Episode 4: Flute of Affection

Hua Rong ached in anguish, briefly closing her eyes as she walked into her chamber.

She was feeling pains after being flogged heavily by the royal guards. She couldn't even sit or feel comfortable.

Soon, Qui came into her chamber with a servant. She looked young and cute, she had a ponytailed hairstyle that was packed in the form of two buns.

"Greetings, my lady." Qui bowed before looking at Hua.

"How can I help you?" She didn't bother to look in her direction as she tried to act as though she was interested in the flower vase. She also didn't want to sell herself out that she was standing idle.

"This is Wei, the Empress Dowager sent her to be your new handmaid," Qui informed her courteously.

"New maid?" Then, she faced them, giving Wei a quick look.

"Send my greetings to her." She said reluctantly.

Qui bowed and gave Wei a last look before leaving the chamber.

Immediately, Wei rushed over to Hua - acting as if they knew each other.

"My lady." Wei sounded so concerned and anxious. "What happened to you? I'm so sorry." Her voice was filled with sincerity that surprised Hua.

"Do you know me?" She asked anxiously, staring into her innocent eyes.

"I don't know you, but since I'm going to be serving you from now on, you are my family." Wei sighed briefly. "Come here," Wei suggested, assisting Hua over to the sitting area.

She watched as Wei used some soggy materials and pillows to place on the chair before notifying her to sit down. She couldn't help but smile.

"Why are you helping me?" She had no option but to ask because she was being "way too" nice.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, my lady." Wei lowered her face. "It's just that I never had a family and was never allowed to serve anyone in the Palace. Since I have been sent here, I'm only trying to do my best, so you won't chase me away." Wei explained sadly, as her eyes became wet.

She was touched by Wei's statement, so she quickly supported her to stand up.

"You don't have to force it, dear. I won't make things hard for you." She said, flashing a warm smile at her.

"How about I rub this lotion on you? It subsides pain like magic." Wei suggested, and she nodded.

"Sure." She smiled.

The manors and pavilions in Wen City were almost similar to each other. The only difference was the plaques used to notify each person's property.

Minister Zhang gritted his teeth as he faced the main hall with his back, he was angrily staring at a painting on the wall with his hands crossed at his back.

Suddenly, his family butler, Jun, rushed into the hall, panting heavily as he fell to his knees.

"Message from an anonymous person, the mission failed," Jun informed him courteously, and immediately he smashed the piled-up scrolls that were on the table.

"Scram!" He averted his anger at his servant, Jun nodded frantically before rushing out of the room.

His hands pumped into a tight fist while his eyes pervaded fire.

"Fools. Fool…" He muttered. "Do you think your daughter can become Empress overnight without any battle?" He mumbled in dissatisfaction. "No journey is easy, poor Rong. I have five daughters and none of them are eligible. Impossible!" He swung his hand away, his garment made waves.

"As long as that throne remains empty, the Zhangs must be in leadership." He said seriously with his eyes filled with determinism.

***

After sleeping all through the afternoon to ease the pain she was feeling, Hua Rong woke up late in the evening and was feeling hungry. Wei wasn't in sight, so she decided to visit the royal kitchen and soothe her stomach. She opened the door of her chamber and saw something on the way.

She smiled after perceiving the familiar scent. It was her favorite.

"Roasted chicken." She inhaled the aroma heartily.

The chicken was wrapped in a green leaf and tied with brown dried ropes from plantain shoots.

As soon as she lifted it, she saw something else underneath it. It was a shiny beautiful hairpin with a phoenix design at its edge.

She couldn't help but admire it for a while before looking at the quiet hallway.

"My lady." From the other side, Wei approached her with a tray in her hand.

"Wei, where have you been? Did you drop this?" She asked, raising an anxious brow and Wei shook her head.

"No, I went to the kitchen to warm your food." Wei began. "But earlier, I saw General Kui patrolling this area." She added.

Without waiting for a full description or information, she pushed the chicken and ran into the hallway in an attempt to meet Kui.

Reaching a distance, she noticed that it was already late, and he wasn't anywhere.

"I missed you again." She frowned sadly, cleaning the surface of the hairpin with her thin hands.

Shortly, the calm sound of the flute disrupted her thought, and she was unintentionally attracted by its originality.

"Such rhythm…" She mumbled as her feet started controlling her actions, leading her to another courtyard.

It was the Emperor's manor which she absentmindedly went into.

She didn't know she was there nor did she know that he was the Emperor.

Sometimes, people living in luxury doesn't mean they have the best life. At times, they suffer in silence.

His long black hair rested on his broad back, he was wearing a long white garment and his hands were in the air - majestically controlling the flute.

This scene was amazing to Hua, and she couldn't help but gaze at the stranger in admiration.

"A rhythm full of pain, wandering emotions, like souls finding their last destination… too lonely." She described the flow and sadness in his tone loudly which distracted him.

He suddenly stopped playing the flute and faced her. Hua froze in shock when she realized that it was the Emperor. Meanwhile, he was also seriously confused as to how someone could narrate his tone perfectly.

"Your…. Your Majesty." She stuttered, bowing shortly.

His eyes gradually became cold and unapproachable.

"Who allowed you to come here?" He fired her almost immediately, hiding his flute away.

"I was passing…" She wasn't able to finish her statement when he interrupted her.

"Answer me, why are you here and how did you come here?" He gave her a questionable look as he slowly approached her.

"I love the tone. It saddens my heart though, but it makes me remember some past that I can't tell what exactly happened." She replied calmly, staring into his confused eyes.

"What?" That was the last response he was expecting from her.

"Your Majesty, did someone break your heart?" He was shocked at her sudden unexpected question and, unintentionally, they locked their gaze.

She curled her lips, waiting for his response, while he looked at her in annoyance and astonishment.

"Do you even have the right to ask me such a question?" Yu Cheng sneered, clearing his throat as he turned away from her.

Hua Rong smirked and crossed her hands at the back as she followed him to the air pavilion. It had a round table and two stools made of bricks.

"Your Majesty, I noticed you are reserved. Is there something on your mind?" She made a comeback, as she sat across from him.

"Who asked you to sit?" He raised a disgusting brow at her, and she quickly stood up from the seat.

"My apologies, Your Majesty." She bowed shortly, and he flicked his hand in the air, turning the tea into a small porcelain cup.

"What are you doing outside at this time and how can I help you?" He focused more on the tea he was drinking.

"Nothing much. I was hungry." She lied and he nodded.

"Then, you can leave. The fun is over." His cold voice finally resurfaced and she swallowed hard.

"Your Majesty, I see you are troubled. Is there any way I can relieve your stress?" She asked courteously, staring at him.

Though he didn't give her any attention or look in her direction, she ignored his action. "I don't need your unnecessary care." He spat at her face as he hit the cup on the table.

"Someone!" He called and soon, Yuwen Yu and Wei rushed into the garden in the yard.

They greeted Yu Cheng and Hua with a short bow.

"Walk Lady Hua back to her chamber." He instructed Wei coldly.

"But, Your Majesty…" She was reluctant to leave, but his sharp darting eyes rendered her speechless.

"Now!" He snapped Wei out of her daydreaming. After exchanging sad stares, Hua left the yard with Wei.

She didn't turn back, and neither did he look in her direction.

After a long silence, Yuwen Yu cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" Yuwen Yu asked.

"Do I look sick?" He snorted as if he was annoyed.

"You don't. But then, why is your cheek red?" Yuwen Yu questioned, dramatically touching his cheek.

Yu Cheng gave him a long annoying look before swinging his robe away from his hand.

"Get lost!" He said, sounding like one who was angry.

Yuwen Yu was already used to him, so he bowed with a smile on his face and left the yard.

Throughout the night, Hua's eyes didn't close. She wondered why Yu Cheng's rhythm on the flute was too sad and painful. He looked reserved and isolated, unlike one who had everything under his feet. He looked lost and desperately in need of help yet he wasn't willing to open up to her so she could help him - in her own little way.

"Yu Cheng." She bit her lips as she mumbled his name in a low voice.

The fact that he was still cold and proud around her irked her for some reason. She didn't like him and he was a shrewd man that didn't attract her. All she wanted was to befriend him, make him look more humane, and maybe, just maybe, win him over to his desperate concubines.

The wedding of the Emperor was an auspicious ceremony and traditionally, before the wedding, the Emperor was meant to create amnesty for the people. Lord Rong was among the people that gained amnesty and he was asked to resume office as the new Minister of city Defense and also to attend morning court. Though, he must not meddle much in politics.

The Empress Dowager made all these possible by urging the Emperor, even though it wasn't his wish, he had no right to dictate when she was alive.

The morning court ended, as the reports were solely based on the Emperor's wedding, wars, city border reports, and some successes.

"I'm not in support of it, at all! I don't care if the Empress Dowager wants to kill my entire family or take my hats off, my daughter must become the Empress." One of the ministers of the royal court discussed this with some colleagues.

The royal court was divided into five batches excluding the top ministers' section. Each batch focuses on a different prominent family like the "Zhang" family, which mostly wears red garments to court. The "Mou" family mostly wears green garments to court. The "Jaiwei" family mostly wears black garments to court. The "Zongzheng" family mostly wear white garments to court and the "Yang" family mostly wear silver garments to court, because of the Empress Dowager's influence. Each of these families was powerful and had the "right" to make decisions or protest in the royal court. They are highly respected and seen as a clan that produces the Empress. Thus, since Hua was suddenly chosen as the Empress, they were in amid confusion and annoyance.

"How can an Emperor choose an Empress with no competition or selection? It has never happened in history." Another minister rebuked.

"Except they want someone to die mysteriously in this place." A young minister snorted.

Lord Rong swallowed hard, nervously, as he squeezed the edge of his garment. Rather than leaving the Palace, he changed route and visited his daughter.

Hua was so happy when she heard that her father had come to see her. She wore her best purple garment, combed her and decorated her hair with hair accessories, without missing out on the one her father personally bought for her.

She looked at herself for the last time in the mirror before leaving the chamber with Wei.

"Father!" She forgot that she was no longer a child as she rushed over to Lord Rong and embraced him happily.

"I missed you so much, Father." She mumbled with her face buried in his chest.

"I missed you too, mushy." He gently stroked her back.

After a while, they settled down, and she sent Wei away to bring them tea.

"Hua, I'm here to tell you something important." Her father began in a whispering tone. His eyes wandered around the area before landing back on her.

"And what could that be, father?" She asked anxiously, with her eyes on her nervous-looking father.

"I want you to love the Emperor. Make him love you, so you will rule the world." Lord Rong said to her seriously, and immediately she pushed his hands away from him.

Her eyes stared at him in disbelief as they gradually gathered tears.

"Did you miss me at all?" She questioned in annoyance, staring at him intently. Lord Rong's lips pursed.