Prologue
A bell tinkled, clear and distinct. The young woman who climbed out of the carriage had the same red hair as Gyokuyou. A veil worked with silver embroidery hid her face, and she wore a robe of wonderful, shining silk.
Gyokuyou wondered how old she was. The girl was supposed to be her niece, but she didn’t recall having any such nubile young relatives. All her nephews and nieces had been older than her, and so very mean. Yet her own brother, Gyokuyou, swore this girl was his daughter, so it must be so. She had to go along with it.
“Lady Gyokuyou,” said someone behind her. It was Koku-u, the middle of a trio of sisters who served as her ladies-in-waiting. She gave her mistress a worried look.
“Don’t fret, dear one. Are we prepared to receive her?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Gyokuyou was at one of the Emperor’s villas. She’d received special permission to meet her niece here, outside the court proper. No consort would be allowed to leave die rear palace, but Gyokuyou was the Empress. She had certain rights.
The young woman in the beautiful robe approached with graceful footsteps and knelt before Gyokuyou. “Lady Gyokuyou, I believe this is the first time we’ve met. My name is Yaqin.”
“Raise your head. You must be tired from such a long journey. For today, rest and regain your strength here in this villa.” Gyokuyou smiled at Yaqin. She could see the girl’s eyes behind the veil, deep green like hers. Everything from the color of her skin to the cast of her face bespoke a prominent strain of foreign blood.
She was quite charming on first impression, in fact. She had an innocence about her—still room to grow and mature—accompanied by the anxiousness of someone venturing into a world they knew little of. Deep within those emerald eyes, though, could be seen a determination working to assert itself.
They were much alike. Yes, Gyokuyou had looked much the same when she had first arrived in the capital, first come to the rear palace. Did this girl, too, harbor some private resolution? Let her. Gyokuyou would attend to her own business.
“How would you like your meal? We can make it in the style of the western capital for you. Or would you prefer to try the local cuisine?” Gyokuyou gave Yaqin a teasing smile; it enveloped the girl, who smiled back uncomfortably.
Her niece was here from the west, but why? Would she try to gain His Majesty’s Imperial affection now that Gyokuyou’s former place was vacant? Or did she have her eye on the Emperor’s younger brother?
For Gyokuyou’s purposes, it didn’t matter. She took Yaqin’s hand, and felt her niece stiffen.
“You’re so cold, and your skin is so dry,” she said. “Let me get you some moisturizer. The sea air is simply terrible for the skin.”
The girl was openly wary of Gyokuyou. If this was an act, it was a superb one. If it wasn’t, it only showed that they hadn’t spent long teaching her the tricks of gaining a person’s heart and mind. There was never enough time to teach a consort-to-be all the things she ought to know, dancing and singing and politics.
Gyokuyou took the moisturizer from Koku-u, then rubbed some on her own hand to demonstrate that it was safe. Her niece still looked doubtful; perhaps she was just that anxious. That was all right, as far as Gyokuyou was concerned. Let her be as suspicious as she wanted. Gyokuyou wrapped her in a smile as soft as silk. She would wrap her in layer after layer of smiles, until every thorn, every needle she might have was covered over. She would take the child into her bosom and hold her gently.
Gyokuyou rubbed her niece’s hand. Some might consider it unseemly, but the warmth returned to Yaqin’s lingers.
Koku-u was frowning, but she didn’t argue with Gyokuyou. Gyokuyou was glad that Hongniang, who was her chief lady-in-waiting and by rights should have been here, wasn’t present. Gyokuyou had asked her to take care of some other business. She felt a little guilty, but this was going to be easier without her.
Gyokuyou’s job was to smile. To never let that smile slip or fade.
That was her one weapon. Her father Gyokuen had found it and taught her to wield it.
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