The Banquet

"Miss, are you awake yet?" Hua woke me up and brought me breakfast.

"The party is tonight, we need to get ready now." The tailor from yesterday as well as the hairdresser came in.

"But it's still so early." I whined, it was only 5 am in the morning and they're already so energetic. How are they able to do that?

"The banquet will go on for the whole day, we need to get there by 3 hours. Quickly! we're running out of time." Hua rushed the other servants and quickly brought me to the bath.

"Where are the roses? Quickly the roses! and the scented oil? Bring it here!" Hua hastily brought the roses and spread it over the bath. The other servants took the oil and massaged my body with it.

"What scent is this? It smells so good." I asked the servants massaging me.

"It's a secret massaging oil made by madam herself. She never told anyone about it, so no one really know." One of the servant replied.

'Madam made it?'

"Can you give the the oil please?" The servant handed out the bottle of oil to me. I sniffed the oil and smelled something very familiar.

"Madam is really smart." I then said. The servants looked at each other in wonder and confusion but then the hasty Hua wouldn't even give them the time to think.

"What are y'all looking at? Do your jobs properly!" Hua got in to the bath.

"Missx the clothes are all ready now, let's wear them now." Hua excitedly said, her favorite thing when serving a noble is when she get to dress them, especially with the beautiful and expensive clothes

"Alright, let's go then" I wore the towel and got out of the bath.

White dress and Blue overlapping each other with silver color embroidered on it. Jia Rui adorned my hair with silver pins and blue flowers and a white porcelain bracelet on her hand.

"Wow miss... you look like a fairy..." Hua complimented me with her admiring eyes. I felt very embarrassed but thankfully Gu mama arrived in time.

"Miss, let's us go now."

Hua assisted the tailor and the hairdresser to their carriage that will bring them back to their own homes while the Gu mama assisted me to the carriage.

"Xue"

The general, unlike his usual entirely black clothing wore a blue and white clothing which made him looked like a scholar. I decided to teade him a little bit.

"Hmmm, let's see. Where's did the general go?" I held my hand on the chin.

Tang Xuan chuckled and brought out a silver ring with purple diamond on it.

"For you." He held my hand and put it on my middle finger, the ring felt warm, probably because he has been holding it.

"This is?" I held the ring on the hand.

"I asked the jeweller to made it as soon ad we got back so it might not be so beautiful. I'll make a new one for you later on." He said scratching the back of his head.

"No, no need, this one is enough. It's so beautiful." I rejected his offers and held the ring tighter.

"Alright then, let's go. Mom has been waiting." He said.

With Gu mama leading us, we made our way to the carriage and went to the palace where the hell will soon break out.

----

"Tang Wangfei and General Tang has arrived." The eunuch stood beside us and declared to the crowd of ladies and men inside.

Upon hearing the word 'Tang Wangfei' the festive crowd went quiet. The eerie vibe coming out of the room was too much for me to handle.

"Tang Wang Fei and Tang Xuan greets the Great Emperor and Empress of Qin."

The Emperor looked at us and decided to stop his gaze on me. His piercing gaze can be felt even though I'm still bowing my head.

"The strategist who helped the Great General to win the war, Tang Xue isn't it?" The Emperor called me out.

I felt my heart jumped at his call. His deep voice stabbing my poor heart hundred times.

"You flattered me, your highness. It was all thanks to your guidance that we're able to win this war." Watch your words, watch your words... One wrong move and off our heads.

The Emperor laughed out loud while the crowd watched me like an animal in the zoo.

"You're a great talker, aren't you?" Just stop talking to me already! I screamed in my head.

I gently smiled at his words and retreated carefully.

"Thanks to your services to the Qin Kingdom, we once again win against the Chu. I name you Tang Wang, the protector of the Kingdom, Tang Xuan."

The crowd started to whisper softly. The Empress whipped his head to the standing Emperor and gritted her teeth.

"Congratulations to Tang Wang, the protector of the Kingdom." The crowd congratulated Tang Xuan agter the Emperor stopped talking. They spoke in sync as if they have practiced it for their entire lifes.

"And Tang Xue, the strategist who helped our Tang Wang to win this war. I give you the title of first lady of the Kingdom." The emperor declared again.

The Empress who was gritting her teeth now was crushing her table as well. I think I'm in a big trouble.

"Congratulations to First Lady of the Kingdom." The crowd bowed once again, this time to Me.

I quietly glanced at Tang Xuan only to find him looking at me as well.

"We thank the Great Emperor. May you be blass with thousand lives."

The Emperor excused us and we went to the table arranged for us.

Walking down the stairs, I felt the crowd eyes on us, especially me. They're probably thinking 'Who is this girl' and if they've heard the rumors they're probably thinking 'This girl must be that girl from the war.'

"Congratulations to Tang Wang. You were a little boy when I saw you 2 years ago, it seems like you've grown up now." A minister came to us and greeted Tang Xuan before smiling cheerfully as if he was happy for Xuan.

But I know more than anyone else. That is the eyes of jealousy.

"Minister He has flattered me. I'm not worthy of your praises." And it seemed like Tang Xuan noticed as well.

The minister laughed and walked away, probay knowing that the 'young boy' really wasn't a 'young boy' anymore.

"Xuan, I missed you so much." A slender girl with pink dress and well adorned hair came to us.

"Who are you?" Tang Xuan respectfully shooed her hand that held his.

"How can you forgot me? I'm your fiancee." She sadly said, acting like a white lotus who weren't exactly strong enough to kill a mosquito but was actually well versed in scamming.

The crowd turned their heads to us, as if they hadn't. The girl in pink dress and her minions by her side quickly acted as they've been wronged.

"It's disrespectful to not introduce yourself, beautiful ladies." I said, not wanting to hear their words filled with meanings.

"It's my fault not to introduce myself. I'm He Fei Ling, daughter of the prime minister. Nice to meet you, Tang Xue" She smiled brightly. God is so unfair, why's she so beautiful.

"Nice to meet you as well, He Fei Ling. We just met, you should call me by my title, lady." Just like her, I didn't bother to bow either, she was the daughter of the prime minister, but as to my knowledge, the Emperor just gave me a rather high title himself in front of everyone.

She gritted her teeth for one second and quickly gave the brightest smile.

"I will excuse myself then, my father called for me." She bowed to Tang Xuan and to me rather forcefully and went off.

Watching her retreat, her minion quickly bowed to us and excused themselves as well.

"I see you could handle yourself quite well." Madam Chen said.

"The battle of words is one of my specialties as well, madam. But I'm sure that she's just the icing of the cake." I whispered the last sentence.

The highest ranked lady in the room was still watching every move of mine. Although I'm not sure what I did to her.