Samaya adjusted the simple, yet elegant, robes that Eunuch Li had brought her, their fabric a far cry from the silks she was used to, but comfortable nonetheless. She tied the belt securely around her waist, noticing how the Emperor, dressed similarly in a plain brown tunic with a wide-brimmed straw hat, seemed almost unrecognisable without his usual adornments. The flower crown, though, remained perched on his head, a symbol of the tender moment he had shared with his children earlier.

Even his eyes were now a light brown. Was that some sort of illusion? She’d thought only those with dark qi like Ah-Liu could cast external illusions. And that too took a toll on him before long. The man was either extremely powerful or he was using a talisman to hide the very distinctive colour of his eyes. Either was likely.

“You look…” Samaya paused, tilting her head as she searched for the right word, “…ordinary.”

Well… not entirely. The man still looked like someone she would be wary of if she ever met him on the streets. It was impossible to hide that aura. But it was muted, as if from a wandering warrior rather than the Emperor.

The Emperor’s lips curled into a smirk. “That is the point, is it not?”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. “Shall we?”

They exited Samaya’s residence, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the cobbled paths of the Imperial Palace. The usual grandeur of the place seemed almost muted in the presence of their simple attire. As they approached the main gate, a group of palace guards, their armour glinting in the sunlight, stepped forward to block their path.

“Halt!” the lead guard commanded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Who are you? Where are you going?”

Samaya glanced at the Emperor, expecting him to reveal his identity. Instead, the man simply stood there, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed the guards with mild amusement. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unnerved by the man’s silent confidence.

“We have important business in the city,” Samaya finally said, hoping her tone would convey a sense of urgency.

The lead guard frowned, scrutinizing them both. “Your faces are unfamiliar. Do you carry any proof of identity?” One of them asked. “No one is allowed to go outside the Imperial Palace without identifying themselves or showing a permission letter!”

Samaya felt a twinge of impatience but held her tongue. The Emperor, however, reached into the folds of his robe and produced a small, intricately carved wooden plaque. The guard’s eyes widened as he recognized the Imperial Plaque, a symbol that allowed the bearer unrestricted access throughout the empire.

“My apologies, Your Majesty!” the guard stammered, dropping to one knee and bowing his head deeply. The other guards quickly followed suit, their faces pale with fear.

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively. “Rise. You are merely doing your duty.”

The guards quickly stood, still looking somewhat shaken as they stepped aside to allow them passage. Samaya couldn’t resist a smirk as they walked past, the Emperor’s calm demeanour a stark contrast to the flustered guards.

Once they were out of earshot, Samaya glanced at him, an amused glint in her eyes. “You enjoyed that too much.”

The Emperor chuckled softly, his gaze forward as they exited the palace gates and stepped into the bustling streets of the capital city. “One must find amusement where one can.”

The city was alive with activity. Merchants hawked their wares from stalls that lined the streets, their voices blending into a cacophony of sound. The scent of freshly cooked food mingled with the aroma of incense from nearby shrines, creating a potent blend that filled the air. Samaya wrinkled her nose slightly for a moment before she got used to the strong scent. Street performers juggled flaming torches and performed acrobatic feats, drawing crowds of onlookers who clapped and cheered in delight.

Samaya took it all in, her senses overwhelmed by the vibrancy of the city. It was a stark contrast to the controlled, almost sterile environment of the palace. Here, life was raw and unfiltered, and she found herself revelling in the freedom it offered.

One woman balanced herself on one leg on a stick. Knives were placed - sharp part upwards - on the ground surrounding her. Samaya watched with fascination as she jumped off the stick, gasping softly as the woman barely missed the knives, flipping herself using the small gaps between the knives as leverage to push herself off using the tips of her fingers and toes. It was an absolutely thrilling performance. Samaya was extremely impressed. She herself probably would have gotten a few cuts there. The girl looked as right as rain, though she could see thin, old scars on her hands upon observation. She must have practised a lot. Samaya walked to her and handed her a golden coin with a soft word of praise before going back to the man.

“That was generous,” the Emperor finally commented.

“One must appreciate people’s effort when they can, Your Majesty,” she replied before asking, “Where shall we go first?”

He looked around, his eyes settling on a nearby food stall where a vendor was grilling skewers of meat over an open flame. “How about there?”

Samaya nodded, and they made their way to the stall. The vendor, a burly man with a thick moustache, greeted them with a wide smile.

“Good day! Would you like to try my famous skewers? The finest in the city!” he boasted, fanning the flames to give the meat a nice char.

The Emperor reached into his robe for some coins, but Samaya stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Allow me.” She handed the vendor a few copper coins, and he quickly wrapped two skewers in parchment and handed them over.

The Emperor took a bite, his eyes lighting up as he chewed. “Delicious.”

Samaya smiled, savouring the rich, smoky flavour of the meat. “You wouldn’t get something like this in the palace.” It was the kind of greasy, flavourful food you would only get in the streets, no matter the world and the era.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Indeed not,” he agreed, looking pleased. “There’s a certain charm to street food, isn’t there?”

They continued to wander through the city, sampling different delicacies from various vendors and watching street performers entertain the crowds. The Emperor’s presence beside her was surprisingly relaxed, and Samaya found herself enjoying his company more than she expected.

“I should express my gratitude,” the man suddenly spoke up.

“For what?” She asked, tilting her head slightly to look at him without stopping. She had an idea of the answer to that.

“For helping me bond with my children.”

She shrugged. “I did what I thought was right. I may not be a good person, Your Majesty, but I do have a soft spot for children.”

There was a pause before the man spoke, “You are plenty good, Ya’er.”

Samaya pursed her lips at that and continued walking, their silence comfortable and their short bouts of conversations equally comfortable.

“You are saying ‘my’ instead of ‘we’.”

“Ah, yes. Because I am an ordinary person now.”

“It’s strange.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. But I like it.”

…

“Do you intend to call me Ya’er the entire time we are outside?”

“Yes.”

A groan escaped Samaya’s lips.

…

“We should get some tanghulu for Manu. He doesn’t always eat sweets but he loves tanghulu.”

That ended up in the buying half a dozen Tanghulu.

As they strolled through the market, a glint of green caught Samaya’s eye. She paused her conversation and turned to see a peddler displaying a small jade pendant on a worn cloth. The stone was a vibrant green, supposedly rare and valuable. The peddler, a wiry man with a shrewd look in his eyes, noticed her interest and immediately began his sales pitch.

“Ah, a discerning eye, I see! This here is a genuine jade pendant, blessed by the monks of the nearby temple. It brings good fortune to those who wear it. A true bargain for a lady such as yourself!” he said, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

Samaya narrowed her eyes, instantly suspicious. She reached out to pick up the pendant, turning it over in her hand. The weight was off, and the surface was too smooth—tell-tale signs of a fake.

“This is not jade,” she said flatly, her voice carrying a note of authority that made the peddler’s smile falter.

“What? Of course, it is, my lady! I swear on my ancestors!” the peddler protested, though his eyes darted nervously.

Samaya fixed him with a steely gaze, her tone icy. “Do not test my patience. This is nothing more than dyed glass. I suggest you reconsider your tactics if you wish to avoid trouble.”

The peddler paled, beads of sweat forming on his brow. “I… I apologize, my lady. It was not my intention to deceive—”

“Save your apologies,” she cut him off, tossing the pendant back onto the cloth. “If you’re wise, you’ll leave this market before I decide to report you.”

The peddler nodded frantically, quickly gathering his wares and scurrying off. The Emperor watched the exchange with raised eyebrows, clearly impressed.

“You handle yourself well,” he remarked.

Samaya shrugged, brushing off the encounter. “One learns to spot a scam after living on the streets for a while.”

They continued their exploration, the sun beginning its descent toward the horizon, casting a warm golden light over the city. The atmosphere around them began to shift as the day transitioned into the evening. Lanterns were lit, their soft glow illuminating the streets as vendors began packing up their stalls and performers took their final bows.

Suddenly, Samaya felt the hairs on her neck raise, as if someone was watching her. She snapped her head back, her eyes scanning not only the crowd but also the gaps among the people, the entrances to the alleyways and the roofs. She thought she saw a shadow retreating into one of the alleys.

She was instinctively about to follow when she heard her companion’s voice. “What’s wrong, Ya’er?”

She paused, her eyes still fixed on the alley. After a long moment of hesitation, she sighed softly and turned back to face the Emperor.

“Nothing. I thought I saw a familiar face.” She came up with an excuse. “Turns out, I was wrong.”

The man’s gaze bore into her for a long moment before he nodded. “Very well. We shouldn’t go further than this,” his gaze flicked behind her, where lanterns were beginning to be lit outside pavilions, “Let us go back.”

Shaking off the sense of unease, she nodded and followed the man.

As they made their way back toward the palace, Samaya felt a sense of contentment she hadn’t expected, despite the brief incident. The day had been a welcome reprieve from the rigid structure of palace life, and she found herself appreciating the Emperor’s spontaneous decision.

When they arrived at the palace gates, the same group of guards was there, their demeanour far more respectful now that they knew who they were dealing with. They bowed low as the Emperor and Samaya passed through, entering the familiar grounds of the imperial residence.

Once they were back inside her residence, Samaya let out a small sigh, a mixture of exhaustion and satisfaction.

“Today was… enjoyable,” she admitted, glancing at the Emperor, who was now removing the flower crown from his head with a thoughtful expression.

“It was,” he agreed, his tone softer than usual. He turned to face her, a rare warmth in his eyes. “Thank you, beloved concubine. Not just for today, but for helping me see what I have been neglecting.”

She gave him a small, genuine smile. “As long as you put what you learned to good use.”

The Emperor nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. He then turned to leave, pausing at the door to give her one last look. “We shall do this again sometime.”

With that, he left, the door closing softly behind him. Samaya stood there for a moment, the events of the day replaying in her mind. She then turned and entered her chambers, whereupon she was immediately tackled by a blur. She grunted and wrapped her arms instinctively around the familiar figure, rubbing the back of her son as he whined and cried into her robes for not taking him outside.

Ah, she forgot to make the Emperor stay to deal with Manu’s whining as he promised.

She managed to calm him down with the Tanghulu, with lots of hugs and kisses and promises of taking him outside next time. She told her maids to set the dinner as she went to freshen herself up.

That night, as she lay in bed, with Manu sleeping soundly in her arms, she wondered whose gaze it was that she felt in the city today.

And more importantly, why did it feel so familiar?