Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

In the morning, the maids opened the door and cleaned the bathroom and bathtub. These movements did not wake me up.At last Anne opened the ornate and heavy curtains, and the sun shone on my face, and I woke up.She hums a tune softly and looks like she's enjoying what she's doing. I lay there not wanting to move.With so much going on last night, it took me a long time to calm down, but after figuring out how the conversation in the garden affected me, I couldn't.I'd have to apologize to Maxson if I had the chance, but it's probably going to take a miracle. "Miss? Are you awake?"

"No, no, no." I covered my face in the pillow and moaned, obviously not enough sleep time, and this bed is so comfortable.But seeing Anne, Mary and Lucy all pursed their lips and smiling, I was too embarrassed to stay in bed. In this palace, the three of them should be the easiest people to get along with.I don't know if they can talk to me, but maybe the training and rules here don't allow them to do that, maybe even sit down with me for a cup of tea.Although I was born in the fifth rank, now my whole body is covered with third rank items.They are handmaidens, even if they are all sixth class, I don't care, anyway, I always like to be with "sixth class people".

I moved slowly to the door of the monstrously large bathroom, and every step I took I could hear myself stepping on the tiles.Reflected in the large glass on the wall, I saw Lucy stare at the mud on my pajamas, then Anne made eye contact with her, and then Mary.Fortunately, they didn't ask any questions. Yesterday, I thought they were trying to pry into my privacy, but it didn't seem to be the case. They were just too worried about my comfort.It would be too embarrassing for us to ask what I was doing outside my room, let alone outside the palace. They just carefully helped me take off my nightgown and sent me to the bathroom.

I'm really not used to being naked when there are people around, even in front of Xiaomei or my mother, but now I can't seem to avoid it.As long as I'm here for a day, these three people will definitely wait for me to change clothes, so I have to bear it before I leave.I don't know how the palace will arrange them after I leave. Maybe the girls who have advanced need more care, so they will be sent to them, right?Or, they already have other duties in the palace, but they were only temporarily assigned to me?It didn't seem right to ask them what they were doing before, or what they would do after I left, so I didn't ask.

After the shower, Anne dried my hair and tied it in half with a ribbon I brought from home.The ribbon was blue, the same shade as the flowers on a little everyday dress they made for me, so I chose that.Mary put on my makeup, just as subdued as the day before, while Lucy rubbed body lotion on my arms and legs. In fact, they prepared a lot of jewelry for me to choose, but I just want a small necklace in my box.It was given to me by my father, and there is a nightingale pendant in silver, which matches my name tag.I picked out a pair of stud earrings from the royal collection, but they were probably the most inconspicuous piece of jewelry out there.

Anne, Mary and Lucy looked me up and down and smiled with satisfaction at their work.That way I know, I can go down to breakfast.On my way out they smiled and bowed and wished me good luck, and Lucy's hands were shaking again. Walking to the second-floor foyer where everyone gathered yesterday, I found that I was the first to arrive, so I sat down on a small sofa and waited.One by one the other girls came, and I immediately saw something in common: each one was well-groomed.They wear their hair in elaborate braids or coils, so they don't hide their faces at all.Everyone's makeup is extremely delicate, and every dress is ironed flat.

On the first day, I chose the most unremarkable dress, and everyone else had sparkles.When two girls came over, they saw that the dress worn by the other was almost exactly the same as their own, so they turned around and changed.Each of them wants to stand out in their own way.In fact, in their eyes, why am I not? Everyone here dresses up like a first class, but I look like a fifth class in a good dress. Thought I'd been grooming long enough, but it turns out the other girls took a lot longer than I did.We were still waiting for Celeste and Tinny when Sylvia came to escort us down.Ding Ni is really too petite, of course all the dresses have to be changed to fit.

After everyone was ready, we walked downstairs together.Passing a gold-rimmed mirror, everyone automatically took one last look at themselves to make sure nothing was wrong.I saw myself walking between Mary and Ding Ni, and I was indeed unpretentious. But at least, this is my true color, so I feel a little more at ease. We got downstairs expecting to be taken into the dining room for breakfast instead we were taken to the lobby.There were rows of individual tables and chairs, with plates, cups, and silverware on them, but no food, not even the smell of food.In a recessed corner at the front, I saw a set of small sofas.There are several sets of cameras scattered around the room, filming us as we enter the lobby.

We filed in and sat down casually because there was no seat nameplate.Mary sat in the row in front of me, Ashley was directly to my right, and I didn't give a damn about where the others sat.Apparently, a lot of people have made at least one ally, like me and Mary.Ashley was sitting next to me so I could assume she chose my company, but she still didn't say anything, maybe she was still upset about last night's coverage.But then again, she's been pretty quiet since we first met, and maybe that's just her nature.I thought she would ignore me at most, so I decided to speak first.

"Ashley, you look so good today." "Oh, thank you," she said softly.We glanced over to make sure the camera was away from us, and while we weren't talking about something intimate, we didn't want them to shoot everything, "It's fun to choose to wear jewelry, isn't it? How about yours?" "Well, I thought it was too heavy, so I decided to wear something lighter." "It's heavy! I feel like I've got twenty pounds on my head, but I can't bear not to wear it. Who knows how long we'll be able to stay?" It's really interesting. Ashley has been calm and confident from the very beginning. Her words and deeds are the most in line with the requirements of Faye Wong. It's a bit strange to hear her question her own words.

"But don't you think you're going to win?" I asked. "Of course," she whispered, "but it would be rude to say it," and winked at me, which made me laugh. But this turned out to be another mistake I made, and the laughs caught Sylvia's attention, who was walking in from the outside. "Tsk tsk, a lady can't make such a loud noise." All whispering stopped immediately.I don't know if these cameras have caught my mistake, and my face suddenly became hot. "Greetings, ladies. I hope you're all well rested for your first night at the palace, because from now on we're going to get to work. Today, I'll be instructing you on a course on etiquette, and while you're here, this content There always will be. Mind you, I'll be reporting to the royals on all the good things you guys do." "I know it sounds harsh, but this is really not a competition that can be taken lightly. Among the people in this room, there will be one Faye Wong who will become Ilya. This is not a small task. No matter what level you were before, you must work hard now Improve yourselves, and you will be true ladies. This morning, you will learn your first lessons." "Table manners are very important, so before you dine with the royals, there are some rules to be aware of. The sooner we get through this, the sooner you will have breakfast, so please face this way." She began to explain: how the dishes are served from our right hand; which cups are used for which drinks;When we were not doing it, our hands had to rest on our napkin-covered laps.Before being called on to speak, you can't take the initiative to speak.Of course, we can talk to the person next to us, but the volume must be a royal whisper.When she said that last point, she had her eyes on me. Sylvia's elegant voice could not stop, tormenting my stomach.Although every meal at home was not a big one, but I was never hungry.Now I am very hungry, looking forward to dinner.When the knock on the door rang, I was already a little restless with hunger.The two guards in front of the door stepped aside, and it was Prince Maxson who entered. "Good morning, ladies," he said loudly. The atmosphere in the room changed immediately. Everyone straightened their backs, straightened their hair, and tidied up their clothes.I didn't look at Maxson, but stopped at Ashley.Her breasts rose and fell, and the way she looked at the prince made me feel inexplicably embarrassed as a bystander. "Your Highness." Sylvia made a deep curtsey. "Hello, Sylvia. If you don't mind, I'd like to introduce myself to these young ladies." "Of course." She bowed again. Prince Maxson scanned the people present and found me.The moment our eyes met, he smiled, which was unexpected. I thought he might change his mind last night and call me out in front of everyone, making me look bad in public.But maybe he wasn't angry at all, maybe he thought I was kind of funny.Here, he must be quite boring.Anyway, that little smile made me think that maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.The decision I couldn't make last night has become very simple at this moment. I will apologize to him, and of course he will give me a chance. "Ladies, if you don't mind, I'll call you one by one to come over and talk to me. I'm sure you all want to dine, and so do I, so I won't take too long. If I can't call you right away name, please forgive me, because there are really too many people." Everyone laughed under their breath.He immediately went to the girl on the far right in the first row and led her to the sofa.They talked for a few minutes, and then he got up and bowed to her, and she curtseyed back.Then she went back to her desk, said something to the girl next to her, and then the whole process was repeated.Each conversation lasts no more than a few minutes, and the volume is kept low.It took him less than five minutes to experience the feeling of being with every girl. "I wonder what he wants to know." Mary turned to me and asked. "Maybe, he wants to know who is the most handsome actor you think, you have to answer this question carefully." I replied lightly, and then both Mary and Ashley couldn't help laughing slightly. We weren't the only ones talking in low voices. While we waited, we all whispered to the people around us to distract attention. There was a kind of bee-like humming in the audience.Also, photographers were walking around, interviewing the girls about their first day at the palace, asking them if they liked the handmaidens they were assigned, and that sort of thing.When they came to me and Ashley, I had her answer all the questions. When every selected girl communicated with the prince on the sofa, I couldn't help but look at them. Some were very ladylike and calm, while others were overexcited and fidgety.Mary blushed as she approached Prince Maxson and was beaming as she left.Ashley kept adjusting her gown as if she didn't know where to put her hands otherwise. When she came back, I was so nervous that I was sweating because it was my turn next.I took a deep breath to steady myself, and the next thing I would do was ask him to do me a favor. He stood up and looked at my name tag as I approached: "America, right?" he asked, a smile twitching on his lips. "Yes, I am. I should have heard your name, but please remind me?" I didn't know if it was a good idea to start with a joke, but Maxson laughed and sat me down. He leaned forward and whispered to me, "Did you sleep well, honey?" I don't know the expression on my face when I heard this name, but Maxson's eyes are full of complacency. "I'm not your darling yet," I answered him, keeping a smile on my face. "I slept well when I calmed down. My maids had to pull me out of bed, it was so comfortable." "Glad you're comfortable, dear...America." He corrected the salutation. "Thank you," I said, and then nervously toyed with the hem of my shirt for a while, trying to figure out how to say it, "I'm so mean last night, I'm really sorry. I figured it out before I fell asleep, Although this situation is really strange, it should not be blamed on you. You are not the one who caused me to be involved in this matter, and it was not your idea to choose Fei. Moreover, when I was very unhappy, you Be kind to me, but I've been terrible to you. You could have sent me away last night, but you didn't. Thank you." Maxson's eyes are so soft, I bet every girl before me would melt seeing them, I'm sure I'd be uncomfortable with him looking at me like that, but considering it's just in his nature, it's ok up.He lowered his head, and when he looked up at me again, he leaned over again, resting his elbows on his knees, as if to make me understand the importance of what he said next. "America, I appreciate that you have been open with me from the beginning. So, I ask you to answer me a question." I nodded, a little afraid of what the hell he wanted to know.He moved a little closer and said softly, "You said you made a mistake coming here, so I can only assume that you didn't want to come here. Do you think it's possible for you to have any... feelings of love for me? " I couldn't help but panicked.I don't want to break his heart, but I can't avoid the question. "Your Highness, you are very kind, and charming and attentive." My opening remarks made him laugh, but I continued in a low voice, "However, for many practical reasons, I don't think it is possible." "Can you explain?" Although his expression didn't change, I could hear his disappointment.I think he's not used to being rejected. It's not something I want to share with anyone, but I can't think of any other way to make him understand.I spoke the truth to him in a lower voice. "I... I'm afraid my heart already belongs to someone else." I felt my eyes begin to moisten. "Oh, please don't cry!" Maxson whispered clearly worried, "I don't know what to do when a woman cries!" This sentence made me laugh, temporarily suppressing the urge to cry.His expression immediately relaxed. "Do you want me to release you back into the arms of your lover today?" he asked.Although he wasn't too pleased that I liked someone else, instead of getting angry, he expressed sympathy.This reaction made me feel like I could trust him. "The problem is... I don't want to go home." "Really?" He ran his hands through his hair to show his confusion, and I laughed again. "Can I be honest with you?" He nods. "I need to stay here. My family needs me to stay here. Even if you can only let me stay for a week, it will be very good for them." "You mean, you need that subsidy?" "Yeah." It hurts to admit it, because it definitely looks like I'm using him.I think, the truth is indeed the case.But there are other reasons, "And, there are... some people", I looked up at him, "There are some people I really don't want to see right now." Maxson nodded in understanding, but did not speak. I was hesitant, but I thought the worst would be that he would let me go home, so I went on to say, "If you'd let me stay, even for a little while, I'd make an exchange with you." I offered . Both of his eyebrows were raised: "Swap?" I bit my lip: "If you let me stay..." This must sound a little stupid, "Well, look, you are a prince, you are so busy all day long, you have to govern the country and so on, where can you find it?" Time to pick one out of thirty-five, ah, thirty-four girls? Quite a difficult task, don't you think?" He nodded.It was obvious that he was tired just thinking about it. "Wouldn't it be nice if you had someone of your own in there? Someone who could help you? Like, have a friend?" "Friend?" he asked. "Yeah, let me stay, I'll help you. I'll be your friend." Listening to me, he smiled, "You don't have to worry about chasing me, you already know I don't have feelings for you, But you can tell me anything, and I'll try to help you. You said last night you wanted someone to talk to, well, until you find someone who will be with you for the rest of your life, I can take care of that for now, if If you want." Although his expression is friendly, he is also defensive: "I have almost met all the girls in this room, and I really can't think of anyone who is more suitable to be a friend than you. I am happy to let you stay." I let out a long sigh of relief. "Do you think I can still call you honey?" Maxon asked. "It's not negotiable." I replied softly. "I will continue to work hard. It is not easy for me to give up." I believe he is like this, and I am annoyed at the thought that he will make this request. "Is that what you call them all?" I nodded to the other girls in the room. "Yes, they all like it." "That's exactly why I don't like it." Then I stood up. Maxson followed me to my feet, giggling.I was about to frown in protest, but it was kind of funny.He bowed and I curtseyed before returning to my seat. Time passed very slowly, and by the time he saw the last person, I was starving to death.When the last girl returned to her seat, I was already looking forward to my first breakfast in the palace. Maxson walked to the center of the room: "If I let you stay, please sit in your seat and wait for a while. If you are not called, please follow Sylvia to the restaurant. I will go there later to join you guys." No one knows whether it is a good thing to stay or it is a good thing to leave. I stood up and started to walk out like most of the girls, and the few girls left must have had special time with him.Ashley is one of them. There is no doubt that she is really special, and she is born to be Faye Wong.The others were girls I hadn't had the chance to meet yet, and of course they didn't necessarily want to know me.The cameras stayed on for the special moment, and everyone else left. We entered the banquet hall, and already seated in it were King Clarkson and Queen Amberley, who were more majestic than I had imagined.There are more cameras in this room, all waiting to film our first meeting.I hesitated, wondering if I should back out the door, waiting to be invited in.But most people, although a little hesitant, walked in.I walked quickly to my chair, hoping no one noticed me. Sylvia came in two seconds later and looked at everyone present. "Ladies," she said, "I'm afraid we haven't touched the point just now, but whenever you enter a room where the king or queen is present, or they enter the room where you are, the proper thing to do is to curtsey. , you can get up and sit down. Let’s come together, shall we?” Then, we saluted together in the direction of the head table. "Welcome, girls," said the Queen. "Sit down, please. You are welcome to the Palace. We are all delighted to have you here." Her voice was cheerful, as calm as her appearance, but not lacking in energy. As Sylvia said, the waiter poured us orange juice from our right hand side.The food prepared for us was brought in on a large cart, each plate covered, and the butlers opened it only when it was brought to us.The fragrant pancakes were placed in front of me. Fortunately, everyone sighed at the delicious food, which covered up the sound of my stomach growling. King Clarkson prayed for everyone before dinner, and then everyone started.A few minutes later, Maxson came in and walked to his seat, and before we could get up, he said loudly, "Ladies, please don't get up and enjoy your breakfast." He went to the head table, kissed his mother on the face, He patted his father on the back again before sitting down in the chair to the king's left.He said a few words to the butler who was closest to him, who laughed silently, and then Maxson also began to eat. Ashley didn't come, and neither did the other girls who were left behind.I looked around, a little puzzled, trying to count how many girls were not there.eight.Eight girls are not here. Chris, who sat across from me, answered the question in my eyes. "They're gone," she said. gone?oh, gone... It's hard to imagine, how could they possibly upset Maxson in five minutes?Anyway, I'm glad I chose to confess. In this way our number was reduced to twenty-seven.