The Emperor’s Only Consort

Night was falling. A faint blue glow washed over the glazed rooftops of the Forbidden City. Inside the Office of Imperial Attendance, rows of green-headed selection tablets lay neatly on a lacquered tray. Chief Eunuch Li Dequan carried the tray to the imperial desk and bowed: "Your Majesty, it is time." The study was silent except for the soft crackle of candlelight. Seated behind the desk, Emperor Xiao Heng continued reading the memorial in his hand without even glancing up. "Take them away." "Yes, Your Majesty." Li Dequan wasn't surprised. For three years, the answer had never changed. The selection tablets existed only because court etiquette demanded they exist. The emperor had never once touched them. The eunuchs quietly carried the tray away. A short while later, palace lanterns lit the stone paths as the imperial procession left the study. There was only one destination—Chengqian Palace. --- Chengqian Palace was the closest palace to Qianqing Palace, where

The Palace of Phoenix was as dignified as ever. As dawn broke, the eastern sky was just beginning to pale, a thin layer of dew lay on the glazed tiles of Phoenix Palace. All the documents were neatly arranged on the long desk, their corners held down by jade paperweights. Empress Su Mingshu sat behind a long rosewood desk, reviewing the plans for the Spring Tea Banquet. Several bound folios lay open across the desk, several entries had been neatly circled in vermilion ink. Nanny Xu stood quietly beside her, hands folded before her, yet her gaze remained gentle. “Your Highness,” she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper, “all the invitations have been sent out. Early this morning, messengers from each palace returned with word that they have all confirmed their attendance.” Mingshu did not look up, but nodded slightly. The tip of her brush moved across the paper: “What about Chengqian Palace?” “Lady Su was the first to receive the invitation,” Nanny Xu said, leaning forward

The tray lurched sideways. The pot of scalding tea looked like it was about to spill all over Zhao, but somehow it swerved midair and headed straight for Su Qingyuan's face! A few people in the hall gasped. Zhao shot to her feet, completely forgetting herself, and let out a yelp—"Ahhh!" Su Qingyuan dodged to the side in the same instant. The hot water splashed past her shoulder and drenched the table between her and Zhao. The teacup hit the floor and shattered. The little maid dropped to her knees in terror, banging her head on the ground. "This servant deserves death! I deserve death!" Then she looked toward Qingyuan. A gentle smile appeared on her lips. “How fortunate.”She glanced at the steaming tea spread across the table, “Had Lady Su reacted one moment more slowly…” Before Qingyuan could answer, Zhao turned to the maid. "Which palace are you from?" The girl was trembling all over, her voice hoarse. "I—I'm from… Chengqian Palace." The hall went dead silent. Zhao

He carried her out of Phoenix Palace without a word. Not until they were well past the palace gates did Qingyuan tug lightly at his sleeve:“You can put me down now.” “No.” She looked up at him: “Xiao Heng.” He glanced down. “My sleeve’s wet,” she said. “Not my legs.” For the first time since leaving the banquet, the corner of his mouth lifted: “…Fine.” He set her down carefully. The moment her feet touched the ground, his hand found hers again. Qingyuan glanced at their joined hands and gave them a playful little swing: “Do you really need to hold my hand right now?” He didn’t even look at her: “Very.” She only smiled and let him have his way. Neither of them spoke all the way back to Chengqian Palace. Only after the doors closed behind them did Xiao Heng finally let go of her hand. He rested a hand lightly on her shoulder and guided her toward the couch: “Sit.” She sat, watching him with quiet amusement. “The outer robe.” His eyes fell to the damp edge

Court had barely dispersed when Li Dequan caught up with Xiao Heng at the bottom of the marble steps, falling into step half a pace behind."Your Majesty. The imperial physician's report."Xiao Heng didn't slow. "What did he find?""No poison, no wounds, no struggle. The physician believes her heart simply gave out."Xiao Heng's stride hitched for just a fraction of a second, then evened out again. He walked a few more paces, eyes fixed on the long palace avenue ahead, before he spoke."Mm. We'll speak of this at Phoenix Palace."Li Dequan bowed his head and said nothing more, keeping to his customary distance. Master and servant passed through the side corridor of the Meridian Gate in silence, the morning sunlight cutting sharp angles across the flagstones.At Phoenix Palace, Mingshu had already finished her breakfast and was sitting by the window, a book open on her lap—though she hadn't turned a page in some time. She had calculated the timing carefully: court would have ended, the