When the word came that the Emperor was on his way to visit, the staff of the chambers went into a frenzy of cleaning and sweeping. Xiao Xiao wore her best gown and had red cloth peonies fixed into her hair. Xiao Xin had to be convinced to wear hers, but everyone was excited.
"The Emperor has arrived!" the cry came ringing down the corridor. Mother, in her best court dress, led the entire entourage of serving maids and waited, poised and composed, at the doorway. Xiao Xiao had not seen die die for a while now. He was so busy with state craft, especially with the foreign delegates and priests who called themselves Jesuits. She ended up learning Italian so that she could converse with them, these tall and pompous pale-skinned priests who reddened so easily in the sun like steamed prawns.
Her father looked tired when he emerged from his sedan, even eschewing his usual walk to her particular section of the palace. He had to deal with the demands of these foreign delegates, so the word around the palace had been going around. They wanted to open the Middle Kingdom up.
But why should they?
Die die nodded briefly at Mother, smiled at Xiao Xin who tried to stand without falling over, and paused in front of Xiao Xiao.
In soft words, he whispered in Xiao Xiao's ear: "You are the smartest and most lovely of all my children. Be brave, daughter."
She blushed, glowing with the uncommon praise. She felt like a lantern, lit from within.
Indeed, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations were in progress with the servants hanging colorful lanterns around the palace.
Inside her heart she felt Ming Zhu's sadness and understood why.