CH. 7 ~ Hua Country

The carriages departed as soon as they got on, because it would take an extra day before they reach Hua Country. Xiao Li sat across from Lou Qi Ran and looked at her face veil, seeing that it was slightly messed up she reached across and fixed the veil before sitting back down. Lou Qi Ran was absentmindedly looking outside through the curtains. The sun was up and about in the blue sky, spreading it's light far and wide.

Lou Qi Ran reached out her hand to feel the breeze that was flowing by, as the carriage passed each road. The breeze lightly brushed across her palm, before leaving.

{Let's enjoy the view before we reach Hua Country, where all there is would be about status..}

Lou Qi Ran left her hand outside for a while before closing the curtains back, because the carriage was beginning to feel chilly and although she wouldn't mind, she knew Xiao Li might become cold. After closing the curtains she looked at Xiao Li who was resting across from her with her mouth open.

{What a funny expression, only she would be able to freely do that.}

With a chuckle, Lou Qi Ran closed her eyes resting back onto her seat, she knew that they wouldn't rest because they have already wasted one day and if they rested more, they would be wasting another day. And if they do that, they would only have one day left before the banquet begins. Before coming over here, Lou Qi Ran and her mother had both prepared gifts for Crown Prince, Hua Chimeng. Lou Qi Ran had picked a carved ink stone made of jade for him, because she has heard from Xiao Li and rumors that the Crown Prince really liked writing, because he has collected many rare ink stones from over the years.

Although, it was surprising for Lou Qi Ran, because she too loved to write and draw, she bought it because she didn't know any better presents to give to a Crown Prince whom she didn't know personally. On the other hand, her mother had a very hard time choosing a present that would please the Crown Prince. So, with her help her mother finally chose to give a rare painting done by the late and famous painter, Li Shi[1]. The painting was of a bird perched onto a branch painted in four different seasons, this was a painting that had only two copies in the whole world, so one was with her mother while another was somewhere else.

Though she didn't know if it was true, it was rumored that the other was given to a young lady by her lover. Lou Qi Ran was very drawn to this painting when she first saw it, she was pulled towards the painting. The painting was pretty old but her mother had kept it in shape from over the years. So, without a thought she told her mother that this painting seemed interesting and hearing that this painting was the second original and the last one, she immediately picked this painting. Her mother, then took off the painting for the maids to wrap up.

The story behind the painting wasn't long, but it was said that the bird was waiting for its lover who had gone along with its owner's wife, who had gone far away, as it waited with its owner, the season of spring became summer, fall, and finally winter. In the end, the owners wife had died in a fire and the birds' lover had died along with her. The owner nor the bird was able to see their lovers, until the very end.

Lou Qi Ran had thought the story to be full of pure love, because although the owners wife had died, the man stayed loyal until the very end, never taking in a mistress or concubine. Lou Qi Ran doesn't think anyone can give a love as pure as that except for maybe her father and older brother. For every other man on earth, she hasn't seen but most of them she knows has many concubines and mistress's outside the manor. And, because of that, although it's none of her business to judge others, she still feels that all men aren't pleasing to the eye until she herself has seen them treat their wives or lovers as the only one for them until the very end.

With all these thoughts on Lou Qi Ran's mind, she wandered off to sleep, as she hugged her arms closer to herself, feeling safely sound.

•••

Lou Qi Ran awoken due to Xiao Li waking her up, looking up at Xiao Li's excited face, Lou Qi Ran had predicted in mind that they have reached Hua Country. A prosperous country along-side their Lou Country. Glancing towards the window, she could see that there was no sunlight coming through, so she can only guess that it was already dark or maybe even midnight. They had gone faster than their usual pace just so they would be able to reach before the next morning. And, they fortunately did reach before the morning sun began rising again.

Slightly relieved, Lou Qi Ran, slowly sat up to help stretch her muscles. After stretching, Xiao Li alighted first with the help of the stool the extra servant had placed at the side of the carriage door. Lou Qi Ran then also alighted with the help of Xiao Li's hand, holding onto hers. The carriages had stopped in front of an enormous manor, that was made of gold, there was the color gold everywhere Lou Qi Ran looked. Seeing that her parents had also alighted from their carriage, Lou Qi Ran walked over with Xiao Li.

Lou Qi Ran's mother saw her and smiled in her direction, "Ran'er, are you tired? Did you sleep well? You must be tired after all that riding in the bumpy carriage. Come, let's head inside."

Taking her hand, Lou Qi Ran walked besides her mother heading inside the manor's front doors, that was guarded by guards, four on each side. Left behind was her father, who looked lost, as she glanced behind. Her mother, aware or not, continued to pull her inside the manor excitedly.

Once they had reached inside the manor, at a courtyard, her mother pulled her inside the chambers, and settled her down on a chair. Not surprised, Lou Qi Ran pulled her mother down to sit with her.

Holding onto her mother's hand Lou Qi Ran spoke, "Imperial Mother, sit down, I'm not tired, you should be the one that is tired, and so is Imperial Father. Now that we mention about Imperial Father, is it really alright to leave Imperial father alone?"

Lou Qi Ran's mother looked at her, "Ran'er, don't worry about your Imperial father, he's old enough to take care of himself. He doesn't need me, besides, it's not like I'm going to go anywhere. Alright, no more talking about him, let's talk about what you want to eat, and what you want to do tomorrow morning."

Her mother was excitedly putting on a big smile looking at her, waiting for her answer. "Imperial mother, how about this, let's eat together with Imperial father, and for tomorrow, I'll go wherever you want to go. I don't have anywhere I want to go, so you decide for us."

Lou Qi Ran's mother slowly nodded her head, "Alright, I'll listen to Ran'er, tomorrow we'll go together. Right now you must be hungry, let's go ask the maids to prepare a big meal, you're really too skinny for mothers liking. Hurry, let's go."

Following her mother's lead, Lou Qi Ran smiled and let her mother pull her towards the main hall again.