A Forbidden Happiness

Chapter 20

The Empress Dowager's birthday celebration lasted throughout the week. With that over, The Empress was organizing the back palace and the children for the hunt. Prince hadn't seen her in anything more than passing, so when he heard that The Emperor was staying the night in Yikungong, he stopped by for dinner.

Prince Han did his best to keep the smile when he saw The Empress eating dinner alone. It was mid-month, so The Emperor was supposed to spend the night in Yikungong. Instead, he was probably convalescing at Xiang gui ren's bedside. It was a bit much. She wasn't dying. She had a scratch on her face.

The Empress piled his plate full the moment he sat down.

"Is His Majesty spending the night at Chengqiangong?"

"No, more missives were delivered, so His Majesty is spending the night at Yanxindian to work on them. You know he likes to do as much as possible before we're set to leave. In fact–"

Laying her chopsticks down, The Empress grabbed Prince Han's hands with an alarmingly familiar look on her face.

Prince Han felt like running.

"–This year's hunt is going to be very special,"

"Really?" Prince Han tried to tug his hand away, "Are the game reports good? Shall I hunt a leopard for you?"

"Who cares about all that? The stars have finally aligned. All the families are bringing along a daughter of marriageable age. Even General Batu! Zhishi, Xiurong will be there!"

Prince Han hoped the smile on his face didn't look as painful as it felt, "Oh...is she?"

"Yes! It was a shame you couldn't speak to her at Royal Grandmother's banquet, but you did see her, right? She's grown even more beautiful,"

Of course, Prince Han had seen her. How could he not? The Empress ensured Xiurong sat directly across from him the entire evening. Prince Han had appreciated her whole visage while hiding from her later that night. Had Jiayi not saved him, he would've spent the night in the streets. From the moment The Empress forced them to meet five years ago, Prince Han did his best to avoid her.

It wasn't anything against Xiurong. In the few moments they've spent together, Prince Han could be assured that Xiurong was a kind, beautiful, well-bred woman that wouldn't be anything other than a perfect wife. That was the problem.

Prince Han didn't want a wife.

Well, he did eventually want a wife, just not now. It was a ridiculous thought and an unfilial one as well. What 19-year-old man didn't marry? By the time His Majesty was 19, he and The Empress had been together for years. There was just so much he hadn't done yet. So many places he hadn't been. So much glory left to be wrought in the name of the Great Qing. How could he be by His Majesty's side at a moment's notice with a wife and child at home? It just wouldn't do. It would be best to avoid it and Xiurong altogether. General Batu would get the message and marry Xiurong to another well connected man. Prince Han could make it to 25 as a single man if he were lucky. He knew he was being ungrateful. So many people would kill to see their wife before their wedding day. Prince Han had the chance to pick her and didn't want it.

"You can marry sometime after the new year," said The Empress, bringing plates of sweet cakes closer to him, "And during the draft, His Majesty can find a few cefujin and concubines for you. Once you're engaged, we can start building your house in the capital. There are some nice plots of land–"

"Mother, please," said Prince Han, his head spinning.

"Mother?" Echoed The Empress, "It's been some time since you've called me that. Shall I go back to calling you Shishi?"