The Wolf and the Lily of the Valley

Chapter 1

Chapter 1.

While sneaking glances to his sides, the Royal Counsellor stretched his right hand into his left sleeve and pulled out a sapphire blue silken purse. A boy who appeared to be in his early twenties, with his head bowed, refusing to meet the Royal Counsellor's, handed over an envelope. He took the purse from the Royal Counsellor's grasp and lightly nudged his head before he took his leave and camouflaged in the sea of young eunuchs.

In a little while, the Emperor is coming down the Great Hall and his court officials will start filling up the great vast room. Hui Ji An, rushed to one corner where no Royal Guards or servants were posted. He took a piece of paper out of the envelope and cautiously unfolded it so as not to attract attention from anyone. Everybody seemed to be too occupied talking about the incident last night that they took no notice of Hui Ji An reading the message.

'A stitch in time saves nine.' It said.

A crooked smile erupted from his stone face.

Hurriedly, he folded the paper back, slithered it back to the envelope and hid inside his sleeve when the Chief Eunuch announced the arrival of the Emperor.

The court officials gathered at the centre, stood in rows of tens and columns of five. In their blue robes that are long enough to hide their muddy boots, they hurried to the palace and sailed right through the tempest the early morning offered.

The high ceiling of the great hall was the colour of the golden deity statue in Tiantang Temple. It shimmers as light reflects on it every time the doors of the palace open. Rays of golden light usually bounce from the ceiling into every object inside the hall as though it was the time of the day when the sun has risen from its long sleep and generously illuminates the world. But that day was not the normal day when the sun rises at the right spot of the sky. Since last night it was pouring down heavily that the entire kingdom was expecting to be flooded by the two rivers of Sui and Yang.

Red sturdy long beams the colour of blood reach for the ceiling like eternal journey. It carries the weight of the celestial palace to prevent it from falling into discord. Down the aisle, sitting at the middle of the raised platform and staircase is the seat of the crown, the Dragon Throne, where the most omnipotent person in the kingdom manifests his infinite power to his subjects, sometimes divine as his power is mandated by heaven. The throne was vast and made of real gold. There was cushion covered in silk, so the Emperor feels comfortable sitting on it. Just behind the throne of power was a stone wall with the imperial dragon made from chunks of emerald and jade. Its colours swim in between blue and green like the meeting of the pristine and crystal-clear surface and the abysmal waters of the ocean where one can throw itself in self-contempt and not be found. Its long serpentine body crawls across the immense wall that it could almost cover most of the corners of the great hall.

With their heads bowed down, the court officials held themselves together in this cold morning, their robes drenched in rain water and their eyes still heavy.

"His Majesty, the Emperor!" announced the Chief Eunuch in high tone and his head tipped upwards, his facial expression savouring the sense of pride.

A man in golden dragon robes came out of the door from the farther left. He was a man in his middle seventies and anyone with a good eye could see that he's long lost the vigour of youth. He was the only person allowed to wear clothes that are the colour of the yellow plum blossoms that graced His Majesty's Xiannu Garden, as well as a few chosen members of the royal family. Anybody from the general public caught wearing such fine clothing are subjected to harsh punishments even the death penalty. The fabric of his dragon robes was made from the highest qualities of silk brocades and damasks. The robe he was wearing today were embellished with exquisite patterns that display his magnanimous rule and had no match in the entire realm.