The next day, Yuelan received an invitation from a “Princess Xiong Liling” to attend a cherry blossom viewing the seventh day of the following week. As a result, Granny Mei (who had already expressed her desire to stay), Camphor, Willow, and Laurel were all in a frenzy to make preparations. At Granny Mei’s insistence, Yuelan was measured that same day by the best seamstress in the city, who was instructed to make clothes for Yuelan to wear out of the moon water silk given to Yuelan by the emperor.

Yuelan had a feeling the unfortunate seamstress had been dragged from her shop by Granny Mei and Chung Soo, though the kind, middle-aged woman with medium brown hair still seemed pleased to be asked to make the first thing Yuelan would wear to a public event. It seemed word had spread that Yuelan had been given the task of selecting a prince to marry and the prince she chose would become the crown prince, making her the future crown princess.

For the next week, Granny Mei pushed Yuelan a bit harder than usual in her etiquette lessons and once those lessons were over she and the three personal maids would keep Yuelan occupied with going through all of the accessories Yuelan had brought from the library to find something suitable for the cherry blossom viewing. According to Granny Mei, the hair accessories were lacking, which meant that Yuelan spent the last three days of the week going to every accessory shop in the capital to find a set of accessories that was up to Granny Mei’s standard. In the end, Yuelan and Granny Mei agreed on a set of gold and rose quartz accessories they found in what was reputed to be the best accessory shop in the capital (and was coincidentally owned by the third prince, as Camphor, Willow, and Laurel all seemed happy to point out).

Meeting with the servants and forming new contracts for those who were staying (which turned out to be all of them) took up what time Yuelan had left over during the week of preparations and between herself, Camphor, and Chung Soo she barely managed to get it all done. As the last contract turned into ashes, Yuelan smiled and felt a sense of peace. None of her servants were slaves anymore.

Two days after purchasing her new accessories, Yuelan sat at a marble table under a gazebo in the gardens of her residence playing with a silk fan. A gentle breeze was blowing, occasionally ruffling Yuelan’s hair, which she had insisted on wearing partly down that day. The sound of footsteps approaching drew her attention and she stood and turned to greet the guest she had been expecting: Prince Xiong Guangzhu, the fourth prince. What she didn’t expect was for a young woman to be walking with him, her arm looped casually through his.

The woman’s hair was elaborately done and her clothes exquisitely made of some of the finest materials. She gave Yuelan a pleasant smile when she and the fourth prince stopped and all three performed their greetings.

“This is my younger sister, the first princess, Xiong Liling,” Prince Guangzhu explained after the small group was seated. “She heard I was coming to visit today and insisted on meeting you before the cherry blossom viewing at the end of the week. I hope Miss Long doesn’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Yuelan assured the prince. “In fact, I’m grateful to meet Princess Liling before the cherry blossom viewing.” She smiled and nodded at the princess.

“Just call me Liling,” the princess said as she cheerfully reached across the marble table to take one of Yuelan’s hands. “I want for us to be good friends, so if you don’t mind I’ll call you Yuelan as well.”

Liling’s friendly bearing helped Yuelan relax more and she smiled back as she gave the princess’ hand a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, Liling. I’d very much like to make a friend in this kingdom.”

“I’m sure my brothers are absolutely fascinating conversationalists. Assuming you’re interested in talking only about politics, hunting, and war, that is,” Liling drawled in an amused tone. “But every woman needs other women to talk to and be friendly with.”

Yuelan laughed. “I don’t actually know the princes very well yet,” she admitted. “And I don’t mind discussing politics, since my father and I spoke about them all the time, but I’ve missed having someone to talk to who wasn’t expecting anything of me.”

Liling stood up and gave Yuelan a gentle tug on the hand she was still holding. “Come. Let’s explore your garden. I’ve heard the Crystal Moon residence is quite beautiful, but never had the chance to see it. Fourth brother can tag along if he wants to and we can get to know each other better. I hope the invitation didn’t come too late...will you have everything prepared in time?”

Yuelan stood up and linked her arm with Liling’s, then headed out of the gazebo and to a path leading through the garden. “I haven’t had much time to explore my garden either. And Granny Mei went into a frenzy, but we have everything except my gown, which is still being made. I’m told it will be ready in a few days.”

Liling looked relieved. “I’m so glad. If you weren’t going to have something I was going to loan it to you. It’s your first public event here and some of the daughters of officials aren’t going to be pleased to see you, nor will one of my sisters. Your appearance has ruined quite a few hopes and dreams of becoming the next empress or marrying into the royal family. Second sister is furious. She had plans for her best friend to marry first brother and become empress. You’ll have to be careful. Do you have any skills other than politics?”

“I play the guzheng,” Yuelan answered as she felt a flood of gratitude for the genuine, cheerful attitude of her new friend. “Will displaying skills be part of the viewing?”

“There’s always a competition among the girls at these events,” Liling explained, rolling her eyes. “So bring your instrument. I’m sure you’ll receive challenges for guzheng, poetry, and anything else they can think of in an effort to embarrass you.”

“Thanks for the warning…”

The two young women continued to walk and chat about the upcoming cherry blossom viewing and Liling continued giving Yuelan tips and information on the current situation in court and with the princes. The fourth prince followed along behind them and added his own input at appropriate moments and by the end of the visit Yuelan was grateful to both of them for their offered friendship, the lack of pressure from either, and their insight into what lay ahead of her.

Before she left, Liling insisted on making plans to have tea together a few days after the cherry blossom viewing at the private tea house Yuelan had received as part of the gifts from the emperor. The tea house was called Red Orchid Tea House and had previously belonged to the third prince, Guangfeng. According to Liling, it had been his most profitable business along with Red Orchid Pavilion and he had given her not only the tea house, but all of the land connected to it, which was home to acres of the highest quality tea trees, whose leaves could be purchased only through Red Orchid Tea House.

Yuelan saw her guests off and started to wander through her residence, her mind off in thought. She would take the guzheng she had purchased in the capital with her to the cherry blossom viewing. Her mother’s instrument was too old and precious and she couldn’t risk anything happening to it. In fact, when she’d pulled the instrument out to play for Prince Guangfeng the day before she had discovered it needed some minor repairs. Yuelan was hoping the kind old craftsman would be willing and able to repair it for her. She had played the newer instrument instead for the third prince to hear.

Willow and Laurel followed quietly behind Yuelan. Something seemed a little different about their mistress, but they weren’t sure if it was only that things had gone well between Yuelan and Princess Liling, or if there was something more.