The Tale of Empress Hua

一 ~ one

"Jingfei, don't worry about mom just hide here with your brother until I come back" mother told us as she slowly backed up and walked in the direction to the palace. Even tho I was only 9 years old I knew that she will not come back but I tried to ignore that and just hope she will.

We stayed at an abandoned hut a little outside of the city. We patiently waited and soon it became dark. That's how I knew she wouldn't come back and was most likely killed by the emperor. I didn't know what to do. I thought maybe we could visit our grandparents maybe they will help us. "Jianyu, do you want to visit granny and grandad?" I asked him. "Yes granny granny" he said smiling.

We stepped out of the hut and headed to the city. What we didn't know is that we made a big mistake walking out of the hut and not hiding. Soon the palace guards spotted us wondering around looking for a way to get to the town near our city where our grandparents lived. They grabbed us and dragged us to the palace. The emperor was searching for us. He probably wanted to kill us as well.

The guards dragged us into the palace and pushed us into a giant room and the emperor sat at the top of it looking down at us. "Is your mother Hua Mingzhu?" He said in a low raspy voice. I was lost, I didn't know what to say. I stayed silent as I pulled Jianyu closer to me. "Answer me" He raised his voice. "Ye- yes your maj- majesty" I stuttered on my words. He came down his throne to take a closer look at us. "Mhmm what's your name little girl. "H- Hua Jingfei" I answered trying not to stutter. "You are very beautiful Jingfei you look just like your mother" he said mumbling the ending.

Suddenly the guards barged in and dragged Jianyu away from me. "NO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING" I shouted as tears started rolling down my cheeks. "He's getting killed just like your parents" he looked me straight in the eye. "Take her to the maid quarters" the guards did as he said and took me to the maid quarters and left me there.

I was standing there in tears as the maids gathered around me asking me what happened and how they can help. One of the maids caught my eye in particular and I had a sense that I can trust her and she will be there for me. "Little girl what happened why are you here at such a young age?" She had a worried look on her face. "He killed my parents and brother" I said through tears. "Oh no, come here I'll be here for you and look after you, my name is Ying what's yours?" She hugged me. "I'm Hua Jingfei" I answered wiping my tears. "That's a pretty name just like you" she released me from the hug giving me a warm smile and took me to her room to show me where I'll stay.

That night I promised myself to kill the emperor and his family just like how he killed my family.

11 years later

"Jingfei!!!!" I heard my name being called. "I'm here" I shouted back. I was in the garden sewing a skirt that I ripped by accident. The emperor never gave me a real job I would mostly help the maids. He also never cared for me it was as if I was a random person walking around in the palace. Ying would always bring me food and clothes because he never gave me anything. He should've killed me like my family. I did try to run away but I was put into the dungeon and starved for 4 days. The emperor said if I try to run away again he would kill me. I always thought that there must have been a reason why he didn't kill me.

"Jingfei I have news" Sunyi came running to me. Apart from Ying I made another friend which was Sunyi. She came to be a maid at the palace when she was only 14 and at that time I was 15 and the only girl who was around her age. "What's the news" I chuckled and looked at her. "Well you know how the emperor is getting old and someone else needs to take his place" She spoke very enthusiastically. I nodded while looking at the skirt I was sewing. "Sooooo I heard that a really good looking prince is coming to take his place" She looked at me waiting for a reaction. "Yes, and? That's it?" I questioned. "Noooo, the best part is coming" she paused. She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to face her. "You are going to be his maid" she said smiling.

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Hiii I started watching a lot of Chinese dramas based in the ancient times and decided to write one myself hehe
I hope you like it!!