The Prince of Travelers

Chapter 44: Meeting with Concubine Shu

After a few days of being busy with his maturity ceremony, Li An finally got some peace even though it was only a day. On that sunny day, he was invited by Consort Shu, Li Huanran's biological mother to discuss something. They sat alone in the concubine's residence with the guards guarding in front as usual.

"How are you doing after taking a long walk outside?" concubine Shu asked with her usual cold tone. He poured herbal tea on his daughter's favorite sister. Herbal tea is very fragrant as if it can deliver calmness.

"The trip was fun. I gained a lot of new knowledge during my time there," the Eighth Prince replied, "After arriving at this palace, I feel like I'm getting more and more pressure."

"Heh, that's natural," Consort Shu gave the tea she brewed to Li An, "Your own fault acted too conspicuously. Who wouldn't be interested in matching his daughter to the youngest scholar of the imperial family as well as the current owner of the largest trade union?"

"They exaggerated it too much" murmured Li An as he received the herbal tea. He smiled thinly. There was a faint red hue on his cheek.

"Well, suppose so," Consort Shu began to sip her still hot steeping tea. He drank it a little, then put the drink back, "Then, is there a girl who catches your attention?"

"Hm?" Li An frowned, not expecting at all that Consort Shu would ask that. He closed his eyes for a while as if trying to remember. Seconds later, he shook his head slowly. "I haven't thought about that matter to date."

"Your life is 16 years old, it's time for you to think about marriage" Consort Shu suggested. Li An shook his head, "I'm 'still' 16 years old. There's still plenty of time to think about it. After all, marriage is not just romance."

"You're right," Consort Shu agreed with the Eighth Prince's last sentence, "Marriage is not just about love. However, most people want to marry the person they love."

"Auntie, like and love are at first glance similar, but actually have a big difference," Li An said as she picked up a pastry that Consort Shu had plugged, "For me, for me, liking is a feeling of pseudo-interest that is commonly felt by humans in the opposite sex, while love is a sincere human feeling to a person who is destined for it."

"You're not wrong," Consort Shu smiled faintly. Not many people could see his smile. From a long time ago, he was used to hiding his expression. Especially after he shut himself down since the revelation of the case of Empress Eminen. "Love is not needed to unite two people in one guarantee. However, that love will grow in the midst of the harmony of the household life after the marriage."

"Hm," Li An gave a small nod, "I'm right."

"An'er," Consort Shu called then, "You've lied to me!"

"Eh?" Li An gasped in displeasure.

"How could you possibly understand such things if you hadn't thought about marriage before?" concubine Shu, "Tell me honestly! Who's the girl who's always on your mind?"

"Auntie ...," Li An almost ran out of words, "That's .. I'll read that from the book."

"Tell me!" urged Consort Shu coldly, "Look! Your face just blushed. You must be thinking about that girl, right?"

"By the point, I don't want to think about the wedding yet," Li An replied as he turned his face away. He refused to tell the figure of the girl who filled his heart. It was a personal matter that he wanted to keep to himself. "Also, isn't Big Brother Huanran who should have been more entitled to accept the question?"

"Basic, Boy!" Consort Shu clenched her hands. If he did not have any affection for Li An, of course he threw a poci glass at the young man. "Who do you think my daughter's not getting married to, huh?"

"Silver was almost doomed at that time," Li An refused to accept his mistake, "Auntie also knew that in the end the man's family was hit by a case. I just want to protect my brother."

"No, not that one. I'm very grateful to you that it's related to that case," Consort Shu sighed for a while before continuing, "The problem is, Huan'er instead made you an excuse to refuse matchmaking since the case. You must take full responsibility for what happened."

"Why is it my fault?" li An asked critically. He clearly protested. The troublemaker is not him. Where could he possibly be blamed?

"You're the root of the problem" asserted Consort Shu who then grinned sinisterly and asked, "An'er, you love your brother, right?"

"Yes," Li An replied spontaneously. He again took the pastry, which left some fruit on the plate.

"Then don't let her be single for life" Consort Shu later said. Li An who was looking to the side while chewing the cake immediately turned her head. His gaze seemed to ask, "Did Big Brother Huanran not want to get married?"

"I want her to have a husband who will love her sincerely" added Consort Shu, "It's not just for political reasons."

"Wouldn't Aunt find a partner for Brother Huanran?" li An asked curiously. The cookies on the plate are getting fewer and fewer. Apparently, the Eighth Prince was very fond of the cake. "I don't think I have a good candidate for Huan'er. If I ask my friends to find him, they'll find him with political motives."

"Alright," Li An took it for granted, "But, is big brother going to accept the man I offered him?"

"Just try to get him acquainted with the man first," Consort Shu said later, "If he stays with the man, report to me immediately. I want to judge for myself after that."

"Hm, I understand," Li An nodded in understanding.

"Don't forget," Consort Shu warned back, "Find the one who will truly love Huan'er!"

"I'll do it" Li An happened to think of a name, "Auntie knows that I love Big Brother Huanran too. I must have found the best mate for him."