The Empress Wears Gucci

62

        I stared at the woman sitting in front of me. The woman looked back, yet I did not recognize her. She was me. The large golden mirror reflected me and I stared at myself in awe. I've never worn a red hanfu before, except if you count the time I was humiliated in front of many people.

        The red screamed danger, yet power and passion. The yellow embroidered different designs. Red and yellow. The colour of royalty. Nobody was allowed to wear this but the Emperor and me.  The sash around my waist was tight, accentuating my hourglass body. The hanfu was beautiful. It wasn't worn daily as the back of the hanfu dragged way behind me. Someone could seriously trip on it.

        Maids carefully made sure everything was perfect before I arrive at the Hall of Supreme Harmony. My hair was beautifully made. It was big and heavy but I was so used to it now. This was real gold, wasn't it? I felt like I was holding so much money just above my head.

        "You look beautiful," Hua Er gushed, scanning her eyes all over my body and my face. "My closest friend is Empress!"

        "Hua Er, you flatter me." I let out a soft chuckle, then closed an eyelid to do my winged eyeliner. Wearing winged eyeliner will be a trend I've started here. I was surprised they never did it. My maids couldn't do it, so I had to do it myself.

        I made a mark in this world, in a lot of ways.

        Blue folded the lip paper and allowed me to press my lips on it. As I did, she gave Pink a look before looking at me through the mirror. She let out a slow exhale. "Your Grace... The late empress suffered a miscarriage."

        "Did she?" I smacked my lips together.

        "Y-Yes," Blue replied, hesitantly. "His Majesty is planning to... execute her."

        I cocked an eyebrow. "Interesting."

        My make-up was well done and it looked more modern than I thought it'd be. I was going to get married. I was going to be married to the emperor of China. I was going to be married in front of all the people working in the Palace. It was so hard to believe.

        My maids sent me off, waving at me with delight on their faces. I was already starting to feel the spike of anxiety. What if I trip? What if I mess up?

        I was carried in a sedan chair to the main hall. The Emperor was waiting for me to arrive, and literally everyone else. My body stiffened. I didn't want to move an inch because I was afraid if my hair toppled like a large wedding cake or the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was not going to humiliate myself as Empress.

        "Today, Imperial Noble Consort Han will be crowned Empress! May the gods bless Her Majesty!" the voice boomed.

        Wearing my designer shoes, I stepped down and carefully walked forward. I tried to fixate my eyes only in front of me. As an almost nineteen-year-old girl, of course, I was nervous! If you told me a year ago that I'd be the Empress of China, I wouldn't have believed you. I was going to rule the harem. I was going to be beside the Emperor.

        I could faint right now.

        "Han Ying Yue, Madame Ying Yue,  or Imperial Noble Consort Han has been blessed with beauty, talent, virtue and benevolence!"

        Everyone was kneeling on the side respectfully, but I couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking about. Were there rumours that I plotted to depose the late empress? Were they gossiping about my class and how I wasn't fit to be the empress? So many questions I had in my mind, that I already knew the answers to.