A Phoenix With No Wings

3- Unexpected Birthday Wish

The fall already passed as the first snow finally come.

"Long Gege, do you know if you make a wish when the first snow falls your wish will come true."

"Really?" He smiled at her while hugging the girl from behind.

"Yes! Now make your wish."

I wish to be with her forever.
I wish I will give birth to a son.

"Already?" He asked,
"let's get in, its getting cold."

______

The empress does not aware that her birthday is soon to come. But the whole palace do. The empress usually celebrates it by hosting a royal gathering. Attended by the highest officials and alliance, it's the third biggest celebration in a year.

But she couldn't careless. Her sons are still training in the North Province, the kingdom state is not stable, and of course the harem that never seems to be peaceful.

"Your majesty, what will you give to the empress this year? May it be one of your drawings?" Bai Lu, emperor's personal servant asks.

"It's not important."

"This servant thinks-"

"How's the tunnel?" The emperor cuts.

Bai Lu's face becomes bored, the emperor always dodges this kind of conversation.

"It's almost done. This servant sure by the end of new year celebration, it will be done."

"Good. Now prepare for morning assembly."

People on the court are also talking about empress's bithday, trying to get her recognition. But she seems uninterested. So the gathering dismissed earlier than usual.

____
"Why do Nubi feels your majesty doesn't seem to be happy?"

"Mumu, how can someone be happy if she is being served like heavenly god when her people is suffering?"

"What does that mean?"

The empress only smiled at her servant, leaving Mumu confused.

This past months, the empress had been observed the life in harem. There's no peacefulness, only competition. They are trying their best to get noticed by the emperor, even so, the emperor doesn't seem to care.

There are hundreds of girls in the harem. But only few had met the emperor. They really are poor young girls who dream to serve the emperor. Maybe not for themselves, but for their family and their province.

If she was a concubine herself, she would try to be invisible. Not being involved in anything is the key. Because when a tree stands higher than the forest, it's easier to get noticed, and in the harem, that means death.

The empress suddenly wakes from her daydream, realising that's exactly what she did. Even as an empress, she tried to be invisible.

"Mumu, I'm going to go to Buddha temple. Prepare my clothing."

"Zhi*"

Her other servants help her to undress and take off her hairpins. She has many priceless jewellery but this pin is specially important. It is the empress crown, made by finest jade and gold. It is handcrafted to a Phoenix shape with ruby as its eye.

When Mumu comes back, she quickly change to her praying gown.

She walks elegantly to the temple and wish herself a long life. Long enough to see her son rules the kingdom. Wish for the country to reach stability, and wish for Zhang Long to.. be happy.

She will be praying for a whole week before her birthday, in order to get her wishes granted.

The empress knew it already that the emperor is not hers, even before he was an emperor. She just there to be a symbol. But why seeing him with other girl still hurts?

He was walking with Consort Hua who is 7 months pregnant. She tries her best to keep her heads up and greet the emperor, even if her heart aches badly.

The emperor also seems to be shocked to see her, but hide it and walks pass her. It will be awkward when they meet again but-

______

"Your majesty, this is the treasured white jade. It may seems normal, but it needs billions of years to form. I believe this is the most precious gems in the world."

"Cool" the emperor doesn't care.

"What this servant trying to say is, why don't your majesty gives this precious jade to the empress?" Bai Lu suggests.

"The empress doesn't like that kind of stuff. She would prefer finest black ink to write her poems." The emperor stated without moving his gaze from the monthly report.

"How about a comb?" Bai Lu doesn't give up. "We could carve it into anything. But comb symbolises happy couple will be together until their hair turns white."

The emperor finally lift his face and think about it, but he said "I will ask her what she wants."

"If that's so, then this servant will leave immediately. The empress will be here soon."

"Wait, Bai Lu, make sure the comb is crafted well."

"Zhi"
Bai Lu left the emperor's study while smiling.

"This empress gr-"

"You may sit." No matter how many times the emperor told the empress to stop using that formality, she still uses it everyday.

"Is that the monthly report?"

"Yes," the emperor gives her the roll and continues "it says that Fu Kingdom already move its capital city to the north."

"Your majesty, they might have planned something." The empress took a map and pointed He river. "I think it may have to do with this river."

"You are right, now that they can not cross the border to capital city, they found out another way."

"They sure are smart."

"Empress, I'm thinking to start putting land mines to our Jin Province, since it's the closest land from Fu kingdom. I'm afraid they will start invading the territory."

"That's excellent! But your majesty should not forget about Lian Kingdom, this can be a redirect so we only focus on Fu."

"I will send spies to watch both of them. Also we need soldiers dressed as commoners to put land mines and traps on He river so they won't realise our defence."

"That's so wise of your majesty."

"By the way Empress, your birthday already around the corner. Is there anything specific that you want?"

"This empress couldn't ask for more."

"Are you sure? Jewels, silk, gold just name it. I will give it to you."

Your love she would have answer with that if it was few years ago. But she knows she couldn't get it.

"Your majesty, I am the head of harem. I do want peaceful condition inside the harem. However this empress realise that only few of imperial wives have ever met the dragon. It would be very appreciated if your majesty could come and bed your concubines more often."

Is she just asked him to sleep with other girls for her birthday present? He only stares in disbelief. That is the last thing he expected.

After a solid 5 minutes of silence

"Empress, I can see your point but it's not easy.  For that case, I hope you could select fewer concubines for the next period. You are dismissed."

*Zhi : understood/ okay.

Hello, thanks for reading! Please vote comment and share! I do appreciate every each of you..❤️

Ps: every detail I put will be connected in the future, so make sure don't miss my hints!