Chapter 2

Capital of the Xiang Empire, 1479

The next morning, Lihua was woken up early by her

aunt. The first rays of the sun had begun to

appear, casting a pale golden light over the rich,

green lands. The sky had softened to a baby

blue, and the clouds could be seen with a shy blush.

A mixture of light pink, white, and blue was

painted on the canvas of the sky, and it was truly

beautiful. Not many people were awake. Some

were still asleep, drowning in their very own

dreams and enjoying the warmth of their small

houses, while others had waken up to attend to their

duties.

She got dressed in a simple pink and white hanbok,

along with a silver belt that loosely hugged

her lower waist. The belt used to belong to her

father, and although it's been ages since

someone last wore it, it was still nice and firm. It

had the symbol of a dragon on it, and for some

reason, it made her feel safe and gave her a little bit

of confidence.

Aunt Biyu had somehow managed to convince

Lihua not to wear men's clothing for today,

having used the excuse that the people in the palace

would not take her seriously. A woman of

decent rank and respected household donning

men's attire? Her family wouldn't hear the end of

it. Gossip and filthy whispers would circle around in

the village like a vicious shark in the sea,

and as if Lihua hasn't worsened their reputation

enough with her reckless actions and

inappropriate behavior, it would be completely

ruined this time.

Lihua took two strands of her long, black hair from

each side and gently pinned them back with

a plain red hair pin while leaving the rest of her

hair falling down her back. Unlike any other

woman who actually had the chance to meet the

emperor, who would've caked her face with

makeup and wore priceless jewelry, this girl didn't

do any of that. She didn't wear any precious

hair pieces, nor did she wear any expensive clothes

or jewelry. And almost no makeup, only

applying a very faint pink color to her lips.

Meeting the emperor?

She snorted at her unrealistic, childish thoughts.

As if that's ever going to happen.

She stared at her reflection and a satisfied smile

graced her fair face. She stood up and walked

out of her room, heading to where her grandfather

and aunt were.

She stepped inside and found them eating breakfast.

Zhao Lin didn't even look up. He

continued sipping his fresh tea silently, gazing

outside at garden and anyone passing by. A cool

breeze, reminding them that it's a new day, crept

inside and hit their warm cheeks.

Aunt Biyu gasped softly, "oh my!" She smiled

proudly, staring at her niece with obvious

approval. "You finally look like a proper lady! It

looks stunning on you!" But she then muttered,

"well, except for the belt, that one doesn't really go

nicely with the dress."

Lihua only huffed, clearly not thinking the same.

"It's uncomfortable! The fact that I'm not

wearing pants is making me feel exposed. Plus these

sleeves are heavy, and it feels like my

skin cannot breathe! Nearly every inch of it is

covered-"

Oh hush!" The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes,

waving her hand in a dismissive way.

"Quiet and come eat. You must hurry, otherwise you

will be late and most likely miss your

meeting with the emperor."

She almost choked and looked at her aunt like she

just grew three heads. "The emperor?

Surely, you are jesting Just because I am going to the

palace, doesn't mean I'm going to meet

His Majesty. Plus even if I had the chance, I wouldn't

have the desire to. According to all the

rumors about him, he's a bloodthirsty killer who

wouldn't hesitate to put a dagger in your

heart"

"Silence!" Zhao Lin suddenly yelled, his booming

voice startling the two women. "Do not speak

that way of His Majesty. You should be helping your

aunt with her work and acting like a lady

worthy of your rank, not listening to indecent gossip

and disgusting rumors. I have raised you

better than this." He spat.

Lihua was hurt. She knew she spoke way too much

sometimes, and she knew that her behavior

and just her in general were intolerable. She was

stubborn, careless, and hot-headed. She was

fairly aware of her worst flaws, but this was the first

time he'd snapped at her this way.

"But it's just what I hear when I visit the village. It's

not my intention to listen!" She argued.

"For goodness' sake, Lihua! Be quiet and eat. Don't

talk back and don't waste any more time."

Aunt Biyu says, handing her chopsticks. Lihua grits

her teeth angrily. Her appetite was lost, and

all she ate was a few pieces of rice and tooka small

bite of the dry bread.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Her aunt

questioned, "you're going to need your strength, you

know." She added. The girl gently pushed the plate

of food away, shaking her head slightly. "T'm

not very hungry." She mumbles and stands up,

before slipping her shoes on.

"The herbs are over there," Zhao Lin said, pointing

to the corner, where an old bag made of rags

lay. She looked at it and spotted little plants peeking

out, making her smile slightly. She picks it

up and almost gasps at the heavy weight.

Aunt Biyu chuckles like a witch and says, "we can't

afford a cart, so you're going to have to carry

that on your back the entire way. I hope someone is

kind enough to help you. Maybe a guard,

perhaps." She takes a sip of her green tea, ignoring

the glare her niece sent her.

Lihua winces at the sudden pressure on her back

but manages to stand straight as she walked

out of the house, stumbling a bit. "Tll do my best,

grandfather." She sent Zhao Lin a cheerful

smile, a bright look in her eyes. He slowly looked up

at her and his grip tightened on the glass.

At that moment, he saw not his granddaughter, but

his son.

The same optimistic attitude, the same happy smile,

the same cheerful eyes. gazing right at

him, full of hope and twinkling with life

He looked away without saying a word.

As Lihua walked away, Aunt Biyu placed a

comforting hand on Zhao Lin's shoulder, a dejected

look on her face. "Do you really think she will be

okay, grandfather?" She asked hesitantly.

Silence.

Then, with a heavy sigh, he finally answered, "I

don't know."

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