So, i've read Nightingale by Ernest Bryll... There was a singer(nightingale) who was sought out by the Emperor who wanted to bask in his popularity. Even tho he didn't look royal he was nonetheless chained under Emperor's window to sing all the time. It wasn't long however before ruler grew bored, and so when new but mechanical nightingales from the Western Emperor arrived he discarded original one without a care. And that would be fine, but Emperor demanded that everyone should become deaf to his songs...
And so, silent empire, with only mechanical. but in royal outlook nightingales kept blindly praising the emperor, while The minster and general slowly took power.
Only when at deaths doorstep did Emperor realise his folly and called the original singer back thus saving his country from the corrupt officials and bleak colours of the minister.
Nothing special really, but it was fun to intonate voices of characters(its a short drama).