Another Lifetime

Chapter 5: The Palace

Finally! Today was the long awaited day. The day I was one step closer to victory. This evening I would face my first obstacle- The banquet; nothing good ever happens in chinese banquets. This is going to be my first.

As I said before. I was quite closed and used to escape parties thrown by my collegues for the success of my novels but this time I knew I would have the attention of many more important characters than the actual world.

"This isn't like your world. A wrong step and you might have to extent your stay here or maybe even take your ticket to heaven or hell wherever."

" Aiya! I got that much. No need to scare me more la! "

"Don't let me down ah meimei!"

" Aiya! who is your meimei?Call me jiejie, I'm older ah!"

" Heh! Forget that meimei just don't let me down ah!"

Stupid Ghost! I'm getting her way of talk!

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The hall door of the palace was opened. "The prime minister and his family" Their presence was announced. The prime minister and four ladies entered the hall. The whole place was dumbfounded. It was a pretty sight. The family got the looks and they entered in formation. The prime minister entered with his lady to the right and mother to the left following them were his daughters. Both beauties, with light makeup, one in purple, white and galaxy blue coloured hanfu the other in the shades of the peacock blue and green. They were dressed simple and elegant, especially the young ladies. Simple material made not to showoff wealth but elegance. In the bare minimum of jewellery. They came forward and bowed towards the dragon, showing respect and loyalty. They took their seat at the right of the dais.

The emperor looked at the crown prince's line of vision and smiled. It was directed to the girl in the blue-green hanfu.

"Let the performances begin." the emperor announced. The young ladies of the families got up one by one and displayed their talents to catch the attention of the prince. Seeing no movements from the prime minister's daughters, the emperor asked "Aren't the prime minister's daughters performing?"

Both the sisters stood up to answer the emperor.

"My perfomance is my gift to the prince." Limei answered. All of a sudden her sister looked at her shocked. This didn't escape somebody's eyes who thought her widened eyes looked beautiful.

"Would you step forward and care to display it?"

The girl bowed her head and walked to the front of the platform.

"Servants, get the girl what she needs."

She whispered to the servants and they left to fetch whatever was requested, meanwhile her personal servant gave her a package which she placed on a table placed for her needs. Soon costly and rare painting material were brought and placed in front of the girl.

Soon in graceful and silent movements the girl dipped her brush to her her colours and brought it to the surface of the painting bringing out many shades for the snow and plum blossoms.

Lihua raised her eyes to the platform to notice the crown prince's fixated gaze toward her sister and smiled mischievously. Across her seat sat another important figure who noticed his brother's gaze as well which amused him. He noticed the movement in front of him as Lihua looked at his brother and the way she smiled. Her gaze was turning back to her sister when their eyes met.

Since the moment she entered, she felt somebody's gaze on her but wasn't able to pinpoint the culprit. Now when their eyes met, both parties felt it hard to tear their gaze away.

Meanwhile in the centre of the hall, the girl who had grabbed the attention of everybody in the hall except the two, dropped her paintbrush and wiped her hand on a towel brought to her and smiled at her work. Her eyes lifted to the dais and met the crown prince's which looked at her with pride and warmth. She tore it away and met the emperor's which gave her a fatherly look and bowed. A servant was given the masterpiece to carry it to the dais. She didn't dare take a look at it before the emperor and held it out to him. The stunned emperor was rooted to the spot, his eyes glued to the piece when his son let his curiosity get the better of him and peeked in. The emperor glanced at his friend's daughter bewildered, wondering if the beauty in front of him was the offspring of his talentless friend. The empress whispered to the emperor who nodded to his wife who then whispered to her servant who soon brought a tray covered with a green cloth. The Emperor stood up to appreciate the young woman and ordered for it to be hung where everybody could see the masterpiece. The crown prince looked at his father and frowned, when he was returned with a teasing smile.

The crown prince stood to acknowledge the young painter and thanked her personally to which she replied in utter modesty with no prided glint in her eyes which surprised the onlookers.

The empress took the tray from her servants hands and brought it to the girl.

"I, The Empress of the West hand over this rarity of a brush whose colour symbolises the lush freshness and brightness of nature to you, for displaying your exceptional talent."

The cloth was taken of, one could see the green jade paint brush, sculpted to a rose with perfection speaking of her name.*

"Limei is honored to accept from the Empress." She smiled, giving a light glow to her face.

The beauty accepted the gift and went back to her seat. Meanwhile her sister and her servant went to the stage and had set up their positions. Then a sweet melody flowed through the hall. The sound of the guzheng and flute held the hall in rapt attention.

The eyes that had to break away earlier met again. She felt the need to break it again and fixed her eyes on the guzheng as she kept the onlooker's hearts in the strings she plucked. The enraptured guests could see the two beauties on the stage. One sat at the guzheng and the other stood both had their eyes closed. The sight was heavenly. Her family looked on proudly.

Limei looked proud. She had been sad that her jiejie had been acting spoilt from the time she turned ten. She had been surprised at the sudden change and was sad. But a week before, her jiejie as sudden as she had changed to rotten she had change to a more easy going personality. She talked more and was with her more. She didn't have her nose in the air like before. She was happy at the change and didn't waste time feeling suspicious. Her sister was turning good and that was all to it and nothing could change her happy mood.

Her father too was happy his daughter was back to the guzheng. The one he had gifted a few years back on her birthday. She smiled more and talked more these past few days.

The beauty ended her little melody on a shivery note. The hall was silenced. The opened eyes of Lihua was met with a standing ovation and praises.

The Emperor felt the need to reward her something too. Her majesty's mind was turning again. She whispered again to the emperor and the emperor nodded. The servant brought a box covered with purple silk and presented it to her.

Inside were ten Guzheng picks arranged beautifully with her character engraved on it.

She bowed gracefully and took the box.

Some faces where twisted in jealousy. Jealous parents and other girls their age looked on as the two girls scooped up the hearts of the royal family.

Others were amazed and some where proud to know them.

Both girls earned the praises of many nobles.

Their parents were praised to have brought up both of them this well.

The banquet was still beginning and other palace entertainments were going on as her family split up with their peers.

Lihua slipped from the celebrations and went to the garden to get some fresh air. (Fresh air?!?!?)

She was standing under a plum blossom when a butterfly rested in one of the lower branches of the pink tree. She thought it was pretty, a purple wing on a pink petal. She was still admiring when she felt movements behind her.

"Who is there?" She said mustering up her courage.

Suddenly a hand covered her mouth and a sword was at her neck.