"Emperor Father, I’m sure you know why I’m here."
"Pray enlighten , Second Son," the Emperor watched in amusent as his second son squird before him, an unusual but delightful sight.
"Miss i, who you told was under your protection and would not be hard, has been hard on just her third day in the palace. I found the eunuch responsible for pushing her, but not the person behind him... He killed himself with poison before I could question him further."
The prince knew that his Father would already be well-inford, but the dance had to be perford, nonetheless.
"Is that so," the Emperor stroked his goatee. "Are you blaming for this incident Yicai?"
"No Father, of course not!"
"It’s a pity you were so careless as to lose your suspect, son."
"My apologies, Emperor Father, you’re right, it was careless of . It won’t happen again; I can assure you. And the fellow wasn’t just a suspect, he was the culprit... Miss i happened to catch sight of her assailant just before she was pushed into the water."
"Did she now? And did she identify him?"
"She only saw that it was a eunuch, she didn’t see his face. My n searched the area and found a freshly torn piece from a eunuch’s robe. I suspected it might have been torn by her dog. It was the dog’s frantic barking that drew to the lake in ti to save her from drowning. Sure enough, we discovered the marks of a dog bite and claw scratches on the back of the attacker before he killed himself."
"Well done, well done, son. You did well to capture the man, but unfortunately, the trail ends with his death. I’m certain you didn’t find anything incriminating amongst his possessions?"
"You’re right, Emperor father," said the Second Price regretfully. "There was nothing in his room to lead us to the mastermind. Just the torn robe."
"I don’t expect the person who wants to be rid of her will try again so soon on the heels of this attempt on her life. They will want the spotlight to move on to other things before they raise their head above the parapet again."
They hadn’t inford the Emperor about the attempt on her life during the Royal Hunt, but almost certainly he knew of it. Still, the dance steps were laid out and he must follow them.
"I agree, Father, and yet still, you know what I must ask of you..."
"And what is that, child?" his father raised a single amused eyebrow.
The prince swallowed his pride, knowing he was probably wasting his breath, and yet, unable to leave without asking.
"Miss i is not safe within the palace, Father. Please allow her to return to the i mansion where her family can provide her with the protection she needs."
"You know I won’t agree to that, Yicai," his Father said mildly. "Next request?"
Zhu Yicai looked beseechingly at his Father.
"Father, I pulled Miss i lifeless from that pond. She wasn’t breathing! I breathed life back into her myself using Doctor Zhang’s techniques from ’Synopsis of the Golden Chamber.’ I touched my lips to hers Father! I have kissed the woman and held her in my arms. Father, I care for her romantically. I must take responsibility for my actions. Please, give her to ..." his voice cracked on these last words.
Abasing himself in front of his Father was sothing he had sworn to himself never to do, and yet... here he was...
The Emperor smiled a secret smile, nodding ever so slightly. So his Second Son finally had a weakness, and it ca in the form of his little wildcard...
"Son, you know better than to behave inappropriately with a woman of Miss i’s status. Are you seeking to lose your friendship with the i family?"
"No, Father," the Second Prince hung his head. "That’s why I must take responsibility and marry her," he pleaded, even whilst knowing he would be unsuccessful.
"That’s why you must control yourself, Yicai," the Emperor chided. "You know that. You think I’m going to gift her to you? For what purpose? You can line up behind your older brother, Commander Bai, young Master Tan and any number of other eminent n who want to marry this great beauty. What puts you at the front of the queue? The fact that you’ve put your paws on her? If that crass behaviour was to be rewarded, what have we co to?"
Zhu Yicai looked at his father, closing his eyes briefly in order to maintain his cool.
"Do you have sothing in mind for that might propel to the front of that long line, Father?" he tried to sound humble instead of angry, not completely succeeding.
"There are no guarantees, son, but I understand the Pri Minister has asked you to marry his eldest daughter, Li Fengfeng?"
Where was his Father heading with this line of questioning? Did he want him to marry her, or not?
"You’re well inford as always Father," the prince didn’t try to deny what his Father clearly already knew. "The Pri Minister did propose that match, yes. I haven’t responded yet; I have another candidate in mind for that exalted position as my First, and perhaps only, wife, as you know..."
"I don’t want the Pri Minister embedding her in your older brother’s harem where he, and she, can ddle. Better she goes with you to Gu. Even there he will try and manipulate you and pull you into politics. I might be tempted to consider gifting you Miss i as a concubine, if you remove Miss Li from court politics for and keep her under your control in the North. If that was to happen, Miss i might be yours conditionally, for so long as you remain happily ensconced in your fiefdom and refrain from dabbling in court drama."
The prince smiled grimly. So here was the bargain! Marry the Pri Minister’s daughter, take her from the capital, and keep the incredibly ambitious woman and her father out of the fight for succession. In return, he could offer i ili the lowly position of a concubine living in miserable Gu under the careful watch of the highly dangerous Li Fengfeng.
His Father knew full well that this was a choice that caught him between the devil and the deep blue sea!
That was not to say that he wasn’t tempted...
After all, he was the man of the household and could run his own palace as he liked.
Surely, he could protect i ili under such circumstances. She could live in an entirely separate wing protected by guards, never to cross paths with Li Fengfeng!
His brain started to tick on solving the apparent Gordian knot and potentially accepting the offer...
"May I consider the offer, Emperor Father?"
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