How I found out transmigration was a thing.

Chapter 52 - D-Day Part 3 - Afternoon

It's a long chapter...go make a cup of coffee.

"I didn't see this coming. Did you? The wedding is canceled." I don't know why I was stating the obvious. It only annoyed Lady Chun more.

"It hasn't been canceled, it's been postponed." Came the quick reply from Lady Chun from the other side of the room.

"Indefinitely." I said which set her off again. She was not happy when the message arrived from the palace. If it wasn't an unladylike thing to do she would have shaken her fits at Mother Nature for spoiling Min's special day. What annoyed her more was the wording used by the Palace. Lady Chun didn't like the sound of indefinitely. For someone who loved pomp and ceremony, this was a big deal for her. She didn't want to admit it, after the initial shock, she'd grown to accept the idea and enjoyed all frantic preparations and drama.

I was changing into some servant clothes I borrowed from Yung-So. They were rough against my skin, and the boots smelt musty but they were practical. Today was not a day for long robes and looking ethereal. I let down my hair, plaited it, and stepped out from behind the screen. I joined Lady Chun at the window, as she stared at the ruined garden. It was a pitiful sight.

"We'll have it looking beautiful again." I patted her on the shoulder and we went outside to meet Yung-So, Do-Yoon, and Adam.

For a change, the guards weren't carrying their swords. Instead, Do-Yoon had a large scroll tucked under his arm, a plan for the Night Sky Pavilion. Yung-So had a list of every resident. Adam dressed in the same plain grey jacket and pants as me, was ready for any odd job.

We agreed we needed ONE to check on the Court Ladies and servants and ensure they were safe and uninjured. TWO, assess the damage to the pavilion buildings. Lady Chun told us that when she ran from the kitchen, she saw the toilet block in the servant's area had collapsed. All that was left was a pile of timber and stone. There was no sign of the chicken and pig pen or the animals.

Before we set off Adam passed me one of my lined books, a quill, and hung a small bottle containing ink around my neck. My job was to record what needed to be repaired. Our first stop was the Court Lady's residence. Do-Yoon and Yung-So lead the way with the rest of us following. Getting from one building to another was a slippery exercise. The gravel paths had turned slick, with wet leaves and a slimy layer of mud. We took short steps to stop ourselves from sliding. Adam and I held on to Lady Chun whose shoes and skirts were quickly soaked and covered in slim. I was glad I put on the boots.

The storm had pounded the Imperial Palace for close to two hours. It stopped as abruptly as it started. The grey clouds dissipated and the sun blazed overhead as if the storm never happened. Unfortunately, it left its mark everywhere. We made our way slowly over the debris left in its wake, everything from shredded paper lanterns to clothes that had been hanging out to dry.

I was grateful to be kept busy and not have time to dwell on the consequences of the canceled wedding. I worried that The Emperor would use it against the Crown Prince and me again. I tried to put it out of my mind and concentrate on the immediate problems.

We arrived at the Court Lady's residence and were greeted by Lady Jiah and a few of my godmothers. They all looked flustered, flapping about as if it was the Apocalypse. Lady Jiah gave us an animated account of events, the most important detail being that Lady Han had a bad fall. The shutters in her bed chamber had been ripped off their hinges. When the rain started pouring in she'd tried to save her belongings but slipped.

Lady Jiah's face became gloomy, she feared her ankle was broken. Adam immediately went off to send for a physician.

We went from room to room checking for damage and what needed repairing. I took notes. Luckily, only two rooms were seriously damaged. The shutters needed replacing, and the rooms emptied and dried out. Otherwise, the building was sound. The garden around it unfortunately was a shambles. It was low on our list of priorities.