Chapter 2: The Emperor

Jin Huan was dreading facing his father. He was certain that his actions would warrant a scolding from his father from the very beginning, but that didn’t make things any easier! His Father is scary!

But this was one of the rare times where he would get to meet with the Royal Father alone without the pretext of official dinners or ceremonies which were often held in court and required the entire Imperial Family to be present.

“Well no point dwelling on it now.” He sighed as he stepped out of the carriage, the servants and eunuchs bowed in respect before him.

“Your Highness I will be leaving now.” General Fan said bowing before him as well.

“Yes, of course.” As soon as those words left his mouth the general mounted his horse and took off into the direction of the training fields. Sigh “So heroic.” Jin Huan sighed dreamily. Thinking about his strong body always got him thinking of what it would be like being embraced by him.

He was brought out of his lewd daydreams when Head Eunuch Hong greeted him, “Welcome back Your Highness, please His Majesty The Emperor has been waiting on your return in the throne room.”

“Very well, lead the way Head Eunuch Hong.” Jin Huan said as he mentally braced himself to face his father’s wrath.

The walk towards the Emperor’s throne room was silent as he trudged up the stairs behind Head Eunuch Hong. As soon as he reached the doorway, Head Eunuch Hong announced him with a loud booming voice that Jin Huan was sure that everyone within the Imperial Palace heard him.

“His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince Jin Huan is here to seek an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.” The huge doors of the throne room opened and Jin Huan walked in. He noticed several important officials, generals, and Sect Leaders of the martial arts sect were in an important meeting with the Emperor.

As he walked in his father ended the meeting and those in the hall kowtowing to the Emperor and moved to leave. As their paths met all of the honorable guests bowed before him in respect before stepping out of the throne room.

With closer inspection, Jin Huan noted that some of these guests were familiar to him as they had lessons together in the past, particularly Sect Leader Lin, Sect Leader Zhou and Minister Chan. These were all successful young masters who had made a name for themselves at a young age. The young martial arts masters have each taken over the sect leader positions within their martial arts sect and the young minister had taken over the position as Minister of Justice.

They are all considered prodigies of their trades and well known and respected despite their young age. Considering they were all within his own age range it made him feel inferior to them especially considering his older siblings have acknowledged them for their skills and talents. Even during their time studying together, he noticed that they were excellent students, and considering they were former classmates he knows that their personalities are very amiable and friendly towards others despite being top students.

He sighed as the doors of the throne room closed behind them leaving him and his father. He began walking towards the throne and stood at the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne where his father the Emperor is seated with a displeased and tense look on his face. He could feel the cold piercing gaze of his father on him as he moved. As he raises his head slightly he notices an irritated look on his father's handsome face. Whether it was from the aftermath of the meeting he walked in on or his own actions or both he is not certain. His father is a very handsome and beautiful man who exudes great masculinity and confidence that overwhelms anyone just by being in his very presence.

His skin is fair but lightly tanned as the result of practicing martial arts, swordsmanship and horse riding, a straight nose, pale pink shapely luscious lips, and the most distinguishable part is his deep dark eyes which gives off a cold piercing gaze. His waist-length inky black hair was straight and soft as silk was styled neatly with part of it pinned to the top with a dragon designed headpiece while the rest fell elegantly and neatly at his waist slightly pooling at the seat of his throne. Even with the layers of his official robes, one could easily tell that his father is a fairly muscular man. His height which is currently the tallest out of his family and his muscular physique enables him to tower over everyone even if he was not seated on the throne above them. His looks itself were enough to both awe and intimidate but coupled with the glowering look on his face Jin Huan was on the verge of shaking. 

His father truly gives off an intimidating and overwhelming presence! While his looks are undoubtedly fawned over by many, his expressions have always been a little cold and sometimes stoic unless he was deeply angered or annoyed. "I have seen my father in a rage before and it is not pretty." Jin Huan thought with a shiver.

All his years as his son he has never been able to read his father, granted he has always been causing his father grief ever since he began to act out at the tender age of 12 and now he is 19 years of age and is unable to bridge a positive relationship with his own father! Well, it's not like he could bond over love songs or folk tales and such his father simply has no time for those! Despite being an exceptionally good composer and singer or storyteller, those will not earn him any merits in the court or battlefield, merely making him a laughing stock is the most likely scenario! Except that he is already the subject of ridicule among the elites now for his reputation is infamous after all. Not to mention he himself is not adept at any of the activities or hobbies his father approves of like studying, martial arts medicine and the list goes on. He thinks to himself silently as he got on his knees to kowtow.

“Fourth Prince Jin Huan greets His Majesty The Emperor.”

“I would like everyone to leave the room where I need to speak with my son privately.” The Emperor said firmly. Immediately everyone bowed and left hastily lest they invoke the wrath of the already tensed and irritated Emperor.

“Ohhh It seems I’m done for this time.” Jin Huan gulped in fear.

As soon as they were alone the Emperor turned his attention to his third son who was still kneeling at the bottom of the stairs of his throne as he himself remained seated.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself? Do you know what you did wrong this time? Again! Why do you have to be so stubborn?” The Emperor’s voice reverberated around the throne room causing the air around them to become tense. His Qi has also elevated, making the air thicker and denser. His father is a powerful man.

“Yes, Father.” He gulped in fear as he answered somewhat unsteadily from his position on the ground before his father. “I was.. “ but he was immediately cut off by his father.

“Enough. Every time I hear the same thing over and over again and almost every day I receive complaints from Li Ruoshi. Why can’t you be more like your brothers and sister? Even the young ones are more well behaved. You just need to put in more effort than everything else has been provided for you. Not only do you cause problems for me but the other people as well. Do you know how many times this month alone that General Fan had to be dispatched to look for you? Why won't you be more considerate towards the troubles you caused?”

“I will try my best father…” Jin Huan said, his small voice crackling threatening to break out into sobs.

Sigh “Enough, I am very busy today. As punishment, you are not allowed to leave the Frost Palace for the entire week. Just stay in your residence and study, don’t waste your time doing useless things.” The Emperor commanded at the same time dismissing him from the court.

“Yes Father, I bid you goodbye.” Jin Huan said as he kowtowed, relief beyond all belief that he wasn’t punished more harshly such as being caned. After kowtowing he got up and delivered a final hasty bow before fleeing the throne room.

Unnoticed by Jin Huan, the Emperor was watching him as he left the throne room, feeling upset that he had nearly made his son cry. He had coddled him too much in the past. Sigh “This son of mine. What should I do with you? I only want what’s best for my precious children. Must you always fight and resist me all along the way? I ended up losing my temper and scolding him again.” He thought to himself as he recalled the teary face of his child.

He sat down heavily upon his throne and began to regain his composure. “The situation up north is not good.. I worry if one day he is all alone he would face bitter hardships and won't survive, the world is a cruel place after all. Your father and siblings are unable to protect you if that day comes, what will you do then A Huan? Even as an Emperor there is a limit to what I can do for you, my child.” He began thinking of the old days when A Huan was a child and their relationship was less strained. Before he came of age A Huan was a fairly obedient albeit mischievous child.

The Emperor was brought out of his reverie by the Head Eunuch announcing his Generals who wish to seek an audience with him.

“Things are going to be chaotic from now on.” He thought as he watched his Generals walking in with grim looks upon their faces.

********************************************************************************************************************************

Sigh. Jin Huan let out a heavy sigh as he descended the stairs of the throne room which was then muffled by the commotion caused by a heated discussion by a group of 4 army generals walking towards him, no doubt on their way to meet his father.

"This humble subject greets His Highness the Third Prince Jin Huan," The four generals said collectively. Upon closer inspection, he noted that he had met them before during his time in an army camp. It was one of his father's attempts into getting him interested in military matters however like the other attempts which had involved other trades like politics, martial arts, and medicine, that attempt had also been a failure when Jin Huan had fainted due to heat and exhaustion after only 3 days! While he was glad to be brought out of the army camp he still felt embarrassed after that particular incident! To meet his former trainees and peers who had become generals here, he truly felt as if he couldn't meet their eyes.

However, he pushed his embarrassment aside and said; "Get up." He nodded his head towards them with respect and acknowledgment. These were one of the lessons that his father had instilled deep into him and his siblings ever since they were very young, which is to respect one another regardless of one's status in society without throwing away the pride and dignity of the Imperial Family. He remembered his father's words to this very day.

"To be respected one must learn to respect others for this is the way to gain the loyalty of the loyal subjects who serve us. Our position as members of the Imperial Family is only short of reaching the Heavens, but without the loyalty and respect of the people, we are nothing. Always show some form of acknowledgment regardless of the status of the other. A simple nod could go a long way especially considering our family's background. My children you will find that the respect you earned without the rise of the sword or with your status will be the purest, sincere, and honorable compared to any other means." This lesson had stuck to him since that very day thus no matter how much he rebelled against the common etiquette he never forgot these. His father was a wise man. Jin Huan thought in admiration. 

After greeting them with a proper ceremony befitting a prince, he sent them on their way. As he watched them he thought to himself " I am more than willing to show my respect and gratitude as father advised especially to those who loyally serve this country and my Emperor Father, however as for the respect of the people towards me....well...it does not really concern me. As long as I am not cruel or disloyal no one will bother with me except to ridicule me." Jin Huan thought absentmindedly as he walked towards his residence, the Frost Palace.

As he entered his chambers, he couldn't help thinking back on his....meeting with the father with hurt in his heart. Oh, he is well aware he deserves the scolding and probably a harsher punishment for repeated offense. "Royal Father was already merciful for only putting me into confinement for seven days. I knew what I was getting into but it is still upsetting to be scolded, father. He loves his father dearly just as he loves his siblings. He remembers the days when his father would spend time when he was still a young child, not as the Emperor but as his father. Playing with him, eating with him, reading him bedtime stories, telling him legends of great heroes and fairy tales as well. Alas, those days are gone now. 

Ever since he came of age at 13, he was expected and pushed to learn several trades of importance just as his siblings before him had done and his siblings after him will learn as well. However, he was completely uninterested in these matters and put in close to no effort at all into them and this made the Emperor angry and disappointed at his constant failures despite having the best teachers who are all masters of their trade to teach him. Even his older siblings had failed in educating him! Though his father never gave up in pushing Jin Huan to change. His father is so persistent and stubborn just like the rest of their family.

 As his thoughts drifted back to the Emperor, he recalled his father's tired and irritable mood with concern and worry in his heart. 

"Is father overworking himself? He looks so tired. Is there any conflict in court or could there be other problems? Recently I heard there was some trouble in the North. This kind of information is mostly passing comments he heard from court officials or generals passing by and also rumors he heard from from Lan Xin and other patrons who frequented the tea house during his escapades. Though I am not entirely sure of the whole situation. sigh. It is during situations like these that I wish I had paid attention to important matters or am privy to that information, then maybe I wouldn't be worrying about my father in a clueless stupor." sigh. Then with realization dawning upon him, he thought " And I even made him angry by causing trouble on top of that no wonder he was so angry! Aghhhh!" He had gotten more agitated as he reflected on the situation.

Now that he thought about it, the Imperial Palace has been busy lately. Not exactly chaotic but the air had felt tense and there was anxiousness as well. It was oddly unsettling. There was also an increase of guards around the palace, especially around the private residences of the princes and princesses. The Imperial Army or the Forbidden Army as they are called were training more frequently as he recalled catching glimpses of their training regime but was sidetracked when he caught sight of a shirtless General Fan dueling using martial arts practically naked. Therefore he didn't think too much of the strange matter, but now...." his thoughts trailed off as an uneasy feeling rose in him.