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"That was my first time stepping into the Central Plains. The city was so lively, and the houses were so magnificent; it was far more prosperous than the Western Regions. At that moment, I wondered what kind of ruler could possess such splendid landscapes. Later, I met your father."
He wore a dark robe adorned with twelve chapters of patterns, topped with a crown featuring twenty-four tassels. Standing at the end of the steps, his upper garment was decorated with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and auspicious insects, while his lower garment showcased patterns of algae, fire, pink rice, ancestral rites, and black-and-white designs. His imposing presence overshadowed everything around him.
Perhaps out of guilt, Yu Qianhua treated me exceptionally well. At that time, there were no other children in the palace, and Empress Song had become estranged from him due to the fall of the Xiliang Kingdom. Therefore, Yu Qianhua directly conferred upon me the title of Princess Xuanhui and granted me the name "Xuanhui," a privilege and treatment reserved for legitimate princesses.
Empress Song was kind to me, but she lacked experience in caring for others. She assumed that by presenting me with the most luxurious clothes, the most dazzling jewels, and the finest food, I would be happy. Then she would retreat to her own world to chant scriptures and pray.
The abundance of material wealth did fill the void in my heart, but my days in the palace were not easy. In a foreign land where I could not communicate, I had no one to talk to.
However, Yu Qianhua was fluent in various languages from the Western Regions. Thus, I often went to Treasure Light Hall to seek him out, pretending to be a little girl who would act cute and cling to him. Treasure Light Hall was where the emperor handled state affairs and discussed governance; even concubines could not enter without summons. Yet I came and went freely.
The court officials criticized him for indulging me too much, but he paid no heed to their words. He said I was his precious jewel, incomparable to others. He treated me like a daughter without realizing he was only twenty-seven years old—still under thirty—while I was nearly eleven. In the Central Plains, girls married at fifteen or sixteen; in the Western Regions, even earlier.
"So from the very beginning, you had different feelings for my father?" Anhui looked at me with a hint of curiosity in her eyes as if recalling something. "So Consort Xian's death is also related to you?"
Yu Qianhua favored women who could sing and dance; Consort Xian Gao Chuoli was his favorite at that time. Gao Chuoli was the daughter of Gao Yannian from Great Sheng Mansion's Department of Harmony. She had a slender waist and excelled at Huxuan Dance. I still remember how during that year's Thousand Years Festival, Gao Chuoli's performance of Huxuan Dance brought great delight to Yu Qianhua, earning her exclusive favor for over a month.
I was particularly unhappy about this. Huxuan Dance originated from the Western Regions; how could a Central Plains girl like Gao Chuoli compare to my beauty? So I seized an opportunity and privately performed Huxuan Dance for Yu Qianhua. My movements were just as beautiful—if not more so—than Gao Chuoli's; yet there was no joy in his eyes.
Somehow, word reached Gao Chuoli's ears. Under the pretense of visiting me at Heavenly Heart Palace, she came with a look full of mockery. She said, "Princess Xuanhui, do you think that just because you can perform Huxuan Dance you can be compared to me? As long as you remain a princess for one day, what you desire will forever be nothing more than an illusion."
In the Western Regions, there is an unwritten saying that an unmarried woman's first performance of Huxuan Dance is meant for her beloved. Very few people from Great Li practiced Huxuan Dance and knew little about this saying. However, Gao Chuoli had immersed herself in Huxuan Dance for many years; she certainly knew it well. She even accurately guessed my feelings for Yu Qianhua.
"I am pregnant, and the royal physician has diagnosed it as a boy," Gao Chuoli said, placing a hand on her abdomen, filled with delight. "As long as Princess Xuanhui is willing to persuade the Empress to adopt this child under her knee, I will keep this secret for Princess Xuanhui for a lifetime. If I ever let it slip, Princess Xuanhui's reputation will be completely ruined."
To elevate a concubine to the status of a legitimate wife and scheme for the position of Crown Prince, Gao Chuoli had such grand ambitions. But what angered me even more was that the carefully hidden secret had been exposed. In a fit of rage and humiliation, I picked up the inkstone from the table and knocked Gao Chuoli unconscious, then suffocated her with a handkerchief.
Then I feigned being frightened, crying as I rushed to Emperor Qianhua, claiming that Consort Xian had come to visit my palace and suddenly collapsed on the ground, unconscious. My disguise fooled everyone, and Gao Chuoli's death was ultimately attributed to a sudden illness. To calm my nerves, Emperor Qianhua generously rewarded me with many gifts.
I thought that by killing Consort Xian, no one would uncover my intentions, and I could spend my life by his side as an adopted daughter. Even if it meant only watching from afar and burying my love deep in my heart, I would still find joy in it.
"Consort Xian actually had such audacious thoughts; let her die then, it saves trouble for the Empress," Anhui remarked indifferently about Consort Xian's death before shifting the topic back to me. "But you didn't expect that Father would arrange a marriage for you, did you?"
Emperor Qianhua proposing a marriage for me was indeed something I never anticipated. Upon hearing this news, I was in Dan Feng Hall with Empress Song learning how to make Su Ma Cake, a pastry exclusive to the royal family of Xiliang and one of Emperor Qianhua's favorites. However, no one in the palace knew how to make it anymore; the only person who did, Empress Song, had not made it since the fall of the Xiliang Kingdom.
Using nostalgia for my homeland's flavors as an excuse, I learned how to make Su Ma Cake from Empress Song, secretly hoping that one day I could bring a smile to Emperor Qianhua's face. But upon hearing about his marriage proposal for me, I could no longer care about that; without even wiping the flour off my hands, I rushed into Treasure Light Hall in panic.
"Father, I don't want to get married; I want to stay in the palace with you and Aunt forever." Ignoring that Emperor Qianhua was receiving officials at that moment, I barged in and grabbed his hand, crying like a weeping willow.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Marriage is a lifelong matter. If I really kept you in the palace forever, then we would have to blame your father for Princess Xuanhui," Emperor Qianhua said gently as he took out a handkerchief and wiped away my tears without caring about the officials' surprised glances. He treated my outburst as mere childishness and patiently comforted me. "You are the apple of your father's eye; how could he easily marry you off? This is just a marriage proposal; after all, you will stay with us for several more years."
"But what if I encounter someone cruel and tyrannical? Father, he might end up killing you!" I sobbed, trying to dissuade Emperor Qianhua from pursuing this marriage proposal.
"You are the most beloved princess of your father; he will certainly choose someone outstanding from across the land for you. If he dares to make you unhappy even once, your father will ensure his entire clan is wiped out."
"I can't bear to part with you and Aunt." I struggled one last time, crying even harder.
"Your father also can't bear to see you marry far away. Don't worry, once the prince is decided, your father will have a magnificent Princess Mansion built for you in the capital. At that time, whether you want to enter the palace or if Aunt and I want to visit you, it will be just a matter of moments."
How I wished to tell him that it wasn't that I was unwilling to marry; I just didn't want to marry anyone other than him. But I knew I couldn't say that. His position as the Supreme Ruler made him a role model for all. If he knew I harbored such rebellious thoughts, he would only hasten my marriage, and then I would never be able to see him again.
Yuqianhua seemed to have everything planned out for me. I could no longer use my charms or act cute to stop him, so I had to focus on the candidates for marriage.
I secretly instructed the palace servants to keep an eye on Yuqianhua's choices among those noble families. He favored several young talents, and I devised ways to ruin their images in his eyes.
The first candidate Yuqianhua chose for me was the Young Master of the He Shunhou Family, who became a top scholar at seventeen and was the dream lover of countless girls in the capital. So, I arranged for a talented and pitiful courtesan to deliberately approach him. Before long, rumors spread throughout the capital that the Young Master of the He Shunhou Family had taken a courtesan as his concubine.
The second candidate was the Eldest Legitimate Grandson of the Dingyuan Marquis Family, a young man of great valor with impressive military achievements. However, Dingyuan Marquis raised him well, and he maintained his integrity without succumbing to the vices of the military camp. Therefore, I intentionally let a military prostitute invade his tent, leading to scandalous rumors surrounding him.
The third candidate came from the ancient the Jiangdong Wu and was known for his strict adherence to gentlemanly conduct with women. So, I arranged for someone to disguise themselves as a scholar heading for an examination and get acquainted with him. Then one day, they woke up together in bed, naked—this incident about the Wu Family Young Master being a "broken sleeve" caused quite a stir in the capital.
The fourth candidate was a top scholar from a humble background. I found one of his distant cousins and had her bring along a jade pendant that his mother had gifted her long ago to create a scene.
The fifth candidate was the grandson of Dechang Princess, a royal relative not easily provoked. So, I devised a nasty trick where royal hunting tampered with his mount, causing him to fall and break his leg...
Some people had their reputations ruined by me; others had their futures destroyed; some were left disabled; and even more were directly killed by my schemes. One by one, every young man favored by Yuqianhua became my target for elimination.
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