《 | Jade ♢ Lovers | 》

Side Story 1 - A bird in a golden cage

*stomp* *step*

There are furiously running steps to be heard. It was the newly crowned emperor's steps. "What are those people thinking? Always doing what they want!" , he says while he heads back to his room. "Greetings to his majesty, the emperor." , some palace maids kneel down in front of the room-door after they see the emperor walking towards them. *opens door* "You are excused! Leave me alone and don't disturb me until I say otherwise." , he says and enters his room. The palace maids bow down and leave.

*close door* he walks towards his bed and sits down. His expression doesn't change - an angry face. He takes out 'his' jade piece. He lets out a big sigh after looking at it for awhile. "It's time to go out again. ", he says to himself as if he came to this Conclusion after some thinking.

He changes out of his dragon robes and puts on the plain looking ones.

He silently sneaks out of the palace and walks down the busy-looking streets.

"I wonder if the price of rice went up this month.. let's find out!" , he thought and walks towards the stall which sells rice grains.

"Hello sir, how much does a cup of rice cost?" , he asks the rice seller.

"It's 3 silver pieces for a cup." , the rice seller answers while pointing '3' with his fingers. " 3 silver pieces for a cup?! That expensive? It is supposed to be about 1 or 2 silver at most!" , the emperor says shocked. "What can we do? It is true that rice sells the most here. But the taxes got higher and if we can't pay them, then we need to give up our stores. I have my parents and my family to take care of. I can't give up my store. I have no other choice than to sell the rice for a higher price.", the rice seller says.
He looks down and lowers his head down a bit. "Alright sir. I will buy 1 bag of rice. I will give you 10 silver pieces, these are for the rice. And take these 3 silver pieces, these are for you. I need you to do me a favor. Please give this bag of rice to these 2 children over there. I saw them while I was walking over to your store.". He gives the rice seller the money and leaves with a kind smile. "So it is like this. The taxes, huh? No one reported to me about the sudden rising of taxes. I need to look up for it once I get back to the palace!".

The emperor, who is disguised as a normal person, looks into some stores on the streets and asks them about their store, how the sales are and also about the taxes. Everytime he finishes asking them, he buys things from the store and asks them to give those goods to the poor people who are sitting on the streets begging.

The sky got dark and he slowly heads back to the palace.

------ Emperor's thoughts while walking

It's enough..! I have to get out! All these reports and the annoying ministers! Why do I appoint ministers if I am the one who does their job? It can't go on like this..

It's not easy for me.. really not easy. To be appointed to this position just recently.. I can't adapt myself to this huge responsibility..

On one side there are people who want to gain my favor and on the other side there are people who wants my life.

*sigh* Why am I going through this? Isn't it better to just leave everything and escape?

But I can't.. I just can't escape.. I need to try my best! For my people, my family and for her. I promised that I will take care of her. That I will protect her! Just like how she protected me. *rustle* Ah - here it is! The jade peace.. it's beautiful, blue like the sky and cold like the sea. Somehow.. when I look at this.. I can't get her face out of my mind. Her crying face while helping me escape from the fire... Wait for me! I will find you - definitely! For the life you gave up for the life of mine..

But first, I need to get out to clear my mind a bit.

Changing out of my 'chain-like' clothes to that of the commoners.. I am doing this for some days now. After that accident I finally noticed that the world outside is not like what the reports say. Those ministers! Only reporting the good things to get rewards and leave the bad and most important reports out.. it seems like I can only depend on my own eyes and ears.

Once or twice a week I disguise myself and get out so that I can find out some news around the capital from the townspeople - as my ministers are incompetent to do so.

---------

I walked down some streets and heard some stories from the people. I didn't realise that it was late already. I need to hurry up and get back to the palace before the eunuchs get punished because of me.. and there are some reports that I still need to take care of, now that I listened to the people..

*rustle* *steps*

There are more steps!

Not again.. *sigh* are they not tired of this? Just give up already! I am getting used to being followed by assasins.. I wonder when they are going to attack..

Hmph.. they left huh.. well it is now time to go back.. work is waiting for me.. *sigh*

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That was a side Story about the Person you all wanted to know more about. Yes! The "boy" that LiFu saved on that day was the Crown Prince! Well.. now he is crowned as Thé emperor. İ wanted to write a bit about hım and his thoughts of being on the top of everything.. İ hope you all enjoyed reading this side story ;))

Do you wish for more side stories? Or should İ just get the Story down?
What do you all think?