The Soothsayer

Date II

The performers moved their characters to match the story told. The story they were telling was The Butterfly Lovers, a tragic love story between Liang Shangbo and Zhu Yingtai. When the play ended, the curtains opened revealing the bright sun.

"Are you crying?" the Emperor asked Chen Xi.

"Do you not have a heart? The story is so sad but there is not a single tear coming from your eyes." Chen Xi replied.

"An Emperor cannot have a heart, having a heart means that the Emperor is weak."

"You're wrong, having a heart means you are compassionate, having a heart means that the Emperor cares about its people and puts its people first."

The Emperor took a pause and thought about what Chen Xi just said. He then smiled and said: "You have a point but my heart is empty."

"I'll prove you wrong then. I'll make sure to fill your heart with love and prove to everyone that having Emperors can have a heart."

After Chen Xi finished talking she kissed the Emperor on the lips. When the kiss broke both, the Emperor and Chen Xi's heart was beating very fast. The sounds of their heart beats filled the room until the Emperor said: "Uh, do you want to try out the puppets used in the play?"

Chen Xi smiled and nodded her head. They both walked back to the stage, used the props and made their own story:

A young lady from the grassland is sent to another country for marriage. The young lady marries the prince of the country but this marriage was not a happy one. The couple bickered at first but soon learned to love each other through time.

"I swear I would love you to death." the Emperor said as he moved his puppet and changed his voice.

Chen Xi laughed while she moved her puppet and said: "Well then, what do you swear upon?"

"I swear upon the gods and the heavens. If I break this promise, my kingdom shall crumble."

"You aren't the king yet and here you are so full of yourself."

"I will become king and you shall become my Empress, my love."

A few years later, the prince had become the newly crowned King.

"My love, I shall bestow you to become my Empress." the Emperor said with his changed voice.

Chen Xi giggled and said: "I accept."

The two newly couple then lived happily ever after.

Chen Xi got up and sighed.

"What's wrong, do you not like the play we did?" the Emperor asked.

"No no, happily ever after is a luxury which I cannot have." Chen Xi replied.

"What do you mean? I can give you everything, even love if that's what you want."

"No, I don't want love that you can freely give me. Love is not an object, it's something that we have to earn."

There was a pause of silence before Chen Xi spoke and said: "What am I talking about, this is the Long Empire."

"If you--" the Emperor started to say before being cut off.

"Let's go back shall we, it is getting late." Chen Xi said, putting on a fake smile on her face.

The Emperor and Chen Xi walked back to the palace in silence.

"Do you want to continue to sleep at the Dragon Palace?" the Emperor asked Chen Xi as they arrived at the palace.

"No." Chen Xi said as she smiled.

"I think there's no point in sleeping at the Dragon Palace. There's no one in there, it's too quiet. " Chen Xi continued.

"Are you talking about yesterday night? Yesterday night, I felt sick in the morning so I went to visit the doctor." the Emperor replied.

Chen Xi nodded her head and started to walk away until the Emperor stopped her by holding her arm.

"Stay, stay with me." the Emperor said as he turned her to face her.

Chen Xi stared at the Emperor then nodded her head slowly.

And that's when the flowers in their hearts started to bloom.