The icy blue brick dug painfully into Su Wanzhao's knees.
She was kneeling in a cramped corner of the Yeting Palace, surrounded by scattered stage costumes and yellowed sheet music torn to shreds.
Once, those had been the very things that made her shine onstage. Now they were nothing but a cruel mockery of her status as a prisoner.
Back in the day, Su Wanzhao had been the star of the Yuming Troupe. Her performance in Farewell My Concubine had captivated countless spectators. Princes and nobles would even bring silver backstage, begging her for an autograph.
But now? Hmph! The world changes so quickly. Who could have imagined it? The troupe had dared to stage The Civet Cat for the Crown Prince, a satire of the sitting chancellor, Shen He. In an instant, they were accused of “spreading heresy and misleading the people.” Then, with a single slash, the entire troupe was arrested and its property confiscated.
