Concubine - TRUE STORY [English Version]

19) the Queen Mother

Li was almost at the end of the line. She had a count. If Mei Li and Yue Fa were here, there would have been seventeen of them. And that was about the same number as their ages. Li is the youngest at seventeen years old.

Sixteen or seventeen is the age when a woman is considered to have reached adulthood. Li felt that most girls weren't there yet. And it felt like she wouldn't be an adult too at that age. All of them were girls. Not women. 

The door opened and paying attention to their little walk, they entered in a straight line.

Li had to try really hard to temper her amazement. This was a beautifully decorated hall. Symbols of good fortune were highly detailed painted on the walls and rice paper windows. Beautifully weaved silk curtains. Tables with dinner ware in lacquer. The table too was lacquered. It had the most beautiful shine Li had ever seen.

A throne in stone with a long decorated back and adorned with silk pillows was in the center of it all. It had its private table. Of cours ein lacquer, but with the finest decoration in red. Mei Li and Yue Fa were a bit hidden in the corner. There was a big frame placed with bells of different sizes hanging from it. De pipa lute was placed on a chair. De Guzheng had its own little table and a pillow behind it.

Next to the bronze gunluo, the bronze bells, stood a man. Possibly, he will be the one playing the instrument. There was another man with a dizi flute in bamboo.

Left and right from the throne was where the tables are placed. Between the two rows was a smaller table that was empty. Li understood that the cooks would enter the open square here.

Chu organized everything. She showed everyone's places. Servants walked around like nervous ants. Everywhere they could, they corrected small mistakes.

The concubines had arrived first. The ministers weren't here yet. They were supposed to sit across the room.

A few soldiers guarded the hall. There was room for more people then were to show up. The place was huge, but every guest was given a lot of table space.

All royal concubines were given their place. Chu was very enthusiastic, but also a tad bit emotional.

The door across the room opened. A whole crowd of men dressed in long black robes entered. Their hair was put op with braids and a hat was placed over it. Their entire wardrobe was black.

They all walked with their left hand balled to a fist. Their right hand was softly placed over the left. Head bended, looking down. Just like the soldiers, they weren't allowed to lay a glance on the concubines. All men apparently.

The musicians were ready near their instruments, but contrary to the other guests, they weren't seated yet. Except for the flute player, none of them were touching their instruments.

Li Yu remembered that she has to bow for the king. But how? She is seated at a table. How?!

About five minutes had passed but it seemed a full hour. Although Li has no feeling of calculating time.

Before she even realized it, everyone around her stood up. Like their life depended on it.

The same door the ministers had come in opened again.

"The Queen Mother!"

That's how it was announced.

Everyone stood up and looked down, in honor of her presence. For Li, that was an effort. That woman, the widow and mother of a king, was beyond beautiful. She was going towards forty years old, maybe even fifty, but her beauty was unmatched in her maturity.

She had make up on, but not like the concubines. Less extreme, more elegant and mature. Her hair was dressed in a huge and elaborate fashion. She had the longest hair in the room. Expensive gold jewelry and accessories. Jade that was carved with the finest patterns. Li was blown away by her appearance.

She walked across the left open space and towards the concubine's tables. She was sitting at the head of that table, next to the throne. She didn't look to anyone. She is too pretty for that. All others are unworthy of her sight.

Some guests from outside the court were seated at the left open table. Li only now realized. People came in one by one before the Queen Mother had come in her floating red dress, and now everyone is seated, Li realized that they had arrived.

Li Yu couldn't wait for the king to arrive. She had been fantasizing about him. How he would look like and how he would behave. What the reason for this celebration would be.

More and more soldiers came in. Not immensely armed, although they were pretty heavy suits of armor. They didn't have halberds or crossbows with them. The sight was unusual and Li didn't like it.

Her heart was pounding. This is happening. Really happening.