Xiao Yunsheng's life went smoothly until she turned thirty.
At two, she inherited her mother's title and became a first-rank duke. She placed third in the imperial examinations on her first try. After entering government service, she won the emperor's favor and rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming chief minister at twenty-three. She stood at the pinnacle of power, enjoying boundless glory and the envy of all.
A person may enjoy good fortune for a time, but not forever. Even the heaven-blessed Chief Minister Xiao had her troubles. Her immediate superior, the emperor, was frail and could die at any moment. The little princess was too young to rule. If the emperor died, the heavy responsibility of regency would inevitably fall to Xiao Yunsheng, his most trusted minister.
Throughout history, regents rarely met a good end. Once the young emperor came of age, the regent was usually the first to be sacrificed. After a lifetime of glory, they ended up disgraced and ruined.
The emperor was gravely ill. Thinking of what lay ahead, Chief Minister Xiao was overcome with sorrow. Forgetting all propriety between ruler and subject, she threw herself into the emperor's arms and wept. "Your Majesty has shown me such kindness. How could I go on living without you? I wish to follow you into death."
The usually clear-headed and self-controlled Emperor Yuanchang, Xiao Qingyu, reddened her eyes. "We've been playing the parts of a wise ruler and a loyal subject for more than a decade. Are you still not tired of it? Even if we're no longer spouses, we grew up together. Do you hate me so much that you won't even comfort a dying woman?"
Theme: Never give up in adversity
