The Second World in Ancient Times

Chapter 52 The King is paying attention, and the opportunity is coming

That day, I was reorganizing the records of the banquet affairs when Wanqing ran in hurriedly, her eyes shining.

"Si Qing, do you know? Your story has spread throughout the palace! Everyone is talking about you now." Wanqing said excitedly.

I put down the paper and pen in my hand and looked at her in confusion: "Are you all talking about me? Is it good or bad?"

Wanqing smiled and said, "That's good news! Your deeds have reached the king, and the king is very impressed by your persistence in seeking the truth in such a difficult situation. Now it's spreading throughout the palace, and the king may want to use you."

I was shocked, feeling both pleasantly surprised and a bit apprehensive. "Really? The king actually knew... This is truly..."

When Wanqing and I walked out of the house, we heard several palace maids whispering in the corner.

"Have you heard? Si Qing is really going to be successful this time. Even the king has noticed her."

"Yes, it's not easy for her to find the truth from such a difficult situation. It seems we have to curry favor with her in the future."

"Hmph, let's wait and see. Maybe it's just a temporary sensation."

Wanqing frowned and wanted to go forward to argue, but I held her back: "Don't go. The innocent will be innocent. We don't need to pay attention to these gossips."

Not long after walking, he ran into a female official with whom he was on good terms.

"Si Qing, congratulations. You have become famous this time." The female official said to me with a smile.

I bowed slightly. "Thank you, sister. But this is just a rumor. I don't know what it will turn out to be."

The court lady approached me and whispered, "This is not groundless. I heard that the king mentioned you specifically during his meeting with his ministers and praised your performance at the banquet. You must seize this opportunity."

My heart tightened. "Thank you for telling me, sister. I will definitely not take it lightly."

Back at my apartment, I sat at my desk, my mind racing. This was a golden opportunity, but if I didn't seize it, it could be ruined.

I said to Wanqing, "Wanqing, I'm under so much pressure right now. The king's attention is what I've always dreamed of, but I'm really afraid that I won't do well and will disappoint the king."

Wanqing held my hand and said, "Siqing, don't worry. You are capable. You were able to handle such difficult situations before, and you will definitely be able to handle it this time. We just need to do our best."

I nodded, but the pressure in my heart did not ease at all.

A few days later, I was reviewing the palace etiquette training when a young eunuch came running up to me and said, "Lady of the Imperial Court, the King has summoned you to an audience."

I took a deep breath and followed the eunuch to the king's palace. Entering the palace, I knelt and saluted: "Your servant greets the king."

The king's voice came, "Rise. Si Qing, I've heard about your story. I admire your persistence in seeking the truth despite so many difficulties. Tell me, what were you thinking at the time?"

I raised my head and looked at the king. "Your Majesty, I firmly believe in my innocence and cannot let those who framed me succeed. Moreover, the stability of the palace is of paramount importance. If those treacherous plots succeed, it will inevitably disrupt the order of the palace. Therefore, I cannot sit idly by and wait for death."

The king nodded slightly. "Well, your loyalty and wisdom are truly rare."

A few days later, the head of the Imperial Household Department came to me and said, "Si Qing, the King has ordered you to be in charge of arranging the next palace banquet. This is a test from the King, so you must perform well."

I was shocked. This was an important mission and also my chance. I immediately began to prepare and summoned the imperial chef, palace maids, and eunuchs.

I said to the head chef, "Master Li, the food for this banquet is extremely important. It must be delicious while showcasing the unique characteristics of the imperial court. There cannot be any mistakes."

Master Li replied, "Don't worry, Madam, we will do our best."

I then said to the maids, "Sisters, the decorations for the banquet must be gorgeous yet elegant, and every detail must be carefully arranged."

The maids answered in unison: "Yes, ladies-in-waiting."

During the preparation process, I encountered many problems. The eunuch in charge of purchasing the ingredients came back and told me: "Madam, some of the precious ingredients we purchased this time are a bit short in quantity and the quality is not very good."

I frowned. "What's going on? This can't delay the party. Have you investigated the cause?"

The eunuch replied, "I asked, and they said there was a problem with the supplier, but time is running out to re-order."

I thought for a moment and said, "Go check the palace storehouse to see if there are any spares. I'll think of a solution."

At this time, another palace maid came to report: "Madam, some of the silks used for decoration are the wrong color. They don't match our plan."

I was extremely anxious, but I managed to calm myself down. "Don't worry, let's see if we can adjust it with other colors. If that doesn't work, we can try to find a new silk."

Just as I was trying to solve these problems, the king made new demands.

The chief steward conveyed the king's will: "The king hopes that this banquet will have some unique performances that will showcase the charm of court culture and be different from previous ones."

I called the musicians and dancers in charge of the performance and said, "This is the king's request. We need to redesign the performance. What do you think?"

The musician said, "Madam, we can try to combine classical music with folk music to create a new style of music."

The dancer also said, "We can choreograph a dance that tells a story about the palace's history and present it in a new dance form."

I nodded. "Okay, let's do it. But time is running out, so we need to practice quickly."

However, a new problem arose. During the dance rehearsal, a lead dancer accidentally sprained her foot.

"What should we do? She is the lead dancer and now she is injured. Her performance will definitely be affected." The nanny in charge of the dance said anxiously.

I looked at the injured dancer and said distressedly, "First, you should take good care of yourself. We will find a suitable person to replace you."

I began to look for a suitable candidate among the dancers in the palace. After some selection, I finally found a dancer with graceful dancing skills and strong comprehension.

"You have to practice well. This performance is very important to all of us." I said to the new dancer.

At the critical moment of the banquet preparations, the king summoned me again.

"Si Qing, how are the banquet preparations going?" asked the king.

I replied, "Your Majesty, everything is proceeding smoothly. We have encountered some minor problems, but I have already resolved them. I will live up to your expectations and present a magnificent feast for the court."

The king looked at me and said, "Well, I trust you. However, there are envoys from various countries attending this banquet. You must be considerate and not make any mistakes. This concerns the reputation of our dynasty."

I knelt down and kowtowed: "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

As the banquet date approached, I became even busier, checking every step every day to ensure everything was in order.

I told the eunuch in charge of the meal, "The order and timing of serving the dishes must be accurate. There cannot be any mistakes."

She said to the palace maid in charge of etiquette: "The etiquette for welcoming the envoys must be standardized, and every action must be in place."

He told the guards in charge of security, "During the banquet, patrols must be stepped up to ensure the safety of the palace."

The night before the banquet, I was doing a final check at the venue, with Wanqing by my side.

"Si Qing, you've lost weight these days. But everything is ready, you can relax a little." Wan Qing said.

I shook my head. "No, we can't relax just yet. This banquet is too important to allow any mistakes."

At this time, a little palace maid came running over and said, "Madam, something bad has happened. Some of the flowers for the banquet have suddenly withered."

My heart tightened. "What? How could this happen? Come on, let's go and take a look."

We rushed to the place where the flowers were displayed and found that some of them were indeed withered. I immediately arranged for someone to go to the Imperial Garden to pick suitable flowers and asked the gardener to find a way to keep them fresh.

After a busy day, the flower issue was finally resolved. Looking at the newly decorated banquet venue, I breathed a sigh of relief: "I hope this banquet will go smoothly."

On the day of the banquet, the palace was bustling with activity. Envoys from various countries arrived one after another, and I stood by, nervously watching every step of the process.

The envoys were welcomed into the banquet venue and praised the surrounding decorations and atmosphere.

"The banquet in your palace is so magnificent," an envoy said to the accompanying officials.

Hearing such praise, I felt a little relieved.

As the banquet progressed, the dishes were served one by one, and the envoys showed satisfied expressions after tasting them.

The performance began with new music and dance styles that amazed the envoys.

"This dance is truly wonderful. I have never seen such a unique performance before," an envoy exclaimed.

After the banquet, the king showed me a satisfied smile and said, "Si Qing, you did a great job. This banquet was a great success."

I knelt down to express my gratitude: "Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty. This is what I should do." I know that I have passed the king's test this time, and the future may be brighter, but I also understand that the competition in the palace will never stop, and I must always be vigilant.