Meili and her brothers were once again enroute to the palace. They had been invited to ride with the Second Prince and the princess, who were now hosting Prince Nur's sister, Princess Sofya, as well as the grasslands Prince.
Meili was very pleased to be riding Tufei through the streets, rather than travelling in the uncomfortable palanquin.
As she rode by, people openly stopped and stared at her, and she started to wish she'd worn a veil. She might not have noticed it, but her brothers all heard the whispers of 'Wang Zhaojun', which had become her nickname across the capital.
Third Brother shook his head in dismay. He liked it better when she stayed in the inner courtyards… He glared fiercely at anyone who looked at her, especially men. Which meant that he spent the whole ride glaring at people. The offenders bowed their heads hurriedly when the fierce young noble caught them staring. The Mei boys' reputations as ferociously protective older brothers had also spread across the city.
Meili hadn't thought she'd ever be asked back to the palace after the famous fa gao food fight. That had also become legendary… She would have been quite happy if that was the case, as the palace, and the people in it, frightened her.
The princess had sent her a note telling her that the food fight was the most fun she'd ever had, and it would become a New Year tradition at the palace.
Meili was just glad she hadn't been in too much trouble at home. Her father and brothers all said she did the right thing by defending herself against Li Fengfeng's bullying. Her mother didn't disagree with them, but she did object to Meili's methods, which could have resulted in her being in danger.
They dismounted at the palace gates and lead their horses through to the extensive fields and parkland that formed part of the palace grounds.
When they arrived, Meili immediately spotted Bai Li walking and talking with a very beautiful woman. Their heads were bent together intimately, and the young lady gestured with animation as she talked with him. Meili heard the man laugh, a rare sound.
She suddenly felt sour, without knowing why. She hoped this wasn't jealousy. That would be a very petty emotion for her to feel for a man she hoped to have as a close friend. As for his romantic life, that was none of her business, unless she could be of assistance to him.
Bai Li caught sight of them and brought the woman over to meet them.
"Princess Sofya," he said, "these are the five Mei brothers. I think it's easiest for now if I introduce you to them as First through Fifth Brother. And this is their only sister, Miss Mei Meili."
Bai Li took the princess through introductions to each of the Mei brothers. She smiled prettily at them as she greeted them, wondering how one family could be so blessed in the looks department. Excellent breeding, was the thought of the horsewoman from the steppes.
Meili couldn't take her eyes off the young woman. She had the most beautiful face, broader than the women of the empire, with soft pink cheeks and wide but gently sloping eyes that danced with energy and light. Her generous lips made her seem exotic yet strangely familiar.
She wore a grasslands outfit of the sort Meili had worn which made her mother cross with her. It was a beautiful silk dress with wide sleeves and a scalloped shawl across her head, hung with tiny silver bells which tinkled with every step she took. The outfit was the deepest forest green, which brought out the hint of green in her hazel eyes.
Now Meili really was jealous. She wished she could look just the same as this dainty beauty. She imagined it was a real inconvenience to Bai Li chaperoning her about…
"Miss Mei … Miss Mei," Bai Li brought her back from her depressing imaginings. "I said this is Princess Sofya."
She curtsied a belated a greeting and gave the girl a reserved, "nice to meet you Princess".
Her brothers all looked at her. That wasn't a tone they heard her use. She was a very kind and warm girl, especially to those she thought were in need of her help. Third Brother smiled to himself as he wondered if she might be jealous of the royal girl. Two beauties competing for the attentions of one man. Lucky devil! he thought.
The Second Prince was already out riding with Prince Nur, and the brothers mounted up and rode off to join them, leaving Bai Li and Princess Sofya with Meili.
"Miss Mei, I hear the fa gao baking turned into a food fight," said Bai Li with a small smile. "I hope you were okay?"
"I was fine thank you Commander Bai," she said frostily, looking into the distance and not bothering to make small talk.
"Princess Sofya grew up riding and shooting, so she has very similar interests to you Miss Mei," he tried again.
"Mm," she murmured with obvious disinterest.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat. "Perhaps you'd like to share the tale of your recent adventures on the royal hunt?" he ploughed on.
"Commander Bai," she snapped. "Those events were traumatic and terrifying for me. Not something I care to relive as a party trick so you can entertain your guest."
Princess Sofya raised her eyebrows. What a rude young lady. How could she treat the handsome commander like that?
Bai Li scratched his head in puzzlement. She'd either remembered their conversation of the other night and was angry at him, or she was jealous of the princess. He rather hoped it was the latter.
Princess Lingling rode up to them with Tan Wentian, saving him from wading through more conversational mud.
"Princess Sofya," she inclined her head. "It's lovely to see you this morning. I trust Commander Bai has done a good job looking after you?"
"He has thank you Princess Lingling, he's a most attentive host. Very caring and kind," she looked pointedly at Mei Meili.
I'll bet he is, thought Meili resentfully. He seemed to have a habit of being caring and kind to young women. That must be his approach with the opposite sex. He had obviously perfected this 'modus operandi'. Now she felt stupid for thinking she might be special.
"Of course, he's the perfect gentleman," said Princess Lingling. "As you can imagine, half the young ladies in the capital are swooning over him," she laughed.
Bai Li looked at Mei Meili, whose scowl had deepened. Perhaps she was jealous? he reflected happily.
"Yes," agreed Meili, "I hear he's extremely popular with the young ladies. He's quite the knight in shining armour," she said with not so hidden inferences that he was a ladies' man.
Princess Lingling looked at Meili with surprise, not sure what had got into the guileless young woman today. Had Bai Li done something to offend her?
Ouch, that hurt, he thought. Where did that come from? His face turned cold.
"I'm sorry if my recent attentions to you in troubled times have been unwelcome, Miss Mei. I'll keep that in mind next time you find yourself in danger… Which seems to be quite regularly," he muttered to himself.
"I don't need you to save me Bai Li!" she flashed angrily. "I'm not some damsel in distress."
"I beg to differ."
"I can look after myself. I get really tired of these Confucian fantasies you men harbour about women."
He might as well know who she really was, she thought. An unattractive fiery woman who didn't want to be bound by Empress Xu's Instructions for the Inner Quarters.
"You'll have to elucidate me on which of Confucius's principles I'm deluded by Miss Mei," he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Some other time perhaps Commander. I thought we came out here to ride and shoot?"