Scorned Jewel In The Palace

Prologue.

A woman stood with utmost poise before a throne. Her peach-flowers eyes swept over the entire imperial court - mockingly. 

The imperial court realising that this shameless woman felt no remorse whatsoever for her atrocious deeds in response - hissed and jeered at her. Their eyes filled with swore loathing, jealously and scorn.

The woman instead paid them no heed, simply giving them all the cold shoulder, 'for they were all jackals of the same tribe.

Dressed in a white, elegant deel with black strands of her hair cascading down her back like molten onyx, this woman, was truly the epitome of disastrous beauty - a classic example of how a beauty can wreck and cause the downfall of a dynasty. 

She glanced boldy at the Royal Eunuch whom gazed upon her in a lost,hypnotising daze. He sighed wistfully,'What a shame such a fair beauty to meets such a terrible fate.'

Somehow, The Royal Eunuch felt a deadly cold atmosphere around him, like a sudden bitterly winters breath on his skin. It whisked the surrounding heat away, leaving him pale even though his blood still ran warm.

The Royal Eunuch almost choked on his own saliva, knowing who emitted this menacing aura. He could only wipe the sweat droplets off his face and pray endlessly for his stupidity and recklessness.

Clearing his voice, the Royal Eunuch announced, "Presenting His Imperial Majesty, Grand Emperor Chengzong Of Yuan."

The unified audience all deeply kowtowed for their ruler and chorused in a dignified and respectful manner, "May His Majesty live and reign for ten thousand years, ten thousands years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!"

The woman's cherry-like lips faintly curved upwards as she drank in the familiar heavenly sight of the Dragon Emperor, who sat at ease and confidently on his throne.

The grand throne was arranged on a platform, surrounded by incense burners, long red candles and large mirrors that have been placed next to the throne to ward off malevolent spirits. On the columns all around, there are two pairs of verses written by the former Yuan Dragon, and on the throne hangs a plaque engraved elegantly with four Chinese characters, "justice and brightness'' written by the current Emperor himself.

What followed next was silence that hung in the air, lingering, thick and heavy.

Emperor Chengzong appeared all logic and feigned cool detachment as he waved his hand casually, "Rise." he voiced smoothly,the baritone of his voice reverberating throughout the massive throne room with power and authority.

"Zhén believes zhén's fillial subjects know why they have been summoned." He stated frankly instead of beating about the bush.

Instantly, all the members of the imperial court glared daggers at the woman, who stood out like a pebble infront of a raging storm, she seemed unfazed by her upcoming demise.

"Zhén has summoned all Zhén's loyal and faithful subjects here on behalf of the unresolved case regarding the previous Dragon's murder."

Hushed whispers quickly filled the room and unsettled eyes glanced unceremoniously around and tried to avoid catching other glances that passed by.

"LIU RUSHI!" Emperor Chengzong's voice crashed like a thunderous wave enough to make the woman feel like her bones were vibrating."evidence has been found and brought forward to Zhén,against you.''

Each word Emperor Chengzong pronounced was with poisonous venom yet his dark onyx eyes held her gaze with a scorching intensity. Throughout his eyes a mixture of various emotions flickered : desire, passion, lust, longing, hatred and most of all sadness.

Liu Rushi feeling overwhelmed averted her eyes onto the floor and spoke, 

"How sad it is to be a woman!!

Nothing on earth is held so cheap.

Boys stand leaning at the door

Like Gods fallen out of Heaven.

Their hearts brave the Four Oceans,

The wind and dust of a thousand miles.

No one is glad when a girl is born:

By her the family sets no store.

When she grows up, she hides in her room

Afraid to look at a man in the face.

No one cries when she leaves her home—Sudden as clouds when the rain stops.

She bows her head and composes her face,

Her teeth are pressed on her red lips:

She bows and kneels countless times.

She must humble herself even to the servants.

His love is distant as the stars in Heaven,

Yet the sunflower bends towards the sun.

Their hearts are more sundered than water and fire—A hundred evils are heaped upon her.

Her face will follow the years changes:

Her lord will find new pleasures.

They that were once like the substance and shadow

Are now as far from Hu as from Ch’in [two distant places]

Yet Hu and Ch’in shall sooner meet

That they whose parting is like Ts’an and Ch’en [two stars]." 

Her voice rolled over in sorrowful waves yet radiant as a meadow river, capturing the entire audience, they felt a bitter anguish and melancholy dawn opon upon them.

"Your Majesty this lowly subject wishes to tell a tale. His Majesty may interpret it anyway how your Majesty wants to."

Emperor Chengzong stared at Liu Rushi's clear eyes that begged and pleaded him, to hear her for just once before HE was going to server her QI in this lifetime.

Absent-mindedly he wondered if those eyes of hers that were looking at him now so pitifully ever held a trace of adoration or an inch of love...for him. 

Shaking his head ruefully,too late for such thoughts. Emperor Chengzong regarded her in utter silence, engraving her for eternity in his heart and mind. Seeing, how her posture slightly trembles yet she tried to appear fearless before death itself made him want to admire her for being the tigeress he knew she was.

The entire imperial court waited in bathed breath for the Dragon Emperor to speak.

"Zhén... wishes to hear this tale..."

Liu Rushi let the moment sink in and took a deep, shaky breath before opening her mouth to weave a tale from the beginning,

"Once there was..."

**
Thanks for reading the Prologue.
Vote and comment !!
- Lara .
(Also the poem appearing in my story does not belong to me, credits go to the rightfull poet.)