"Why do I have to find an Empress if I can do handle it by myself?"
For the nineteen girls, they have to take any opportunities to escape the life laid out for them. To be swept up in a world of glittering hanfus and priceless ornaments. To live in...
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Ryujin's POV
Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City Spring Festival Eve
Tʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ colder and colder as time pass by, but the festivity of the banquet didn't diminish a single spirit, it was still as lively as before. The majority of the guests were busy eating the dishes while the minority were busy watching the performances on the stage. I was busy eating the egg tart, of course, not forgetting to use the chopsticks to pick up the egg tarts.
As I was busy savoring the egg tart, I took my veil off a few seconds just to eat the tarts; grabbing another one, I mulled this over as I bit into the egg tart. It was so delicious and the dough was so flaky, every millimeter of my mouth was engaged, taking over the rest of my sense entirely. I didn't mean to make the little moan, but it was by far the best egg tart I had ever tasted. I took another bite before I even swallowed the first.
"Lady Lee?" a voice called.
The other heads in the venue turned to the voice, which belonged to Emperor Yeonjun. I was shocked that he'd address me, or any of us, so casually and in front of the others.
What was worse than being called out so unexpectedly was that my mouth was full of food. I covered my mouth with my hand and chewed as quickly as I could manage. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but with so many eyes on me, it felt like an eternity. I noted Yeji's smug face as she watched me. I must have looked like an easy kill in her eyes.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" I replied as soon as I had most of it swallowed.
"How are you enjoying the food?" Yeonjun seemed on the verge of laughter, either from my bewildered expression or because he'd brought up, a detail from our last and highly unauthorized conversation.
I tried to stay calm. "It's excellent, Your Majesty. This egg tart . . . well, I have a head maid who loves sweets more than I do. I think she'd cry if she tasted this. It's perfect."
Yeonjun swallowed a bite of his own breakfast and leaned back on his throne. "Do you think she would cry?" He seemed exceedingly amused at the idea. He did have strange feelings toward women.
I thought about it. "Yes, actually, I do. She doesn't have much of a filter when it comes to her emotions."
"Would you wager taels on it?" he asked quickly. I noticed the heads of every ministers, noble, concubine, also the Dowager and Soobin turning back and forth between us like they were watching a play.
"If I had any to bet, I certainly would." I smiled at the idea of betting over someone else's tears of joy.
"What would you be willing to barter instead? You seem to be very good at striking deals." He was enjoying this little game. Fine. I'd play.
