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– No, he won’t be angry. But you need to ask his permission first, and then make a request.
Afruz asked for permission and went to the emperor. He entered, bowed to the ground, kissed the threshold. And the emperor was in a good mood that day. Two people whom he considered thorns in his path, he managed to eliminate by cunning, two or three good news about such cases came from different parts of the country, and besides, a beautiful slave was brought from Kashmir, from India. And he was not averse to talking to someone or fulfilling someone’s request.
The prince, when he saw that the emperor was cheerful, thought: «Fate favors the fulfillment of my wish!»
Before speaking, he bowed to the ground once more and again asked for permission. The Emperor asked him:
– Why didn’t you tell me the day you came to us that you had two more brothers with you and didn’t ask me to put them in my place? After all, these brothers did not want to leave you alone, they came with you from the other end of the world, they would have been near you in a difficult moment. Why did you leave them when you were lucky? I don’t like what you did!
Afruz then realized why the emperor was not as merciful to him as before. And he also told him:
– Tell me, what do you want from me? Money? Honors? Afruz replied:
– I ask of you what is above all this, that you make me a slave of your threshold!
The emperor turned to the courtier and said:
«He’s obviously asking for Mei-Kui’s hand in marriage?» Explain to him well what my daughter Mei-Kui is like. I have a big disagreement with her. I want her to become the wife of a rich padishah or shahzada, but she does not agree, she wants her future husband to be smart and reasonable. Says: «I will become the wife of a clever beggar, but I will not become the wife of a stupid padishah.» Five years ago, when her mother died and she was in great grief, I promised her that I would give her only for someone she would love herself, and since then I have not been forced to. Tell this shahzada: if he really wants to take my daughter as a wife, let him go to her so that she looks at him and asks about something. If he can answer all her questions, his wish will be fulfilled, and if not, I will not give up my daughter for anything.
Afruz listened, bowed to the ground and left the palace. The next day, he placed a crown studded with emeralds on his head, put on gold-woven robes, girded himself with a jeweled sword and headed for the Mei-Kui house, which adjoined the imperial palace. He sees: the place is quiet and peaceful, there is only one gatekeeper at the door, no voices are heard. He entered the room where the girl was. As soon as I looked at her, I immediately lost consciousness and fell down. They brought rose water, splashed it in his face, he woke up and saw: she is a hundred times more beautiful than her image in the enchanted castle! He lost consciousness again, regained consciousness, got up and, panting, pale, approached her.
