"Meili! Meili!" called her mother in a panic.
Meili sat opposite Master Rong, playing the guqin at her afternoon lesson. She put her hands on the strings to still them.
"Yes Mother?"
"Excuse me Master Rong," apologised Madam Yu, inclining her head towards him. "I'm afraid the Second Prince has turned up unexpectedly and requested to meet with Mei Meili. We'll have to cut her lesson short today. I'm so very sorry to trouble you like this."
Meili blanched. Why did the prince want to see her instead of her First Brother? She couldn't imagine any good reason. She rose from her instrument, nervous butterflies dancing in her stomach.
"Manni, please freshen your mistress for the visit," Madam Yu ordered. "Leave her veil on," she said sharply, looking at both of the girls.
"Yes Madam," Manni curtsied. She took Meili by the arm, steering her hurriedly back to her chambers.
"But mother, the prince has already seen my face at the palace," Meili called back over her shoulder. "It's split milk worrying about that anymore."
"Do as I ask Meili, don't argue with me," said her mother, brooking no nonsense.
Old Master Rong chuckled as he struggled to his feet. "Oh, to be young again. Such are the joys of youth."
"Let me see you out Old Master," said Madam Yu solicitously. "It's so much harder to properly raise girls than boys," she lamented.
" Although this bird has not yet taken flight, when it does it shall surpass heaven. Although it has not yet sung, when it does it shall shake the angels," quoted Master Rong.
So much for the veil, thought Madam Yu, with alarm.
She could feel their carefully kept secret rapidly unravelling, after all these years of hard work.
She hoped her husband's efforts to keep Meili out of the palace would pay off. If her daughter had to enter the harem or become a prince's concubine under the rule of a wife, it would break her heart.
Manni quickly ran a comb through Meili's long hair. Luckily, she was already dressed prettily for the visit by Master Rong. A light peach coloured dress complemented the natural highlights in her hair. Her silver bell earrings from her father tinkled as she stood.
With her light veil secured, Meili walked to the receiving courtyard to meet the prince.
Tricky was close on her heels wearing a smart peach scarf, and Manni followed a discreet distance behind them.
"Your highness," Meili curtsied. "Your visit is unexpected. What brings you to see me today?"
"Miss Mei," he nodded stiffly, noting her veil was back in place, "I came to return this".
He stuck out his hand, in which he held the pale gold veil she had lost at the palace.
Tricky watched him warily as the man nearly touched his mistress.
"Oh," she flushed with embarrassment. "Thank you for your kindness your highness. You didn't need to come all the way here in person to return this, but I thank you anyway."
The second prince really was ridiculously handsome she thought, it was hard not to stare openly at him. How many young ladies must be in love with this man?
"Would you do me the honour of taking a walk around the garden with me?" he asked formally.
"Of course, if you have the time to waste on me, I'd be happy to accompany you," she responded.
The Mei Mansion had extensive grounds. As well as the training grounds, stables and a riding field, there was a large ornamental garden, with shaded paths, a koi pond and tame peacocks roaming freely.
This time, Meili established the proper etiquette before they set-off. Walking alongside the prince, but slightly behind him, at a modest distance.
Who knew what might happen if her parents or her brothers saw them arm-in-arm as they had been in the Empress's Garden, she thought with alarm. They'd probably insist on him taking her as a concubine where she would languish in a cold palace somewhere like a sad character in a novel. She shuddered.
He reached down to stroke Tricky-Wu, but the dog turned tail and hid behind his mistress, and the prince smiled in amusement.
"Good boy not to trust anyone," he spoke approvingly.
"Young Miss," said Manni, approaching them, "let me take Tricky for you".
She grabbed the dog by his scarf and dragged the reluctant animal behind her, standing a good distance away where their conversation would not be overheard.
"Miss Mei," he kicked off. "I wanted to say to you that your Flower Lantern Dance in my mother's garden was very good. A worthy tribute to her. She was also a talented dancer," he spoke wistfully.
"I hadn't heard that she was a dancer your highness. She must have been beautiful to produce children like the princess and you," she said guilelessly.
He chuckled with quiet pleasure. She thought he was handsome. That was a start.
"She was very beautiful by all accounts. I don't remember her well, but the paintings of her are lovely. My Emperor Father says they don't do her justice... They were a love match. That's why he's never installed another empress."
"Yes, your highness; it's a beautiful tribute. You must miss her."
"You can't miss what you don't remember," he sighed. "Sometimes I wish I had a mother though. There are times in your life when you need a mother's advice."
He was pulling at her heartstrings.
"Of course! I hope you have someone in your life who can play that role, even if they're not the same as a real mother."
"I am close with Princess Lingling, but it's definitely not the same. And she's my meimei, so I can't go to her for advice."
He stopped walking as they crossed the bridge over the koi pond.
Turning to face her, he stepped towards her, and placed one arm on either side of her, trapping her between his arms against the bridge rail.
She leaned precariously backwards in alarm as he leaned towards her, like a wolf sniffing its prey. Her eyes were wide as she looked into his eyes. Where was Manni?
"What are your hopes and dreams, if it's not too forward of me to ask Miss Mei?"