"Your Majesty, it's late," a coy voice purred before their owner gave up at Liu Yao's unimpressed glare, the lilting seduction immediately replaced by a hearty chuckle.
The candlelight flickered. At this hour, the standing lanterns of the emperor's study in the imperial villa were already alight, the long tails of the pale blue luminescent wings of the moon moths fluttering like trails of pale silk in the night wind as they drew closer and closer to the irresistible flame.
"Close the window behind you if you're not going to learn to use the door," Liu Yao admonished. It shouldn't bother him; no emperor should be so soft at heart as to feel pity for the death of moths, of all creatures, even if such death were equally senseless. But lately, he'd developed a weakness for delicate, beautiful things that required no deep searching of his soul to understand.
(1) Mencius’ three unfilial acts:
One - To not advice a parent against committing a wrong and letting them enter a situation where they would be immoral.
Two - To not provide for the needs and care for elderly parents.
Three - To not marry and carry on the family line, leaving the family with no descendants.
The word used to describe descendants is gender neutral but considering the interpretation of inheritance laws in that day and age, it is likely to mean leaving the family with no sons.
(2) Zhongyuan Festival: Also known as the ghost festival and held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. It was believed that the gates of hell opened on this day and the deceased would return to visit the living.
A/N: Thank you very much for reading and the comments, reviews, gifts, powerstones, and golden tickets! <3 A bit more has been revealed about what happened with the Yan Family's execution... ><