~~~二~~~

~~~提案~~~

The next morning, Mei Lián woke up to the tranquil morning song of the local sparrows and finches, small rays of sunlight shining on her eyes from the crack between her curtains that she had failed to close all the way the night before, and tried to roll over in order to avoid them but was stopped by a firm grip around her waist.

"Wūsé, you lazy fuck, we have to get up now," she muttered, voice a little bit deeper than usual, not even bothering to open her own eyes as she felt around to lightly tap on the male's cheek.

"You're a hypocrite, A-Lián," the male replied as he lightly pressed his lips to her forehead, "You know you just want to sleep in right now after having to deal with all those other nosy clans last night."

"I won't deny that I want to, but the maids are going to be here in a few minutes with our breakfast and if they see you in your human form, we're both going to get our asses kicked by my father and siblings," the ravenette groaned as she opened her eyes and lazily made her way out of his arms, "They were already on edge about letting you stay with me as a fox when I was a child."

"We both know it's not because I'm a fox, A-Lián," her partner chuckled as she sat up, eyes flashing gold for a moment, "And it's because you have such a way of finessing your words that they allowed me to stay with you."

"Although, I'm not sure why you wanted to keep around a ratty little fox that kept biting everything and getting into trouble," he continued as she walked over to her black and purple robes, letting the black silk of her night clothes drag lightly as she did, "Seems like it caused you a lot of drama back then."

"Don't even try and play innocent, A-Sé," the princess spoke over her shoulder at the black fox that sat on her bed as she began changing, "You would have kept coming back to cause me trouble even if I didn't practically beg my father to let you stay."

The fox let out a small chirp before jumping down to rub against her legs once she had finished tying the embroidered sash around her waist and fixed her hair to the way it was for the banquet the previous night with the same silver hair clip.

"Your Highness," a distinct female voice called from just outside of the hall, "Your father requests that you have breakfast in the Jīngshén Hall this morning."

"Who else will be joining us?" the woman asked as she stepped into the doorway to face the red-haired maid dressed in the usual black uniform of the entire Guǐ Palace, "We usually never have breakfast together unless it's a special occasion."

"Clan Leader Kang and his two sons are present, along with all of your elder siblings," the head maid of her palace answered, earning a groan from the ravenette.

'Ugh, I don't want to deal with people this early in the morning,' she thought with a sigh before rolling her neck and giving a nod to Homura, 'But with those two... Hopefully, it'll be interesting.'

When they arrived to the main hall, the three men dressed in white and blue all stood up and bowed to the youngest princess who returned the greeting with practiced poise and grace.

"Good morning, Clan Leader Kang and Young Masters," she spoke with a bright smile that one of the familiar males returned.

"So that woman from the tavern really was Second Princess Mei Lián," Kang Chen chuckled once she had taken her seat to the right of the Second Prince, "I never would have guessed from the way you were talking about yourself back there."

"I hope you can forgive me for not introducing myself the first time yesterday, but I wanted to see how you interacted with others without my title interfering," the woman stated, her fox climbing into her lap as a silent hiss was whispered into her left ear.

"You were testing us," the younger Kang brother spoke as he narrowed his eyes at her, earning a pointed look from his father.

"Yes, that's true," she admitted with no hesitation, earning sighs or chuckles from her elder siblings who sat to her left in order of age.

"Mei-Mei, is that what you've been learning when you're out exploring the continent?" the Second Prince chuckled, earning a nod, "It's no wonder that you have such a splayed reputation."

"Mei-Mei, does have a questionable reputation, but she also has the most experience out in the world compared to the rest of us," the First Princess Kōngqì chided, "We only leave the Guǐ Palace for hunts or other clan events."

"Indeed, in reality Mei-Mei is the most humbled out of all of us, having traveled outside of the palace for such a long time now," the First Prince Huǒ added as he looked to his younger brother.

"Aish, you know I didn't mean it in a bad way, you don't have to scold me," Prince Dìqiú huffed, turning away from the guests and his older siblings with a small pout.

"Dàgē, Jiějiě, don't look at Ergē in such distaste, because he's right," Mei Lián chuckled as she rubbed circles on her brother's back, "My reputation is splayed, but only I know the truth behind every story that is spread."

"That's enough," the king of the Long Clan spoke as he lifted his right hand to his children, "Clan Leader Kang and his sons join us today to talk about a separate matter."

With the approval from the king, Clan Leader Kang turned to his younger son and said, "Yuan, tell them what you've discovered about Second Princess Mei Lián."

"About Mei-Mei?" the First Prince asked as the said female calmly took a sip of water from the cup at her table, not feeling alarmed in any way.

"There is a dragon that sits on her left shoulder," Kang Yuan stated bluntly, causing the female to choke on her drink and the fox to perk up in her lap as the others from the Long Clan looked at her in shock.

"What?!" Second Prince Dìqiú exclaimed as he stood from his seat and looked between his youngesr sister and the child of the other clan leader, "Are you sure?"

"Your Majesty, out of everyone in the Kang Clan, Yuan's eyes are the most keen when it comes to seeing other worldly entities," Chen explained as he held his arms out in front of his chest, "If he says so then it is sure to be true."

"Mei Lián," the king called suddenly, looking to his daughter that was avoiding eye contact with anyone, "Is what the Second Young Master says, true?"

The young woman could feel her heart pounding against her chest as everyone in the room stared at her with intensity, mainly the younger brother of the Kang Clan.

After a minute of intense internal discussion with herself, she let out long a sigh before saying, "Māo, stop hiding now. We've already been caught."

Not even a moment later, the others watched as a serpent-like creature formed around the female's left arm, wrapping the lower part of it's body around her upper arm while its front arms and head were perched on her shoulder.

It had pure white scales with some patches of black scattered around it's body, white fur ran along the length of its spine with its long whiskers floating in the nonexistent wind as it looked at all the others with piercing red irises and vertically slit pupils.

"Mei-Mei, how long have you had a dragon without telling us about it?" Huǒ asked with wide eyes as he gazed upon the very real creature that was latched onto his sister.

"Dàgē, don't make it sound like I own Māo, she is my companion and has been assisting me with my cultivation since mother died," the ravenette muttered as she stroked the creatures head, earning a yip from the fox who wanted the same attention.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you've been interacting with a dragon for over ten years?" Kōngqì questioned with furrowed brows as she looked to her younger sister, "This a very important matter."

"You never asked," Mei Lián muttered as she ran her hands through the black fur of her companion, earning a light smack on the side of the head from her second brother, "Plus, Māo told me not to tell anyone."

"Your Highnesses, please don't give the Second Princess a difficult time for this, I believe keeping it from everyone was the best thing to do," Chen spoke as all elder Long siblings turned to face him.

"If anyone had discovered that such a young child possessed the grace of a dragon, who wouldn't be trying to take advantage of her?" he explained as the ravenette nodded along to his words, "Even now, it would be complicated for her if word of this got out."

'Is that a threat?' Dìqiú thought, about to stand up only to be held down by the surprisingly strong grip of his sisters at either side of him.

"That is also what I realized when I got older," the Second Princess stated as she effortlessly kept her brother in his spot despite his struggles, "It would not only cause issues amongst the main five clans who constantly compete for power compared to each other but also could rope me into trouble with certain individuals who are power hungry."

"That makes sense," King Long Bai nodded before turning to the males dressed in mostly white, "If you don't mind, I would like to keep this between us."

"I know that the matter of one graced by dragons is usually a great reason for celebration; however, with the Pàn Clan present..." "I understand, Your Majesty," Clan Leader Kang spoke he gave a respectful bow from his seat, "The Pàn Clan is greedy and has barely kept to the agreement of peace between the clans in the recent millenium, much less in the recent decade. We will not breath a word of this to anyone."

"I appreciate it," the king replied before allowing everyone to continue their morning meals in relative peace with small talk interspersed throughout.

Once everyone was finished with their meals and the empty dishes taken back by servants, the clan figures stayed in the hall to continue talking but were interrupted by a male voice calling, "Jiějiě!"

"Is that Fei Ming?" Kōngqì chuckled as they all saw the young man waving at the ravenette from outside of the main hall of Guǐ Palace.

"Yes, it looks like I should go and entertain the Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ now," the younger woman chuckled as she stood up and turned to bow to everyone, "Please excuse me."

Once the pair had wandered out of ear shot, Clan Leader Kang turned to the king and inquired, "Second Princess Mei Lián really is a free spirit, isn't she?"

"Yes, she insisted exploring the continent on her own immediately after the mourning period of her mother's death and furthers her cultivation through her travels," he replied with a fond smile, "She's rarely home, but never changes... So, what is it that you really wanted to talk about, Clan Leader Kang?"

"Your Majesty, if I am correct the Second Princess is coming of age soon and is not yet engaged," the Kang Clan Leader spoke, causing the oldest Long siblings to tense in their seats as they looked over at the elder male with wide eyes.

"That is true, do you happen to have any suggestions for suitors?" Long Bai asked as he propped his head on the fist of his left arm that was leaned on the arm rest of his throne.

"Your Majesty, both of my sons are unmarried and suitable candidates for your daughter," the man spoke, his older son looking at him in surprise while the younger just kept looking ahead with no expression.

"Children, what do you think?" questioned the regal man dressed in all black, earning the gaze of the princes and princess, "In your opinion are either of the Young Masters of the Kang Clan suitable to marry our Mei Lián?"

The three looked to each other before the First Prince turned to their father and said, "I believe they are suitable suitors for Mei-Mei."

"It is well known throughout all the clans that the Young Masters of Kang Clan are well disciplined and quite skilled in the ways of cultivation," he explained with a bow.

"I agree with Huǒ," the First Princess spoke before bowing as well, "Both Young Masters are also known to be honest young men which is perfect for Mei-Mei as she can easily see through the lies of any being and despises those who lie to her."

Long Bai nodded before turning his attention to his third child by saying, "Dìqiú, what do you think of all of this?"

"What Gēgē and Jiějiě said about the Young Masters are true, but would Mei-Mei accept all of this?" he asked before gesturing towards his elder siblings, "I mean, all three of us got to marry people of our own choosing after we fell in love, isn't it a bit unfair to her if we make her marry someone she doesn't even know?"

With this, the elder two let out a sigh and looked at each other before the princess said, "We did marry people of our own choice, but you know how Mei-Mei is. If we left it up to her, then she probably wouldn't marry at all with how much she dislikes interacting with other people despite traveling everywhere."

"That's right," Huǒ commented with a firm nod before adding, "We are just looking out for our Mei-Mei's future for her."

"Alright, alright, but at least give them some time to get to know each other first before it's set in stone," the Second Prince sighed as he scratched the back of his head, "So she can at least choose who she likes better."

"Father, Your Highnesses," Kang Chen spoke with a slight bow, "As flattering as it is to be considered a proper suitor for the Second Princess, I feel that my brother would be a better choice between the two of us."

"Why is that, Chen?" Long Bai asked, stroking his dark beard as all attention shifted to the male with a never fading kind smile, the dark brown eyes of his younger brother boring into him.

"I just feel that she would be more comfortable with someone who is closer to her in age," the male explained, "I am five years older than her while Yuan is only one."

"That is correct," Clan Leader Kang spoke as he turned back to his fellow leader, "So if you agree to it, Your Majesty, I would like to arrange for Kang Yuan to marry your Long Mei Lián."

"Alright," the king spoke after a few moments of silence, "While I do wish my daughter to marry someone who is responsible and capable, what Dìqiú brought up is also important."

"So I propose we let the two get to know each other throughout the Millennium Festival, it does last for seven days and eight nights, after all," he suggested to the others, "Then we shall ask her on the last night whether she agrees."

"That is a good idea, it will also give Yuan an opportunity to befriend her even if she rejects the proposal," Kang Chen added, as his brother just let out a huff and looked down at the empty table in front of him, "It is good to keep positive connections with everyone either way."

"That is correct, but I would like to say that if you hurt our Mei-Mei in the slightest then I will throw all courtesy aside and rip you to shreds," Kōngqì spoke, eyes hardening as her aura spiked.

"Yes, staying on good terms with all the clans important, but family comes first, am I correct?" the First Prince added, expression unchanging as his aura spiked as well.

"That's enough," Long Bai ordered, waving the sleeve of his robes at his two eldest children, "I doubt Young Master Kang would do anything to harm Mei Lián."

"I'll still beat his ass if he does anything," the Second Prince muttered under his breath, earning a smack from his elder sister.

"Don't talk like that in front of guests!" she hissed, straightening out her back and squaring her shoulders to loom over the male, "Mei-Mei's almost never home and she knows that!"

"It looks like Second Princess Mei Lián isn't the only wild card here," Chen chuckled alongside his father as the king sighed at the sight of his bickering children.

"Unfortunately, it's just in the nature of the Long Clan to be as energetic as they are," the king sighed with a fond smile, earning the attention of all three of his present children.

"What do you mean 'unfortunately'?" they all asked simultaneously in the same offended tone as a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, Father, what do you mean 'unfortunately'?" the ravenette asked, unfazed as she held the back of the collar of Fei Ming who was attempting to release himself from her grasp.

"Aish, what did you say to her, Mingi?" Dìqiú asked as the younger male continued to struggle against the female who stood firm as a stone, "She looks like she wants to kill you."

"That's what I'm scared o-" "I will deal with this Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ later, but, Father," Mei Lián interjected, cutting the male off as she kept her gaze on the King of the Long Clan, "What did you mean?"

"Our energy is what makes us fun and our spontaneous nature is what makes the Long Clan so effective in battle," she stated with a smile though there was a small danger shining in her honey-golden irises that seemed to have more red in them than usual.

"Yes, but imagine trying to raise four of you beasts while running an entire clan," the man chuckled with a grin, "Isn't that why you decide to run off all the time?"

"Because it's too much for you here?" He continued with a smirk that could mirror one of her own as the ravenette coughed and looking up at the ceiling.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that assumption, so carry on," she mused before beginning dragging the child of the Fei Clan away with the black fox at her heels.

"Huh?! Wait! Second Prince, First Princess, First Prince, help me!" the male called as he continued to struggle.

"No can do, Mingi," Dìqiú chuckled with a large grin on his face before drinking a glass of water, already preparing words for his funeral.

"Anyone who wrongs Mei-Mei will have to pay the price," Kōngqì added with a smirk as she checked her nails, "She makes sure of it."

"You dug your own grave," Huǒ concluded as the male was finally dragged out of sight by his youngest sister.

'So they're trying to set me up with Kang Yuan?' Mei Lián thought as she dragged the younger male behind her, 'Too bad for him, they're trying to tie him to someone who isn't even going to heaven.'

"Jiějiě, I'm sorry!" Fei Ming cried, having given up on struggling and now just wanted to keep his life, "Please have mercy, I didn't mean to break it!"

"What are you crying for? I don't care about that tea set," she mused with an impish grin as the male let out a confused hum, "You just assumed I was angry and took off running, Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ."

"Then- then why are you dragging me around like this?!" exclaimed the younger man from the Fei Clan, "It's embarrassing!"

"I want to show you something, but you keep running," the female replied as the black fox outwardly snickered from next to her, "How else am I going to get you there?"

"Aish, you could have just said something instead of letting me think that you were going to dismember me," Ming muttered before lifting a hand to his heart and letting out a sigh, "You're really scary. I feel bad for whoever marries you."

"Me too, Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ," the ravenette chuckled with a grin as they continued through the pathways of the palace, "Me too."

When they reached the lotus pond in the courtyard of Wǔyè Palace, the older female released Fei Ming's collar and took a seat at the edge, patting the spot next to her.

"Homura," she called, the maid coming over as the male sat down and the fox curled up in her lap, "Bring over some glazed almonds, would you?"

"Of course, Your Highness," the woman spoke, bowing with a kind smile before walking off to fulfill her order.

"Is this your palace, Jiějiě?" the male in grey and white asked as he looked around the empty courtyard, "It's quite empty isn't it?"

"Yeah, I only have six maids other than Homura that take care of this place when I'm not here, but I like it that way," the woman replied, running her hands through her fox's fur, "It's quiet and I don't have people snooping around for the secrets of the wild, mysterious Second Princess of the Long Clan."

"I guess- Is that a betta?!" the male exclaimed upon seeing a large, red fish with flowing fins approach the pond's edge, "It's almost the length of my arm!"

"Yes, this is, Howl. He was a gift from Dàgē," Mei Lián chuckled as she held her hand a foot above the water, the fish focusing intently on her appendage, "He bites, so be careful."

This statement only served to scare the male as he inched back away from the edge while the maid returned and placed a bowl of glazed almonds in between the two.

"So, Jiějiě, you're dancing for the opening ceremony of the festival tonight, aren't you?" the male asked as he picked one of the nuts from the bowl.

"Unfortunately," she sighed, picking up an almond and holding it out over the water so the red scaled fish could jump out and get it, "Father, wants all of his children performing at the ceremony with Jiějiě and I dancing while Dàgē and Ergē play instruments."

"I would much rather just play the dizi, but I dare not go against Father," the woman continued before cracking her knuckles one by one.

"You should sing instead," Wūsé's voice echoed in her head as he lightly nibbled on her hand, "Even though your dancing is good too."

The eighteen-year-old female could see the smirk in her companion's eyes as she looked down at the fox whose tail wagged lightly from side to side.

"I'm excited now, I haven't seen you dance before!" Fei Ming chirped with a bright smile before the female reached over to pat his head.

"Don't focus so much on me, you've just turned eighteen, right? You need to focus on finding a potential wife and cultivation partner," she commented, "You're almost of marrying age."

"The same could be said about you, Jiějiě," Fei Ming huffed as he brushed a stray hair out of his face, "You turn nineteen this year, you're even closer than I am."

"True, but I'm not going to marry any time soon or at all," Mei Lián replied, earning a gasp from the male, "No man in their right mind would want me as a wife or cultivation partner."

"I'm just a wild beast in a woman's body," she continued as she gazed into the pond, all the koi avoiding the area occupied by the betta, "It would be cruel to tie any human man to me in such a way."

"So it isn't cruel if the man isn't human?" the fox asked while looking up at his travel partner with a small yip.

"We aren't married, A-Sé, so it doesn't count," the ravenette chided with a small smile as she tapped the vulpine's nose.

"Right, Wūsé, is with you everywhere, isn't he?" the Second Young Master of Fei Clan commented as he watched the pair interact.

"Yep, we rely on each other to get by in the world," the woman spoke, "Both of us suffered great injustice when we were younger so it would make sense that we stay together."

Snap!

Without even looking back at what made the sound, the Second Princess of the Long Clan opened the fan that she carried in her waist band and threw it back with a flick of her wrist.

Upon hearing a yelp and a thud, the female let her fox out of her lap and stood up to face the intruder as she asked, "Who dares to trespass in Wǔyè Palace?"

"Ai, you have impeccable aim, Your Highness," the male said as he stood up and picked up the fan she threw at him, "You didn't even need to look back at me."

"Are you always this casual when snooping around people's homes, Second Young Master Pàn?" the ravenette mused as the male in red and gold approached her with a pout, "I could have you punished for breaking into a woman's private quarters, you know?"

"Ah, Your Highness, it wasn't like that!" the male explained as he shook his head, "I was just taking a walk and got lost, so there really is no need for punishment, right Ming?"

The younger male only turned his head away, not wanting to interfere with the female's business after seeing what she could do out in the world, earning a small whine from the taller male.

"Nevermind, it was an honest mistake," Mei Lián sighed as she held out her hand for the male to return her fan, "Just be lucky that my palace only has seven maids who weren't even here to report you on sight."

"If any of my elder siblings found out that a man broke into their youngest sister's palace, then who knows what they would do to you?" she continued with a shrug as she returned to her spot by the pond and munched on an almond, looking over her shoulder at the male, "You can sit for a while if you want. You're already here anyway."

The nineteen-year-old took the invitation and sat town to the left of the female, accepting the nuts she offered him.

"What were you even doing, Zhang?" Fei Ming asked as he looked over at the older male, "Don't you have better things to do than just wander around Guǐ Palace? Don't you have to stay with your brother and father?"

The male tensed at the mention of his family, causing the female to flick her gaze to him out of the corner of her eyes.

"And what about you, Mingi?" he questioned in return, "You call Second Princess Mei Lián 'Jiějiě,' never told anyone that you knew her, and now here you are just in her private palace."

"You-" "Now, now, I already explained at the banquet last night how Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ and I got acquainted," interjected the female with a small chuckle, "So let's just enjoy the scenery and company. Alright, Second Young Master Pàn?"

"Aish, just call me Zhang," the male sighed as he scratched the back of his head, "It feels weird have you calling me that long title when you out rank me."

"Then by that logic you should just call me by my name as well," the woman spoke, "I may have a grander title than you but when it comes to skills I can guarantee that you're better than me."

"Ah, how can you be so sure about that?" the male in regal clothing asked as he leaned down to be eye level with the ravenette only for the fox to tense in her lap.

"You've wandered around the continent since you were a child, I'm sure you've learned skills that could outclass anyone in our age group," he continued with a smile as the female rolled her eyes.

"Forget it, just call me 'Mei Lián' and I'll call you 'Zhang'," she sighed before meeting his gaze with a raised brow, "Does that sound fair to you?"

"Yes, you have a deal," he mused, throwing his arms up to stretch before looking out into the pond that had bright green leaves emerging from the surface.

"I bet this pond is really pretty in the summer, isn't it?" the male asked, the ravenette nodding in agreement as she looked out at the water.

"Of course, I planted all of these lotus plants for that reason," Mei Lián responded as she absent-mindedly played with the paws of Wūsé, not that he minded that much, "They were what my mother named me after."

"Ah right, your name means 'Beautiful Lotus,' doesn't it?" Fei Ming asked as he remembered reading something of the sorts from a book.

"Something along those lines, but if anything I think I'm more suited to be a spider-lily than a lotus," the ravenette spoke as she tapped the surface of the water, immediately earning the attention of the red betta fish.

"No, I think the name suits you well," Pàn Zhang disagreed, earning a raised brow from the younger teens, "You are as elegant and graceful as a lotus and as the first part of your name suggests, you are quite beautiful."

Just as the man finished his sentence, the black fox of the Second Princess jumped out of her lap and immediately started growling and barking at the man in red.

"A-Sé, that's enough!" Mei Lián hissed, taking the fox into her arms as his tantrum dissolved into low growls, "Zhang is a guest. Behave yourself."

"I'm sorry about him," she said, turning to the taller male, "He's usually more tame than this, even if he is known to be very mischievous."

"No worries, he's just trying to protect his mistress," he replied with a smile as he looked down at the furry animal, "What's his name?"

"Wūsé," she answered, placing him back in her lap and trying to pacify him by running her fingers through his fur, "Ironically, it means 'black bird'."

"Don't look at me like that," the female huffed with a small pout when she saw how the others raised a brow at the choice of name, "He wouldn't answer to anything else I called him, so his name is just Wūsé."

"It's not a bad name," Zhang shrugged before looking into honey-golden irises, "Does that mean he can fly like a bird does?"

"If he so chooses," the ravenette mused while hugging the charcoal-colored fox to her chest, "Isn't that right, A-Sé?"

To the two males, the fox only responded with an enthusiastic bark, but Mei Lián heard, "I'll rip you both limb from limb if you keep talking about me."

~~~Fin. Chapter 2~~~