"Lord Haoran, correct?" I asked the man who had just entered the west side of the gardens where I was seated. My maidservants sat a few feet away from me on stone benches carved with moon and snake symbols—a relic from the previous MuRong dynasty that Meilin likely didn't care to change at this point. I sat on a similar bench, admiring the white jasmine flowers near me.
Lord Haoran bowed lowly. "I'm honored you remembered my name, Your Highness."
"I was surprised to hear I had a visitor," I said with a hesitant smile. Truthfully, when I was told I had a visitor, I had thought it would be Jia, who I hadn't seen in weeks—I kept making a mental note to visit her soon, but it kept slipping my mind between taking care of Nuo, my thoughts on Yanlin, and my relationship with Meilin.
"You don't get many visitors, Your Highness?" He lifted his head to stare at me with glittering, dark eyes.
I nodded, my gaze drifting to the canopy of flowers and vegetation surrounding us. Sweet fragrance pervaded the space between us. "No, I don't really have visitors. Save for the peccata and Jia. Or my sister Lanfen."
"Ah, I see." He motioned to the area beside me. "Do you mind if I sit?"
"Ah ..." I scooted to the edge of the bench and waved to the other side of it. "Certainly."
"I hope I'm not disturbing you in any manner."
"Oh, no—you're not disturbing or interrupting me. I was just taking a small break here while my daughter naps."
Haoran took the seat beside me. "Your Highness, I'm very honored that you accepted me coming here."
"Of course," I said. "Now, Lord Haoran, what business do you have with me?"
Haoran's eyebrows pulled together in confusion at my question and he raised his hands innocently. "Business? No, I don't have any intentions like that. I just figured you might need a friend." He folded his hands on his lap. "I know it's lonely in the palace ... And Jia was telling me you want to expand your circle."
"Jia said that?" I didn't remember mentioning to Jia that the palace was lonely; I didn't actually feel lonely when I had so many people surrounding me—the peccata, Meilin, Lanfen, to name a few. But maybe Jia thought I was lonely? I definitely was lonely in the beginning when I first came to the palace.
The corner of Haoran's lips lifted into a smile. "Yes. She's told me many things about you. I couldn't wait to meet you myself. Though, we did meet briefly at Wang Yanlin's party a few weeks ago, but I wanted to meet you more formally."
"I hope I don't disappoint you too much," I said with a chuckle. "I'm not anything special."
"Oh, you can't say that! You were chosen by His Majesty—of course you're special! And you're the empress! That means a lot, Your Highness."
"Please, call me Daiyu," I said. "And thank you for that."
Birds chirped and flew in the afternoon sky; my gaze was drawn to the nature all around us. At the trees canopying us, to the sweet smell of jasmine, and to the hum of nature breathing and thriving. Coming to the gardens really had a way of calming me down. This morning had been tough with Nuo crying and being crabby, so it was nice to finally breathe a little.
"How are you, lady Daiyu?" Haoran's question broke me from my reverie. He was all smiles across his handsome face—the epitome of a kind man. "Iknow it must be a huge adjustment being here in the palace. You've only been here for over a year, correct?"
It was hard to believe that so much had changed in the past year and a half; from being kidnapped, to falling in love, to having a baby. And of course, marrying the emperor and becoming his empress.
"Yes, but I've adjusted well," I said, smiling about the first time I had seen Meilin. "It's been hard trying to fit in, but I have many people on my side, so that makes me happy."
"Oh? Like Jia and... ?"
"Yes, like Jia, and the peccata. And of course, I do get along with Commander Bohai and General Fang ..."
"So His Majesty's people, basically. But what about your own companions? Other nobles?"
I paused at that—it was true, everyone I was acquainted with was a connection through Meilin. Did I have any friends who weren't linked with Meilin? Because after all, didn't all of their loyalties lie with Meilin, rather than me?
I shivered at my last line of thought—why was I even thinking of loyalties? Meilin and I were a couple. We shared the same loyalty.
"I haven't met any other nobles," I whispered. If I wanted to be more powerful than Wang Yanlin, didn't I need to immerse myself in politics?
"I actually wanted to talk to you about some rumors regarding the other nobles," he said after a moment of hesitation. He pushed a strand of his long hair behind his ear. Unlike last time where his hair was held back by a ribbon, he now wore it open. It hung over his shoulders in bone-straight inky stands. "When I heard about your plight, I couldn't help but feel so sorry."
"What do you mean?"
His eyes widened, and I noticed how long his lashes were. "You haven't heard what the other nobles are saying about you?" He held his fingers out and ticked down one finger. "How can the Emperor take a farmgirl for his wife? A commoner who can't understand anything?" He ticked another finger. "She'll ruin the empire and she makes the emperor look like a lovestruck dog wagging his tail for a pretty face. She'll never be our empress." He sighed and appeared pained to be recounting such things. "I'm so sorry to break such harsh words to you, but I just thought you should know."
I had no idea the rumors ran that far; I had heard some of the rumors, but they hadn't been as harsh as the ones Haoran said. Did people really think of me in such a way? It felt like someone had knocked the air out of my chest, deflating the little confidence I had built the past few days. How could I be the empress when people regarded me so lowly?
Was Meilin's image being tarnished because of me?
Haoran spoke again, bringing me back to the garden. "But there are a few nobles who don't think like that. I have friends who would love to meet you. People like Jia and me." He offered me a sympathetic smile. "I'd love to introduce you."
"I would like that," I found myself saying. I needed to combat the rumors and become powerful, and the only way to do that was to make allies.
"I want you to become the empress you deserve to be," Haoran whispered.
I flinched at those words and raised my head to meet his gaze; had he read my mind? Or did I utter those words out loud? "W-What do you mean?"
"I understand how frustrating it can be ..." He sighed. "I know what Wang Yanlin is up to, and I'm sure that's eating you up inside. I'm assuming you want to fight her, correct? To make sure you don't lose your position to her?"
"H-How did you know?"
"It's clear to see what she's up to. Everyone in the empire thought she would be His Majesty's wife, so it's not surprising that she's trying to become his concubine or wife. Why else would she hold a party? She had been waiting to see if you would give birth to a son or daughter to launch her plans, and after you gave birth to a girl, she's been relentless in trying to take His Majesty's attention."
There it was—another slap in the face. I had no idea Yanlin had been a threat months ago, and yet she had been vying her time, waiting to strike. And she struck now.
I was too naïve with court politics. I knew that now.
"I want to help you," Haoran said. "I think you're a genuine person and I think the country would do better with a kind empress like you." He rose to his feet and then lowered himself to his knees. "I'll come to visit again later. Oh, but only if you don't mind my presence, lady Daiyu! I don't want to intrude—"
"No, I'd like that. Thank you, Lord Haoran."
"I'm honored. Until next time, Lady Daiyu."
As Haoran walked away, I couldn't help but rub my stinging eyes. This was more complicated than I thought.
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Author's Note
It's always one step forward and two steps backwards for Daiyu, isn't it? So many people on my Instagram who read this chapter ahead were so angry at Daiyu for believing in Haoran! Do you think you would fall for his words? I'm one of those people that always assumes people tell the truth when they talk to me, so I might fall for it! Haha, but if I'm in a court setting where I KNOW people are liars, that might be a different story! Daiyu definitely needs to toughen up if she wants to take her role as Empress seriously.
Btw, you can read the next chapter on my instagram @authormahamfatemi
Do you read on wattpad or do you read ahead on my Instagram? I'm curious to know! :)
Maham