Tears Of Kai Yuan

Part 1 - Jiayi

-1- Jiayi

On my sixth birthday, my maternal aunt and uncle came to visit with their children Liang-Jie and Zhen-Ting. Not only that, many of the Persian emissaries who had come to pay respects to the blessed Emperor just so happened to be my mother and uncle's close family and friends, so they came as well, making this birthday quite a big deal for everyone.

Even the Emperor himself sent gifts, just for my little frail six-year-old self.

Nearly all the people of LuoYang had their congratulations to give, and I was a bit overwhelmed at being the center of attention.

That was also when a Korean ambassador just so happened to be in LuoYang, and he fell upon our grand celebration.

My parents, being the hospitable people they were, invited him to join, and he did so.

During our noonday meal, the quiet man finally spoke up.

"You have quite the daughters Master Zhao."

Father simply chuckled humbly and shook a hand. "Don't flatter too much sir."

But the man insisted. "It is only the truth. In simply a few hours, I've seen just how much more worth seven daughters are to you than could twenty sons be to anyone else! They are quite the children to have, and you will be very proud if not already."

Father saluted the man. "Thank you."

"I only came across this celebration, so I have no gifts for your middle daughter. But I would like to leave something for all of your children if that is fine with you?"

At his request, and ink horn and paper were brought out to him, and as he laid out the paper, he began to write.

I frowned, read the Chinese characters since Mother had taught me the Persian language first.

"In Silla, we say Norae, is means song. I would like to give your eldest daughter this name. She has a musical talent that even a deaf man can see with his eyes. Her voice is smooth and dewy, her way around the zither is that of genius intellect. Norae is most fitting for her."

The group in the hall remained silent as he wrote another name on the paper.

"Hye-ah, your second daughter is quite intelligent, that poem she wrote for her sister is one that I would dare say is fitting to be sung by the Emperor himself. Her way with words, her nature and mind, I give her the name Hye."

Roaxi smiled broadly from her seat, it took all of her might not to speak out of turn right then and there and say something she would regret.

"Jeong-ah, the third is graceful, even the way she walks give her out to be a dancer. You cannot tell when she comes or when she goes. Not only that, but I haven't heard her speak since I arrived. She is calm, reserved, and quiet. Her actions will be the thing to dictate her standing in this world, not her words, and that in and of itself is a gift."

Li-Li bowed but, of course, said nothing at all.

Next would be...me.

"And the birthday girl, Jiayi is it?" I nodded. "She's a character. I've seen her write a poem before my eyes in return to her sisters', sing along to her sister's tune on the zither, and tell three stories that managed to captivate every ear in this room. And I am sure this is only a glimpse of all that she can do. She stands out with a silver tongue and a mind I am sure could absorb every knowledge under the sky. Which is why I'll call her Haneul, it means sky. That will be the only limit for her, and once she reaches it, I have no doubt she'll find a way to pass it as well."

-

Haneul, Jiayi, Rokshana, three names given to me in my short life under the sky of T'ang.

Jiayi meaning Household, Haneul meaning Sky, Rokshana meaning Magnificent. Mother told me that it meant that I was born to live with only the sky as my home, that I was not just another normal girl in the world and had a purpose to fulfill that Heaven would give.

Sometimes I wish it weren't the case.

"Mistress! Mistress!"

With a sigh I opened my eyes, lifting myself up from the pillar I leaned on and looking back at Jia-er as she rushed over with urgency in her voice. I frowned, what could possibly be wrong now?

As she finally reached me, she nearly collapsed, grasping onto my arm for support as she struggled to catch her breath. "Mistress..."

"What is it Jia-er? What's so important?"

She glanced up and looked me in the eye, her own clouded with tears and reddened as she took one last gasp of air. "The Emperor...he's going to execute General Xiao tomorrow morning!"