Chapter 35 (Wangyi's training day)
Wangyi looks happy and actually he is relieve, he doesn't like to lie and also his heart somehow happy that he is going to marry someone that he knows, as for heartbeat, he knows he feels it when he looks at the handsome man but he is not sure is this what his mother is telling him. so the innocent one asks
"Any fast heart beat?"
Wangyi looks at Zhan Xian and frowns, his mother told him that when he loves someone, he will have fast heartbeat and so if this handsome prince loves him, so he also should have fast heartbeat and so he straightforwardly asks him.
Zhan Xian doesn't know the meaning of his question and thus he is in his own world
"Yes! I was scare that you will hate me" Zhan Xian told Wangyi
Wangyi stares at him
"You mean scare also will have fast heartbeat" Wangyi asks innocently
This surprises the prince as he couldn't know what Wangyi wants to understand
"Yes, scare will makes your heart races when you are not sure what is happening and then you becomes fearful" Zhan Xian told Wangyi with all the logics that he knew
Wangyi bends his head low and then think again
"T-Then how would I know?" Wangyi mumbles to himself
Zhan Xian looks at the cute Wangyi and asks
"What do you want to know?" Zhan Xian asks him smilingly
Just then, Jingyi is shouting for Wangyi
"Wangyi, where are you?" several shouts were echoed by Jingyi and each times, it gets more desperate.
Wangyi then looks at Zhan Xian and nods his head
"I need to go back, Jingyi is desperately looking for me" Wangyi seems reluctant to leave
Zhan Xian is just rooted on the ground but he slip his cape down and put it onto Wangyi
"Wear this, the bees will comes looking for you" Zhan Xian told Wangyi
"Huh! I don't want them to bite me" Wangyi holds the cape tightly.
Zhan Xian sighs and looks at his beautiful and yet innocent Wangyi and he gives a very serious note
"Wangyi, please come to me when you are unsure the happenings in the palace, can you do that" Zhan Xian heart is really for his cute Wangyi, he is worry about him
Wangyi smiles and then nods his head
"Yeah, are we suppose to be seen together?" Wangyi asks Zhan Xian, although he grows up in Cheng Tribes, there are some similarities that the future bride and groom are not suppose to meet in private.
"Noooo, we meet at night with the leaf song, how about that?" Zhan Xian rather drops dead than not meeting his Wangyi.
"Alright" Wangy nods his head in agreement.
"You better go, your training starts tomorrow, have a good rest" Zhan Xian reluctantly let him go. Wangyi stares at Zhan Xian and then he walks slowly away from him, however, after a few steps, Wangyi turns around and waves at Zhan Xian and then he puts his fist in his heart and felt reluctant and then some throbbing of his heart and wonder "Very erratic", the heartbeat is weird and strange but his felt his shoulder is heavy, and again a few more steps and he turns around again and saw the Zhan Xian is still standing there with his big eyes looking at him. Wangyi waves again the second time and Zhan Xian returns his wave again. Finally Wangyi bites his lips and yells a little louder
"I am going to run" Wangyi told Zhan Xian because walking slowly seems harder for him.
"Be careful!!!!" Zhan Xian shouted back and his waves becomes bigger and with his longing eyes looking at Wangyi.
Wangyi turn swiftly turns around and he runs towards his Lianhua Palace.
"Wow"
"Wait"
"What"
"Again"
"You kidding me right"
JIngyi just couldn't believe it when Wangyi told him that Zhan Xian is the third prince. After a bulk of shock and laughing, Jingyi finally calm down
"Actually, the third prince is really handsome and he seems really nice, Wangyi" Jingyi teases Wangyi and he is also happy that the person that Wangyi is going to marry is someone that they are familiar with.
Wangyi somehow feel his face heating up when he remembered the sharp nose, double eye=lids, those thin lips, high cheekbones and even the tiny mole underneath that, and he cannot deny that Zhan Xian the third prince is really handsome and his heart already flutters thinking about him.
"Bunny!!!!" Wangyi mumbles when he is thinking of Zhan Xian
"Hey, we are talking about your handsome spouse and you talk about bunny, poor man, he cannot even be compare to Wangyi's love for bunny, ha.ha.ha" Jingyi laughs loudly to tease Wangyi.
Wangyi lower his head down and in his heart "He is the bunny, A BIG BUNNY", but Wangyi doesn't want to let Jingyi knows because this is a secret between Zhan Xian and himself and so the cute Wangyi bop his head down and hide his giggle, only he himself knows the itching and stirring feelings in his heart that they is something that only both of them know.
"Wangyi, they already sent the training schedule for tomorrow for you as the future princess (Wangy fei)" Jingyi talk to Wangyi seriously
"Oh noooo..." Wangyi holding his head like he is having a headache and stick out his tongue
"These training could be worst than home' Wangyi sighs loudly.
"No point worrying about it, let's get some good rest and face tomorrow strongly" Jingy tries to encourage Wangyi who nods and then Jingyi made the bed for Wangyi to rest.
The birds are singing high even though only a little light from the sun seep through those clouds, the palace servants are already running around with their morning busy chores. Some are busy sweeping the cleanly and quickly incase the royalties pass by this way, some are already in the kitchen, steaming and cooking non-stop breakfasts for all the royal families and some high ranking official personel working in the palace. Some are washing clothes, running around taking in any demands or desire of the royalties or higher ranking officials in the palace.
However, Lianhua Palace is relatively quiet because the kitchen is tucked far away behind and Jingyi who is now the lead servants because she comes with Wangyi has warn everyone to keep their hands and feet light so that Wangyi can sleep more peaceful, knowing how tire Wangyi is.
Wangyi wakes up through the light that is now shining a little across his bed. His face can feel the softest fabric he ever had on the fuffy pillow and also the mattress underneath him. However, when the phoenix eyes open, the mind is feeling a little shock, the place is unfamiliar at all. Those beautifully curved wall scriptures and decoration seems to shines onto Wangyi.
Wangyi rolls back to the bed and closes his eyes to give his mind some space to think, they he slowly recalls that he is not in the Lan Mansion but in the palace now.
Suddenly, Wangyi spring up on the bed as he remembered today's training and then he sink back and covet again
"Ahhhhh.....life is hard" mumble the cute Wangyi.
Jingyi knocks at the door and after hearing Wangyi reply, he came in quickly with a basin
"Wash your face, you might be late" Jingyi already washing Wangyi face and hands and then at the same time pulls Wangyi up.
"Ahhhhh.... going to torture class..." Wangyi whines cutely and Jingyi is rushing him, putting clothes on for him and tying his hair up in a pony and then pick on the matching ribbons and also a pin for Wangyi.
Then Jingyi hurriedly gave some nice smelling porridge to Wangyi to eat
Wangyi finishes his breakfast and then he stand in front of the mirror and shakes his dangling hair pin
"I am ready!!!!!" Speaking bravely to the person in the mirror and another deep gulp of air exchange in his lung.
Wangyi and Jingyi follows by about 4 maid servants provided by the palace are walking toward the training ground in the Palace. The Wu brothers are also following tightly behind the group of them in front.
Soon, they reached a building that is known as the "Training Building" as shown to them by one of their maid servants.
"We are here" the palace maid servant told them.
"YOU. ARE. LATE" a loud voice sternly come from inside before even Wangyi and the rest could enter the training ground.
The training ground is a building destinated to train young girls being pre-selected to come into the palace for either the emperor or even for the princes.
This palace training ground has been set up years ago and the tutors training them are mostly old because of their experiences in the palace and sadly most of them did not married and are very committed to their jobs, maybe too committed.
Jingyi didn't want Wangyi to have a bad impression on the first day and so he reply for Wangyi
"Mmmm....we are sorry but there is no time stated in the schedule" Jingyi holds up the schedule to show the lady who later address herself as Madam Wen.
Madam Wen looks like a lady in her fifties or more but because she probably had done quite a lot of tough work thus her features looks harden and she is cold and icy looking.
"How dare this maid dare to speak to me rudely?" Madam Wen scoffs at Jingyi.
Wangyi is angry now because he knew Jingy did not speak rudely and so he steps forward gently
"She apologies and how it that rude?" Wangyi asks without fear and she is looking stern.
Madam Wen is slightly taken back because usually all the lades that comes for training are either scare and fearful or trying to please her muchly and no one like Wangyi challenging her authority.
"How is saying sorry becomes rude? I wonder" Wangyi taps on her mind and starts walking in front of Madam Wen.
Madam Wen tries to braven herself, working in the palace for nearly half her life, she often bullies others and no one actually dares to challenges her even those high ranking officials because they often needs her good reports.
"Challenging my authority by being late means rude" Madam Wen refuses to back down.
Usually, those who comes for training are timid young ladies from noble families or those that comes with money and they usually bribes Madam Wen for leniency. Madam Wen definitely did not receive any money from Wangyi and thus she thinks that Wangyi could be just ordinary lady from a not so high ranking official so she just find it in her bones to make life difficult for her.
"How is that challenging when my personal maid apologies, does that mean that the palace teaches no apology and humanity" Wangyi probe further as he doesn't want to let anyone bullies him or Jingyi.
The Wu brothers are silently giggling and admiring their young master, the maid servants from the palace are having soft legs worrying for Wangyi fate. After all, they were trained by her for the palace protocol as servants in the palace.
"You...You... you have such sharp tongue and I am not dealing further into this" Madam Wen finds it hard to challenge Wangyi in words because she is after all not as intelligent as Wangyi. But the old Madam holding a smirk and she has secretly planning something.
Madam Wen flips her sleeves and speaks a little louder
"Let's start training"
"We are here for training"
Madam Wen told Wangyi and Jingyi. Wangyi step towards her slowly and with a stern stare and then he slowly release his words
"Yes, you may begins" giving her permission to starts instead of allowing Madam Wen to takes control. Thus, Madam Wen is nearly on fire. She has been working for so long and in her own mind set, she is very valuable as all maiden in the palace goes through her so called "invaluable" training and they becomes successful maids pleasing their masters or even concubines, not making any palace mistakes.
Biting her teeth, she begins
"Let starts with posture" she announces.
"Sitting postures" Madam Wne indicates the chair for Wangyi to sit down and then she begins to take some books to pile on top of Wangi's head
"Sit for an hour with those books on your head" she told Wangyi.
Wangyi stops those books by taking the books off his head and then pretends to ask cuious question
"So, who can sit the longest with 5 books on the head, I wonder" Wangyi still holding the books and pretend to wonder.
Immediately, Madam Wen jumps to show off
"Me, of course, why do you think I am the chief in charge of training" Madam showing off and proudly sneers at Wangyi
"What! Oh my gosh! I didn't know you are so clever. Forgive my blind eyes" Wangyi smiles at her sweetly. Wangyi has killer smiles and even old woman gives in especially he is now praising her.
"Now, you know eh, no one breaks my record" Madam told him and then straightens her shoulder
Wangyi suddenly claps his hands
"Wow!!!! You are so clever. You are the best in sitting position"
"I think maybe the best way to teach me is by your demonstration" Wangyi smiles and told Madam Wen.
All the servants in the training house including those assistants are looking at their Chief Madam Wen and if she doesn't demonstrate than she will lose face and really shameful.
Wangyi didn't gives her a choice, he immediately took those books and pull her to sit down and then put the books on her head
"So, what is your record, how many hours" Wangyi asks seriously
"Maybe you can break your own record and get good rewards from the palace" Wangyi talks as he place the books
"one"
"two"
"three"
"four"
"five"
Madam Wen is sitting down and the fives books already neatly placed on top of her head and she couldn't move.
Then Wangyi calls Jingyi, take a joss stick and see what is Madam Wen record" so, they are measure by the joss stick, burning one joss stick means one hour.
Madam Wen is so overwhelmed that she became speechless and even looking at Wangyi is hard. As soon as the joss stick is lighted up.
Wangyi told Jingyi
"Serve tea and snacks for everyone while waiting" the palace maids and all the assistants were all happy and laughs
Tea serves and snacks on the table and Wangyi sit opposite Madam Wen and slowly sip the tea. Madam Wen is shocked to the core, and doesn't know even what happens to herself that she landed in this position, and because she is already aged and haven't done this before, the books fell only after a few minutes.
"Thuk, thuk, thuk, thuk, tuk" Madam was shaking head to toe from being overwhelmed by her situation as being put in the centre of attention.
Wangyi saw the books dropped and he eyed Jingyi to pick it up and while the poor old woman is still finding her sense of lost, Wangyi quickly asks
"I can do it now, but I probably don't want to beat your timing because if words spread out, then you might lost your job" Wangyi pretends to feel sorry for Madam Wen and then wanting to slowly put those books on his head.
Madam Wen who is still trying to find her gear, quickly took the books from Wangyi, it will be her death if Wangyi put the books on the head longer than her. She can really lost her job and worst she lost face and no respect from all the assistants and maids. In the palace, words like this can spread like fire especially, she also knew herself that she is not much liked in the palace.
Madam Wen puts on a pretend face
"Well, looking at how straight you sit, I think we can skip this lesson" Madam Wen told Wangyi
Wangyi pretends to frown and seems unwilling
"Oh, no.... then I will have a bad report, I better do it then" Wangyi pretends to stretch his hand and wanting to take the books from Madam Wen but the old lady holds the book so tight like this is her lifeline.
"It is fine, no bad report, let's move on to the next training" Madma quickly pass those books to her assistant who are now actually laughing behind their their faces are all red.
Wangyi then smiles
"Everyone heard it, no bad report for me" Wangyi told them and all the training staffs nod their head and Madam Wen frowns.
Wangyi quickly pretends to wait at the chair anxiously with his big innocent eyes
"I am ready if you are" Wangyi asks when Madam Wen tries to stable herself by gulping a cup of tea to smooth her nerves.
"Well, the next training is to memorize all the rules and laws in the palace, all three thousands over in the three books" Madam Wen proudly shows it to Wangyi.
What Madam Wen doesn't know is that Wangyi already read and because he had a photograhic memories, he already memorized all of them. Wangyi hardly forget anything that he reads and so this is easy for him.
"Wow!!!!! Madam Wen has to memorise so many rules, what a clever woman" Wangyi told Madam Wen.
Suddenly, the tea cups on Madam Wen hands dropped.
"Blang"
the tea split out, now Madam Wen is nervous, she doesn't want to be tested by Wangyi, now she begins to realized that Wangyi is not easy to deal with and so she strictly told him
"I will test you after you memorise, that is the only way" Madam Wen firmly told Wangyi.
Wangyi straightens his long hanful and then asks cutely
"After memorizing the rules and protocol, any other training?" Wangyi asks with seriousness
Madam Wen shrinks a little, usually those maiden that comes from high official doesn't need to train much on ettiquette because they are from noble family and these are taught, but they need to train on laws and protocols so that they don't break any laws in the palace.
"No, b-but usually, it take months to memorise all the laws and protocols" Madam Wen warns Wangyi
Wangyi smile sneakily and then reply
"Okay, I learnt all in the Lan Mansion, you can test me now" Wangyi told Madam Wen and all those maids and assistants in the training house
Madam Wen got a shock when she heard Lan Mansion
"A-Are y-you from the great General Lan Mansion?" Madam speaks so ever softly when she asks
Wangyi smiles deeply
"That is my father" Wangyi told her seriously without a smile now.
Madam Wen then almost fainted, she knew the in and out in the palace, meaning this lady will be the third Prince wife and now she realized she is playing with fire. Wangyi dress really simply and not like other official maiden who will cover their hairs with all the golds and silvers and their clothes are usually colourful and extravagant while Wangyi is wearing a white hanful with simple hair pin and so those 'dog eyes' of Madam Wen thought Wangyi is nobody and also didn't give her 'tips' so she didn't treat him well.
"Well, I-I think with such a capable father, you must be also very capable" Madam Wen folding her palms together, in the Wei Country, everyone knows the General who wins wars for the country and for generations, their family is very well respected.
Before Wangyi can reply, a voice echoed
"Well said"
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Thank you for reading
I hope you like this chapter