Chapter 479: The emperor’s gift
Ten minutes before the driver arrived, the old madam sat her down and gave her a long talk on the expected etiquette when one met an emperor. She was not to look at him but bow her head immediately, ensuring that her eyes met the floor. She should not be tempted even for one second to look up before the emperor said she could. If she was asked to kneel down she was to get on her knees with no hesitation no matter how much her heart resisted it. Even though she had committed a meritus deed she could not look arrogant, act smug or boast about her deed, she had to be extremely humble.
Whatever the emperor asked she should be direct and precise, no attempts to be funny whatsoever. If the emperor cracked a joke, she should laugh moderately. Not too much and not too little, whether he was funny or not.
If he asked for her opinion on politics she should take a neutral stand, relaying information from the perspective of a common citizen. Chi Lian had asked why and the old madam said that sounding too politically opinionated would make the emperor guard against them. Her answer in fact to tricky questions which might seek to trap her should be "I have not given it any thought before." basically, act dumb, ignorant and stupid if necessary.
She could not smile too much at the emperor for it could appear as if her aim was to seduce but she also could not smile too little because her body language might portray hostility.
There were so many rules to follow, all of them related to the curbing of one’s behavior to indulge the all powerful emperor. In her opinion, an independent country ruled by a president was perhaps better than this. This was a modern traditional world and it’s ways were uncomfortable, so uncomfortable.
Five minutes before the one hour was up, the car showed and parked outside. Chi Lian was informed about it’s presence but the driver did not step out of the car.
The old madam dressed conservatively, in a traditional pink hanfu dress, she looked as if she was going somewhere extremely important. Chi Lian on the other hand simply dressed in a white sundress that she bought in LA and flat sandals. Jun Muyang tagged along, he carried the semi conscious Yi Sijui and put him in the trunk of the car.
Off the car went to the palace, branching off the main road that led to the capital base and disappearing into an underground secret tunnel which none of them had ever seen or known about. Even Jun Muyang whose information network in the empire spread quite wide was not aware of this secret tunnel.
"Ho, I guess the royal family still has a multitude of secrets." the old madam whispered.