Night settled over Peony Pavilion according to rules Hanim had chosen for herself. Four lanterns were lit while two remained dark, the outer curtain was raised only to chest height, and the incense delivered by a storehouse eunuch never reached the brazier because her foreign attendants replaced it with slender fragrant sticks taken from Hanim’s private chest. Three cups had already been placed on the low table beside the window before the Emperor arrived. One was meant for wine, another for warm tea, while the third remained empty, almost as though the room itself were waiting to see who would reach for what first. A eunuch assigned to test drinks knelt beside the table with thin gloves covering his hands. He tasted the wine from the imperial jar and waited for a quarter of an incense stick before giving the signal that it was safe. The local maids who normally served in the western pavilion had been moved to the

The tea in the Empress’s pavilion had gone cold before anyone touched it. The steam had vanished, the surface remained still, and that unnatural calm made the entire room feel as though it had been holding its breath for too long. The fan in the Empress’s hand no longer moved. Consort Zheng sat on the left with her back held too straight, while Consort Qian appeared more relaxed on the right, although the tips of her nails repeatedly pressed against the handle of her cup. Four maids stood near the wall without daring to raise their eyes. Two eunuchs bowed beside the door, and one had remained in the same position so long that a faint tremor had begun in his knees. The Empress looked down at the cold tea. “If His Majesty still wishes to behave like a boy, let him. What disgusts me is watching the entire palace pretend this is an ordinary matter.” Consort Zheng raised her fan sl

“This servant was deeply touched by the attention shown last night,” Hanim said as she looked at the sweets. “Far from one’s homeland, even a single tray can feel warmer than an embrace from family.” Consort Zheng smiled, although the fan in her hand remained closed. “Then why did the tray return untouched?” “Because this servant feared she might enjoy it carelessly.” Hanim picked up one piece with silver chopsticks. “Senior Consort was raised inside this palace, while I was not. Before accepting such kindness, I would like to see how a woman who has lived here longer marks friendship.” Zheng fell silent. Consort Qian looked aside slightly, hiding a smile that almost appeared. “What do you mean?” Zheng finally asked. Hanim placed the fruit into a small porcelain bowl before her. “Please taste it f

The question sounded simple, which was exactly why Aunt Yan had to answer carefully. She had already been instructed to give Hanim information that was only slightly wrong, and now the woman standing before her was asking her to repeat that trap with her own mouth. “Her Majesty the Empress naturally holds the highest position,” Aunt Yan replied. “Everyone else only needs to follow the seating arrangement already prepared inside.” Hanim nodded and glanced into the room before crossing the threshold. She took in the tables, the number of cups, the angle of the chairs, Senior Eunuch Luo standing too calmly beside a pillar, Consort Zheng with an unmoving fan, and Consort Qian wearing a smile that was almost too polite. That was enough for her to understand the shape of the room. Hanim entered and gave the proper greeting, neither too deeply nor too casually. She also did not move

Liu Yan studied Hanim for several moments. The request sounded small enough to grant casually, yet he understood that control over the morning visitor list would change the path of everyone seeking access through Peony Pavilion. Precisely because it sounded modest, granting it did not make him feel that he had surrendered anything. On the contrary, giving Hanim another privilege allowed him to feel even more powerful. “Very well,” he said. “Starting tomorrow morning, you will review the visitor list for Peony before anyone enters. Gifts you dislike may be refused without seeking permission from the inner palace, and if you wish to send a reply in your pavilion’s name, you may use a small seal rather than waiting for the greater palace seal.” Yanliu, standing farther back, almost forgot to breathe. It was neither a title nor an official promotion, but inside the palace a right like that could