The Princess looked surprised. "He asked if he could co," she whispered. "I thought you'd want him here."
"Hmmph," he grunted, "you thought wrong. Tan Bowen," he nodded at him, squeezing his forearm in greeting. The squeeze was powerful, and Tan Bowen pried the Prince's fingers from his arm.
"Your highness," he grinned. "I'm sure you're surprised and happy to see . Your sister sent an invitation and I knew you'd be glad to have so male company to even out the numbers with all of these beautiful ladies. Bai Li's coming too," he added for good asure.
Right on cue, Bai Li joined the end of the line, coming up behind ili.
"Miss i. You're lucky last I see," he bowed.
"Commander Bai," she said nervously, edging forward. "I...it's very nice to see you again. I didn't expect to see you at a flower viewing?"
"The Princess invited ," he said.
"Oh, well I hope you'll enjoy the flowers."
"I hope to enjoy your company too, Miss i."
She laughed, and it was the sweetest laugh he had ever heard.
"Commander Bai, I'm sure there are many beautiful young ladies here who'll be vying for your attention. Please don't feel you need to keep company. I hope I was clear with you the other day. There are no obligations or promises between us."
Her words hit him like a face full of icy water. He really seed to have got off on the wrong foot with her.
If he still harboured any misapprehensions about her feelings for him, he was well and truly disabused of them now. She just didn't like him, and he had no idea why.
"I thought you said you hoped we can beco dear friends?"
"I do hope we can beco friends Commander Bai, but this is an occasion for you to et all of the eligible young ladies in the capital, so I won't take offence if you make use of the opportunity," she smiled behind her veil, her eyes crinkling conspiratorially at him.
Wow, another sucker punch to the face he thought. She really knew how to wield her power for evil.
"I have no interest in eting other young ladies, Miss i," he said coolly to her. "I'm not sure what you take for?"
Had she offended him? She was only trying to help him. The poor man must really be under pressure from General Bai to marry into the i family.
They had reached the Second Prince and the Princess.
"Your highnesses," ili curtsied, hands crossed at her right hip.
The Princess reached out and grasped her hands. "You must be i ili, am I right?"
"Yes, Princess," she said shyly.
"I have been so looking forward to eting you," the Princess said warmly. "I know all of your brothers, and I've been to your Mansion many tis."
"I know Princess. My Second Brother, i Renhu, has told many stories of you. I feel like I know you."
"And I you! I've asked i Renhu so many tis if I could et you, but they've kept you wrapped up like a nightingale in a gilded cage."
"That's exactly it, Princess. Though I can't say I'm a nightingale. A sparrow perhaps," she smiled.
"Definitely not! If you're not a nightingale, you're a phoenix, or a golden pheasant."
Having seen her up-close, the Princess had already worked out that ili was beautiful under that veil. No wonder her brother was besotted. She wondered where he had managed to lay eyes on her.
"Well yes, I am wearing gold, but those birds are beautiful and I'm not. I wear this veil for a reason Princess," ili let her know.
The Princess looked puzzled. What was the reason? Did she have a scar on her face?
This again, Bai Li sighed loudly, and ili looked back at him quizzically.
She really thought she could keep up this ugly façade, did she? It was getting ridiculous now that she was outside the protection of the inner courtyards and strangers could actually see her.
The Princess's second brother nudged her, and she realised she'd been neglecting him. "Oh my goodness, i ili, please et my dear gege, Prince Zhu Yicai."
ili looked up at the Prince's handso face. He was not as tall as Bai Li, but he was square jawed with brown hair rather than black, matching light tan skin and brown eyes. He was incredibly handso in a clean-cut, storybook-prince kind-of way.
She felt her face flush, and she was suddenly very glad of the hated veil.
"Your highness it's a pleasure to et you. My brothers have also told many stories of you as well, including what a good polo player you are."
"Is that so? It's a real pleasure to et you, Miss i. I keep asking your brothers when they'll let you out of that cage. And you're definitely a nightingale or a phoenix. 'Miss i' and 'sparrow,' do not belong in the sa sentence," he said firmly.
Bai Li rolled his eyes at the cheesy line.
ili touched her ear in embarrassnt. This veil really was a bother actually. It gave people the wrong first impression of her.
"Thank you, your highness, I beg to differ, but I'm sure we'll co to know each other in ti," she said diplomatically.
"Definitely," he said eagerly. "Please let have the honour of escorting you around the gardens, Miss i?"
"Oh! Really your highness? I'm sure you must have other more important guests to attend to today."
"I do not," he said, leaving no room for argunt. "You are the guest I've been most looking forward to eting."
"Thank you for that complint your highness, but please don't let dominate your ti at such a special gathering. There are many young ladies here who I'm sure would be very pleased to be able to spend so ti with you."
"Are you saying you're not among them?"
"Of course not!" she exclaid.
"Well then, although it may be the case that there are other young ladies who would like to spend ti with , you can ask my sister if I have any interest in spending ti with them."
"It's true," the Princess agreed fondly. "He has no ti at all for young ladies generally. You're special Miss i. I would fight him for so ti with you, but he'd get too cross with ."
They must really like my brothers, thought ili happily. It was very nice to be welcod so warmly.
The Prince took her by the arm and lead her off into the garden.
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