It all started when I turned 16. I was old by the standards and my mother was desperate to marry me off. "Wang Min, you have to find a good lao gong* soon, or you'll end up as an old maid." Mother warned me every day. Today was no different.

(lao gong - husband)

I frowned as an answer. Squatting down and pulling up a baby radish, I looked up at her with a pout. "But I want to stay at the farm and help you and Father!"

Alright, it wasn't just that. Under my pretence of being a loyal daughter lay something deeper. Something my parents never had and something half the arranged marriage couples in China  didn't have- love. This was what made me want to stay in the village. No one knew though. It would be deemed indecent of anyone knew of my relationship with him.

Just then, the village gossip, Li Tai, threw open our door. It flew off the hinge and ended up on the ground, soaking in the mud. Mother and I cursed seeing the mess Li Tai made.

"Li! What are you--" Mother started but got cut off by Li Tai.

(A/N: tai is a chinese word, which translates roughly to aunty)

"The Emperor's Chancellor Wu is 'ere!" Li Tai exclaimed harshly, not batting an eye at the mess she made. She placed a hand on her hip and looked at us smugly while balancing a basket in her other hand. I think she was going to the market to sell her famous tea. Li Tai was famed for making delicious, fragrant tea and she had even been invited to the Palace once- although it had only been to the kitchens.

Mother looked up, pushing her gray hair behind her ears. "What? The great Chancellor Wu?" she said, shocked.

Li Tai nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes. Who else could it be? He came here to select a girl for the Emperor. This is your girl's last chance. She's pretty, hurry and wash her up! He will come to your house soon."

I glanced at Mother, waiting for her instructions. She wouldn't want to present me, I was sure. We'd all heard about the horrors of the palace.

Concubine this murders Concubine that so her son can rise to power, servant this seduces the Emperor and becomes his First Concubine... No one with a brain would want to be chosen.

Life in the village was much better, you could find a man you liked and spend the rest of your life happily. Who would choose to spend the rest of their life in a cold palace, alone, with the Emperor only coming to see you once in a while, yet depending on his favour. The life in the harem is cruel, and only quick-witted beautiful women can survive it.

There are no in betweens in the palace: you either die or survive.

I automatically smiled when I thought of my love in the village. He is two years younger than me, though, so I want to wait for him to be of age before he asks for my hand. Liang Wen. He and I have always liked each other from when we were young. I risked my parents' wrath and the villagers' disgust when I turned down all the eligible suitors for him. I'm sure that I want to be with Liang Wen.

Mother bit her lip, thinking. Li Tai cackled. The sound was harsh and grating to my ears and I looked at her, annoyed. "See, the girl is smiling already, imagining the lavish life she could live!"

What? I was not smiling because of the old Emperor with a thousand Concubines! This Li Tai was really overstepping her boundaries here.

"Hurry up Wang Min, wash your face! Also go put on my purple dress, this is a special occasion and I won't allow you to go like this." Mother finally said. 

I gave her a pointed, shocked look. She, however, stared back at me. "No, Wang Min. You have to. Li Tai is actually right for the first time."

Li Tai shot daggers at Mother, but Mother didn't mind and still stared expectantly at me. I sighed, giving in. I'd never disobeyed my parents before, except for the engagement and suitors, so I couldn't now.

It's in the culture and tradition, an unwritten law - to listen to your parents, take care of them. I remembered the time I broke that rule. The only time I did. I had been scorned and condemned by my best friends. The  tai tais looked at me as I walked by them, gossiping loudly about how I had openly shouted at my parents.

Grandma had been shocked. She had always doted on me...and to see me defy her and defy my parents was too much for her. "You will regret it," she warned in a rare show of anger. "I'm telling you, you WILL regret it. Remember, Wang Min. Your past deeds will always be your shadow. One day, if you do too many bad deeds, you will get your retribution."

I had bowed my head, pained that no one understood me. Why couldn't I be with Liang Wen? Why did society insist on pulling us apart?

I ran to the back of our hut, where our family's small well was. We had dug it ourselves, from Great-Grandpa's time. It still had a tiny amount of water, just enough for us. I pulled up some water and dipped my hands in the cool water. 

My hands were trembling badly and I could barely bring them to my face to drink the water. There was the possibility that the Chancellor would pick me...no, I wouldn't think of it! He just couldn't. I'd be so devastated, and the worst of it was that he would be so-

"Wang Min!"

I turned around hearing the shout. A wide grin spread over my face. However, it dropped when I really saw him, when I took in his handsome face. Would this be our last time together?

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Mother wasn't looking. Or even worse, Li Tai. If she saw us, who knew what rumours she would spread.

Feeling sure nobody was looking, I smiled at Liang Wen.

He grinned cheerfully, waving to me with his farmer's stick. "I just got back from the city. I stayed there for a few days for trading. Look what I got you!" He said cheerfully. I loved that about him. He was always positive and bright, bringing light to my day.

He opened his hand for me to see an object lying in his palm. Taking another cautious glance over my shoulder, I walked forward and looked closely. 

I gasped, amazed. "How-"

He grinned again with the grin I grew to love. I felt a pang in my heart. How would I bear being separated from this smile? "I worked hard, alright? Father gave me a little money."

I took the folded handkerchief from his hand. On it, dragonflies and flowers were embroidered. It's stunning. Even Mother, or Li Tai, don't have anything like this. I pointed at him accusingly. "But honestly, how much was this?"

Liang Wen shrugged. "Won't tell you."

"W-Will you have to starve?" I asked, concerned for him. The last time he got me a small candy, a candy we always wanted, and to buy that sweet, he skipped lunch and dinner for two weeks.

Instead of answering, he just squeezed my hand gently. The sun shone in his eyes and the wind blew gently. We stood there for a while, not saying anything. "And - here's a little something. You can read it later." He said hesitantly and abruptly. I smiled at this shyness.

He pushed a note into my hand. I stared at it. It was a folded leaf. A leaf from our favourite tree. We used to write to each other on its leaves all the time. Before he had to quit school to farm, and before I quit school to help at home.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember this - the sun, the wind, the leaves rustling in the air. The sweet smell of a Chinese dessert, too, was wafting around. I could hear the neighbours washing clothes and our loud chickens. Perfection within imperfection.

Suddenly I felt like this was too good to be true. Hadn't I been seeing Liang Wen secretly? And I had defiantly refused all of the suitors. Grandmother had said, "Remember, Wang Min. Your past deeds will always be your shadow. One day, if you do too many bad deeds, you will get your retribution."

I opened my eyes again and stared at Liang Wen, drinking in his beauty. He was strong and tanned from his days in the field, and had beautiful curved eyebrows and dark eyes. His black hair almost touched his ears.

Then I remembered. "The Chancellor Wu is c-coming," I told him, my voice breaking.

He looked away. I couldn't read his expression. It seemed dejected and yet distant. "You're the prettiest girl in the village, Wang Min. I know you will be picked."

"I don't want to be!" I cried desperately. "Liang Wen- I..." I choked on my tears. I wanted to tell him that I loved him. I loved him for a long time now, but I wasn't ready to say it.

He quickly came forward, and kissed me gently. "If... If I don't see you again, remember me."

Before I knew it, he ran down the dirt path. Away from me. For once, Liang Wen had been the first to leave. He had always waited until I returned to my home before walking away, but this time, things had changed. I could hardly shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something new.

My kiss with Liang Wen came back to me as I knelt to the Chancellor. I smiled happily, thinking: Liang Wen is just the best guy in the world. I wouldn't trade all the riches in the palace for his love.

My happiness didn't last very long.

My retribution comes. Just as Grandmother had predicted.

"We'll take her."

Just like that, my heart crumbled.

OKAY HELLO.
Here's what's going on. This is basically a new version of my old story Empress. If you've read it and you are here for the better version, thanks so much, you're amazing<3. Just saying that this one will have a different plot and ending. I will try to develop the characters more and the ending will NOT be so abrupt. Also I will stop doing time skips as much.

If you're a new reader, welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read this.

It's about Empress Wu's rise to power, and NOT about the main character Wang Min although its told in her perspective.

And DON'T copy this story.