Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Young Prince Jin Ming Tao was smart and lively, whereas his older brother was quiet and reserved. Everyone believed he would follow in the footsteps of his older brother and father when he finished schooling. He would bring prosperity and honor to the people of Gaoxing.
“But don’t you want to have better representation in your government? Are you sure your voice is heard?” he inquired.
There was a cluster of light laughter and whispered comments in their language that West only caught bits and pieces of. The tone of it was clear—silly boy just doesn’t know any better.
Large Glasses turned in her chair to face him, her arm resting on the back. Her smile was a bit patronizing, like a grandparent staring at a child who’d just spouted a bit of nonsense.
“What makes you think the people go unheard?” She clucked her tongue at him. “We have excellent, universal healthcare. Everyone who wants or needs a job has one. We have no homeless. We have no significant drug or crime problems. There is equality among all the different peoples who live here. The Jin family has safeguarded the people of Gaoxing for centuries, making sure that we are happy and safe.”
Well, she had an excellent point. It looked as if the Jin family listened to their people.
“Besides, each prefecture has its own elected officials who oversee minute governing of the regions and bring larger issues to the royal family,” one of the other women reassured him.
“So we don’t worry about having an emperor guiding our home. The Jin family takes care of us all.” Large Glasses gave him another gentle pat on the arm to go with her sweet smile.
“No, you are correct. The people of Gaoxing are well safeguarded.”
“If we have anything to worry about, it’s that poor Prince Jin running himself ragged,” Bobbed Hair stated, lowering her voice to a whisper and giving her comment the feel of gossip.
All three women agreed with her with a round of murmurs and head nods. Tiles clicked on the table as the players made their moves, but West kept his attention on the conversation.
“It’s true. He needs a partner.”
“He should have married already. Found someone nice to settle down with.”
“Hm. Someone to share his burden with. He takes on too much all on his own.”
“Exactly. Who is there to take care of him? To make sure he’s eating properly and sleeping?”
“Well, we all know it will not happen while the emperor is sick,” Large Glasses said in a hard, flat tone that made it clear that no one could argue with her.
“No, no, you’re right,” one lady in a bright-pink blouse agreed. “But he’s only going to make himself sick in the meantime.”
“At least his brother should be returning home soon. He can help,” Bobbed Hair countered.
Large Glasses gave a very inelegant snort. “Hardly. You know he dotes on Prince Jin Ming Tao. With their father sick, he’s going to do everything within his power to protect him and shield him from worry.”
West was tuning out their conversation, returning his attention to his cooling tea. There was little chance the prince’s nonexistent love life was going to have much relevance to his current problem.
However, Large Glasses reached out and tapped his arm. “If you have questions about the royal family, you should talk to Crown Prince Jin Long Wei. I’m sure he’d be happy to answer all of your questions.”
“That would be lovely, but I doubt the crown prince would have the time or even the interest in speaking to a nobody reporter like myself,” West replied. The idea was ridiculous. Maybe he needed to reevaluate the information he’d gotten from these women. They weren’t all that in touch with reality.
“You’ll never know if you don’t ask,” Large Glasses admonished before turning to her group. “Yu-mei, isn’t today…”
Whatever she asked her companion became white noise as the most handsome man West had ever seen in his life strolled into the tea shop. Dressed in a sleek, dark suit with a trench coat thrown over the top to protect him against the wind, the stranger could have been a model striding down a Paris runway. His features were sharp and elegant while his skin was flawless white jade. Thick eyebrows gave his face a fierce severity, but the smile that broke out on his full, pink lips when he spotted the server at the counter softened everything.
“There you are!” Large Glasses exclaimed, snapping West’s brain on again. “Dianxia! Oh, Dianxia! Over here! There’s someone who needs to meet you!”
Dianxia?
West wracked his brain for a full two seconds as he watched the man who strode in stop dead in his tracks and swing around. Those near-black eyes locked on him for a heartbeat and widened, his lips parting on a breath. The entire world froze for that heartbeat, then painfully lurched forward as he looked to the older woman who’d called out.