The Little Consort's
Eps. 52: First Duty
Xingyue Palace, early morning.
Li Anlan regained his modern goods. How happy he was when he saw his cellphone, camera, binoculars, mountain backpack and the contents he loved so much back in his hands. During these few weeks, his life felt empty without the existence of those things. His days were slow and ordinary.
Then how were his days with Long Ji Man?
Li Anlan is an adult woman who never ties herself in a romantic relationship. In twenty-three years of his life in the world, he had never met the meaning of the word. Li Anlan got along and befriended anyone without distinguishing status and occupation. Everyone he met was considered a brother. He had many well-established and handsome boyfriends, but not a single person had managed to move his heart. The woman is too rigid in love and too free for a woman's life.
With Long Ji Man, he was indeed comfortable. Although Long Ji Man was annoying and sometimes cold, but he had a side that Li Anlan had never found in his friends in the modern world. Long Ji Man is a charismatic man full of mystery. Perhaps it was because of his background as a king and inheriting pure noble blood, that the man looked like a precious rare jade.
Long Ji Man is handsome. But, Li Anlan had not felt anything yet. He only felt comfortable when he was by the man's side, despite being in danger though. Li Anlan was not used to being in this world, so he was required to always be vigilant on everyone, including Long Ji Man. The mountaineering woman could not fully believe in the king who became her husband and master, who gave her money and salary every month.
But, Li Anlan was unable to deny that slowly, her heart began to sense something strange. Being with that man the entire time had gradually melted down the huge ice wall within his frozen heart. When he saw the man hurt from the assault the other day, suddenly worry and fear ran through his heart.
Li Anlan was timid towards assassins, but letting the people he knew in this world die in vain was not the ultimate goal of his journey. Li Anlan still has to live well here, until the time comes he can return to the modern world, that too if he can. So, Li Anlan could not let that person get hurt or be in danger.
He may have been a murderer. However, eliminating people's lives due to desperate circumstances and to save themselves is something that is legal. If you do not fight, then your own life is lost.
That day, as Li Anlan pondered under the peach tree while looking at the two hands that had slashed arrows at the number of assassins, Long Ji Man came to calm him down. Li Anlan was grateful and very grateful because the man managed to convince himself that he had done nothing wrong at all. If Long Ji Man did not come, he would probably forever shut himself up and live in hiding again.
Li Anlan did not want to dream high. She threw away all unreasonable thoughts and chose to focus on carrying out her new role as the Noble Empress. When the coronation in Taiji Hall yesterday was completed, Long Ji Man ordered his subordinates to take Li Anlan around for a while around Taiji Palace and Shiyue Palace, then proceed to other palaces. Only, Li Anlan refused to set foot in the Harem Palace. He who had just been crowned naturally did not want to hurt the hearts of the concubines who had been in this palace any longer than him. He knew very well how the hearts of the women belonged to the king.
At that time, he was troubled by the costume he was wearing. The official robe of the Grand Empress was so long and thick that it was layered. The robe was also long, so that every time he walked, his legs often tripped and the tail of his robe caught something. Li Anlan really wanted to scissor this robe and turn it into a short stellan but it was still polite and covered the body.
After all, he was not used to such official clothes yet. His suffering increased because of the decoration and crown on his head that heavy, to make his neck hurt.
Then what about the response of the other palace residents?
They give a different response. Most showed a sense of wonder and confusion towards a foreign woman dressed in luxurious and special clothes who walked around the royal palace complex. Some people pay respect. Most of those who bowed their respects were the senior ladies and the head of the palace, which of course had been hatched every change and regulation that existed in the Dongling Kingdom palace where they took shelter.
Li Anlan was only relieved of that suffering after the afternoon. He held back hunger and thirst because Long Ji Man's subordinates who took him around did not allow him to eat and drink before finishing his small tour. While walking after the man, Li Anlan repeatedly cursed and cursed him with an expletive.
This morning, as the sound of the gallant chirping near his window, Li Anlan's eyes were already open. He had been up since an hour ago, but was still lying on his bed on his back. His whole body hurts. Yesterday's tour inflamed his joints. Li Anlan only remembered that he had not exercised for a long time. Her aching body must have been the result of her stiff joints returning.
Li Anlan chose to relax in a moment. He grabbed his phone, then scrolled the screen from left to right and from top to bottom. Clik. He hit the Candy Crush app. His level which had already reached thousands of locked. Before starting the game, he first checks in to get an additional booster.
As Li Anlan was engrossed in playing the game, Xie Roulan suddenly entered in a hurry. Seeing his panicked expression, Li Anlan assumed that his servant had just been chased by someone and was about to report something.
“Mrs, department!”
“What's up?”
“Wire, Mistress! Eunuch Bi brought a woman into our palace and forced her way in! Two eunuchs and our guards are trying to hold them at the gate!”
“What exactly did Xiao Biqi bring?”
“She is Aunty Yang!”
“Who is he?”
“Aibi Yang is the master of ethics and tatakrama palace! Madam, you have to hide now!”
Li Anlan instantly rose from her position. His face was panicked. Lothawat! That woman named Aunt Yang must be Long Ji Man's envoy. He must have come to teach her! No, Li Anlan could not bear such suffering. Li Anlan hated such a lesson! Playing games and climbing mountains is more fun than learning ethics!
“Mistress, quickly go! I'll hold them!”
Li Anlan hurriedly got off her bed. The woman threw her phone away, then ran towards the window. He opened the paper window, and he opened the window. Fresh air from the backyard of Xingyue Palace blew sweeping across her morning face.
“Mrs Huang, where are you going?”
Xiao Biqi's voice made Li Anlan stop the escape plan. His feet hung next to the window door, the other side still treading on the floor of Xingyue Palace. He turned his head, then found Xiao Biqi and Aunt Yang standing not far from his place. Xie Roulan stood behind them while hinting an apology for not being able to stop Xiao Biqi and Aunt Yang.
Li Anlan smiled awkwardly. He was like a cat caught stealing fish.
“Mrs Huang, Your Majesty has finished preparing since. He already left for court a moment ago.”
“Then why don't you follow him? Why did you even come here and bring that unpleasant woman?” li Anlan asked as she pointed at Aunt Yang.
“I came to execute an order from His Majesty.”
Li Anlan again smiled, a very forced smile.
“I know yesterday was coronation. Little eunuch, why do I have to be so busy today? Can't I enjoy my precious morning?”
“Mrs Huang, this is your first assignment as Grand Empress.”
Li Anlan snorted. He cursed Long Ji Man loudly in his heart. The man surnamed Long still did not release himself from the rules. Yes, Long Ji Man did say that he freed Li Anlan from harem affairs, but did not say that he would release her from rules and order. Li Anlan regretted not being careful to forget this in the terms he put on the man.
“Mistress, please.”
“Wait! Let me clean myself first!”
Aunt Yang waited for her new employer to clean up. The aunt who became the ethics teacher of the palace was flat-faced with no expression. Everyday, he could educate up to ten princesses, and with his capable ability, he was named the best ethics teacher in Dongling Kingdom. In teaching, he never tolerates every mistake. Therefore, he never smiled and was impressed very cold.
When Li Anlan finished cleaning up, Aunt Yang immediately taught the various etiquette and tattoos of the palace women, ranging from how to walk, bow, pay respect, bring tea trays and food, sit, eat, drink, and drink, even attitudes while writing are taught. Aunt Yang also taught her how to behave and talk when dealing with the officials and nobles in Dongling Kingdom.
After the theory was delivered, Li Anlan was immediately told to practice. What he did first was learn how to walk a noble lady. On the grounds of Xingyue Palace which was not too big, Aunt Yang asked Li Anlan to walk on a small and long bamboo trunk, by putting two porcelain bowls on either shoulder of Li Anlan. Li Anlan had to walk upright and balanced without being able to drop the porcelain bowl on his shoulder. If it falls, Aunt Yang is forced to punish him with a rattan.
It wasn't Li Anlan's name if he could last long in that annoying position. The Nobles Empress had already broken about ten porcelain bowls and kicked the bamboo she was treading until it shifted. He also ran as Aunt Yang was about to punish him. The two women often chased around Xingyue Palace as Li Anlan continued to flee.
“Aunt Yang, why are you so stubborn?” li Anlan asked as she ran dodging Aunt Yang's rattan punch.
“Mistress, you should study well!”
“I can learn by myself. You don't have to use that horrible thing to threaten me!”
“Mrs Huang, stop running! A palace woman is not allowed to run!”
“Omong empty! What if I meet a killer? Aunt Yang, you have to make a little sense!”
From a distance, Long Ji Man stood up while watching his Royal Empress chase after Aunt Yang. He shook his head. Li Anlan was not learning well. The woman instead made the greatest court ethics teacher upset and angry half-dead. All this time, there had not been a single person who could make Aunt Yang angry and upset to such an extent.
“She is indeed a very different woman.”
“Your Majesty, you want to visit him?” asked Xiao Biqi.
“No. Let him stay that way.”
“But, how about your destination?”
“We see where Aunt Yang is able to handle the woman,” she said as she turned away from Xingyue Palace. Along the way, Long Ji Man continued to smile nonstop.
...***...
...Question for readers: Is Li Anlan starting to like Long Ji Man or vice versa? ...
...A. Anlan likes Ji Man...
...B. Ji Man likes Anlan...
...C. Anlan and Ji Man use each other...
...D. There is no right answer...
...Can be answered in the comments column or in the heart yes, hihihi... ...