"Prince must go alone, please." The guard shrieked.
"If something bad happens to him, I will have your head," said Official.
"It is okay, Official. I will go alone." Lan walked alone using a long corridor.
The corridor led to a guest pavilion. Lan tried to think it through, why Father sent me here alone? There must be a reason, but what?
He slowed his feet while coming to the front of the first Guest Pavilion, guarded by Han and Kun troops.
"Wait, second Prince of Kun." The man with the aristocratic robe came out from the room and greeted Lan with the most respect. "It is my honor to meet you here."
Land bowed a little, just like the protocol said. "You must be Han's envoy."
"Yes, and I've long admired you, dear Prince. Please, come, come to my room. There is something I want to discuss with you."
He forced Lan to enter the pavilion room.
Respect, he says? But he didn't call Lan by name but used a second prince instead. Lan can immediately read all the pleasantries earlier.
They sat on cushions, and there was a small table between them. Two maids prepared a teapot for them.
The Han envoy hushed all the maids and asked his guard to move far away, so no one could eavesdrop on them.
"I hear you are the next crown prince of Kun. Is that true?"
Politely Lan explained, "No, I'm just the second prince. My brother, Kun Bian, is the crown prince."
"Ah, no way. But your father adored you the most! People on the street shouted, ``the second prince, the handsome one, must become the next Duke.``" Han Envoy scanned Lan from head to toe. "You are more worthy of being the crown prince. Your aura, the aura of a leader, isn't like that brute."
Kun Bian indeed had a stout, muscular body and a thick beard covering his chin and stern face. Naturally, he was more like a robber than a crown prince. But Lan kept that for himself.
"He is my brother and the crown prince of Kun. I hope you keep your voice low for your safety. Anyway, what do you want to discuss with me?"
Han envoy's fake laugh slowly faded away. His face was severe, and the words he spoke were almost whispering.
"It's regarding the alliance proposal from Han. The Han Dukedom isn't the strongest, but if we ally, we can become a force to be reckoned with."
Lan nodded slightly as if he was interested. "Yes, but isn't Han Ning's old alliance? You two together can be a force to be reckoned with. Why do you need Kun?"
"Aia, Prince. Ning is a deceitful wolf. They are being nice just to find an opening, then they attack. The argument for revenge is their boast was a false accusation. Madam Ning's death was not due to a massacre. Everything was an incident. We intended to return her to Ning, but she threw herself into the fire."
Lan nodded, acting as if he sympathized with the Han envoy's story. "Is that so? They took advantage of Madam Ning's death to attack. What a barbarian."
"To that end, we hope the Second Prince will vote for the formation of the Han and Kun alliance. Together we can become a great and reckoned force. Ning, wouldn't dare attack us."
Lan deliberately looks for all the bullshit that came from the Han envoy. It turns out he was aiming for the formation of an alliance.
"Han envoy, the Han rule over our ten cities. Now, what can you give us?" Lan asked blatantly.
Han Envoy was immediately confused. Lan knew he didn't have the authority to make a decision. But to his surprise, Han Envoy once more speaks fluently.
"Duke Gao promised I will give five cities alliance and…." He delayed speech.
Lan waited patiently. Following the Han Envoy's code of hand swing, Lan brought her ear close to Han Envoy's lips.
"Duke Gao wishes to support you in becoming the next Duke Kun. I was sent to say this to you, Prince."
Lan acts interested. "Hmm, good, then I can work on this alliance. I urge my father to agree on Han and Kun's alliance."
The Han envoys moved prostrate before Lan. "Thank you, Crown Prince! Long live Crown Prince of Kun!"
"Keep your voice down." Lan helped the frail man to stand up. "Then I'll be going first. Take care. Don't let anyone find out about our little conversation."
"At your wish."
Lan came out of the pavilion, about to turn a shortcut into the main hall, but again two bodyguards blocked her way.
Sorry Second Prince, please use that path. The bodyguard led Lan towards the path to Ning Envoy's pavilion
"Father, what do you want from me anyway." With heavy feet, Lan shook his light toward the main hall using a wooden corridor.
He crossed the garden before crossing pavilion number three. Ning and Kun's troops guarded the main door.
Before getting there, Lan's attention was caught by a man enjoying the rows of flowers in the garden. The well-built man was poetic.
"Gold is easy to get, and a close friend is harder to find. Travel a thousand miles to bestow a swan feather— a small gift may be a token of profound friendship."
The youth, with a gentle face, turned to face Lan, slightly bowed in greeting. He gave a swan-feathered fan. "Kun Lan, the second prince of Kun. It is an honor to meet you."
"You must be Ning Envoy. Thank you for the gift."
"I'm not Ning Envoy, and I'm Yubang. I just want to give you that fan as a gift and see with my own eyes what the Liao legend looks like."
Lan was stunned. "How did Brother Yubang know?"
Yubang replied, "Birds sing when they are happy. Liao merchants are always happy when trading in Ninggang." He stepped forward, whispering, "They say, keep this secret, don't let it get out."
Lan and Yubang chuckled. Lan didn't know what Yubang's laugh meant, but Lan's laugh was shrouded in great fear.
Indeed this person is not a normal one Lan usually meets. Yubang was not to be trifled with.
"Come, prince Lan, Ning Envoy, is waiting for you in the pavilion."
Lan walked toward the pavilion, and a man in an aristocratic robe welcomed him. Like Han's envoy, Ning also tried to sugarcoat his words with alluring sentences to make Lan smile.
When Lan turned to the garden, Yubang had disappeared. "Excuse me, Ning's Envoy, have you seen Mister Yubang?"
"Yubang? I don't know anyone named Yubang."
Lan showed him the goose feather fan he had given him. "Yubang gave me this, and he was standing in the garden earlier."
From the confused look on Ning's Envoy, Lan realized she didn't know who Yubang was.
Lan asked Kun's guards, and they didn't even know Yubang.
Lan entered the pavilion, and Ning's envoy did almost the same thing as Han. Ning's envoy also asked Lan to help smoothen the proposal for Ning and Kun's alliance.
"Prince, don't believe anything that comes out from Han. Their cruel ways make Ning sick! They massacred the late Duke Yang's family and our princess. They burned the late Duke Yang's entire family. Is it wrong if we take revenge? At least Han Gao had to suffer the same fate as our beloved princess, an eye for an eye, a life for a life."
"You right, Han must be stopped!" said Lan, with an energetic tone.
What makes Ning's envoy different is he offers a lot of money, as well as trade agreements that benefit Kun.
Both sides are trying to curry favor, dropping the enemy. Even though Han and Ning used to have an alliance, it sucks, but that's politics.
Today friends. Tomorrow, enemies.
At the end of the conversation, Ning also whispers in supporting Lan becoming a Duke. They are even willing to send troops later if needed.
Lan responded enthusiastically. "Say thanks to Duke Ying. I will try to make the Kun and Ning alliance happen!"
After their chat, Lan said goodbye and headed to the main hall.
He flipped the fan over and over.
White swan feather fans are not something that can be obtained easily. What's more, he was talking about Ninggang, the capital of the Ning dukedom.
Because he was too late in mind games, Lan didn't realize that he had arrived at the main hall.
Kun Bian's screams were soaring, deafening. It looks like the debate is going over.
Lan ventured in, and the eunuch announced his presence. "The second prince has arrived!"
Lan's presence made all eyes turn and salute, except for Kun Bian, who was busy demonstrating his voice.
Next to Bian, Lin Mulu, Lan's stepmother's brother, stood while saluting Lan.
Meanwhile, across from Bian, Kun Quan stood next to the Prime Minister, trying to interrupt Bian's words, but failing.
****