"Kowtow to His Highness!"
The moment I walked out from the carriage with a red veil covering my face - I sense an alarming touch against my skin. Old Lady Gu.
"Don't panic. Act like you're Qing Yi. Graceful, timid." At least that added more burden to my heaving thoughts. Oh, my god. What am I going to do now? I want to burst out tears.
Why not, the accessories on top of my head are way heavier than ten pile of textbooks! Sighing inwardly, I curse my own luck. Not only that I died in the most absurd kind of death, now I am going to marry as the person with the opposite personality of myself.
Walking through the brick of stairs, my feet casually almost tripped. The shoes are just not made for me, duh. Embarrassing. Most ministers are here, looking straight towards me. I can feel it. I can feel it!
On top of the last brick, I crossed my finger. Please, good luck for me just once! I am the main character in this good, good novel.
Good novel.
Good.
"And the Royal Hall present, Gu Yuan and Bai Jue with their daughter - Qing Yi!" I gulped, the sweat running faster than ever. My heart started pumping blood as if there is no tomorrow. I bite my lower lip, feeling too nervous. This is so irresistibly scary!
A soft pat behind my back makes me regain some composure. Old Lady Gu hold my arm tightly, lightly whispering assuring words. Never that I ever feel this scared in my entire life. However, am I still alive though? Probably not. Not in NYC, but somewhere in this country I had been taken in.
So act like it, Andrea!
My pulse went quickening when suddenly footsteps echoed behind. The Crown Prince! Everyone kowtowed, including Old Lady Gu and Old Man Gu...
Freak, except me!
"Gah!" I accidentally let out a shocked outburst. Ayo, how come I already made a fuss! So I instantly... kowtowed?
With hands on the floor, bum floating. Kissing the floor. What the hell am I doing? This is totally scratching my pride so awfully that I want to die for the second time!
"Ow!" A painful pinch from Old Lady Gu wrinkled my face. Ungrateful oldies! I can tore off my veil and tell ya' guys scheming behind this Crown Prince!
And I would also end horribly, sigh.
That man hates scheming. So much that he killed this Gu couples in that story. Oh, my gosh.
"Internal respect to His Highness. Bowing only to His Highness. May glory all be with His Highness." Like a chant, everyone started speaking the same thing all over and over again - with me still in that embarrassing pose. Luckily enough, I pressured myself to keep the shyness, braving to get up and bowed the right way.
"Get up." Said the cold voice. The tyrant's voice! My back hurts from bowing to this deviant. Slowly, I get up and moved my head side to side, massaging the crook of my neck. My spine... ugh. I arch my body to the front, trying to straighten my back.
When suddenly I felt the world stopped.
Because everyone was looking at me!
What the hell did I just do?
"Qing Yi." Like an electronic shock, a shiver runs down my spine. Uh-oh, here it comes. Compose yourself well, girl. Ya' can do this.
"Hi!"
Old Lady Gu pinches my waist with an instantaneous curse of disapproval, making me almost squirmed in shock. That was fucking hurtful! Oh, oops. I forgot the script.
"Remember, when His Highness speaks your name, just bow down politely. Tell him you're pleased to meet him. Don't say anything inappropriate or disrespectful! Otherwise you're dead!."
Otherwise you're dead...
You're dead...
Dead.
Panic surged down my bones. Dead, oh my god! I could not process anything and immediately bowed down. "Sorry, sorry! I mean, I am so pleased! No, I am so pleased to meet you!" Everyone was looking at me as if I am a failed clown in a circus. Most of them containing laughters.
Screw myself for being so nervous!
"Pleased to meet you too." The voice rings like an alarm. Yu Zheng, the Demon ruler! Wait, he is not getting mad at me for acting a bit out of character, isn't he? Standing on my feet, stuttering but managed to give him a small smile, I try to sound cool. "Greetings, Your Highness."
Thank God I always watch historical drama! that I am able to speak like a professional now!
"Gu Yuan. Bai Jue." The raspy, cold voice sounds like a thunderstorm that struck Old Man Gu and Old Lady Gu's senses. They both shared a brief eye contact before looking down.
"Your Highness, we---"
"I believe that this is NOT your daughter, Qing Yi, am I right?" Yu Zheng speaks, his voice echoing. Ministers around him looked at each other -- sharing the same nervousness.
Hello? If ya' guys are nervous, then I am dying!
"Your Highness, w- we---"
"Am I such a disgrace to marry your daughter that you sent off someone else other than Qing Yi?" This time, the voice of this brat lad is getting firmer. I want to pee in my pants! It's not that I am scared of him, 'kay? But for real, I need to pee!
I drank way too much tea before coming here!
"Your Highness!"
Everyone's lips lock. No more whispers. Old Lady Gu and Old Man Gu eyed me, with desperation and extreme fear in their eyes.
"May I use the restroom?"
Silence.
No more sounds except the rustling air.
Old Lady Gu looked at me with such bulging eyes, making me feel worse than ever. Oh gosh, I don't want to embarrass myself peeing here!
Yu Zheng? Well, he... smiled.
HE ACTUALLY SMILED!
A lot of eyes wander through my figure, as if doing a scan. Feeling uncomfortable, I only smile awkwardly.
The air is still tense, giving me a huge load of second hand embarrassment. Nevertheless, I am glad this is the other world. At least none of my friends can see me in this situation or else they will make fun of me until the last breath of mine.
"Servants."
Yu Zheng finally talks. Every body inside the Royal Hall stiffened.
"Bring this lady to fulfill her wish."
Three lady in long dress come like a line of ants. So neat and robotic. One smiles at me and the others go to my left and right side. It seemed that I am finally could pee!
"And bring her directly to her supposed place."
Gulp! Supposed place sounds... harsh, scary, terrifying, horrifying, but somehow washed my brain in relief.
Meaning to say, no bloodshed right?
Giggling, I smiled in pride. I just actually turned the story plot to a whole different storyline! Now that Old Man Gu, Old Lady Gu and Qing Yi is saved, the chaos that happened on the first chapter is avoided!
I am actually starting to enjoy this world!
Before all joy fades away when I remembered something. The most important part on the chapter one...
The bride and groom's sacrificial for the Moon God!
In modern words, that 'first night!'
YOU ARE READING
Reborn As The Unknown Bride
RomanceA girl who comes from the different era, with different race; somehow transmigrated to the world she had never expected to experience.
