3 Drunken

The next night, Su Wan performs once again. She plays the character Yang Yuhan in the opera named Drunken Beauty. She carefully poises her hands in a graceful angle and has a delicate smile upon her face, singing her intention of having the emperor accompany her for a drink at the Hundred Flower Pavilion.

The emperor, who is dressed completely in red and black, on his painted face, sits a long and exaggerated beard. He is wearing golden beads that sway in front of his head agrees to her request. There is subtle happiness on Yang Yuhan's painted face upon his agreement. She is elated as her body moves, twirling as she goes off stage.

The skies above the Bei River have become dark, the sun having set hours ago. There is the slightest sliver of a moon hanging in the skies that rest above a thawing river. The moon's brightness is obscured by the thick blanket of clouds consumed with darkness.

In an isolated room, with the loud opera music that came from beyond the doors, there is a golden fountain from which wine drips along the sides. The fountain is three feet in height and has three tiers, it is very much like a normal water fountain found in many manors of aristocrats. The only difference was that instead of sparkling water that flowed from the heights, this fountain had sparkling wine. The wine that had a soft aromatic scent of fruits.

Within the room, were a couple of teenage boys who were dressed in various silk robes, embroidered with patterns such as the strong blossoms and bamboo from the season. The clothes were quite popular among the aristocratic class and currently in very high fashion. The boys had complementing accessories to their clothes, such as ink painted fans and jeweled headwear that rested perfectly on their heads.

Perhaps, if it were not for the look on their faces as they filled their cups with wine that came from the fountain, the would somewhat look like half-decent scholars.

A knock on the door sounded.

"Come in." A drunken voice said.

The door opens and in comes a young girl carrying a platter of fruits. "Young masters, the fruit is here." Bai Yun says as she presents them with a platter of longyan, grapes, and citrus fruits.

"We did not call for any." The rosy-cheeked youth said.

The young man's friend came over, tapping his hand on his shoulder "Who cares, we'll take it." Giving Bai Yun a drunken smile, he takes the platter from her.

"Come, friends, let's eat."The man carrying the platter called out to his band of degenerate nobles.

Bai Yun does not wait to see what happens, she closes the door behind her, leaving the drunken teenagers in the room with the fountain of dripping wine.

She takes a few steps to the room that is a few doors down. Making sure that there is no one around, she silently taps on the room. There is a soft coughing sound from within the room. Taking the sound as an agreement, she pushes open the door and enters.

The sounds of opera music slightly quicken as the emperor is sitting in a scene by himself. There is barely any movement as he reads his scrolls. Another opera performer enters. The performer is dressed in pink brocade with light blue hems, the dress is embroidered with blue silk peonies. The charming performer raises her silk sleeve beneath her chin, with fluttering eyes, the emperor is smitten. Standing up, he holds her dearly in his arms.

The performer has on a lascivious smile, batting her eyes that were accentuated with black liner. Her rose-tinted lips curled upwards as she was held in the emperor's embrace. As her head tilts to the side, the beads follow. The pair walk into a small awning that is represented with a roof and four pillars.

"Lady, did you enter the wrong room?" A raspy voice asked as soon as Bai Yun Closed the doors.

Bai Yun turned around to see a middle-aged man in brocade robes. Though his robes were less flamboyant than the robes of the teenage boys, they did not match him very well to say this least. The man had a swollen face and a face that was mostly loose skin. The man was slightly rosied cheek and dull-eyed, he did not seem to be in the clearest of mind.

He did not seem to notice the buns tied by ribbons on her head, which would have given away her age. Or, perhaps he could not, due to the nature of lighting within the room. Seeing this scene, Bai Yun relaxed a bit. It seemed that this would be easier than she thought. She pursed her lips and said coquettishly "Gentleman, it seems that I have entered the wrong room, I will go now."

"Wait." The man said, as though realizing that a woman had by chance entered his room, and was about to leave.

Bai Yun stopped in her tracks. Turning around and twirling her long skirt, "Yes." She asked in a confused manner. Her voice was so soft and delicate, like that of a small and helpless kitten tugging on one's heart strings.

"Come here." The man beckoned with a finger. Bai Yun came over. Her skirt slightly floated with each step. She kneeled before him. With a finger, he raised her chin and attempted to focus his disarrayed eyes onto her face. His head shook to clear his mind before he said "Hmm… Quite beautiful. Will you accompany me for the night?"

Bai Yun did not say anything. In any case, didn't silence mean that she was not leaving? Instead, she asks "Sir, what should I call you?"

"Call me… Tan Daren." The man seems to have thought of a title to make himself seem important

"Official Tan Baohai?"

"Un." The man seems annoyed at the fact that this lady knows who he is, tilts his head back to down the cup of wine. Bai Yun is smiling as she watches him take another table.

Looking around, the table has many more than a single cup, Bai Yun frowns. It would make things a little more complicated if Tan Baohai's companions were to suddenly barge in.

"Tan Daren, do you have some companions, if you do, I will leave." Bai Yun said in a spoiled and annoyed manner. She prepared to push him away.

"Wait, wait. They're watching the opera performance and will not come back." Tan Baohai said in an attempt to placate the beauty, giving her a tug.

Bai Yun hums a low tune as she hears his explanation. She takes the initiative to pour him another drink. With a smile, she says: "Tan Daren, have another cup."

Finding that the emperor to be in the company of another woman the same night he promised to accompany her, Yang Yuhan was filled with grief. With her eyes filled with sorrow, the long silk sleeve covered her face once more. This action gained her some sympathizers from the audience, with some cursing at the emperor for being heartless, and breaking his promises.

But then again, when did emperors ever keep his promises and stay with a single woman for the rest of his lifetime?

Yang Yuhan was all alone on this night that the emperor had promised to come over. Filled with sorrow, she ordered her servants to prepare wine for her so that she might drown her sorrows and forget the heartbreak.

One cup after another, the wine disappeared. Yet the beautiful face of consort Yang did not change. Her hands gracefully down each cup. With each cup she drinks, she refills it herself. But the wine did not help her with drowning her sorrows. As time passed, the audience could almost feel Yang Yuhan's misery of being discarded by the emperor. There were some in the audience who shed tears for her.

"Hmm… Fang Fang, you are so sweet." Tan Baohai said after the umpteenth cup of wine, as he brought Bai Yun's hair closer for a sniff. He had grown more disoriented, such that he could not even see clearly, the person who was with him.

Hearing those words, the expression on Bai Yun's face changed.