บท 7: Tour the Palace

Even though James wanted to try to sit on the throne, but he held back his impulse as he was not the King yet, not officially. After another couple of minute to admire the throne room, he and Madison left.

They continued their tour in the vast Lannister Palace. As their tour was ongoing, the more shocked they became. The Imperial Garden with an array of fascinating flower, the Harem palace complex, and many more.

Yes, the Harem palace complex. As the founding King Zhang Yong was from Tang Royal Family, he had many concubines on his arsenal. He built another palace complex separated from the main palace where all of his concubines lived.

The Harem practice continued generation by generation, and even Zhang Kui had seven concubines under his names. A pity all of his concubines already died and didn't leave any descendant. Even though Western culture heavily influenced the Kingdom of Lannister, but as the founding King was a Chinese people, the Chinese culture still dominated.

After 1 hour of their small tour, James and Madison decided to stop as they were already exhausted. They headed to the huge dining hall they were visited earlier and found it was already lively with people. All the people quickly give their salute when they saw James and Madison.

"His Highness, please sit. We already a special lunch for you and your sister arrival." A middle-aged man dressed in a butler suit said politely.

James already knew this man as he was one of the people that picked him up from China. According to the introduction, his name was Oliver, and he was the chief butler of Lannister Royal Family. His family had served the Lannister Royal Family since King Zhang Yong era.

"Do you know where Zhou Huang and Joseph, Oliver ?" James said as he sat at the main seat.

"Prime Minister Zhou Huang busy with the daily affair of the Kingdom while I don't know where His Grace Duke Joseph is." Oliver answered politely.

James contemplated for a moment before he dismissed his thought to search for the two old men. Then he ate the sumptuous lunch prepared specially for today occasion. All kind of cuisine placed on the table, Chinese, Western, Middle-East, you say it.

Even though there were many foods placed on the table, but only James and Madison were eating them. After eating to their full, not even a quarter of the food was consumed.

"Oliver, how do you deal with the leftover food ?" James asked Oliver, who stood not too far apart.

"We usually throw it away. Why you ask this, Your Highness?" Oliver asked.

James felt it was a terrible waste of food. Even though he was technically a Royal now, but he was just an ordinary person in essence. Even with the Emperor memory in his mind, but it still couldn't change who James was.

"In the future, don't throw all the food away. You can eat it if you want, or give it to all the guards and maids." James said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Oliver got a little bit surprised by James decision, but he quickly developed a good impression on James.

"Your Highness, Her Highness, please let me show your living quarter." Oliver said.

James and Madison quickly followed Oliver, which led them into another palace complex outside the main palace.

"Your Highness, this is the Crown Prince living quarter. You will be living here until the day of your coronation." Oliver said as they stopped at a 'mini' palace.

Of course, the mini here was compared to the main palace. From James's point of view, this palace was almost as big the Buckingham Palace in London.

"Her Highness, please follow me. Your living quarter is not far from here." Oliver said to Madison, who always hid behind James.

"Brother, I don't want to be separate with you." Madison said as she looked at James with her teary eyes.

James hesitated for a moment before he said, "You see, Oliver. My sister always lives with me since her childhood. Especially now we are in a foreign land, I can't bear to leave her alone. So I think she should live with me for now."

"But... She can't live with you, Your Highness. She must...." Before Oliver could finish his sentence, James stared at him with his sharp eyes.

"Who says she can't live with me ?" James asked sternly.

Oliver gulped his saliva as he felt James stare was too sharp, but he quickly replied, "It's the Kingdom rule. It stated the prince and princess couldn't live together unless it's a special circumstance."

"Isn't this a special circumstance? Anyway, she lives with me for now." James overbearingly said. Joke, his sister Madison always lived with him since their parent died in the crash that year. She couldn't sleep properly if no one slept beside her at night. Maybe it was because their mother always slept with her since she was a baby.

Oliver couldn't say anything at this moment. But what could he do? He was just a butler, whereas James was the Crown Prince soon to be the King. So he could only let James and Madison and left to inform Zhang Kui about their situation.