Capital City, Princess Manor.
In the main courtyard, there was almost no sound at dusk except the strains of a zither.
The music came from the reception hall, threaded with quiet sorrow.
Princess Manor had not always been so deserted. During the years when Consort Wu enjoyed the emperor's favor, even though she kept her servants in check and tried to remain inconspicuous, she could not conceal its splendor, like flowers blooming in rich brocade.
And the daughter cherished by both Consort Wu and the emperor was naturally the most exalted young lady under heaven. Never mind precious jewels-even if she wanted the stars and the moon, Consort Wu and the emperor might well have granted her wish.
Now, the mistress of Princess Manor no longer enjoyed the favor she once had, and the manor itself seemed to have declined with her, exuding a desolate air.
Inside the reception hall from which the music drifted, there were only Consort Wu and Princess Xinping.
The palace maids and eunuchs who usually attended them had all been sent away.
Dressed in plain, subdued clothes, Consort Wu still looked beautiful and serene. But a closer look revealed that the once barely noticeable wrinkles around her eyes had begun to show.
She had also lost the unruffled composure she possessed when she truly enjoyed the emperor's favor. Beneath her seemingly calm exterior lay the faint agitation of someone at a disadvantage.
Consort Wu said nothing. She simply sat there, quietly listening to the music.
Only after one piece ended did Consort Wu open her eyes and look at the young woman kneeling before the zither.
The young woman's raven-black hair was adorned with only a jade hairpin, and she too wore plain colors, but her hands were as fair as jade. As another piece