#yehshen

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February 27, 645 A.D.

The sunset is exceptionally beautiful today, and I’m glad I can enjoy the wonderful dances of pinks and reds by the lake. I’ve made a friend with one of its residents, a sparkling gold fish that is longer than I am! Its large, golden eyes always look like they want to tell me something, but Jinyu’s mouth always opens and closes wordlessly. Silly as it is, I feel a connection to Jinyu, as if she were looking after me. Nonetheless, I enjoy her company every evening, especially when I can steal whatever moments I can away from Houmu and Jun-li. They’ve become exceptionally harsh with me these past few days, with all the visitors we’ve been getting in preparation for the New Year’s Festival. I’ve been cleaning non-stop this past week, and by knees and arms are still glowing bright red with all the scrubbing and dusting I have to do. A part of me wishes that I could be a part of the preparations, but I know that it will never be possible; even asking Houmu about it is out of the question. Maybe if I continue to be obedient, Houmu will give me a chance.

March 5, 645 A.D.

The most terrible thing has happened! Houmu called me in to wash the floor this evening while I was feeding Jinyu, even though we didn’t have any visitors. I thought it was strange, but I didn’t question why and did the chore completely. When I came back to the lake to finish, Jinyu was gone. I called out to her, but she didn’t poke her head out of the water like she usually does, so I came back when dinner was served. My heart seized when Houmu set down a platter of the largest goldfish I had seen only in the lake. My voice was trembling when I asked her where she got the fish from. She replied in that same, cold voice, although this time she was smiling. The lake, she said. After that, I couldn’t stop crying. I knew it was indecent of me, but I couldn’t help myself. I was excused from dinner and ran to the lake and cried for hours and hours. Jinyu was my only friend. Houmu and Jun-li are always so cruel to me, regardless of all the work I put into this house. Sometimes I feel like running away, but doing such a thing is foolish for a girl of my age. After dinner I was cleaning out the trash, I found Jinyu’s bones. I couldn’t bear to throw them away so I took them to my bed and hid them under my pillow. At least Jinyu will be closer to me now. I just don’t understand Houmu at all! She won’t let me go to the Spring Festival! She tells me that there isn’t any extra money for another dress but as the elder sister, I should be the one receiving a new dress, not Jun-li!! Wow, I can’t believe that her stepmother did that to Yeh Shen’s only friend. It seems that in Chinese culture, siblings are meant to be given importance depending on how old they are, but I guess the stepmother doesn’t respect this in order to favor her own daughter. I hate her already!

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March 23, 645 A.D.

So many things have happened these past few days, and I’ll quickly try to record them all. On the night of the festival, I went to bed early. But as I was resting, I heard a voice in the room. I called out to Jun-li and Houmu, thinking that they may have forgotten something, but as the voice kept speaking, I knew it couldn’t be them. It was a woman’s voice, soft and sweet. It took me time to realize that the voice was coming from none other than under my pillow. It was Jinyu’s bones that were speaking to me! Jinyu was an enchanted fish, and it seems that her bones retained that magic. The bones asked if there was any longing in my heart that was unfulfilled. My heart was beating rapidly when I told them that I wanted to go to the Spring festival. The bones asked me to close my eyes. I felt a soft, silky sensation wrap around my body and feet. When the bones asked me to open my eyes, my mouth fell open. I was wearing the most richly blue I had ever seen; it had looked as if the thread had woven from sapphires. On my shoulders was a cloak of kingfisher feathers, all lined neatly as if kingfishers themselves had created it. And on my feet were golden slippers, with what looked like actual gold sewn in on the sole, sparkling in the firelight. I thanked the bones over and over again, almost crying from happiness and gratitude. The bones simply replied with a single warning: not to lose the slippers. I agreed and quickly made my way to the festival. It was the most beautiful place I’d ever seen! Colorful lanterns burned merrily around vendors of all sorts—smells of cifantuan*, my favorite man tou**, and many other delicious sweets and fried snacks competed for hungry bellies across the festival grounds. Both men and women looks like colorful flowers, their silk cloaks blowing gently in the wind like petals. I hadn’t noticed that everyone’s gaze was on me until I realized everyone around me were suddenly quiet. My feet grew cold and I couldn’t chew the man tou already in my mouth. I stared back at everyone blankly. My heart seized when I thought I saw Houmu and Jun-li walking across the street, craning their around to look at me. I immediately started running through the crowd. I remember losing a slipper but I couldn’t look back. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my throat! I quickly put on my rags and pretended I haven’t stepped a foot out of the house. The worst part is when I tried to talk to the bones again, to thank them. They didn’t respond, even when I called out to them several times. I regret losing that slipper.

April 15, 645 A.D.

My slipper has been found! The king of T’o Han received the slipper from a traveling merchant. What is shocking is that he has created a contest around it! He proclaims that he will marry who ever can fit the slipper! No one has, as of now. But, I must get the slipper back quickly; maybe it is the only way to get the bones to speak to me again.

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April 17, 645 A.D.

I have escaped death! When I went to take back the slipper, guards assumed that I was a thief! The king was furious and demanded to know who I was. When I told him I was the owner of the slipper, he asked I should prove it. When I did, his face softened and he smiled and I felt at ease. He asked who I was. Before I knew it, I was telling my entire life story to him! From Father’s death to Houmu and Jun-li’s cruelty, to the Spring festival and Jinyu’s bones. After my story, the king allowed me to go home and I was relieved. I thought I was dead for certain. When I went back home, I hoped that the bones would speak to me again. They didn’t, but I still feel like I’m being looked over. I’m not as anxious as I should be, if Jun-li and Houmu realize that I escaped in the night.

April 18, 645 A.D.

I’m writing this from a royal carriage. Royal. My arm is riddled with pinch marks, and I’m still in disbelief at how quickly my life has changed today. This morning, the king came to our house. Yes, I the king of T’o Han! A messenger announced his arrival thirty minutes beforehand, and I was able to quickly wear the gown Jinyu’s bones gave me before Jun-li or Houmu could rip them off. When the king finally arrived, he invited me to join him, not as a guest, but as his wife. Before I could say anything, Houmu claimed that I had stolen the gown, which actually belonged to Jun-li. The king ignored her and was focused only on my answer. I did my best not to burst in tears when I said yes. I was given a few minutes to gather my things and I quickly left. I wished Houmu and Jun-li well, but they were staring nothing but pure poison to me. And now, I’m on the way to T’o Han’s palace. It seems silly, but I believe it was Jinyu’s bones looking after me all along. I will never forget her selfless gifts for as long as I live. 

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The diary ends here. It feels bittersweet, but I’m so happy that Yeh Shen had a happy ending and became empress, she really deserved it. This just goes to show how jealousy never brings happiness and how it’s important to always follow the Golden Rule.