The Hall of Radiant Harmony blazed with golden light. Rows of lanterns swayed from the carved beams, their glow turning the jade pillars into rivers of warmth. Musicians plucked the qin in the corner, soft notes rising and falling like ripples upon still water. Tonight, the Imperial Palace was alive once more.
For the first time in many months, laughter echoed freely through the grand hall the Crown Prince had awakened.
Upon the high dais, the Emperor sat in solemn dignity. His robe was of black brocade, embroidered with nine golden dragons that coiled across his chest. Though his eyes seemed kind beneath the lamplight, they missed nothing. Every whisper, every glance between his courtiers passed through his gaze like water beneath ice.
At his side sat Empress Shen Wu, serene and radiant, her phoenix crown glinting with tiny pearls that danced each time she moved. She smiled softly, but her hands resting upon her lap remained still, folded tightly together.
Below them, the nobles and ministers knelt to toast. The Crown Prince, now fully recovered, stepped forward to receive their blessings.
"My loyal ministers," the Emperor's voice rang, steady yet warm, "Heaven has blessed our house. The Prince has awakened from his long sleep. Let tonight's wine be sweet, for our dynasty's fortune rises once again."
"Long live His Majesty! May the Crown Prince live ten thousand years!" echoed the hall.
The crown prince, dressed in robes of pale jade, turned to bow deeply to his father. "Your son thanks Heaven, the ancestors, and Your Majesty's care. Without your and their faith, I would not stand here tonight."
The Emperor smiled a rare, genuine warmth but behind it flickered something only a few could see: a ruler's doubt, too old and sharp to ever sleep fully.
"Rise," he said softly, "and let the people see the strength of Xuan Li bloodline."
The crowd applauded as the musicians struck up a brighter tune.
From the second seat of honor, Royal Consort Mei Lian lifted her cup. Her beauty was dazzling, her smile radiant yet the sharp curve of her lips hid envy like a thorn beneath silk.
"Your Majesty," she said sweetly, "this humble Royal consort rejoices with the nation. To see His Highness so spirited fills my heart with joy."
The Emperor inclined his head. "Royal consort Mei speaks well. You have raised Prince Rui wisely his manners, his studies… I hear much praise."
Her eyes glowed at the compliment, but before she could speak again, the Crown Prince turned to her with youthful ease. "Mother Mei flatters me. It is my younger brother Rui who is known for his swordplay I fear if we sparred, he would win before I could draw my blade!"
Laughter rippled through the court. Even the Emperor's lips curved faintly.
From where she sat, the Empress lifted her cup to hide a quiet smile. For once, the Crown Prince's wit had lightened the hall more effectively than a hundred lanterns.
Yet the small, almost imperceptible flicker in Royal consort Mei Lian's gaze betrayed how deeply she disliked being the object of jest.
"His Highness is too humble," she replied, voice smooth as honey. "Prince Rui only wishes to be as disciplined as his elder brother."
Across the table, Prince Rui, her son, lowered his head quickly, his knuckles tightening around the wine cup.
The Emperor, sensing the delicate air, raised his cup. "Enough of comparisons. Let us drink to the future to sons who honor the throne and mothers who guide them wisely."
The entire hall rose.
"Long live His Majesty!"
The musicians played again this time, a joyous melody filled with drums and bamboo flutes. Dancers entered the hall, their sleeves flowing like clouds, their feet whispering upon the polished jade floor.
As laughter swelled, the Emperor leaned back slightly, watching.
Only the Empress noticed that his eyes lingered longer on certain ministers than others the Minister of Rites, who had been too quick to flatter Consort Mei's son; the Chancellor, whose eyes shifted nervously each time the border campaigns were mentioned.
Even while the Emperor smiled, his thoughts were a storm hidden beneath calm waves.
---
When the banquet finally ended, the moon hung high above the palace roofs.
The Emperor dismissed his ministers and retired through the inner corridor with the Empress beside him.
The faint perfume of orchids followed her as she walked. "Your Majesty seems troubled," she said softly once they were alone.
He gave a short, thoughtful hum. "One cannot rule long without learning the scent of deceit. Some of the smiles tonight were… too bright."
She hesitated. "You mean Royal Consort Mei?"
The Emperor stopped beneath a carved screen, where moonlight fell in bars of silver. "She is ambitious, but harmless for now. What concerns me is not the harem. It is the North."
"The North?"
He nodded. "The battle reports from Commander Gu Shen do not align with those from the Ministry. The border victory was true but there is more to it , then someone dares forge my general's words."
The Empress's breath caught. "Who would risk such treason?"
He looked toward the distant halls where lanterns still flickered. "Someone who believes the Dragon is blind."
A chill passed between them.
---
Far across the city, at that same hour, the Gu Residence lay silent beneath the misty moon.
Lady Yue Qin sat in her private chamber, a small bronze lamp casting long shadows across her desk. Before her lay a sealed bamboo tube wrapped in silk the secret message that had arrived earlier that evening.
Her maid, Lian Wen knelt nearby. "Madam, shall I call the steward?"
"No." Yue Qin's voice was low but steady. "This came from my husband's seal, yet… I know his hand too well. The strokes are slightly wrong."
She unrolled the thin parchment. Lines of script covered it, but between the words shimmered faint markings dots and dashes drawn in nearly invisible ink.
"Lian Wen",she murmured, "bring the lamp closer."
The maid obeyed. Under the heat of the flame, faint characters began to emerge between the lines. Yue Qin's eyes widened as she read.
The war was not won.
They have silenced the truth.
The danger lies not in the North but in the Palace itself.
The she remembered the letter she has received before
The border bleeds, but not from war.
The Crown watches what the border hides."
Then her hand trembled. "Heavens…"
Lian'er's voice shook. "Madam, what does it mean?"
"It means someone is using my husband's name to deceive the throne."
At that moment, faint footsteps echoed outside her courtyard slow, deliberate.
She quickly folded the message, sliding it into the hidden compartment beneath the desk. The door creaked open slightly.
"Who's there?"
A guard's shadow appeared in the doorway. "Madam Yue, His Excellency the Minister of War requests an audience."
Her pulse quickened. "At this hour?"
"Yes, madam."
She exchanged a glance with Lian Wen, who swallowed nervously.
"Tell him…" Yue Qin steadied her voice, "…that I shall come shortly."
When the guard left, she whispered, "Lian Wen send a letter to the Temple of White Dew. Use the old sign tell them the Crane has flown south."
The maid nodded and vanished into the night.
Yue Qin sank back into her seat, the lamplight flickering across her pale face.
"If the Emperor learns of this before I can prove the truth," she whispered to the silence, "even Gu Shen's loyalty may not save him."
Outside, the wind sighed through the bamboo. Somewhere far away, a single bell tolled soft, distant, foretelling storms to come.