Chapter 224: National liberation day....1
The sun was as yellow as the crowns on most of the heads of the women’s heads as they flocked the Sea city Eastern palace. The National Liberation Day ceremony which was used to honor the past and dress the present was one of the most anticipated public holiday in the Chinese empire.
As early as 6:00 A.M. dignitaries, bejeweled noble women, fashionable noble men and invited guests flooded the palace, like peacocks on a run-way. Altogether, two thousand guests were expected to attend the ceremony, so far, more than half had already arrived. They were yet to take their seats in the large open space where royal ceremonies were held.
Most of them were still in comparison mode. Once upon a time, people dressed up to show off their wealth. Now, they dressed off to outshine others and win the title of best dressed noble.
It had turned into a red carpet event.
The ceremony started at exactly 9:00 A.M. with the the arrival of the Emperor, Empress Mother and other members of the royal family. They found their seats around the moveable ceremonial royal throne and faced the crowd.
It didn’t take long before whispers curled like smoke among the guests.
"The Empress is not here."
"Was the peep star right about the Empress being grounded?"
"I heard she was punished because Princess Long Shuang misbehaved and she was banished."
"The Empress has never missed a royal ceremony. This is a sign of something. I don’t know what."
As these whispers traveled, nobles in the know smiled mysteriously. An emperor alone at such a ceremony in the midst of rumors about an unfit empress who had no son!! Was this a sign that they should prepare their daughters of marriageable age and take their chances?