Oh How Lovely

In the palace, a maid led her through the corridors of a large building.

Li Wei's sharp eyes narrowed. They were not going in the correct direction.

"Miss Yue, please wait here."

The large room that was decorated meticulously with priceless treasures. Here was where the empress often welcomed guests.

Her finger brushed across the surface of a flower painting. She wasn't eager to visit the palace. If Khan Bojing wasn't a prince, she wouldn't be here.

"You must be Yue Biya."

Li Wei slightly froze. That familiar sweet voice laced with a hint of menace could only belong to one woman.

She turned around and respectfully bowed. "Yue Biya greets Your Highness."

Chu Fangyin stood powerfully like a tigress, powerful and cunning. Her alerted eyes silently took in the girl. "Rumors have it that you are Bojing's little lover?"

Li Wei bashfully blinked her eye innocently, "How that be? How can this little one dream of--"

"I'll be straightforward with you, being with the crown prince, have you considered it thoroughly?" Chu Fangyin's disapproving gaze paused on Li Wei's face. She was not in the mood to play games.

Li Wei's eyes were full of helplessness while the arrogant tone she used told of something else. "The prince likes me so much, what can I do?"

"You!" Chu Fangyin almost lost her composure. Her hands itched to slap that mocking smirk off the girl's face. The little vixen was a white lotus of the most hateful type! "How can you be so bold? You've just arrived in Hai'an, be careful you can come but can't leave."

Threaten her? Li Wei snickered. "Your Highness, even if you dislike me, what can you do? When things go down, will the emperor choose his wife or his son?"

Chu Fangyin fists tightened. As the empress, she had never been looked down upon so low before!

Li Wei smiled amusingly, "If you need help, Your Highness, I can offer a little piece of advice."

Her face appeared pure and pretty while her words were nothing short of savage, "His Majesty will choose Bojing and Bojing, of course, will choose me. In the end, who's more valuable..."

"How interesting, you don't even pretend to be nice." Chu Fangyin laughed, the kind of laugh that brought chills. She was not amused one bit. "Come, everyone is waiting for my honored guest."

In the courtyard of Hundreds Garden, the doors opened. Dressed in a magnificent gold dress, the appearance of the empress hushed the garden into silence.

All the seated guests stood up and bowed down. Chu Fangyin, with a row of maids trailing behind, strolled gracefully to the gold chair at the front. Once the empress sat down, only then, did everyone else followed.

Li Wei casually found a seat in the back. Flowers, yeah, tea. Flowers in tea?

Trying to follow along with minimal efforts, her eyes fell on the set of tea and small bowls of flower petals on the table. The other noble ladies carefully placed different petals into their tea, testing the scent and taste as explained by the empress.

'At least the flowers are pretty,' she thought. Even if she didn't like the empress, she would enjoy free tea and desserts. Her hands hovered the different flowers, all beautifully tempting.

She was about to choose one, then leaned for a closer look. Her lips pursed tightly together. It wasn't clear whether she was angered or trying to hold in her laughter.

At the front, Chu Fangyin's eyes shone with pleasure. With a wave of her hand, a group of musicians and dancers came onto the platform.

With dancers, music, and delicious treats, everyone were in a light mood. Li Wei was mutual, she was neither entertained nor bored.

Seated in the back and modestly dressed, no one paid attention to Li Wei until Chu Fangyin stood up. "Before we end today's gathering, let's welcome a performance by my guest of honor, Yue Biya."

Li Wei's head shot up as all eyes turned to her. What performance?

She forced a pleasant smile on her face. Her legs shook slightly while making her way to the platform in the center. "Your Highness, what performance would you like?"

Chu Fangyin raised her eyebrows, the little girl was shaking in fear. "Anything you can do will be fine."

"Yue Biya thanks Your Highness for your overflowing grace and magnanimity," Li Wei bowed, halfheartedly. The long lost daughter, who lived her life as an orphan for almost twenty years, what talents would she have? It was clear the empress wanted to humiliate her.

Too bad, everything aligned perfectly with what she planned.

Li Wei whispered something to the musician in front of the guzheng. Then, stood in the center with her eyes closed. All eyes were silently on her, waiting to see what she had to show.

The musician stroke the first string and her eyes opened. Her previous lifeless gaze shone as if there were stars inside. Bright and full of life.

Li Wei's slender hands swirled in the air along with the joyful notes patiently flowing in the background. Her soft twirls were almost like a tease as her feet gracefully approached the audience. In the seemingly ordinary ombre dress, her figure on the platform was like a flower in full bloom whirling with the wind.

Once her pink lips spread into a smile, no one could look elsewhere. It was as if they had stumbled upon a fairy dancing in the woods. It was as if they had seen a moment in which they shouldn't have.

The slight blush on her cheeks. The flirtatious smile. The loving gaze. The woman was dancing for her lover.

Then it all disappeared. The notes of the guzheng were no longer light and happy. Her feet pulled back in fear. Two hands reached out, desperately trying to hold onto someone that was no longer there.

Her frail figure fell forward, her knees hit the hard floor. The palms of her hands opened to nothing but air. It was too late.

The guzheng's melancholic notes were the sounds of her broken heart. Tears rolled down her cheeks, her agonizing sobs rung sharply in the air.

Those in the audience could feel her pain. Their hearts ached with hers.

The woman looked up to the sky, remembering their vows. She crawled and stumbled, determined to play for one last time. Her hands fumbled for the guzheng, her fingers glided across the strings.

The melody she played perfectly accompanied the musician's, as if he was her lover. First, her movements were fast-- unable to accept the reality, refusing to believe her lover's death. She relived their memories through the music they loved.

Then she slowed down, almost as if every note drained her life away each time. He was really gone. She would never get him back no matter what she did.

Her body fell onto the instrument, her last tear splashed onto the strings, and she took her final breath.

A white butterfly fluttered by, landing softly on her cheek like a lover's kiss...

One clapped, two clapped. Soon, all the guests were on their feet in amazement.

Li Wei graciously bowed. She thanked the kind musician, "Thank you, elder brother. You are a talented musician."

"Your words are too kind, miss. You are the talented one. It was my honor to perform with you," He smiled.

Chu Fangyin watched from afar as Li Wei was showered in praises. Huh, the girl was more scheming than she estimated.

The empress clapped three times and everyone quiet down. Li Wei bowed in front of the empress. "Your Highness, Yue Biya hopes you enjoyed my little dance."

Chu Fangyin's icy glares shot at Li Wei, spitting out two words, "Not bad."

Li Wei smiled, "Thank you, Your Highness."

The empress waved her hand. "Dismiss."

All the women stood up and walked out. On the way, they couldn't help talking in hushed tones. Was this new miss engaged? They wanted to know for their sons!

Xiurong runs over to Li Wei. "Miss Yue, the empress would like a few words with you."

Her eyes glanced at Chu Fangyin, who lightly came down the steps. She walked towards the empress. "Yes, Your Highness?"

An irritably smug smile filled the empress' elegant face. "Yue Biya, after seeing your dance, I have changed my mind. Why don't you accompany me in the palace when it's a little boring around here?"

"Ah, how lovely," Li Wei exclaimed loudly. "I had no idea you were already so fond of me..."

Once she leaned closer to the empress, her lips devilishly curved upwards. "... my dear future mother-in-law."