Song Ning receive a message from a maid from Lady Wen. She request to meet up at the restaurant opposite of the school. She hesitate to meet that young noble lady. However this is something should have done long ago. She tidy herself and walk out of the school. Reaching the room, the waiter close the door. She stand alone with a noble lady and her maid. They all bow to each other.
"Please take a seat. Here have some tea."
"Lady Wen."
"I think you know why i ask for your present."
Song Ning smile and take a sip of her tea.
"Lady Song. I really like Master Zhang for a long time. The first time i see him at the scholar literary society, i am attracted to him. I was young and i dare to follow him around. I dare to say to say to him that i like him."
Her maid pour her a cup of tea. She pick up the tea and take a sip.
"However recently he told he that he have a fiancee. Both of you engaged from childhood to present day. He had written to ask the clan members to resolve the engagement. However they all remain silence and now he have gone back to JiangNan to talk to them in person."
"Why are you wanting to talk to me in person?"
"So that you will understand where you stand."
"I alway know where i should stand… In fact many months ago, i have an agreement with Feng ge that, we will break off the engagement and live our own life as what we like."
"Oh really. That is good news. Have you written back to your family?"
"I don't have my parents anymore. There is no one in my family except for … my siblings. We decided our own matters."
"That is … pitiful. My Nan Feng is the only one that will resolve this. I need to marry him sooner or later. I am the only one that elevate the wealth and prestige that he should have. Thus his clan should assist in this."
"Is that all? Then i should…"
"Who is the Third Prince to you?"
Song Ning stop herself from walking off and look at the face of Lady Wen.
"He is … the prince of this nation."
"He is but what is he to you?"
"He is the prince. Nothing more."
"It is wiser of you stay away from him. Even thou he is a carefree prince. He have his own agenda and who knows what he is cooking in his kitchen…"
"Thank you for your kind advise. I will accept it."
They smile at each other and bow. Song Ning leaves the room and Lady Wen stare at the open door.
"Missy…"
"Huh she seems to be nice and pretty. Too bad she is my rival but i need her to maintain where she stands. Since she said she doesn't want to marry Nan Feng. I will take it that she is sincere. I hope that the Third Prince will get his hands on that edict. That is my last help right now."
"Missy why are you doing so much to get marry? Other noble ladies never go through so much trouble."
"When you have someone you love from heaven to hell, you will go through all that for him."
"Missy… i only hope that he is worth all the trouble."
Lady Wen only can smile as she sip her tea.
"He have to."
she touch her belly and smile.
"I hope by the time we are married. I will have a baby soon."
Song Ning waited at the junction to fetch her brother. He step out of school with his small bag over his shoulder and hold a few books in his hand. He smile and wave. Song Ning look at her little brother who have grown so much. She feels so proud suddenly. They talk and buy some cookies on the way home. At home, she tidy the room and his bed as he reads his books by the candle.
"Second sister don't do those, i am old enough. I can do it later. Let me read in peace."
"Just a quick one. I need to replace the blanket."
"Second sister…"
"Hmmm"
"I have written a letter back to oldest sister."
"Hmmm."
"I have told her your plans to break off the engagement. I ask her to assist in persuading the elders on this. Since it's a wish that both you and Feng ge. It is better she as an oldest sister to open her mouth to connivence them. After all … she did nothing for us… this is the only thing she can do for you."
Song Ning stop folding the blanket. She look at her youngest brother. She smile.
"Thank you Qin'er. You have… done well."
Song Qin who is pretending to read his book smile. He knows how much his second sister have done in taking care of him. He doesn't know where she earn so much money to take care of his expenses but he knows that no matter what she is doing outside it must be within the law. He look at his youthful sister who did not seems to age at all. She is still the same girl he grow up with. Still smiling and doing all the work that needs to be done. Now she is working as a teacher in a female school so it must be better now. In three more years, he can take the imperial examinations. After that he can pick up a government job which he can take care of his sister daily life. Song Qin have everything plan out and wants to do. As long as there is no interruptions in their lives, nothing will go wrong for them.
On one of the day after class. Song Ning walk home and Song Qin is cooking at home.They are having a good meal when someone is knocking on the main door. Song Ning walk out to open the door, she find Bing Ming at the door. The tall slim man smile and bow to her. Behind him a few servants come and three wooden boxes are place on the courtyard. Song Ning look at Bing Ming, she ask him what and why are these.
"Lady Song, The Third Prince send all these for you."
Song Qin walk outside and see the courtyard of wooden boxes. He open one of it. It is fill with some dresses. Another is fill with gentlemen outfits and the last box is fill with books and new brush and ink sets.
"Guard, i… we don't need these."
"The Third Prince said to deliver all these to your residence. The dresses are for you because he keep seeing you in the same pink, white and another off-white dress. Thus new dresses for you. While the gentlemen outfit is because young master is growing up. He needs to attend some functions and will need to dress to according to social standards. Without those, he will be mock and even thou he pass the imperial examinations, he won't have much connections. Thus this is important. Lastly the brush sets and books for the young master. Hope that with these new brush sets he can write more beautiful works that the Third Prince have seen in the school. He is a talented young man and wish he can do well and serve the imperial court later in life."
Lady Song is speechless. she did not think of buying clothes especially for her younger brother. She turn to look at the tall boy who is out grown a few of the garments that she have sewn for him. The gentlemen outfit is what he needs while attending any social events. Something that she have forgotten. She got nervous and look at Bing Ming.
"How .. how much is all these?"
"The Third Prince said these are all gifts."
"Why would he give gifts, to us?"
"The third prince said that he will visit you one of these days and explain to you. Now, please excuse me."
He bow and leave with the servants. While Song Qin pick up the garment and place it on his body. He look at his sister and smile.Song Ning look at him with a frown.
"Second sister, i look terrible?"
"No. You look fine. Just that… i did not think ahead that you will need these…"
"How did you know this Third Prince?"
"… he … sometimes come by the female school to find … the principal. Thus sometimes, we talk."
"Why did the female school allow a man to enter?"
"… Qin'er… he is a prince. Can you stop a prince from going anywhere? Can you stop a prince from doing anything? No is the answer. Who can stop him? His father, the Emperor."
"That is true…"
"Let's keep them inside the house before the sky decided to pour down some tears."
For the next few days, Song Qin while studying, he cleans and cooks. He is actually waiting for the Third Prince to appear but this prince never appear. He wants to know what that Third Prince is up to and it is rather annoying that men are talking about his sister. He goes to marketing he hears about Lady Song this and that. He goes off to wash clothes at the river, those ladies are gossiping about how the beautiful teacher at the female school is having the attention from the male guest. Sometimes while he goes off to the restaurant to purchase a whole piece of cooked chicken and duck, he hears the story teller spinning a story of a Lady that fallen from grace is now working as a teacher who catches the attention of a rich playboy in the city. He sigh as he walks home with the chicken and duck in his hand. He cannot blame it on his second sister for being attractive. Ever since he was a toddler, he see men of all ages looking at his two sisters with interest. Their father would try not to offend those guest and hurry his daughters off to somewhere with him. There were some men as old as their father asking if they can marry their daughters as concubine. After those men leaves the shop or house, father would curse them non-stop. Thus he goes off to sign a marriage agreement with the Zhang family. Since both families are merchants born.They can stand alliance and honour the marriage contract. This will safe guard the two daughters future. However Mr Song did not foresee that in the future the daughters will be living a difficult and different lives apart.
That night, Song Qin question his second sister. She denial any dealing with the Third Prince and promise that she won't want to think of marry into the royal family.
"Look Qin'er. Marry into a royal family is like preparing to enter a huge big cage that is made of gold. That is all. I prefer a house that is made of bricks and have a door that i can leave anytime and return when i am tired. So there you go. That's my answer."
"You… sure?"
"Hmm… why would you think that i like that odd bird?"
"Odd bird? He is one of the prince of this nation. I mean if you like him. Just say it. I can accept it… if in the future you marry him at least i know that you like him… Anyway if you say you don't like him, just don't marry him all the sudden. I may just die of grief!"
Song Ning put down her chopstick and hold his hand gently. She look at him with earnest.
"Qin'er, i promise you. I don't have any romantic thoughts about him. I see him as a prince high up. I cannot reach nor i want to reach. I am happy where i am. I just waiting for you to be one of the top scholar in the imperial examinations!"
When Song Qin is ready to return to school. She pack his bags and have dry snacks and preserved vegetables for him. She fuss about him as they walk to school.
"Second sister! Stop! You almost sound like a nagging mother! How can you get marry like this?!"
"I am not getting marry! How many times do i have to tell you!"
"At least get rid of this bad habit. Do that later when you have your own children. You can nag at them. "
He continue to walk and Song Ning chase after him.
"Qin'er! Wait!"
"Second sister, i am here…"
As he takes the bags from her. He look at her tenderly with a smile.
"If you don't like that Third Prince. Go see other men, men who are teaching in school will be a good choice."
Song Ning look up and stare at her brother's face.
"You are getting on my nerves…"
He smile and pinch her cheek.
"Second sister, i will let you know when i am coming home. For now, take care of yourself."
He let go of her cheek and walk inside the school. Some male students are looking at Song Ning and they catch up with Song Qin and talk. From a distance she see her brother kicking those students. She wonder what they said to cause her brother to chase them.