Legend of Fu Yao

That fireworks spread out in the sky. The royal couple stood at the water pavilion with a smile as they admired the scene that unfolded before their very eyes. The lady donned in lavish dress and jewelry looked up. Though vivid, the colors in the sky was nothing compared to the radiance in her eyes.

She looked at the fireworks, but her gaze landed on the horizon.

At the corner of the water pavilion, a man clothed in a black embroidered robe had his hands behind his back, refusing to participate in the splendor that this feast brought. He stood quietly like a rock, gazing at that slim back.

Further down, in a certain part of the palace, a man dressed as a lady watched the sky still. In his eyes, one could see the troubles hidden in his heart.

Zhao Ning Year 12, winter. The last of the fireworks vanished into nothingness.

Outside the bustling palace, Little Seven waited painfully at the market for Eunuch Zhao.

He waited for the entire night without a single bite of food or a drop of water. Some people, who couldn’t bear watching him, tried to persuade him. “Today is the ceremony where the Empress is crowned. Eunuch Zhao is definitely swamped with work. You should go back first and come back to wait for him tomorrow.”

Little Seven nodded and continued to wait. After all, where else could he return to?

At night, though it was not Eunuch Zhao, Eunuch Li from the palace came to recruit eunuchs to do hard labor.

Unlike the hard labor outside, those who had been recruited into the palace for hard labor were required to remove an organ for a man, which most workers were unwilling to do so. Normal eunuchs were also unable to carry out hard labor. ‘What a tough chore.’

He had unintentionally noticed the confused Little Seven squatting in a corner. Even though he was young, it was obvious that he had a well-trained body. His eyes lit up as he went up to ask, “We need some laborers, do you want to go?”

Little Seven beamed. Laborers, the last time Eunuch Zhao also asked him if he wanted to enter the palace as a laborer. He was afraid that he would have to be a eunuch and especially clarified with Eunuch Zhao. Since he didn’t have to become a eunuch, he, of course, was doing it.

He had been on the street for a long time and somewhat had acquainted with the treacherous aspect of human nature. Carefully, he inquired once more. “Labourer?”

“Labourer, the ones that do hard labor,” replied Eunuch Li.

“I’ll go!”

“Sure.” Eunuch Li smiled widely. “I still have some stuff to settle. I’ll give you a list, and you can go outside the palace to look for me. My surname is Li.”

Little Seven nodded as he kept the list while strutting along. ‘Where should I sleep tonight? There is a bridge near the Nation Protecting Temple, which keeps the wind out. I guess I’ll sleep there tonight.’

He had no money — he had worked for three days and left without getting paid. Furthermore, he had forgotten what money even looked like.

Little Seven plodded on the long streets. He was elated that he had a sheltered place to stay tonight, elated that he could enter the palace tomorrow to find Meng Fuyao.

After she whipped him, he could then return to look for His Majesty.

Not far from the Nation Protecting Temple is the palace. Right in front was the intersection.

On the long lonely street, the lanterns lit up the crow-black road. The sides on the road were littered with withering sunflowers that could not withstand the cold, bitter winter. The corners of the golden petals curled slightly as they unwillingly descended onto the ground, shivering in the brutal weather. As the heavy footsteps of passersby trampled over it, desolation fell.

Zhan Beiye was on his way back from the palace.

The hooves of his horse flattened the flowers on the ground. The soldiers from the Black Wind Calvary followed behind him, treading over eggshells.

Regardless, His Majesty was definitely in a bad mood. All of his ‘unbothered’ display or ‘unperturbed’ behaviors were all mere acts to not affect Meng Fuyao’s plans. Which man on this earth would be unmoved upon seeing the love of his life standing beside another man, getting married? Which man would be able to happily congratulate the woman he loved marrying another man, even if it was fake?

He wanted to Xuanyuan to be in trouble, but yet, in his heart, how could he not have wished for the reply to contain another answer?

The soldiers of the Black Wind Calvary remained silent as they thought about Little Seven being chased away, Commander Ji Yu breaking his arm and leaving for Chang Han. His Majesty’s right and left-hand men all left because of the King of Han… His Majesty, too lonely…

Zhan Beiye did not utter a single word as he waved his whip absentmindedly.

A figure that had his head down suddenly passed by his horse with ragged and shabby clothes.

Zhan Beiye froze! This figure resembled Little Seven.

Then, he quickly dismissed that thought with a smile. Little Seven did not hang his head down in his entire life. This fiercely, stubborn child would never bend down his neck. He would always joke that his neck was made with gold and he would rather break than bending it.

The shabbily-dressed man brushed past quickly with his head lowered. As he walked past, his head tilted to the side to rub against his own shoulder.

Zhan Beiye was shocked!

A certain someone had a pitiable birth and was raised up by wolves. The habits of an animal that was deeply ingrained with him could not be changed with the experiences he had living amongst people. When his neck itched, he would move his head to rub it against his shoulders, forgetting that he could use his hands.

Little Seven!

Zhan Beiye grabbed the shoulder of the figure.

Little Seven, who was in deep thought, turned back in anger. But the moment he saw Zhan Beiye, he pounced over with a loud cry.

He pounced over so ferociously as though as he wanted to knock Zhan Beiye down from his horse. Zhan Beiye swayed but very quickly regained his balance. He wanted to get down the horse, but Little Seven hugged his leg tightly without moving.

After a while, Zhan Beiye felt that the corner of his pants, where Little Seven was at, was slightly damp.

The dampness was getting more obvious by the moment, soaking through the robe and directly onto his skin.

And then, into his heart.

With his head down, Zhan Beiye looked at the kid that was clinging onto his leg silently, trying his best to suppress his shivers. In just two months, this kid was now covered in dirt, wearing clothes that did not suit the season. His hands were covered in calluses and wounds from the incorrect position he had been holding the work equipment.

Everything about him changed. Only the whip he had stubbornly carried on his back; even the position was unchanged.

Two whole months… This child that had once experienced abandonment, whose life only contained him and the Black Wind Calvary, whom he had heartlessly chased away… How did he get through those difficult days?

The Black Wind Calvary remained silent as they all turned away as tears filled their eyes.

Zhan Beiye looked up.

The pale winter moon shone selflessly on the handsome profile of the Emperor of Dahan.

Slowly, quietly, gentle drops of tears dripped down his haggard face, falling down onto the sobbing child’s messy hair.

Pain, beyond words.

This night, on the streets of a foreign country, the men sat there unmoved as sadness held them hostage. Till the cold wind had the child with only a piece of cloth trembling.

Zhan Beiye quickly took off his outer robe and covered Little Seven with it.

“Where do you stay now?” asked Zhan Beiye.

Stumped, Little Seven kept quiet. Zhan Beiye immediately understood his silence as a sigh of guilt escaped from between his lips. “Return to the inn with me.”

But Little Seven shook his head. He held the list that Eunuch Li had given to him. He was not done, he had to enter the palace.

Noticing his action, Zhan Beiye asked, “What’s in your sleeves?”

“Your Majesty, I got to know an uncle while I was in the Regent King’s residence. He’s a good man. I pawned something for him today, and now I’ve to send the receipt and the money over. I’ll come back after I pass him the stuff.”

This lie was without flaw. A few days ago, when a few workers snuck out, they had used this excuse. He remembered.

Zhan Beiye did not expect this child to learn to lie after two months of being on the streets. He nodded. “Remember to come over.” And then, he ordered his guards to give him some money and a horse before letting Little Seven go.

As he left with the Black Wind Calvary, he turned back to look at Little Seven. That child painted a lonely figure on the streets as he stood there, hugging the money as his eyes followed Zhan Beiye’s back. The moonlight drew a long, dark shadow on the ground.

Zhan Beiye could feel the tears threatening to come out. ‘This child has had it hard when he returns, I’ll make it up to him…’

He waited at the inn for Little Seven but never managed to await his return. Even Ji Yu, who was tasked to follow Little Seven, lost him accidentally.

Fate has its own plan at every turn.

The next day, Little Seven carried the list as he walked to the palace, not knowing the fearful event that awaited him. Meanwhile, the new empress “Yu Wenzi” had her very first important task.

The paying of respects…

Meng Fuyao was extremely frustrated, she decided that she was going to make this swift and quick with the women of Xuanyuan. She polished her blade, ready to slaughter the “chickens”.

Xuanyuan Min thought that she was going to kill the chicken to scare themonkeys ¹ and display her authority. Meng Fuyao took a deep breath, and with a smile that revealed her white teeth, announced, “No such thing. If they cross the line, no one has the luck to be a monkey.”

Enunciating each word clearly, she declared:

“They. Are. All. Chickens!”

Early in the morning, the concubines in the imperial harem were mostly awake.

Early in the morning, VERY early in the morning — 3 am.

It couldn’t be helped. The new Empress passed down a new decree that said that she would be waking up at 3 am to exercise, and after her exercise, she would shower and then rest. The period where she rested would be the usual time where the rest of the concubines paid their respects. Her rest was more important than some insignificant ‘paying of respects’ and so, she decided that all concubines would too, not get to sleep. After all, they had their fair share of sleep when there was no empress, right?

So the concubines, who were used to waking up when the sun was out, struggled painfully to drag themselves out of bed at 3 am. Accounting for the need to wash up and do their make-up, which took around 2 hours, that would mean that, essentially, they didn’t have to sleep.

Of course, like any of the times, it never lacked people who were, without brains, two, rebellious. And so, naturally, there would be “trailblazers” and “unique personalities”.