13

The next morning, Type wore the costumary attire of an Imperial Consort, he even had a small crown as well.

Yuli is so fascinated that she was unable to speak for a while. Her eyes are fixated and unable to part in Type's whole being.

Type laugh at her, "Why? Do I look so good for you to be mute?"

"Your Grace is indeed very beautiful." Yuli truthfully said.

"You look good too," Type praised her as well.

Yuli indeed look good, her new outifut as the main servant of the Imperial Consort suits her well.

"I wonder if Lin Qing will swoon if he see you wearing that?" Type teased hee again.

"Stop teasing this servant, Your Grace!" Yuli covered her reddening cheeks.

Type covered his mouth with his fan to hide his stretching smile but he failed, he giggled and look away.

"Let's go, the Empress will be mad again if we'll be late." Yuli motioned the way so Type can walk first.

Eunuch Yong followed behind them, his usual stoic face remain.

They reach the main hall of the Imperial Harem, Type immediately saw Concubine Xie, Concubine Xia and Concubine De on the other side, they are noticeable because they wore different clothes from the usual low rank Concubine.

"Eunuch Yong, Does the family of Xia, Xie and De has a good stand in the Imperial Court?" Type asked so he know who will be close with or who are his enemies.

Eunuch Yong lean closer to Type to whisper, "Minister Xia is the Head of all the Imperial Physicians, Minister De is incharge of the Internal Revenue while Minister Xie is in Foreign Affairs, your father, Minister Lin us often on a meeting with him."

Type nodded, so Minister Xie is a potential ally while the rest is enemies.

"Concubine Chun, your cousin in your mother side is here as well, that's her, the one wearing a yellow robe on the secluded part of the hall." Eunuch Yong pointed a certain person using his mouth.

Type look at the direction, so that's the cousin. "Eunuch Yong, arrange a meeting for me and for my family, if possible, I want it in a restaurant outside the Palace. I want to stroll Forbidden City."

Yuli shook her head, "Your highness must not do anything impulsive, we both know that the women of the Emperor are not allowed to go out without proper reason."

Type chuckled, Tharn won't mind it.
"Fine, we will go out with a disguise, they won't know."

"The Empress has arrive!" a eunuch guarding the door shouted.

Everyone stood up and bow down.
"Greetings to Her Highness The Empress, May you live thousands and hundreds years."

Empress Ann felt please seeing everyone bowing at her but her smile falter when she saw Type wearing a glamorous purple brocade robe.

"Rise." She commanded. "Be seated. Sisters, three days from now will be the official opening of Winter Celebration, This Empress will handle the celebration, all you have to do is to prepare your presentation, I would like to request, Imperial Consort Lin to play a zither or any field you are best in." She glance at Type for a bit, Type nodded at her in recognition.

"Then after that, we will be going on a Three days Winter Hunt in the mountains."

The women of the Emperor buzz like bees in excitement. They started whispering on each other.

"Do you have questions?" Empress Ann asked.

Type raise his hand, "Any talent will do Your Highness? This Consort isn't sure if This Consort can be able to play the zither."

"How could it be? A Consort from Siam personally sent by  Empress Han doesn't have any talent?" Concubine Xia murmured but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Shut your mouth!" Concubine Xie scolded her earning a glare from Concubine Xia.

"Then what is your talent Imperial Consort Lin?" Empress Ann probe.

"I can sing, play the Flute or I can kill." Type heightened his voice when he said the word KILL making the other Concubines, squirm.

Empress Ann awkwardly laugh. "Then use that killing talent on the day of the hunt, anyway you still have three days to practice the zither, I will expect you to do that on the night of the Banquet."

Type bow a bit, "Then this Imperial Consort will work hard."

***

BEI MANOR

"Father, I brought the woman." General Bei said as he hold the woman in her arm.

"My Lord," The woman bow a bit.

"Are you the most skilled killer of the Jianghu*?"

The woman nodded, "This humble servant is indeed the one."

"Good, good... I will pay you and grant your request once you do your mission accomplish." Prime Minister Bei said.

"What do My Lord want on this servant?"

"There's a Winter Banquet in the Forbidden Palace three days from now. I want you to formulate a plan and kill someone that time then put the blame to the Lin family who just came here in Yuan."

The woman nodded, "Who is this person?"

Prime Minister Bei smiled, "The Emperor."

***

An : sorry for the long wait! I was busy editing my completed stories! 😜😘❤️

FOOTNOTE :

Jianghu (江湖; jiānghú; gong1wu4; 'rivers and lakes') is a term that generally refers to the milieu, environment, or sub-community in which many Chinese wuxia stories are set. The term is used flexibly, and can be used to describe a fictionalized version of Historical China (usually using loose influences from across the ~1000 BCE–280 AD period); a setting of feuding martial arts clans and the people of that community; a secret and possibly criminal underworld; a general sense of the "mythic world" where fantastical stories happen; or some combination thereof.

(Source : Wikipedia)