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墨書 Inktalez
As you quietly lament the layers of Dodo blossoms blooming, knowing that this vibrant display of Spring Colors cannot last, perhaps another spring is already approaching. The enchanting fragrance fills the air, and time easily sweeps people away; the cherries have turned red, and the banana trees are lush and green.
The intertwined flowers express a longing for love.
Calmly leaning against the tall building, I watch the bustling world with a smile. The vastness of heaven and earth leaves only me wandering alone.
A thin layer of pink moss carpets the path, scattered with petals. From a distance, it seems almost unreal. Sima Rui hesitates to take a step forward, fearing to disrupt its beauty.
Before me lies a riot of colors: countless red roses, pink peonies, blue flowering crabs, white magnolias, and golden Persian chrysanthemums... The vibrant hues are breathtaking. I had only visited this place at night before, unaware of such beauty and the entirety of Frostfall Palace. Sima Rui's expression darkens slightly, filled with incredulity and complexity.
It seems there is too much wonder about her, too many impossibilities, just like that person.
A woman dressed in a form-fitting white gown adorned with an unusual white hat stands before me. Her chest is slightly exposed, wrapped in layers of Rococo lace embellished with tortoiseshell and glistening beads. The hem of her dress sways like lotus leaves in the wind, creating ripples across a pool of green. Her smile radiates as she dances on a small makeshift stage, spinning gracefully while exuding a bright and clear joy. Her toes leap continuously, producing a beautiful melody; her white skirt billows up like a captivating flower, more beautiful than any in the garden. This is a side of her I have never seen—joyful and innocent like a child. Sima Rui begins to doubt if he has stumbled into a fairyland, with the woman dancing on stage being that playful fairy.
In that moment, for some unknown reason, this great Sovereign feels different. Sima Rui raises his hand to touch his heart; it trembles inexplicably. He struggles to breathe—what is happening? What is wrong with him? It feels so strange; he must be too surprised. Surely he has never witnessed such a miraculous sight before; that must be why he feels unaccustomed to it—yes, it must be unfamiliarity!
Today is a rare sunny day. It has been a long time since I performed for the ladies; I thought I would take advantage of this splendid spring weather. The flowers planted last autumn are eager to break through the soil this spring.
I chose my favorite white petal gown from the wardrobe, embroidered with Dodo lotus flowers. As usual, Suda sat on the floor accompanying me; her music flowed like life itself—so beautiful and serene.
She played "Red Tears," a song we composed long ago together—a song I learned in modern times. I have always loved this song that expresses the sorrow of beautiful women. After coming here, I realized it perfectly describes the lonely beauty of those in the harem—Loneliness and sorrow are the most poignant sighs of this dynasty; they echo deep wounds.
Just as I was enjoying myself, the ladies who had been quietly watching from below suddenly screamed loudly in panic and scattered in all directions. I froze in shock at the chaotic scene before me and saw from afar a handsome and imposing man standing quietly across from the flowers, surveying everything before him. His gaze was cold and profound; his golden robe accentuated his tall figure. His demeanor was as noble as the orchids in this courtyard—untouchable.
The fleeing concubines shouted in astonishment: "It's the Emperor!" Their fearful cries were accompanied by sobs as they trembled and hid in corners.
A chill ran through me—how did he come here? But I quickly regained my composure and smiled gently: "Ladies, today's performance has come to an end. Whoever returns to their chambers first will receive a cake made by Little Firefly tonight as a reward, along with an extra set of new clothes." Those who had been frightened began to peek out cautiously from their hiding spots; upon seeing my warm encouraging smile, they slowly emerged like children running towards their chambers—the cakes made by Little Firefly were their favorite treats.
Suda gazed calmly at the Emperor who had entered today; it had been quite some time since she last saw him. His arrival today indeed surprised her because for many years this rumored gentle Emperor had proven to be cold enough to chill one's heart. He had never set foot inside Frostfall Palace because no woman here was worth his lingering affection. In fact, none of those seemingly favored women held any special place in his heart. Such an indifferent man elicited no admiration or lingering thoughts from her; she had long since filled her heart with someone else. Seeing this situation today, she presumed he must have come for Firefly.
What makes Firefly special? It's more than just this.
I frowned, puzzled as I looked at the person who had inexplicably appeared before me. Glancing at their attire, I noted how utterly inappropriate it was—a fitted white dress with a long, wrinkled skirt, completely modern in style. I hadn’t expected to encounter anyone else here, especially someone wearing a European-style wide-brimmed hat. Their long hair, usually styled in a bun, cascaded down to their waist in soft curls. This was bad; did their presence mean that my peaceful life was about to be disrupted?
Before I could gather my thoughts and greet them, a figure suddenly appeared in front of me. Before I could react, a long coat enveloped my entire body, and then I was hoisted onto someone's shoulder. After a jolt, I realized I was being carried through the air, my body bouncing with each step.
I wanted to scream, but being upside down made my stomach churn violently. It was so uncomfortable that I could barely catch my breath, let alone speak.
The person carrying me remained silent, striding forward with purpose. I had no choice but to endure the nauseating sensation and stay quiet.
Finally, we arrived at our destination. I braced myself for a rough landing, expecting to be unceremoniously dropped onto the ground. However, the person above me sighed softly and gently placed me on a soft bed as if worried about dropping me.
Once freed, I quickly pulled away the coat obscuring my vision and shrank back, eyeing the culprit who had brought me here with suspicion and anger.
He looked at me for a long moment without speaking, slowly approaching with an ambiguous demeanor.
“What do you want? Are you planning to take advantage of me, a weak woman?” My anger flared; I knew my eyes were ablaze. The words dripped with sarcasm.
To my surprise, he smiled instead of getting angry. “Oh? Is the little cat finally showing its claws?” His gaze was deep as he looked at me; for a moment, I thought I saw something emotional flicker within his eyes. Was I imagining things?
I continued to retreat defensively, like a porcupine bristling with quills.
Suddenly, he smiled warmly and seemed unfazed by my clear resistance. Instead, he moved closer to me. Just as I prepared to fight back, he abruptly pulled me into an embrace.
“What are you doing?!” I struggled fiercely, throwing punches and kicks.
He chuckled softly in my ear. “Don’t worry; I just want to hold you. There won’t be any other actions. I'm not so desperate as to prey on unwilling women.”
I huffed disdainfully in his arms, but some of my defenses lowered slightly. If he dared to make any other moves, I vowed that I wouldn’t be fooled by his tricks—I would make him regret it.
The tranquility did not last long.
"I pardon you; would you like to move into my palace and live with me?" he suddenly said in an extremely deep voice.
"No way?!" I was startled and reflexively retorted. Upon noticing his stiff posture, I explained softly, "It took me a long time to take care of Frostfall Palace. Now everything is fine there, and I have gotten used to living there. Besides, I still need to look after those ladies."
Thinking of that unique and quaint place, although it could not compare to the grandeur of Qitian Palace, it had its own charm that was unparalleled in the Jin Dynasty, truly captivating.
Remembering the women in Cold Palace, who were cleanly dressed, rosy-cheeked, and even smiling, he proposed a hypothesis: "Are you taking care of them as a way to atone for my sins?"
I was taken aback and looked up at him. Seeing that he was not joking and his intense gaze seemed to pierce right through me, I hurriedly turned my head away… dodging his gaze, I awkwardly replied, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? I am one of those women too. It is only natural for me to take care of them. I never thought I could leave there; naturally, I must manage it well so we can live our lives comfortably. Besides, isn’t there a saying: 'We are all lost souls in this world; why must we have met before?'"
"Aren't you sad?"
"What?" I turned my head to look at him and quickly understood what he meant—he was asking if I was sad about being sent to Cold Palace. With a calm expression, I replied, "Not receiving your favor is simply because I lack that fortune; there's no one to blame but fate."
He smiled with amusement in his eyes, finding it interesting to have her by his side. After staring at her for a while, he casually said, "Then from today onward, I grant you that fortune and bestow upon you a lifetime of favor. Do you want it?"
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