Chapter 4

“How did you know?”

The emperor sat on the tall chair, resting his chin on one hand as he leaned forward to look at me.

Just moments ago, my parents were about to take me out of the palace when someone stopped them.

Then I was brought to this splendid, golden place.

In the Grand Hall, only the emperor and I were present.

I noticed the bitter scent on him hadn’t faded, so I answered with a question: “Emperor, didn’t you eat sugar cake?”

The emperor’s beautiful eyes flickered as he stood up.

As he approached, the bitterness on him grew stronger.

“I heard you’re different from ordinary people.” He stood before me, looking down with an emotion in his eyes I couldn’t understand.

I thought he knew I could smell people’s scents, so I nervously swallowed, but then I heard him continue: “You’ve come of age, yet your mind hasn’t awakened.”

So it was about that.

I let out a sigh of relief.

Then I immediately widened my eyes to defend myself: “Master said I’ll awaken soon! Yesterday I could even recite poems!”

The emperor laughed softly at that.

Just then, the steward¹ who had brought me in earlier rushed in, knelt not far away, and whispered: “Your Majesty, Lord Shen is kneeling outside the Grand Hall, requesting an audience.”

“My father?” I turned to look at the steward.

The steward kept his head down and said nothing.

I looked back at the emperor.

He ignored the steward and only looked at me, a smile tugging at his lips: “Your father truly loves you.”

I nodded vigorously, my eyes shining: “Of course! My father is the best father in the world.”

“Then Lan…” He leaned down close to me at my words, calling my name in a very soft voice, “is truly blessed.”

“I don’t have a father.”

So bitter.

When he said this, a thick bitterness filled the air around him.

“Then should I let my father be your father too?” I instinctively tried to comfort him.

He was slightly stunned, and it was as if a drop of ink fell into his eyes, so dark it felt like it could swallow me whole.

After a long while, he finally asked me: “Is that okay?”

I nodded: “Of course.”

He smiled, then looked up and said to the steward not far away: “Let Shen Feng in.”

Footnote:

1. Steward(公公):In this context, ‘steward’ refers to a high-ranking palace servant, specifically a eunuch (太监, tàijiàn or 公公, gōnggong). This term is often chosen in English translations to convey their administrative and managerial roles within the imperial court, while avoiding the direct, and sometimes culturally specific or potentially jarring, translation of ‘eunuch’ or its pinyin forms.