Empress Xie

Empress Xie•1

Xie Lien

During the middle of April, the cherry blossoms bloom the prettiest, and all of Da Wei is caught in the mystical charm of the flowers. With such a tranquil atmosphere, Da Wei celebrates by holding a festival near the cherry blossom river and the royal family celebrates the Empress Dowager's birthday.

The Empress Dowager had become a recluse since the former Emperor died. She retreated to her Virtuous Palace, never leaves the imperial grounds, celebrates her birthday with a small banquet with only the royal family in attendance, and explicitly insists the official families do not send her gifts.

While my family attended the cherry blossom festival every year, I would remain in the residence because of my "poor health". Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager is throwing a large banquet on her birthday to welcome the returning Third Prince, and every official family on and above the fourth rank is invited.

When I heard this, I'm ashamed to say I fainted. When I woke up and began comforting myself from that terrible nightmare, Zhou Xia suddenly bitch slapped me with reality by asking what I wanted to wear for the banquet.

Shen Yiniang and Xie Bo could not contain their excitement, and chatted endlessly about the banquet. Even Wang Yiniang seemed to be excited.

The only ones unhappy about this is mother, father, bother, and I. While I'm unhappy because I can feel a storm on the horizon, my family is worried because wearing a veil to royal banquet would be inappropriate.

"We'll say meimei is ill and cannot attend." Xie Long reasoned.

Father shook his head, looking aged and also angered beyond words. "No. The invite sent to us requested yours and Lien'Er's attendance."

"Why would his majesty do such a thing? Does he plan to use us?" Mother gulped and gripped my hand in fright.

Father thought for a bit then shook his head. "I don't think so." I silently agreed with father. Brother often told me his majesty is scary but fair and just. He favored father, and brother even thought they were on rather friendly terms. I couldn't imagine the emperor would try to use a friend or an official he favored and trusted. Wasn't that the definition of picking up a stone then dropping it on your foot1? Also I had seen royal invites before, and they were formal, never once specifying who should attend.

"Then..." I gulped not wanting to complete the sentence. "is it possible someone changed the invite?"

I watched each of their features changed as my words sank in. I had never attended any festivals in the past, let alone a royal banquet. We always used the excuse that I had poor health since birth and as brother is the pride of our family and both my sisters are beautiful with acceptable maternal families, no one concerned themselves with the ugly and sickly second miss.

If someone went so far as to switch or change our invite, didn't that mean someone specifically wanted to see me?

"We have no choice." My heart ached when I saw how dejected father looked. Mother looked like she wanted to say more, but understood there was really nothing to be done.

We've been tactfully cornered. There is the possibility the invite was edited, or the possibility his majesty truly sent it even if none of us believed he did. One could not know the heart of a monarch, so we would have to swallow our displeasure and get this over with.

~~*~~

In the autumn palace...

Consort Rong took a light sniff of her tea, allowing the light fragrance of honeyed chrysanthemums calm her mind. Second Prince, Jun Qi Dishi, watched his mother with an amused look on his handsome face.