Manni was dispatched to fetch Meili's guqin. She quickly returned, laying it out in the centre of the seated guests.
Meili handed Manni her veil and sat down at the guqin beside Tan Bowen with his pipa.
The Emperor and most of the audience, had not yet seen her face. When she removed her veil, a ripple went through the audience. Audible comments passed to-and-fro between neighbours.
Tan Bowen silenced them by leading off beautifully on the pipa, and Meili joined the expressive song. He had chosen the song for her. It expressed the sadness and nostalgia one of the four famous beauties, Wang Zhaojun, had for her homeland, having been married to a frontier prince to bring peace to the empire.
Tan Bowen had heard her play this piece before, and, like her dancing, she was an incredibly expressive performer. And of course, it didn't hurt that she looked the part too.
The men in the audience spent most of the piece being completely and utterly distracted by her beauty. Fortunately, the song was long enough that the performance could not be completely ignored.
The Emperor closed his eyes and was transported to the grasslands and his own time there, missing home.
Li Pei whispered to Li Kai, "the rumours of her beauty were not exaggerated I see".
"Yes," said Li Kai sourly, "that bunch of lying sods".
"Shall we take bets on how long it will be before the Emperor claims her?" Li Pei said archly.
"I wonder if his son will tussle publicly with him?" snickered Li Kai.
The Second Prince's behaviour with Mei Meili at the Empress's Garden had flown around the capital.
Tan Bowen and Mei Meili were a beautifully matched pair. Both were musically talented and expressive performers; it was like they'd been playing together for years.
The Second Prince enjoyed the opportunity to stare openly at Mei Meili. He looked around the room and noticed other men were doing the same thing, many with their mouths agape. He half stood, glaring angrily, catching the eye of as many men as he could. His furious stare rapidly chastened a number of young noblemen, who settled into more modest listening poses, stealing only furtive glances at the beauty when the prince wasn't looking at them.
Who knew what his father was playing at, thought the prince. Nothing he did was without a purpose, and he was not a man to be distracted by beauties unless he also gained something in return.
One thing he did know, was that if he wanted to secure Mei Meili, he needed to earn a bargaining chip big enough to exchange for her. That was the only currency his Emperor Father responded to. His political instincts were superb and nothing he did came for free, even where his children were concerned. In fact, sometimes even more so with his sons.
The Prince rested his chin pensively on his hands as he watched Mei Meili play. He'd never wanted anything more than this, and it frightened him. It made him weak.
Bai Li watched the interchange between Tan Bowen and Mei Meili as they played. It was clear that they knew each other quite well, and he wondered suspiciously how Tan Bowen had managed to spend any time with her. The fellow was incorrigible so he wouldn't put anything past him. His protective instincts roared. What were those useless brothers of hers doing?
He could see that Tan Bowen made her laugh. Bai Li hoped he could work out how to make her happy too. He thought of her riding Tufei so freely yesterday. That was more in his wheelhouse, or archery. With music and dancing he was like a bear on ice skates.
The song drew to a close, and the Emperor slowly opened his eyes.
"Bravo Master Tan, young Miss Mei, very beautifully performed. I was quite transported back to my days manning the border. And Miss Mei is a very appropriate player for expressing the sorrows of Wang Zhaojun. Feng Bao, reward Master Tan with some gold."
"Yes, your majesty," the Chief Eunuch turned to make the arrangements.
"Miss Mei," he addressed Meili, "after that performance I have decided to gift you the precious guqin, Tiger Roaring and Dragon Howling."
There was an audible gasp from the audience. Not only was this guqin precious and valuable, it dated back to the Song Dynasty and had been handed down among famous scholars over generations.
Mei Meili was overwhelmed at this gift. She wasn't a girl to be excited by dresses and jewellery, but beautiful instruments and art she was deeply moved by.
"She really is Wang Zhaojun reincarnated," whispered one fellow to his neighbour.
Mei Meili kowtowed deeply to the Emperor, thanking him profusely for the priceless reward.
First Brother's misgivings about the Emperor's intentions deepened. First the veil, now this priceless gift.
"My son. You won yesterday's hunt. I can gift you gold, or you can ask for something?"
"Emperor father, may I take Miss Mei tomorrow when I visit Empress Mother's tomb?"
You could have heard a pin drop. Visits to the Royal tombs were limited to royalty and their close entourage, usually wives, concubines and children. The Second Prince was publicly stating his interest in the girl.
Li Fengfeng scowled angrily; her worst fears now confirmed beyond any doubt.
The Emperor smirked. His son wanted to force his hand by trying to stake a claim to the girl, did he?
"You may do so," he agreed. "Take Commander Bai and Master Tan with you also. It's a good thing to introduce your best friends to your Empress Mother."
Touché, you evil man, thought the Second Prince with begrudging admiration.