907 AD, China.
The once-mighty empire of the Tang Dynasty has fallen into ruin.
Rebellion has spread across the land,
and its insurgents have proclaimed their own kingdoms.
This is the period known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
It was an era plagued by widespread turmoil,
treachery amongst government officials,
and a bitter struggle for power within the imperial family.
Against this backdrop, our story begins.
What blessed night is this?
Drifting down the River Qian
What auspicious day is this?
Dreaming beside my prince
A tender affection has blossomed
between the maiden Little Wan and young Prince Wu Luan
but his father, the Emperor, marries Little Wan himself.
Desperate, Prince Wu Luan disappears into the southern heartlands
seeking solace in the art of music and dance.
Three years later,
Prince Wu Luan's uncle has killed his brother, the Emperor,
and usurped the throne and the Empress.
Empress Wan secretly sends her messengers
to warn Prince Wu Luan of the assassination and urge his return,
but she is unaware the new Emperor has already dispatched assassins
to prevent Prince Wu Luan's return.
Trees live on mountains
And branches live on trees
My heart lives for your heart
But you do not see me
From her Majesty the Empress to Prince Wu Luan.
Our country has suffered a great loss.
Your father, the Emperor, has passed away.
Your uncle has usurped the throne.
Return at once on receipt of this.
Father...
This helmet does not sit well on you.
To call your Emperor "you" is not appropriate.
The correct address is "Your Majesty".
It is hard for me to adapt so quickly, brother-in-law.
Indeed, this is not a good fit.
I shall have a new one made.
The kingdom shall not wait.
Seal the door.
Sister-in-law.
The correct address is "Empress".
Your brother should not have trusted you.
The death of the late Emperor had nothing to do with me.
Is the Crown Prince still alive?
Sister-in-law seems very concerned.
I am his step-mother, after all.
He is four years older than you are.
Brother-in-law is familiar with the way I remove my makeup.
Not just your makeup,
but also the way you enter your bath.
Will brother-in-law let the Prince go free?
Will you let my hand go free?
This theater is under the Crown Prince's protection.
Stay your swords now.
Your servant Qing bows before Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, is this the red you had chosen?
Hang it up.
This material was originally intended for your wedding to the Prince.
However, it is now used in my coronation.
Why did you run all the way here?
When I was summoned to the inner court,
I thought perhaps the Prince had returned.
I was just about to ask you,
have you not heard from the Prince?
He never writes to me.
Then how do you communicate?
Through dreams.
I dream of him every night,
and we talk to each other.
Did you dream of him last night?
Yes.
What did he say to you?
He told me not to eat too many sweets.
But then he also said,
"Young girls tend to like sweet things.
It is not really a bad habit."
I also used to like sweet things.
Brother-in-law really knows how to please a woman.
How do I compare with my brother?
The late Emperor was a wise and valiant man.
You mean to say, he was not very adept at pleasing you
No.
When he was willing,
he could be exceptionally virile.
But he was not often willing, am I right?
The tug between power and love
has tormented past emperors for centuries.
You do not seem to be tormented.
Before tonight, everything was simple.
I cared only for my kingdom.
But after tonight,
when there is you, Sister-in-law...
what need do I have of a kingdom?
You certainly know how to flatter a woman.
I speak from the heart.
Why don't you give away the throne,
so we can retire to the woods and live like hermits?
What do you think?
Sister-in-law, do you want me killed?
I was only teasing.
If it is my life that you want, you can have it.
You can have everything that is mine.
Your Highness.
My father...
how did he die?
They say that while he was taking his afternoon nap,
he was stung by a scorpion.
There are scorpions in the palace?
They say you can find everything in the palace.
Who are they?
The people who live there.
Including her?
She is about to be crowned Empress again.
By whom?
Your uncle, the new Emperor.
Wu Luan.
Yes?
You worried me to death.
Empress Mother...
You sound a little hoarse.
Why are you wearing such a strange mask...
and a battered old sword case?
What has happened to you?
This is a question I should be asking you.
What have you heard?
Did I come back to grieve for my father
or to congratulate my stepmother?
Do not use such a cruel tone of voice against a helpless woman.
I have sacrificed more than enough for you and your father
But my father's spirit still wanders restlessly outside the palace gate!
Empress Mother, look into my eyes and tell me...
did my father really die from the sting of a scorpion?
Wu Luan...
the pain in your eyes breaks my heart.
Don't ask so many questions.
Don't think too much.
Promise me?
The best way to soothe your father's spirit...
is to make sure we are both safe.
Especially you.
Your Majesty, forgive me.
My shabby clothes have soiled the Empress' bathrobe.
Show me what is inside your sword case.
The sword of the Yue Maiden...
best suited to close combat.
I only use it for paper cutting now.
When your father first taught us swordplay,
you were always the better pupil.
Is this your work?
These are the words of a song from Yue.
Can you sing it for me?
It is about a Prince sailing down a stream...
and the rowing girl falls in love with him.
She sings this song.
- So it is a love song. - No.
It is a song about loneliness.
You can sing to your young friend Qing.
She would not understand.
No one can really understand another person.
If we did, we would not feel so lonely.
When your father allowed you to pursue the arts,
I was against the idea.
To me, a man should not be a lonely musician,
a product of warm hills and soft streams.
A proper man is a prince...
who rules over his kingdom
with strength and courage
That is only your idea of a man, Empress.
Stepmother!
But you have responsibilities.
They're bestowed upon you by the heavens above,
passed on to you by your ancestors, expected of you by your people.
Hasn't my uncle assumed these responsibilities for me?
He--
His Majesty has commanded me to greet you here.
You have allowed the Prince to slip away,
insulting His Majesty with your incompetence.
What do you suggest you should do?
We shall offer up our lives as penance.
Very good.
Your families will be spared.
We thank his gracious Majesty for his lenience.
Clean the bridge.
This palace is falling to ruin.
The late Emperor was a thrifty man,
but I am not going to suffer the way he did.
Pave the ceiling with flowers in gold leaf.
Yes, Your Majesty.
May I inquire
should the central pillar be painted in vermilion
or ink black?
Vermilion is the color of blood,
and gold represents glory.
Which glorious dynasty has not been forged with blood?
Minister Yin.
Your Majesty.
I envy you
for having such a personable and astute son
gifted in both cultural and military affairs.
Unlike my nephew,
your Crown Prince, who only knows to sing and dance.
If Your Majesty does not like the snow leopard carving,
it can be replaced at once.
I like it.
When it snows, this creature stays inside the cave to groom his fur.
When the sun comes out, it emerges shiny and sleek.
It knows about changing with the weather.
This is a clever beast.
May your servant suggest that a tiger would be even more appropriate?
According to the Book of Change,
a great man descends from a tiger, a gentleman from a leopard.
Your majesty is a great man.
The tiger has an appropriate air of majesty.
Governor Pei Hong of You Province.
Your Majesty.
Why are you silent?
I was thinking, perhaps this snow leopard should be gifted to Minister Yin.
Why is that?
Because he too knows how to change with the weather.
Governor Pei's suggestion is excellent.
We shall bestow on Minister Yin this beautiful carving.
My deepest gratitude to Your Majesty.
As for a replacement...
let it be a tiger, then.
Better still, carve a flying dragon.
Long live Your Majesty the Empress.
Your servant Pei Hong bows before the Empress Dowager.
Governor Pei greeted the Empress as Empress Dowager.
Did you all hear that?
Yes.
What does this signify?
Nobody dares speak?
Then let me explain.
The late Emperor has ascended to the heavens.
If the Crown Prince succeeds the throne,
the Empress will become the Empress Dowager.
Thus, I am the usurper.
Have we understood you correctly, Governor Pei?
No wonder you are a respected scholar.
With three words, you have rearranged the hierarchy of the court.
According to our ancestral customs...
the Emperor kneels to the Empress Dowager as a son to his mother.
But the Empress kneels to the Emperor...
as a wife to her husband.
Are you the Empress Dowager?
Or the Empress?
Should I kneel?
Or should you?
Please advise us.
Which is the correct procedure?
Your humble consort kneels before Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Late Emperor,
did your spirit in heaven witness this vile exchange?
General Yin.
Your Majesty.
The province of You is now yours to govern.
I am your servant, Your Majesty.
- Imperial Guards. - Your Majesty.
Pei Hong is condemned to be beaten to death
and his entire clan executed.
At once, Your Majesty.
What was it that you said we should carve?
A flying dragon.
Let it be a dragon and a phoenix.
This is too brutal.
They say that Pei Hong himself invented this form of punishment
for the late Emperor's use.
Pei Hong is dying because of me.
If you have any regrets I can pardon him at once.
No pardon.
I am grateful to you.
You don't have to be.
Did you help the late Emperor in this same way?
No.
Then why are you being so generous with me?
You give me what the late Emperor could never give.
Lord Chamberlain.
Present.
I hereby proclaim the Empress coronation will take place
on the fifteenth day of this month
Your Majesty, the traitor Pei Hong is dead.
He has returned.
He is not a threat to you.
But you said that the people anticipate his succession.
Yin Sun.
What do you think you're doing?
This gift from the Emperor is an insult to father.
It may be an insult,
but more than that, it is a test.
If your father had not been able to withstand a little humiliation from time to time,
he would never have reached his present rank
or been trusted by three successive emperors.
What worries me is your little sister.
She is far too innocent.
I cannot get the eyes of the phoenix right.
Imagine the eyes of Empress Wan.
The Empress' eyes are sometimes soft and charming
and sometimes frightening.
A phoenix with a steady gaze is what would please the Empress most.
The coronation is only two days away.
I fear this will not be ready in time.
From now on it is best if you stopped seeing the Prince.
Why?
When the late Emperor was alive, this match was our family's blessing.
Now that he is gone, I fear it may be our downfall.
My heart will never change.
Make it change.
Learn from the Empress.
Who cares about losing a kingdom when in the presence of such rare beauty?
You can hardly be more secure on your throne.
I can't ruin you anyway.
Qing, why don't you leave us.
Yes, Your Majesty.
In your heart of hearts, do you not trust me?
The person I do not trust is my dear nephew.
I wonder how his rehearsal for the coronation is going.
Your Majesty, this rehearsal adheres to the usual rules.
Only wooden swords are employed.
Please examine the weapons, Your Highness.
Thank you.
We have heard that Your Highness is an expert swordsman.
Mere childish endeavors.
I have not practiced in years.
It is the Emperor's wish that our performance at the coronation
should impress the entire court.
Swordplay is always impressive,
and performance is my specialty.
In that case, please begin, Your Highness.
I am dead.
You really meant to kill him.
We would not dare.
He said he is dead.
What does the Empress think he died of?
He...
mistook a deadly combat for a show.
Precisely.
And I thoroughly enjoyed the show.
How did you manage to lose so badly today?
Did you think I lost?
I hope that you will do better at my coronation.
Why do you wear a mask when you perform?
It transports an actor to the highest state of his art.
Without a mask, happiness, anger, sorrow and joy
are simply written on his face.
But with a mask, a great artist can convey to the audience
the most complex and hidden emotions.
In that case, what do you see on my simple face?
Six parts arrogance, three parts disquiet,
and one part guilt towards your late husband.
You are wrong.
It is disappointment-- disappointment in you.
I no longer look to you to fulfill my dreams.
I can only pray to the heavens to have mercy and protect us both.
You are incapable of even the most basic play-acting
Your sorrow, anger, bitterness and uncertainty are there for all to see.
You permit danger to follow you everywhere.
You think hiding behind a mask can elevate your art?
The highest level is to use your own face and turn it into a mask.
You are here.
Yes.
This is what you asked for.
Do not smell it.
The poison is a thousand times deadlier than arsenic.
If I can't smell it, how do I use it?
You blow it into the ear with a quill.
What is it made of?
Why is it so poisonous?
It's made of Erysipelas from the Northeast ground together
with black scorpions of the Northwest.
So nothing is more poisonous?
There is one thing.
What can be more lethal than this?
The human heart.
There aren't any...
Any what?
There aren't any scorpions in the palace.
I hear you brought back a song.
I heard it from the Empress...
Trees live on mountains and branches live on trees
My heart lives for your heart but you do not see me
How pitiful...
Who?
The boat girl.
She loves him but he does not see her.
No.
You are talking about me.
You think I'm pitiful.
She pities me too.
Both of you use my suffering
to lure me into your embrace.
Is that not the case?
No.
Admit it!
No.
I am not her.
You are her.
- I am not her. - You are her.
I am not her!
You are her!
The coronation ceremony of Her Majesty the Empress Wan
will now commence.
May the Emperor live ten thousand times ten thousand years.
May the Empress live a thousand times a thousand years.
A performance of swordplay by the Crown Prince Wu Luan
and the Imperial Guards.
Uncle.
Empress Mother.
I wish you both everlasting happiness.
My apologies for being late. Please forgive me.
I am not going to play with you tonight.
Instead, I have prepared a play for your amusement.
Darkness has fallen.
My dear nephew.
I have been expecting you.
Won't you take off your mask and let me look at your face?
You are covered in sweat.
They are tears.
Come.
Let me wipe them away for you
No.
Your sleeves are soaked with Erysipelas.
They reek of black scorpions.
Wu Luan, you are not acting in a play now.
What a talented artist.
I feel so gratified.
Quickly, bow and thank His Majesty.
Thank you, Uncle.
How much you have grown in the last three years.
It's time to take on some serious responsibilities now.
Minister Yin.
Your Majesty?
What was in the dispatch sent by the Khitans?
It says that to strengthen the trust between our two nations,
we should each send our Crown Prince to live in the other's country.
Have they sent their hostage yet?
They have, Your Majesty.
But I hear he is in fact the son of a herdsman.
We shall not behave like the Khitans.
We are a great country and we live by our word.
We shall send a real prince.
No.
Why not?
His nature is too gentle.
All the better.
It will be honed by the sandstorms of the northern deserts.
He is too emotional. He may offend the Khitan Khan.
It appears you are emotional now...
But am I offended?
Your Majesty's magnanimity is vast enough to embrace oceans.
But I will not tolerate a grain of sand in my eye.
Lord Chamberlain.
Yes, Your Majesty?
Write this down:
The Crown Prince Wu Luan is henceforth appointed Ambassador to Khitan.
He will be escorted by the Imperial Guards and will depart promptly today.
By command of the Emperor.
- Imperial Guards! - Your Majesty!
Escort the Crown Prince.
Yes, Your Majesty.
His Majesty is doing this for your own good.
Go...
Wait!
Your Majesties, the Emperor and Empress.
Your servant Qing begs to accompany the Prince.
For what reason?
So that when he is lonely there will be someone to sing to him.
Who do you think you are?
- Lord Chamberlain? - Present.
Take her away,
and give her thirty lashes of the whip.
Empress Mother!
Does it hurt?
Yes.
My dearest daughter, you have to learn to endure the pain.
It hurts too much, but I shall listen to you and try to bear it.
Her Majesty the Empress approaches.
Does it hurt?
No.
Look at you.
Tears are welling up,
and you still say it doesn't hurt?
No, it doesn't
Do you know why I punished you?
Because you are jealous.
Qing!
Let her speak. I like to hear the truth.
And why am I jealous?
Because I have love.
And I don't?
You only love yourself.
Nonsense.
Who does not love themselves?
Let us take him as an example:
your father.
My father loves my brother and me more than anything in the world.
Really?
Let us find out if this is true.
- Guards. - Your Majesty.
Brand her face, then have her exiled to the south.
Your merciful Majesty!
I always knew that the Minister was a man of wisdom.
Where are we?
We are 350 miles past the province of You.
The Khitan boarder is just ahead.
Really?
Why didn't you tell me when we passed You Province?
I should have paid a visit to Yin Sun.
His Majesty commanded that there must be no delay.
Who is that?
That is you.
- The Prince. - The hostage.
In which case I shall not reach Khitan.
No, you will not.
When do you plan to kill me?
Now.
You think you are capable of killing me?
It will be either your death or ours.
I am Yin Sun, Governor of You.
My greetings to Your Highness.
Why did you save me?
It was an order from that woman.
Her?
Her.
You follow her orders?
My sister is in her hands.
I am sorry.
Don't be.
What will you say to my uncle?
I shall report that all the envoys were slaughtered by the Khitans.
There is not one single survivor.
But I am alive.
You will have to hide.
I do not want to live like a mole.
This is only temporary.
Temporary?
How long is that?
Three years?
Five years?
Or until my hair turns gray?
It is still better than returning and dying needlessly.
I am not afraid of death
But you cannot let other people die because of you.
Will you not be satisfied until my sister
my father and our entire clan have sacrificed themselves
the way these poor guards have done
so that you can play at your revenge?
Will you not be satisfied until rivers flow with blood
and the world is submerged in turmoil?
Looking at this mask what do you two see?
Destiny at play.
Your Majesty is the true son of Heaven.
Nobody can oppose you.
But if I had not made the right move in time,
it would have been my blood you are staring at now, wouldn't it?
You seem nervous...
is the Minister not feeling well?
Why are you sweating so profusely?
Governor Yin.
Your Majesty.
Your father has worked too hard all his life.
Stay at home and keep him company.
My military duties keep me away from home, Your Majesty.
Your military duties?
Without you, the sky is hardly going to fall down.
Your Majesty's kindness has moved your servant to tears.
We are most grateful for Your Majesty's consideration
I have never liked masks.
- You may leave. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Lord Chamberlain.
Present.
We shall give a banquet for the entire court.
The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day for feasting.
That would be too late.
Make it tomorrow night.
Tomorrow is not auspicious for receiving guests.
I will not bow to superstition.
Write this down.
Tomorrow at midnight,
all courtiers are invited to a royal banquet to be given in the Hall of Gold.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Anyone who fails to attend will be executed.
Since the departure of the Crown Prince,
your sister has not touched a single grain of rice.
Then let me tell her that he is still alive.
No.
Give this to her.
Drifting down the river Qian...
What auspicious day is this?
Dreaming beside my Prince
Brother.
I dreamt of him again last night.
He was dancing somewhere white as snow.
There were a lot of people.
He even invited me to join him.
Little sister, stop fooling yourself.
You are not in his heart.
I know.
But I promised I would wait for him always.
You are in your brother's heart.
I will not let anybody harm you.
Is there anything more poisonous than this?
Yes.
What?
The human heart.
Well said.
Why didn't the Prince take it with him on his last visit?
He was not ruthless enough.
This is your payment.
Arsenic?
There is not much but it should be enough for one.
His Majesty the Emperor approaches.
We have not played polo for a while.
Let us have a big match, you and l.
Your Majesty is throwing a banquet tonight.
Is there enough time to play?
It is still early.
I have a headache.
- Lord Chamberlain. - Present.
- Send for the Imperial Physician at once. - Yes, Your Majesty.
There is no need.
I just need to rest for a while.
Let me.
Your Majesty.
Don't move.
Look at you:
An Empress,
Mother to a nation...
And you still kick off your blankets when you sleep.
Did you catch cold last night?
Your Majesty.
How long have we been together?
Why do you ask?
Including today, it would be one hundred days exactly.
You have been counting.
But to me it feels like less than a single day.
One hundred days...
but I have never surrendered all of myself before.
Even if you are a piece of ice,
you will eventually melt in my mouth.
What if the ice turns into fire?
A globe of fire in your mouth.
Then I shall swallow it and it will warm my heart.
Do it now.
Swallow it now.
What did she say?
The Empress said that her mind was made up
the moment the Prince was sent away as hostage.
The Emperor is fickle and suspicious.
She may be his favorite now, but sooner or later
he will turn his attention elsewhere.
Rather than wait to be discarded,
she has decided to take the risk and strike first.
She wants to rule herself?
Exactly.
Once she has succeeded,
she intends to denounce the Emperor as a fratricide and usurper.
She will say that she is carrying out heavenly justice
on behalf of the late Emperor.
She wants us to rally and support her claim to the throne.
This woman.
Ah, this woman.
Father, whose side should we take?
We have no choice. She has planned everything perfectly.
First, your sister is in her hands.
Secondly, when she asked you to save the Prince,
it was not for personal reasons alone.
It was to turn us into her accomplices
so that we have nowhere to stand except by her side.
She knows that we have no option now.
If this woman succeeds, we must denounce her straightaway
as a traitor and an assassin.
The person who deserves to ascend the throne is not her but you.
Father.
Are you afraid?
No.
If Heaven bestows this gift upon me,
to refuse would be to disobey the gods.
Ling...
Prepare the carriage.
To the Minister of Law:
Minister Yin and his son, Yin Sun,
are guilty of the following crimes:
deceit of the Emperor and tyranny over the court,
misuse of power and collusion with the enemy.
They will be stripped of their titles and exiled to the South.
All their property will be confiscated
and deposited in the national reserve.
By command of the Emperor.
General Yin.
My Lord Chamberlain.
Present.
I wish to say a few words.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Pour the wine.
Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.
Our ancestors used to roam the palace with candles by night,
but our most gracious Emperor throws brilliant banquets for his courtiers.
His hospitality surpasses all who came before him.
It is my privilege to thank His Majesty with this toast.
Also, tonight, I am going to take Your Majesty's life.
Excellent.
Esteemed courtiers, let us drink together.
To His Majesty.
Your servant Qing and my dancers
beg permission to entertain Your Majesties with a performance.
Minister Yin.
Your Majesty
Did you organize this surprise for me?
Your Majesty, this is Qing's own idea.
My father knows nothing about it.
Good.
What have you prepared for us?
A song from Yue.
This sounds familiar.
It was the Crown Prince's favorite song.
To commemorate him.
I want him to know that even if the whole world abandons him,
I shall never do so
and my love for him will never die.
This is very touching.
- Grant her some wine. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Take my cup.
Let me join you in remembering the departed spirit of my dear nephew.
Such an honor is too great for Wu Luan.
Let us fetch another cup.
Lord Chamberlain.
Present.
There is no need.
Thank you, My Lord.
But I do not know how to drink.
You must not refuse His Majesty's gracious gift.
Then I shall have a little sip.
Sister.
What blessed night is this?
Drifting down the river Qian
What auspicious day is this?
Dreaming beside my Prince
Too bashful to stare
A secret I cannot share
My heart fills with longing
To know you, dear Prince
Trees live on mountains
And branches live on trees
My heart lives for your heart
But you do not see me
You do not see me
Qing!
Wu Luan!
It's me.
The moment the song started, I could feel you near me.
My dearest Qing.
Your Highness, do you still feel lonely?
With you, I shall never be lonely again.
Your brother loves you.
No one can harm you.
You poisoned the wine?
Yes.
You wanted me to die?
Yes.
And all along I thought I was warming your heart.
It has been heated to the point of burning.
Lord Chamberlain.
Present.
Carry out this edict:
Qing is to be given a lavish state burial.
Minister Yin.
What are you waiting for?
You... venomous woman.
Where are the Imperial Guards?
Imperial Guards!
Protect the Emperor.
Anyone who stands in my way will perish.
This man murdered my father like a coward.
This is a matter between the two of us.
It is nobody else's concern.
I don't want to kill the innocent.
Out of my way.
Such majestic demeanor as befits a nephew of mine.
I knew that if you were alive, this day would come sooner or later.
And here you are.
Was it the desire for revenge that hauled you out of the valley of death?
Or was it your melancholy that touched the hearts of women
so that their tenderness wove a web of protection around you?
Or perhaps a million calculations cannot compare with one pure heart?
Or maybe it is you, my brother,
who has been protecting your son all along
so that he can spill my blood and restore your honor?
If this is what you want, brother,
then let me appease you tonight.
You offered me a toast.
How can I refuse?
The Emperor is dead.
Your Majesty.
Do with me what you will.
Please do not lay this sinful title on me.
Would killing you bring Qing back to life?
The blade is poisoned!
Wu Luan!
It is nothing.
You are going to be fine.
He was lying.
There is no poison.
The blade is not poisoned.
Wu Luan!
Imperial Physician!
Lord Chamberlain!
Ling, where are you?
Wu Luan!
Where is everybody?
Little Wan?
Little Wan.
Little Wan is here.
Your Little Wan is here.
Look at me, look at me.
Your Little Wan is here...
Little Wan is here.
It is so good to be able to die.
You cannot die.
You must not die.
Wu Luan!
May Your Majesty live ten thousand times ten thousand years.
Long live!
Long live Your Majesty!
Minister Yin conspired to usurp the Throne.
By law, he should be executed.
But considering his service to three successive emperors,
he will only be exiled to the far north, never to return.
By command of the Empress.
Little Wan.
When was it that I started to forget my name?
Perhaps it was the day your father married me.
You left and nobody used my name anymore.
Gradually even I forgot what it was.
Then your uncle married me...
and again I was called the Empress.
But from now on, nobody will call me Empress anymore.
Instead, they will call me Her Majesty, the Emperor.
Do you know why I like this particular red?
Because it is the color of the flame of desire.
Yes...
Desire.
How many lives have been consumed by this flame?
Only l...
shall rise out of it like a phoenix.