BXBX NOVEL Chapter 8: Confrontation in the Palace
With a deadpan face, the first madam, Madam Zhao, shouts while pushing the door open, "It is soon to go into the Palace, and the mammy responsible for behavior in Palace arrives. It is disgraceful that your master is still lingering in bed!"
There is a hint of contempt in the mammy\'s eyes, for she thinks that Li Wanrou\'s mother is not the first madam in the Mansion, and it is about time to go into the Palace, Li Wanrou hasn\'t got herself ready, which is a shame on the Mansion.
What is in her mind is that, in consideration of her birth origin, Li Wanrou must have never been to an important event like going into the Palace. Without knowing how to behave in the Palace, she will lose face if she does not learn the rules before going into the Palace.
However, upon the opening of the door, Madam Zhao\'s face stiffens, and her anger retreats. She could hardly believe her eyes.
How could it be? Li Wanrou has already dressed up, in a red gold fur coat, which emphasizes her charming and gorgeous face with a kind of special beauty.
There are some very expensive clothes sent by Madam Zhao, among which many are unsuitable for unmarried ladies to wear in the Palace. That\'s the trap she set for Li Wanrou to be embarrassed in the Palace, but she didn\'t expect that Li Wanrou makes such a wonderful choice.
Is it her smart choice or her incidental one? There are quite some speculations running simultaneously in the mind of Madam Zhao, but she wears a decent and caring smile on her face and forwardly pats the hands of LiWanrou.
She says earnestly, "This is the mammy who will teach you the rules in the Palace. You have to mind your manners in the Palace today, so you must learn carefully without a slightest negligence."
Every word shows the ineffable concern, but Li Wanrou knows Madam Zhao\'s heart is bleeding. She must have regretted inviting the mammy to teach her.
The mammy steps forward, and Li Wanrou bows at once, with a graceful and gentle gesture which is just as well as a concubine does in the Palace.
Seeing her soft eyes and decent behavior, the mammy immediately has a clear judgement that Li Wanrou will enjoy her good time in the coming days!
Then she restrains her casual attitude and says with a smile: "you can call me Mammy Qin. Being in the Palace is not like that in your backyard. There are more rules and more complicated people in the Palace. Any mistake will lead to your being beheaded. You are still too young to know that... "
Mammy Qin teaches very carefully, and it is not necessary for Madam Zhao to stay any longer. So, she departs with her teeth clenched.
Li Wanrou learns better and better. In fact, she has long been familiar with these rules deep in her heart. Nobody could know that she is a woman who has been in the Palace for many years. Although now with a younger and more puerile appearance, she has her original memory as well as the palace rules in her heart.
The Palace is indeed a man-eating place. How could she take it lightly?
Seeing that Li Wanrou is serious and tireless in her learning, showing a subtle nobility as if she were born to be so noble and dignified, the mammy concludes that Li Wanrou must have a promising and bright future.
However, it is known to all one nation can\'t have two queens, and Li Wanrou has no one around to support her with her inferior birth origin, how far could she go?
She gives out a sigh when thinking of these, and refrains from being hard on Li Wanrou again.
When the sun is setting in the west, every household is lighted by lamp-oil as little as a bean. But the Prime Minister\'s Mansion is adorned with red lanterns inside out. In the celebrative jollification, Li Wanrou boards the carriage to the Palace.
Since Mammy Qin got an award of an ingot of gold this early morning from Li Wanrou, she could not help reminding kindly, "Miss Li, the masters of the Mansion are one as a whole and should enjoy the equality of treatment. But now you are alone arranged in the last carriage, which, in fact, runs counter to the one as a whole, and may be laughable to others."
It is more than being laughable to others. It is just as a slap on her face, informing others that Li Wanrou is not a master but someone who could only be arranged to sit with other servants.
The dignitaries in the capital are those who are very sensitive to everything. How could they fail to notice this clearly?
But so what? Li Wanrou remembers clearly that Princess Qingqiu and Li Shifu have been together since their childhood and they are just like sisters.
Who else can remember that Li Wanrou is the blood sister of Li Shifu? Those who remember would say that Li Wanrou does not deserve to be. Therefore, she only deserves hiding herself in the corner and a death with nobody around to care about her.
After getting off the carriage, Li Wanrou follows the crowd into the Palace, walking gracefully with her head raised gently. She looks quiet and leisurely.
There has been speculation about her identity. Shunqing, the daughter of the family of the Minister of War, speculates deliberately, "She can\'t be a daughter from a noble family. We haven\'t seen her before. It is impossible!"
Besides her is An Ruyi, the second eldest daughter of the family of the General, who mumbles with disdain, "Put away your little tricks. Who cares who she is?"
Shunqing can\'t stand the sour face of An Ruyi, who always behaves in that way, and retorts, "I mean that some humble people shouldn\'t pretend to be noble to sneak in. This is not a place that anyone can come in!"
"You!" An Ruyig lowers at Shunqing but nothing comes out of her mouth, for she has a short fuse and hates those who peddle gossip. But she has never once won her wrangling with them, and as a result, she is so angry that she can do nothing but stamps her feet.
Just then, a pair of soft hands hold hers. She frowns and turns to look and sees a lady witha delicate appearance---long and thin eyebrows, a tall nose, a small and fine chin, bright eyes and white teeth, who seems to be gentle at the first sight.
But there is a hint of fierceness in her sharp eyes. She is absolutely not as weak as it is said. It is common for rumors to spread from big families like Prime Minister Li\'s Mansion.
Li Wanrou, being looked up and down, smiles gently, and says with her eyes looking at Shunqing, "It is the Emperor who invites us to come. And my admission to the Palace is also permitted by the Emperor. However, you keep talking and complaining. Are you resisting the Emperor\'s order? Any contempt for the Emperor\'s power is a great disrespect to the Emperor. I believe you know it very well."
Shunqing\'s proud face instantly collapses. She ruthlessly says coldly: "Now you are happy with your glib tongue. Remember not to break the Palace rules or you\'ll cry to go back home!"
After saying that, she hurries away.
The Palace servants at the door all concentrate on their work without distraction. The conversations between dignitaries and noble people could come into their ears, but not into their minds, which is the rule in the Palace.
An Ruyi gives a cold glace at the indifferent Palace servants beside, then grabs Li Wanrou\'s hands gratefully and says excitedly, "Thank you for helping me. Shunqing is a mean girl. She has always been speaking in an offensive manner, but no one can win over her in wrangling.
Shunqing is nothing but has a glib tongue, whose heart is not cruel at all. However, Li Wanrou could never believe that Shunqing\'s gossip has nothing to do with Li Shifu!