I wish I were an empress

I should not spend several hours in the early evening sorting beads, and forget to have supper till around nine-thirty. Sometimes I'm just stupid.

But they are such pretty beads.

Now I need to do something with them. That'll be more difficult.

---

Why is the Empress' Palace shuttered?

Apparently the Empress doesn't like light. Or sudden movements, loud noises, foreigners, treason, peaches. When you're Empress, you can do this kind of thing.

-- Echo Bazaar