"i ili, are you feeling better?" the Princess chirped, trying to change the highly charged subject of Miss i’s marriage partner.
She placed a basket of fruit by ili’s bedside. "My Second Brother’s been keeping blow-by-blow inford of course," she rolled her eyes in his direction fondly. "He wouldn’t even let co and visit you before now, so my apologies it’s taken so long to co by."
"Princess, thank you so much for taking the ti to visit and there was really no need. As you can see, I’m almost better, thanks to your Second Brother. If it wasn’t for him, I’d have drowned for sure."
"Pei, pei," said the Princess, lightly patting her mouth in a superstitious gesture designed to avoid bad luck. "Don’t say that it’s bad luck. It was clearly not your fate to drown in that lake. Yicai tells your Chow Chow kept you afloat until he could rescue you?"
"Yes," ili looked fondly out at Tricky, who strangely, was fast asleep on the patio and had not even risen to bark at the guests, or to greet his favourite Bai Li.
ili looked over at Bai Li, her concern for Tricky evident on her face. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, mouthing ’he’s okay’.
"Tricky did his best to rescue but he lacked the strength to carry into shore. Once the court clothes and shoes are drenched you beco terribly heavy, you see."
"Well, thankfully not too heavy for Yicai," said the Princess brightly, not wanting the girl to dwell on the experience. "I’m sure he had you out of that lake in no ti once he arrived."
ili smiled and nodded her agreent, and the Prince looked proudly across at Bai Li, looking down his nose at the fellow who hadn’t been there to save i ili at the critical mont.
Bai Li stared fiercely right back at the Prince, narrowing his eyes at the man. Did he think he was the only man who had saved her life?
He hoped the Prince didn’t think that gave him any sort of claim over her, because it most certainly didn’t!
No doubt his highness had been lobbying the Emperor for her hand since it happened. The fact a betrothal hadn’t been announced ant he hadn’t been successful, so Bai Li still had a chance.
"It all sounds terribly frightening, Miss i," Ling Lui said insincerely. "What a pity it’s kept you from our Lord’s service these past few days. Have you thought about asking the Emperor to send you ho after such a fright?" she asked with a sly expression on her face.
"Do you think he would?" ili asked innocently.
"No," replied the Prince and Bai Li firmly at the sa ti.
"There’s no chance of that, and you would only anger him for treating his favour like a punishnt," warned the Prince, knowing that Ling Lui was well aware of that fact.
Ling Lumi sighed. How boring...
If these two n were going to sit here like guard dogs, she might as well cut her losses and get back to her courtyard.
She planned to sing so opera tonight to see if she could entice the Emperor to choose her naplate as he passed.
She’d lost all faith in Miss Li as the ’borrowed knife’ now. As they say, ’if you want a job done right, do it yourself.’
-----------
i ili was fully recovered and back in the Emperor’s chamber.
She had spent the morning since dawn, blending her own variety of tea for the Emperor in the kitchen, taste testing and hoping she might tempt his palate and please him.
The man worked so very hard, she only hoped she could ease his day and help him in so small way.
She had arrived at the blend she thought was the winner.
It was a white apricot flavour, combining the refined character of a white tea, with the sweetness and delicate flavour and aroma of sumr-dried apricot pieces. It was served hot but was refreshing on this unseasonably warm autumn day.
"Your majesty," ili said shyly, "here is your usual tea. I’ve also prepared a specially blended white apricot tea for you to try, if you’d care to taste so?"
The Emperor looked over at the young girl with satisfaction. She was both pleasing to the eye, and helpful to his manoeuvrings, and she had survived an attempt on her life.
She was fast becoming one of his favourites.
"Why not, why not," he said magnanimously, agreeing to try the tea to please her.
Chief Eunuch Feng tucked the interaction away.
His Lord didn’t care for new types of tea. It was a staple he preferred to remain the sa, so he didn’t have to think about it in his busy day. His agreeing to try a new variety in order to please Miss i was highly unusual.
Feng Bao had very little interest in the won surrounding his majesty, except so far as they either contributed to his well-being or caused him problems. Those who fell on the positive side of the scales, he treated well and facilitated their access to his Lord.
The Emperor tilted his head to one side as he tasted the tea, his face lighting up with an expression of pleased surprise.
"That’s actually very tasty," he said with wonder, looking at Miss i anew.
Perhaps she was more than just a pretty face after all...
"Delicious," he pronounced. "Teach my other servants how to make this tea for , Miss i," he sipped on the brew with pleasure.
The Emperor caught sight of a fluffy paw, just overhanging the servants’ entrance.
"Is that your famous dog that saved your life, Miss i?" his head flicked towards the errant paw.
ili looked behind her with fear that Tricky was not where he should be, tucked away safely out of the Emperor’s sight.
"Y...yes, my Lord. I’m sorry. He should be sitting outside in the corridor. Tricky!" she called sharply. "Outside Boy!"
The paw slid back from view, and the scrambling and light tapping of claws on wooden floorboards could be heard.
"Bring him in to et ," commanded the Emperor. "I must lay eyes on this beast that rescued his mistress from the jaws of death."
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