Phoenix

Chapter 8

Dawn is evident as the first peaks of light shine through the windowpane, gradually brightening the room. I was up long before the signs of morning appeared, and so far, I've just been sitting on my bed, watching as the palace wakes up with the sun.

It is serene moments like this that give me time alone with my thoughts, and I began thinking about the Emperor, Emperor Huang Fu. I had never paid much attention to the rumors surrounding him. His character and methods of governing the country did not concern me when I was an ordinary village girl. However, seeing that I will most likely be his concubine, I do wish I knew more about him. I have only heard that he is an incredibly dangerous and ruthless man... perhaps not a man at all. They say that he has not a drop of humanity remaining in him; he killed it off a long time ago. After all, the word man is written in humanity, so what kind of man is he with no humanity? I suppose that is how they developed the idea that he is more demon than man. It's rumored that demon blood courses through him as evil has no use for humanity when evil aims to destroy it. Him being the evil.

Numerous terrible rumors surround him, but besides on the battlefield, I have never heard of any evidence proving that he is as vicious as they say. I have, however, heard a rumor about not his cruelty, but his pettiness. Once, on my way to the market square, I heard two older women gossiping about a public execution ordered by Emperor because a single decorative flower petal was missing on his dish, throwing him into a fit of rage. Supposedly, the Emperor ordered the execution of the servant serving the meal. At the time, the two women were frightened because they believed the punishment was cruel; however, I found it quite laughable. Surely, he cannot be this petty. It could not have been true, killing because of a flower petal?

I always believed that the rumors about him are built around lies being passed around. Rumors are, after all, just rumors. Of course, they do hold some truth, as they cannot come from nowhere; there has to be a foundation for them to arise. But it's always exaggerated, never wholly accurate. I, however, do know that he is extremely ruthless and vicious on the battlefield. I had witnessed him killing once when I was a child, only two years younger than Biyu. I was on a trip with my father, and we had to cross the Yuanlan mountains. There, we witnessed a gruesome battle between the Imperial Army and the rebels. I did not see much, as my father instantly shielded my view. But as he searched for a hiding spot, he was distracted for a moment. And it was then that I saw him, the Demon Emperor. Though I could not see his face, I knew it was him because he was the only one with gold accents on his armor. I saw him hurl a spear directly into a man's heart, killing him instantly. The spear exited from the man's back and kept cutting through the air for a great distance. I saw as the Emperor swiftly weaved through the bloody scene around him, effortlessly slaughtering many others as he ran, before slicing the man's head off clean with his sharp blade. I did not see anything after that as my eyes were once again covered by my father's hand. But the most chilling part of the whole ordeal was not the murder itself, but that he went back to degrade the man even further when he was already dead. So much hatred was aimed towards that man; it was frightening. I had nightmares for months after that, terrified of the ruler of our country. The man who's harem I will be a part of.

Suddenly, the door opens with a jolt, and I am met by a small and rather thin girl, not much younger than me. She is dressed better than a palace servant. However, she doesn't seem to hold a high ranking. Her hair has but one hairpin, however, decorated with two large flowers on each side. Her hanfu is also rather simple, an orange color, though, fancier than the one I wore when we first arrived. Behind her, I see five female servants, all dressed the same in a light blue hanfu.

When she sees me, her eyes widen slightly in surprise.
"Nubi greets Imperial Concubine Zhao," she and the servants behind her greet in unison, slightly curtsying and bowing their heads.