(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ePs6oCJAzg Listen to: || Tsumugi Uta (Chinese Cover by: yorusagara) Lyrics ||)

"Crown Prince Bolin has arrived!"

The words renounced throughout the courtroom. Bolin entered, bowing before the Emperor.

"Imperial Father," he looks up at his aged father who sat on the throne. The golden yellow robe bestowed authority and respect, yet the man wearing it radiated peace and discipline.

"Rise," the Emperor ordered. It was a moment of silence when Bolin stood tall and without another moment to waste, he gave the Emperor what he wanted to know.

"Reporting, I have accompanied the daughter of the Princess of First Rank, Princess of Commandery, Chen Ji Hua."

The Emperor's eyes narrow and though his tense gaze never parted from the Crown Prince, for a brief second, there was a change in his expression. Hopeful.

"Let her in," he composes himself, firmly speaking.

As the petite figure enters from the door of white light, everyone in the court room turned around. She cautiously walks down the aisle.

Upon seeing her face, the old Emperor was clearly shaken, having stood up as she bows. As he stood up, the whole court stood up too.

"The subject, Song Ji Hyo, greets your majesty." She stayed kneeled, waiting to be allowed rise from the Emperor. It was silence but she could feel the looks of the other court officials.

The bright color of gold and yellow appeared in front of her. The weight of two hands firmly held her shoulder, helping her stand up. The Emperor looks at Ji Hyo. His eyes widen, shifting, as if he had seen a ghost.

She looked just like her mother, the resemblance.

The vivid, splitting image of them collide before his eyes. Years of sorrow and loneliness on the throne had age him but his eyes did not betray him.

The Emperor, in contrast to Ji Hyo's thoughts, did not have a long beard and head full of white hair. Instead, he had a short mustache, recently shaven. His hair did have specks and strands of gray hair but the rest around his face was a night of blackness. Wrinkles were on his face, clearly as he had aged, but he had aged handsomely. It is was apparent that he was the most handsome during his youthful years.

But what was it in his eyes, in her reflection or tears?

She waited for a word of the Emperor, her mother's cousin. Instead, he continues to gaze at her with disbelief. Then his eyes turn pink and the glimmer of water filled his eyes as he quickly swallowed it back. His lip curves up into a thin smile as he pats her shoulder.

"Welcome home." The tone of his voice was endearing, as if it was her father speaking to her.

***

Having changed into a more appropriate garment, a pearl white dress with the intricate hem of gold, her hair had many valuable pins as it was half braided up and half let down. One of the maid comes in with a jewelry box, upon opening it, Ji Hyo almost gasp. It was a pure, emerald color, jade bracelet.

She couldn't wear it. The value of it-

"That was the same look I had when I first saw it." Bolin's voice turned her head up. He had changed into a matching pearl white robe decorated with mahogany and gold hem. Stepping forward, he looks at the jade bracelet in the box. "Wear it. It was your mother's, now it's yours."

"My Mother's?" Ji Hyo questioned as she couldn't reject the beauty and value this jade held.

Putting his hands behind his back, "Would you like to pay respect to your grandfather, Prince of First rank, Chen Liu?"

***

Kowtowing before the name plate of her grandfather in the imperial tomb, Ji Hyo carefully placed the incense in front before standing back. Prince of Langye, Prince of First Rank, Chen Liu.

Bolin handed her a key. "This key was preserve by his Majesty, the Emperor after the death of Prince Liu during his sovereign. Even I haven't entered Langye Palace before. The only ones residing there are the old imperial servants with strict orders."

With the key in her hand, she notice how much care and respect Bolin and the others look up to the item. Leading out of the Imperial Tomb, she was taken to the palace of Lang Ye, a well-preserved part of the Imperial Palace. Standing before the door to the main room of the palace, a lock was tucked tightly.

Using the key, the door unlocks yet she was afraid to open it. She turns to Bolin for reassurance in which he nodded. the door slightly creak, opening. The room was light dusted. However, it seems there had been some cleaning done months prior. She walked around the room, taking in every detail. The decoration was of simple yet elegant antiques. The color embraced a peaceful aura full of nobleness.

She took a book from the study table, slowly opening it to the first page.

Was her grandfather a poet? His writing was exceptionally beautiful.

"How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men? Yet he who does not trust will not be trusted."

As Bolin turn to leave her, Ji Hyo turned around.

"Crown Prince Bolin," making him turn back to her. "Can you tell me about my family?"

His expression changed and a light smile curved up.

***

It was the last year of Emperor Chen Bai Xian's reign when his 10 sons fought for the throne while he was ill. Because there was no definite Crown Prince, the blood spilled was too great. Prince Chen Qian, the previous Emperor, ultimately became the final candidate after slaughtering his five brothers. Prince Chen Liu and Prince Chen Zhong were the only two left within Tai Chen Palace that refused to take sides. The other two, Prince Chen Bei and Prince Chen Yu, made an attack against the Imperial Palace to assassinate the ill Emperor Chen.

Because of this, Prince Chen Liu and Prince Chen Zhong intervened, teaming with Prince Chen Qian to fight the treacherous Princes. Prince Chen Zhong was known for his combat skills and fought while Prince Chen Liu was a strategist in not only in literature but formations of the military. Prince Chen Qian was a leader in both a skilled combat and had many soldiers under him. Together, they coordinated the fight against their two brothers.

Though the two treacherous princes were defeated, they joined the Mongols and created an all war attack against the three princes. The three prince each protected the three sections around the borders while the Late Empress reigned. Prince Chen Zhong's Consort Princess Wei Zi Yue joined him on the front lines, leaving the behind their only son, Prince Chen Ou Xiang. Due to a discrepancy in the military message, Prince Chen Zhong's troop got caught in a trap.

He and his Consort Princess died while protecting the country, leaving their son an orphan who later came under the care of the Grand Dowager Empress.

When Prince Chen Liu heard of the deaths, he charged through the lands himself and led his thousand men troop against the ten thousand soldiers the other princes inquired. He avenged the death of Prince Chen Zhong, beheading Prince Chen Bei himself.

All the while, Prince Chen Qian retreated to the Imperial Paace when he heard of the message of the secret attack against the ill Emperor from Prince Chen Liu. Prince Chen Qian successfully caught the coup and assassinated the traitors on the spot before arresting the treacherous Prince Chen Yu.

Emperor Chen Bai Xian passed away and the 5th Prince, Chen Qian ascended to the throne. The officials try to remove Prince Chen Liu from the royal family but Prince Chen Qian refused, stating that his only blood kin were Prince Chen Liu and the country needed someone like him.

There was a rumor that before Emperor Chen Bai Xian passed away, he decreed the throne to his 6th son, Prince Chen Liu. But he passed the throne on to his brother to live an isolated life in the palace.

Prince Chen Liu’s Princess Consort soon passed away after taking the poisonous tea meant for the 6^th Prince. After her death, Prince Chen Liu ravaged the whole palace to find the murder of his wife, punishing the murderer on the spot. It turned out the murderer was none other than the deceased Prince Chen Bei’s mother, Concubine Bing.

After that, he secluded himself to live in the palace for a one year before taking in another Princess Consort, your grandmother. She was a virtuous lady from the one of the highest court.

Bolin turned to Ji Hyo who now sat still, listening attentively as she looks through the pages of the book in the study. "Are you listening, Princess?"

Her fingers traced around the dried, lacquer ink on the page.

“You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent their making a nest in your hair.”

"What about my mother?" her eyes move to him. “Tell me about her… please.”

He gave her a long, hard stare. Contemplating whether he should continue or not, he pours himself a cup of tea the servant previously left.

“That,” he softly cools the hot tea, “is something I cannot speak of.”

“Why?”

He sips the tea before putting the cup down on the table. “If you, Princess, wishes to know, you must ask the Emperor himself.”

“Crown Prince Bolin,” she eagerly pleaded him but he was unchanged.

“All I heard of was that she was a great military officer of Yuan. Not much is said about her as the Emperor had refused to any stories about her be told. The last time someone talked about her, she was,” he signals his hand in a ka-cha movement. “And I don’t want to be lose my head yet,” he playfully chuckles.

Ji Hyo deeply questions why the Emperor would place such a fatal order about her mother. The look on his face comes back to her, the look in his eyes, the change in his expression.

“If you can’t tell me about my mother, then tell me about His Majesty, the Emperor. After all, he is my uncle.”

Bolin eyeballs her and sighed.

“Isn’t this what cousin should tell each other so they don’t get in trouble?” she displayed puppy eyes. He chuckles at her attempt to be cute.

Their short moment was interrupted by the announcement of the Empress.

Standing up quickly, Ji Hyo bows to the Empress, having seen her earlier in the court room. Upon raising her head, she took to notice the look the Empress gave her. It was mysterious.

“Welcome home, Princess.” Her lips curved up. Her beauty was undeniable, one who had few wrinkles here and there, exceptionally a graceful woman.

“Thank you, Your Royal highness.” Ji Hyo bowed.

“Have you seen enough today? Or would you like to join me for a walk around the Imperial Palace?”

***

Strolling along the ceramic path cover in thick robes, they walk side by side with the accompany of 20 maids. Stopping to look on as the migratory birds flew in flocks south, they exchanged a few words before sitting by the pavilion in the palace garden.

Ji Hyo was watching the birds flock in flight as she starts daydreaming. She had taken in the details, the locations, and information Bolin had told her before, deeply lost in thought.

Migratory birds. They leave when the weather is no longer good for them but they always find their way back. She had come back to her mother’s home but it felt too new, too cautious. The royal family was filled with unknown dangers. Siblings would turn against each other for power, lives would be lost and break apart families, bloodshed.

Like how her grandfather had quoted, why did men celebrate the result bloodshed? She could only imagine how it could have been; having to engage in the act of killing your own brothers and to witness the death of your wife…

She sighs internally, her grandfather was yet a pitiful man.

“Princess,” the Empress brought back her attention. She smiled, “Are you alright?”

Ji Hyo apologized for her behavior quickly.

“You must be exhausted, my apologies for troubling you. I heard about the journey.” The Empress sympathized.

“Not at all.”

“Princess, how is your Minister Song?”

Ji Hyo’s eyes flicker. Everyone knew about her father… they may as well know everything about her too.

“The situation in Goryeo is currently unstable but my father is managing well.”

“That’s good to hear,” she placed her hand in her lap before looking away.

“Your royal highness,” Ji Hyo spoke, making the Empress turn back to her. “What was the relationship between my mother, the Princess of Commandery and His Majesty, the Emperor?”

The Empress’s composed image tensed for a second before smiling. “Of course, they are cousins, from the same blood. It is only natural that His Majesty and the Princess of Commandery are close.”

Ji Hyo observed her actions, “Is that all?” in which the Empress nodded calmly. “I heard that a maid once talked about my mother and was beheaded. Is that true?”

“Who said that?”

“Is there relationship that close to take another’s life for opening their mouth?” Ji Hyo questioned.

The Empress’s look into the faraway distance before speaking in a mysteriously calm manner. “Who knows…” Her gaze travels back to Ji Hyo and smile. “Don’t think too much about it, Princess. I am feeling fatigue, I’ll excuse myself so you can go rest.”

The Empress left with her 14 maids, leaving the remaining 6 with her.

***

On her way to her chambers, Ji Hyo stops in her tracks as she passes the Langye Palace. Keeping her eyes on the gate that soldiers stood guard, she couldn’t help but want to go back inside.

She walked the square foot and slowly explored the place. Earlier, she only got a glimpse and had only enter the main entrance to the palace that had been locked away. Standing in the place now, it was big. For one person to live here must have been boring.

She excused the maids by the gate and entered alone. Reimagining how her mother would have lived and how she would have lived if her mother had not married her father, she could only rely on the vague information and note the strangeness in everyone’s attitude towards her.

Turning around, she meets the gaze of the Emperor which caught her by surprise.

“Your majesty…”

He walks toward her, “Why are you not resting yet?”

“This subject was just about to retreat but happened to pass by Langya Palace again and wanted to revisit.”

He nods and turn to the same view as her. “Nothing has changed in Langye Palace. I made sure to keep it in the same condition it was before except for the main entrance room.” Turning to her, “If Princess would like, you can move to Langye Palace instead.”

Ji Hyo’s face lit up, “Thank you, Your Majesty,” she bowed in gratitude while the Emperor put on his lost expression again. Curling his lips up, he smiled and left.

With his disappearing back, Ji Hyo felt a slight weight on her shoulders. The Emperor treats her so well… Did she look that much like her mother?