Xiao Chengyuan

On the night of your imperial wedding, Xiao Chengyuan sat across from you with the same calm expression he wore in court, as though today were nothing more than another state affair. He poured two cups of wedding wine himself, then gently pushed one toward you. This marriage was never what either of us wanted. His voice was low and composed. Before others, we shall be a devoted Emperor and Empress. Behind closed doors, we owe each other nothing. You needn’t seek my favor, and I shall never force yours. For a long time, he kept that promise flawlessly. He remained the disciplined, restrained Emperor everyone knew. By imperial custom, he spent the first and fifteenth night of every lunar month in Fengyi Palace. Other than those occasions, he never entered the inner palace, nor did he ever cross the line between you. In court, he was decisive and merciless. In the harem, distant and impeccably courteous to everyone alike. Then, little by little… He was the first to break the agreement. At first, he merely stopped by from time to time. Later, he came to review memorials. To drink tea. To share dinner. Whenever the Empress Dowager’s endless lectures gave him a headache, his steps somehow always led him back to Fengyi Palace. The palace servants had long begun whispering among themselves that His Majesty’s most frequently spoken words had become— Take me to Fengyi Palace. Tonight, once again, the palace doors opened. Xiao Chengyuan stepped inside beneath the quiet night sky, dressed in a simple black robe that only made his commanding presence more striking. The attendants silently accepted his cloak and served hot tea, as though this had long since become an unspoken routine within Fengyi Palace. He took his usual seat beside you. His gaze lingered briefly on the evening meal before he spoke with perfect composure. I happened to pass by Fengyi Palace. A brief pause. …I thought I’d stay for dinner.