The mellow plucking sound of the Qin starts as the ensemble of ladies in jade green hanfus gracefully moves to the center of the throne hall simultaneous with hollow beat of the drums with the sound of the flute being blown.

Lady Chaoxing starts to move inconspicuously starting her part of the presentation of the Noble Consorts for the Emperor. Her dark green hanfu with golden embroideries follows her every gait as she spins and lets the music lead her on her performance. Her movements are light and precise in contrast with the thrum of the drum.

The Emperor stares with glassy eyes at the performing group. Things had been bothering him lately and he simply detest it when he can’t calm his mind. With all those things plaguing his line of thought, he barely noticed the change of color on the performing group.

Soft pink hanfus starts to join the flood of green just like the cherry blossoms falling on the green grass. Lady Eu-meh finally joins Lady Chaoxing with her dark pink hanfu with silver embroideries.

The music starts to grow more dramatic, mellower in line with their movements.

The blend of the color from the hanfus of the two Noble Ladies inside the circle of soft pink and jade green is a sight. The combination of the movements and color is so beautiful till it finally slows down, the tempo and the beat following suit creating that hollow effect.

Not so soon, the soft pink and the jade green starts to get a sprinkle of red as the final group of ladies joins the crowd on the throne hall.

The last group to join the ensemble is wearing red ones as the music starts to get faster. As the last Noble Consort in blood red hanfu adorned with golden embroideries joins Lady Eu-meh and Lady Chaoxing, the red group of performers joins the soft pink and jade green forming a large crowd.

The three Noble Consorts moves in synch with the music and just as how they entered, the two ladies leave the circle inconspicuously, drifting away with their group leaving Lady Soo Yung with her group to perfect the fastest tempo of the music.

When the music starts to get on its highest peak, her group leaves her to finally conduct the closing performance she has been practicing for sleepless nights. It may sound useless, but she just has to spin and turn and increase her speed with the increasing tempo of the music; praying she doesn’t trip or get dizzy. Every turn brings out that magnificent view as her hanfu follows her move, billowing with every spin.

The sight of the blood red spinning alone on the empty throne hall finally catches the drifting thoughts of the seated Emperor. The sight of the lady performing with a smile painted on her face like she is very much enjoying what she is doing pushes him to get up on his chair, slowly stepping down his throne. The smile on her face contradicts the color of dress, bloody red. It is a fierce color, something that depicts a harsh death.

She gets too engulfed by the music as she closes her eyes to feel the beat of the drums. The sight of the Emperor stepping down his throne signals for all the open doors leading to the throne room to be closed.

His steps are slow as his eyes focuses on the smiling lady.

There’s just the two of them only.

As much as it hurts his ego to admit it, the mighty and mysterious Emperor has finally marked the lady who will be with him in leading this wide and vast nation. He finally had chosen the ‘Mother’ of his people.

She collapses into his arms the moment the beat of the drum died down as she catches her breath. Flushed cheeks, parted lips that are hungry for air and searching orbs meet his. She bravely but slowly reaches for the mask concealing his face from the outside world but he held her wrist, putting out every light in the room with just that gesture.

The soft plead in her voice and b tears in her eyes made him loosen his hold on her wrist as she reaches to touch the golden mask covering his face. With a sigh, he reaches for the knot behind his head, allowing it to fall in her hand.

Her eyes widens when his face is finally bared in her very eyes. The b tears finally cascaded down her cheeks. Despite the lack of light inside the hall, the face that she is looking right now is of someone she did not expect.

Among the dark corners of the throne hall, the Chancellor is smiling as he watches the Emperor fight the new emotions being inflicted by Lady Soo Yung the moment the lady removes his hold on her. The Emperor tries to reach for the retreating lady with bewildered eyes with an outreached arm.

“His Highness, the Crown Prince!”

The announcement of the untimely arrival settles the room in lights once again. The Emperor is back on his throne in a blink of an eye, his mask on, concealing his face once again. 

When Lady Soo Yung has finally adjusted on the immediate light, the moment a while ago felt like a momentary dream, something far from reality. The sight of the Emperor up on his throne makes it hard to believe that it really did happen.

When she gets aware of the arriving party, she bows her head, immediately stepping aside to allow the Prince to get inside.

“Please Lady Soo Yung on her quarters,” Emperor Wu addresses the Chancellor who bows in obedience. He steps down and finally escorts the Lady to her quarters.