At the fifth watch of the night[1], within the Diligent Government Hall in the Palace of Great Brightness, the candlelight flickered dimly, and all was silent. Two young eunuchs on duty stood outside the hall, rubbing their hands together, occasionally yawning.
She had long been accustomed to concentrating on reviewing memorials at such a time and environment. Except for the two young eunuchs, everyone else had been dismissed, leaving only a single candle burning.
The vermilion imperial brush and the beautiful and exquisite writings should have been the responsibility of the country's monarch, but her husband used the pretext of wind chill to hand over all the affairs of the country to her. He claimed it was the tacit understanding and trust between husband and wife.
It wasn't until she closed the final memorial that the monk standing in front of her with his head bowed, not daring to move or make a sound, cautiously took a step forward from the shadows.
"Your Imperial Majesty, I fell just a step short. As soon as this humble monk recovers his strength, I will get the treasure from that evil-doer." The white-robed monk from the bamboo forest spoke with fear and trepidation. The woman before him was approaching middle age, yet her appearance was even more enchanting than in her youth. However, concealed within her brows and eyes was a majestic presence and heroic spirit that couldn't be matched by thousands of men. Clad in a plain muslin robe, she had elegantly pinned up her black hair in a high bun, adorned only with a nine-colored gemstone phoenix hairpin. Her black hair and the beautiful hairpin shone with colorful brilliance under the candlelight. This manner of dressing made her unique beauty stand out despite the murky night.
"Is Princess Duanyi still well?" She neatly stacked the memorials, not bothering to look at the monk.
"Well..." The monk broke into a cold sweat, "Originally, it should have gone as the Empress wished. But…but a troublemaker suddenly appeared halfway and ruined this humble monk's overall plan... May Your Imperial Majesty rest assured. Within a month, this humble monk will fulfill the Empress's decree. I will surely retrieve the Book of Three Lives Awakening Dreams and... the princess's life!"
"I[2] truly don't know whether to reward you or punish you." She raised her eyes slightly, looking at the monk, "You are not clever enough. Never mind, I have other plans for the princess." She paused briefly, her gaze suddenly sharp, "However, concerning the Book of Three Lives Awakening Dreams... one month is the limit. If you fail to handle it, Master[3] himself will be in danger of becoming a corpse."
"Yes, yes, this humble monk obeys the Empress's decree!" The monk wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"You may withdraw." She waved her hand slightly. The monk, as if granted a reprieve, stood up and retreated into the shadows. A burst of green smoke filled the air, and there was no trace of him left.
Taiye Lake exuded the fragrance of lotus flowers under the moonlight. Lotuses blossomed everywhere adorning every corner, and the emerald water rippled gently. The sound of the water resembled a lullaby a mother would sing to her child, tender and delicate.
She lay on a comfortable bed, the scent of incense wafting through the air.
"Is the sound of the water pleasant?" Someone walked in from beyond the layers of curtains, their steps light, akin to a lotus blooming with each stride.
"Who?!" She sat up in bed, parted the curtains, and immediately sneered, "Empress Wang, it's you again!"
"I just came to inquire whether the sound of the water in this Taiye Lake is reminiscent of the song you used to sing to your daughter in those days." The visitor stopped and mocked her, standing on the other side of the gauze curtain. Though her chest felt like it was pricked by needles, she continued to sneer, "So what if it is, so what if it isn't."
"Wu Meiniang[4], back then, you did not hesitate to destroy your own daughter in order to snatch the position of Empress from me. Now, let me tell you, she has returned. The plum blossom mark on the palm of her hand is truly beautiful! She will avenge me and all the souls who perished under your ambition. She will demand everything from you! Hahaha." Laughter filled with bitterness echoed outside the gauze curtain.
"No one is qualified to demand everything from me!" She tried to get up but found herself unable to budge an inch.
"The gods can!" The person outside the gauze curtain declared triumphantly.
"I will stand in a position even higher than the gods." She spoke calmly, but every word was like iron.
A chill surged from her chest, and she abruptly opened her eyes. She was still lying down comfortably on her high bed and warm pillow. However, her back was covered in sweat. The layers of gauze curtains were still hanging low, and aside from the palace maids and eunuchs outside the curtain, there was no one else. She sat up and held her forehead in exhaustion. She couldn't count how many times she had repeated this dream over the years. Every time, she woke up in the cold grip of inner conflict. If I really reach a position even higher than the gods, will those things be trampled under my feet forever and not remembered? She had asked herself many times, and the answer was always — yes.
No one could break her rules. What she wanted was not the phoenix hairpin but the dragon robe[5]. Yes, that must be the case. She needed to accomplish something, but now, she still lacked that little bit of confidence.
Footnotes:
[1] Between 3-5 am
[2] She uses 哀家 here which is a first person pronoun employed by a widowed royal woman. Chiefly used in literature. Actual use in history is disputed.
[3] 法師: one who has mastered the sutras. It is also used as a title. In fantasy settings, it means wizard; mage.
[4] Wu Meiniang is Wu Zetian—the only female emperor (empress regnant) in Chinese history.
[5] In Chinese cultural symbolism, the phoenix hairpin is often associated with the empress. On the other hand, the dragon robe is a symbol of imperial authority and is traditionally worn by the emperor.
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