33 You Will Not Live Anyway (1/2)

WEI LI LIAN

PRINCESS LE-ANNE

HALL OF FESTIVALS

”Last time when this took place, half of the palace maids died. What shall we do?” one palace maid cried.

”I cannot die as of yet, my family depends on me for everything. How could I die?” another joined in.

”Huticah! I heard it's Huticah, they will destroy any person suspected to be from Huticah!” accusation flared from the other.

Le-anne couldn't believe that on a day that she was half asleep and barely awake, she was stuck with such hullabaloo.

All palace maids that belonged to both Grand Consort Shu and the Grand Dowager Empress had been told to gather in the hall of festivals. She felt a little bit anxious about finding out what was going on as no one had informed them why they had been called. The unknown unsettled her, considering how everything was hanging in the balance with Prince Kuan Hui still unconscious. Tittle-tattle was rampant all over the hall and this did not help her nerves.

”Pick one,” Le-anne found herself facing a junior palace maid who held a bunch of tiny sticks together in her left hand.

”Why?” she replied with annoyance. Tittle-tattle, this was not the time for games.

”Just pick one!” the girl demanded, her eyes widening in a threatening manner. She was too disrespectful for a junior. Le-anne picked up one to avoid the attention they were now attracting.

This time, the junior palace maid's eyes widened even further than the last time, her mouth gaping.

”Follow me,” she stuttered and Le-anne found herself being surprisingly compliant. She was led towards the huge double doors of the Hall of festivals.

”My lady,” the junior palace maid paid her respects to her senior, who Le-anne noted her status by uniform.

”Among the retinue of the Grand Consort Shu, she is the girl that took the shortest stick in my lot,” the girl continued with her report. Le-anne was disgruntled by the fact that she was being addressed as 'girl'.