The Imperial Harem

Chapter 3

Xi Yan walked out of the selection hall. "Congratulations, Young mistress!" Yi Hua. Xi Yan was about to explode with excitement, when she remembered her mother's words, "A palace woman must be graceful and full of virtue." Xi Yan just sighed and held up her head proudly.

She was about to reach the place where she'd been before the selection when a girl yelled, "Jiejie!(older sister)." It was the girl she had saved from embarrassment. The girl walked swiftly to Xi Yan. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me." She said. "It was no problem." Xi Yan responded. "Did you get chosen?" the girl asked. "Yes! I was promoted as 2nd wife. Did you?" The girl looked down to the ground. Xi Yan grabbed the other girl's hand and held them in her's. "It's alright. We can still be jiemei(sisters)." The girl smiled and nodded. "What's your name?" "Wang Xui Ning. What's yours?" Xui Ning asked. "Li Xi Yan."

"Your highness, your wedding will be on May 7th, 1 day after the 1st's wife wedding." Wa Lan informed. "Who's the 1st wife?" Xi Yan said, removing the 3 earrings on her ear. "I think it was her highness, Bai Ling Wei." Xi Yan sighed unhappily. After her first encounter with her, Xi Yan didn't think she would be merciful. Xi Yan gathered up all her possessions and left the selection palace. She was given 2 weeks to prepare for the wedding. She got into her palanquin and went home.

~2 weeks later~

Yi Hua and Wa Lan placed the ginormous headdress on Xi Yan's head. "Ai yah, why is it so heavy!?" Xi Yan yelped. "Your highness, this one is light. The ones given to high status consorts are much heavier," Yi Hua said. Xi Yan held her tongue from saying anything else and placed the headdress on her head and positioned it where it was most comfortable. Xi Yan put on her gold embroidered dress and put her scarlet veil on.

Xi Yan went to the main hall to bid goodbye to her. A tear slid down her mother's cheek. Xi Yan's mother grabbed Xi Yan's hands, "I can't believe my daughter is all grown up and marrying her own husband." Xi Yan smiled from inside her veil, "Mother, don't cry, it's bad luck for the wedding." Her mother wiped the tears off her cheek and nodded, "You're right. Bidding goodbye to crown prince consort Xi." Her mother bowed. Xi Yan bowed in response, "Bidding goodbye to mother and father." Xi Yan walked outside and climbed into her palanquin. She looked back to her parents, not knowing if she'll ever see them again.

The palace was filled with red ribbons and lanterns for the wedding. The palanquin was set on the ground and a Xi Yan climbed out. She walked into the crown prince's main hall. The crown prince and Xi Yan did their wedding traditions and walked into Grace Palace. "Your highness, first, you will lift the veil with this cane." The nanny handed the crown prince a cane-like piece of wood. He lifted the veil, revealing Xi Yan's beautiful face. The crown prince smiled. He sat on the bed next to her, awaiting the next tradition. "Next, you will eat this raw meat." The nanny handed them a plate with raw meat and 2 pairs of chopsticks. Xi Yan gagged at the smell. "It's to wish you a long life as a couple." The newlyweds picked up the raw meat and placed it in their mouths. Xi Yan kept herself from vomiting and managed to swallow the meat. "Finally, you will intertwine arms and drink the wine." The nanny handed them two cups of wine and they intertwined arms, drinking the alcohol. The nanny retrieved the cups and closed the curtain of bed, leaving with the rest the servants. The couple was now alone for the night.

The palace to the left of the crown prince's study was eternal sunset palace, the place where Xi Yan stayed. To the right was windless winters palace, where the 1st wife, Bai Ling Wei, stayed. To the right of windless winters palace was endless gardens palace where the 3rd wife, Liu Lian mi. The day after Xi Yan's wedding, the crown prince married the 3rd wife. The day after that, Xi Yan and Lian Mi went to Ling Wei's palace to pay respects.

"Greetings, 1st wife," Xi Yan and Lian Mi said in unison. Ling Wei looked at the pair judgmentally and sat down on her chair. "At ease." "Thank you, your highness," Xi Yan and Lian Mi stood up and sat in their chairs. "Dong An, serve them tea," Ling wei said to her servant. The servant came back with two cups of tea, shortly after Ling Wei's order. Ling Wei studied the other two wifes. She wondered why the crown prince had chosen them. Of all of the flowers in the harem, she was of course the peony. Then, Ling Wei noticed something. "The 2nd wife looks familiar. Where had I seen her?"
Ling Wei cleared her throat and the two other wife's looked at her. "I would congratulate both of you on getting chosen. I have prepared a few gifts for both of you." Ling Wei made a signal with her eyes and two maids came in, carrying two trays. They both kneeled in front of Xi Yan and Lian Mi. "2nd wife, I have prepared for you cloud tea." Xi Yan kneeled on the ground, "Thank you, your highness." "3rd wife, I have prepared for you a pair of flower embroidered high heels." Lian Mi also got on the ground and thanked Ling Wei. "I will show my loyalty by wearing the shoes immediately." Lian Mi's maid pulled off her shoes and placed them on the tray. Replacing them with the new ones. "Alright, morning greeting are finished for today." "Bidding goodbye to the 1st wife." Xi Yan and Lian Mi said. Lian Mi was the first out the hall. She walked down the steps and slipped on one of them. "Ahhh!"