Little Goose

As dinner approached, Han Aeng decided it was time to retreat to the comfort of her chambers. Upon her return, the fragrance of freshly prepared delicacies filled the air, beckoning her towards the dining area.

The table was a masterpiece of culinary artistry, adorned with delicate porcelain plates showcasing an array of dishes. Long Dahai awaited her presence, maintaining a straight posture that exuded a sense of calm authority.

 "Your Highness," she respectfully greeted him before sitting beside him.

To her surprise, Luo Li was also in their quarters at this unusual hour, still clad in his uniform. She could only assume he had come to fetch the seventh prince. "You're here too, Luo Li."

"Greetings to Li Wangfei." 

Usually, she'd try to engage Luo Li in conversation, exploring the thoughts of this perspective guard. However, today, impatience tinged her voice. "Shall we eat, Your Highness?"

Long Dahai began eating, observing her demeanour keenly.

A light sparkled in her eyes, her gaze lingering on the dishes before her. Her movements, once measured, now carried a quiet excitement as she served herself.

A smile played on Long Dahai's lips, noticing the change in her usual composure. "Wangfei looks rather happy today. Did something happen?"

"Mn." She acknowledged with a contented nod, beckoning Nanny Na to join them. "Allow me to introduce Nanny Na, whom chenqie mentioned to Your Highness. Nanny, this is my husband, His Highness, the seventh Prince of Shangwei."

Compared to before, her introduction flowed more naturally, and Long Dahai nodded in satisfaction. Their practice was yielding fruit.

"Greetings to Li Wangye," Nanny Na offered a respectful bow. "This lowly one is called Na Chamsae, and I extend my sincerest apologies for not being able to greet you earlier."

"It's good to see you fully recovered; Wangfei missed you dearly," Long Dahai remarked in an even tone, his gaze steady on Nanny Na.

"It's the heavens' will to see this lowly one serve my lady for a while longer," Nanny Na humbly expressed, her gaze respectfully lowered as she spoke.

Luo Li was surprised to hear Nanny Na speak Huayuan so fluently. Initially, he assumed that learning a new language at Nanny Na's age would be nearly impossible. However, Nanny Na made it seem like she had been raised in Shangwei.

Reflecting on the scene, Luo Li noted that even Li Wangfei's dialect could easily pass as that of someone who had learned the language from a young age. Although Li Wangfei tended to use relatively more simple language, he'd seen her effortlessly switch to more complex expressions when polite or in front of other Imperial family members. She never struggled to find the right words; her fluency appeared natural. Not even once.

This is a surprise as Jeontu's official language, Gughwa, and Shangwei's official language, Huayuan, exhibit distinct phonetic features in their spoken languages.

Gughwa, a non-tonal language, relies on intonation, context, and word choice for meaning. In contrast, Huayuan employs a tonal system where the pitch or intonation used in pronouncing a word can change its meaning. Huayuan has four primary tones and a neutral tone, adding a layer of complexity to its phonetic structure. Additionally, Huayuan uses tonal variations and pitch to convey nuances, while Gughwa emphasizes intonation and context without a significant stress accent. 

Given what he knew about Li Wangfei's love for studying, Luo Li could speculate the effort she must have invested in learning the language, making it plausible for her to sound natural in Huayuan. However, Nanny Na's case remained in the dark.

"Wangfei's nanny speaks rather fluently."

Han Aeng nodded, chewing her food unhurriedly. "Mm, Nanny grew up in the borderlands of Shangwei and Jeontu. She was my teacher, besides the ones Chancellor Yi assigned."

Curious, Luo Li turned to Nanny Na. "Which part are you from, Nanny Na?"

"This one comes from Lianjin." 

"Benwang's granduncle was stationed there. He always spoke fondly of it." Long Dahai's maternal family had a history of military service. Even now, his grandfather was still serving the north-western border despite reaching retirement age; he preferred to stay there. "Maintaining your Huayuan while living in Jeontu must have been hard."

"Not at all, Li Wangye," Nanny Na replied with a gracious nod and a warm smile. Her hands gestured to her heart, "Huayuan is my mother tongue. Just as one never forgets their mother, so this one has not forgotten Huayuan."

"When she learned Chenqie would be coming to Shangwei, she refused to speak to Chenqie in Gughwa. The entire year, chenqie had no choice but to keep up with her and learn the language," Han Aeng giggled, suddenly amused by the memory. Despite several tantrums of protest thrown at Nanny's mention of teaching, Nanny Na proved to be a strict instructor, surprisingly more stringent than when she was younger. However, her method was undeniably fruitful, and Han Aeng became more fluent than ever before.

"Then Benwang should be able to speak faster?"Long Dahai's voice remained even, his hands resting comfortably on the table.

Han Aeng had noticed that he always slowed himself down whenever he interacted with her, even simplifying his language so she could easily understand him. She didn't particularly hate it; instead, she preferred that he continue speaking slowly.

"Please continue to be nice to me, Your Highness."

A subtle arch of his eyebrow was the only indication of surprise before Long Dahai regained his composure. 

Beside them, Luo Li let out a sigh of relief at the simplicity of the topic. Thank goodness that's all there is to it.

Luo Li's gaze lingered on Han Aeng, who was engrossed in conversation with Long Dahai. Despite the momentary relief, he couldn't shake the feeling that this revelation about Han Aeng's Nanny might be just the tip of the iceberg. What are the chances that she would be from the border region? 

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As she had expected, Long Dahai left with Luo Li once they were done with dinner - a routine departure that always extended late into the night. After she washed up and settled in bed, Ruyi took Nanny Na and retired for the night, leaving the responsibility of night watch to Zhuyan.

With all her usual caretakers conspicuously absent tonight - Han Aeng was unusually unsupervised. 

"What are the odds?" A foolish grin played on her lips as she left the bed. She approached the back window, opening it slightly before hastily shutting it.

"After all, what were the odds."

It was only when Han Aeng attempted to escape that she realized that the relaxation in supervision had been deceptive. The usual atmosphere of the quarters, calm and dimly lit, had concealed the heightened security Long Dahai had discreetly implemented.

The courtyard now harboured subtle movements as additional guards silently patrolled, their watchful presence lingering in the air. Even the guards' patrol patterns had shifted. Once unnoticed places were now potential points of scrutiny. The entire place seemed to pulse with an awareness that hadn't existed before.

Tsk. How annoying.

Nonetheless, as an expert at setting herself free, Han Aeng slipped past the increased security undetected. Her nimble movements betrayed years of practice and experience.

The crisp breeze caressed Han Aeng's face as she ascended to the rooftop, the strands of her hair dancing in its gentle rhythm. The crescent moon hung like a delicate ornament on the star filled sky.

"Kraaarrk! Krark! Krack!" Suddenly a series of abrupt caws announced a crow's hurried arrival.

Han Aeng turned to see a large crow hastily descending onto her, squawking joyfully.

"Shh, you'll get caught, you silly Goose." The bird stopped mid-caw as if it understood her, and then, with an awkward flutter, it landed beside her, wings slightly askew, and tilted its head in an almost apologetic manner.

"Guess you actually made it for once. Though you're a few days late." Han Aeng couldn't help but chuckle. "Good boy, Goose." 

She extended her hand, and Goose leapt onto her forearm with a clumsy hop, nearly losing balance. The crow, undeterred by its lack of grace, nuzzled against her cheek, its feathers soft against her skin. 

He cooed contentedly as Han Aeng scratched behind his head. "Karaak~"

After a moment of bliss, Goose pecked at the pouch on its foot, each peck accompanied by fumbling attempts. 

"Alright, alright. Let's see what you have for me." She reached into Goose's message pouch and retrieved a folded paper.

The bird settled on her shoulder as Han Aeng carefully unfolded the paper. She began to read the passage written on it to herself.

'In a quiet place, a crane hears the waves; as evening comes, stars reflect radiant light.'

A subtle crease formed between her brows, casting a shadow over her otherwise composed demeanour as she deciphered the cryptic message. 

"Just where are you?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper in the night air, laced with a hint of melancholy. "How much longer must I bear this burden, waiting for your presence to be known?"

It was a silent plea that had been sent into the night, hoping that, somehow, the recipient would hear her. Yet, the moonlit night was the sole witness of her contemplation. Distant rustle of leaves and the soft murmur of the wind blending seamlessly with her thoughts.

"Coo-rak, coo-rak." As if in response, Goose cawed softly, a mix of sympathy and encouragement. 

"I guess you're right, Goose." The night was still, and the moonlight caressed her form, casting a soft glow as her eyes lingered on the words inscribed on the paper. "When the time is right."