Sharing a Pavilion With You
Chapter 137: Pinned by His Gaze

Chapter 137: Pinned by His Gaze

Meili knew without a shadow of a doubt that Yicai was up to the enormous task of ruling the Kingdom. The Empire was in very good hands with their Emperor and his Second Son.

She knew deep in her bones, that he would always put the good of the People and the Empire ahead of all else. He was almost mercenary in his dedication to his duty.

The Prince knelt to receive the regalia of the role; his seal, his sceptre, and the crown with nine beads.

"Rise, Crown Prince," intoned his Father. "I look forward to your help managing the affairs of State and working for the People."

"Thank you, Emperor Father. Your son hears and will obey."

Meili watched the proceedings from between two eunuchs who stood in front of her, sheltering her from view, a faint smile of pride gracing her lips, blinking back tears.

At that moment, the Prince’s gaze unerringly met hers across the vast hall, the screen of beads on his crown failing to mask his intense expression.

The eunuch’s who stood before her quaked as he appeared to direct a blade-like glare at them.

They looked over their shoulders to see Court Lady Mei.

The pair quickly shifted aside, exposing Mei Meili to the Crown Prince’s gaze, relieved to discover that that look was not directed upon them.

Meili gulped, smiling weakly, as she was unearthed from in her hiding place and pinned by his gaze.

She hoped that he would not direct that mercenary dedication he was capable of towards capturing her and adding her to his harem...

-----------------

The army had made camp for the night and Bai Li was reading his messages.

"This one came by pigeon from the Second Price," Ju Rong handed his Commander a small bamboo tube.

Bai Li broke the seal and unfurled the message.

Dear Friend,

I hope this finds you well on your travels to the front. You have probably heard the news already, but I wanted to tell you myself, that I was invested today as the Crown Prince.

The former Crown Prince, my eldest brother, is now permanently locked in the Palace of Purity.

I know I will have your support, but even so, I must ask it of you. I will need your Bai family and the Mei family now, more than ever.

If you need anything you can’t ask my Father for, send word to me immediately.

Don’t worry about MM’s safety. I will protect her.

Your friend,

Zhu Yicai.

He was glad to hear the news directly from the Crown Prince. His men had already brought him word of this huge news, which had been unexpected. In truth, he had thought that the Emperor would, in time, find a way to reinstate his eldest son.

It went without saying that the Prince would have his and his father’s undying loyalty. The Bai family had been loyal to the Emperor and his chosen heir for many generations, through good Emperors and bad Emperors, it didn’t matter to them. What mattered was the stability of the Empire and avoiding internal conflicts.

In the case of Zhu Yicai, he was certain his friend would make an excellent Emperor, just like his Father.

He was less certain about his friend’s ’protection’ of Meili...

He was a man who would play hard in his pursuit of his love, just as he did in all things that he wanted to achieve.

For the Crown Prince, the end justified the means. Just as he would marry a woman he actively disliked in order to secure an alliance with the Prime Minister, so he would not concern himself with Meili’s feelings, or those of his good friends, in his pursuit of her.

There was nothing new in relation to Meili in his message, except that the Crown Prince’s position had much improved. He would be able to offer Meili a much higher position than a concubine to a prince living in Gu. And no doubt he would start working on his Father immediately.

Bai Li could only hold onto the Emperor’s words to him. They were ingrained in his mind as though the words were etched into a stone tablet: ’Stay close to me, keep me informed, do everything just as I instruct you to. If all goes according to plan, I may reward you with Miss Mei’.

"Grind me some ink, Rong?" he called across the tent.

Bai Li quickly wrote a reply to the new Crown Prince.

Your Highness,

Congratulations on your promotion to the position of Crown Prince.

I am certain you will make an excellent Crown Prince and, hopefully far into the future (I am wishing your Father a long life), Emperor.

Of course you have the support and loyalty of the Bai and Mei families in your new position, as you did when you were the Second Prince.

Thank you for your offer of help – the same applies to you should you need anything from me.

I’m glad you will be looking out for MM’s safety, though I remind you of our pact to let her choose freely.

Your friend,

Bai Li.

"Send this by pigeon at first light, Rong."

Bai Li handed the man the message tube as soon as the wax had dried on his seal.

He knew the last sentence would anger the Crown Prince, and it probably wouldn’t change whatever he was planning, but he had to try.

-* THE FORBIDDEN PALACE *-

"A message from Commander Bai, your highness," Shi Lei handed the bamboo cylinder to the Crown Prince.

Zhu Yicai was just sitting down to lunch. He put down his chopsticks and broke the seal with his pinkie finger, unfurling his friend’s rapid reply.

His face hardened as he read the final sentence of Bai Li’s message.

Of course it suited Bai Li to remind him of their agreement to let Mei Meili choose among them. Now that she had chosen him!

There was no promise, no blood oath, he had never given his word. There was just a loose agreement among three young men who were drinking at the time.

He surely couldn’t be held to account for that!

Besides, leaving such an important matter to a seventeen year old girl who knew nothing of the world was not sensible. He had long been working on a way around it.

If his Emperor Father bestowed her a marriage, it would be beyond the control of any of them, including Mei Meili herself.

He had more work to do to secure his Father’s agreement, not the least of which was to keep her safe from the Emperor’s clutches!