#12 Wish

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 12; the twelfth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.


While festivities in the royal palace continued on the event of The Emperor's son returning back from his expedition and the commencement of the New Year, Wu Zhung sat aloof in her chamber. After a decade, a silk scroll from LuiFei had arrived and it now lay in Wu Zhung's lap. YinHe had seen her read and reread it in the full moon light. He stepped a little closer and took a peek, himself.

What one wants and what one gets,
If for the better, the old one forgets,
When wants become things,
For which one craves,
Then wants become wishes,
And one becomes a slave.

When one sets about,
Getting what he wants,
Then little seems too less,
And he wishes for more.
Seldom does he remember,
He never had it before!


The words were neatly written in a slender, slanting  hand with much care. The meaning was also equally crisp to both Wu Zhung and even YinHe.

Wu Zhung was suddenly aware of YinHe peering over her shoulder but she didn't mind this slight invasion of her privacy. YinHe, the Mongol eunuch who had been appointed as Wu's personal servant had been at her side, through thick and thin over the past decade. This sexless being was more of a confidante and had taken great care of her. Wu Zhung could not possibly be angry with anything he did or said for she trusted that it would always be for her own good. So she had immediately guessed that YinHe had something to do with the arrival of this letter from LuiFei. However YinHe had never crossed his line and Wu Zhung realised that  to communicate what he strongly felt about her recent behaviour, he had utilised LuiFei's help.

" I hope that the poem has communicated its hidden message well?", said YinHe in a tone of anxious inquiry, in an attempt to figure out what Wu Zhung was thinking and whether there was scope for a change of heart. 

Greying LuiFei, The Emperor Lao Zhung's 10th imperial mistress was Wu Zhung's friend, philosopher and guide. And Wu Zhung would never dare ignore her words. After all it was LuiFei who had groomed the teenaged farmer's daughter from Kunming and had made her the magnificently seductive concubine that she was today. It was only because of LuiFei that little Wu had speedily risen to becoming the 211th Imperial mistress within two years time of having arrived at the royal harem.  

LuiFei's opening lines ,  "What one wants and what one gets,
 If for the better, the old one forgets,..." reminded Wu Zhung of that stage in her life, almost a decade ago when she was just another peasant's daughter and was suffering a life below the poverty line. She was yearning for wealth and luxury. Dressed in the only cotton frock she had, Wu had arrived at the royal palace seeking help for her ailing mother and hungry siblings with a basket of peonies in her hand. Enamoured by her earthy virgin beauty, The Emperor had immediately included her between the court ladies and sent an handsome amount of wealth home, to her family. Reveling in the luxuries of 'The Great Within' and busy adapting to the ways of the harem, Wu had soon completely forgotten about the hardships she'd seen back on the farmlands. Luifei's poetic words seemed to chide her today for forgetting those days of The Emperor's kindness.

Wu could not agree more at this point that LuiFei was a woman with an alert mind and even wiser ways of handling situations and people. She imagined LuiFei snigger at her childish escapades. LuiFei had aptly penned these lines and with a purpose. Wu realised that the purpose had been achieved.
 
"When wants become things,
For which one craves,
Then wants become wishes,
And one becomes a slave."

These four lines of the poem reminded Wu of that very night when LuiFei had thrown a dinner party for the Emperor and she'd been invited.  

Wu Zhung had enjoyed The Emperor Lao Zhung's favours in plenty. He had fallen head over heels for her beauty. As a young teenager she had absorbed and mastered all that LuiFei had taught her. The art of luring with the batting of her long thick eyelashes and the not- so- obvious but slight pout of her luscious lips.
 
"The come hither glance has to be thrown across at the right moment, mind you!" LuiFei had instructed her in one of the private training sessions held specially for Wu in LuiFei's chambers.

She had learnt the most gracious moves of the ancient fan dance and also learnt to pluck the LiuQuin well and in an enigmatic style. So when she had performed before The Emperor at LuiFei's dinner party, she could feel The Emperor's eyes appraise her from top to toe, with awe. There was a hint of lust in them too but she didn't mind that night.
Wu Zhung remembered how her heart had beat a thousand strokes faster that evening as she presented herself. And how she'd desperately wanted to become more than what she was. She wanted to be the Emperor's next love interest, with all her body and soul. Wu felt the woman hood in her burst at the seams. She did not wish to remain a virgin anymore.
 
" My heart had thumped faster and louder at the idea of being made love to by The Emperor Lao Zhung himself.", she reminisced.
 
And Wu Zhung felt her cheeks blush a deeper pink at the thought that she, the pet mistress of The Emperor now garnered such feelings for someone else! That her cravings were no longer for the Emperor but for his son. That she wished and wanted to bed someone else and had become a slave to these wile temptations. 

"When one sets about,
Getting what he wants,
Then little seems too less,
And he wishes for more.
Seldom does he remember,
He never had it before!"

Hong Zhung, The Emperor Lao Zhung's 19 year old, 4th son from the 1st Empress had been undertaking a lot of expeditions over the YellowSeas. The Emperor out of all his love for his favourite concubine, granted Wu Zhung to accompany him on one such journey to the Malabar coasts of India. He was well aware of Wu Zhung's cravings for 'The Great Without'.
She traversed the oceans and smelt the sweet freedom in the open air. She tasted the salty waters at different shores and absolutely lost control over herself.

" My feelings were so overwhelming that I gave in. As a teenager I had sold my soul and I want to reclaim it as a woman. I wished for true love and I have found it. Hong Zhung is a wonderful man, YinHe. And there is freedom in loving him. His love is not possessive. It is unconditional, without reason, without expectation and that makes it all the more intoxicating. I am addicted, YinHe. Please save me. " Wu Zhung had confessed  to YinHe after her return back to 'The Great Within'. But she hadn't meant it.
Wu Zhung still knew that she didn't want to be saved.

" I cannot deny that I wish for more! I don't want a little of The Emperors' love, I want all of it. And that isn't possible. It is too less for my aching heart. Hong Zhung loves me with all he's got and I wish to bask in its glory." with this Wu Zhung threw the silk scroll away on her bed.

As her silhouette stood by the bay window outlined by the silver stream of moon light, YinHe stood by in utter disappointment and astonishment.
" ...your humble servant wishes you to know that you are asking for trouble. I wish you could see what I foresee." YinHe sighed.

But  Wu Zhung was deaf to all his pleas. She was lost in her trance once again.
" If wishes were horses .... " her voice trailed off with a deeper sigh.


FACTS in the FICTION:

1. LUI is a romanized non-Mandarin variant of the Chinese surname Lei meaning 'Thunder'
FEI means concubine.
LuiFei is the fictitious Emperor's concubine here but in ancient China names of the concubines were actually thus concocted.

2. After the Mongols lost to the Chinese, the adult offenders were brutally butchered but the young Mongol boys were only castrated and brought home as prisoners of war. As many as 70, 000 sexless mongol boys had been taken into the Emperor's harem.Only these sexless beings could act as personal servants to the harem's ladies and besides the Emperor, were the only others to be allowed into 'The Great Within' .

3. LiuQuin is an ancient Chinese instrument played by concubines which is a fretted lute with 4 fine strings of twisted silk strung to a wooden pear-shaped body.

4. Travel and trade across the Yellow Seas dd flourish under the Emperor Zhu Di and the Chinese fleets did visit the Malabar coasts of India.
5. This is the 12th part of my first story series 'The Great Without' and also my entry to the 12th edition of Blogaton. :D Happy Anniversary B-A-T!


The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.








Comments

magiceye said…
beautiful take on the theme!
Viyoma said…
Superb, as usual :)
Wishing you the best for BATOM - 12
Sparkling Star said…
Nice one Vibhuti!! ATB!!
Hey Deepakji,
thanks for the compliment. Happy to see you reading my series..:D

@ Viyoma:
I am flattered. Thanks a ton. You just made my day..:D
very nice Vibs... superb flow as usual... all the best... :)
Vee said…
i read ur earlier posts. i must say your entry is awesome as they were before.
Superb, Awesome, Chanceless and what else?
Whenever I watch Sachin ply cricket, I feel mesmerized and it happened now.

"What one wants and what one gets,
If for the better, the old one forgets,..." Impressed....

I wish you a good luck for BATOM - 12

Saravana Kumar - Wish

Yours Frendly,
Saravana Kumar M
@ Tavish: Thanks dude. Happy to see you visited my blog again..:D

@Vee: THanks for the compliement.Its very motivating to know that I have steady readers like you. Muchothanx..:D
@ Sravana: WOW! My work is being compared with Sachin Tendlkar's performance? I am flattered, really! I will try to stand up to this compliment always. Thanks a ton!
adarshs said…
nice work vibhuti....d story is progressing very smoothly....n u seem to hav brought out d best for BAT 12...
Phoenixritu said…
And now the tension starts! I like it. Methinks she will get killed .... but how many will she take down with her - that is the question. ATB for BATOM
HI Adarsh, It is just my luck that the story progressed the way I was planning to steer it. And wanted to be here at BAT 12 with something new. So 'The Great Without' is my hard -work dedictaed to submit something special at BAT-12. :D Am so happy to know that you are finding it nice..:)) Thanksa ton..
Hey Ritu Di,
This is flattering to know that such a great writer as you seems to be so involved in my story series. Am on cloud 9. :D
I hope the turn of events that you will read in the following chapters do justice to the interest you have shown.
Mucho gracias Di..:))
Brijender Singh said…
Read it very carefully this time,so as not to goof up like I did last month !
Brilliant narrative and a wonderful plot-the poetry is especially amazing-many of us would consider our job done merely by writing the poem,u use it as an aside.
Great piece of writing !
Gauri said…
Fascinating story telling. Also remarkable use of 'Facts in the Fiction'

You have a new follower :)

Good Wishes for BAT12!

Gkam - Wish
Guddu said…
Awesome. I have stolen these lines from ur post for my facebook status mgs : "When one sets about,
Getting what he wants,
Then little seems too less,
And he wishes for more.
Seldom does he remember,
He never had it before!"

ALL da best for BATOM
http://frescobyme.blogspot.com/2010/07/wish.html
Amity said…
a beautiful story...a unique take even...:-)

my first time in your blog and I am sure i will come back again...you've got a new follower in me...:-)

i love the patience you've exerted in writing this post, and you really worked on your assignment!

goodluck for BAT 12!!! you were last month's winner I guess, if my memory serves me right...:-)

do visit and read my entry too! thanks in advance...:-)
D2 said…
This is brilliant!
A very well crafted story and the underlying theme is really well depicted.
There is never an end to wishing for more and that is any man's bane.
Brilliantly written.
All the best for BAT-12.
:)
wonderful narration...
liked those lines in between
btw, any reason for choosing chinese theme ?
Hey Brijendarsingh,
Am obliged that you gave my writing so much attention. And your compliment is really very motivating.
Thanks a ton and do visit my posts again..:D
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said…
this is super, am yet to read the earlier posts on this, but going just by this one, stupendous!!!
i like pre-modern settings and plots rich in history..
the poetry at the beginning was fantastic, the flow n narration superb and the ending mind-blowing..
just that am not sure regarding the pic, its japanese and not mongol!!!
and the idea of great within, great without, if its urs then marvelous, it lends credibility!
best wishes for BAT12 :)
loved this one a lot
swayambhu said…
hey thats a wonderfully well researched story! awesome work! All d best!
Vibhuti: you weave magic with your words. I have been following this story and absolutely love it.Loved the way you made "wish" the central theme of this part. You have my definite vote for this BAT.
All the best.
@ gkam: am happy that you noticed the facts in the fiction. Worked hard towards making the story as close to reality. Thanks..:D

@ GUddu- am flattered. Thanks! Do add me at FB so I can see it in your status msg. :D
Hey Amity,
welcome to my blog. Am so happy that you enjoyed your first visit here. Hope am able to dish out tastier treats in the future too. Please do visit again. Thanks
Vipul Grover said…
Interesting as alwez.. the chinese names do trouble but concentratd well in d beginning nd thn thr was no pblm thr on :)
Nicely crafted story around a beautiful peoem.. ATB :)
@ D2, Mahesh K and Swayambhu.
Thanks for your kind words of appreciation.:D

@easyVivek: Am flattered to know you see so many high points in my story. This is really motivating.
Like you say the image may very well be Japanese but the instrument is the LiuQuin which is known by some other name in Japan but played there too. Well my story isn;t exactly Mongol either!:D
The Great Within and The Great Without are very well known Chinese terms and I have weaved them into my story for a dramatic effect. Glad you feels it lends my tale credibility!
I apprecaite the time you have spent on reviewing my work.
thanks again..:))
Hey DilSe,
thanks for visiting my blog again.
And am very obliged!
Thanks for the vote. I appreciate the gesture! :D
Hey Vipul,
am so happy to see your comment at my blog.
Glad this story worked for you as it progressed. I knew someone would find the names difficult to remember so gave them a good intro in the begining itself.:D
Thanks and ATB to u too
Shilpa Garg said…
Damn good narration and a wonderful take on the topic! :)
All the best for BAT-12.
Cheers :)
Siddhesh Kabe said…
Hey excellent post as usual ya....:D and yes the chinese thing added a classic element to it...:D
Pavil said…
Yes !!!! The chinese names do trouble. Any reason for chosing the chinese backdrop ?
U r a good weaver. I liked it.
ThankYou Shilpa and Siddesh.

@ Pavil: Thanks for the kind words of praise. If you read the Facts in the fiction part you will know that this is also the 12th chapter of the story series 'The Great WIthout' and hence the chinese backdrop to the WISH. :D
Vikas Khair said…
Although I went through the story quickly to read as many posts as possible before voting. all the best for BAT-12
Deepika said…
wow, just wow!I have no more to say! :)
Vikas Khair said…
Although I went through the story quickly to read as many posts as possible before voting. all the best for BAT-12
Pavil said…
Yes !!!! The chinese names do trouble. Any reason for chosing the chinese backdrop ?
U r a good weaver. I liked it.
easyvivek said…
this is super, am yet to read the earlier posts on this, but going just by this one, stupendous!!!
i like pre-modern settings and plots rich in history..
the poetry at the beginning was fantastic, the flow n narration superb and the ending mind-blowing..
just that am not sure regarding the pic, its japanese and not mongol!!!
and the idea of great within, great without, if its urs then marvelous, it lends credibility!
best wishes for BAT12 :)
loved this one a lot
Mahesh Kalaal said…
wonderful narration...
liked those lines in between
btw, any reason for choosing chinese theme ?
Guddu said…
Awesome. I have stolen these lines from ur post for my facebook status mgs : "When one sets about,
Getting what he wants,
Then little seems too less,
And he wishes for more.
Seldom does he remember,
He never had it before!"

ALL da best for BATOM
http://frescobyme.blogspot.com/2010/07/wish.html
Brijender Singh said…
Read it very carefully this time,so as not to goof up like I did last month !
Brilliant narrative and a wonderful plot-the poetry is especially amazing-many of us would consider our job done merely by writing the poem,u use it as an aside.
Great piece of writing !
adarshs said…
nice work vibhuti....d story is progressing very smoothly....n u seem to hav brought out d best for BAT 12...
Vee... said…
i read ur earlier posts. i must say your entry is awesome as they were before.
Swathi Pradeep said…
Nice one Vibhuti!! ATB!!

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