The Tale Of Mei Xiang

第五章 (Chapter 5)

第五章

I didn't know if I should be offended or act honoured that he thinks of me as a back-up or escape plan. 

"Why would I agree to this? I thought I made it clear that I want nothing to do with the Imperial family or any high ranking officials. Marrying you doesn't take me away from this type of life," I said with disdain and looking him up and down. 

The robes he wore reminded me of who he is and my place so I quickly added, "Not that your highness isn't good enough for me. It's simply I'm not good enough and will never be. You shouldn't be wasting your time on me."

He made no response and continued to grip my wrist. I averted my eyes from his, reminding myself that I was much lower than him and shouldn't be looking at him in the eye. I've overstepped my boundaries with him too many times and if I want to keep my head, I should make up for it. 

"Your highness," I said again, hoping to get him to snap out of whatever trance he was in so I could return home as the sun was beginning to set. "I'm sure you have other better places to be and I have to get home. Please forgive me for the things I've done to offend you and let me return in peace."

I didn't think I was going to get an answer out of him until he sighed and allowed his eyes to flutter close. "It is just an if Imperial Mother forces me to marry someone whom I don't like. Why are you talking as if I'm forcing you to marry me? It is just an if after my mother forces me to choose between many girls of all whom I dislike, will I then ask for your hand."

"I would like the chances of my living a normal life to be certain and even though you're a prince, please forgive me for saying this, it is offensive to me to be thought of as a back-up plan. I may be of low ranking but I'm still human and so are you," I answered back as politely as I could. 

"Are you saying that you and I are the same? That the Emperor is just like an ordinary peasant?" he said accusingly and I knew he wanted to know how I would respond.

It was considered treasonous to say that the Son of Heaven was equivalent to an ordinary person even though it was pretty much true. Using the same tactic when I had to answer hard questions, I directed a question at him and avoided his.

"Well, are you that ambitious to think that you're the next Emperor when the current one hasn't even passed away yet? Is this what a filial child would do? I never said that you and I nor the Emperor are the same. I simply stated the fact that we're both humans." I lowered my head even though my heart was swelling with pride.

His eyes narrowed at me and he released my wrist but only to grip my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. His fingers traced my jawline and the corners of his mouth slowly curled upwards. "You have a very smart mouth..."

I slapped his hand when he was about to trace the outline of my lips. "Your highness, please maintain your distance. I may be of low ranking but I'm a pure unmarried woman. I have the right to be treated with respect and not like a brothel girl."

"You say that yet you chase after me, 3rd brother and the Crown Prince," he whispers, his breath hitting my cheek as he gave me a one over. "Just like the brothel girls who cling onto every man they see."

"How is asking you to distance yourself from me an act of chasing you? Rejecting a marriage is a new way to chase a man now? As for the 3rd Prince, I see him as my older brother as we have been friends since childhood," I said, every warning in my brain to not let him rile me up was pushed aside. 

He smiled but being this close to him, the smile didn't look comforting and only made me tremble inside. "Haven't you heard of the playing hard to get tactic that brothel girls use now to get attention? They reject the advances of the man even though they want them. It makes more people go after them."