Getting Yuelan to stop pouring over the scrolls and ready to leave took Long He about half an hour and getting down the mountain to the imperial carriage waiting at the bottom took another hour. When they got to the bottom of the mountain, Yuelan stayed as far away from the horses as she could manage while still getting inside the carriage. She wanted to flop down inside and catch her breath like she would have at home, but instead she properly took a seat on the opposite bench from the two men and sat with perfect posture as she looked through the gauze curtains over the window to the scenery outside. Small beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but there were no handkerchiefs in any of the things that Long He had prepared for her and she hadn’t brought one from home. There had been tissues in her purse, but she'd left everything in it and the purse was back in the armoire in what was apparently now her room.
She could feel eyes on her as she looked out the window and after a moment a calloused hand came into view, offering her a handkerchief. Yuelan looked up and into the amused eyes of Prince Guangfeng. Her cheeks were still flushed from the walk, and she gave him a slight smile as she took the handkerchief. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she said quietly. She gently dabbed at her forehead and nose with the handkerchief, then hesitated. “I’ll...return it after I’ve washed it,” she promises.
The corner of the prince’s lips twitched and he chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. After watching you attempt to light a fire, I’m afraid something might happen to your hands if you tried to wash anything.”
Yuelan’s cheeks turned a brighter pink and she looked away, her cheeks puffing out a little and her thin, pink lips forming a pout.
Her reaction seemed to entertain the prince, as he chuckled again before he turned to start a conversation with Long He. “Out of curiosity, Lord Long...which of my brothers do you feel is most suited to the throne?”
Yuelan glanced toward the two men and saw Long He turn to look at the prince. “I don’t support any of them, at the moment, Your Highness,” the dragon answered sincerely. “I choose not to involve myself in the internal battles of the imperial family, especially those involving the throne.”
“Of course. Everyone is aware of your neutrality. I simply wondered if there was one prince in particular you felt more suitable than the others.”
Long He looked amused. “Don’t think your actions have fooled me, Prince Guangfeng. You are not as disinterested in the throne as you have made it appear--nor are you the lazy, debaucherous prince you make yourself out to be. These things may fool your enemies for now, but I’ve watched the politics of the imperial family for a very long time. You’re not the first to fight for the throne by hiding his intentions behind a facade.”
Prince Guangfeng sighed. “I suppose this means you won’t be answering my question, then.”
Long He’s lips curved into a smile. “I’ve already given you your answer. It’s the same one I gave your father when he asked me. And your grandfather and great-grandfather.”
The prince lifted a hand and waved it. “Never mind. I understand. You choose to remain neutral. I’ll pretend I didn’t ask.” He turned his attention to Yuelan. “Should I open the curtain so you can see outside better, Miss Long?” he offered.
Yuelan turned her head to openly look at Prince Guangfeng. “If you like. It’s Your Highness’ carriage.” Even though the carriage was high quality, it still bounced around more than the cars and trains she had been in and there was rarely room to sit on the busses. She had a feeling her bottom was going to be sore by the time they reached the capital.
“I was asking you. You’ve never seen more of this kingdom than the Library, correct?”
“I haven’t,” Yuelan answered. “It’s...very different from where I come from.”
The prince lifted a hand to move the gauze curtain away from the window and placed it behind a hook to hold it. “Do you like the differences?”
Yuelan smiled a little and turned to look out the window again. “I haven’t had time to decide, Your Highness. But...the air seems cleaner and the scenery is beautiful.”
Prince Guangfeng chuckled. “That’s a diplomatic answer.”
“Thank you.” Yuelan nodded at him. “I always try to make my father proud of me.”
“Lord Long did mention your father is the prime minister of your own country.”
Yuelan gave the dragon a suspicious look. “Oh? What else did ‘Lord Long’ tell you?”
“He mentioned you are an only child and your mother died of illness when you were young,” Prince Guangfeng answered honestly. “He also said that being a prime minister in your country has a bit of a different meaning than it does here, though chose not to explain.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Yuelan frowned a bit. “Well, I’m not sure what he means by the last part, but I’m sure it’s true. He knows both countries well enough, after all.” She turned her head to look back out the window.
“What sort of responsibilities does your father have?” the prince asked.
“Well...he handles most of the business of running the country,” she answered. “There are ministers and others who support him, but he signs off on any contracts with businesses, ensures programs that benefit the citizens, such as the health care program, are running as they should, and handles most of the relations with other countries.”
“What about your emperor? It sounds like he has nothing to do…”
“I’ve never actually met the imperial family,” Yuelan answers. “They’re mostly responsible for important religious ceremonies and festivals and things like that. I’ve seen them from a distance, but Daddy never had me meet with them. I went with him to meet with business owners, politicians, and ambassadors quite often, though.”
The prince rubbed his chin and studied Yuelan. “Interesting...what’s a health care program?”
Yuelan blinked and looked over at him. “It’s...well, it allows anyone to have access to affordable medical care,” she explained. “Anyone can go and see a doctor, and if they can’t afford it on their own then the government uses taxes to help cover the costs of what they can’t pay for.” She frowned a little as she thought of a way to explain further. “It doesn’t let a commoner see an imperial physician, for example, but they can see a regular physician and get medicine if they need it and the physician will still get paid for the work without the citizen having to go without food or a home in order to pay the doctor.”
Prince Guangfeng nodded that he understood and changed the subject. For the rest of the trip to the capital he played the gracious host, asking Yuelan questions about her interests and answering any questions she had. The carriage didn’t stop after entering the capital’s gates and went straight to Heping Palace, Prince Guangfeng's personal palace. When it stopped, Guangfeng stood and looked out at the servant below. “Summon Willow and Camphor and inform Laurel to pack her belongings as well as theirs. I have a task for the three of them. They’ll be serving a different master from now on.”
The servant bowed and scurried into the palace.
Yuelan studied the prince’s back until he’d sat back down, and then she turned her attention to his face. “Is it a coincidence that they’re all named after trees?” she asked him.
“No. I gave them those names when I bought their contracts. I’ll have the contracts sent to your room at the inn this evening after I drop you off along with their things. They’ll be your servants from now on.” The corner of the prince’s mouth twitched again. “You can let one of them wash and return the handkerchief you borrowed.”
Yuelan’s cheeks turned pink and she looked away, her cheeks puffing out into a pout again, which earned her another chuckle from the prince.
A few minutes later two young women who looked the same age as Yuelan got into the carriage and gave the prince a deep salute. “You summoned us, Master?” the girls asked in sync.
The prince nodded and gestured for the two to rise. “This is Miss Long Yuelan. She’s Lord Long’s ward for the time being while she visits our Longuo. Since none of her servants managed to come with her and Lord Long has never had any, I am giving the two of you and Laurel to her. Obey her as you would me.”
The two maids saluted Prince Guangfeng by placing one fist into the palm of their other hand and then turned and saluted Yuelan.
“Miss Long, I am Camphor and this is Willow. Please allow us to serve you from now on,” explained one of the two girls. She had a mole under her left eye, was a little shorter than the other and a bit less slender. Camphor also seemed to have an innate grace that Willow was lacking.
Yuelan nodded. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said graciously. “You can sit down.”
The two maids sat down on the bench with Yuelan and the prince knocked twice on the carriage wall to signal the driver to start moving again.
Yuelan watched out the window as the carriage went through the streets of the capital. The whole place looked like it had come out of a period drama about ancient times. The parts she was able to see were beautiful, but she suspected that there were parts of the city that were filled with garbage, human waste, and the homeless surrounded by dilapidated houses that could fall over at any time. After all, this was an actual country stuck in an ancient era without plumbing. It wasn't a historical drama.
She had been in the carriage for two hours already. Her bottom was sore and her muscles starting to cramp from sitting still for so long. Without really meaning to, Yuelan fidgeted a bit in her seat, trying to ease her discomfort.
“We’ll be at the restaurant soon,” Prince Guangfeng assured her. “I take it Miss Long isn’t used to spending so much time in a carriage?”
Yuelan’s face flushed and she stared out the window. “No, not really, Your Highness.” She chose not to mention she’d never been in an actual carriage before.
“Perhaps you should consider moving to the capital then. It’d be more convenient for you than staying in the library.”
“Thank you, but I’d prefer to stay in the library,” Yuelan replied, her tone clipped, but polite. “It’s more convenient for returning home.” She felt the prince’s eyes on her and turned to look at him. He had a slight frown and a small crease between his eyebrows.
“Have I upset you in some way, Miss Long?” he asked once her eyes were on him.
“I’m not used to being teased, Your Highness, that’s all,” Yuelan answered very properly.
“If you dislike it perhaps you should try to keep your reactions from being so adorable,” the prince suggested, sounding amused.
Yuelan gave him a glare, then turned her head to look out the window with a pouting expression. No matter how he tried to coax her, she refused to even look at him for the rest of the ride to the restaurant.