The Prince of Travelers
Ninth Princess
"Sister An! Welcome,” exclaimed Li Rouwei as soon as she saw Li An enter the Aixin Pavilion. The little girl immediately rushed to embrace the Eighth Prince as if she had not met for thousands of years. He greeted Li An with his sweetest smile.
“Rou’er, you have been waiting from earlier?” Li An stroked Li Rouwei's braided head in two, “Which Huanran's sister?”
“There, come with us for tea,” Li Rouwei tugged at Li An's arm in spirit to the garden in the courtyard of the house. As Li Rouwei said, Li Huanran was waiting there. The Third Princess sat gracefully in a saung that had not changed for a long time.
A group of cats also welcomed Li An's arrival by meowing anxiously. Some are big, some are small. Some are bright hairy, some are dark hairy. They were all second and third generation kittens in Aixin Pavilion, the only place that allowed pets to enter in the Eternal Happiness Palace complex.
Li An picked up one of the kittens similar to Miao-Miao, a mottled, bright orange-haired cat. He sat down to join his brother and sister who had been waiting since. “Rou’er when to get here?”
“Dah long ago,” replied Li Huanran while glancing at the Ninth Princess, “After you leave, she comes.”
“Kakak An, Brother An,” call Li Rouwei to seek attention, “Kakak said what was the father of the emperor earlier?”
“Only regular reports anyway,” Li An replied with a knotty smile. That question was always the first question that came out of Li Rouwei's mouth every time he finished visiting Emperor Yung Wei as if he was interrogating him. Well, that was not a problem even though Li Rouwei reported it to Empress Zhaoyi, “Sama was given the order to join the meeting tomorrow the day after.”
“Can about North Region, ‘kan?” Li Rouwei asked in spirit.
“Hm, yes. How do you know?” Li An frowned. It was not a secret meeting. However, usually the princesses and princes who were under the age of 12 would not care about it, whereas the Ninth Princess was still around eight to Nine years old. Children his age usually do not like political affairs and want to play.
“Hehe, know dong. My eyes and ears are everywhere. I know everything that happens in the Eternal Happiness Palace,” Li Rouwei said as he patted his chest proudly. She felt she could know everything as the youngest daughter of Empress Zhaoyi.
“Ya, good anyway. But right ... it doesn't matter to you right now,” Li An's words tear down all of Li Rouwei's arrogance. The little princess puffed her cheeks and exclaimed angrily that she should also know the situation inside and outside the palace.
“I am the princess of the Tang Empire. I must know the condition of every inch of the land of the Tang Empire,” Li Rouwei said. He also asked his original intention, “Kakak An, Brother will go to the North Region, ‘kan?”
“Not sure,” Li An replied briefly, then ate a cookie that Li Huanran prepared at the saung table, “Depending on the decision of the meeting.”
“If Big Brother goes to the Northern Region, I follow ya,” pinta Li Rouwei while putting on her blanked face. Li Huanran choked on hearing that, while Li An frowned. The Eighth Prince immediately replied firmly, “Ngak can. There is danger, especially if you go with me.”
“Emang why?” Li Rouwei did not believe it. Li An touched his forehead, then replied, “Northern territory is in turmoil. War can happen at any time. You will be a burden if you go there.”
Li Huanran chuckled softly behind his fan that had just bloomed, while Li Rouwei exclaimed furiously, “What is the burden? I have a lot of ladies. My sister doesn't have to take care of me. Just stay there. What's hard?”
“If you go with me, it means I have to take responsibility for you. Aunt Zhaoyi must be very angry if until you why,” explained Li An complex, “Lagian, I did not go there for a vacation. My brother and Brother Huanran got distracted because of the problems in the Northern Territory. If I can choose, I don't go there. After all, if you really want to go there, why not just like Brother Xiang?”
“No want! Brother Xiang naughty!” reply Li Rouwei sharply, “I will be left in the middle of the forest if departing the same him later.”
“Hah? Have you ever been left in the woods alone?” Li Huanran flattened his fan and slightly tilted his face, attracted to the statement of his ninth younger sister. Li Rouwei nodded quickly, then told her, “I once joined Brother Xiang to go hunting, and she even left me in the middle of the forest. He said I was slow. Hmph! Though Rou’er girl agile.”
“Wah, even though Xiang’er is very dear to you,” Li Huanran does not believe the story of the Ninth Princess, “Some he could leave you like that. You must be wrong.”
“What's the shame?” protest Li Rouwei hard, “Kakak Xiang stingy. He never wanted to nemenin Rou’er. He likes to keep training. Body must smell when finished training.”
“Hais .. he will be a capable commander. Obviously he has to do a lot of training. You also do not get close to the same he finished training if he does not like the smell,” Li Huanran detected a bad problem that might follow his beloved sister, “Terus, why did you come to An’er?”
“Like me. Brother An would be better,” Li Rouwei replied honestly.
“Good? She?” Li Huanran pointed at Li An who was playing with some kittens. To him, Li An was more suitable to be called cold, indifferent, but sometimes cute and considerate in his own way. Therefore, he disagreed when Li Rouwei called it good.
“Yes, Brother An always gives jananan every time I visit. He is also fragrant. If the same I am Brother An attention,” Li Rouwei also sneered at her third sister. He felt that he had a better position than Li Huanran in Li An's eyes.
“Bocah ..!” li Huanran shouted. Had he not been able to portray noble etiquette so well, he would have surely grabbed his naughty little sister. The Ninth Princess was already very presumptuous of him. He also tapped his fan into Li Rouwei's head slowly.
“Aduh!” Li Rouwei pretended to be in pain and stroked his head with both hands. He also put on a sulking face, then reported to Li An, “Kakak An! Brother Huanran hit me.”
Li An asked Li Rouwei to approach her with a gesture without making a sound. He gently stroked the sobbing little girl's head to comfort her, then pretended to whisper in a voice that Li Huanran could still hear, “Cup, cup. Brother Huanran is sometimes rude so. Do not get close to him if his temperament is bad. That's the monthly factor.”
“Hm,” Li Rouwei nodded despite not understanding Li An's entire explanation, “Kakak An, just leave Brother Huanran. Let's play with Rou’er inside.”
“An’er,” call Li Huanran with his cynical tone. He wanted to make a calculation with his beloved sister. His fan was tightly grasped, ready to slide into Li An's head just as it came to its attacking distance. The young prince had just offended a sensitivity.
“What's up?” cut Li Huanran with a sinister grin.
Li An who saw it shuddered in horror, while Li Rouwei instead further provoked the Third Princess by ridiculing and sticking out her tongue. The little girl also pulled Li An's hand while exclaiming, “Kakak An, let's run.”
The two of them ran away from Li Huanran. The Third Princess who saw the mischief of the two boys could only stand dumbstruck and hold her fan tighter while holding back her emotions in order to maintain her dignity in front of the ladies. If she gets hooked by the game of the Ninth Princess, she will definitely be the lips among the ladies.
“Hah. You guys,” Li Huanran pointed at her silent ladies-in-waiting for orders, “Bring this snack to them. Let them play as usual.”
“Good, Mr. Princess,” welcome the ladies. Li Huanran turned to Mimi, “Mimi, to send an errand boy to call the Seventh Prince here. Tell her, the Ninth Princess is visiting Aixin Pavilion. The little girl must be picked up by her brother immediately.”
Mimi received the Third Princess' order and carried it out immediately, while Li Huanran waited for her while sitting back in the garden sack gracefully and charmingly. He played with Yun Annchi, Mimi's eldest daughter who began to actively walk here and there.
“Kakak An,” call Li Rouwei down, “Why doesn't Brother Huanran chase us? He's not really excited.”
Li An chuckled. He had been sitting in his study room playing with the kittens who followed him here. He noticed the Ninth Princess grumbling while observing Li Huanran's passive movements.
After getting tired of looking outside, Li Rouwei also approached Li An who was reading a book while stroking the kitten on his lap. The Ninth Princess always smelled a distinctive fragrant odor every time she approached the Eighth Prince, especially from her shiny black hair and long draped to the back because of the crown of her prince was removed.
“Kakak An, why does Brother's hair always smell?” Li Rouwei felt Li An's hair that looked damp and slippery. There are natural fruits there. He compared the prince's hair to his. There is a difference there.
“I use hair oil,” Li An replied simply. He let Li Rouwei play with his hair. He is not busy and wants to relax now. Li Rouwei twirled her brother's hair on her fingers. Every time it runs out at the tip, the shiny hairs will soon be re-grazed.
“I also use hair oil. How is the result different? Brother use what oil?” li Rouwei asked as she combed her brother's hair. He liked to do so because of Li An's smooth and straight hair. The distinctive smell of fruits also makes him more liked. Li An answered her question, “Olive oil. I use olive oil that grows in the Mainland Mediterranean. Foreign traders who sell it.”
“Wah, can I ask you not? Brother has a lot, right?” Li Rouwei is interested.
Li An laughed again. His narrow eyes closed. He kept petting the kitten on his lap. With a smile that expands thin, he also offers, “I have some anyway. Want to try?”
“Mau!” answer Li Rouwei spirit, “Where? Where?”
“You wait here,” Li An put his kitten. He got up and left Li Rouwei for a while. When he returned, the young prince carried a bottle in his hand. When the bottle cover was opened, the natural smell was as fragrant as the smell of grass.
“Rou’er!” call a wet hoarse voice that suddenly goes into Li An's study, “Why are you here?”
Li Rouwei who had just finished wearing olive oil immediately turned his head with an annoyed face at the owner of the voice. So upset, he also snapped it, “Kak kosher! Precisely, why is Brother coming here?”
“What!?” Li Xiang was shaken for being called chatty. Well, he was a little harsh when it came to his biological sister, “I came here because Big Brother Huanran called me. He said, you're making trouble again here.”
“Hmph! Equally chatty! One is stiff, one stinks!” li Rouwei grumbled at his frustration. It made Li An laugh again. He was always amused whenever Li Rouwei and Li Xiang came together. They would definitely fight over trivial matters. For him, it was funny to watch as entertainment. Well, at least if the Eighth Prince is not studying.
“What did you say? Who do you call smelly?” snapped Li Xiang felt insinuated. During this time, his sister always blatantly said the smell every after training. Li Rouwei put his hands together on his chest, “Huh! Tuh knowingly. Make what tanya?”
“Rau’er! Here you!” Li Xiang clenched his hands. He had passed his maturity ceremony. His body is strapping and exudes the prestige of a typical prince commander. As he clenched his hands so, he would look gallant and charming in the eyes of the noble girls. However, Li Rouwei directly ran from him and took cover behind Li An.
“Kakak An, there is an intruder,” reported Li Rouwei while accusing her brother. His hair was draped down as he peered over Li An's body. The little girl's hair had not yet been braided as Li Xiang hurriedly teased her. He also told Li An, “Usir him now! He'll just interrupt.”
“Rou’er ..!” li Xiang exclaimed in a slightly restrained voice. It was so bad to see the girl's mischief. He wondered how his sister grew up with such a wink. He also questioned Li An, “An’An, what did you teach Rou’er?”
“Hah? I just accompanied him to his hair. It should have been me asking you that question,” Li An rubbed the head of Li Rouwei hiding behind his body. He looked at the little girl and asked Li Xiang, “Actually, why does Rou’er hate you so much?”
“Kak Xiang chatty!” Li Rouwei replied, “He likes to shout, pretentious, disobey the rules again.”
“...” Li Xiang was speechless despite being eager to refute him. In the past, he was indeed a foolish and arrogant child, controlling and selfish. However, he had started to change since his maturity ceremony.
“Hais ... You always grab it every time you come here,” Li Huanran comes while carrying Yun Annchi, while Mimi accompanies her at the side, “Can you let us rest first. We just got off the long road this morning. Bring peace or calm down while here.”
“He used to ...,” Li Rouwei's complaint came to a halt when Li An told him to be quiet with one index finger. Li Huanran smiled, then invited his sisters to have a casual chat in the park. Before that, he called Li Rouwei to braid back his hair.
