บท 17: Ceremony [ I ]

While they were enjoying mother-daughter time, the males of the family were in a heated conversation.

"Father, is it possible for us to do that? It would be the best gift for her."

"Yes, yes... She is smart, she will like it if we put them together, who knows, maybe she has what it takes to do it."

Lord Long stares at his children, whose eyes are full of expectations. Which, he doesn't have the heart to restrict them.

"But... She is the princess of our Clan. How is it possible for her to wear such a thing? Her hands are delicate, she should not have contact with it. Besides, what's the insistence of putting it in front of her? Do you want her to get hurt?"

The Long duo could not find words to express the indignation they felt at their father's questions.

Long Shun rebukes his father.

"How can you ask us that! Of course, we don't want her to get hurt, it's just that she will grow up to be a beauty, just look at Mom, she is a beauty, you had to fight for her against many within the Clan for many years, just to be able to win her heart and marry her.

"But if Xiao Ling is so smart, that means that when she grows up, her demeanor will be more extraordinary, and the rest of the Clan will have their eyes on her!

"If there comes a time when they want to use the opportunity to take advantage of her and we're not around, she has to protect herself somehow..."

Lord Long found his eldest son's reasoning quite rational, having no other disagreements.

Long Hao, who saw the agreement between his father and elder brother, understood little about schemes, but that didn't stop him from voicing his opinion.

"There will come a day when she will want to venture into the continents. Her wisdom is too high for only have a month old. She will choose what suits her best for her own future. From what I have seen in her eyes, she will not be a canary waiting in a cage for someone who will give her freedom."

Lord Long and Long Shun stared at Long Hao with their eyes almost popping out of their faces. Not being able to believe that the one who doesn't have much 'understanding', would talk like that.

"..." a little nervous in front of the looks of his father and elder brother, he had no choice but to feel awkward.

"What? I'm the one who has spent the most time with her during this month." For some reason, he felt wronged. He knows that his family has him as ignorant, naïve, for his simple way of thinking.

Not wanting to give the younger one credit, they both decided not to pay any more attention. But deep in their hearts, they know that what he said is true.

Xiao Ling's destined for great things. The Long Clan cannot keep her locked up. She must find her destiny.

During this month, they have discovered that their princess is anything but simple. The Long Duo heard their father tell them about their great-grandfather's prediction. Besides that, they are 100% sure that the person in the prophecy is their princess.

It pains them to admit it because her journey is not an easy one. But they must give her the tools so that she can survive in this world, where only the strongest get respect and, in terms of background, they will not collude against her.

She has everything it takes to become an existential, feared by all.

But that's a story for later...

"Okay, let's leave one, but the shorter one, when she turns one year old, we can add the normal one."

In front of them is a rectangular wooden table, on it are several objects.

A hairpin, a zither, a dagger, a pouch with exquisite embroidery, a book with unknown contents, and a rustic pulp box.

The objects on the table are what they will use as a tribute to Xiao Ling's one-month birthday ceremony.

The tradition is that when a baby turns one month old, he or she must choose two or three objects on the table. This will decide what they will be more proficient at, which hobbies will show their best skills.

They do the first ceremony in celebration of the closest relatives, but as the Long Clan has only Old Master Long, who is the father of the current Lord Long. The other Clan members are too far away to come for the one-month ceremony, and then the one-year ceremony.

"Well, this is it. We will see what she wants to choose tomorrow. The celebration should proceed as planned."

They agreed to invite several families of notability and an excellent reputation within Long City.

"Father, what about the Clan, will they come when she turns one year old?" Long Shun, who is sensitive to many issues, could not help but ask with concern.

"Oh, yes, they sent a letter saying that they will come when she turns one year old and that they will take care of the selection."

Speaking of which, Lord Long frowned. Not knowing what might happen to his princess when she turns one year old and seen by all the senior members of the Clan.

Long Hao, who has not been sensitive since birth, could not help but feel that something was wrong.

"But, isn't the Clan meddling too much?"

"There's no choice. Father came out of seclusion just to read the letter and accepted the terms without hesitation." Lord Long sighed as he remembered what his father did.

"Grandfather agreed to let them take care of it? But..." Long Shun didn't like the idea very much and wanted to refute, but before he continued, his father interrupted him.

"There's no going back. No one can force your grandfather to do something he doesn't want to. Surely he has something up under his sleeve."

"..."

"... If they do, does that mean that because she is the only woman born within the Clan for centuries, they will try to raise her?" Long Hao can't shake off the bad feeling that was born in his heart.

"Don't worry, I won't let that happen, even if my father, your grandfather, agrees. He will have to deal with me. Besides that, they won't want to offend your mother."

The very thought of offending Madam Long made the senior members of the Clan shudder in terror.

"That's good, let's hope they don't want to." Long Shun sighed in relief, knowing that at least his parents, who have absolute power over the Clan, will not want to part with their princess.

But little does he know that not only will they not want to part with her, when she grows up because of her strength, someone will forcefully take them back to where they came from.