Huang Yasheng looked down at the assembled ministers. The furrow between his brows was the only indicator of his displeasure with the nobles below, bickering amongst themselves. To think that even on such a day when a messenger was supposed to come from their biggest rival, they were hellbent on pushing their agenda.

It was impressive, almost, how they could never tire of the same old banters. The Minister of Public Works demanding more funds, the Minister of Finance saying the money was better used elsewhere, the Minister of Miltary Affairs complaining about the lack of resources and rations…. It went on and on. Half of what was given to these Ministries was pocketed by them, while the people suffered every day.

Huang Yasheng kept tapping on the armrest and it got more and more aggressive as the voices of the courtiers rose. “Enough!” he finally snapped, his voice cracking like a whip. “Do you still have any respect for your Emperor? Do you intend to humiliate Us in front of Our guest today?”

The room went deathly quiet. Only shuffling could be heard as those Ministers hurried back to their places. No matter how greedy they were, none of them wanted to incur the wrath of the Emperor.

'Cowards,' the most uncharitable part inside Huang Yasheng thought.

The Grand Preceptor, who had been just about the only one silent (and watching the proceedings with barely hidden amusement in his eyes, the old fox), stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best if the Court is adjourned for today. Our guest is due to arrive soon and it would not do for him to see such discord amongst us."

Huang Yasheng nodded, grateful for the Grand Preceptor's intervention. "Very well," he said, his voice still carrying a hint of anger. "We shall adjourn this Court for now. But know this, my subjects. We expect better behavior from you in the future. If you cannot put aside your petty squabbles, then We shall have to find those who will."

The Ministers all nodded, mumbling apologies and hurrying out of the room.

"Grand Preceptor Xie, Prime Minister Yun, Grand Commandant Han, stay back. We want your presence when the messenger arrives."

The three mentioned stopped in their movements and stepped back into the Court.

Huang Yasheng sighed, leaning back on his throne. He needed to gather his thoughts and calm his anger. The messenger was due to arrive soon, after all.

He turned to Eunuch Li and commanded, "Prepare refreshments for our guest. Make sure they are of the finest quality."

Eunuch Li bowed and stepped out. Huang Yasheng turned his head to the three persons in the room. The Grand Preceptor looked serene and the Prime Minister was a blank slate with no visible emotions. The only one who showed uneasiness was Han Qin. His loyal subordinate with whom he went through life and death had always been a simple person who wore his heart on his sleeve. He'd come far when it came to concealing his emotions. But any expert eye could detect the fluctuations in his thoughts.

"Anything to say?" He asked.

The frown on Han Qin's face deepened before he bowed and spoke. "Your Majesty, is it truly prudent to allow a messenger of Rayie to come here? We have been at a silent war for years now. They frequently attack our borders. We all know they're eyeing our Capital and Your Majesty's throne. They're the only Kingdom that has strength almost equal to us. Is allowing them inside the Capital not equivalent to offering our necks to them?"

"You exaggerate, Grand Commandant," Prime Minister Yun spoke up. "It is only a messenger. There is no harm in seeing what he has to say. If this conflict can be resolved without bloodshed, then is that not all the better for us?"

"But…"

"I agree with the Prime Minister, Your Majesty," the Grand Preceptor chose that moment to speak up. "The messenger only brings a message. It is up to Your Majesty to accept it."

Han Qin was quiet this time, aware that their words combined held more weight than his.

Huang Yasheng tapped his finger on the armrest as he spoke. "We understand your concerns, Grand Commandant. We assure you, We shall be cautious."

Han Qin bowed and Huang Yasheng could see the stubborn set of his jaw.

'Ah,' Huang Yasheng thought fondly, 'He must be thinking of how he can eliminate the messenger if he poses any threat.’

If there was one person, he could trust his back to, it was Han Qin.

Finally, the sound of trumpets announced the arrival of the messenger. Huang Yasheng stood up from his throne, his expression calm and regal. The doors to the audience chamber opened, and a figure dressed in elaborate robes stepped inside. The messenger approached the throne, kneeling on one knee and bowing his head in a sign of respect.

"Your Majesty," the messenger said, his voice carrying across the room. "I bring news from Rayie, concerning your brother who had abdicated after you took the throne."

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Huang Yasheng's expression remained unchanged, but inside he was already alert. His brother had taken the throne, their uncle at his back, after the previous Emperor had died, despite Huang Yasheng being the Crown Prince. Of course, their uncle had been the one wielding real power. Huang Jingchen had been young enough at the time that he had been unable to do much against their uncle who had taken the Imperial Seal.

Once he took back the throne, they both fled. He could perhaps have spared Jingchen had he stayed. But he had chosen the side of their Uncle. Perhaps he had gone willingly, perhaps he had been forced. Either way, there would be no escape from punishment now.

"Speak," he commanded, reining in his thoughts.. "What news do you bring?"

"Your Majesty," the messenger replied. "Our army has captured your brother. He had been hiding in a small village along our border. We believe that his capture presents an opportunity for us to form a truce between our two nations. We propose to trade your brother as a sign of good faith and to demonstrate our commitment to peace. Here is the message from our King.”

He presented the scroll. Huang Yasheng nodded at Han Qin, who took the scroll from him and opened it. He started to read it out.

“Greetings to Emperor Huang Yasheng of the Empire of Xin,

It is with the utmost respect and reverence that I address you today, as the ruler of a great and powerful nation. I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits.

I am writing to you today to extend an offer of peace and goodwill between our two kingdoms. I understand that conflicts and misunderstandings may arise from time to time, but I firmly believe that such issues can always be resolved through diplomatic means. This means came along to us with the capture of the abdicated traitor, Huang Jincheng. As a show of good faith. I offer to send him to Xin. for you to punish as you see fit.

Furthermore, in this spirit of reconciliation, I am also offering one of my own cherished sisters to serve in the Imperial Palace as a symbol of my commitment to a peaceful and harmonious relationship between our nations. This sister is not only beautiful and skilled in the arts, but also well-versed in the customs and traditions of our land, and I am confident that she will make a valuable addition to the Imperial Harem.

I hope that this gesture of goodwill will serve as a foundation for a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship between our two nations and that it will pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for our people.

With my sincerest regards and respect,

Shohain Kahn

The King of Rayie”

Huang Yasheng furrowed his brows, considering this message for a moment, weighing the risks and benefits of such a proposal. He had never expected Rayie to extend a hand of peace toward them. Perhaps the continuous defeat in the borders made them reconsider their position. But that thought was too optimistic.

Now, what should he do?

On the one hand, having his brother in the hands of the rival kingdom would remove a potential threat to his rule. On the other hand, they could also form an alliance to overthrow his rule. If Rayie helped his brother get on the throne, they would have their long-desired foothold in Xin. Not to mention, he didn’t know where his cunning fox of an uncle was and how he was positioned in this entire equation. He knew his uncle enough to know that he was biding his time, making plans, and waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

It was an entire mess he didn’t want to think about.

"We shall consider your proposal," he said finally. "But we will need time to think and consult with our advisors before We give Our reply."

The messenger nodded and bowed. “Much obliged, Your Majesty!”

He nodded and then signaled for the refreshments to be brought in. A row of maids entered the room, each carrying a tray of delicate dishes and drinks. They approached the throne and carefully set up separate tables in front of all of them. Of course, only the seniormost maids who had experience approached him and the messenger. They quickly started to set up the refreshments.

"Please, help yourself," Huang Yasheng said, gesturing towards the table set for him. “You have traveled far. Accept our hospitality. Stay a few nights and take back Our message to your King.”

The messenger once again nodded and approached the table. The maid in front of him started to serve him. As he waited, he realized Han Qin had become stiff for some reason, far more than he had with the messenger's arrival. Curious, he diverted his attention toward his friend.

At first, he saw nothing but the maid quietly serving him. Nothing justified the stern frown on Han Qin’s face. But then… his eyes fell on the face of the maid.

It was the face he had almost forgotten about once he came to Court. The face of the mother of his child.

Han Qin met his eyes and the woman seemed to realize that there were eyes on her. She turned her head ever so slightly and looked up to meet his eyes. Her lips ticked up slightly in a sarcastic imitation of a smile. Her eyes flickered to the other three persons in the room before she looked back at him, inclined her head, and went back to serving Han Qin.

She knew… she knew he couldn’t make a fuss about her presence in front of the Ministers and certainly not in front of the messenger. He couldn’t even call out his Shadow Guards to follow her.

This bloody woman. She had a knack for making rage burn through his veins.

“Your Majesty?” A soft voice from beside him called cautiously. He retracted his gaze and looked at her.

“Are you done?”

She shrunk her neck fearfully as she bowed and nodded.

Good. This was how it was supposed to be. Everything and everyone had their own place.

If only that peasant woman could understand it.

“If you’re done serving,” he spoke calmly, “retreat!”

The maids stood immediately and stepped back. The only one who delayed a bit was that woman… as if she was observing her surroundings.

How did he not notice her before? She had been right there all along.

He watched as she followed the movements of the maids and walked out of the court.

The last thing he saw as she disappeared from his sight was the discreet, mischievous wink she sent his way.