When TanTan was playing her guzheng, Prince Li actually has arrived back and right away walks to the pavilion. In the hallway, he could saw Minister Hua and heard TanTan playing guzheng. So he observes them from there while he kept walking.
"Her playing technique is as high level as the real HuaMuTan...but I am still thinking that she might not the real HuaMuTan" Prince Li then recalls his memory for the first time he played with HuaMuTan. At that time he must admit that he enjoyed playing a song with HuaMuTan in harmony. But after that, after he found out about HuaMuTan"s strong feeling to him. He is reluctant to play with her anymore, especially remembering all the things she had done to imprison him in her cage love.
He was closing to the pavilion when the play had stopped and he heard TanTan speaking to Minister Hua,
"I don"t mind...let"s find out together..." TanTan raises from the seat, willing to lead the way for Minister Hua to her room, finding what HuaMuTan"s Mom"s gave to her.
But before they walk out from the pavilion, Prince Li steps inside and asks TanTan directly.
"Why do you stop the practice?" Prince Li is calmly entering the pavilion.
Minister Hua stops and greets him politely, which is being responded by Prince Li with a small nod. TanTan also stops and looks to him,
"We are done," she answers shortly.
"Ach, that is too bad...I rush back home so I can see your practice..."
TanTan squints her eyes, staring weirdly to Prince Li, "Since when he cares about my practice?"
Minister Hua seems don"t want to unpleased Prince Li,
"If that so, maybe we can show it to Prince Li one more time, Young Lady? the other things can wait..."
TanTan feels annoyed, the one who plays in performance is not only her right? Perhaps it"s the right time for him also to practice along.
"Then why don"t you join in the play?"
Prince Li looks to TanTan, he seems to realize the same thought. So he smiles,
"Okay,...why not?" He takes out his precious flute from behind his pocket cloth for he brings with him anywhere.
"Why don"t we play the same song we ever played before in the palace. Minister Hua here can evaluate our play, right Minister Hua?" He wonders if this woman who in front of him still remember or not... He gestures to blow his flute,
"Shall we start?"
TanTan feels challenged, but how does she know about the song,
"You may start it...I"ll follow"
Seeing TanTan hesitates to start it makes him becoming sure that the woman in front of him is not HuaMuTan,
he smiles,
"okay..." and he starts to blow his flute.
When TanTan hears the melody, she feels the yearning to the melody, she lets her hands playing the guzheng, following his melody.
As TanTan can follow his play, Prince Li is surprised but he doesn"t stop, he keeps harmonizing his play with TanTan"s play.
In other hands, another memory comes striking TanTan"s mind.
Another time in the palace and HuaMuTan just walked in the aisle when she saw some young eunuchs brought up a body to another side. The body was covered with white cloth but a hand with a mark of whipped came out of it and it seemed to be a woman body. And behind them, she saw Prince Li Long Yi, the first prince who became the crown prince now, instructed the leader of those young eunuchs.
HuaMuTan felt disgusted and turned away, but unfortunately Prince Li Long Yi
"Where are you going, Mu Tan Mei?"
HuaMuTan turned and looked annoyed to Prince Li Long Yi.
HuaMuTan did the unwilling greeting, and answered him shortly,
"I have to return home, Prince Yi..."
But Prince LongYi blocked her way, holds her hand in force,
"Not that fast...MuTanMei... let"s talk..."
"Let me go...I don"t want to talk with you,..." A horror and detestable look have been on HuaMuTan"s face as she tried to free herself.
"Oh stop pretending...didn"t you said you want to be my woman? I know your ambition! Why do you now...pretending to be "hard to get" hah?! What makes you not satisfy...I promised you a crown of queen!!" But clearly, there"s only l.u.s.t drawn on his face, which made HuaMuTan loather.
"I don"t interest to it anymore...not with your disgusting hobby. I won"t be one of your scrolls !!! Now let go of me or I"ll tell the King about you and your insane night routine!!" HuaMuTan felt angry but also fear as she knew Prince LongYi is known as a violent man. And her words certainly made him rage, he pushed HuaMuTan to one of the pillars, cornered her by sealed her hands.
"My patience has a limit, HuaMuTan! You shouldn"t fight me....!!" And with l.u.s.t, Prince LongYi tried to rob a kiss from HuaMuTan but she kept resisted him.
"No...no...let me go...!!"
"PRINCE YI!!!" A sudden fierce calling shocked them. It stopped Prince LongYi to see who called him in that kind of time. Turned out it was Prince Li who interrupted him. Prince Li with no hesitated, he pulled HuaMuTan away from Prince LongYi.
"Forgive me, *Yi Huang Ke, but I have some urgent thing to say with MuTan Mei..." And without waiting for any respond, Prince Li just took HuaMuTan away, but Prince LongYi pulled his hand and the next thing happened was they fought with their martial skills to each other. Prince Li could win easily but he didn"t want to humiliate his royal brother so he made a move as he was going to fall down but he made Prince LongYi fell harder than him.
"Ugh...LiZhouWei...YOU!!!" although he was angry the pain made him takes more time to wake up than Prince Li so Prince Li took this chance to pull her hand and took HuaMuTan away, leaving the first Prince.
Far enough from the place before, HuaMuTan repels Prince Li"s hand in force as she felt not ease with it. Prince Li noticed it,
"Are...you okay?"
HuaMuTan felt odd with her feeling, she was relieved that she could free from the first prince but she also felt humiliated to be helped by Prince Yi who she often underestimated before. Her ego was kicked out from inner her, replied intensely,
"I...I am fine...I don"t need your help!!"
Prince Li just smirked,
"I don"t know what your deal with the first prince! If I may give you some advice, stay away from him...next time maybe no one has a chance to help you..." Prince Li walked away from her after that, but HuaMuTan kept staring on him.
And in that memory, TanTan can feel her at that moment, how HuaMuTan starts to have a feeling with Prince Li. Her fingers keep playing the guzheng while Prince Li is also keep concentrating to his flute although he glances to TanTan many times.
*YiHuangKe= first royal brother