Chapter 41 - A Proposition

Her eyes were wet when she finally looked up at me, after spending over five minutes leaning on my chest.

It broke my heart to see such a talented, strong woman on the brink of crying. I caressed her cheek with my free hand, as she hadn’t released the other yet “I should have come earlier. I knew you weren’t telling me everything, but I-”

“No.” her hand touched my lips “No. I didn’t want to sound whiny. He was my problem, and I reasoned my father would kick him away after a few weeks like he had done with everyone else, but…” she shrugged her pretty shoulders and bit her lower lip.

I sighed and hugged her against me, feeling that I had let down a friend.

“It’s ok. You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

She nodded against my chest and I hugged her a little bit tighter.

We stayed like that until she pushed with her hands against my chest.

Reluctantly, I let her go.

She looked up at me with an enigmatic smile that reached her eyes.

“Shen Mu ca-”

“Going back to formality so soon?” I interrupted her, smiling, “I rather enjoyed you calling me Mu’er.”

The look she gave me was both entertained and exasperated.

Ah, how I loved teasing this woman.

“Shen Mu” she repeated, louder “can I ask you a serious question without you teasing me? I want to know something, but I need you to give me a serious answer.”

I stared at her for a moment. It was the first time since we met that she asked me such a thing. I loved seeing her pout and glare at me, but something told me that what she wanted to ask was of utmost importance. So, despite me wanting to tease her, I acquiesced.

Bai Fan took a step back and breathed deeply, before opening her gorgeous eyes and taking my hand in hers.

“Shen Mu… will you please marry me?”

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‘What?!’

I blinked in confusion.

‘I don’t get it…. Is she joking right now?’

“Are you teasing me?” I asked, completely serious. I noticed she tensed, but she didn’t back down.

“No.”

My eyebrows rose to my hairline.

“I thought you didn’t want to marry.”

She sighed and sat in front of me, pulling me by the hand to sit with her.

“My father wants me to marry. He will not rest until I am, at the very least, promised to someone who can attend to my needs when he’s gone.” She shook her head and her shoulders fell. “I wish I could remain single and dedicate myself to my writing but that is no longer a possibility… unless I marry you.”

I raised an eyebrow “How so?”

“You and I share a passion, I’m sure you wouldn’t forbid me from writing.” I shook my head vehemently and her smile returned “see? If we were to be married, I would no longer have to worry about suitors and dedicate more time to writing.”

I frowned. Marriage for me was a commitment to the other person, not only to their happiness but to help them to become better… in that sense, I had always thought of marrying another cultivator, someone who would understand and support my passion… but this…

I wasn’t sure what to say. Sure, it would be like helping a friend in need… but what about what I wanted?

I took a moment to think about it, but I couldn’t imagine us together as more than friends…

“I understand where you’re coming from. But, to me, marriage is more than just a way to help one party.” I shook my head and looked her in the eye “What would I be gaining from this marriage?”

Now it was her time to frown. I noticed the hurt in her eyes, but it had to be said.

“Well, for starters, it would be a way for you to be free from that princess which pursues you…” I nodded and conceded the point. “You would also get me.” She opened her arms and pushed forward her chest, at which I rolled my eyes.

“And you would give your body to me as a favor, or would you really want it?” I sighed “I will not take you, or any woman against her wishes. And while I can certainly understand why you would want me as a front, I do not want a loveless marriage.”

Bai Fan scoffed at that. “Marrying for love is not something possible for us nobles.”

That was unfortunately true. Despite what romantic novels said, in this age nobles like us got married either for political reasons or for convenience… not unlike our present situation.

The question I had to ask myself was: Am I willing to marry my best friend for convenience’s sake, or did I want to wait for ‘love’ to come out of the woodwork? My situation at the palace – regarding Meiling – was precarious at best. If I didn’t find a wife for myself, I might be forced to marry her to appease the Emperor. I had been hoping that the Empress would have a daughter… but no such luck. And I had overheard the royal physician saying that it would be hard for her to get pregnant again. I could also look to other empires, but that would mean I would also have very little control over whom I would marry…

All in all, Bai Fan’s proposition was probably the best I would get given my options.

I sighed “And what about when your father begins asking for grandsons and granddaughters?”

Bai Fan smiled, sensing that she was winning me over. “I am not against having a family, it’s just not my priority right now. We can always say that we’re ‘working on it’…” she blushed but continued “I’m not against really trying, either.”

It was either a loveless marriage to someone I cherished and held in high esteem or a loveless marriage to someone I hated.

At the very least, with Bai Fan I would have the possibility of us falling in love with each other.

I took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. She was biting her lower lip, looking back at me through long eyelashes. In truth, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever met, and yet… I felt very little attraction for her, a fact that surprised me.

“Very well, Fan’er. I will marry you.”

Her smile was like a thousand suns, and she jumped into my arms, hugging me for all she was worth.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The way she was looking at me, made my decision even more worth it… and I couldn’t help but return the smile. “I swear you won’t regret your decision!”

I grinned back at her “You better. I’m sure I will be fighting your other suitors left and right… fortunately, you will only have one contestant.”

She snorted “I should be the one to worry! I will be contending against princesses, while all you must do is look tough and every other noble will leave you alone. There are very few people in the empire that haven’t heard about the great Prince Shen Long.”

I put my tongue out to her, and her body shook in mirth.

I passed my arm over her shoulders again and she leaned on me.

Despite my reluctance, I liked how affectionate she was right now.

“Let’s go see your father then.”

We walked back to her father’s study, where we found him speaking to the soldier that had taken lord Shang earlier.

The man took one look at us and frowned. “I hope there is a good explanation for your highness to treat my daughter with such familiarity.” He was, of course, referring to me holding her by the hand.

I nodded. For some reason, I suddenly felt apprehensive about the whole situation.

“General Bai, I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

He didn’t seem even a bit surprised by my question, instead, he frowned at us “And what about you, Fan’er? Do you wish to marry this man?”

“Yes father!” Bai Fan looked at me, smiling in a way that made my heart beat a little faster “There’s no one else I’d rather marry than Mu’er.”

Her saying my name with such familiarity… surprised him. Something I found very entertaining. Apparently, she had never called me anything other than ‘prince’ in front of her father.

The older man seemed at a loss.

“Is there a problem, General Bai?” I asked, frowning.

He didn’t answer immediately, and when he did, he changed subjects. “I was told that you will be having a match with Fa Min for the title of Master of the Fa school of kung-fu.”

I took the change in stride, while I felt Fan’s curiosity at her father’s response.

“That is true. As the last student of Master Fa He Long, I inherited the mastery over the school. Fa Min asked for a duel so that he can bring the title back to his family.”

General Bai nodded “I would like to be present that day.”

I returned the gesture “I will send word once the date is set.”

Since the man didn’t say anything again, I shrugged and looked at Bai fan instead, who was staring daggers at her father.

“Fan’er?” she turned to me, losing the frown as a smile appeared on her face.

“Yes, Mu’er?”

I smiled at her “Will it be fine if I come back tomorrow?”

“Of course!” she sent a half-hearted glare at her father before looking back at me. “I shall await your visit impatiently.”

I chuckled and bent to kiss her knuckles, loving the way she blushed at such a simple gesture. “It is a date then.”

I bowed in the direction of her father. “Have a good afternoon, General Bai.”

“Likewise, your majesty.”

I winked at Bai Fan and left the premises. Despite his initial willingness, it appeared that General Bai was having second thoughts about marrying his daughter away.

Oh well… he dug his own grave pressuring her into marriage.

In the end, I was royalty, and he couldn’t refuse.

He could put it off, sure.. But once I had shown interest, it was a foregone conclusion unless Bai Fan was unagreeable… which couldn’t be furthest from the truth.