~ 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑶𝑶𝑵 - In the heart of an ancient Chinese dynasty, a young emperor reigns with wisdom beyond his years but carries a heart heavy with unresolved grief. Years ago, he lost his beloved under mysterious circumstances, a loss that has...
The chill of the night seemed to seep into my bones as the rain relentlessly poured down, the ambiance matching the unease that lingered after my departure from the emperor's terrace. Unable to bring myself to return to his chambers just yet, there was a cold edge to his voice that I couldn't quite place, and I had no desire to intrude on his private turmoils.
Navigating the slick palace grounds, I hastily covered my head with my cloak, trying to shield myself from the relentless downpour. Ahead, a group of servants stood under the shelter of an overhang, their faces lit by a flicker of amusement—a stark contrast to the somber mood that enveloped me.
Before I could fully process their expressions or intent, my foot caught on something unseen in the mud. My balance lost, I fell forward, the cold, wet mud splashing up to stain my garments and seep into my skin. As I scrambled to regain my footing, I caught a glimpse of a foot moving away briskly—a deliberate act.
Struggling to stand, I was met with further humiliation as one of the servants, a woman whose gaze I had often felt on me, stepped forward. With a swift, unkind motion, she pushed me back down into the mud with her foot. Shock and confusion warred within me as I tried to understand the cause of this sudden hostility.
As I sat there in the mud, the cold seeping deeper into my bones, I wiped my face, trying to clear the thick, clinging mud from my eyes and mouth. The woman watched me, her expression unreadable but tinged with what seemed like a cruel hint of jealousy. Her behavior was inexplicable—had my close proximity to the emperor sparked this animosity? Was it purely a result of envy, or was there something deeper at play that targeted my position in the palace?
I looked up at her and the small crowd that had gathered, their faces a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Why?" I managed to choke out, the word heavy with mud and disbelief.
The woman's response was a shrug, dismissive and cold. "You should watch where you're stepping, especially when you're walking where you don't belong," she taunted, her voice carrying an edge of venom that went beyond simple jest.
