The gift and the warning.

There was a seemingly deathly silence as the ladies followed the Empress into the Lotus palace. As they step past the golden arcs and made their way deeper into the palace the ladies couldn't help but feast their eyes upon everything. This was the powerful and wonderous palace that they had heard so much about and yearned to see. Never would they have thought that in their lives, they would have had the opportunity to step foot in the palace and become one of the owners of this place.

The ladies followed along meekly behind the elders who were leading them deeper into the palace. They finally arrived in a beautiful garden where there were tables and chairs set up in a semi-circle, they faced a golden chair.

The ladies watch wordlessly as Ra-On offered her hand to the Empress and led the way to the chair. The Empress took a seat as she slowly looked over the girls standing before her.

"First of all, dear ladies, welcome to the lotus palace." the Empress begins "Please do take a seat at your corresponding colors. I will be making a few announcements. It will serve you well to remember all that I say today."

The ladies curtsied and made their way to their seats. The attendants followed beside them, helping them with their dresses and pouring them tea.

"In exactly 5 days there will be a coronation event. During the coronation event, each sector must prepare one performance. As ladies of the house, it is your job to oversee the preparation and succession of the event, you will also be expected to read a passage from the Imperial scroll 'Haok Rules for Imperial ladies'. I am looking forward to the coronation. Towards the end, the Emperor will be giving out various gifts to the houses and would also choose the one lucky lady who will serve him that night."

The Empress nodded towards Ra-On who stepped forward and waved her hands towards the right of the garden, the attendants who were standing by the side of the gardens started to walk towards the ladies. As they slowly made their way to the middle of the semi-circle, the ladies noticed that the attendants were dressed in second-class attendant dresses, however, their belts have been replaced and instead of the normal white belt, they were separated by the different colors of the houses. The attendants said nothing as they stared straight ahead and stood, awaiting further orders.

"These ladies in waiting are my gift to you. As everyone knows, without any additional titles being bestowed upon you as of now, as a Lady, you are only entitled to 4 attendants. However, in my generosity, I have decided to gift each one of you an additional 8 attendants to help you better adapt to life in the palace."

The ladies bowed their heads quickly as they thanked the Empress before them. They had known before entering the palace that as one:s rank grows in the palace, their status are further affirmed with bigger courtyards, more attendants, and more allowances.

Amongst the attendants, there were also some significantly older ladies who were dressed in a different uniform. While the second-class attendants dorn a sky blue dress, these older ladies wore a darker shade of purple. These uniforms help set apart the various ladies in court as they are often a display of seniority.

These older ladies are known as first-class attendants based on their uniforms. Even within attendants, there are various rankings, and one had to be promoted internally in order to make their way up the rankings. As a first-class attendant, there were not only various responsibilities given to them, but certain freedom and rewards too. A first-class attendant is only directly below a noble lady. If a first-class attendant is serving directly under their mistress as the manager of the courtyard, she is even allowed to wear dresses her mistress gifts her.

These elder ladies made their way to each of the tables as they bowed and greeted the lady of the house. Their hands folded in front of their uniforms as they seem to await orders from the Empress. Even while they were supposedly serving the owners of the colors, they took no heed from their mistresses and instead were focused on the Empress.

The Empress continued on with her speech, slightly proud of how grand the moment had seemed.

The Empress raised her hands towards JiaJia, her second class attendant as she beckons.

"Bring me the headpieces."

JiaJia bowed and picked up the tray on the side table. She walked over to Ra-on and passed it over.

Ra-on bowed to the Empress who looked at the curious ladies.

"As the Empress of this country, I am aware of the long-standing tradition for the official wife to prepare a gift for their husband's concubines. As the Empress, I only wish to provide the very best I can, but I did not want it to be just another mindless gift that can be purchased anywhere on the street. Before you, are headpieces that I have had the Jewelry house, 'Fei Guan' prepare. Each of the headpieces is crafted in the colors of your house, with your name carved into the accessory itself. They are made from the finest jade of the Xuan district, which complements well with the gold touches."

The Empress pauses, her eyes glancing over each of the girls. She let out a kind smile, dazzling the various new ladies who were seated in the garden. However, there was a moment, where if they had looked hard enough, a sly smirk had passed over the Empress's eyes.

"As you grow in the palace, your name will be forsaken as you will be granted new names with new titles. You will leave behind the name that your parents have given you at birth and instead take on names that the Emperor will bestow upon you. This gift I have prepared for you is to ground you. It will serve as a reminder that no matter what may happen in this palace, no matter how much you will grow, you will always remember who you are and where you have come from."

While this gift may seem to reflect the pureness of the Empress's heart which seemingly wanted the ladies to remember their parents, who they were before they had entered the palace, and for them to stay humble, if one were to read in-between the lines, the Empress was merely warning them that no matter how far up the ladder they may climb, they were, just at the end of the day, mere citizens who did not have the royal blood in them.

"RISE, RISE IN GREETINGS OF THE DAUGHTER OF THE SKY AND THE SON OF THE MOUNTAINS AND SEAS. RISE FOR THE IMPERIAL CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCESS." Bei GongGong Shouts from the west side of the garden.

The Empress smiled widely at the sudden announcement as the ladies unknowingly rose to their feet out of habit.

The attendants bowed and shouted out their greetings to the Crown prince and princess as they made their way to their mother's side.

The crown prince waved his hands and dismissed the bowing while the princess gave a giggle and shyly hid behind Ra-On's dress.

"Imperial Mother, what a great afternoon." Yu Wang muses as he walks over and bows before his mother, passing the Empress a purple flower he had picked in the imperial gardens. He smiles, as he turned around, the sun seemed like a paid actor as it shone on him warmly, portraying the boy before them in all his glory, Yu Wang took an indifferent glance towards the noble ladies and nodded his head in their direction.

"Noble ladies, welcome to our family. I am Crown prince Yu Wang." He said curtly, as if speaking with them anymore was a complete waste of his time.

"I shall now take my leave mother, for Imperial father is expecting me for tea."

He then strides off with an air of dignity, his tiny nose turned up in the air as his attendants behind him rushed to greet the Empress. They bowed and greeted her loudly, and turned towards the noble ladies, and like their master, offered a weak greeting and quick bow before rushing off behind their charge.

"Wait, Prince Yu Wang, Please be careful!"

"Please slow down my prince!"

"Prince Yu Wang, please watch your steps!"

The Empress looked slightly amused as she watch her son slowly amble off towards the main palace. She did not spare a glance at the ladies who just stood there.

"Imperial Mother, you look so lovely in that dress." Yu Rou said in a clear voice as she runs over and curtsies to her mother. Her shyness just a minute ago seemed to have vanished without a trace, turning around to face the noble ladies she smiles, but it lacked any kind of warmth, "Noble ladies, welcome to the lotus palace. Forgive me for my early leave, but Imperial Father is expecting me for tea as well. I am so excited to have met you today."

"GeGe, wait for me" Yu Rou giggles as she gave her greeting to the noble ladies and ran after her brother.

Behind the princess, her entourage of attendants bowed and greeted the Empress loudly before turning around and giving quick nonchalant greetings to the Noble Ladies. They then chased after the Princess, panic rising as they watch their charge skip quickly down the garden after her older brother.

"Princess Yu Rou! Please, slow down"

"My princess, you might get hurt!"

"Princess, Princess!! Watch your step!"

The Noble Ladies called out their greetings to the two royal siblings who were leaving but both of them had already made their way down the garden. They were left standing there awkwardly as they glanced around trying to make sense of what had just happened.

The Empress let out a rare chuckle as she advised the ladies to take a seat.

"Do not mind these children, they are haughty and young, let us get back to discussing what we were saying before."

The ladies let out an awkward laugh here and there as they entertained the Empress. While it was only their first day, this quick meeting had served as a fair warning for the noble ladies, even though they had been successfully chosen as noble ladies to serve the Emperor at the end of the day, they were not only reminded of their humble birth. They were also reminded of the difference in hierarchy that they held when the imperial children visited. The visit had unknowingly served as a warning for the new noble ladies. The truth is that they should be wise enough to know the hierarchy in the palace, was one that had already been set long before them, and if they want to survive in the palace, they should be smart enough to respect the rules.