Thunder started to roar from the distant sky and lighting also flashed across the clouds, startling all the ten beauties who were waiting at the banquet. They looked at one another sharing the same amount of sympathy. Somehow, the gloomy weather made their soft bodies slightly trembled.
"When will the lord of this mansion come and see us?" one lady finally took the courage to ask. Her long lashes fluttered seductively despite very little effort.
This lady was dressed in a purple dress using the finest garment on the mainland. Her soft and silky skin accentuated perfectly her clothing.
"Shhh, do not speak unless the lord will give his permission! This is the most important reminder that my family told me before they sent me off. Otherwise, you might offend the lord and he will return you to your family!" the other lady reprimanded her. Her luscious lips curved into a smile. This second lady is wearing a red piece of clothing giving off a sense of superiority over the rest.
With this reminder, all of them took a deep breath. They stared at the food placed on the table. The conversation came to an awkward silence...
It was part of the custom that once a lady will be sent as a gift, the master of the mansion would give them a new identity. Thus, they must obey the rules of the mansion otherwise, the master would be stripped of their identity and they would be sent back to their families.
If such a thing would happen, they would become a disgrace.
These ladies do not have a name yet and they were all waiting for the lord to give them one. A new identity as a member of his harem.
Meanwhile, the man that they were all anticipating to see was still walking down the corridor of his mansion with the head servant guiding him. All guards on duty politely bowed to him but the man did not spare a glance.
"Nanny Zhang, don't believe in the rumors. That witch Hui Yin Shi is just a fraud. There's nothing terrifying about her," lord Qing Shan Rou spoke with a raw contempt on his tone. He was unwilling to drop the issue about the woman. The idea of her being powerful like him disgusted him to the very core.
Upon sensing the disdain coming from him, the head servant could not help but flinch.
"My lord, there is no need to waste your energy about this matter. Anyway, that Hui Yin Shi is living on that far island. And it is said that she had never set foot here on the mainland."
"That's right!"
The two continued to walk until they turned on the corner where the banquet hall was arranged.
When the man finally made his entrance, all the ladies stood from their seats and bowed.
"Greetings, lord Qing Shan Rou!"
No one dared to look at the man in the eye.
"Sit!" the man commanded. His friendly tone when he spoke with the head servant was all gone. It was replaced with a much authoritative and cold one.
The man just spoke a word but it was more than enough for all the ten beauties to shiver. His voice was more scary than the thunderstorm outside!
"My mansion has rules that you need to familiarize. Nanny Zhang is the head and takes care of all the matters concerning your welfare. Be sure the pay respect with her the same as your respect to me," the man spoke casually.
"Every one of you has the opportunity to serve me once you gain your new identities. Now, for your names, Nanny Zhang will handle them too. For now, eat and rest!"
After the man finished his speech, he slowly scanned the ten beauties in front of him. His head slightly nodding in approval. 'That witch should know how to act like this. Hmmp!' For some reason unknown to him, his thoughts suddenly traveled back to Hui Yin Shi.
While he was still in a deep trance, a guard entered the banquet. He bowed politely to the man sitting at the center and to nanny Zhang. "My lord, the lord Yan of the east mainland is here to see you. Please give your orders."
"Oh? Yan had finished his closed-door cultivation? I will see him!" the man mumbled as the thunders blasted again. He then stood from his seat and left the banquet without saying a word to the ladies.
Nanny Zhang looked at the retreating figure of the two men until they completely vanished in his sight. She then took a manual registration in her pocket and wrote the new identities of the ladies.
The ten ladies watched looking confused. Did the master dismiss them already? Everyone wanted to ask nanny Zhang this question but they felt conflicted.
"Madam, may I speak?" the lady wearing the red garments finally raised her hand and asked for permission of the head servant to speak. She smiled sweetly while her index finger was twirling the curls of her hair.
"What is it?" Nanny Zhang looked at the lady in the eye.
"Madam, let us serve the master tonight!"
The head servant furrowed her brows and looked at the young lady from head to foot. She could only see the eagerness on her expression. One that did not come as a surprise to her for most of the noble family had really taught their daughters to snatch the heart of lord Qing Shan Rou.
"You want to serve the lord? I cannot allow that!" Nanny Zhang instantly rejected her offer.
"But why?!"
"This is not possible because you have no proper education yet. Some of your seniors in the harem will teach you first before you can serve the master. You do not know what the lord expect you to do. Do you dare to serve him with a lack of understanding of his personality?" Nanny Zhang queried before she returned her attention back to the manual of registration.
"You have to wait for your schedule. The master said that you will have the opportunity to serve him. Just wait for your turn," Nanny Zhang added.