The huge, golden palace doors burst opened as Yue, dressed in the most elaborate Hanfu, entered. With her silver hair accessories, her red hair stood out. Every single person inside the palace was stunned by her beauty.
Her headpiece symbolized the Phoenix sign and her silver accessories symbolized her purity as a deity.
"LET'S BOW TO THE HEAVENLY PRINCESS!" The Emperor said as he and the Empress bowed to Yue. Seeing the Emperor and Empress kowtow, the confused subjects followed.
It was clear that she was a deity as a ring of light was glowing behind her.
"Rise," she said. The Emperor and Empress quickly stood up and offered her a seat which was higher than the Emperor.
She walked towards her seat and faced the confused people.
"Yue here was sent by the Heavenly Empress herself on the day of the full moon 12 years ago to bless the Empire of Li. And now she is here to choose the next Emperor whom she will wed when she turns 18," the Emperor said.
Her brother, Xiufeng, who was standing guard by the corner, noticed his sister's indifferent expression. His heart ached to see his little sister carrying all these burdens on her small shoulders. Ever since she was a child, she was strictly taught to never show and feel any emotion as it would deter one's decision-making abilities. Her father had trained her to control her powers.
The Empress stood up and stood next to the Emperor.
"The title crown prince will be abolished today. From now on, the princes will compete for Yue's hand in marriage. And on her 18th birthday, she will choose whom her heart desires," the Empress said.
"Let the festivities begin!" the Emperor boomed.
While the people rejoiced, the princes who were in their seats sat silent.
The ninth prince, Li Jingyi drank his tea and silently observed the young princess on her seat.
"I can't take this anymore," Xiuying, who was sitting beside Jingyi, muttered.
"Behave yourself, brother. Father Emperor is watching us," Li Yuhan, the 3rd prince said.
Xuiying clenched his fist. He was no longer the crown prince. He wanted to speak but it would only complicate things and it would worry his sickly mother.
"I will deal with her later," he muttered.
That night, she couldn't sleep.
"Lady Yue, you should take a rest now. Your body is very tired from the party," Lady Lan said.
"I can't sleep. Maybe, I'll take a short walk," she said as she went to get her cloak.
"I should accompany you," Lady Lan said as she also went to get hers but was stopped by Yue.
"Nanny, don't worry. I'll be fine. I'll take my brother with me," she said as she opened the door.
"You should go take a rest first. I'll be back."
She clutched her cloak with her right hand as she held on tightly to her golden flute. She reached a quiet place by a huge lake behind the palace.
"Aren't you tired?" her brother asked.
She shook her head as she kneeled beside the peach tree and dug a small hole.
"What are you doing? You got dirt all over your clothes. Let me do that for you," her brother said as he fixed his sister's dirty skirt. "If the palace gets too rough for you, tell me so I can do something about it. Okay?"
Yue looked at her brother lovingly. He had always been there for her.
"I think it's deep enough. Is there you wanna bury here?" he asked as he looked up at her.
She handed him her precious golden flute. He looked shocked as the flute was very precious to her. A merchant gave it to her when she was 4 years old and whenever she feels sad she would always play the flute.
"Why?" he asked.
"I won't have time to play the flute in the future," she smiled. "I'd like to leave the flute where no one can get it."
"But this is the only thing that would console you whenever you're sad," he said.
"I'll be fine. My brother's with me now," she smiled.
Xiufeng embraced his sister. He knew that she was struggling with all the pressure from the Emperor and Empress, and even from their own parents. She was just a young girl who wanted to live a normal life but couldn't because of who she is.
"If it comforts you to bury this, I will," he said as he let her go and continued burying the flute.
"I'd like to take a walk around first before going back," she said.
"I'll go with you," he said as he stood up and shook off the dirt from his clothes.
"No, I needed some time alone," she said. "I'll be fine."
"Alright, don't go too far," he said as he left her alone in the cold.
She walked through the overgrown garden and found an old pavilion and in there, she silently wept.
"Heavenly Father Emperor, let me forget who I am," she cried. "My heart has been filled with sadness the moment you sent me here."
"There isn't a moment where I long to be with you. I have not done anything wrong as I am only a daughter who was carelessly born."
An old man appeared in front of her.
"Young Lady, why are you sad?" the old man asked.
She quickly wiped away her tears and shook her head.
"Your father has heard your plea and is willing to give you a chance. Drink this potion and it will give you your eternal peace," the old man said as he handed her a small bottle.
When she accepted the bottle, the old man disappeared as if he vanished in the air. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she opened the bottle. The smell was all too familiar to her, it was poison.
She clutched it to her chest and walked back to her room. She passed by her nanny who was worrying about her as she was gone for almost 3 hours. Lady Lan didn't bother asking her as it was her personality that she doesn't speak when she feels sad.
"I will try and get along with the prince from tomorrow onwards," she said before she entered her room. The light was lit all night long.