A few days later, Guāng (Light) hall – Royal court,
"Haiih!" A heavy sigh was let out. The forehead of 67 years old man crumpled more than its current age.
A short silent fill-in while he reviewed the letter.
"What do you think, Prime Minister Ning?" Getting up from his seat, he burned the letter.
"Reply to Your Majesty, subject think it's better to send our people to investigate this."
"Mmm, whom I should…how about the-"
"Announcing, Prince Jing Ye of Yiping country has arrived." An announcement from the servant outside the court palace startled both the emperor and Prime minister.
Using their eyes as a gesture, they ended their conversation abruptly and attend to Yiping's second prince.
*****
Mu Residents,
"Hum…humm…hum…humm." A cheerful humming lightens the room.
"Miss, which one you would like to wear?" Asked Sanan, a personal maid of Mu Ra Huo—the second miss of the Mu Merchant family. She showed two pairs of jade bracelets excitedly; one is the white jade full of pink-cherry flower patterns, and the other one is the white-plain shining jade.
"…what about that lowly girl? What colour did she wear? Aren't it white?" Mu Ra Huo looked down at her with mad eyes, "How dare you, a lowly maid wants to compare me to her!"
Clunk. A shining white jade crumbles on the floor.
Sanan shrugged her body and kneeled right away, "Miss, please forgive this lowly servant, Miss! This maid just thought those jades suit your purple clothes…" Sanan begged for forgiveness with a trembling voice, "Servant forgot about what elder miss always wear, this servant swear on her life, miss!"
"Huh! Keep kneeling until it's time to go." Mu Ra Huo turned toward the mirror.
"Ye…Yes, miss. Thank you for giving this servant a chance to reflect."
"Tianang, called some maids to clean the mess," told Mu Ra Huo to her other personal maid.
"Yes, miss."
Tianang stopped right before she gets out of the room. She turned her body back and walked toward her master, "…miss, Tianang think instead of the pink-cherry jade, why not miss put on this one on?" suggested Tianang when she saw her master put on the pink-cherry jade around her hand wrist.
"Three colours tone pink jade?" Mu Ra Huo smiled, "Hmph! It seems you have a good eye." Her fingers played with the brilliant pink jade bracelet.
'This pink colour suits my skin colour and dress, what a perfect match and a good servant I have,' Shortly, he rolled her eyes toward Sanan with a sickening face before she continued finishing her touch-up done by her mother's loyal servants.
*****
At the same time,
Someone's face was sourer than ever. "Haih…" A loud sigh was let out unconsciously – it had been multiples time.
"Bai—"
"Haihhh…"
Pak. "Ouch, miss?!" Her head was hit by a fan.
"You can't stop sighing, can't you?" Mu Xinyi squinted her eyes.
"Hmm…" Bai was pouting her mouth.
"It's not like you're the one who wearing this so-"
"But miss! This is the first time you are going to a royal banquet!" she protested with pouting lips, daring enough to cut her master talks.
"Bai, that's enough," Ruyang glanced at Bai, then took a deep breath after a big gulp, "…but it's true, miss. A lady who is their first time going to a royal banquet should have a nice appearance. Wear nice clothes, put on some makeup and… have nice accessories with them."
"Yes! That's exactly what I'm trying to say, miss! You should wear some accessories with you even with your ugly face!" said Bai while combining her master hair, Mu Xinyi without any filter – she was stupidly a forward person.
Ruyang shook her head while blinking, giving her partner, Bai, a hint to take care of her loose mouth. However, Bai was too absorbed in dressing up her master hair – she missed it.
Luckily, their master, Mu Xinyi cares less about that, 'It's the usual…' she had it enough – she was exhausted to correct Bai's, so she just disregards her behaviour intentionally.
'Looking at it back…it's a hassle, but that's true. One should have a nice appearance. Besides, this is my first time...' A sudden thought made Mu Xinyi waver her original decision—to wear as simple as she can.
"Hmm…since I've reached 16 years old, I'll listen to you guys this time, but don't overdo it." She gave up fighting words with her two servants.
Mu Xinyi had a hard time agreeing but she was already aware, that the real reason they pushed her so much was because of 'that'—the official time a lady goes to the royal banquet for the first time; it will represent their status and appearance, which also will reflect their family prestige.
'Plus, 16 years old counted as an adult, ones should behave well,' she nodded lightly.
Ketak. A small brown box was opened. "Miss, I know you'll never want to change your clothes or put a nice makeup, or a shining jewellery so, how about a simple accessory? Just one is fine miss, this hairpin."
Did not even manage to look at it properly, the hairpin already fit nicely on her head.
"You're fast as usual, huh? Ruyang?" she touched the hairpin with her soft hand.
"Tehee." Ruyang acted cute hearing her master tease.
'Well, this one should not be a problem…' Mu Xinyi agreed without giving much thought.
"…but what is this hairpin? It is not too big nor too small and the pattern craved also weird. Hmm? This… flower? or cloud? Well, either way, it doesn't matter," She had never seen the hairpin but she agreed without asking them further – With only knowing the texture of the hairpin by touching it, she placed her trust in her two servants who had been with her for a long time.
"Miss, let's do the final touch now. Please close your eyes," Said Bai, ignoring her master's mumbling as she actually wants to avoid it. She swiftly moved her hand – did special makeup for her 'ugly' master to cover her real face.
In the calmness, Mu Xinyi did not realize that two of her servants that she trusted the most had wicked smiles on their faces.
…and the hairpin will bring her trouble later.