Xiao Tao Qi is Lord Long Ao Tian!

"My lady, this is scandalous," Xue Er cried, "please change back to your real self," she threw herself at the man's feet.

"The scandal here is that my maid is clinging to Long Ao Tian," the man said serenely.

Xue Er:...why didn't I think of that!....

She snatched her hands back, but still looked with tear-filled eyes at the man.

"His Highness will be here soon. You have to change back now!" she beseeched.

Long Ao Tian raised one lazy eyebrow.

"He'll have to go back. There's no Xiao Tao here. Let him go marry his sweetheart Jiao Zhu. Xiao Tao and him don't have anything in common,"

"But miss--"

Long Ao Tian:.... where's the miss?....

"Xue Er, you'll have to leave this room. I can't let you give me away,"

"This is my miss' chamber. I'm not going anywhere," Xue Er replied stubbornly. Of all her miss' identities, it was Long Ao Tian she detested the most.

Presently, Rou Rou arrived to summon Xiao Tao.

"Miss?"

"Miss is not in," Xue Er bit the inside of her cheek.

"What? His highness is here already! Where did miss go?"

"I don't know," Xue Er shook her head.

Rou Rou looked into the room and backed out like a frightened mouse.

"Xue Er! You-- that-- who's that in miss' chamber?!"

"Long Ao Tian," Xue Er replied dourly.

"Long--! Lord Long Ao Tian?!!"

Xue Er:... lord or not....

"What--what is he doing here?!?"

"I don't know," Xue Er sighed, "Rou Rou, do me a favor and don't tell anyone, okay?"

Rou Rou:.... don't tell anyone?!! Is this girl mad?....

"Xue Er! What are you saying! I have to tell old madam! This is-- this is awful!"

With that, she ran pell mell to the front chamber. Xue Er sighed and returned to the chamber. What she saw made her eyes bulge!

Long Ao Tian was sleeping on young miss' bed!

Well, technically, he owned the bed... but! It looked so awful!

"Miss-"

*Snore*, *snore*, *snore*

Xue Er:...

.

.

.

.

"Master Long, when did you see the Tao-er last?" Old madam asked politely.

"She left as soon as I arrived." Long Ao Tian replied, fanning himself somberly, "she seemed troubled,"

Xue Er:...miss, you liar!....

Crown Prince Wang Feng Li did not take his eyes off the fortune-teller.

"Your eyes are the same shade as Tao-er's,"

Everyone:...

Long Ao Tian:.....awww, crap!....

Long Ao Tian laughed.

"Yes, isn't it?" also thinking, 'how does he know what shade my eyes are??'

At the prompt from the crown prince, everyone started to stare at Long Ao Tian.

Long Ao Tian:.... I have to get outta here real quick!....

"Hem, hem, thanks for your hospitality, General Xiao and Madam Xiao." He cupped his hands to them, "I still have some things I have to take care of at home--"

"Where do you live?" The crown prince asked suddenly.

"Wenjiu Street!" Long Ao Tian cupped his hands to the crown prince, "I won't be able to accompany you any longer. I'm sure Tao-er will come home soon. After all, she can't leave her Xue Er behind,"

Xue Er:....miss! You're going without me?!!...what an irony!....

Long Ao Tian saw himself out of the Xiao manor, wiping the sweat from his face.

"Dang that prince, dang all of them!" he swore. A carriage clattered to a halt, and he swung himself into it, drawing down the curtains.

By the time it was opened back, a tiny girl sat back with a sigh.