EMPRESS [NEW EDITED VERSION]

1. Forbidden Romance

It all started when I turned 16. I was old by the standards and my mother was desperate to marry me off. "Wang Min, you have to find a good lao gong* soon, or you'll end up as an old maid." Mother warned me every day. Today was no different.

(lao gong - husband)

I frowned as an answer. Squatting down and pulling up a baby radish, I looked up at her with a pout. "But I want to stay at the farm and help you and Father!"

Alright, it wasn't just that. Under my pretence of being a loyal daughter lay something deeper. Something my parents never had and something half the arranged marriage couples in China  didn't have- love. This was what made me want to stay in the village. No one knew though. It would be deemed indecent of anyone knew of my relationship with him.

Just then, the village gossip, Li Tai, threw open our door. It flew off the hinge and ended up on the ground, soaking in the mud. Mother and I cursed seeing the mess Li Tai made.

"Li! What are you--" Mother started but got cut off by Li Tai.

(A/N: tai is a chinese word, which translates roughly to aunty)

"The Emperor's Chancellor Wu is 'ere!" Li Tai exclaimed harshly, not batting an eye at the mess she made. She placed a hand on her hip and looked at us smugly while balancing a basket in her other hand. I think she was going to the market to sell her famous tea. Li Tai was famed for making delicious, fragrant tea and she had even been invited to the Palace once- although it had only been to the kitchens.

Mother looked up, pushing her gray hair behind her ears. "What? The great Chancellor Wu?" she said, shocked.

Li Tai nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes. Who else could it be? He came here to select a girl for the Emperor. This is your girl's last chance. She's pretty, hurry and wash her up! He will come to your house soon."

I glanced at Mother, waiting for her instructions. She wouldn't want to present me, I was sure. We'd all heard about the horrors of the palace.

Concubine this murders Concubine that so her son can rise to power, servant this seduces the Emperor and becomes his First Concubine... No one with a brain would want to be chosen.

Life in the village was much better, you could find a man you liked and spend the rest of your life happily. Who would choose to spend the rest of their life in a cold palace, alone, with the Emperor only coming to see you once in a while, yet depending on his favour. The life in the harem is cruel, and only quick-witted beautiful women can survive it.

There are no in betweens in the palace: you either die or survive.

I automatically smiled when I thought of my love in the village. He is two years younger than me, though, so I want to wait for him to be of age before he asks for my hand. Liang Wen. He and I have always liked each other from when we were young. I risked my parents' wrath and the villagers' disgust when I turned down all the eligible suitors for him. I'm sure that I want to be with Liang Wen.

Mother bit her lip, thinking. Li Tai cackled. The sound was harsh and grating to my ears and I looked at her, annoyed. "See, the girl is smiling already, imagining the lavish life she could live!"

What? I was not smiling because of the old Emperor with a thousand Concubines! This Li Tai was really overstepping her boundaries here.

"Hurry up Wang Min, wash your face! Also go put on my purple dress, this is a special occasion and I won't allow you to go like this." Mother finally said. 

I gave her a pointed, shocked look. She, however, stared back at me. "No, Wang Min. You have to. Li Tai is actually right for the first time."