Ge (or gege), Di (or didi): Ge means older brother, Di means younger brother. The male counterparts of Jie and Mei. Once again, not necessarily related.

About the princes: the prince in chinese is ‘A-ge’. Their ‘number’ in age order would get put in front of that to make ‘ba a-ge’ for 8^th prince. Therefore ‘ba a-ge’ is a proper noun, which is why they refer to the 8^th prince as ‘8^th prince’ not ‘the 8^th prince’, because it would make sense in Chinese. The princes would address each other as ‘No. Prince’. They would call each other Ge, or Di, as they are all half brothers after all. 8^th prince would call 4^th prince ‘Si-ge’. Si = 4. Literally, it would translate to ‘4 older brother’. To make it make more sense, I put in the ‘th’ or ‘rd’ or ‘nd’ to make it make more sense. So 8^th prince would refer to 4^th prince as ‘4^th-ge’ while 4^th prince would refer to 8^th prince as ‘8^th-di’.

Nubi: meaning servant, but the way it is used is a big hard to translate between Chinese and English so I’ll just use Chinese. It is used when servants refer to themselves. When servants are talking to any member of the royal family, they will never use first person, but third person. But they don’t say their name, because their names are meaningless as servants. They refer to themselves as ‘Nu Bi’, which means servant. But using ‘servant’ is kinda awkward so yea…

Bengong: It is an olden day vocabulary, no one would ever use it anymore. Used when the Emperor’s lovers refer to themselves. They sometimes talk in first person, but sometimes in third person as well. Once again, they do not use names, but use Bengong. ‘Ben’ means me/myself and ‘gong’ means palace. So literally they are saying ‘my palace’ but it means that they are referring to themselves.

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“P-Prince?” Zitao stuttered, completely in shock. He cursed himself for getting provoked so easily. One look at their clothing and their hair would have told him that they were obviously royalty. But he got too caught up in the argument and missed all the obvious messages.

“Yes prince. Who is your master?” Baixian, the 9^th prince demanded.

“C-Consort Jia…” Zitao muttered, unable to meet their eyes for the time being.

“Consort Jia?” Canlie, the 10^th prince repeated, a slightly sadistic smile spreading across his face.

“What a coincidence. Your mistress, Consort Jia just happens to be my mother. I wonder what she would do if she realised that a lowly palace maid was going around disturbing members of the royal household.” Yifan mused, putting a finger on his chin as if he was really unsure of what his mother would do.

“That’s low. Relying on your family to get you around. I don’t think that you can even do anything at all. You don’t deserve to be called princes.” Zitao said, his eyes hardening.

Clearly his statement had a big impact on the three princes. Their faces looked incredibly pissed off, sneers twisting their lips.

“And how would you know how a prince is supposed to act like? You’re such a brave girl, do you know the punishment you would get if it weren’t for my kind heart?” Yifan retorted harshly.

“Oh, well thank you then for being so ‘kind-hearted’.” Zitao shot back, making air quotes with his hands.

Now Zitao had really pissed off 8^th Prince Yifan. His already intense gaze, which in Zitao’s opinion made him look like he had a permanent face on, turned even meaner.

“Why you---“ Yifan started, but he was cut off.

“Calm yourself, 8^th-di.*She is a new palace maid, she doesn’t understand.” A voice said.

Zitao turned his head, searching for the owner of the voice. And he found it. Another prince, judging from his clothes and how he addressed the 8^th prince as ‘8^th-di’. The prince was a very calm and wise looking prince, his face gentle as he spoke words of wisdom to his younger brother.

“4^th-ge.”

“4^th-ge.”

“4^th-ge.”

The 8^th, 9^th and 10^th prince all greeted the 4^th prince, one after another, the expression on Yifan’s face souring for a split second before it was replaced by a small smile.

4^th prince? Zitao stared at the 4^th prince. He looked familiar, and sounded familiar. Zitao tilted his head to the side, staring intensely at the 4^th prince, trying to place exactly where he had seen him.

“I’m sorry, but you have been staring at me for quite some time. Was there anything you wanted?” the 4^th prince inquired, greeting Zitao with a polite smile.

“Oh…ah…yea, may I ask, 4^th prince, what do you call yourself?” Zitao said, turning bright red at having being caught staring at the 4^th prince.

“My name is Yixing. 4^th Prince---“ the 4^th prince began.

Yixing?! Zitao snapped his fingers, effectively cutting off the 4^th prince in his introduction as well. He turned to 4^th Prince Yixing, his eyes shining like a fanboy.

“Emperor Yixing!”

Who would have thought that his favourite Emperor was this good-looking when he was younger.

10^th Prince Canlie suddenly choked, on the air, bursting out into laughter as well. So the 10^th prince liked to laugh, Zitao observed. The history books certainly didn’t say that.

“Emperor?” Yifan said, a bit scathingly.

“Thank you for the compliment.” Yixing said, smiling gently.

It was only then that Zitao realised he said the ‘good-looking’ part out loud. And the Emperor part as well. Zitao realised all too late that this was only 1721. They were still under the rule of Emperor Hangeng. Emperor Yixing had not yet ascended the throne yet, and talk of who would succeed the throne had barely begun yet.

“Oh, did I say Emperor Yixing? I meant, Emperor Hangeng. You look…a lot like…Emperor Hangeng…” Zitao trailed off, scratching his neck awkwardly at the blatant lie.

“Well I am his son…” Yixing said, chuckling at how Zitao’s face turned even redder from embarrassment.

“Right…” Zitao muttered, flushing an even darker shade of red, which was pretty hard considering how red he was already. Yixing chuckled again.

“Take care of yourself…” Yixing paused.

“Zitao. Huang Zitao.” Zitao blurted out.

“Take care of yourself, Zitao.” Yixing smiled a gentle smile once again before turning around. As he walked of, he stopped by Yifan, putting a hand on Yifan’s shoulder and whispering something before actually leaving.

“Do you like him?” Yifan said bluntly.

“Yes.” Zitao replied dreamily. “He’s so wise and gentle and sweet and nice and just so perfect, unlike SOME PEOPLE.” Zitao pointedly aimed the last part towards Yifan, who seemed to take the hint.

“You have no chance with him.” Yifan said.

Zitao glared angrily at Yifan. “Don’t say that! Let me dream.”

“I don’t see why he would like a tall, ugly girl with a bad attitude and not a single drop of respect in that muscly body that makes you look like a man.” Yifan stated.

“No one asked for your opinion!”

“I don’t see what you see in 4^th-ge. You barely know him.”

“Don’t you dare badmouth 4^th prince Yixing! He’s much better than you will ever be!”

Zitao stomped his foot in frustration, before finally turning to leave, officially incensed after his encounter with 8^th prince Yifan. He walked, more like stomped back to the palace maid quarters in anger, flopping down onto his bed in his room.

“Argh! Stupid 8^th prince!” Zitao yelled, picking up his pillow and throwing it on the floor, before falling down flat on his bed.

Unbeknownst to him, 2 girls, 2 very familiar girls who would incur the rage of Zitao if they were ever discovered were standing outside his door, their ears pressed against the door as they listened.

“8^th prince?” Xiuzhi said.

“She met the 8^th prince…” Minying said, her fists clenched in anger and jealousy.

“Do you need help with anything?”

The two jumped away from the door, smoothing their hair down and pasting sickly fake smiles onto their faces.

“No, we were just wondering if you had a needle and some thread we could borrow.” Minying smiled.

“No we weren’--“ Xiuzhi started, but her foot was stepped on by Minying. She yelped in pain, her eyes watering as she turned to glare at Minying. “What was that… oh, right we were! We want… um needles…yea…”

“Oh. Sure, I have some spare needles and thread. Wait here.” Junmian said, walking past the two to open the door. Once she was safely inside the room, Minying turned to face Xiuzhi.

“You’re an idiot.” Minying hissed, hitting Xiuzhi on the head.

“Sorry, you weren’t very clear. And I know I’m not very smart…” Xiuzhi whimpered.

“Whatever. Just go.” Minying rolled her eyes, pushing Xiuzhi ahead as she rushed them away. The door opened a short while after they disappeared, Junmian standing in the doorway with some needle and thread.

“Where did they go?” Junmian wondered.

“Where did who go?” Zitao said, sitting up from his position on the bed and staring in Junmian’s direction. Junmian turned around, smiling at her friend.

“Minying-mei and Xiuzhi-mei. They were here, asking me for some needle and thread but they’re not here anymore…” Junmian replied. Zitao said nothing, turning back to pick up his pillow. But he knew that Minying and Xiuzhi were bad news. He lay there for a while, before falling asleep, still pondering his last train of thought.

***

“Alright palace maids. I will be giving you a quick brief before you are sent to your masters. Firstly, make sure you know who your master is, and what rank she is. All princes are the same rank so it doesn’t matter, but you do need to know for concubines. This will be important, as when your master bows, you are to bow as well, in the manner that I told you yesterday. You are to obey every single command. Should you disobey, the consequences will be dire. Is that understood?” Yiyun barked.

The palace maids nodded, none of them willing to face the consequences of such a high crime. The girl who had dared to demean Yiyun had come back last night. She had no bruises, nor did she have any markings, but every time she moved she was wincing in pain, and whenever anyone touched her arms or hands, it was obvious that she was biting her lip as to not scream. And for only such a petty offence like that, she was punished to such an extent. One could only wonder what would happen if one was to offend the royal family.

“You are dismissed. Eunuchs!” Yiyun yelled. Instantly eunuchs swarmed into the place forming a line down the side.

“Take these palace maids to their masters.” Yiyun demanded, before walking off, 2 eunuchs flanking her as she returned to Imperial Noble Consort Qian. Zitao followed one eunuch, who was leading him, Minying and Xiuzhi to their mistress, Consort Jia.

***

“Consort Jia.” The eunuch said, instantly getting down to bow. Zitao hurriedly followed, bowing the way that Yiyun had instructed.

“Consort Jia.” He repeated, hearing Minying and Xiuzhi repeat that.

“Stand.” The woman sitting on an extravagant chair ordered. Common sense instantly told Zitao that this woman was Consort Jia. Her clothing was one of a concubine, it was lavish with a white neck ribbon thing. She sat on a luxurious chair next to a table which was next to another chair. The other chair was obviously reserved for the Emperor when he felt like visiting her. Two palace maids stood at either side of her. One standing by the door (her chair was situated quite close to the door after all) and the other standing on the other side of the table. The table held a tea set, from which Consort Jia had been drinking from. Consort Jia set down her teacup, and reached out an arm. Instantly, the two palace maids came, one taking the arm, and the other taking the crook of her other arm, escorting her towards the eunuch and the trio of palace maids.

“And these palace maids are…?” Consort Jia said, her eyes analysing the trio.

“Your new palace maids, Consort Jia.” The eunuch said, bowing deeply, his hands held together in front of his chest.

“I see. Your names?” Consort Jia ordered.

“Minying.”

“Xiuzhi.”

“Zitao.”

Consort Jia nodded, waving a hand. The eunuch bowed, then left, having been dismissed. Consort Jia returned to her seat.

“There is no more tea left.” Consort Jia stated, looking expectantly at her palace maids. The two palace maids who had been serving bowed, making a move to fetch some more tea. But Consort Jia put up her hand, staring at the three new maids.

“I want…you. The tall one. What was your name again? Fetch me more tea now.” Consort Jia said, pointing her golden finger (for it had a golden ring on it which extended over her finger, making her look like she had a very long golden nail) at Zitao.

“M-Me?” Zitao stuttered, pointing to himself.

Bad move. Consort Jia’s eyes narrowed, glaring at Zitao. The two palace maids stared at Zitao, one of them frantically shaking her head slightly from side to side. Minying and Xiuzhi smirked.

“Please forgive me Consort Jia. Nubi* didn’t mean it. I will go fetch the tea immediately.” Zitao bowed, his eyes lowered.

“Be happy that Bengong* is feeling generous. Leave.” Consort Jia waved her hand dismissing Zitao, and he left instantly, thankful to be away from her suffocating atmosphere.

Now there was just a slight problem.

Where the hell was the tea?!

Zitao frustrated went to pull at his hair, before he remember that it was up in a bun and he wasn’t allowed to look ‘disorderly’. He sighed, folding his hands together, deciding that they would to instead.

“Oh well if it isn’t the ugly palace maid.”

Zitao sighed, turning around the face the voice.

“Hello to you too 8^th prince.” Zitao sarcastically remarked.

“What are you doing here?” 8^th Prince Yifan asked, walking over. He was alone this time, his two sidekicks Baixian and Canlie nowhere to be seen.

“I work here. Am I not allowed to walk around?” Zitao said, rolling his eyes.

Yifan frowned, hissing angrily. “I don’t like you.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” Zitao drily commented.

Yifan clenched his fists, he obviously didn’t like this feeling of being beaten. He his heel, wondering why he had bothered to even stop to talk to the palace maid in the first place. Zitao watched him go with satisfaction, before remembering the reason why he was walking around like a lost puppy.

“Wait.” Zitao asked towards Yifan’s retreating figure. Yifan took no notice, not even faltering in his step as he continued onwards. Zitao blew the tendrils of his hair that had escaped his bun in frustration.

“Yah Yifan I said wait!” Zitao yelled.

Still no response.

“8^th prince Yifan, wait…please” Zitao unwillingly muttered the last part. But Yifan did stop, turning around with a smirk on his face.

“What was that last part? I didn’t quite hear it.” Yifan said, taunting Zitao.

“Please…” Zitao said.

“What?”

“Please.”

“I can’t hear you~”

“Please! Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

Yifan froze for a second there, a shocked expression pasted on his face. Zitao stood shocked as well, more so at Yifan’s reaction. He quickly ran through what he had just said to cause Yifan’s expression. As far as he was concerned, he had just yelled out a ‘please’. He thought harder, before it all clicked.

He had said ‘pretty please with a  cherry on top’.

With aegyo.

Aegyo.

Yifan was weak to aegyo.

A devious grin spread across Zitao’s face. “Please, help me find where I can get tea for Consort Jia?”

Yifan recovered, his expression returning to the neutral one he had on before. “And why should I help you?”

“Because you have to be somewhat sympathetic towards a new palace maid. Please~” Zitao said, watching with delight as he witnessed Yifan’s resolve crumbling. Just a little bit more…

“Bbuing bbuing?”

***

“What an extravagant place for a tea house.” Zitao commented, staring at the building in front of him with wonder. It was true, the building, like all the other buildings in the Forbidden City was topped with a golden roof. There were eunuchs working in the building, crushing leaves and preparing them. Was tea really that complicated? Don’t you just get a bunch of leaves, shove them into hot water, and voila, tea?

“Of course it is. The Emperor loves tea, therefore the tea production increased within palace grounds.” Yifan said. Zitao turned to the 8^th prince, still feeling triumphant over his win over Yifan. Yifan caught Zitao staring at him, sending the ‘palace maid’ a glare.

“You will not speak of that again.” Yifan hissed.

“Sure sure,” Zitao replied playfully.

Yifan glared, clearly being a sore loser. Zitao would have laughed at his expression, but more important matters were at hand now. He was currently waiting for the tea to be ready, because of course, he should have realised that Consort Jia would never prepare her tea herself.

“Well, I’m going to go now.” Zitao said, once the tea had arrived. He took the tray into his arms with some difficulty, trying hard not to spill a drop. Thank god the teapot had a lid on.

“I don’t care.” Yifan said.

“Don’t care then. Bye bye 8^th prince.” Zitao laughed, walking off with a spring to his step, heading back to Consort Jia’s room.

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A/N: To answer some question you may have. Why didn't Zitao realise that 4th prince was Emperor Yixing at first? Because back in those days, there were no cameras so he didn't know what Emperor Yixing looked like. And cos, it probably slipped his mind. Also the Tao 'bbuing bbuing' part. I know it's korean. I was looking for a chinese alternative, but it doesn't exist...so korean it is then!

- Lulu <3 (signing off like this from now on. It's my nickname. so feel free to call me by that name if you want ^^)