Chapter 61 - The Banquet (II)
Chapter 61 – The Banquet (II)
When they arrived at the banquet. Several officials were already seated on their respective seats but they did not follow the original seating arrangement where one would seat based on their ranking. They were sitting on the seats where they could freely chat with their peers.
While other seats and tables were spread across each side of the hall where the nobles could go and sit.
At the highest and farthest seated, there were two figures who were already sitting on the exquisitely made chairs. It was the Emperor and the Empress. Both had their majestic smiles already plastered on their faces and not a hint could tell anyone when will they wipe that annoying smiles from their faces.
There were also several other chairs and tables lined up just below the seats for the Emperor and Empress. These seats were used by the royal offsprings of the emperor and it seemed that every princes and princess were present as they were already sitting there.
But there was one particular seat that didn't belong to any of the royal offsprings and it was the honored seat for the Duke of Xin. Because he had the highest rank due to his outstanding achievements and as someone who also had royal blood coursing through his veins, the Duke was treated with special treatment.
While Lin Xiaomeng was seated just below the princes and the Duke to give respect to him.
When the remaining Lin family arrived at the hall, the chattering of most the females toned down before it dramatically paused as they watch the Lin family members walk in the hall.
The palace eunuch announced their arrival and the Lin family members bowed down to give their greetings and respect to the Royal Family.
And when Lin Xiaofei did her bow, she only lowered her body so slightly that it didn't even appear that she was bowing at all. Her head was also slightly raised so she could look at the faces of her enemies.
With her nails buried in her palms, creating crescent-like marks on it, Lin Xiaofei finds it hard to control her desire to kill these people right there and in front of everyone.
Lin Xiaofei's stare deepened and she lowered her head, hiding her cold sneer from their eyes.
As much as she wanted to kill them all, Lin Xiaofei thought that it would be too early for her to do that and it wouldn't qualify as revenge anymore if they died so easily.
They made her life miserable and filled with endless pain so why must she let these people experience only a fraction of what she experienced?
After bowing and greeting the rulers and royal offsprings, Lin Xiaofei walked and sat where the remaining Lin family members chose to sit.
As they sat on their seats, the young ladies of the Lin family immediately greeted their fellow young ladies and happily chatted away. First and Second Madams were also the same as they faced the madams who greeted them.
On the other hand, Lin Shen Yu and Lin Junkai had to sit with the young sons of some officials and their friends.
And it was only Lin Xiaofei who was left alone and no one seemed to have any intentions to approach and engage in a conversation with her.
"Lin Xiao, is that the fourth young miss of your family?" Lin Xiao's friend asked in wonder at the black-dressed young lady.
"Yeah, that's fourth younger sister." Lin Xiao demure replied and with a gentle smile on her face.
"Tsk! Why is she here?" Another friend of Lin Xiao harrumphed as she stared disgustingly at Lin Xiaofei, "Does she know that this place doesn't let trash in?"
"What is Ziyi saying? Lin Xiaofei is naturally my fourth cousin and grandfather's blood this, she could attend today's banquet." Lin Xiao said it so Innocently and hiding her meaning to let her sisters think about it.
Just as she had predicted her friends glared at Lin Xiaofei's direction and scoffed said for her to hear, "Ha! Relying on her grandfather. What difference was she with the corrupt and fawning corrupt officials? So disgusting!"
"That is right. She should have just stayed inside her courtyard for more years instead of coming out now!"
"Thankfully, the Chu family broke the engagement before anything could happen. Who knows if they would be ruined because of her!"
They continued to bad-mouth Lin Xiaofei and when Lin Xiao was satisfied with their comments about this cousin of hers, she tried to speak on behalf of Lin Xiaofei.
"Enough already," she told them, "My cousin might have done some foolish things in the past but I'm sure that after three years of being inside her courtyard, she must have thought to change her way of life now."
"What nonsense!" Ziyi scoffed and crossed her arm, "There's no way she will change in just a few years. Look at her! She's still the same. Stupid and Rubbish that doesn't know even know how to act like a lady. Just look at her dress!."
As she finished her words, every young ladies and even some madams and young men who were near them looked over where Lin Xiaofei was sitting.
However, they couldn't see the lady that they described as stupid and trash from the young lady who was looking down at her tea as if it was the most interesting thing she could see in the hall that was filled with beautiful and rare things.
The way her head was slightly lowered and her overly long eyelashes created a light shadow on her cheeks, people couldn't avert their eyes anymore once they laid on that peerless face.
Even though she was looking down and watching the petal in her tea, Lin Xiaofei could clearly hear their voices from where she was seated and feel the several gazes om her figure.
She wanted to laugh at the waves they were creating just because she was there. She didn't also try to speak and change their views about her because if she did, the one who will be tired will be herself for trying to speak up to each one of them and change their minds about her.
While some people were focused on her, most of the nobles who came and the royal family didn't notice the changes in their directions. They were focused more on chatting with their peers and talking about other matters.
Then as if lightning pierced through the peaceful and bustling hall, a man in a soldier's uniform came running inside the hall.
With his loud and hoarse voice, he shouted with a pale face, "Your Majesty! Something bad happened!"