His empress. Her emperor.
After a lifetime, would things be the same?
Would they be the same?
ORIGINAL STORY
Photos not mine. Mined on Pinterest. Credits to the owners.
She went to shops, restaurants and places her cousins recommended.
Spent precious time with her grandmother in the garden.
Accompanied her male cousins on their outings outside of the city.
Every day was spent happily.
. . .until the day she had to persuade her father.
"Why would you think I'd agree?" Father Su said hearing Su Jin saying she doesn't want to go back to the capital.
Su Jin swallowed her saliva from nervousness. Even after a lifetime of being empress, Su Jin was still afraid of this father of hers. She loves and respect him but at times like this, he's still scary.
Fortunately, a lifetime was enough for her to know how to deal with her father.
In the past, her father was the one to secretly protect her from everything. Through him, she established an unshakable reputation of a good empress. She was but a lowly scholar's daughter but the people saw her as the most wise and virtuous, it gave her a strong footing in the palace and against the concubines from powerful families.
It was through those years that she discovered, her father really did love her so. He'd indulged her of anything. Even the most evil plan she'd conjure, he's willing to partake. Fortunately, her conscience was not as low as that of the concubines in the inner palace.
For her dear father, the only key was to be honest.
Absolutely honest.
"I don't want to come back to the capital father." Su Jin lowered her eyes as she continued.
"I never want to come back. I . . . there were mostly bad memories for me there. I'm tired of hanging out with arrogant self-centered misses and oh-so-gallant young masters of the capital." She lifted her eyes and looked straight into his eyes.
She would like to enumerate more of the negativity the capital and of mostly its inhabitants has but she knew it would be of not much help for her right now.
"I want to live a simple life father."
She took a deep breath, "I . . .do not want to be near of any power struggle."
Father Su looked carefully at the determined eyes of her daughter. He was silent for a long time then dismissed her.
For now.
...
Su Jin was nervous.
Waiting for her father's decision was tormenting. Though if he said no, she'd still do anything for him to say otherwise.
She didn't wait for many days. Father Su called her in the study.
She discovered when she entered that grandpa and grandma Su was also there, as well as her uncles that made decisions in the house.
'Guess they've discussed my matter.'
She sat in front of them and waited patiently for them to speak.
"I've decided." Father Su said. "You will stay here as you wish. I've talked with your grandparents and uncles and they gave me their word to take good care of you. I presume you know what conditions I have?"
That wasn't a question.
"Yes, father. I will behave as your daughter and of an educated person should. I will not bring trouble to my elders and. . . .I'll write often."
Su Jin beamed. Imagining of patting herself for a job well done.
"Mm"
"I'll come home often." He decided to add.
Su Jin knitted her brows. As much as she would love to see him often, the travel was too taxing.
She voiced her qualms about it.
"It's fine. I'm going to ask to be transferred here or somewhere near." Father Su said.
In the end, Father Su was transferred at Fan City that's only over a week of travel from Ming City.
Su Jin felt that such arrangement was perfect.
...
Su Jin continued to pass her days spending time with her cousins. She busied herself with skills anyone could teach her. Even taking care of flowers from grandma Su.
Like that, 3 years has passed.
Her days were leisurely but not idle. Su Jin gathered news of the capital.
A maid by her side had just finished to deliver the news she heard outside.
"3 years. It only took him 3 years this time to sit on the throne."
It was 5 years in the past. The crown prince took an arduous time to be able to rule the kingdom stably.
'Maybe because he married a scholar's daughter as a wife.' Su Jin thought.
If the crown prince had married someone with a powerful backing, it would have made his ascension to the throne easier.
'Well, this time proved it right. Without a scholar's daughter to hold him down, it took him less than 2 years to become the dragon that he is meant to be.'
Su Jin sighed. Understanding written on her face. Right now, she felt at peace not being part of playing in the dirty waters of politics.
She felt this lifetime to be perfect.
"Let us live our lives separately."
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I see Su Jin like this as a girl living her simple life peacefully . Her happy aura plus fauna.
