The Blood-Stained Empress

C3: Crimson Peonies

* 

"Father, I've arrived." Li Meixing curtsies and the maids behind her follow suit.

A stern-looking man with firm-set eyebrows and greying hair nods. "Concubine Wei Wuqi and Li Shaomei are already sitting in their carriages." He pauses for a moment and, looking pensive, adds, "You must be careful tonight."

Surprised at the sudden warning, Li Meixing blinks a couple of times before responding, "Your daughter understands."

___________

The palace is a vision to behold. The setting sun casts a deep red glow onto the palace walls and dyes the blooming peonies crimson red. Intricate lanterns strung from the ceilings illuminate the entrance so that the magnificent set of steps into the palace grounds take on the presence of the doors into heaven. Carriages with elaborate designs and craftsmanship line up as far as the eye can see, and large crowds of handsome men and beautiful women mingle with each other before heading into the main setting for the banquet.

"Li family has arrived!" the driver of Li Meixing's father's carriage announces. Li Meixing's own carriage comes to a slow stop and she steps out.

Next to her, Li Shaomei tugs the sleeves of Li Meixing's dress. "Jiejie, I'm nervous. What if I mess up?"

Li Meixing smiles and lightly pinches Li Shaomei's rounded cheeks. "You will be alright. It's not just your debut today, but many other girls too. They are all nervous as well. You only need to smile and remember how to properly address others. After the first hour and everyone is settled, you can just watch the performances."

"Take Shaomei with you," a woman beside Li Shaomei directs to Li Meixing. "I will stay behind to accompany your father." She is Concubine Wei Wuqi, one of Li Meixing's father's two wives and the mother of Li Shaomei and Li Guang. Li Meixing's father's official wife is the mother of Li Meixing and Li Huoxin. She passed away many years ago from an illness, which is the reason why Li Meixing and Li Huoxin are so close to their step siblings.

With a nod to her step-mother, Li Meixing takes Li Shaomei's hand and heads into the palace with a small trail of maids behind her. From the corner of her eye, she notices a small crowd of third-rate and some second-rate officials has already begun to form around her father. As one of the kingdom's five prime ministers and therefore the head of one of five great families, there's a never-ending line of people who are desperate to become closer to him.

Inside the palace walls, the banquet is even more lively. Groups of young women dressed in vivid colors chatter amongst themselves while admiring the peonies, and young men eager to impress the higher-ups gather around prominent first-rate officials to boast their literary knowledge.

"Aiya, isn't that the Li da xiaojie? She's so pretty in person," a girl nearby whispers while pointing.

"En. Should we say hi?" the girl next to her asks. Li Meixing slows down her pace to eavesdrop into their conversation. She's always been curious about what others thought of her.

"It's better not to. I heard from Father that lately Prime Minister Li, her father, has been getting into disagreements with the emperor..." Disagreements? Li Meixing frowns and picks up her pace again. What disagreements? It was her father that helped give Huang Siming the throne. As she continues to walk further into the palace courtyards, the fervent whispers about her continue to trail behind her. Numerous girls from small families come up to her to curtsy and exchange greetings, and she maintains her smile throughout the various short conversations. As an empress, she will have to do much more than this--but instead of speaking to people from a lower rank, she will be working with royalty from other nations.