- Zhao Minghao, the emperor -
The court was unusually quiet that morning, though a tense energy hung in the air like an unspoken promise. Beyond the gilded walls of the imperial palace, the soft cries of cranes echoed through the gardens, their calls punctuating the stillness. Inside the chambers of Lady Xu, one of the Emperor's lesser-known concubines, a different cry pierced the air-a child's first wail, sharp and demanding, as though declaring his arrival to the world.
The Emperor, Zhao Hànlóng, sat alone in his study, his stoic expression betraying nothing of the nervous anticipation that gripped him. A man known for his unshakable demeanor on the battlefield and in court, he now found himself restless. He held a jade seal in his hand, rolling it between his fingers, a rare sign of unease.
The Empress Dowager had dismissed Lady Xu as insignificant-a mere footnote in the Emperor's extensive harem. But Zhao Hànlóng thought otherwise. Lady Xu was neither a noble-born beauty nor a scheming opportunist. She was quiet, intelligent, and, most importantly, unyieldingly loyal. The court may have ignored her, but Zhao Hànlóng had seen in her a rare sincerity that even the most powerful women of his palace could not muster.
The doors to his study creaked open, and his trusted eunuch, Wei Cheng, entered, bowing low. "Your Majesty," Wei Cheng said, his voice steady yet tinged with urgency. "The child has been born. A boy."
For a moment, the Emperor didn't move. Then, with deliberate grace, he set the jade seal down and rose to his feet. "And the mother?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with a subtle undertone of concern.
"She is well, Your Majesty. Both mother and child are healthy."
Zhao Hànlóng nodded, his composure intact, though a glimmer of something softer flickered in his eyes. "Prepare the court physician to examine them again. I will go to her chambers."
_______
In Lady Xu's chamber, the atmosphere was intimate yet charged with emotion. The concubine lay propped against silk cushions, her face pale but glowing with relief. In her arms, the newborn prince squirmed, his tiny fists waving in protest at the world he had just entered. A midwife hovered nearby, adjusting the baby's swaddle, while a pair of attendants stood silently in the corner.
When the Emperor entered, everyone fell to their knees, their foreheads brushing the cold stone floor. Lady Xu attempted to bow as well, but Zhao Hànlóng held up a hand. "You will stay as you are," he said, his voice firm yet gentle.
As he approached her, his gaze softened, lingering on the child in her arms. "He is strong," Zhao Hànlóng observed, his lips curving into the faintest of smiles. "And loud."
Lady Xu chuckled weakly. "He takes after his father, then."
The Emperor's smile widened, just a fraction, as he reached out to take the child. The baby quieted in his arms, staring up at him with wide, curious eyes. Zhao Hànlóng studied his son, noting the delicate features that mirrored his mother's and the determined set of his tiny jaw-a reflection, perhaps, of his own.
"What shall we name him, Your Majesty?" Lady Xu asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The Emperor looked down at the child, a glint of pride in his gaze. "Zhao Mínghào," he said after a moment. "Bright and vast. A name worthy of the legacy he will one day inherit."
______
By evening, news of the prince's birth had spread throughout the palace and into the court. The reactions were mixed. Some nobles scoffed at the idea of Lady Xu's child holding any significance; others, keen to curry favor, were quick to send gifts and blessings. But one thing was clear: the birth of Zhao Mínghào had disrupted the delicate balance of power within the palace.
The Empress Dowager summoned her advisors, her sharp tone cutting through the perfumed air of her quarters. "This child must not think he has a place above his station," she declared. "Lady Xu is a woman of no consequence. Her son will not challenge the lineage of this dynasty."
Yet, despite her words, the court was abuzz with speculation. The Emperor's open acknowledgment of the child hinted at something deeper, something the Empress Dowager could not easily dismiss. And Zhao Hànlóng, ever the strategist, knew precisely what he was doing.
____
That night, the Emperor returned to Lady Xu's chambers, dismissing the attendants to leave them alone. He watched as she cradled their son, her expression one of quiet contentment. For a man who had built his life on control and calculation, the sight was disarming.
"He will face challenges," Zhao Hànlóng said, breaking the silence. "The court will not accept him easily."
Lady Xu looked up at him, her gaze steady. "Neither will they accept you favoring me, but you do it anyway."
The Emperor chuckled softly. "You speak the truth, as always."
She hesitated before asking, "Why do you care so much for us when it brings you no advantage?"
Zhao Hànlóng didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face. "Because not everything is about advantage, Xu. Some things... some people... are simply worth it."
Lady Xu smiled, a small, genuine smile that she reserved only for him. And in that moment, Zhao Hànlóng allowed himself to believe that perhaps, in the birth of this child, there was more than just another pawn for his empire. There was a legacy, a future, and-just maybe-a chance at something more human.