The crown prince stroll along the long corridor after his studies in the royal study room. His father had summon him to the emperor's study room. He tidy his garment before stepping in. The eunuch announced his presence to the emperor and is shown in. Upon seeing his father, he knee down and bow
"Greetings father."
"Get up Come sit here."
His father had summon him for a game of Chinese chess. Obeying to the command, he sits down and start a game. In the silence room, they hear nothing but the click of the beads when place down. The emperor stare at his son's face. He definitely resembles his brother. Yet he recalls when he is a young boy with Xuan Wen, people often mix them up as they look alike at certain angle. Maybe the crown prince too have this genetics. It runs in the family.
"You are getting older now my son. "
"Yes father. I am going to be fourteen in this autumn."
"Then it's time for you to find a crown princess."
Xuan Long's finger stop moving with the bead in between his finger. His mind goes blank. He sit back up and put back the bead into the bowl.
"Father, i am just a child not yet have my coming of age."
"It is normal for royalties to marry young. We marry very young. So that we are guarantee to have off springs. I met your mother in late age so i have you rather late. If i marry her in my early years, you probably have more brothers and sisters. Unfortunately fate plays a fool on men."
"Father ... who are you thinking of ... crown princess?"
"There is a few candidates. However i like to hear from you."
"Father i know not of any of those girls from nobility."
"Really? Aside of Xian Tao Le, you don't know any girls?"
"In respond to father, yes i only close with Tao jie jie. I don't know any other girls. We usually hang out with the boys from other nobility families or from the army. So i ..."
"Fine. Then your mother and i will choose for you."
"What about grandmother? Does she..."
"She is not in her best health. It is best that she doesn't do anything. She just need to be at the wedding reception. A happy event will make her happy."
Peach sits alone in the garden with a bottle of wine and watch the moon. Duke Su walk towards her. "Drinking at this age is forbidden but i am going to pretend that ti did not see it. You better don't do that again."
Peach giggle and agree.
"Grandpa, when is mother coming over?"
"Miss her already? I already have written a letter to her. We will have a reply soon."
"She have a bad fate with marriage."
"It is my fault in the first place. If i did not force her to marry your father. Things won't be this way."
"Force? Why force?"
"I will tell you when you are older. Besides that you are drunk. Better go to bed."
He signal his old butler to get the maids to help Peach up. He watch her staggering her way back to her room.
Peach and the crown prince meet up two days later, in the royal academy. She is the only female student in there. The other noble men treated her like a boy hence there isn't a problem. Peach consistently compare herself to her brother to be stronger so that she can protect him in times of danger while the crown prince looks out for his sister who is always mock by the other noble men. They refer her as unwanted child who can't tell if she is a boy or girl. The crown prince who hear this always use his authority to punish them regardless of their ages. Peach and the crown prince, Xuan Long is close to Yu Bo An. He is the son of Yu Bo Wu which is the cousin of their mother. Yu Bo An is alike his father. Royal and a talkative person. He have a special hobby which he makes things that move. He spend hours to figure out which his father is always destroying it. Hence he decided to do in school or at the palace of the crown prince. The three of them are each different but they have a common ground is that the love of horses and freedom. Days are spend riding and doing their own hobbies together.
"My father, the emperor is looking for a bride for me." He said it while reading his book. Peach who is practising her sword nearly miss her step. While Bo An who is curving nearly chip off the corner.
"Why?" Both peach and Bo An say at the same time.
"He said that it is a common practise. I think he just want to get me marry young to have grandchildren."
"Well, there is only two boys and a girl in the royal family. So i guess he is worry."
"I heard that when the emperor and the empress is married. They are barely fourteen. They don't have children till now."
"I think blame it on getting marry too young. It's like living with a new sibling. Plus we have to face a woman all of our lives, how much are we need to suffer. "
"We woman are the same too. We don't want to face a man all our lives without love in it!"
"Whoever they choose, i cannot refuse. I just need to get along with her like how the emperor and empress."
"How long have the empress been away to the royal temple? Seems like ages."
"It feels like she is in a punishment."
"I don't even know how she looks like? Come to think of it, there isn't any portraits of her in the palace. Nor father talk about her. "
"Her clan is keeping quiet these years. Even the prime minster is not active. He mainly stay in court and looking for someone to take over his position."
"Whoever they choose won't be the clan of the empress. More likely, the clan from my mother. I think father prefer them to come in power than other clans."
Bo An nod his head and rub his chin while Peach stare at her brother , lost in her thoughts.