Sharing a Pavilion With You
Chapter 149: A New Friend

Chapter 149: A New Friend

"Am I that obvious?" Meili laughed. "I really must try better to hide my feelings. The Emperor always says he can read me like an open book."

"The Emperor," the girl breathed with awe. "Are you a consort?"

"No, no, no," Meili waved her hands frantically, "just a Court Lady."

She tried not to sound too relieved about this state of affairs, but as she had just admitted, she was very easy to read.

"I’m Mei Meili," she introduced herself to the girl, "the first daughter of Lord Mei".

"It’s a pleasure to meet you Mei Meili. Of course your family and brothers are well known, and the tale of your beauty has spread across the city. Your nickname is Wang Zhaojun. But I’m sure you know that already," she laughed nervously, "sorry to prattle on".

The girl blushed sweetly, Meili mirroring her embarrassment on hearing that silly nickname.

"I’m Yu Yufei, my father is an Assault Commander in the army that’s headed to the north. Your two eldest brothers are the strategists for the campaign. That must be why you’re here praying," Yu Yufei guessed.

"You know Mei Renlong and Mei Renhu?" asked Meili with delight.

"Not personally, no, but everyone knows who commands the army and the most senior officers, especially when you’ve grown up in a military family like mine."

"Yes, you’re right, I’m here to pray for my brothers. I’m also a friend of Commander Bai, so I’ve been praying for him also," she sounded wistful.

"You’re friends with the Commander?" the girl breathed, seemingly even more awestruck than when Meili had mentioned she worked for the Emperor.

"Yes. He’s a dear friend of my brothers’, and our parents are friends, so I got to know him through my family."

There was no other way a young unmarried girl could get to know a young unmarried man, so that really went without saying.

The girls crossed the courtyard and joined the queue to purchase some blessed amulets from a monk.

Yu Yufei kept looking furtively behind her, and Meili checked to see what was bothering her.

"Is that your dog, Miss Mei?" Yufei asked Meili fearfully, looking at the Chow Chow who kept following them.

"Yes, he is. I hope he didn’t frighten you. He’s very friendly. Come and say hello, Tricky," she called to him.

Tricky trotted over, and the fearful look on Yu Yufei’s face increased alarmingly.

"He won’t bite," Meili quickly assured her. "He’s very well-trained and gentle. The Emperor loves him. Here, try petting his ears. He loves that."

"Are you sure?" the girl asked nervously, reaching out a tentative, shaky hand, so as not to seem rude.

Meili took Yufei’s hands in her own and helped the girl gently stroke Tricky’s silky soft, cream fur. She had made sure to wash and groom him for their visit to the temple today, so he was looking particularly beautiful.

Once Yu Yufei had got started on the petting, and received a gentle lick from Tricky, she magically transformed from timid and tentative to overly enthusiastic, and before long, to another of Tricky’s adoring minions.

The girl knelt down to place her hands on either side of Tricky’s muzzle and look the dog in the face. She received some very enthusiastic kisses for her trouble.

"See, he loves you," Meili was relived Tricky seemed to sense that she really wanted him to be kind to the timid girl, because he was usually much more reserved with strangers.

"Oh! He’s so lovely. What a beautiful pet. You’re very lucky to have him, Miss Mei. Does the Emperor allow you to keep him in the palace with you?"

"Yes, I was fortunate to be allowed to bring him with me when I moved to the Forbidden City."

The girls had reached the front of the queue, and they leant forward to make their requests.

"I’ll have the victory banner lock charm," both girls said at the same time, "let her have it," they spoke over each other, then collapsed into fits of giggles.

"Don’t worry, I have plenty of those for both of you," the monk smiled at the pretty girls. "Are you young ladies here to pray for soldiers serving in the war?"

They both nodded. "Yes Sir," said Meili, "have we chosen the right amulets for our loved ones?"

"Certainly, certainly," the man smiled enigmatically. "These will protect them and bring them home safely to you both."

While the ladies were arranging payment, the monk suddenly looked up at the two young girls, eyeing them speculatively.

"If you wish to increase your quota of good deeds, we could use your help today, Young Misses."

"Oh really?" said Meili with surprise. "What can we do to help the temple monks, Sir?"

"We’ve just received an influx of refugees from the north, fleeing the conflict. We need help distributing food and water, tending to the wounded, getting the folk settled into temporary bedding."

"I will certainly do my best to help you," said Meili without hesitation.

"Do you need to check with your chaperone first?" Yu Yufei whispered to her, her eyes wide and her expression doubtful.

"No need," said Meili confidently. "It seems he’s still caught up pressing the flesh. This is too urgent for me to find him and seek his permission first."

Yufei didn’t know Meili well enough to caution her any further, so she left it at that, though she was fairly certain that the Young Miss Mei attending to refugees without her chaperone would lead to a scolding.

"I will assist you also," Yu Yufei advised the monk. Yufei called to her maid, "tell the driver where we are heading, then come and join me to help".

"Yes, Young Miss," called the maid obediently, trotting quickly away.

"Follow after me, ladies," the monk pushed himself to his feet and lead them away.

The two women followed the monk through a long covered walkway to a large walled courtyard at the very back of the temple.

The courtyard was absolutely heaving with people, the majority of whom were in a very bad state.

They looked malnourished, dirty and dishevelled. Where you might expect children to be running about screaming and playing, the little ones lay listlessly in their mothers’ arms. Monks in their bright yellow robes flitted through the crowd, tending to the sick and handing out blankets and pillows. A series of trestle tables stood near the entry gate, and ladles of porridge were being spooned into the dishes of those waiting in an orderly queue.

"Goodness!" breathed Meili. "Where can we be of most help, Sir?"

"Do either of you have any medical skills?"

"None at all," said Yufei despondently.

"That’s okay. Please see the senior monk over there. You can help to distribute the bedding. Start with the women and children."

"What about you, Miss?" he asked Meili.

"I have some basic first aid skills and nursing ability," she told him.

Over the years she had honed these skills looking after her five elder brothers who got themselves into all sorts of scrapes, illnesses and injuries as a result of their very active lives outside the mansion.

"Perfect, follow me then," he motioned.