"Here they come," said Bai Li, who had caught the faint sound of horses and men in the distance.
He looked pointedly at the prince's arm around Mei Meili, which the prince now removed, allowing her to continue sleeping, resting up against his back.
Tan Bowen and Meili didn't stir awake until the Mei brothers and a large contingent of guards arrived at the pavilion.
"Meimei!" shouted Third Brother, running over to her.
He picked her up in a princess carry and hurried off to the horses where he seated her in front of him on his mount.
"You must be freezing, here, I brought your warm cloak and gloves for you."
He wrapped his sister up in her warm clothes and blithely tossed Tan Bowen his own cloak back with a terse thanks.
Third and Fourth Brothers set off back for camp, without waiting for anyone else, chattering all the way.
"We were very concerned when you didn't come back to camp last night," said Third, "but we could see the snowstorm and we knew Bai Li would find somewhere for you all to shelter, so we didn't worry too much this time. I was mainly anxious about how freezing you would be, but I knew that one of the men would give you their cloak. There was no way they would let you freeze to death."
"You've had such terrible luck on this hunt haven't you meimei?" said Fourth Brother. "First the hornet attack, then a blizzard at the royal tombs! Father's going to lose his mind when he hears all this."
"Do we have to tell him gege? He might lock me up and never let me leave the house again," Meili wailed.
"I think he knows that ship has well and truly sailed," said Third. "Tell me everything that happened last night in detail. Don't miss anything out."
Meili told him about their crazy adventure and the intense blizzard, not neglecting to share Bai Li's part in carrying her through it and sheltering her from the storm.
Third and Fourth Brothers looked back at the man in awe. Their respect for Bai Li just kept on growing.
"Boy, that man must really owe you from a past life," said Third. "Looks like that betrothal is getting harder for you to avoid meimei," he teased her.
"Mother is still considering other options," she said primly. "He has to be a good man who loves me as I am."
"I'm pretty sure he fits that bill," mouthed Third over Meili's head to Fourth, and they both snickered.
"I heard that!" said Meili. "The man's second name is duty. He would do anything his family or the Emperor asks of him."
"As he should," said Third approvingly.
"Yes, but I don't want a man to marry me out of a sense of duty."
"What about duty and attraction?"
"It depends which one is stronger."
"Oooh you're a hard taskmaster meimei. I pity your future husband."
She turned and pinched Third's ear, making him yelp.
Bai Li watched the pair from a few horses behind, his eyes soft.
The prince rode ramrod straight, his face a mask.
He didn't miss the brothers' antics with Miss Mei and he thought, not for the first time, that she had too many men in her life.
Tan Bowen cantered up beside the two brothers and Mei Meili, excited after their adventure.
"I almost froze to death last night without my cloak Mei Meili. I can't believe you left me to sleep on the cold stone floor without sharing any warmth with me."
"I'm sorry Bai Li, I slept so deeply after that walk in the blizzard, I didn't notice anything at all until my brothers arrived."
"You'll have to take responsibility for me now," he teased.
"Get lost Tan Bowen," said Third shortly.
"Where can I go? We're all riding back to camp together."
"Into the wilderness."
"Ouch! That's the thanks I get for giving up my cloak to your meimei in a blizzard!"
"I already said thank you."
"It's not enough. I need a real repayment for that debt."
"What do you want Tan Bowen, out with it."
"I want to ride back in the carriage with Mei Meili."
"No."
"Why not? I can keep her company and we'll while away the hours with poetry and songs."
"Oh, that sounds like fun," said Meili. "Please let him gege," she wheedled, fluttering her eyelashes at her big brother.
"Alright, alright," he conceded. "But the door will be kept open the whole time and you're to sit on the opposite side of the carriage from her Tan Bowen."
"Of course, of course," he said with delight. "I'll sit on the roof if I must."
And so it was that Tan Bowen and Meili rode gaily home in the carriage together, with her brothers riding guard in their usual configuration, and Tricky chuffing grumpily sitting at the open door. The merry sounds of their chatter never ceased, interspersed with beautiful singing.
Meili lead off with a grassland's folk song, her voice pure and beautiful. Tan Bowen closed his eyes in appreciation. He joined her in the chorus, and they finished off the song together. Their voices were beautifully matched, just like their instrumental talent. The brothers all enjoyed the rendition, which suited a spring day in the forest.
"He's like a girl," said Second Brother to First. "Listen to him in there with her gossiping and singing. I bet he likes shopping too."
"He does," said First. "But don't underestimate him. He's most definitely a man, and he loves pretty women."
"I hear he's stopped frequenting Beautiful Fragrance House since he met Mei Meili," gossiped Second.
"Yes, so I've heard. She's knocked him for six. But a leopard never changes its spots."
"Fifth is vouching for him," said Second. "He's been best friends with him forever and he says he has a very good heart. He says he's fallen hard for her," he whispered.
"I don't doubt it," said First. "But he can lavish that heart on someone else's sister."
"He certainly makes her happy," said Second. "She hasn't stopped laughing since we set off. It's nice."
"Frivolous," said First.
"I think perhaps we just don't understand the ways of artists."
"Nor do we want to."
They dropped Tan Bowen off at his mansion where he bid Mei Meili goodbye, having quietly promised her he would drop by her courtyard very soon.
Lord Mei and Madam Yu were waiting outside to greet them.
As Meili was alighting from the carriage, Tricky got himself tangled in the driver's whip which he had left coiled on the platform. The whip flicked up, tripping Meili just as she was stepping onto the box stairs.
"Ahh," she squealed, as she fell face first towards the road.
Third Brother, who had already dismounted, threw himself backwards underneath her, risking life and limb as he caught her, smashing his own head against the cobbles as he cradled her.
"Meili!" cried both her parents, rushing forwards.
She sat up. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she puffed in fright. "Third Brother! Are you okay? That sounded like your head hitting the road."
Third sat up gingerly, rubbing the back of his head. "Ouch!"
"Well done, Renjun!" said his Father. "You just saved your little sister. That would have been a terrible injury falling from that height like that."
"Yes, great job Renjun," said his mother. "You're a hero."
"Gege! Thank you for saving me. Come inside and lie down. I'll get you a cold compress for your head. Manni, call the doctor over to look at Third Brother," she wrapped her arm around Third, shepherding him inside.
"Yes Miss!"
"You just couldn't resist one final disaster, could you meimei. The cherry on the stinky cake."
"What disasters Renjun?" asked their mother anxiously. "What stinky cake? Meili, quick, tell me the disasters. I'm scared now."
"Don't worry mother," said Meili. "There were a few bad things that happened, but I'm fine. Don't be anxious."
"I'm already anxious! You didn't lose your veil again, did you?"
"Oh, well that was one part of the bad things that happened yes. But it wasn't the worst…."