The next morning, Lin Zhao woke to the scent of burning incense drifting through the kitchen corridors. The palace was already stirring, with servants rushing to prepare for the Emperorâs habitual visit to the
Empress Dowagerâs palace after he was gone for several months personally solve the problem in the south.
Ever since His Majestyâs return, he had taken every evening meal with his mother, a routine that had surprised many. The court whispered that it was a sign of filial piety, but those within the palace knew that meals in the Empress Dowagerâs residence were never just about food.
Lin Zhao had quickly learned that his presence was expected. Madame Liu had begun bringing him along each evening, placing him at the Empress Dowagerâs side, ready to serve. And each time, His Majestyâs gaze would flicker toward himâbrief, unreadable, but never dismissive.
Tonight would be no different.
As Lin Zhao carefully arranged the lacquered trays, he felt the weight of two eyes on his back. He turned slightly and met Jenâerâs cold stare from across the room. She had been silent since their last exchange, but her presence had become heavier, her movements more clipped, her expressions tight with something unspoken.
Zing Chi nudged him lightly with an elbow as she passed, murmuring under her breath, "Keep your head down."
Lin Zhao said nothing, only nodding slightly as he adjusted the silk napkins on the tray.
Madame Liuâs voice rang through the kitchen. "Lin Zhao, you will accompany me again tonight."
Jenâerâs grip on the teapot she was holding tightened just enough for the porcelain to creak.
Lin Zhao bowed his head. "Yes, Madame Liu."
---
The Empress Dowagerâs Palace
The grand hall of the Empress Dowagerâs residence was aglow with candlelight, the golden hues casting warm shadows on the embroidered silk drapes. Servants moved like quiet phantoms, setting dishes upon the long, low table where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor sat.
Lin Zhao took his place beside Madame Liu, kneeling on a cushion, hands folded neatly in his lap.
The Emperor was dressed in deep indigo robes tonight, his long sleeves trailing as he lifted a cup of tea. His expression was composed, but there was a sharpness in his eyes as he listened to his mother speak.
"You have spent much time in court these past days," the Empress Dowager noted, placing a delicate piece of candied lotus into her mouth.
The Emperor hummed in response. "Matters of the provinces cannot be ignored. The grain taxes from the southern prefectures have been disrupted again."
The Empress Dowager sighed, setting down her chopsticks. "Governor Liâs inefficiency is beginning to test my patience. The South should have stabilized by now."
Lin Zhao remained still, absorbing the conversation. Though he knew his place, he could not help but take in every word. Discussions of court politics were rarely spoken so openly in the presence of servants, but here, between mother and son, they spoke as though no one else existed in the room.
"Governor Li is complacent because he believes his ties to the Empress give him immunity," the Emperor said, setting down his teacup. "But I have little tolerance for officials who cannot do their duty."
The Empress Dowager arched a brow. "And what will you do?"
The Emperorâs lips curled faintly. "Remind him of his place."
A chill ran down Lin Zhaoâs spine.
The Empress Dowagerâs gaze shifted toward him then, her eyes sharp despite her otherwise serene expression. "This boy has been serving well, has he not?"
Lin Zhaoâs fingers twitched against the fabric of his robe, but he kept his head bowed.
Madame Liu smiled lightly. "He is diligent and obedient, Your Majesty."
The Emperor glanced at Lin Zhao briefly before reaching for his cup again. "A rare quality in the palace."
The words were neither praise nor criticism, but Lin Zhao felt them settle heavily in his chest.
The meal continued, the conversation shifting between political matters and quiet reminiscences. The Empress Dowager spoke briefly of the pastâof a time when the Emperor was younger, of his late fatherâs reign, of the struggles she had endured as the most powerful woman in the harem.
But it was when the conversation turned to the palace that Lin Zhao truly felt the weight of his surroundings.
"The harem is restless," the Empress Dowager murmured, her voice deceptively light. "You have not visited any of your consorts since your return."
The Emperorâs grip on his chopsticks tightened briefly before relaxing. "There has been no need."
The Empress Dowager chuckled softly. "No need? A ruler must cultivate harmony in his inner court, just as he does in the outer one. Do you not think ?
The Empress Dowagerâs voice was calm, but the weight behind her words was unmistakable. The Emperor set down his chopsticks, his dark eyes flickering toward his mother with measured patience.
"The affairs of the harem do not concern me at the moment," he said evenly. "The empire comes first."
The Empress Dowager arched a finely shaped brow. "And what of the women who wait for you? Do they not serve a purpose in the empireâs stability?"
Lin Zhao, still kneeling beside Madame Liu, remained motionless. The tension between mother and son was a current running beneath the surface of the polite exchange, one that only those accustomed to palace life could sense.
The Emperor let out a quiet exhale, as if suppressing a sigh. "Zhen have not forgotten my duty, but neither will Zhen be pressured into distractions, since Zhen got secretly poisoned (contraceptive, detrimental to the Emperor's ability to impregnate) the Imperial Physician advice to abstain until I totally got detoxified ."
A delicate frown played on the Empress Dowagerâs lips, though her eyes remained sharp. "A distracted ruler is one who allows personal desires to overrule reason. A ruler who isolates himself from his harem, however, invites speculationâwhispers of favoritism, of neglect. Even a lack of interest can be turned into a weapon against you."
The Emperorâs gaze darkened slightly, but his expression remained composed. "You speak as though I do not understand court politics, Mother."
The Empress Dowager picked up a slice of braised duck and placed it gently on her plate. "You do, but you are still young. And youth, no matter how disciplined, often underestimates the cunning of those who have waited years for an opportunity."
A pause. The Emperor did not answer immediately. Instead, he lifted his teacup, took a measured sip, and then set it down again. "The harem is filled with women vying for power. That is inevitable. But you misunderstand me if you think I will allow them to influence my rule."
The Empress Dowagerâs lips curled slightly. "Then tell me, my sonâwho in your harem holds your favor?"
The room grew eerily quiet. Even the gentle clinking of porcelain and silver seemed to still. Lin Zhao kept his gaze lowered, yet he could feel the subtle shift in the air. The Emperorâs fingers brushed the rim of his teacup before he answered, his voice calm.
"None," he said simply.
The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, but there was something in her expression that suggested she was not entirely pleased with his answer. "Then the whispers are trueâyou have been neglecting them all."
The Empress Dowager studied him for a moment before sighing lightly. "You are pragmatic to a fault."
"It is pragmatism that keeps a ruler from making fatal errors."
The Empress Dowagerâs gaze shifted momentarily to Lin Zhao. The movement was so brief, so subtle, that it was almost imperceptible. But Lin Zhao caught itâjust a flicker of interest before her attention returned to her son.
"Perhaps," she said at last. "But even pragmatism can be a liability when it leaves you too detached. The court watches your every move, and the harem, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, plays a role in that."
The Emperor did not respond immediately. Instead, he picked up a piece of lotus root with his chopsticks, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he said, "I will handle my harem as I see fit."
A small silence stretched between them, the flickering candlelight casting shifting shadows across the polished table. Then, as if deciding to let the subject restâfor nowâthe Empress Dowager turned her attention to the dishes before her.
"Eat, my son," she said gently, though there was an unmistakable finality to her tone. "You have had a long day."
---
After the Meal
Once the dinner had concluded, the Emperor stood, his expression still composed yet distant. The Empress Dowager watched him with quiet scrutiny, but she said nothing more on the matters of politics or the harem.
Instead, her gaze flickered toward Lin Zhao once more.
"You have served well," she remarked, her voice soft but firm. "Madame Liu, ensure that he is rewarded appropriately."
Lin Zhao bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the floor. "This servant thanks Your Majesty for your generosity."
The Emperorâs gaze lingered on him for the briefest of moments before he turned away, his long robes trailing behind him as he exited the hall.
As soon as the Emperor had left, the tension in the room shifted. The Empress Dowagerâs sharp, regal posture softened slightly, and Madame Liu gently placed a hand on Lin Zhaoâs shoulder, guiding him to stand.
"You did well," she murmured before turning to one of the senior eunuchs. "See to it that Lin Zhao receives the Emperorâs reward."
The eunuch nodded before gesturing for Lin Zhao to follow him. As he stepped into the dimly lit corridor, he exhaled slowly, his mind swirling with the conversations he had overheard.
But just as he thought he would be able to retreat for the night, a soft, scornful voice cut through the air.
"You certainly are fortunate, arenât you?"
Lin Zhao turned, finding himself face-to-face with Jenâer. Her arms were folded across her chest, her lips curved in a sharp, bitter smile.
"The Emperor favors you," she continued, her tone laced with something dangerously close to resentment. "Even the Empress Dowager takes notice of you. And now you receive generous rewards for simply being present."
Lin Zhao kept his expression neutral. "I only do as I am instructed."
Jenâer let out a short, humorless laugh. "Oh, is that what you tell yourself?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You may think you are different from the rest of us, but let me remind youâno servant in this palace rises without consequences."
Her words sent a chill down his spine, but he refused to show any reaction. Instead, he met her gaze steadily.
"I have no intention of competing with you, Jenâer," he said calmly. "We are all servants here."
Jenâerâs smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Thatâs where youâre wrong. In this palace, we are never just servants. We are pawns."
She turned sharply and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Lin Zhao standing alone in the dim glow of the lanterns.
He exhaled softly.
Pawns.
Perhaps she was right.
But even pawns, given the right opportunity, could change the game.
And whether he intended it or not, Lin Zhao was already being placed onto the board.