most unlikely you have anything to worry about though, Madam Li. It can only be a matter of time before the Emperor beds her and she joins the inner courtyard."

"If only that was the case. The greedy little bitch seems determined to have both of them. She’s a second Yang Yuhan, who can only bring great calamity to the Kingdom and the Emperor."

"Is that so," said Ling Lumei with interest. This was news to her. "You have evidence of this, I presume?"

"Yes. She was seen by one of my maids today alone in the Emperor’s study with the Crown Prince, in a, shall we say... compromising... position."

Ling Lumei tucked away that little piece of information along with the other valuable intelligence she was constantly gathering to further her interests.

"You’ve already made an unsuccessful attempt to remove this girl, which makes any further moves dangerous," pointed out the consort, without divulging her own failed attempt on Miss Mei’s life.

Li Fengfeng had long wondered if the assassination attempt on Purple Mountain was the Noble Consort’s work, but she would never be crass enough to ask the woman outright.

"That’s why I have come to see you, Noble Consort. I must defer to you in matters as delicate as this, especially now that she is working by the Emperor’s side. The problem gets even more difficult to resolve satisfactorily," Li Fengfeng pursed her lips in consternation.

Of course neither of them wanted to be the one responsible for sticking their neck out. If the culprit was apprehended, it would be a gruesome end for them.

"Surely your illustrious Father is the right person to resolve this little problem for you, Madam Li?"

"Unfortunately my father and my interests are not aligned in relation to Miss Mei. He feels that now I am married to the Crown Prince, my position is secure. You and I both know this is not the case..."

"Indeed... indeed... Let me mull on this issue, Madam Li. I’m sure I can come up with something. In a case such as this there will be plenty of ’borrowed knives’ available."

Li Fengfeng smiled without showing her teeth.

"You are so well loved and connected in the palace, Noble Consort Ling. I knew you were the right person to discuss this little problem with."

"If something unexpected were to happen to the girl, it certainly won’t be by my hand," the consort blinked innocently.

"Of course not! Nor mine, nor mine!" the Prime Minister’s daughter exclaimed, rising to her feet.

"Thank you for the tea, Noble Consort. I won’t disturb you any longer. My apologies for the interruption."

"Not at all, Madam Li, it was a most welcome visit. And congratulations once again on your promotion in rank to wife of the Crown Prince."

Li Fengfeng bowed politely and backed out of the pavilion, turning once she reached the bridge that crossed the pond, leaving the consort’s courtyard at an unhurried pace.

She was closely watched by Ling Lumei from the pavilion, and two soldiers ’passing by’ outside the consort’s palace. One guard belonged to the Emperor, and the other to Madam Li’s husband...

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"My Lord, you’re ready for the Crown Prince’s investiture," said Meili, looking the Emperor from top to bottom with satisfaction.

"I’m not a prize pig you’re preparing for market you know, girl," he growled with annoyance to be looked at with that expression by her.

She looked shocked. "Of course not Lord! I would never make such a lowly comparison with the Son of Heaven!"

"Well don’t look at me like that then," he grumbled.

"Let’s go," he ordered, and his eunuchs fell into step behind him.

He looked back at Mei Meili who wasn’t moving.

"Miss Mei, hurry up," he ordered. "Fall in."

"I...I’m not coming Majesty," she called. "Chief Eunuch Feng will attend to you at the investiture. I’m to stay here and prepare your lunch."

"Don’t make me ask again," he called airily, walking away.

Feng Bao looked at her and motioned fiercely with his eyes for her to join the procession of attendants and stop distracting their Lord.

She sighed deeply, her plans to avoid the ceremony in tatters.

Never mind. She would just have to find a place to hide in the crowded room.

That shouldn’t be too hard...

The hall was packed with officials, consorts and envoys. All noise hushed as the Emperor entered the room, trailed by his attendants.

Meili followed behind some of the junior eunuchs to find a space in the wings of the throne platform. She hid behind a column, her head just peeping out between two eunuchs. It was enough to see the proceedings.

The Emperor was seated, and gongs heralded the entrance of the Crown Prince.

Everyone except the Emperor rose to their feet, all eyes on the handsome prince as he walked regally down the central aisle, his newly sewn mangpao robe a handsome deep blue with a four clawed dragon depicted, as befitted his rank.

Meili watched the man with pride.

Despite his desire to be more than friends with her, she loved him dearly as a friend and laid no blame at his feet.

On the contrary, she felt desperately sad for him that his feelings for her had grown into something she could not return; sad that he had had to sacrifice his happiness in a marriage of political convenience; and now, his brother had been imprisoned for life, throwing him the impossibly difficult task of becoming the heir to the Dragon Throne.

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