They reached the last inn before the peak of the mountain. Leaving their horses in the care of the groom, they prepared to walk the last few steep miles on foot.
The three young men carried the bulk of their gear, with Meili carrying her own sleeping roll. Her mother had specially prepared this for her with two shoulder straps and a strap around her waist, to keep her hands free for scaling the summit.
"I'm so excited for this bit Tan Bowen," she said with infectious delight.
"It will get hard," he warned her.
"I'm ready for it," she assured him. "It can't be much harder than 'take-the-flag'."
"Having seen the way your brothers play that game, you're probably right."
The prince joined them. "Have you ever thought about staying home and enjoying more feminine pursuits like embroidery or cooking?" he asked her. "You really want to spend the night on top of that," he indicated the far-off rough-looking peak, "instead of in this nice comfortable inn with hot dinner and a bath?"
"Really, truly," she assured him, "and this is one hundred percent more exciting than embroidery, one thousand percent, even."
"You're one-of-a-kind that's for sure," said the prince.
They set off together single file, Bai Li in the lead, Meili behind him, the prince behind her and Tan Bowen bringing up the rear.
The initial walk was not too steep, and Meili fell into step beside the prince.
"Your highness," she said tentatively, "this must be a hard time of year for you".
He looked steadily at her, not one to share easily with anyone.
"I'm very used to it by now. My Empress Mother passed away when I was very young. I can barely remember her."
"Still," she ploughed on, "it's a time for family reunions, so I'm sure it's not a happy time for you. Thank you for joining me on this trip, it means a lot to me."
"It's good for me to have some distractions during the New Year. And you, little vixen, are a great distraction."
"Your highness, it's okay because we're friends, but you should be careful not to toy with innocent young ladies' affections. They could take the things you do and say the wrong way."
"You think I toy with young ladies as a habit?" he asked her with amusement.
"I'm guessing I'm not the only young lady you … tease."
"I can assure you that you are."
She stumbled on a tree root, and he steadied her.
"I can't believe that your highness. Is it perhaps that you see me like one of my brothers, so you think I can take some robust teasing?"
"There are few things on this earth I'm less likely to see you as, than one of your brothers."
He was a hard nut to crack, she thought, but she was determined. "Well, I won't take any offence. I'm sure you unconsciously think of me just like my brothers, so you treat me in the same way."
"You think I pin your brothers to the wall and kiss them, do you? And pat them on their bottoms? Do you take me for a cut sleeve?" he challenged her.
Meili was completely at a loss now, and too embarrassed to respond to those comments about incidents she had worked hard to delude herself, were something else entirely. She ducked her head away, her ears burning.
He smiled and rubbed her hair affectionately. "Don't play coy with me little vixen."
"I actually don't know what coy means, but I do know that I'm not a vixen!"
"It's a name that suits you perfectly I think."
"I looked up the definition, and I think I'm the opposite of that."
"You looked up the definition, huh? I'm glad to hear you think of me when you're alone. What does it mean little vixen? Enlighten me?"
"You know full well what it means. I assume you're using it ironically when you call me that."
"Nope."
This conversation really wasn't going as she'd planned it in her head. "Anyway," she tried to steer it back on track, "I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you ever need someone to talk to."
"In what capacity do you make that offer?"
"As a friend?" she tried.
"Uh-uh," he shook his head.
"As your good friends' sister?"
"Wrong again."
"Look your highness. This suggestive talk of yours is part of what I'm trying to advise you about. It's not appropriate to tease me like this. I have come of age you know."
"If you'll just agree to what I want, there won't be any need for teasing, and this fun little game of ours where I'm the hound and you're the fox, can come to an end."
She didn't dare ask him what it was that he wanted, because she was sure it would be wildly inappropriate. Thankfully the path ahead narrowed, forcing them into single file and effectively bringing an end to their conversation.
She would regroup and give it another go, she decided.
Some of the climbing got a little tough now. Bai Li was careful to pull her up any of the more complex terrain, making sure she didn't scrape herself or fall. She was thankful for his kindness. Like Third Brother, he always made her feel very safe.
Tricky was in his element, happy as a pig in mud. He loped easily up the steep terraces and ran back down to his mistress, urging her onwards.
The prince followed behind her and provided an unexpectedly gentle extra hand or boost where it was needed.
Tan Bowen, like Meili, was appreciating the stunning views from the top of mountain. In the company of his two best friends and his favourite woman, he was happy as a clam. He looked forward to the view of the lantern festival they would see from the peak. He planned to complete a little sketch to turn into a painting on his return.
At last, they cleared the crest of the mountain, arriving on a grassy plateau that was the peak. A gentle breeze ruffled through the long green grass, shifting it in swathes like a brush through hair.
Meili untied her sleeping roll from her aching shoulders and threw herself down on her back, enjoying the cooling breeze and the view of the sky.
Tan Bowen sat himself down beside her. He threaded little daises from the field into a dainty daisy crown, which he placed on her head.
"Just like a fairy queen," he commented, enjoying his handiwork. He would paint that too he decided. He pulled out his scratchpad and a piece of charcoal.
She threw him a dazzling smile in thanks, and he was momentarily speechless, his ash stick frozen above the page. Then he shook himself and quickly captured her likeness while she lay in the grass.
"Over here, Mei Meili," called Bai Li from across the field.
She hopped up and ran over to him.
"This is the best spot to watch the lanterns," said Bai Li from a flat high vantage point, pointing down towards the city.
As dark was falling, you could already see the thousands of little pinpricks of lantern light.
"Let's get our bedrolls set-up for the night while we can still see what we're doing," he said.
Meili laid out her bedroll so she could sit on it and look at the magnificent view. The prince and Tan Bowen immediately rolled out their bedrolls on either side of her, tight up against her bedding.
She laughed with delight. It reminded her of the times when her mother had let all six of them sleep in the garden pavilion together on a hot summer evening. The same thing would happen with First Brother, with everyone competing to sleep next to him. It made her feel liked.
Bai Li sighed and laid his sleeping roll length-ways along the top of all three of their bedrolls. He planned to keep an eagle eye on the other two men throughout the night.