Emperor Hong, settled in his private chambers, sipped a warm cup of tea, his robes slightly loosened. He appeared lost in thought, the weight of the empire heavy on his shoulders, yet amidst it all, something had touched him.
The faint note of the guqin lingered in his mind, refusing to fade. To him, it was more than just music. It was voices, whispering to him, stirring emotions he had long suppressed. A song of sorrow, of resilience, and the very burden he carried. Whoever had played had reached him.
He chuckled, "Not bad, Not bad at all." Turning to his trusted eunuch, he asked, "Yu Gonggong, who was it? Who played?"
Yu Gonggong responded with a respectful bow, "Your Majesty, it was Miss Ruyi, the daughter of minister Xu."
"Xu Ruyi?" Emperor Hong raised an eyebrow. "The girl who just recovered? How was she able to pull that off?"
Yu Gonggong hesitated, then replied, "I don't know, Your Majesty. But her performance is highly praised. Would your Majesty be interested in lessons?" he teased.
"You…" Emperor Hong exhaled sharply, his mood shifting to something more bothersome. "What she played reminded me of my youth."
Silence fell.
"Born into power, yet powerless," he murmured, regret in his voice. "My mother was long gone before I could understand the ropes of governance. I was left alone in a palace full of wolves and hunters; every step I took was a battle, it was hard, and only the strong ones could stand a chance to win. And now I watch my own son walk through the same path. I see the burden he carries, what he's been through, even though he acts as though everything is fine, I know that he finds it hard." A sigh escaped his lips as he spoke, "I haven't been good to Sun Jingxuan," he admitted. "He has done so much for this country, but I acted like I didn't see him, like he didn't matter. I hurt his feelings; he thinks I see him as a failure, but I only want to protect him."
Yu Gonggong remained silent, his heart heavy with understanding. "Your Majesty, his Highness surely sees the good in what you do; he knows it is for his own sake."
Emperor Hong exhaled. "His mother would be disappointed in me; I really let her down," he uttered, his voice barely heard.
He then turned to Yu Gonggong, his voice laced with pain and regret, "Tell me, have I failed as a father?"
Yu Gonggong immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head. "I dare not say such a thing, Your Majesty."
"Don't be afraid to speak the truth; that's all I want to hear," Emperor Hong said quietly.
Yu Gonggong hesitated before speaking, "Your Majesty, you're a wise ruler; the country flourishes under your reign, and your judgment has never faltered." He paused, carefully choosing his next words, "As a father, though His Highness, the Crown Prince, may not always show it, he understands your intentions. I see how tirelessly you work to pave the way for them, to ensure unity."
"Perhaps he takes after me too much, carrying the weight of others, neglecting his own. He will be a good ruler one day," Emperor Hong said with conviction.
"I concur, Your Majesty," Yu Gonggong affirmed.
After a brief moment, Emperor Hong let out a laugh, his spirits lifting. "To think a simple melody could stir up such thoughts in me," he mused, turning to Yu Gonggong "Should I reward her, or perhaps punish her?"
"Your Majesty, in my four decades of service, I've never seen anything move you as deeply as the passing of the late Empress, yet this music… it awakened something within you. It has been some time since I've witnessed this side of you. Perhaps a reward?" Yu Gonggong suggested, then added, "What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Emperor Hong nodded in agreement, his fingers tapping against the table by his side. "To evoke such emotion, that is not a simple talent."
---
A new atmosphere settled over the palace. Maids and servants moved differently around Ruyi; handmaidens lowered their gazes and bowed respectfully, their voices hushed in her presence. Even the concubines showed her a level of respect, none willing to cross the Imperial Noble Consort.
Ruyi was a constant presence in Consort Yao's chambers, summoned to sing, play a game of Go, or play the guqin. It was quite evident she favored Ruyi.
She often bestowed gifts upon her: a delicate hairpin, embroidered silk with golden thread, high-quality herbs, fine robes, and, most importantly, a guqin. Ruyi became the hot topic in the palace. Everyone envied her for having it all, even though no one knew her true story.
Some gossiped that she would soon be a passing interest, while others concluded that if she could hold Consort Yao's attention for this long, then she was more than capable.
And so, the palace watched.
---
The early morning sun cast a golden hue across the Imperial Academy as students file in, getting ready for their day's activities. At the Imperial Academy, every student was equal, and there was no preferential treatment. Shen Chun looked energetic as she walked into the classroom with two other girls chatting and laughing at something that seemed funny only to them, but as soon as her eyes landed on Ruyi, her laughter dropped.
"Some people have no shame; they think tagging with the upper class would get them somewhere better. It's a pity once a toy is no longer in need; it becomes useless," Shen Chun said mockingly, her eyes glued on Ruyi.
Ruyi remained silent, not saying a word, which only infuriated Shen Chun.
Fuming, she marched towards Ruyi's table. "I'm talking to you, how dare you ignore me?" Shen Chun barked, sending Ruyi's books scattering across the floor.
"What can I do for you? Princess Shen Chun?" Ruyi asked tauntingly.
"You think you can act as you deem fit because Her Grace is on your side?" Shen Chun asked with a scoff.
Everyone began whispering to one another at the mention of Consort Yao.
"I heard Ruyi is favored by the Imperial Noble Consort."
"How lucky she is."
"It'd be better not to cross her."
"Let me tell you," Shen Chun found her voice again, "you may think you have the support of Her Grace now, but in the long run, you'll only end up like Li Mei."
Ruyi froze on the spot at the mention of her name. "You…what did you just say?"
"Oh, I forgot, you don't know who she is, because you've always been bedridden," Shen Chun moved closer to Ruyi. "She's Noble Lady Mei; she was Consort Yao's favorite person, but guess what? She was sentenced to be buried alive by Her Grace."
Ruyi clenched her fist, anger burning within her
"Yeah, I heard she had an affair," one of the students spoke.
"Yeah, it was so unfortunate. Prince Jun literally gave her everything she needed; why would she stoop so low to have an affair with an ordinary commoner?" Another added.
"What do you guys know about me? You don't know anything, yet you dare speculate," Ruyi thought aloud.
"It's a pity she died," one of the students spoke again.
"Now, her best friend is married to her husband, truly unfortunate," some students said.
"I truly pity you, Ruyi, but you won't realize it now until it's too late. You have the support of Her Grace now, but only blame yourself when you end up like Li Mei," Shen Chun taunted.
"How dare you!" a voice boomed, silencing the commotion.
All heads turned to the entrance as the crowd scattered back to their places.
Sun Jingxuan sat in his wheelchair, Liu Yi behind him, his face contoured with anger.
"Chune'r, how dare you call the Imperial Noble Consort on a whim?"
"Brother Jingxuan?" Shen Chun called in surprise.
"Where did you get the guts to turn the Imperial Noble Consort's name into gossip? Did you forget? His Majesty demanded no one talk about this matter again," Sun Jingxuan said addressing the class as a whole. "Where's your discipline?" His voice shot up like an arrow.
Shen Chun quickly ran to his side, her eyes pleading. "Brother Jingxuan, I…"
"Shut up!" "Did I ask you to speak?" Sun Jingxuan commanded sharply.
Ashamed, Shen Chun didn't utter another word, instead, she focused on the lotus flower embroidery on her robe, her fingers tracing the delicate pattern nervously.
"All of you are punished. No class today, dismiss!" he announced, his voice slicing through the tense air. A flurry of movement followed as students gathered their things and streamed out of the room. But Ruyi remained. Xian Lan rushed in, concern etched on her face, as she saw the other students departing, but Ruyi was nowhere to be seen.
With a sudden movement, Ruyi rose from her seat and delivered a stinging slap to Shen Chun's face.