Sharing a Pavilion With You
Chapter 81: The Commander’s Woman

Chapter 81: The Commander’s Woman

Meili suddenly felt inexplicably shy.

She probably shouldn’t have come here to his place of work, she realised belatedly. This was another one of her bad ideas, Manni had tried to tell her that, but as usual, she wouldn’t listen...

Oh well, it was too late now, she was here, and she’d managed to extract him.

"Why have you left Lord Mei’s daughter waiting here at the gates?" he snapped at the guards on duty as he strode past them.

"B... but Commander, You told us not to let in any women. You said ’no exceptions’! Those were your exact words..."

"Use your brain Lu Xintao," snapped the Lieutenant, "how many times have we patrolled around the Mei mansion?"

He menaced the man under his breath, "how could the Commander mean to exclude the Mei’s only daughter? Would you refuse entry to a princess too?"

"We didn’t know Lieutenant," said Lu Xintao, both of the guards wringing their hands in dismay.

"She’s the Commander’s woman," hissed Ju Rong, "I hope you haven’t said anything to offend her!"

"The Commander’s woman? What? No!" said Lu Xintao in alarm, looking at his friend for help.

"It was you who said she was a geji!" his turncoat mate pointed at him.

"You said she was a what?" growled Ju Rong "Wait until the Commander hears of this! You’ll be sorry!"

"You’re an idiot Xintao," said his friend, distancing himself as much as he could. "Couldn’t you tell she was a noble lady?"

"You joined in," Xintao wailed dismally, "you all did," he looked up above him at the men who had been leaning over and rudely calling out at Miss Mei.

The men on the ramparts all stood at attention, carefully staring into the distance, trying their best not to be dragged into the disaster unfolding below them.

Bai Li meanwhile was over at the carriage, helping Meili down with a proud and happy smile on his face.

"Bai Li," she smiled shyly as he ushered her through the gates and into the camp. "I think I may have made a mistake coming here, I’m sorry. Your men were very good keeping to your instructions not to let any women into the camp. I didn’t mean to undermine them. You won’t get cross at them, will you?"

"Of course not," he said smoothly, glaring daggers at the two guards on gate duty as he urged her to walk ahead of him.

They both shrank back mouthing, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry," their hands clasped beseechingly at their commander.

"I’m very glad you’ve come here," he said to her. "Come to visit me anytime you’re free. The guards will know to let you in now, you won’t have any trouble next time."

"Oh! Thank you, Bai Li. I won’t trouble you at your place of work. I just wanted to see if you’re looking after yourself and bring you some snacks and health supplements. My brothers told me you are working too hard. ’Night and day’, were their exact words."

"Are you worried about me Mei Meili?" he chuckled.

She blushed. "Of course I worry about you Bai Li. Should friends not be concerned for one another?"

"Friends, huh?" he muttered with displeasure.

Bai Li walked closely beside Mei Meili as they arrived at the training ground where the men were practising their sword skills.

He hovered over her proudly, his body language declaring his ownership of this beautiful woman.

Each pair of fighting men that she walked past stopped what they were doing and openly stared at her.

Lieutenant Ju motioned angrily at them to keep going about their business, but it was a losing battle.

Soon the entire field of men had stopped what they were doing and were openly staring at Mei Meili.

She looked back at the field of men staring at her, her pretty eyes widening in surprise.

She waved uncertainly in their direction, wiggling her fingers delicately.

She received a field of enthusiastic big waves, and shouts of "hello, beauty," in reply.

"Get back to your training!" bawled lieutenant Ju. "Stop flirting with the Commander’s woman!"

The men dropped their heads and picked up their swords quick smart.

Meili blanched, gripping onto Bai Li’s arm, which made him raise his chin proudly.

"Why did the Lieutenant call me your woman?" she whispered.

"It’s just a figure of speech," said Bai Li. "That way the men know to treat you with respect."

"Oh," she nodded up at him gratefully.

Manni, meanwhile, had eyes wide as saucers, looking at her young mistress’s back, wondering if she understood that the Commander had just staked his claim on her so publicly...

Bai Li ushered Meili into his command tent.

She looked around with curiousity. So this was where the man spent so much of his time, she thought. What an exciting place!

She placed her containers down on his desk, and had Manni bring over still more.

She started to open them all and show him what was in them, telling him what they were and when he should consume them.

He watched her fondly as she busied herself with the food.

He laughed when she was done. "It looks like you’ve made enough to feed my entire army here, Mei Meili," he teased her gently.

She put her hands on her delicate hips.

"No. This is just for you Bai Li," she said firmly. "You’ll be here all winter, so you need to take good care of your health. How can the men be cared for if the leader doesn’t care for himself?"

"With you caring for me, how could I not be well?" his eyes twinkled.

She nodded with satisfaction, "quite right, I must make sure you’re in glowing health while you’re still in the capital".

She looked quite forlorn as she thought about the logical next step of him leaving the capital on the campaign trail, where he would be well outside her ability to care for him.

He seemed to follow her train of thought, and he tried to distract her from that rabbit hole.

"Well," he said slyly, "it seems you are my de facto wife already, Mei Meili. Does that mean you’ve changed your mind about the betrothal?"

"What?" she blushed bright red. "De facto wife? What? No! I’m your dear friend, Bai Li."

"Is that so?" he teased her.

"I understand the Tan family have started betrothal discussions with your parents," he said, on a more serious note. "What was the outcome?" he asked deceptively lightly.

"Mother and father have given them a similar response to the discussions they had with your mother and father. Wait until after the concubine selections and see how we feel about one another."

"And how do you feel about Tan Bowen, Mei Meili," he looked at her with a frighteningly intense gaze, and she shrank back from him.

"I... I... I don’t really know, Bai Li. He’s a very dear friend too. I don’t have any romantic feelings for him if that’s what you’re getting at?"

Bai Li grinned savagely and nodded. "It is."

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