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The skies above the Great Empire of Tianzhou were painted in soft shades of pale gold and silver as evening slowly descended upon the imperial palace.
The palace looked beautiful during this hour.
Quiet.
Elegant.
Almost untouched by the unease lingering beneath its walls.
From afar, the layered rooftops glimmered beneath the fading sunlight while long crimson corridors stretched endlessly between courtyards and gardens. The wind carried the faint scent of blooming jasmine and cherry blossoms through the open air, causing silk curtains to sway gently behind carved windows.
Beyond the palace walls, distant mountains rested beneath drifting clouds, their silhouettes softened by the warm glow of dusk.
Everything looked peaceful.
Yet inside the palace-
Peace felt fragile.
Within the quieter section of the inner palace, Shen Yunxi stood silently by the balcony of his chambers.
The evening breeze brushed softly against his robes and dark hair as he gazed outward at the scenery beyond the palace grounds.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes seemed distant.
Thoughtful.
The balcony overlooked part of the imperial gardens below, where servants moved quietly along stone pathways while guards continued patrolling more heavily than usual since the incident with the princess.
Yunxi noticed it all.
The tension.
The unease.
The silence that no longer felt natural.
His fingers lightly rested against the wooden railing.
And slowly-
His thoughts drifted toward Princess Xiao Lihua.
By now, she was likely already far from Tianzhou.
Far from the palace she had grown up in.
Far from the familiar gardens she loved.
Yunxi lowered his gaze slightly.
A faint ache settled quietly inside his chest.
Lihua had been one of the very few people who treated him gently within the palace.
And now-
She was gone.
The evening wind grew colder.
Then suddenly-
The chamber doors opened softly behind him.
"Young Master Shen?"
The familiar voice of Mei Lian broke the silence gently.
Yunxi turned slightly.
Mei entered carefully while carrying a polished tray of tea and snacks, her movements far calmer compared to her usual energetic self.
"I brought evening tea," she said softly.
Her eyes quickly noticed the expression lingering on Yunxi's face.
The sadness.
The quiet loneliness.
Mei's cheerful demeanor softened almost instantly.
"You're thinking about the princess again, aren't you?"
Yunxi remained silent for a moment before giving a small nod.
Mei sighed quietly.
"I figured."
She carefully placed the tray down onto the small wooden table near the window before gesturing lightly.
"You should sit down first, Young Master."
Yunxi obediently walked over and sat beside the table while Mei prepared the tea carefully.
The warm scent of herbs slowly filled the room.
For a while-
Neither of them spoke.
Only the quiet sounds of pouring tea and the distant rustling wind could be heard.
Finally, Mei glanced toward him softly.
"The princess will be alright."
Yunxi looked at her quietly.
Mei smiled gently while handing him a cup.
"She's strong."
Her voice carried reassurance.
"And besides, the Guo'an Empire is Tianzhou's ally. They'll welcome her respectfully."
Yunxi lowered his gaze toward the tea in his hands.
Mei noticed his lingering concern and continued speaking softly.
"And she won't be alone there."
"She has servants, guards... and General Liang Fengxiao personally arranged part of the escort before they left."
At the mention of the general, Yunxi blinked slightly.
Mei nodded confidently.
"The general looked incredibly serious this morning. Honestly, I think he barely slept after what happened."
A faint amused smile tugged at Mei's lips.
"He looked like he wanted to personally hunt down the assassin himself."
Yunxi's fingers tightened slightly around the tea cup.
The memory of hearing about the attack still unsettled him.
Mei noticed immediately.
"Hey..."
Her voice softened further.
"Don't overthink too much."
She sat across from him now, resting her chin lightly against her hand.
"The princess would probably be sad if she knew you were worrying this much."
Yunxi blinked.
Then slowly-
Very softly-
A quiet hum escaped him.
A small sound.
Barely audible.
But enough.
Mei's eyes widened slightly before her expression melted into warmth.
"There it is."
She smiled brightly.
"That means thank you, right?"
Yunxi lowered his gaze shyly.
Mei laughed softly.
"You really are too gentle for this palace."
The room slowly grew quieter afterward.
Outside, the fading sunset painted the sky in deeper shades of crimson.
And for a brief moment-
The peaceful warmth of tea and quiet company softened the loneliness inside Yunxi's heart.
Far deeper within the imperial palace-
The atmosphere could not have been more different.
Inside the emperor's private study hall, stacks of scrolls and documents covered nearly every surface of the room.
This chamber served as the heart of Tianzhou's political affairs-a place where matters of war, alliances, taxation, and imperial authority were decided.
Tall shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, filled with ancient records and carefully organized scrolls. Golden candlelight flickered softly against dark wooden furniture while the scent of ink lingered heavily in the air.
At the center of the room sat Emperor Xiao Zhenyu.
Alone.
Several opened scrolls rested before him while unfinished reports lay scattered beside stacks of official documents.
Yet despite appearing focused-
His thoughts were elsewhere.
His expression remained cold as always, but faint exhaustion lingered beneath his eyes.
The previous night's events still weighed heavily on him.
Suddenly-
Knock. Knock.
Zhenyu did not look up immediately.
"Enter."
The doors opened carefully.
And General Liang Fengxiao stepped inside.
Dressed in dark formal robes instead of armor, the general still carried an imposing presence. Though calm outwardly, faint bruising near his nose remained from the confrontation with the assassin.
He bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty."
Zhenyu finally lifted his gaze.
"Report."
Liang Fengxiao straightened immediately.
"The royal escort safely crossed the eastern border this afternoon."
The emperor listened silently.
"The princess's journey has remained stable so far. No suspicious movement has been detected nearby."
Zhenyu's expression eased only slightly.
"And the Guo'an Empire?"
"Their welcoming officials were already prepared in advance."
Liang Fengxiao paused briefly before continuing.
"Prince Guo Mingze himself reportedly awaited the princess's arrival."
The emperor lowered his gaze toward the scroll before him again.
"...Good."
Though his voice remained calm, Liang Fengxiao noticed the subtle relief hidden beneath it.
Silence settled briefly inside the study.
Then Zhenyu spoke again.
"The investigation?"
Liang Fengxiao's expression sharpened immediately.
"We still have not identified the assassin's origins."
"But?"
The general hesitated briefly.
"...He was highly trained."
Zhenyu looked toward him again.
"Not ordinary?"
"No."
Liang Fengxiao's gaze darkened slightly.
"His movements were precise. Professional. He infiltrated the palace with almost no trace."
The emperor's fingers tapped slowly against the table.
"A foreign spy?"
"It is possible."
Liang Fengxiao paused again.
Then quietly added-
"But I do not believe his mission was simply assassination."
Zhenyu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Explain."
"The intruder had opportunities to kill the princess immediately," Liang Fengxiao said carefully.
"But instead, he chose to threaten her."
"To terrify her."
The room fell silent afterward.
Zhenyu understood immediately.
Psychological warfare.
Fear.
Instability.
Someone was sending a message.
The emperor's gaze slowly darkened.
"...Liangyu."
Liang Fengxiao did not answer directly.
But his silence itself became confirmation enough.
The tension inside the room deepened further.
Then finally, Liang Fengxiao bowed slightly again.
"One more matter, Your Majesty."
Zhenyu glanced toward him.
"The Empress has been looking for you."
The emperor's expression shifted subtly.
Liang Fengxiao continued respectfully.
"Her Majesty seemed concerned after hearing about the princess."
Zhenyu lowered his gaze quietly.
The mention of Empress Su Wanyin brought a different kind of exhaustion entirely.
Wanyin had always fulfilled her duties flawlessly.
Elegant.
Intelligent.
Gentle before others.
And now-
Four months pregnant with the imperial heir.
Yet despite all of this-
There had never truly been love between them.
Their marriage existed because duty demanded it.
Because the late emperor and empress desired stability for the throne.
Nothing more.
Still-
Zhenyu would never neglect the child once born.
Nor would he deny Wanyin the respect owed to an empress.
Liang Fengxiao carefully observed the emperor's silence before speaking once more.
"Should I inform Her Majesty that you are occupied?"
Zhenyu remained quiet for several moments.
Then finally-
"...No."
He slowly closed the scroll in front of him.
"Tell the Empress I will see her shortly."
Liang Fengxiao bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As the general exited the study hall, the room fell silent once again.
The emperor leaned back slightly in his chair, eyes lowering briefly.
Outside the palace windows-
Night had begun to fall over Tianzhou.
And though the palace remained beautiful beneath the lantern light-
Storms were already beginning to gather beneath its golden surface.
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(End of Chapter 18)