When I woke up, the exhaustion of a long-time journey still there. I remembered there was a last issue of the wedding ceremony, to offer incense to his ancestors and accept the whole big family’s welcome and the servants’ greetings, I had no any desire to stay in bed and stood up immediately to make up. The face in the mirror looked so beautiful with the affection of my husband last night left in my mind. I took on the golden hairpin and a pair of purple jade earrings gifted by mom. This expensive decorations gave me a formal, honorable and distant outlook, which I need today to become the new female master of this mansion.

    He embraced me from behind, I could saw his unwilling to leave from the eyes in the mirror.

    “Why did you get up so early? We still have time.””Pei, you are as beautiful as the best painting. I dreamed of you last night like a fairy walking on the waves……”He did not answer me.

    I was flattered by him and laid back into his chest and did not want him to leave either. From today on, I will be happy only because of him. I had gave him my heart last night for his acceptance and adoration.

    I forgot about his ill eye, he was the most handsome one in the world.

    Now the one standing behind me also took off the mask as a highness, only the husband of his little wife. I smiled of finding this change.”What’s up?”He asked.

    I did not have time to answer when we heard the asking by Madam Su outside, “Your majesty, allow me to serve you take on formal suits……”

    I took a look at the disordered bed and the memory of last night’s crazy deeds with him came to me, my face suddenly turned red, and I dared not to allow the Madam to see this.

    He laughed at me and called out, “Come in, Madam.”

    The burden of a royal family’s etiquette and regulations was beyond anyone’s imagination, even to me, the daughter of the Supreme Military Officer. It was already evening when I had finished accepting all the greetings from the family members and servants. His mom was a concubine and did not come back to accept my offering of tea as the daughter-in-law.

    When I was wondering how to handle the whole business and management of the big family, four special dressing maids arose my interests. They did not leave me after the ceremony. Who were they? I remembered he had no concubines before marrying me.”Who are they, Madam Su?” I asked. She was the one served him for a long time in the palace, now being back with him to his own mansion. I knew she had all the necessary knowledge and experience to be the steward. This four had the courage to stay here with me was not a temporary arrangement.

    “Your majesty, they are……the close maids of the highness.”She answered me with hesitant wording, inspecting my reaction carefully.

    “Close……maids?”I put down the Long Jin Tea I was drinking. Close maids was similar to informal wives. My tiresome body almost fell down when confronted this sudden strike, Bing supported me in time secretly.

    My heart was like falling into the ice. How could I forget his identity? He was the prince, and I had dreamed of he keeping his heart only on me.

    The worst thing I hated was to compete to win a man’s heart with other women. But it was me myself who finally stepped into this conflict only because of  his casual words of comforts last night.  

    With my eyebrowns twisted, I was going to show my dissatisfaction, only to hear Bing said to me in a low voice,“Don’t be angry here, my lady, do you forget your mom’s warning?”

    Yes, mom had told me to be tolerant to anything here，this was the best way to keep my position steady she said.

    I swallowed my rage, and pretended to be understanding. Just one day passed, and my dream had come to its end.

    The wealth and power decided how many women a man could have from the ancient time. I had been familiar with all the fights among my mom and my father’s other wives. Now my own future would become a copy of hers. I felt so cold by realizing this reality. I sighed and decided to live in another way, to solve all this problems in my own way. I would not accept the fate like my mom had done.”Come near.”I called the close……maids, with my dignity of the formal wife untouched.

    “Your maid Qinglian, your maid Hongying, your maid Lotus, your maid Yanran……greet to my lord.” The four bowed on their knees to me.

    I took long and careful looks of the four. Qinglian was slim and tender, Hong Ying was bright and sexy, Lotus was mysterious with deep eyes any man would like to check into , Yan Ran had always kept a beautiful smile on her face.

    My husband had a good taste, a good taste I did not expect.

    “Good names!”I praised. “Are your names given by the highness? Lotus, tell me your stories.”I tried to be kind and soft.

    “Yes, my lord, the prince likes lotus very much, so he named me after the flower, according the the famous poem‘Picking Lotus’. My old name was Yun Ning.”

    “So you had been educated of knowing the poem? Why not share it with us?”

    “Thanks for your praise, my lord. I had only been to the private school for several years. I will follow your order.”

    “Good!”

    The maid started to recite aloud the poem, “A purple branch decorating the wave, a red flower belongs to it……”

    The poems of my dynasty were romantic and somehow barefaced when describing the meets between men and women, especially in the palace, among the royal families. This poem was in the same style, which described a man’s exceeding praises, in fact, his desires, to two girls who were picking up lotus when he suddenly encountered with when boating in the river.

    My husband was definitely a good poet among his brothers, with highest appreciation on this bold poem and named his woman after it.

    Listening to her repeating, a feeling of being invited to read their romance made me awkward and even more angry. Was this what he want by giving her the name?