CHAPTER 54: 54. BAI HE ARRIVAL

IN A BIT

EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:

It had been a month since Huan received that fox figurine, and in that time, he’d become an expert at keeping it exactly three feet away from anyone else’s hands. He carried it from his bed to the study to the gardens and back again, and Heaven help the poor servant who accidentally touched it while dusting. So when another letter arrived, not from the princess, but from the Mountain kingdom, I was already wary.

The courier bowed low as he presented the sealed scroll. The wax stamp bore the royal crest, and beneath it... three different signatures pressed into the edges, like each man had insisted his mark be first. That was my first warning. I broke the seal and unrolled the parchment.

’To His Imperial Majesty, Lianwei,

We, the elder brothers of Princess Bai He, write to inform you of our forthcoming arrival to your court. We intend to accompany our youngest sister, as she has expressed a desire to ’visit her friend.’ This visit will serve as an opportunity for us to assess the surroundings, the people, and most importantly, the character of this friend. We expect accommodations worthy of our sister’s status.

Crown Prince Bai Rong,

General Bai Jun,

Scholar Bai Yu.’

I stared at the letter a long moment before saying flatly.

"They’re coming."I said.

Mei Shen, seated beside Bella in the nursery corner, looked up sharply.

"Who’s coming?"Mei Shen asked.

I handed her the parchment. She read it once, eyebrows rising higher with each line.

"Oh." She folded the letter, hiding a smile. "This should be... interesting."

Huan, sitting on the rug with his fox figurine, looked between us suspiciously.

"What’s interesting?"Huan asked.

I glanced at him.

"Your... friend. She’s coming. And she’s bringing company."

"What kind of company?" He asked, still clueless.

"Her brothers." Mei Shen supplied sweetly.

Zeyrith, who had been lying across my desk as if it were his personal chaise, perked up instantly.

"Protective brothers? Oh, this is going to be a performance."Zeyrith asked.

Bella, oblivious to any tension, clapped her hands.

"Lotus come! Lotus come!"Bella shouted.

Mei Shen laughed.

"Even your sister’s excited."She said.

Huan, however, was staring down at the fox figurine, his ears turning red.

"..They’re not going to like me, are they?"Huan asked.

I arched a brow.

"That depends. How badly do you want to keep calling her your friend?"I asked.

Zeyrith’s grin turned wicked.

"Careful, little emperor. The test is coming."God grinned.

The Mountain kingdom delegation arrived exactly at mid day, their procession winding through the palace gates in a sweep of dark green banners and armored horses Three men rode at the front, each clearly cut from the same mold, yet entirely distinct. The eldest, crown prince Bai Rong, had the commanding stillness of a man used to giving orders and never being questioned. The middle, general Bai Jun, looked like he could crush a helmet with one hand, his armor gleaming under the sun. The youngest, scholar Bai Yu, had no armor at all, only fine robes and a quiet, calculating gaze that seemed to weigh every detail. They dismounted with perfect formality, each bowing in turn.

"Your Majesty." Bai Rong greeted evenly. "We thank you for your hospitality."

"It’s an honor." I replied, matching his tone. "I understand your sister is eager to see... a friend."

A faint, knowing glance passed between the brothers.

"Indeed." Bai Jun said in a voice like rolling thunder.

Before more could be said, the carriage doors opened and Bai He stepped into the courtyard. The transformation was instant. But Bai He turned, her face lighting up like sunrise when she saw him.

"Huan!" She exclaimed, rushing forward and grabbing his hands without hesitation.

The effect was... remarkable. Three pairs of suspicious eyes melted just slightly. Bai Rong’s posture eased, Bai Jun’s frown softened, and Bai Yu’s calculating gaze flickered with the faintest smile. Bai Jun spoke first.

"So... this is the friend."He said.

"Yes." Bai He said simply holding Huan’s hand. "My friend."

Huan, red to the tips of his ears, managed a respectful bow.

"It’s... nice to meet you, honored brothers."He said.

There was a pause, then Bai Rong stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on Huan’s shoulder.

"Be good to our sister."He said.

Huan nodded quickly.

"I will."Huan said.

Mei Shen, beside me, was smirking like a fox. Bella clapped her hands from her perch in her mother’s arms.

"Lotus! Hu-huan!" She squealed, like it was the most natural pairing in the world.

Even the brothers chuckled at that. Zeyrith’s voice floated over my shoulder.

"Well... that went better than expected. I was almost looking forward to a duel."He grinned.

AT THE SAME TIME

MEI SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:

I could practically feel Lianwei’s relief as the three terrifyingly overprotective Bai brothers didn’t try to toss our son into the nearest moat. Instead, they were standing there with faint smiles, watching Bai He chatter excitedly to Huan like they’d been reunited after a decade apart, which, in Huan’s six year old mind, was basically true. Bella was leaning over my arm, still giggling.

"Lotus and Huan! Lotus and Huan!"Bella shouted happily.

I looked over at my husband and had to bite back a laugh. His expression was a strange mix, pride for his son, suspicion for Bai He, and grudging respect for the brothers who were clearly not about to draw swords.

"You know." I murmured, leaning just close enough so only he could hear. "They accepted him faster than my family accepted you."

Lianwei’s head snapped toward me, eyes narrowing.

"That is not true."Lianwei said.

"Oh, it’s absolutely true." I said sweetly.

"That was different." He muttered. "You were-"

"A grown woman?" I replied. "Yes. And still, they glared at you for a month straight."

He scowled.

"And yet, my son meets three equally scary older brothers, and they give him a shoulder pat and a ’be good to our sister.’" I couldn’t help it, I was grinning now. "You must feel so... replaced."

Zeyrith, lounging like a satisfied cat a few steps away, chimed in without shame.

"Oh, he’s definitely replaced. Little emperor’s already a legend in the making."He said.

Lianwei shot him a glare.

"Not helping."He groaned.

Bella patted his cheek with her small hand.

"Daddy’s jelly." She announced in her half baby speech.

I laughed outright at that.

"Yes, Bella. Daddy is jelly."I said.

The visit moved into the garden courtyard, where tea had been set out under the shade of the flowering pear trees. The Bai brothers settled themselves like they owned the place, which, in a way, they did. Their little sister’s happiness was clearly their territory, and we were all trespassers until proven worthy. Huan sat across from them, posture a touch too stiff, his hands folded in his lap. Beside him, Bai He leaned forward, talking animatedly, her voice bubbling with laughter. She kept glancing at him between sentences, like she needed to be sure he was really there. Bella, never one to be excluded, had wriggled off my lap and plopped herself right next to Bai He, tiny hands tugging at the princess’s sleeve.

"Lotus! Play me!" she demanded.

Huan smiled, his first real smile since their arrival and offered.

"We can all play after tea."He said.

The brothers took this in quietly. Crown Prince Bai Rong’s sharp eyes were fixed on my son, assessing every word and motion.

"You speak politely." He said finally.

"Yes, sir." Huan replied, voice steady but polite.

General Bai Jun leaned forward, his forearms like tree trunks on the table.

"Do you fight?" He asked bluntly.

Huan’s ears turned pink.

"I’m learning." He admitted. "With father."

That seemed to earn a small nod of approval. Scholar Bai Yu, the quiet one, studied Huan for a long moment before asking.

"And why do you like our sister?"He asked.

That one made Huan’s cheeks go scarlet. Bai He immediately swatted her brother’s arm.

"Gege!" She scolded, but her eyes darted toward Huan, curious for the answer.

Huan fidgeted with the hem of his tunic.

"Because..." He began, then stopped, glancing toward me like he might find an escape route in my expression. "...Because she’s kind. And funny. And she remembers things I tell her."Huan admitted.

The three brothers went still, exchanging subtle looks over the teacups. Then, surprisingly, Bai Rong smiled.

"Good answer."He said.

Bella, of course, ruined the solemnity by clapping her hands.

"Huan likes Lotus! Huan likes Lotus!" She sang in that little girl’s voice.

Bai He laughed so brightly it almost startled me. She took Bella’s hand and gave it a little squeeze, then, bold as anything, leaned her head briefly against Huan’s shoulder. The brothers didn’t scold her. Bai Jun’s lips twitched, and Bai Yu almost smiled outright. Zeyrith, lurking in the background, leaned close to me.

"They’ve already lost. Without a single duel."He muttered.

He wasn’t wrong. Lianwei, however, was watching like a hawk, as if the brothers might still decide to spirit their sister away before dessert. I nudged his arm.

"Relax. Even your precious Bella looks like she’s given her blessing."I said.

Bella grinned up at me.

"Lotus is mine too."She said."I like her."

I almost laughed until I realized she was dead serious. It seems our children will have a better chance to meet their loved ones then we ever did.