Chereads / DANCE OF THE RED PEACOCK / Chapter 4 - Hong 'Mei' Er

Chapter 4 - Hong 'Mei' Er

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Tang Yuan stopped in front of her sons.

She grabs Hong Er's hand and pulls him behind her.

"Fei Er, what are you doing? You know people are paying attention to the two of you. Hong Er, Uncle Fu Wang is looking for you over there, go to see him"

## Fu Wang, one of Bai Hu's old best friends and colleagues.

Hong Er nodded, he was about to leave but Fei Er pulled his hand.

"Mother, Hong Er is still not fully recovered yet and you ask him to work. You said you don't want to be evil like a stepmother but why treat Hong Er like this?" Fei Er's voice was loud.

Tang Yuan was surprised Fei could speak so loudly like that in front of the crowd. She approached her son and pulled him away from the door.

"This kid" pinched Fei Er's hand anxiously.

"What did you say? Stepmother'? Who is the stepmother? What if someone hears you and thinks that is right? You a rotten boy, come here!"

Hong Er closed his mouth holding back laughter, from a distance Kai Le still looked at him directly. He was stunned, Hong Er's pretty smile, even his eyes seemed to smile beautifully, made Kai Le's heart beat so fast. He felt a deep heat deep into his chest, a strange feeling immediately enveloped him, and his gaze diverted quickly when Hong Er turned his head.

"Eh Your Majesty, If you don't mind I'll excuse myself now," said Bai Hu.

Bai Hu saw the commotion between his wife and Fei Er. Others might not notice it but Bai Hu knew the mother and child were arguing again, as usual.

"Yeah, please Master Jie" Kai Le replied a little stuttering.

After Bai Hu walked away,

Tao approached, whispering to his young master who looked so concerned at that time.

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking of?"

Kai Le sat back in his place, coughing out a little pressure on his chest.

"Ahem, it's nothing, Tao. Go tell the others that we will have to stay a night or two here, let them take a rest soon"

Tao nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will tell the others."

Kai Le waved his hand and let Tao leave the room.

"Please"

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The event was getting busier.

Some guests have taken out their best collections and placed them on the table on a long way big long field. Each guest will be given an emblem as their identity, and every time they like an item they will put the emblem on it. The item with the most emblems will enter the auction session that will be carried out late in the evening. The objects with only one or two emblems will be completed on the spot by the officers who are already on standby.

Kai Le moves around an object that catches his eye. A tall silver bowl with ornaments resembling a grouse on its body and its handle. It is so beautiful but no one offered it yet. Visitors keep passing it.

Without him knowing, Hong Er walked passed him. Kai Le almost jumped out surprised to see Hong Er there. He tried to attract Hong Er's attention to make the boy stop.

"Ahem" Kai Le Coughing.

Hong stops, he doesn't see anyone there because of too hurried.

"Eh, Your Majesty, how may I help you with?" he approached with his cheerful bright face.

Kai Le waved his hand.

"Eh yeah, I was just looking around"

Hong Er nodded. He was about to continue on his way back because it seemed the young prince didn't need his help. But again, Kai Le's voice stopped him.

"This item.. why, this.. looks like nobody bid on this item? It looks very pretty. What is this?" said Kai Le pointing to one item near him.

"O this? This is called a vessel of broken hearts."

Kai Le widened his eyes, afraid that he might hear it wrong.

"What was that? The vessel, of a broken heart?"

Hong Er nodded.

"Yes, according to Mother, this object has been around since the auction twelve years ago, and no one has bid it until now. Maybe because the story behind this vessel makes it unobserved by anyone. Who wants to keep an object that brings sadness like this?"

Kai Le observes the vessel, the shape is beautiful. The carvings are very detailed. The surface is smooth and shiny, and there is nothing strange about it. Then why does such a beautiful thing bring sadness? from the craft, it looks like it comes from outside Tang.

"Emm Your Highness want this? No one bid on this item, just to let you know Mother might give it to you for free."

Kai Le straightened up. Hong Er whispered in a position so close to him that he could smell his body's fragrance, making him even more nervous.

"Eh I, emm" but the young prince frowned since earlier the 'young girl' had said a word that made him confused.

"Emm, Mother? What do you mean by Mother?"

Hong Er stuttered. He forgot, now he was on duty as a guest Maid. He smiled as he scratched his head.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, I mean, Her Majesty the Princess"

"Oh yeah"

Kai Le was about to come closer again but someone appeared quickly.

"Hong Er! I've been looking for you."

Fei Er, who had been there already, pulled Hong Er's hand closer to him. He looked at Kai Le with sharp eyes, for some reason but both seemed to dislike each other, even before the two of them knew each other, the electricity sparks on both eyes.

"Ehhem, this Young Master is.." ask Kai Le. That is the fierce young man before.

Fei Er ignored Kai Le. The young prince's energy somehow looked bad in his eyes.

"Come on, come with me there. Cousins are coming and they will start asking for you, don't waste time here. You're not a servant who has to always explain everything about anything" said Fei about to pull Hong's hand.

"Brother let me introduce to you first, he is His Majesty Kai Le, the Prince of Hua"

Fei Er glanced at Kai Le. The young prince gave his most friendly smile. Although it looked forced. The two greeted each other.

"Young Master Fei, it has been a long time since I heard about your brilliant reputation, what a fortune to meet you today."

"No big deal, I hope the reputation you hear isn't that bad, right?" Fei Er replied in a somewhat cynical tone.

Somehow Fei Er seemed to hear a little tone of ridicule from the prince whose face was very attractive to the eyes. All parts of his face to his feet were very attractive, his clothes were also unusual designs different from Tang's. He had heard that the country of Hua is indeed famous for its beautiful clothes and jewelry and also for people who are born with naturally beautiful faces.

"If you may excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty, I have important business over there"

Kai Le bowed his head.

"Oh please, Young Master Jie."

Without waiting any longer Fei Er took Hong Er and left quickly.

"Come on Hong, hurry"

"Brother, why do you need to rush anyway"

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On the other side.

A group of honorable guests came from the palace.

There's TangYi, the Crown Prince who was none other than Fei Er's older cousin. Tall about hundred and ninety centimeters, handsome face was radiant like a jewel. The descendant of the royal family who was almost flawless.

He's twenty-four years old, three years above Fei Er, the only son of Empress Gao Niang, the daughter of General Gao. Automatically the title of Crown Prince has been given to him since he was born. He is polite, well-educated, has good etiquette, and humble. Very good at political science, and trade negotiation, and masters all kinds of musical instruments to sharp weapons. However, he doesn't need all of that to defend himself because many bodyguards stick to him. He is the most perfect figure of the Crown Prince. No doubt that this country will be more prosperous under his rule.

Come with him is Tang Wen, the younger sister of another Emperor's concubine. An extraordinarily stunning beautiful princess. It is said that she has become the fiancé of the prince of Hua country and will marry when she is twenty-one years old, that's in a few months, from now.

She is petite, with clean and shiny skin like a jewel, and long black hair flowing down to below the slim waist. The princess received a very good upbringing from the palace teacher to grow up to become a young girl who's well-educated and polite. Anyone would like her right away.

The arrival of Fei Er and Hong Er made the siblings excited after almost being bored to death.

"Hong Er!" TangYi Shouted.

Tang Yi immediately greeted HongEr and invited him to sit together.

"Little Hong, where have you been? We've been looking for you since we arrived!" said Tang Yi in a loud voice.

Fei Er approached, but he was not alone, another person came behind him. Tang Yi and Tang Wen looked at each other, it is a stranger, both thought.

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