Nothing more intense than being alone with Prince Li inside the carriage. At first, TanTan didn't expect that Prince Li would came in and sit beside her. But he did! He didn't say anything and silently sit beside TanTan when the carriage starts the journey.
There is a conflict in her mind... the words of Prince Li before somehow has stirring up her heart a little bit...'He doesn't hate me anymore..is it true?' She wants to know more, want to ask more but her dignity tells her not to... 'So what if he doesn't hate me? He might still distrust me..he even doesn't bother to look at me... TanTan, stop thinking about him...lets focus to where are you going now...the palace!'. TanTan is getting more nervous, she remembers what Silver Mask said (TanTan decides to call that mysterious man that way), that her real enemy is in the palace.. but for now she doesn't know anything about palace, how can she confront the enemy right away! She hopes someone can brief her things about palace before she arrives there, at least... TanTan takes a peek on Prince Li...
Prince Li in other side looks so silent, he stares at outside from the window side of the carriage...but he seems notice that TanTan is peeking on him. As he glances to her, TanTan pretends to look at the other side...
"Do you want to say something to me?" Prince Li sudden asks.
"...No..." She spontaneous answers but then she corrects it, "...Yes..."
"Then...speak.." Prince Li looks at her seriously, makes TanTan feels nervous...
*Grak, suddenly the carriage shakes so strongly, the carriage is stopped suddenly to avoid something and it gives a hard bumps to anyone inside the carriage. And at the moment, TanTan's body is pushed down and in reflex, she grabs anything to sit firmly. And so Prince Li...only they doesn't realize that they grab on each other. When TanTan realizes she is laying on Prince Li's chest, she looks up and notices how close her face to Prince Li's. The hands of Prince Li are almost grabbing TanTan's shoulder back and both of them are doing nothing than staring to each other.
"Sorry, Master...there was a goat sudden running on the road and it surprised the horse...Are Master and Madam okay?" The carriage driver reports in panic from outside.
The voice wakes them up and immediately TanTan moves away and fixes herself to sit properly.
"..." Prince Li looks at TanTan, "...Are you okay?"
Not getting used to get that kind of question from Prince Li makes TanTan feels awkward somehow...
"...yes...I am fine..."
And so Prince Li give commands to the driver.
"We're fine...just continue going..."
"Yes, master" The carriage start moving again.
"Then..." Prince Li continues, "What do you want to ask before?"
TanTan recites again what she had thought, she braves herself,
"You know I had forgotten a lot of things and I don't want to create any trouble later...so...can you tell me anything I need to know about the palace, like about the people I will meet later?"
Prince Li gives a full attention to her now and smirks a little bit, "In the past, you have visited the palace very often...that place is practically becomes your second home... It's hard to imagine that you had forget it completely..."
Feeling offended, TanTan replies,
"I am really forgetting all about palace...if you don't want to tell me...then its fine, maybe I will remember as soon as I step in the palace.. but if not, don't blame me if I bring you any humiliation..."
Prince Li doesn't reply right away...he is regretting a little bit about what he just said,...in his heart, he had decided to give a chance for himself to know this new HuaMuTan, because although he is a little bit disappointing to find out that the girl beside him now is the real HuaMuTan...he can't stop himself to keep attracting to her, he means about his words that he doesn't hate her anymore...
He sighs,
"Fine...I tell you..."
And then it is TanTan's turn to pay full attention to Prince Li's words. What TanTan gets from Prince Li is that the present Emperor and Empress Dowager are very fond on HuaMuTan, which makes the others either afraid or jealous to her. Like the most of the royal concubines won't pleased to meet her in the palace. No wonder if HuaMuTan can have a lot of enemies in the palace. Then beside the third Prince and Princess XiXi she had meet, Prince Li mentions there will be other princes they might encounter later in the palace as the Emperor has six princes in total, but not all of them involved in the kingdom matters like Prince Li and the Third Prince.
"How about the Empress?" TanTan asks. She remembered that XiaoRue ever mentioned that the present Empress, is also part of Hua Family, she is the cousin of HuaMuTan's father, so maybe she can be the strong ally of her in the palace also.
"....The Empress is the person you must aware most..." Prince Li seems be careful to mention it.
TanTan surprised to hear it, "Why?"
"...The Empress can't be trusted..."
But there is no time to explain furthermore as the horse carriage has
finally enters the inner hall of palace and stops.
"We shall go now..."
Prince Li comes out first and then be followed by TanTan. And as she steps out, she is amazed by the view. This is the first time for TanTan to see the palace in real. Even in her modern time, she only sees it in the book or drama series. The gigantic exotic decorative building really amazes her,
'Its really different to be actually here than seeing it in the picture or movie....this place is really 'a palace'...'
TanTan sudden feels nervous and even almost unbalanced to step down from the carriage. Prince Li notices it right away and directly holds TanTan's hand, helps her to step down,
"Watch out your step..."
TanTan feels shy but pleased with the help so she smiles to Prince Li sincerely,
"...Thank you..." For Prince Li, that is the first time TanTan smiles to him so in return, Prince Li just keep staring at TanTan. He doesn't aware that he keeps holding TanTan's hand even though TanTan has stepped safely on the ground. It makes TanTan feels awkward again,
"Ehm...Prince Li, I am okay now..."
"Ah...yes..."Prince Li lets go of the hand and trying to act normal, "We should go now..." he turns and starts to walk, TanTan is also ready to follow him but after two steps, suddenly he stops and turns back to TanTan. It makes TanTan's forehead accidentally bumps on Prince Li's lips.
TanTan in reflex steps backward and cover her forehead with her two handsAhkkh, why suddenly you stop?!" her face turns red and it makes Prince Li feels shy too, as he clears his throat to stay calm,
"Ehm...I warn you...you must be aware with for your words and actions toward anyone in this palace...Stay close to me until we return...if anyone summon you, just wait for me before you go..."
"...I understand..." TanTan feels relieved to know that Prince Li has an intention to protect her, it cheers her a little bit.
"Good..." Prince Li turns again and then walks quite fast that makes TanTan difficulty to match her steps with him.
"Hey, wait....can you slow down?" protest TanTan.
Prince Li seems not listen cause there is no reaction at all, but before TanTan protests again...she realizes that Prince Li had slowing his step, till TanTan manages to catch up with him. This small action makes TanTan smiles...
'Turns out maybe he is not too bad...'
This time both of them keep walking till they are arriving at the central hall of the palace, where all the ministers and princes have waiting to do a regular assemble meeting.