The next morning, Xiu Juan got herself dressed and swept through the hallways of the palace with the layers of her ivory robe. She was tired of staying inside her room all hours of the day with no one to come talk to her. It was still very silent as no one had gotten up yet. With adventure in her heart, she peeked through every window and looked at the lake from all angles. She ran her fingers across the drapes of the palace and trickled in light into the hallways. With her long hair dancing in the wind and the silver jeweled chain that dangled along, she twirled around looking into each room she found open.

This palace is pretty impressive. Xiu Juan thought to herself. Ah, I’ve always loved the morning quietness inside the palace at home.

Turning to a corner, she jumped when she saw an older maid carrying a tray of linens. She shrieked when she saw Xiu Juan and dropped her tray but, in a swift move, Xiu Juan shifted her long sleeves to slide it under the tray and swept it her way. She caught it with her hands and collected the white floating linens that laid themselves into the tray. When she turned around, she smiled and apologized.

“Sorry, I thought I was the only one awake.”

“Sorry, and you are?” The old lady straightened herself and extended her arms out to take the tray back.

“Oh. Sorry,” Xiu Juan swept her hair back and kept the smile on her face, “I’m the Empress. It’s okay if you don’t recognize me. No one has ever seen my face yet.”

The old lady’s eyes widened and she immediately bowed to her, bending on one knee with one hand on her chest; trying to keep herself from passing out. “Empress! I’m so sorry! I did not know it was you! Forgive me for being in your way!”

Xiu Juan waved her hand, “Ah, it’s okay. Don’t apologize. Like I said, I was reckless…thinking I was the only one awake.”

The old lady raised her eyes at her and her facial expression, along with her attitude, changed. She raised her brow and questioned her, “What are you doing up so early anyway?”

Xiu Juan raised her brow too at the fast change of the old lady’s tone.

“I’m sorry, I never got to ask who you were,” Xiu Juan began.

“I’m the head housemaid in the palace. I look over everything here. I’m the one you come to if you need anything. Anything personal that is,” she spoke with her head held high.

“Oh,” Xiu Juan said as she forced a smile when she realized she just met the strict, old head housemaid everyone was talking about.

“Well I have to get to the emperor,” she said as she bowed her head and walked on. She turned around one last time and looked up and down at Xiu Juan with her angled eyes, “And I’d suggest you straighten your image to a proper lady before meeting him.”

Xiu Juan furrowed her brows after the head housemaid, turned around, and walked the opposite direction. “I now see what everyone’s talking about,” she whispered to herself about the head housemaid.

Still wanting to explore the palace she had to live in for however many days, she continued to sweep through the hallways; placing her fingers on the walls as she shuffled through with her long gown fluttering behind. When she reached a small courtyard that was on a balcony, she opened the doors and the wind rushed through to embrace her. She stepped forward, turned her head and noticed a stairwell heading up. She approached it and thought for a moment of whether or not she should climb. Seeing that it headed to the roof of the palace, she took the chance and climbed up.

It’ll be our little secret. She whispered to the stairwell with her finger on her red lips.

When she got to the very top, her breath was taken away by the view. There was a secret garden on the rooftop of the Zhao palace. Standing there with the light layers of her ivory gown blowing in the wind, she was able to see over every mountain and how far the lake stretched to. The clouds draped themselves around each mountain hump and the sun shined gently through them onto the farmlands of Zhao. The birds flying didn’t even reach the peak of each mountain. Hearing the wind whistle through the trees, the white swans cry, and the small voices from white sailboats that drifted on the waves of the water was completely serene.

“My heart is soaring,” Xiu Juan gasped at the peacefulness. At the corner of her eyes, she saw a diluted, blue figure rise out from behind a bonsai tree and toward the sun. Looking closer, Xiu Juan observed that it was indeed a heron. Watching the familiar dear thing fly to its desired place, Xiu Juan shed a tear as her heart cried after it. She gently wiped her cheek then flinched at the noise behind her. She gasped and quickly turned around, tucking her waving hair behind her ear.

Behind her stood a tall man that looked to be around Ying-tai’s age. He was a person many would proclaim as a ‘beautiful man’; with the defined cheekbones, jaw line that had just the right angle, a nose that looked well molded and delicate lips that seemed as though they were stolen from a painting. Furthermore, like Ying-tai, his eyes were the draw to his appearance. But unlike Ying-tai’s kind eyes, they were fiercely focused and piercing. Those eyes were almost as luring as Xiu Juan’s. A person with a weak heart would be seduced and twisted by them.

Standing poised in front of Xiu Juan, he stared at her, not saying a word while she stared back at him. They both stood there looking at each other quietly while the wind whipped through their robes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude into this place…here…up on this roof,” Xiu Juan apologized to the man when she recovered from her startle.

The man still didn’t speak. He crossed his hands behind his back and continued to look down on her.

She picked up her skirt that was drifting with the heavy breeze and took a step toward the stairs. “What you have here is beautiful. Whatever you’re doing to it, keep up the good work. The emperor must be proud of your designs,” Xiu Juan smiled lightly then lowered her head to walk on.

He raised his eyebrow at her remark. Shortly after, an old man dressed in a rich long robe walked up the stairs and addressed the young man.

“Oh, so this is where you were! As expected. Everyone is looking for you,” he chuckled as he made his way up.

The emperor! Xiu Juan thought when she looked at how the old man presented himself.

He turned his eyes to Xiu Juan, “Ah! You must be the Empress!” He smiled warmly and bowed low to her. “It is so wonderful to finally meet you, my dear!” He smiled widely through his glasses.

Xiu Juan, surprised by his kindness bowed back to him lowly. He wasn’t what people described the Zhao emperor to be. He was too polite and warm to be bitter, unpleasant, and vain.

“I’ve been waiting for this very moment of our meeting as well, your highness,” she greeted him. She raised her head and smiled at him politely. “I hope you don’t mind me meeting you here in this isolated area. I couldn’t hold myself from sneaking a look at this wonderful place you’ve created for yourself.”

The old man raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “So, you like it huh?” He laughed warmly as he turned his eyes to the young man who smirked.

“Yes, your highness. And your architect is very talented,” Xiu Juan mentioned the young man.

The old man widened his eyes and gave out a jolly laugh. “Oh, but my dear,” he began, “this shabby place is no place of mine. And this man is no servant,” he said as he pointed to the young man, smiling, “though he was the ‘architect’ of this garden.”

Xiu Juan furrowed her brows, “I…I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

“My name is Nianzu, Empress. The majesty’s prime minister,” he bowed his head as he introduced himself. “This man here is your husband, Emperor Jinhai.”

Xiu Juan widened her eyes and blushed. That’s right! How did I forget that Sir Guozhi said that the Zhao Emperor was very young! How foolish of me! She quickly got on one knee and bowed down to Jinhai to apologize.

“I’m so sorry, your majesty. I did not know!” She squeezed her eyes shut and listened to her gown behind her flicking through the wind that picked up.

Jinhai turned his eyes to her. “Qin must be very poorly educated. Unable to have their women achieve the common knowledge even a poor, illiterate civilian would know: to be able to recognize their husbands.”

Xiu Juan raised her head and glared at Jinhai.

“Jinhai,” Nianzu calmly scolded him, “that was uncalled for!”

Jinhai turned his cold eyes away and proceeded to walk away. Nianzu motioned Xiu Juan to rise from the ground.

“Don’t mind him, Empress,” he apologized on Jinhai’s behalf.

Xiu Juan looked at Jinhai’s broad back that disappeared down the stairs and brushed her skirt.

“He was rude like that since he was little. Give him time,” Nianzu pleaded.

Xiu Juan turned her eyes to Nianzu and smiled at him gently, “You are very kind, Sir Nianzu. Of course I won’t mind his ways,” she looked back at the direction he left. “To be stuck in an unwanted affiliation, it’s understandable where he is coming from.”

Nianzu sighed, nodded and patted Xiu Juan’s shoulder with his old hands. “Come inside, Empress. Don’t want you catching a cold from this heavy breeze,” he suggested.

Xiu Juan smiled and nodded and told him to go first. When he left, she turned to look at the serene scene one more time before making her way down the stairs.

After her breakfast with Luli and the five girls, they got up to clear the table. Ting looked into Xiu Juan’s bowl and noticed it was barely touched.

“Empress, you barely touched your food! Was something wrong with it?” She asked.

The other girls turned their heads to her.

“I don’t have an appetite this morning,” Xiu Juan responded, still feeling foolish about her first meeting with emperor Jinhai.

“Seems more than that,” Luli perceived.

Xiu Juan looked them. She did a big sigh. “I met the emperor this morning,” Xiu Juan shared.

Luli and the five girls gasped.

“What do you think?” Luli wondered, grabbing onto Xiu Juan.

Xiu Juan stared at her with a puzzled face, “Luli, you saw him already?”

“Well, yes. When Dandan, the head housemaid, was showing me around the palace.”

Xiu Juan shot a glare at Luli and grabbed her arms. “Why did you not let me know how he looked like?” Xiu Juan exasperated.

“Aya! It didn’t cross my mind! I’m sorry!” Luli squirmed.

Xiu Juan huffed and crossed her arms, “I looked like a fool in front of him.”

“Don’t put yourself down so much, Empress,” Fan comforted. “The emperor is like that. Despite the beautiful face, he’s rather unpleasant to be with.”

“He’s intimidating to be around,” Liu mentioned. “When I first met him, I couldn’t control the nervousness in my heart and I kept stuttering before him.”

Xiu Juan turned her eyes to Liu. “You’ve all met him?”

The five maids nodded.

“When his mother, the late empress, was still here, she called for women from all of Zhao. We were first sent to the palace from our parents and placed in line to be his consorts,” Guang told Xiu Juan who widened her eyes.

“We didn’t make the cut though,” Yue solemnly confessed, “for we weren’t beautiful enough. The late empress didn’t tolerate imperfections.” She placed her hand on her scar.

Xiu Juan dropped her shoulders and sighed at this, looking at her friends. Luli kept her mouth opened as she was surprised of this as much as Xiu Juan was.

“So we were put to work inside the palace as servants,” Ting said. “It wasn’t much, but it was something for our family.”

“That’s just cruel,” Xiu Juan said bitterly. She frowned, “So, where are the chosen consorts now?”

“Oh, they just linger around the emperor’s side of the palace,” Fan shared. “But don’t worry. I’ve heard rumors saying that he doesn’t really acknowledge them. I mean…Emperor Jinhai never took any one of them as a bride. That’s why none of them were ever granted even the title of ‘consort’ but instead are addressed as ‘concubine’.”

Xiu Juan bit her lip and glared at the wall. She took a deep breath and looked at each of the five girls.

“Well, I think you all are beautiful. You have the kindness I never thought I’d find in the walls of Zhao. You have accepted me even though you knew we belonged from opposing states. Your big heart, your touch with humanity; it is something that will never age, and that’s true beauty,” Xiu Juan placed her hand on Fan’s hand and smiled warmly at the girls.

Luli grinned at this and nodded in agreement.

Xiu Juan picked herself up and furrowed her brows while thinking. “He will be awakened from his vanity. Who does he think he is to act so spoiled? No one should be that self entitled. I want to go see him again.” She turned to the door and paused. “Um…wherever that would be.”

“He’s usually in his study at this hour,” Guang notified.

“Ah, thank you,” Xiu Juan smiled. “Now where would that be?”

“When you get to his side of the palace, it would be to the left of the Pavilion of Peonies,” Yue directed.

“You’re really going to see him?” Luli asked, nervous for Xiu Juan.

“Yes. It’s about time I’ve talked to him and commence what I came here to do,” Xiu Juan said as she opened the door from her chamber and headed to Jinhai’s side of the palace.