Chapter 29: Matchmaking Fathers(2):

The next day:

LI CHONG HAI's*(1) POV

" Eunuch Wang, you've been with me since I was a young prince what do you think of Li Tian You?" I asked. " Your majesty, rumours have it that Prince Tian You and Prince Zi have a bad relationship since Prince Zi immediately made his beloved concubine in charge of everything in the mansion including the late princess consort shops left in her dowry. Although Prince Zi didn't make her the legal wife in everyone's eyes she was already the legal wife as Prince Zi didn't marry since nor did he have any other concubine. I also heard that it was also this concubine who made Prince Tian You go off to the Imperial Academy to study leaving away his siblings and only going home on his Tian An Junzhu's 14 birthday giving her a jade as a present. At first, everyone in the mansion didn't believe that Prince Tian You was the real prince as he had disappeared for years with no contact with his family apart from monthly letters to Tian An Junzhu. But he proved them all wrong by saying things that were only secrets in the family. As for his personality, I'm not quite sure apart from acting like a cold monk," Eunuch Wang recounted "if that's true, then is it he like boys? Oh no no that can't do," I fretted. " Your majesty that is the wrong thinking," he interrupted. " How so? Explain," I asked " Well I've heard this from one of the maids who have a sister working in Prince Zi's mansion back in Su Province that Prince Zi use to send maids into Prince Tian You's room and every time he would wrap the maids in a blanket and gently place them outside of the door, he did that to every lady sent to his room. Because of this many maids in the mansion had placed bets on whether he was gay or not so they created a scenario to check. They sent a man into his room and guess what happened?" he replied " When he found the man on his bed, he took the man by the colour and threw him right outside even telling his manservant to punish whoever sent a man into his room. And those maids sure had to pay a lot most of them were given beatings. So he is defiantly not gay. There is nothing for you to worry about,".

"That's good but if my daughter were to marry Tian You, Prince Zi might have ill intentions," I queered " Your majesty if he had ill intentions they would have been carried out when you just ascend the throne without enough support and enough power yet. Why wait until now?" he answered "hmm," was my only reply ' even if I have suspicions what can I do? Who told Chiu Yeung to be in love with his son, aiyo. Besides, I have a good reason to believe that Tian You does not like her oh gosh what will happen if they do get married? My daughter can not have any misfortune in that mansion. What to do?'

In the end, I still asked Eunuch Wang to go and call Prince Zi to come into the throne room for a talk.

" Prince Zi greets his majesty," he uttered, " May, I ask why you've called me ?" I answered truthfully " Chiu Yeung like your son," 'no need to console anything just put straight out there' " I would like to propose a marriage alliance between us. What do you think of that idea?" I asked. " Your majesty, thank you for thinking so highly of my son, as for the alliance... I believe that marriage is a matter between the two if Tian You agrees then so would I. But in the end, it will be his choice. But we can always set them up for a date," he told.

So in the end we had set a date for next week Tuesday for them to meet up in the Royal garden and get to know each other better. " Eunuch Wang, please send word to Yeung'er*(2) of today's matter," I commanded as he nodded and stepped out to do my bidding.

Li Tian You's perspective:

The next morning I had received a letter from the pigeon I handed over to Tian Yao from my sweetest father ordering me to come back before next week Tuesday, he compromised that if I came back he would immediately go on a date with that stubborn, willing full third princess then he would tell his companions to change my mother's shop from that vile woman's hand into Tian An's hand in preparation for her wedding that was due to set in a month. So he is forcing me to go on a date with that princess. Blackmail, well-done father, great you've won the best father award of the year.

" Guys, I need to go back home for a while, Yu Xuan goes with me, Shang Gu you stay here and look after Chang Ling and Chang Xue. Shang Guan Yue and Shang Guan Tao you guys are in charge of Moon Valley whilst I'm gone ok?" I told them when I finished reading the letter. " Yes childe," they chorused in unison.

Glossary:

1. Current emperor of Dong Yue. Chiu Yeung's father.

2. Chiu Yeung's nickname.