The Emperor watched with amusent as he read the struggle written on ili’s face like the pages of a book.
The girl knew she should tell him what had just taken place, but she was torn by her loyalty to his son.
He decided to put her out of her misery.
"No matter, you don’t need to tell . I believe I have a pretty fulso understanding already."
Her pale face was suddenly suffused with pink, and he couldn’t help smiling at her.
"Co, co. I don’t like to see you downcast. That doesn’t lighten my day. Why don’t you plan sothing fun to lift your mood? What would you like to do to cheer you up, hm? You can ask sothing of ."
The Chief Eunuch watched with interest to see the Emperor try and coax the girl, whose mood should be an irrelevance to him, and who, frankly, shouldn’t be bringing her moods into their Lord’s study to bother him with.
"Really, Your Majesty?" her face brightened considerably. "Then may I visit the training camp to take so ho cooked food and health supplents to Commander Bai? I’ve been feeling neglectful of my good friend."
"Yes, yes, why not visit your ’good friend’?" that suited his purposes perfectly well also... "And why don’t you plan to perform a dance for tomorrow as well?"
He had been sorry to miss i ili’s famous performance in the Empress’s garden and had been aning to ask her to perform for him for so ti now.
This would kill two birds with one stone, by taking her mind off his son’s clumsy actions at the sa ti.
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On this occasion, i ili was ushered straight through the gates of the training camp as though she was a princess, the guards practically falling over each other to roll out the red carpet for her.
"Miss i, Miss i, let take you to the Commander’s tent."
"I’m fine thank you for the offer," she smiled at the man, "I know the way now".
"Miss i, can I carry those food boxes for you? They look heavy."
"Manni and I can manage, thank you for your kind offer though. I would hate to take any of you from your posts."
"The Commander won’t mind if it’s for you, Miss i," called one of the guards, his fellow guard kicking him behind the knee. "Oah! What was that for?"
"Shut up, man. You’ll get us in trouble," he hissed. "Just keep your trap shut! Didn’t you do enough damage last ti she ca here?"
"I was only trying to be helpful," the fellow muttered.
"Stop it! The only thing you’ll ’help us’ into, is a beating!"
ili and Manni continued on their way, very happy to have so stolen ti together. ili had been ho in the morning to prepare the food for Bai Li, and she was still basking in the warmth of her family’s love.
By the ti she reached the Commander’s tent, Bai Li was already striding out to greet her, the news having travelled there faster than she, Manni and Tricky could walk.
The dog gave a bark of delight and rushed up to the man, jumping up on him in his excitent to see his friend after too long.
Bai Li’s eyes softened, and he picked the large dog up in his arm’s briefly, his n laughing at the sight.
"I’ve missed you too big fella," he told the dog, letting him give him a quick lick on the chin. "Alright, off you go, keep your dignity about you," he let the dog jump down from his arms, and as though Tricky understood that he’d lapsed in public, he rushed back to ili’s side and walked at her heel with the bearing of a king, not a lolling tongue in sight.
"Miss i!" called the Commander with obvious pleasure, and his n all looked at each other, rolling their eyes knowingly.
With not much society at camp, the rumour mill was always in overdrive, and the n knew very well that this was the woman their Commander fancied. And who wouldn’t? She was a worthy partner for their beloved leader.
It was also a commonly known fact that both the Tan family and the Bai family had attempted betrothal discussions with the i’s, but that the girl hadn’t yet been through the concubine selections and had now been called to the palace to serve the Emperor himself. There seed little likelihood that the Emperor would not take her into his harem, or gift her to one of his sons, so the whole affair had the makings of a dramatic tale of star-crossed lovers separated by fate.
Bai Li knew that the bards were singing of them in inns and restaurants across the capital, and even beyond, but there was nothing that could be done, so he let the stories roll off him like raindrops in a passing shower.
"Commander Bai," i ili smiled at him shyly, well aware she was being watched by many pairs of soldiers’ eyes.
He took the boxes she was carrying from her and ushered her towards his tent.
Once inside, she laid out all of the boxes and took the lids off one by one.
"These are sesa cakes, they’re very nutritious but limit yourself to one or two a day, these stuffed buns should be eaten today while they’re fresh, these are fresh fruits for you to snack on every day..."
Bai Li hardly paid attention to her words as he watched her lovely face that he had missed since she entered the palace and he was always at the camp, though he would not be at camp for much longer, as they were due to head north soon...
He smiled gently at her when she had finished telling him all of the foods she had brought for him, and how he ought to consu them for his health.
"i ili, thank you for caring for once again. You’re very good to ," he looked at her tenderly.
She blushed at the complint. "It’s no more than you deserve Bai Li, you work so hard serving the People and our country."
"And yet, only you think to care for like this," he teased her gently.
"Really?" she looked at him with concern. "What of your mother, Madam Bing? Surely, she must be worried, and sending you food parcels and clothing?"
"Oh," he said airily, "my mother cares for of course, but after all, she’s married to a General, so she’s well used to the n in her family being at training camps or at war, so she doesn’t let a trifling thing like being nearby in a military camp concern her. She reserves that for campaigns."
This didn’t set ili’s heart at ease, and she put a finger to her lips in concern, wishing she was still living at ho so she could co by more often.
He chuckled now, "don’t be too concerned for , i ili. I am a grown man after all."
"Even grown n must have soone to care of them while they’re working so hard as you are, Bai Li," she admonished him.
"Yes ma’am," he pretended to be chastened by her until she had to laugh too.
He thought he detected a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"Sit down, i ili," he said gently, motioning for his manservant to serve them tea.
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