Chapter 3: The Invitation

The Palace of Phoenix was as dignified as ever.

Morning light bathed the grand hall in a warm glow.

Empress Su Mingshu sat before a stack of palace records, listening quietly as Nanny Xu reported the day's affairs.

"Your Majesty. The invitations for tomorrow's Spring Tea Banquet have all been delivered."

Mingshu nodded without looking up. "Has Chengqian Palace received one?"

"Yes."

Only then did she set down her brush. "Tell the Imperial Kitchen…" She paused for a moment. "…to prepare lotus pastries."

Nanny Xu looked surprised. "Your Majesty?"

Mingshu smiled faintly. "Qingyuan always preferred lotus over osmanthus. She used to complain the osmanthus cakes were too sweet."

Nanny Xu lowered her head with a smile. "It has been years, yet Your Majesty still remembers."

"How could I forget?" Mingshu looked toward the palace window. "When she was little… she would always steal the pastries from my plate."

For just a moment… she wasn't the Empress. She was only an elder sister.

⸻

Outside Phoenix Palace—

Two palace maids whispered as they swept the courtyard.

"They say Lady Su is only favored because she's Her Majesty's younger sister."

"Of course. If not for the Empress, how could someone with such a low rank receive His Majesty's attention?"

Nanny Xu frowned. "Your Majesty, shall I punish them?"

Mingshu slowly shook her head. "No. They're wrong… but not because they spoke ill of Qingyuan."

She lowered her gaze. "They're wrong because they never knew the truth."

Nanny Xu remained silent.

She had served Mingshu since before the Emperor's ascension. She knew—

The Emperor had wanted to marry… the younger Miss Su. Not the elder.

⸻

Inside Zhaohua Palace.

Imperial Concubine Zhao slowly unfolded her invitation.

"The Spring Tea Banquet…" A smile curved her lips. "The Empress truly chose the perfect occasion."

Senior Noble Lady Qing hesitated. "But Her Majesty has always protected her younger sister."

"Protected?" Zhao laughed softly. "Her Majesty cannot protect her every moment."

She gently placed her teacup onto the table. "The banquet belongs to the Empress. But accidents belong to no one."

The room fell silent.

Every woman understood. Tomorrow… someone would lose face.

That evening—

As expected, Xiao Heng arrived at Chengqian Palace.

Su Qingyuan was kneeling beside a low table, arranging fresh flowers.

Without a word, he walked behind her. His arms slipped naturally around her waist.

She leaned back against him without surprise. "Tired?"

"A little."

She reached up and gently touched his cheek. "They said something again?"

"Of course. They're persistent."

She smiled. "They always are. There's their job."

His gaze fell upon the crimson invitation. "The Spring Tea Banquet?"

"Sister invited me."

"I know." His brows drew together almost imperceptibly.

She reached up and touched the furrow between his brows, smoothing it with her fingertip. "My sister won't hurt me."

He held her hand and kissed it. "I know. But someone else might."

Su Qingyuan turned within his embrace until they faced each other. Her fingers lightly traced his brows, the corner of his eyes, the line of his jaw… "When did you become so worried?"

He smiled helplessly. "When I met a girl who climbed trees."

A faint blush crept across her cheeks. "I climbed only once!"

"But you fell." His voice dropped, the memory still sharp after all these years.

"But you caught me." She said it simply, as if it were the most certain thing in the world.

"You frightened me."

She smiled brighter. "You still caught me."

"I always will."

Silence settled between them. Comfortable and familiar.

She rested her forehead lightly against his. "I'll be fine."

"I know. But I'll still worry."

She smiled softly: "Then worry! I'll come back before you—and I'll make dinner myself."

Xiao Heng laughed quietly. "Deal."

He leaned in and kissed her—slowly, deliberately, as if sealing the promise with more than words. When he pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes still half-closed.

Before she could speak, he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her effortlessly from the floor.

"Xiao Heng—!"

She gasped, instinctively looping her arms around his neck.

He carried her toward the inner chamber, his steps unhurried.

"The deal is sealed," he murmured against her ear. "Now I'm collecting the interest."

The bed curtains fell with a soft rustle of silk, enclosing them in a world of warm lamplight and shadow.

Outside, the night was still. Inside, there was only the sound of their breathing, the whisper of fabric, and the quiet intimacy of two people who had belonged to each other long before the world gave them titles.

⸻

The next morning—

Phoenix Palace.

The Spring Tea Banquet had begun.

One by one, the imperial consorts entered the grand hall. Each stepped forward to greet the Empress.

At last—a palace maid announced, "Lady Su has arrived."

The hall grew still.

Su Qingyuan stepped gracefully across the threshold.

The moment Mingshu saw her… the solemn expression on her face softened almost imperceptibly.

"Come here."

Her voice was gentle. Not like an Empress addressing a consort. More like an elder sister calling her little sister home.

Across the hall—Senior Noble Lady Zhao quietly curled her lips into a smile.

Everything… was about to begin.

* Imperial Harem Ranks (Highest to Lowest)

Empress

Imperial Noble Consort

Noble Consort

Consort

Imperial Concubine

Senior Noble Lady

Noble Lady

Attendant

Junior Attendant