Wuxia Tale: Hua in Bloom

Solid Plans

(WANG HUA)

"He said sorry to you?" I frowned as I listened to Jin's story about what happened when he and his guards found Prince Guo drunk three nights ago. "Why will he say sorry to you? Because he drank too much?" Is that a reason enough to cry and say sorry? Do inebriated men cry like that when they are drunk?

I have never seen the men on my life drank too much wine that they became inebriated. Father had too much self control for that. And he prefers tea to alcohol. Baba...I know Baba drink spirits from time to time but I have never seen him as a stumbling drunk. Even once.

Dao? Dao is still too young to drink spirits but I have no doubt that my brother tried drinking alcohol with his friends. Dao is a healthy young man after all. They are all about adventures and experimenting. Drinking spirits can be an adventure for them. But Dao hasn't been stupid enough yet to come home to our estate drunk.

So I don't have that much experience with drunk men. I wonder if I can handle taking care of one. I look up at Prince Jin. We are walking along the road, side by side. When there are no people around us, he will hold my hand. But if he spot someone walking and can see us, he will let go of my hand. I find it amusing, how hard he is trying to maintain my pure reputation. He doesn't want anyone starting a gossip about General Wang's daughter letting herself be held by a man who is still not her husband or even fiance, even if he is my suitor. We are still waiting for the Emperor to arrive before we can tell Jin's father about our agreement to be engage to each other.

But for now, we still have to act carefully. Especially when we are outside of the Wang Estate.

Right now, we are walking and we are alone on the road, together with our three chaperones, so Jin is confident to hold my hand while we are walking.

"What are you like when you are under the influence of spirits, my Prince?" I asked Jin.

"Me?" Jin frowned. Then he look back to his guards, "Yong, Manchu ah, how do I act when I am drunk?" He asked his guards before grinning at me. "How would I know how I act when I am drunk, my love? I probably don't know how I am acting since alcohol is clouding my mind."

Ah yes, he got a point. The best reference to ask about this matter are his guards since Yong and Manchu are always with their Prince Jin.

Our three chaperones walked faster to catch up on us. "Prince Jin, when he is drunk?" Manchu smirked evilly, "He swoon like a Princess in his bed. Totally asleep. Like this..."

Jin was surprised by the answer while Dao and I couldn't help but laugh as Manchu demostrated how a Princess swoon on her bed. With a delicate hand on his forehead.

"I do not swoon like that!" Prince Jin winced at me. "I don't do that. I swear!"

I smiled at Prince Jin's attempt to defend himself.

Yong nodded, "Prince Jin sleeps when he is drunk, Lady Hua."

"Ah, I see." I looped an arm on Jin's arm to hold on to him. "You must be adorable when you are drunk."

"No," Prince Jin shook his head while smiling. "No man is adorable when he is drunk, my love. It's a weakness, us men have, drinking too much. It's not nice but there are times we cannot help but do it. I promise not to overindulge in those kind of activities once we are married."

We smile at each other.

Dao shivered, "Ugh! You two are truly nauseating. Stop smiling like that at each other," my brother turned to Yong and Manchu. "How about the two of you? What are you two like when you are drunk?"