09

The next day, Bingquing woke refreshed.  Her back was surprisingly sore from several weeks sitting cramped in a cart. There was a maid who did her hair and helped her dress.  There was a qin laid out for her to play.  The view was beautiful.  The meal the chef made for her was nice and fragrant.  It was almost as if the last month had not occured.  She could for a millisecond fantasize that she was still the daughter of a minor court official.

Father . . . she wondered if he were still alive.

Escape would not be easy as the guard's eyes were on her as she traversed the room.  She slept mostly and looked out the window.  Interestingly, even though the outside of the manor was not well tended, the inside was immaculate.  The trees were cut in the shapes of flying swans and soldiers battling endlessly.  It was a bit comical as she realized from an angle it looked like the soldiers were battling a swarm of swans.

"What is it that's funny?"  The smooth deep voice sent a chill down her spine and made her stomach flip in strange ways.  Ning Ren.

Bingquing bowed in greeting, "Your highness, I was unaware of your presence."

Ning Ren's eyes bore into hers, "Were you really?  Did you do it on purpose so you could seduce me now you know who I am?"

Bingquing returned his gaze with confusion.

He touched her chin with a playful gesture, "Your eyes are so big.  Your expressions are so open on your face.  You'd be such a horrible liar. An even more garbage if you were a concubine, pleasure woman, or an actress.  There are four princes of Caiwong.  Name them for me."

She was taken aback by his suggestion and thought to the political talks her father had, "Ning Zhuo . . . is the oldest.  Ning Yu has many concubines.  Ning Qi is the idiot.  The last one Ning Ren was exiled to the border."

"You are educated then aren't you.  Raised in private quarters most likely . . . a proper Caiwong lady behest by traffickers."

Bingquing looked down and maintained a neutral expression as his assumptions struck her disguise.  "Qing, isn't a lady's name.  But safer to travel and smarter to hide.  I don't care who you are or who your father is.  I just need a woman to sit in this room for a month.  Then I'll give you a carriage and money to crawl back to your home.  Don't have any expectations like your friend Mo'lan.  I will break your dreams. Do we have a deal?"

Bingquing looked up at his shifting eyes as he was assessing her.  She considered it, there was no home to go back to.  She needed time to plan how she would find her father and information on his whereabouts.  Even though this endeavor was dangerous it was a risk that would benefit her.  "Master, your wishes are my pleasure to fill.  If Qing can stay with sir for a month, she is happy to do so."

Ning Ren's eyes narrowed.  "Master coming from your pink lips feels wrong.  But I'm called highness all day by everyone.  Do I want someone more who is like everyone?"

Bingquing bowed as the prince left the room, "Highness, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

=//=

Every day he would come to see her.  Every day there would be either a new book or new delight that he would curate specially to her interests.  When she would go for walks in the garden she could see him from the balcony above with his head close to Ning Fan deep in conversation.  Occasionally one of them would look at her and they would nod in tandem.

Bingquing's maid could offer little in assistance as Bingquing knew she reported to the master of the house.  Her loyalties lied with the holder of her freedom, not with her temporary mistress.  Bingquing did get bits and pieces.

Her father's trial

The emperor upholding his choice of crown prince

Her father's change in position to a court dignitary in Jungpi--the land of the idiot king.  It was a slap in the face to him, probably orchestrated by the political mechanism behind the crown prince.  At least . . . he was still alive.  It gave her hope.