Are you mocking me?

Looking by the carriage's window Ming Shu saw a majestic palace. Made with the finest materials by the First Emperor, the Imperial Palace was a place that a lot of people sought to enter in their country. For Ming Shu it only resembled a big and expensive cage, which only brought painful memories.

'I will probably see you again'

Zhao Song. The person who brought more pain than happiness to her life. The one she chose to love and was discarded by. The one and only that put her life to an end.

She wondered what would she feel once she saw him again. Hate? Love? Sadness? She didn't knew, if possible she didn't want to associate to him in this life. Actually, if she could she wouldn't even see he, alas, it was impossible. Closing her eyes she mentally prepared to enter the place that most of her nightmares originated from.

"We are getting close, let me pass the reminders. Remember you should always be courteous to anyone here okay? Don't look down on anyone and try to avoid any conflict that comes at your way. If it's unavoidable... make sure you win. I and your Father will clean up the aftermath. This goes for all four of you. Girls, don't follow anyone before telling me where and who are you going with. Zigui, observe and learn with the older kids there. Peng'er, see if any girl interests you tonight, you are getting old and soon you should marry"

"Mom! I'm still too young for marriage!"

Madam Ming rolled her eyes at the objection of her son.

"So young that you constantly visited the Red District. I'm not telling to marry now anyways. See if you like someone, or else I will choose one of my liking and you won't be consulted. It seems we are here. Do you guys remember everything?"

Doing a military salutation, the four screamed.

"YES MA'AM"

Chuckling at their antics, Madam Ming was the first to leave the carriage, followed by Ming Peng, who helped his siblings leave the carriage.

The carriage beside them also opened and their Father together with his Mother exited the carriage. With all the family together they proceeded with the Old Madam in front followed by Ming Peizi and his wife, the main children, and lastly the other two children.

As they entered the hall in which the banquet was going to happen, almost all of the gases were directed at them, most specifically the children. Curious, disdainful, and envious sight were directed at the four of them.

The Ming Children. There were a lot of rumors going around about them. About how the concubine born were as talent as many main children in other families and about the amazing change that the main children suffered since six months ago. A well-known dunce who love debauchery and a girl who only knew martial arts, both of them only had their high status as a protective wall from all the scorn that they suffered by other noble children.

But now they were known to be the most talent from their generation in the subjects that each gender 'should' be. As they accompanied the family with their eyes, the nobles were itch to now the truth, since a lot of them believed to be a false propaganda spread by the Ming Family as so they wouldn't loose to much face because of their offspring.

At the table that they were assign to two other families were at it. The first Family was his Elder Maternal Uncle's Family. Having the Minister of Defense post, he worked in cooperation with his Father and the Wang Family mostly. He would occasionally meet Ming Peizi to discuss subjects that were related to both of their departments. The other family was a family that Ming Shu didn't had much contact in her previous life and the little that she knew were learned by rumors. The Mo family. Mo Ting, the head of the Family was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Because of his many travels, he got to know many different types of cultures. He was a supported of both monogamy and gender equality, subjects that were rather frown upon at this time. He only had a daughter with his wife, who in the future, as Ming Shu knew, would proactively advocate her Father ideas and prove to everyone within the country that woman could be equal, and sometimes even superior than some man, with her wits.

Looking at the bold girl sitting across the table, Ming Shu admired the prototype of one of the people she most admired.

"You should be Ming Shu. My name is Mo Meihui, but I'm sure you knew that. I heard a lot about you from my calligraphy teacher. I hope you won't disappoint my expectations"

Making a fist-palm salute to Ming Shu, Mo Meihui looked at her with a spirited look. But before Ming Shu could return the greeting, the woman who sat down beside Mo Meihui chopped down her head.

"Is this the manners that I thought you? I hope Miss Ming would forgive the lack of manners of my daughter. She is young and that is the first time she cane to the Banquet, that's why she is nervous"

"Who is nervous? I-"

The chop once more met the top of Mo Meihui head. The meek woman that just apologize turned so fierce that even Li Weimin, who went to war with his Father, flinched a bit.

"Shut up"

Seeing the precarious situation of the girl in front of her Ming Shu hastily interrupted.

"There's no problem Madam Mo, I understand how is like since this is also the first time that I enter the palace"

Mo Meihui, who was already meek and quiet, snapped her head to Ming Shu with two flames in her eyes.

"ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!"