Episode 7

Back in the Imperial Palace, Princess Xiaobai was brought back to her room to rest after the day they had together.

Xiaobai was glad her mother decided to suspend her order to promote her daughter to Empress so she could have some time to think about it.

Lying on her bed and reading a book, Xiaobai's mind wandered to the man she met at the market. He had long white hair and his eyes a beautiful blackish brownish, shaking her head, she banished the thought from her mind, returning to her book.

Meanwhile in the Tang Kingdom, Dijun who presumed the place of the Crown Prince, would become King in a few days. The Prince's father had decided to send him to the Wei Kingdom to propose marriage to the Princess Xiaobai.

Standing at the end of the stairs leading to the thrones of his parents, Dijun, who was now Shen Ye bowed before his father.

"Son, I want you to go forth to the Wei Kingdom, to propose the marriage as an alliance to the Empress's only daughter Princess Xiaobai" he said as Dijun nodded his head and bowed in agreement.

"I accept your decree father" Dijun said before turning to leave the room, returning to his Palace, many maids bustled about, getting his things packed for the journey to the Wei Kingdom, where he would finally see Feng Jiu again.

As they left his Kingdom, they travelled many days before coming upon the gates into the Wei Kingdom.

At the Imperial Palace of the Wei Kingdom, the Empress met with the Prince Shen Ye, telling her of his father's plan to propose marriage as an alliance between the two Kingdoms.

"I think that is a superb idea your Highness, but I am afraid you may need to convince my daughter, she isn't the one to settle down until she has seen the world" the Empress said as hi bows to her.

Meanwhile, as Xiaobai was taking a nap in her room, her maid Cha Cha walked in and bowed to her.

"Your Highness, your mother the Empress requires you to visit her in the throne room" Cha Cha said as Xiaobai blew out a breath and got up from her bed.

"Help me change" Xiaobai said as her maid helped her into a red hanfu dress, the backing was long and trailed after her as she walked, a long red silk cloth hung over her arms and was very loose behind her.

As she walked to visit her mother, Cha Cha followed behind her, when they arrived, she was announced in as her mother allowed her to step into the room. As she walked in, she got the surprise of her life.

Dijun sat to one side of the room, awaiting the Princess to come in. When he got up and turned to greet her, he had never seen anyone as beautiful as her.

'You still look so beautiful Feng Jiu' Dijun thought to himself as she walked past him to bow before her mother with a greeting.

"Xiaobai greets mother" she said as her mother smiled and patted the seat beside her.

"Come sit with me, my sweet Xiaobai" her mother said as Cha Cha helped her up and walked her to her mother's side, standing to the side as she sat beside her mother.

'This man seems to recognise me, yet I have no idea who he is, but why is he here to require me by my mother's side?' Xiaobai thought to herself.

"This is Prince Shen Ye of the Tang Kingdom, he wishes to propose marriage to you, my daughter to gain an alliance with our Kingdom" her mother said as Xiaobai's head snapped in her mother's direction.

"You promised mother" Xiaobai said just before her mother held her hand up at her.

"I have told the Prince of your desire to be a traveller before settling down, I have allowed him to try and convince you" her mother said as Dijun got up and stood just at the end of the stairs.

"If I may interrupt" he said and bowed as her mother nodded her head to him in approval.

"If her Highness agrees to marriage and begin the alliance between our two Kingdoms, I will also not hold her Highness back if she wished to travel" he said as Xiaobai turned her head to look at him.

"May I think of this offer before giving you my answer?" she as asked as Dijun nods his head to her.

"Of course your Highness, do take your time" he said before bowing to them and leaving the Palace to stay in a hotel near their home, his mind was not on the alliance, but being married to Xiaobai, he could finally give her what she wanted.

As Xiaobai returned to her room, she sat on her bed as she thought of the Prince's proposal. Sure she was slightly happy that he would allow her to travel while they were engaged, but the thought of settling down was unsettling to her.

"Cha Cha" she called out as her maid walked in with a smile on her face, she bowed to her in greeting.

"Should I, or shouldn't I agree to this proposal by the Prince?" she asked as Cha Cha sat by her feet.

"I think this would be a wonderful celebration my Lady, he has agreed to allow you travel while engaged, perhaps this is what you want, as well as securing your future as the Empress"

"For a maid, you really make good points" she said as Cha Cha smiled happily at her.

"Anything for my Lady" she said before getting up, telling her that she would get her some food and disappeared.

Deciding to go for a short walk, Xiaobai waited for Cha Cha to come back before asking her to find the Hotel where Shen Ye was staying.

After eating her food, Cha Cha helped her dress and did her hair as they walked outside the Palace walls.

Arriving in front of the Hotel, Cha Cha helped Xiaobai up the stairs and inside before getting a table. Many people bowed to her and greeted her, in which she smiled and nodded as she asked Cha Cha to find the Prince.

As she asked her, the Prince appeared down the stairs and when he turned, there stood Feng Jiu, sitting there with her maid.

Walking up to them, he nodded in greeting to her as she turned in her seat and nodded back to him.

"Your Highness" her maid said with a bow as Xiaobai smiled to him.

"I have thought over your proposal for marriage, the terms as they should be, you allow me to travel as I wish until I decide to be married to you" Xiaobai said as the Prince nodded his head in agreement.

As Xiaobai returned to the Imperial Palace with the Prince by her side and her maid following behind, she escorted them to the throne room where her mother was doing official business.

As she walked in, her mother smiled at her before she caught the Prince behind her, she looked to her daughter in confusion.

"Mother, I have made the decision to accept the proposal his Highness has asked for, under the term that I will do what I need to before settling down and get married" she said.

Her mother, delighted by the news, got up and smiled at her daughter.