An Hao after parting ways from An Jian, Yang Bo and Gong Ming, headed towards the Imperial Library.
The library towered in the distance feeling more grand as she approached with large white granite steps leading up to the grand entrance with large red pillars leading into its dark cozy candle lit tanned wood interior.
She had expected the library to have a few guards but it was a bee hive of guards stationed everywhere along the entrance steps. A group of young excited maidens in intricate lavish dresses were loud and bubbly acting childish for their age as a guard stood authoritatively in front seeming to block their entry with a stern face. An Jian walked to the far right side of them following an old scholar who looked like he was going to enter from the side wing of the gates.
As she followed behind the scholar, one of the maidens from the group spotted her and yelled out 'Hey! She's cutting the line!, guards stop her!"
An Hao paused looking at the girl furiously pointing at her. An Hao pointed to herself "You are talking to me?"
The girl then angrily said "Yes, if you want to see the Crown Prince you have to wait here behind us!"
An Hao smiled, "I think you have mistaken, I'm here solely for academic studies, good luck with meeting the prince" before continuing up the steps.
The girl turned back to her group "Hmph who does she think she is acting so casual with us, does she not know which family we're from." She was also extra annoyed that when the girl turned to face them, she was the fairest of them all.
As An Hao followed the old scholar up the side entrance, the old scholar looked back at her and nodded with a smile, he to had come to dislike the library being disturbed by the loud girls who came there seeking the prince's attention. At the entrance, a guard let the scholar through but then stopped An Hao pointing to the group of girls like she was supposed join them. An Hao stared at the guard firmly "I am here solely for academic purposes, I have no interest in what those girls are up to". The guard thought for a moment but seeing her serious tone, let her through.
Once inside An Hao got to work searching for The Door manual. She didn't want to be notice or have any motives linking her back to the manual so she searched without asking the custodians for help even when they voluntarily approached her.
After thoroughly searching through the first floor with no luck she decided to move on to the second floor. At the stairwell guards were perched every few steps, she walked cautiously up expecting the guards to stop her but that never came. When she reached the top, a perimeter of guards surrounded someone she could only assumed was the the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was not the oldest of the Empress's sons but was favored son of the King for having a higher aptitude than his older brother. His handsome appearance also caused multiple daughters from reputable families to come by daily restlessly trying to catch his eye.
An Hao peaked through the perimeter of guards out of curiosity and made eye contact by accident before looking away and continuing her search for The Door manual.
The Crown Prince caught the mysterious silhouette that hinted of someone beautiful behind his guard and leaned over to see a girl with big calm vibrant eyes with a single bang that draped pass her full lips.
Her demeanor was of a calm quiet confidence staring at him before looking away.
The Crown Prince sat back into his chair expecting this girl would return to introduce herself like he was accustomed to by other girls.
An Hao had found some rare medical manuals she had never seen before and took her time to skim through them before continuing her search for The Door manual.
The Crown prince seeing An Hao really wasn't going to make the first moved got up breaking the guard perimeter forcing the guards to reshuffle around him. "Young Miss.. I've never seen you before, what school do you belong to?". An Hao had hoped no one would pay attention to her but understood she had no choice, turned around and curtsy "Your highness, I am but a humble scholar from Wen Long Academy"
The prince eyebrows went up "Aren't Wen Long Students not permitted here?"
An Hao with a mischievous smile "Today's a special exception" putting a finger to her mouth as if it was their little secret.
The prince then looked to the book in her hand "What is young miss studying that requires so much maneuvering?"
An Hao said with a smile "The mind"
The Prince waited for her to expand on the question but there was only silence.
He then walked around her and whispered "Because you want to concoct a love potion to control.. the mind?" feeling this was what all girls around him thought about.
An Hao then said confidently "If love potions worked, there would be a lot more poor ugly men with smart beautiful women..... cultivating kindness, righteousness, and confidence is what a real love potion is".
The Crown Prince contemplated her words for a second "Then what is young miss looking to find in the Imperial Library?"
An Hao stared back with a slight smile "The cure for insanity" before walking away leaving the prince unsure if she was joking or serious.
The Prince followed An Hao "Young Miss I've seen you walk back and forth as if searching for a book, I'm a regular here and although I may not look it, I could probably work here as a custodian if I wanted"
As the Prince said this An Hao spotted The Door manual, it was an old book that seemed like it had not been touched in some time. An Hao turned to face the Prince. "Why does your highness follow a humble girl around the library?"
The prince smiled "Just trying to be helpful, that is the kind and righteous thing to do"
An Hao laughed "Your highness, you don't need to be kind or righteous, there is a harem of girls waiting for you outside"
The Prince stared into An Hao's eyes "And yet I'm here with you"
An Hao feeling a little cornered then noticed the prince was carrying a medical book "is your highness studying circulation?"
The prince stunned "You know the manual of the Crimson Current is about blood circulation ?"
An Hao "I'm a medical scholar, I know every medical book, I could teach you about circulation"
She walked up close to the Prince , his guards about to approach but the prince motioned them away.
An Hao leaned closer and whispered "Here's a little tip"
She put her thumb on his chest, then slowly rotated her hand so her pinky finger could press a spot above his collar bone.
The Prince continued to motion for his guards to stay back.
An Hao then released her hand and moved in closer to use her thumb to press a spot on his abs and slowly rubbed downward.
The Prince suddenly a surge of arousal causing him to look for a spot to sit down before it started showing. He continued to motion for his guards to stay back.
An Hao smiled "If your highness has circulation problems please try those pressure points on yourself"
An Hao then walked towards the stairs.
The Prince unable to stand up properly without embarrassing himself "Your leaving?.. I didn't get your name?"
An Hao smiled "I'll give you my name when your love potion works" and walked down the steps. The guards cleared the way for her seeing she seemed to be favored by the Prince.
He sat there smiling in disbelief watching her leave.
An Hao left the library without any books in her hand, there were too many guards and the custodians would notice a missing book immediately. She would plan to come back at night to steal the book now that she knew exactly where it was.
As she walked down the white granite steps where the group of girls waited, An Hao nodded to them as she passed only to be met with dismissive angry stares.
An Hao didn't give much thought into it and continued to the entrance of the North Gate.
Shortly after An Hao was out of sight, a contingent of guards exited the library followed by the Crown Prince. The girls started cheering and waving frantically trying to get the Prince's attention.
The Crown Prince walked up to them seeming to scan the distance. "Have you seen a girl in a blue dress, do any of you know her?"
The girls looked at each other with their jaws dropped and speechless.
As An Hao approached the north gate, in the distance she could see Gong Ming and Yang Bo on each side of An Jian helping her walk. An Hao quickly ran up to them thinking the worst "Did her selfishness asking An Jian to come cause An Jian to get injured?", However as she got closer to the trio, An Jian seem to have a smile on her face.
When she reached the trio she rushed to An Jian's side to check her pulse and asked "What happened?!"
Gong Ming scratched his head "An Jian learned a technique from my father and drained all her internal energy, she should be fine tomorrow"
An Jian chimed in, dazed with a smile "I'm fine, just a little tired, the lesson saved me 3 to 5 year of practice, I'm so thankful"
An Hao stood back up calmly relieved.
She then looked at Gong Ming who didn't seem so distant anymore and acted more like an admirer of her baby sister.
Yang Bo then offered to carry An Jian on his back, but Gong Ming stopped him saying his father had ordered him to help An Jian home, offering to carry her on his back.
As An Hao watched in amusement, An Jian then tried to jump onto her back, muttering "Sister take me home"
An Hao smiled but decided for the walk home, the two boys could walk An Jian home like a drunkard helping her on each side.
An Hao thought about calling a carriage but didn't bother as she could see the trio were enjoying themselves, Yang Bo and Gong Ming competing to win An Jian's attention while An Jian was deliriously happy in her own world.