LUO FAN
"Priest Luo."
I turned my head and saw a male servant enter the laboratory. "What is it?"
He lowered his head. "General Xu from the imperial palace seeks your audience."
Before I could respond, an imposing figure wearing a crown and a long cape stepped in. He gestured for the servant to leave first before he spoke to me. "Priest Wen, I am General Xu. I've come to deliver a decree from His Majesty."
I was briefly dumbfounded.
From the emperor himself?
Immediately, I went down on my knees. Even Xu Dong who had been standing at the corner rushed to kneel beside me.
The general approached and unrolled a scroll in his hand. He started reading the greetings and it was indeed addressed to me personally, and then it immediately mentioned the upcoming birthday of a certain Princess Xinnu.
"…The recipient of this decree is hereby ordered to attend the celebration without delay," General Xu concluded.
I rose to my feet and cupped my hands before the official. "I shall make preparations and leave immediately."
"No need," the general replied. "You are to leave right away. The carriage is waiting for you."
I fumbled at my clothes. "I don't think it's proper for me to attend Her Highness' birthday with these clothes."
"That will be taken care of," he said and turned around. "Please follow me."
I turned to look at Xu Dong.
"I'll inform his lordship when he arrives," my assistant assured me.
Without a word, I followed the general to the front yard of the mansion. Some of the servants were also there, mumbling incohesive words to each other. They seemed confused and worried. When I saw what was waiting for me in the front yard, I immediately understood their concern.
About a hundred figures were standing there, surrounding just one carriage. By just the way they stood, I could tell that they were imperial guards as if they were there to arrest a notorious criminal.
*****
I sighed while I stroked my forehead. I was alone inside the grand carriage that the emperor had sent for me, along with a hundred strong guards surrounding the carriage on foot. General Xu, was on a horse, leading what looked like a procession.
This was way too much for a commoner like me, and it was actually embarrassing. General Xu had explained to me that the emperor had known about the attempt in my life before and wanted to make sure it would not happen again.
And that was not all. Earlier, we had dropped by a house where half a dozen female servants had been waiting for me. They had fixed my hair and put on some accessories. They also had me change my clothes to a new brocade set that had already been prepared in advance. It was then that I realized that this was not a sudden invitation but had been planned ahead of time.
It confused me why the royal family had to treat me so special. What did I do to deserve this?
Finally, the carriage stopped. Immediately, General Xu pushed the curtain aside and helped me down. The brocade robe they had put on me was a little heavy. Even the headgear and the hairpin on my hair felt like they weighed a ton. They hindered me from moving freely.
It was dusk and the light was about to fade. Without my stick, I could not find my way so General Xu had to escort me towards the hall.
Since the celebrant was a princess and the emperor himself was in attendance, I had expected to find a grand banquet, but the inside of the hall was not that big and only a few people were present. The tables and chairs were not arranged either. Most of the guests were on their feet, strolling around the hall while they conversed with one another.
It was an informal occasion.
So why did they have to dress me like a peacock then?
Halfway through, a tall slender man in a grand robe approached us. The crown on his head immediately made his status obvious.
General Xu lowered my hand and stopped to greet the newcomer. "Your Majesty, Priest Luo has arrived safe as you have ordered."
"Excellent," the emperor returned. "Tell your men to surround the area and not let any uninvited guests in. You need to return Priest Luo in one piece or Lord Ruan will have your head."
I could not stop my brows from meeting at the center.
Did the emperor, the most powerful man in Xianru, just addressed Ruan Yanjun as 'lord'?
General Xu lowered his head again. "Understood, Your Majesty," he said and turned away.
Left alone with the emperor, I cupped my hands and bowed. "Your Majesty, it's a great pleasure to meet you."
The emperor clicked his tongue. "No need to be so formal. Since you are Lord Ruan's family, then you're also my family."
I was dumbfounded.
When did I become a family to Ruan Yanjun?
The moment I recovered, I bowed again and did not say anything more. I honestly did not know what to say.
"Before I introduce you to my daughter, would you like to join me at the table for a short conversation?"
"It will be my pleasure, Your Majesty."
"Come." He held up his hand in my direction, offering to support me.
Although I was hesitant, thinking I did not deserve to be supported by the emperor himself, I did not want to refuse him either. So I slowly placed my hand over his wrist and we walked side by side towards the front of the hall.