Mei-ling couldn't believe it!
In her haste to figure out a way not to die, she had forgotten about Prince Tai-hua.
Prince Tai-hua according to novel was the ML's half brother.
The ML, Prince Jia Hao and his elder twin brother, Prince Xiang were born about four years before his step brother by the then empress who was his mother.
But the Empress had fallen sick and died. Only few people in the book knew that she had not died a natural death, but of poisoning.
And then miss Chu-hua who was the one of king's concubines, after the death of the empress, had borne him a son, Tai-hua.
Prince Xiang was supposed to be the Emperor, but then he had died in the last war against the Guiyu*
The Guiyu were souls who entered other people's bodies and fed off of other souls to live. If they didn't feed off of souls, then they would become zombies.
They had been rampant and a threat to the city.
So since Prince Xiang had died in the war and it was Prince Jia Hao who was now supposed to be the emperor.
But he frequently went away to hunt those who killed his brother, not caring for the throne and the now empress schemed to have Tai-hua as the emperor.
The old emperor was frequently ill and bedridden so while Jia Hao led an army, Prince Tai-hua was the acting emperor.
That was why Qianzhi had loved the book!
It wasn't just a boring ancient China romance, but it had deception, wars and zombies.
"Mistress." Li-na said snapping her at our of her thoughts. "We don't have clothes to wear fro you except for the ones in the room."
It was true. In the attack all her clothes and jewelry were gone.
And because Mei-ling was a commoner she didn't have money like the other concubines.
How were they going to do?
Li-na brought out a simple gray dress.
"This is an outfit that I found in the wardrobes here." Li-na told her. "The clothes here are not of your taste."
Mei-ling examined it. It was far too simple for her to dress and greet the imperial family.
But what choice did she have?
They had to understand that she had just been attacked and almost killed!
She sighed. "We don't have any choice."
And then she had her bath and Li-na helped her put on the dress.
When Mei-ling saw herself in the reflection, she was amazed at her beauty.
Even in such simple clothes, Mei-ling was still beautiful!
Then Li-na led her out of the room and together they walked to the imperial court.
Mei-ling was terrified.
She was going to meet the Empress, Prince Tai-hua and the Queen mother.
The Queen mother was the King's sister who still held a rank in the royal family.
Although she was not as powerful as the empress, but she was well respected.
Badum! Badum!
Her heart went.
Some women laughed at her and whispered about her clothes as they passed by but Mei-ling went with her head held up high.
Li-na frowned at them angry that they were making fun of her mistress.
Mei-ling suspected that they were the servants of the first ranking concubines.
The doors of the court room were open and seated right above the steps of the throne was The empress, Prince Tai-hua and the queen mother all looking at her.
Mei-ling was not used to being the object of attention in her previous life.