Imperial Court Hall — Morning Court Session
Golden pillars towered beneath a vast painted ceiling of dragons and clouds. Ministers lined both sides of the hall in orderly ranks, robes of crimson, indigo, and black rustling softly as they knelt and rose in practiced rhythm.
The throne sat high above them, Emperor Tian Zhu seated in silence, his expression unreadable.
One by one, reports were delivered.
Flood control in the southern provinces.
Grain shortages in the west.
Border skirmishes—contained, for now.
Then.
The eunuch's voice rang out.
"Minister Xu of the Ministry of War, step forward."
A murmur rippled through the court.
Minister Xu stepped out from the ranks, bowing deeply.
"This humble minister reports. The northern borders remain stable. The garrisons left behind after my daughter's departure are holding their positions..."
Before he could finish.
"Hah."
A sharp, mocking snort cut through the hall.
Heads turned.
A senior minister from an opposing faction stepped forward, lips curled in disdain.
"Minister Xu speaks boldly for someone no longer fit for his post."
The hall stilled.
Minister Xu stiffened.
"Tell us, why you sent your youngest, illegitimate daughter to marry His Highness the Seventh Prince?"
A few ministers exchanged glances.
"Your beloved legitimate daughter, Xu Meimei, remains safe and cherished at home."
"Yet suddenly, a daughter no one has heard of appears, guarding the borders?"
Soft laughter broke out.
"Was she hiding among soldiers all these years? Or did you remember her only when it became convenient?" Another voice from an opposing minister chimed in
Minister Xu's face flushed.
"This... this is a matter of imperial decree..."
Another minister stepped forward quickly.
"The decree clearly states a daughter of the Xu Clan was to marry the Seventh Prince."
He spread his hands innocently.
"It did not specify which daughter."
Laughter erupted more openly.
"An illegitimate daughter and a fallen prince."
"A perfect match."
"One born without status, the other stripped of it."
The chuckles grew bolder, emboldened by the absence of the princes.
Minister Xu clenched his fists, knuckles whitening, but said nothing.
High above them
The Emperor did not laugh.
His fingers tightened slowly around the armrest of the throne. The court did not notice.
The laughter had barely died down when the opposing minister stepped forward again, face dark with indignation.
"This is absurd! You twists words to justify."
"If the minister finds it so disagreeable"
Minister Xu cut in smoothly, chin lifting.
"Then perhaps your esteemed household might contribute instead."
The hall quieted, sensing blood.
"You may send one of your daughters to serve His Highness the Seventh Prince as a concubine."
More laughter exploded across the court.
Some ministers covered their mouths with sleeves. Others did not bother to hide their amusement.
"What an honor!"
"A fallen prince still bears imperial blood."
The opposing minister's face flushed crimson.
"You!...."
He stepped forward, fury boiling over.
"Enough." The Emperor finally spoke
The word was soft. Calm. Yet it struck the hall like thunder.
Instantly, the laughter died.
All ministers dropped to their knees in unison, foreheads pressed to the marble.
"Long live His Majesty!"
Emperor Tian Zhu rose slightly from the throne, his gaze sweeping across the hall, measured, cold, absolute.
"The marriage has already been completed."
A pause.
"It is an imperial union."
His eyes lingered briefly, almost imperceptibly on Minister Xu.
"This matter is closed."
Another pause, heavier this time.
"Forget it."
No one dared speak.
"Proceed with the next report."
The ministers remained bowed, sweat beading at their temples.
Above them, the dragon throne loomed silent and watchful.
******************************************
Crown prince Tian li Mansion.
The invitation had been polite.
Almost nostalgic.
The Orchid Pavilion was prepared long before her arrival, screens painted with cranes, low tables of dark sandalwood, incense burning faintly enough to calm but never overwhelm. This was not a place for threats.
It was a place for traps wrapped in silk.
Tian Li stood by the open pavilion doors as footsteps approached. When the figure entered, he turned with a smile already in place, hands folded into his sleeves, posture relaxed, welcoming.
"Xiaolan."
Xu Xiaolan bowed in respect to the Crown Prince Tian Li.
He inclined his head slightly, the gesture perfect, neither too intimate nor too distant.
"It has been years."
His gaze swept over her calmly, assessing without appearing to.
"Since you left the capital to join the Xu army, I've often wondered how you were faring."
A servant knelt to pour tea, the liquid pale gold, fragrant with spring leaves.
Tian Li gestured toward the seat opposite him.
"Come. Sit."
He took his own cup, not drinking yet.
"I thought it only proper to invite you now that you've returned."
His smile deepened, eyes dark and observant.
"After all… we haven't spoken properly in years."
The tea steamed gently between them.
Spoken in years, he said? The only word Tian Li had ever spoken to her was to ask her name, in his words:
"An illegitimate daughter? Her beauty rivals Meimei, Qingsha."
She still remembered him saying those words casually. But the twisted horror and hate on her stepmother's face could never be wiped off.
That night, she had been locked away in her room for several nights without food.
"Your Highness," she said, then took a seat opposite him.
Ji-lie stood at a far distance, watching. It was just her and the Crown Prince.
"It is an honor to be remembered by you."
She smiled.
Tian Li watched her sit, the faintest curve of amusement touching his lips as he lifted his teacup.
"Honor is such a heavy word."
He took a slow sip, eyes never leaving her face.
"But I do remember you, how could I not? A daughter no one acknowledged, yet bold enough to leave comfort for the battlefield."
He set his cup down gently.
"That takes ambition."
The wind shifted. Incense smoke curled.
"And now…"
A soft smile.
"You return as the wife of my most… troublesome brother."
His fingers tapped once against the table.
"Fate is amusing, isn't it?"
He leaned back slightly, posture relaxed, but his presence pressed heavy in the pavilion.
"Tell me, Xiaolan…"
His voice lowered, smooth and coaxing.
"How is married life with the Seventh Prince?"
His eyes flicked briefly toward Ji-lie, then back.
But beneath the calm. Dark magic stirred, Invisible threads of mind manipulation brushed the air, testing boundaries, probing for fear, loyalty, weakness.
And behind his pleasant expression, Calculation churned.
Because to Tian Li, Xu Xiaolan was not a bride.
She was a weapon.
And weapons were meant to be aimed.
She hesitated for a while, then in one swift motion stood and went down on one knee fast, her head bowed low.
"This subordinate was presumptuous, forgive me Your Highness."
The moment she dropped to one knee.
The air changed.
The warmth drained from Tian Li's expression as if it had never existed.
Silence pressed down like a blade poised at the neck.
He did not rush to speak.
He did not tell her to rise.
Instead, he stood.
She knew. She knew this wasn't just tea.
She knew the Crown Prince wanted nothing with her, he wanted reports on the Seventh Prince, wanted to know if she had already given him the first drop of poison on the wedding night. But she hadn't.
Instead, she had made him spill it out at breakfast.
"I didn't want to rush into it. The Seventh Prince could have tricks under his sleeves. I wanted to make sure he didn't suspect a thing," she said to Tian Li.
The hem of his robes brushed the floor as he stepped closer, stopping just short of her bowed head. His shadow swallowed her kneeling form entirely.
"Presumptuous?"
His voice was quiet.
"No."
A faint, dangerous smile curved his lips.
"You are cautious."
He circled her once, hands clasped behind his back, gaze cold and evaluative.
"And caution keeps people alive."
He stopped in front of her again.
"For now."
A soft chuckle escaped him, humorless.
The pavilion felt colder.
"Do not misunderstand me, Xiaolan."
His tone hardened, the silk stripped away to reveal iron beneath.
"I do not require excuses."
"I require results."
He turned his back to her, walking toward the tea table, lifting his cup again.
"But I will allow patience"
He took a sip.
".....if patience serves me."
He glanced over his shoulder, eyes dark, piercing.
The cup lowered.
"Rise."
Outside the pavilion, the wind stirred the orchids.
"Yes, Your Highness," she said, and then stood up.
Her obedience was… acceptable.
Tian Li watched her rise, his expression unreadable, when soft footsteps approached from behind the screen. A man entered, middle-aged, dressed plainly, his aura restrained yet dangerous. He was one of Tian Li's most trusted attendants. The servant knelt and presented a sealed scroll with both hands.
"Your Highness."
Tian Li took it without a word. He broke the seal, his eyes moving swiftly across the contents. Then, he smiled.
It was the kind of smile that meant someone, somewhere, had just stepped exactly where he wanted them to.
"So it begins," Tian Li said softly.
He rolled the scroll closed, tapping it once against his palm before handing it back.
"Good timing."
The servant bowed and withdrew silently, vanishing beyond the screens. Tian Li turned back to her, his composure once again flawless.
"You may go."
He paused, the silence measured.
"Continue as you are."
A faint curl of cruelty touched his lips.
The orchids swayed as she was escorted out.
Left alone, Tian Li returned to the pavilion table, reopening the scroll. Dark amusement glinted in his eyes.
"Let us see which monster devours the other first."
The tea had gone cold.
But the game was finally warm.
On the walk back to the Seventh Prince's mansion, she paused and breathed out heavily. Ji-lie stopped at once, sighing, already knowing the trouble they were in.
"We need another plan," Xu Xiaolan said quietly.
One look at her face and she already knew, whatever had happened in the Crown Prince's mansion was bad. Very bad. She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"He pressed you."
She leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Crown Prince doesn't drink tea for old memories."
She glanced around, ensuring no one was close enough to overhear. "If you hesitate too long, who knows what he might do."
"And if i act too fast...." Xiaolan paused, she didn't finish the sentence. Both outcomes were deadly.
Ji-lie straightened, meeting her gaze with fierce loyalty. "Then we change the rules."
The Seventh Prince's mansion came into view in the distance, its gates standing tall and quiet. Ji-lie lowered her voice further.
"Tell me what you want to do."
Above them, unseen, shadows shifted along the rooftops, following every step back home.
A palace wrapped in gold, two princes were already moving their pieces.
The board was no longer hidden.
Only the end remained uncertain.