The seventh Prince

The imperial consort sat in her room with an aura of uneasiness filling the whole room, she had not heard anything from the seventh prince since her birthday, she had ordered her servants to search for his whereabouts of out concern for some days now there had been no reply. She stood up from where she was seating and started pacing about the room hoping that one of them would come back with news of his whereabout, she heard the door open then she quickly rushed towards the entrance then she saw her attendant coming into her room, her attendant bowed her head and said "your majesty, the seventh prince just sent a message to your palace", she handed a little paper to the imperial consort then she stood at ease, The imperial consort took the paper from her then she read the content, she smiled as she read the letter then she took in a deep breath, the attendant saw her reaction then she understood that the seventh prince must have assured her of his safety.

"your majesty, what does the letter say" the attendant asked, the imperial consort rolled the letter then she walked to one of the lamps and burned the letter.

"he went to the blossom pavilion to see him" the imperial consort said then she returned to her seat, the attendant kneeled beside her then she poured tea into the jade cup in front of the imperial consort and said "isn't that where the fourth prince is staying".

"of course, is there any other person he would go to see in the blossom pavilion" the imperial consort replied then she sipped her tea while the attendant stood up.

"I don't think it is a good thing for the seventh prince to go to the blossom pavilion, if the other princes find out that he has been going there, they might suspect that the both of them are planning something," the attendant said, the imperial consort dropped the teacup on the table then she said "the fourth prince has been a good brother to Changlin, he taught him everything he knows so there is nowhere I will stop Changlin from going to see his brother, if he can have someone who truly sees him as a brother and not a rival then it is his fortune," the imperial consort said.

"I agree with you your majesty, in the imperial harem you can hardly call someone your brother without being a rival to them, but did he say when he is coming back," the attendant said

"he didn't say but I know that the fourth prince will not let him stay in the blossom valley for long for his own safety" she replied. The attendant was about to say something but she stopped when another attendant entered into the room with a medium-sized silver box in her hand.

"your majesty," the maid said with her head bowed

"what is it?" the imperial consort asked looking at the box the maid was carrying.

"a blacksmith sent this to your palace," the maid said then she handed the box to the attendant who was standing beside the imperial consort, the attendant placed the box on the table then the imperial consort opened the box, they were all stunned to see the shining object in the silver box. She brought out the silver blade from the box, it was decorated with pearls and gold crystals, she removed the sheath of the blade then the blade reflected on her face and the attendants face.

"who did he say the blade is from," the imperial consort said

"He said that the seventh prince told him to deliver it to your palace today," the second attendant said

"I thought he didn't have any gift for me on my birthday, I am really surprised at this gift, this is the best gift I have received for my birthday," the imperial consort said then she put the blade back in the sheath and placed it in the box and closed it.

"the seventh prince is really considerate; I have never seen a blade that is this beautiful. Only the seventh prince knows you best, others gave your feminine gifts but he knows that you don't just want to be an ordinary woman but a strong woman" the first attendant said, the imperial consort smiled then she ordered the second attendant to leave. After the second attendant left, she kept the box inside one of the drawers on the table then she returned to her seat.

"I just wish he won't get caught in the broils of the imperial harem, I just want him to get married to a nice girl and leave his life peacefully," the imperial consort said.

"the seventh prince is just sixteen, it might be too early for him to get married, even the fourth prince isn't married yet," the attendant said

"I know that but I just think that if he gets married early and leaves the palace then he would have and a higher chance of escaping the conflict of the imperial harem before they start becoming fierce and brutal," she said with worry written on her face.

"even the fourth prince who is living in the blossom valley cannot escape from the court affairs, sooner or later he still has to return to court, leaving the place doesn't mean that he can escape from the conflict he just has to be strong," the attendant said to encourage the imperial consort.

"you are indeed right, of all the princes my sons have the least strong family support, for him to survive he will have to become strong on his own" the imperial consort said

"your majesty, do you perhaps have a marriage candidate for the seventh prince," the attendant asked

"No, anyone my son desires to marry is my candidate and as long as she also loves him, I am fine with her," the imperial consort said.

"We can only hope that the emperor doesn't bestow marriage on the seventh prince if that is what you want your majesty," the attendant said, after discussing for a while, the attendant left the imperial consort's chamber.

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The savoury smell of delicious food filled the whole pavilion, Changlin stood up from his bed and without even bothering to put on his outer robe he came out of the room sleepwalking as he traced the smell, he walked through the hallway and different rooms with his eyes half-closed in search for where the smell was coming from. His dog like nose continued sniffing until he reached the source of the smell, he entered into the building then he heard the sound of someone frying something and he couldn't resist the urge to fully open his eyes which means he is dispelling his urge to return to his bed. Ruansong looked towards the entrance of the kitchen when he heard the sound of someone entering into the kitchen, he smiled when he saw Changlin standing in front of the entrance while trying his best to keep himself awake. He poured the chicken and vegetables into the frying pan then he rubbed his hands on the apron he wore on his waist.

"Changlin, you are sleepwalking again," He said as he tapped Changlin's face to keep him awake, even though he kept on tapping his face he still wouldn't wake up fully so Ruansong splashed water on his face, this time Changlin opened his eyes fully then he wiped away the water on his face.

"brother, why did you do that" Changlin said in an angry tone

"if you hadn't sleepwalked into the kitchen when I am cooking I wouldn't have done that now you tell me why you are the only one awake," Ruansong said then he dropped the bowl of water and returned to the fry pan, then he stirred the chicken and vegetable which had almost started burning.

"I just smelled something delicious then I followed the smell to this place, I see you haven't lost your cooking skills, that is what I like the most about you," Changlin said then he moved closer to Ruansong who is still stirring the chicken in the frying pan.

"I would have forgotten your habit of sleepwalking whenever you smell something delicious," Ruansong said then he removed the food from the saucepan and served them in different plates.

"Go and wake the others up," Ruansong said, Changlin walked out of the kitchen then he did as Ruansong had told him to, after ten minutes they were all sitting around the table in the courtyard. Ruansong entered the courtyard with a tray of different types of meals, then he arranged them on the table, at the sight of the well designed, savoury and delicious food in front of five of them they all swallowed their saliva as they sniffed their nose to inhale the smell of the food. Only the old man who is in charge of paddling the boat on the lake, Xiaodi, Xi Feng who is a very skilled swordsman, and Li Ruansong lives in the blossom pavilion as well as other beneficiaries of the fourth prince kindness but Ruansong was always the one who did all the cooking despite the fact that he is the owner of the pavilion.

"brother I haven't tasted your cooking for up to a year now, I am so anxious to taste the food you have prepared," Changlin said then he picked up his chopstick to taste the chicken and vegetable stir fry but his Xiaodi stopped him by holding his hand, no one bothered to say anything because they knew why she did that but Changlin glared at her and said, "why are you stopping me can't I eat now".

"can't you see that Ruansong is not yet at the table," Xiaodi said then she released his hand, he pouted his lips and stared at her angrily, they all laughed at his reaction then Ruansong returned to the kitchen to return the apron then he returned to the courtyard.

They all started eating the moment he sat at the table but Changlin stared angrily at Xiaodi who had already started eating before he started eating.

"Your highness, I wonder when I will ever be able to cook like you," Xi Feng said as he licked his lips, they all nod their head in agreement to what Xi Feng said.

"you don't have to learn how to cook, you have me," Ruansong responded, his words and actions always made it impossible to believe that he is actually the owner of the blossom pavilion and their master.

"We all know that one day you will have to leave the blossom pavilion," the old man said, then their expression changed from a happy look to a sentimental look.

"then you all should treasure me whilst I am still here with you," Ruansong said, they smiled at his comment then they continued eating.

After they finished eating, Xiaodi cleared the plates while the remaining of them remained on their seat, Xiaodi brought in a set of jade teapot and cups, then she poured tea into their cups and passed it to them.

"since Changlin will be leaving today, I decided that we should have a little chat with him over tea," Ruansong said then he raised his cup of tea to his lips and sipped from it, the rest of them did the same except Changlin who didn't understand what Ruansong meant.

"brother, what do you mean by I am leaving today, I never said that," Changlin said with a confused look and his face and his eyebrows furrowed.

"were you not planning on leaving today," Ruansong said then he placed the jade cup in his hand on the table.

"of course not, I haven't seen you for a year now so why will I leave today, I was planning on spending a month year," Changlin said

"you know that is impossible, your mother would be worried about you and you know that if you are on for too long and they find out that you are in the blossom valley they may start suspecting that we are both cooking something up. So, you have to leave today" Ruansong said

"I never knew that the fourth prince is a mummy's boy," Xiaodi said then she drank her tea. They all knew that she said that to tease him so they looked at Changlin to see his reaction and it was as they had expected, he stared at her angrily with a very sharp gaze.

"I don't even want to mind you at this moment," Changlin said then he looked away from her, Ruansong clapped and said, "it seems like have learned to not be impulsive even when someone makes you angry".

"of course, but everyone outside this pavilion thinks of you as a cold and aloof prince who hardly talks, who would have known that you are the exact opposite of the kind of person they think you are," Changlin said then he sipped his tea.

"I don't know why but every time I leave this pavilion I become someone else, my personality changes completely without I even being aware of it," Ruansong said then he finished his tea.