Once upon a time…in a provincial town away from where you might live…there was once a marvelous and inseparable couple. But this couple had a story. A story that has romance, culture and tradition. But most importantly…it was filled with true companionship.
It had all begun in a house near modern-day Beijing, where the forbidden city used to be.
In those times, the outsiders would call it Zǐjìnchéng, which translates to forbidden city. And the prime minister of Beijing loved his people. Almost as much as his beautiful children.
The youngest, Zhu Yingtai, was the most beautiful of them all.
All of Yingtai’s siblings were jealous because of her ethereal and natural beauty. They would say that her charming personality begins with her long hair that she, most of the time, never combs. Almost everyday she would wake up with a bedhead and was most likely to forget to brush her hair. But she didn’t forget to wash and condition it.
But for this occasion, she knew she had to brush her hair…for there was someone special that she was about to meet. Someone that she had heard about for the past few days or so. Someone that is mentioned in their fees. Someone that is famous in the capital province.
It was while Yingtai was outside gracefully dancing to the zither played by the eldest daughter of her family that a male entered the outside veranda of the gardens. He watched how graceful her hands, arms, feet and legs swayed through the music.
Suddenly, one of the strings snapped from the zither and Yingtai stopped dancing.
“What is the matter, dear sister?” she asked.
“The string had snapped, Yingtai,” said the sister, “I don’t think there is another to replace it.”
“But there has to be, though!”
The male left, but Yingtai had noticed. And then, he disappeared into the distance.
Who was he?
Yingtai and her siblings were called up by their father.
The Prime Minister sat down in the main throne room and said, “Yingtai…please step forward.”
The girl had to obey specific instructions and performed a kowtow.
“What shall I do for Father?” she asked.
“Well,” said the Prime Minister, clearing his throat, “That is why I alerted you here. Your regal father, King Henry the Eighth, has recovered and urges you to return home to England.”
But Yingtai was confused.
King Henry the Eighth…is my father? But that would mean I am a princess! But I thought that he died of natural causes? Something must be amiss!
“Sir, are you sure what you worded was accurate?”
The elderly man nodded his head.
“Yes…we must prepare you to meet your biological family.”
“But it is a long way from here all the way to England. Are you sure it is safe?”
“Yes.”
The young girl sat in her bed and looked all around her lavish quarters.
We leave in about two months! I can’t just leave the country like this! What should I do?
Yingtai had a deep compassion for poetry and literature.
“I can’t go to any school, though,” she muttered aloud, “Although…”
Yingtai ran out of the room and burst into her father’s quarters.
“Father!” she shouted.
The elderly man was startled.
“Dear daughter,” he said, quite shuttered, “Why must you enter my quarters so flustered?”
“I want to confess something! I’ve always wanted to do this ever since I was a young girl!”
“Whatever it is, name it, and we will do it!”
Yingtai took a deep breath, and said, “I want to go to school! I want to learn! I want to do everything that other girls like me can’t! If Father agrees to this frivolous idea, then I will disguise myself as a man!”
Minister Zhu wanted his daughter to learn and go to school. But he was afraid of his wife, Mistress Zhu’s, grand disapproval. But he saw determination in Yingtai.
He then plucked a white daisy flower and plastered it on a porcelain cup of water. But he didn’t know what else to say to his daughter.
“If I lose my true self, then let this flower be a reminder not only for me, but for all of the Zhu family.”
The prime minister held his youngest daughter in his arms. It was the first time he had ever done so.
“I love you, my wee brave butterfly!”
And so, she was off. But before she readied her luggage in the horse carriage, one of the maids had given her a little piece of sanskrit text, courtesy of her father. When she bidded everyone of the Zhu household goodbye, she opened the text and it read:
The school that you are going to is all the way in Silla. It is not that far from here, only an hour away. But the extraordinary fact is that they accept aspiring female students from age sixteen! I had readied the carriage for the journey to the school. I hope you have such a wonderful time!
Sincerely, Master Zhu.