A few days later, Yuelan sat at the table in the gazebo by the koi pond with her arms in front of her, her chin on the table, and a morose expression. She let out a long sigh that was almost a groan. Willow set a steaming tea cup in front of Yuelan and the priestess poked the handle with a finger, turning it around on the saucer slowly.

“Miss, if you’re bored we could hire a performance troupe to come in,” Willow suggested. “There are several here in the capital at this time of year.”

Yuelan waved a hand. “Maybe another time. I don’t feel like watching a performance right now.”

“Perhaps you could pay a visit to Miss Zhou or Miss Zhao then?”

“They aren’t available and we just had tea together at Red Orchid Teahouse yesterday. And before you ask, Princess Liling is busy too.”

Willow frowned as she tried to come up with a way to alleviate her master’s boredom. “Perhaps...Miss would like to go and visit your father?” she suggested.

Yuelan stopped playing with the teacup and traced the patterns on the marble table instead. “I would, but I can’t right now. Long He said things still need time to settle down after the work I did in Zhongshu before I can travel to Kilin again.”

“Then what if you summon Yun Cai? Perhaps he knows of something that could relieve Miss’ boredom.”

“And how would I find Yun Cai? I don’t even know where he lives or anything like that.” Yuelan sighed again and thought about her phone and the games she had installed on it that would have been able to entertain her if it would work in Longuo.

Having no technology at all was starting to wear on her. Until her trip to Zhongshu she’d been able to go back home whenever she was bored and wanted to play a game, but Long He had said that things needed to rebalance for a while after what she’d done in the shrine there so it was impossible for her to travel back and forth. Now she had nothing to do and no phone to waste her time with.

She’d studied anatomy until her head felt like it would explode and passed all of Long He’s tests on it. He and Byakko had gone to look for a way for her to practice healing without having everyone find out about it and start flocking to her for miracle cures for whatever ailed them. She needed the practice, but healing with magic wasn’t something that should be taken lightly. Long He and Byakko both said that it took a lot of energy.

“Perhaps Byakko could--”

“Can’t. He and Long He are out right now.”

Just as Willow was about to open her mouth for another suggestion, Chung Soo hurried over and bowed to Yuelan. “My lady, his highness the fourth prince has arrived wondering if he might accompany you for a while.”

“Sure. Go ahead and bring him back here. I’m feeling too lazy to get up,” Yuelan agreed.

The steward’s mouth twitched toward an amused smile and he bowed again. “Of course, my lady.” The eunuch hurried back to the gate to let Prince Guangzhu in and returned a few minutes later with the fourth prince following after and taking long strides.

Yuelan waved at Prince Guangzhu without getting up. “Hello, your highness. You have good timing.”

The fourth prince smiled. “Hello, Priestess. Was there something you needed from me?”

“Not really. I’m just bored,” Yuelan answered, shrugging.

Guangzhu chuckled. “Does priestess know how to play go? Perhaps we could have a friendly match?”

“I don’t, so perhaps your highness could teach me instead?” Yuelan countered.

“I would be delighted.” The fourth prince smiled at her.

“I will go and get a board and pieces,” Chung Soo volunteered before he hurried away.

Guangzhu sat down opposite Yuelan and studied her face with its bored expression for a while before he finally spoke. “I came on my third brother’s behalf,” he admitted, sighing. “He looked quite upset during morning court and when I asked about it he said you were angry with him but he wasn’t sure what it was that he had done wrong.”

Yuelan’s expression darkened immediately and she snorted as she sat up. “He hasn’t figured it out?” She crossed her arms and glared at the koi pond.

“Would you mind explaining it to me? Neither of you will get anywhere if you don’t communicate.” Guangzhu’s voice was patient and coaxing.

“He wanted to have Laurel beaten to death!” Yuelan turned her glare on Guangzhu. “He didn’t even bother to try discussing it with me and just made the decision on his own. She is my servant. This is my household. I get to make the decisions for my house and my employees, not him. And it’s not like this is the first time he’s treated me like an object. Yes, most of the time he’s nice and he buys me presents and things like that, but I could care less about things. I have thoughts and feelings and a better education than he can even hope to get here but he still treats me like I’m somehow inferior to him. I hate it.”

The fourth prince blinked. “But...women are inferior to men.”

Yuelan’s expression became scathing and Guangzhu felt a chill run down his spine. “No, we aren’t. Men and women are different, but that doesn’t make one inferior to the other. Women are every bit as capable of doing whatever sort of work they want as men are and where I’m from they’re allowed to prove it by doing whatever sort of work they want. There are women who are doctors and leaders and rulers and soldiers. Sure, there are also women who stay home and take care of their families, but there are men who do that too. I’m angry with Guangfeng because he didn’t show respect for my thoughts and feelings and ideals and tried to do what he wanted in the name of keeping me safe. I can keep myself safe. And just because someone slipped something into my tea to put me to sleep doesn’t mean that someone deserves to be beaten to death for it. That’s cruel and inhumane and I’m not going to stand for it. I deserve his respect and to have my thoughts and opinions heard and my feelings cared for and if you’re going to have the same attitude as him then you can leave because I don’t want to talk to you either!” She stood up and stormed away from the gazebo, leaving Gangzhu to stare after her in shock.