The Prince of Travelers

Chapter 045: Meeting at the Union Building

"Little Princess," called Li Huanran listless, "Will the sun rise from the West?"

"Uhuk!?" Little Princess gasped in shock until she almost spewed out the tea she had just drunk. He immediately swallowed the drink in his mouth, then hurriedly turned to the Third Princess, "Why does Big Brother think so?"

"Of course, maybe because of An'er," Li Huanran replied of origin. No, those were words that came out directly from his heart. So, that was the reason for his turmoil.

"An'er?" Little Princess frowned. The girl who always covered her head with the thick silk cloth was staring in wonder. This morning, Li Huanran suddenly came to see him. The Third Princess had a sour face like not excited, different from the figure of the princess who was usually cheerful.

"He's grown up" added Li Huanran. He stared at the poci tea in his hand with a glaring look. The aesthetic drink spread a dazzling fragrant fragrance as if bringing calmness to anyone around.

"Then?" Little Princess still did not understand. He knew that the Third Princess was indeed very fond of Li An to be willing to delay her own marriage. However, he could not believe that Li Huanran would become like this after the Eighth Prince held his maturity ceremony. How could the princess 'love' her own sister as a man? That's impossible, right?

"No!" the Inner Little Princess shook her head strongly. His heart strongly rejected that strange prejudice. For some reason, he felt that something was touching his heart. Ayu face of the girl was slightly red because of it.

"Little Princess," call Li Huanran again. There was a faint smile etched on her lips, "When are you going to be my sister-in-law?"

"Did?" Little Princess immediately turned her head with a face that increasingly blushed like twilight sparkles in the sky. His imagination was overdone. There was no way the Third Princess would love her sister as a man.

"Come on, you're old enough. An'er has already performed her maturity ceremony. Many princesses queue up to be his wife" Li Huanran said in a row, "You will regret it if you get to another girl first. His heart might be fastened if you don't move fast. Or ... don't you mind being second?"

"Ka–kakak .. i, i ...," Little Princess's face turned red again. He hurriedly covered his face in embarrassment. Her cute expression made Li Huanran entertained. The Third Princess's heart was saddened by it.

"Excite, Little Princess," Li Huanran said as he patted the girl's head, "You've already got a golden ticket from me. As long as you move fast, An'er will accept you immediately."

***

"Sister, will you come?" asked Li An that day. Li Huanran had yet to move from Aixin Pavilion. Apparently, he was already too comfortable in his little sister's residence.

"Where?" Li Huanran immediately turned his head.

"Union," Li An replied, "It just so happens that the caravan leaders are visiting the capital. There's Brother Mei's family there too. We haven't seen him in a long time, have we?"

"Hm, alright," Li Huanran replied in agreement.

Li An immediately prepared his horse carriage to go to the Fuli Trade Union Building in Chang'An. They set off for the city's shopping center, where the union was located. Once there, a servant greeted them.

"Welcome, Prince," said the middle-aged maid who then looked at Li Huanran, "Welcome, Princess."

Without further ado, the servant immediately escorted Li An to enter the guild. It had gathered hundreds of people there so the vast guild hall felt cramped. Those people were the messengers of the merchants and caravans who had affairs with the guild.

"An'er, Brother Huanran," called out to a woman whose head was wrapped neatly in silk cloth. The woman smiled happily. There was happiness on his face.

"Hi," said Li Mei who was holding a handsome and cute baby. There was a man of foreign stature accompanying him. The man was a successful merchant who was also Li Mei's husband. Name's Uwais. They got married about a year or two ago, a few months before the palace riots.

"Well, is Brother Huanran still attached to An'er?" tempt Li Mei just like that. That's habituation. Li Huanran had already memorized the nosy behavior of his cousin. 

"Hm, is there a Mei'er problem?" from behind his blooming fan, Li Huanran asked back while suppressing his emotions. Although Li Mei's words were very simple, the young woman's daughter's words were very precise piercing in the heart. 

"Sure, no," Li Mei replied cheerfully, "Sister can continue to reason to look after An'er, but Big Brother must remember that he's grown up. Try to find …."

"Geez, she's so cute," Li Huanran immediately turned his attention, "What's her name?"

"His name is Sulaiman," Li Mei replied still in her carefree tone, "Right, right? He is my most beautiful fruit. Later, he will surely grow up as great as His Majesty Sulaiman who rules the east and the west."

"Su ... what?" Li Huanran had trouble spelling out the name Li Mei told him.

"Li Shing," Li Mei said, adding, "Sister can just call him Shing'er."

"Sister Mei, Uwais," called Li An who was about to congratulate her, "Congratulations on the grace you have received."

"Hehe, thank you, An'er," Li Mei replied happily, whereas Uwais only smiled in silence letting his wife chat with the Eighth Prince and the Third Princess.

"Hi, Big Brother Huanran," called Li Mei in his nosy tone. The effect of the Li Huanran issue diversion has been exhausted. It was obvious that Li Mei wanted to tease him again, "Unknown to you? Shing'er is so funny. Just by looking at his face, my heart calmed down. I'll understand after marriage and having children."

Li Mei continued to chatter about her son until a while. In fact, Li Huanran would have enjoyed it so much if Li Mei had not used that nosy and provocative tone. After being satisfied to tell the story, Prince Zhizhe's daughter finally asked, "Sister Huanran, when will Brother me-ni-ka?"

Li Mei deliberately emphasized the word out of expecting a serious answer. Li Huanran also tightened his grip on his fan to dampen emotions. He grinned behind the fan and said, "Well, Mei'er is so considerate. Pray for me to get a partner soon. Hearing your story, I'm so impatient."

"Ekhem!" Li An cleared his throat loudly until Li Huanran, Li Mei, and Uwais turned to him. He looked at his brother seriously, while Li Huanran turned to him in surprise. The Eighth Prince smiled faintly, "This is a good coincidence. There's a friend I'd like to introduce to Brother. Since Big Brother is also already impatiently waiting for him, let's meet that person immediately."

"Did?" Li Huanran gasped slightly. He could not believe that all this was a coincidence. Li An, Li Mei, and also that man named Uwais must have planned it. The princess turned to Li Mei, but Li Mei instead smiled mischievously while shrugging her shoulders as if denying that prejudice.

"This is great news! Brother, meet the man immediately!" Li Mei wanted to encourage Li Huanran to support her, but suddenly Sulaiman cried so he had to calm her down immediately. His face also panicked. In his young face that ayu, a thick motherly aura was seen in a woman.

"Sadly, it seems like we have to go first," Uwais who had been silent since then finally spoke up, "Thank you for the hospitality of the two of you, Prince, Princess. Mei'er, let's take a break. Poor Sulaiman."

"Hm, alright," Li Mei nodded obediently. He also said goodbye to his two cousins, "Dadah, Huanran's brother, An'er. We'll meet again. See you soon."

"Well, please follow me, brother," Li An said later. He smiled broadly at the blushing face of his brother who was already like a boiled crab behind a fan. Such an expression was rarely seen on the princess' face. Without resisting in the slightest, the Third Princess finally walked up to Li An.