Chapter 8

Shelley's pov...

The royal banquet...

It was a horrible experience that I had today, this morning I can't believe I woke up with a man by my side, just like how we read in novels and stories, one nightstand.

Though we didn't do anything, it was so close. That jerk was prepared to devour me for sure.

Soon after he left the room, Aali came running in with a water tub, she was smiling when she came in, but as soon as she saw me holding a candle lamp in my hand her colors faded away.

"I won't do anything to you Aali, come in" I assured her and she helped me getting freshen up,

There was a knock at the door and I gave a sign for Aali to open the door for me, she went to see,

"My lady, it's a maid from Magnolia palace," now what the hell is that place,

"Who... Aali what did she wants?" I asked out as I don't remember a place like this in the novel I read,

Aali asked her and she handed over a tray covered with a cloth.

"My lady how could you forget the name of Queen Dowager's palace name?" she said keeping that tray on the bed, I took out the cover over it,

"What is this?" I exclaimed as it looked like a bundle of silk cloth to me,

"My lady it's a royal outfit worn on special occasions by the royals,"

"Oh...!" it was a red color garment, with heavily embroidered work with golden threads and real beads all over it,

"That's quite expensive, Why did they send this to me?" I was confused, that Queen Mother, was never good to Luli, then why would she send her a gift so expensive?

"My Lady... How could you forget even that?" she taunted me, making me irritated,

"Stop taunting me and bluff out clearly" I yelled and she jerked straight,

"I am sorry my Lady, I was wrong...! today is the royal family banquet, that has been decided a month ago, so I thought that you would have known about it," she said kneeling before me,

Banquet...!

I don't remember about this at all, or maybe I never read that in the novel, but anyways

"A banquet...! when did we ever have that? and how is it? can you tell me?" I was curious to know about that, so I pulled her onto my bed and then asked her making her sit in front of me,

"Last one... hmm.. that concubine Jin's birthday banquet...! but...!" she suddenly stopped, hanging her head down,

This name, Jin, I think I have heard about it, she looked at me as if she was pitying me, then suddenly bowed her head down on the ground hitting herself,

"What....the hell, get up Aali... stop it...!" I yelled dragging her up,

"It was my fault, that I bring that incident up again, I deserve to die...!" she started crying her eyes out,

This character is the most irritating one for me, if it goes on like this I am going to end up being crazy because of her,

"Stop that or I will give you what you think you deserve...!" I sniffed in disturbance, but she stopped instantly,

"Listen carefully, I don't know how I was before but now that I am changed I want everything around me to be according to me, especially you...! if you dare to weep again for no reason, I will sell you away...! got it?" I grunted in anger,

She widened her eyes and of course, didn't dare to cry out again.

"Hmm... that's more like it, now tell me what happened back then?" I have read about something regarding that concubine Jin but recently that were so many things that happened to me, so I don't know when it slipped out of my mind,

"Two months ago at Concubine Jim's birthday banquet, everyone was invited except you, but suddenly they call you to attend that banquet at night, they asked you to dance before her brothers and the king.... they insulted you...don't you remember anything about that?" she was halting her emotions back, I am glad this girl is so obedient.

Hmm...!

So getting to the point, it was at that banquet they asked her to dance before so many guests that she made a joke of herself. I remember it now, I gritted my teeth when I read that paragraph. This Luli was so timid, no worries I will get back to them on your behalf.

"Ok... tell me about this banquet, Is it also because of her?" I asked curiously, but Aali nodded her head vigorously,

"No...no... not because of any concubines, this time the banquet is special, it is to welcome the second prince,"

Second Prince.... a new character..!

"Who is this second prince? do I know him?" I asked because in the first part of the novel I never heard about him either.

"My lady... how could you forget about him, the second prince is the blood brother of our present king, his name is Xi Liang, and he is returning to the palace with winning glory after spending three years in the war, you never met with him but he is so close to our king," she revealed and took at a lecture of story awareness very carefully,

Whatever...I don't care about Xi Liang or Xicheng or anybody else, I just want to live my life without any headaches.

After a long lecture about those rules and regulations that have to be followed, Aali finally went out, to bring something to eat for me.

I have been packed in this palace for all the time, and that rubbish king has confined me in this space alone to die... it's so worrisome, it's so boring,

I wonder what this city looks like outside the palace, will it be just like how we see in the dramas? I wanted to see the ancient Chinese setting, how that would look?

Because I love those settings for those dramas, I wish I could go out once to see them.

Wait...for a second...!

Why can't I go?

Who the hell will stop me if I want to go?

All I have to do is to arrange a better reason for my nagging teacher,

Aali came with lots of delicious food, but this time there were few more, she would have fought with them to get there, this girl is crazy.

As I was done with my food, I started the conversation about the world outside the palace,

"Aali, do you know how it is outside the palace? the city...the people, it must be exciting, isn't it?" she looked at me surprised,

"Yes... it is beautiful," she exclaimed.

"Can you take me there?" as I asked her expression changed like hell, she panicked as if I had asked her to take me to another planet,

"No... my lady, we can not do that, you are not allowed to go out of the palace...!" she deduced with her eyes widened in fear,

"Why...? what's wrong with that?" I can't understand how could they keep her under house arrest.

She kneeled before me again,

"My lady, you must not ask me that, please....!" it must be that XiCheng or his Queen Mother, dare keep this girl, Luli under house arrest,

"Ok fine, just go out" I smacked in irritation, she got up to walk out,

Suddenly, something crooked popped into my head,

"Aali...I want to learn about the servants, maids, and guards, you told me about the concubines, etc, I need to learn about them as well..." she thought for a while and came back,

"Ok, my lady, see, this is blue color uniform..." she started pointing towards the attire of the guards and maids, but that is not what I want, isn't it?

"Aali... I can't understand like this, it is so confusing, just get me their dresses, may be I can understand better...!" I let out innocently, she thought for a while and then nodded her head,

"I will be right back my lady," she rushed out and I sat leaning my body on the wall relaxing.

Didn't I read so many novels and didn't I watch many dramas, when will that be useful?

Let us try it out personally....!!

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