Song Qin return home as promise. He is now taller and older. Even returning home, his books never leave his side. He helps out in cleaning and cooking. He spends his time talking to his second sister.
"I wrote to eldest sister after i start living in school."
"Did she reply you?"
"Out of my twelve letters, she only send me two letters."
"She is busy."
"Hmm with the wedding… Second sister… are we not going to attend the wedding?"
"Not me. You can decide on that. You are old enough."
"… i don't know. I mean both of you are my sisters! Why do you girls always fights and i have to be in the middle! Sometimes i wish that i am a bookmark. It's better to be in the middle of a page than two girls…"
"Fine fine… think of it what you want to do. If you are not going. The presents for the wedding, we can have it deliver back home."
"Did bother Feng come to see you?"
"Yes."
"FINALLY! it takes him so many years… so what did you say to him?"
"Nothing much just that … we are not getting marry."
The book fall off the hands of Song Qin. He stare at his second sister.
"Why?"
"So that he can be free?"
"Free? He is a good man! He is equally as good as brother Yu! In fact he can be better!"
"Doesn't matter. You are too young to understand. When you are older …"
"I don't want to understand. I better go read my books then to listen to you. The sages sayings are more important than … these love problems! Don't regret your decision!"
It is a bright sunny day when Song Ning is walking in the school with another pot of plants. She don't understand why the school demands the students to learn now to paint so many plants. Anyway she walk with a small pot of Dracaena Sanderiana. She walks pass the garden and towards a bridge to get to class. She is humming a song as she walks. She feel that there is someone watching her but there is no one around. Just birds and bees buzzing around. Entering the class, she start the class with smiles and greeting. She paint as she teaches as well. She walks around to correct some mistake. Again she feel that she is watch and she conduct the class with uneasiness. End of class, the maids comes in to clean the classroom. While Song Ning keeps her tools and she looks at those painting that are hang up to dry. Most of them are pretty enough to look at. Only two students added the background. She thank the maids and walk out with her plant. She sigh and walk out the sunny path. While walking on the bridge, a shade comes above her. She look up and see an umbrella. She turn around and look up to see someone that she thought that she will not see again. He smile with a smirk.
"Found you."
Song Ning knows that she have to remain calm. She bow with the pot of plant in her hands.
"Master… are you lost? I will have the maid…"
"I don't think you are so bold to pretend you don't know who i am. Should i …"
"Maid Chen!"
She wave to a maid in a hurry. She walk to the maid who bows.
"Maid Chen, please assist this young master. He lost his way. "
The maid bow again and Song Ning hurry to walk off. When she got to her desk she sits down with her wobbly legs. She breath in and out deeply to settle her heart beat. She remember those eyes and his thick lips. She never feel so nervous before a man. Maybe it is because she have seen his naked body.
Before she leave for the day, the principal ask for her presence. She walk into the room. That man is sitting in the same room as well. She watch him take a sip of the tea and she bow to the principal and the man.
"Lady Song! Come meet a rare and important guest! He is the third prince, Li Tan Ye!"
Suddenly she feels like she want to faint but she maintain her spot in a wobbly state. He look at her with his piercing eyes, reading her thoughts and perhaps her action. He put down the tea cup and talk gently.
"Principal Ting, there is no need to emphasise on my title. It's useless."
"No no no matter what, you are the third prince of our nation!"
The men laugh and talk while Song Qin feels that she is a student allover again. Is she being punished?
"Oh teacher Song!"
She snap back to reality and look at the principal with a small smile.
"Prince Tan Ye would like a painting of his …"
"My beauties in my residents. It's been so long ago and also the flowers have blooms nicely in the garden. So i am requesting that you should come paint them, along with my wives, "
Somehow her heart sink little when he said wives. He looks like in his mid twenties how many wives does he have? She smile
"I am afraid i have to reject. I am busy these days. There is teacher Mei and teacher Kang. Each of them are …"
"I would prefer you."
He put down his tea cup with a loud noise and without a smile. The principal look started and he quickly look at Song Ning.
"Whatever you are busy with, i am sure you have time to go to paint"
"I don't…"
"I will pay you three hundred ingots. If you want in bank notes, i can do it as well. Also you are just painting them in regular Chinese ink. Not those special types. "
She stare at the man who is smirking now. He knows that Song Ning will not reject so much money. Song Ning begin to calculate what Song Qin might need for the next few years for his examination. If he pass, he will be the youngest scholar in this nation. With these ingots, she need not work so hard and can choose who to work as Painter Hong. Her hand is rubbing the other as she stare at him.
"I can sign a contract with principal Ting as witness. Whatever conditions you might have, i will try to accommodate them."
"Say something teacher Song."
"I … accept… but everyday i can only paint for a few hours. After class i can … go to your residence till the sun goes down. I will leave. Is that fine?"
"Sure! You can stay for dinner, if you like. My chefs are from the imperial palace. "
She want to beat him but she smile and shake her head.
"No i don't need that."
"I am sure you will eat at my residence one of those days. Anyway, principal Ting, please help to draft the contract. I will return some other day. Since it is late now."
He stands up and bow to everyone. He leaves with a swag which Song Ning dislike. He event turn around to look at her. He gives her a winkle and he laugh as he walks off. Song Ning's big eyes is squinting with dislike. She breath in and out deeply to settle her heart.
Three days later, the principal present her with a contract. As long as it doesn't effect her teaching time, she is free to do anything. She stare at the contract and read a few times to make sure there is no loop holes that will trap her. She pick up the brush and hesitate to sign it. She look at the principal. He is staring at her.
"What is it teacher Song?"
"I am thinking why does it have to be me?"
"I am also thinking about that. However the imperial family is not someone we can say no to…"
"Tell me… what is this prince, his character."
"He… he is a carefree prince. The youngest son of our emperor. He is given a mansion to live outside of the palace since at the age of seven. He is not expected to be involved with politics nor affairs of the court. The current crown prince is not his full blood brother while the second prince is his blood brother. He is pamper since young. Eventually at thirteen, he marry the youngest daughter of trade minister but the Lady is older than him twelve years. His concubines are daughters of some court officials. They are also older than he is. There are some mistress, those are rumours. So i don't know much else because he travel around the country. Hardly stay in one place."
Then the principal point to the contract and ask her to sign it.
"I have read it. There shouldn't be any problem. Come and find me, it you should encounter something that you don't like."
After the contract is sign, The third prince convey the message that the mansion will be ready for her on the third day. Song Ning at the same time send her brother back to school. She pay for the school fees and every other things that he needs. She watch him walk into the school courtyard as she wave good bye. She look at the receipt in her hands. Another nearly five thousand ingots spend. She sigh and tell herself to work harder for the next few school fees needed. She wipe her sweat beads and think that she should walk to the temple and pray.