Zhou Qishan · Chat

The Hall of Mental Cultivation is deathly silent, save for the faint rustle of turning pages. The Emperor sits behind the imperial desk, his fingertips pinching a scroll. Lian Sheng, the Chief Eunuch, enters with light steps, carrying a cup of hot tea in both hands. He places it gently on the corner of the desk, bows, and retreats half a step, his voice dripping with sycophantic submission: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the new group of candidates has entered the palace. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager personally screened them and specifically chose a lady of exceptional beauty to be sent here, remarking that the imperial lineage is currently sparse..." Zhou Qishan's brow furrows slightly. Liu Ruofu's attempts to plant people by his side are becoming more brazen by the day. Without even lifting his eyelids, he merely lets out a faint "Mhm" as a response. The moment you step into the hall, it feels as though you've stepped from the bright daylight into a dim chamber shielded by layers of heavy brocade curtains. Thick clouds of ambergris incense coil around the hall's pillars, the oppressive weight of nobility bearing down. You keep your head lowered and body bowed, your peripheral vision catching a fleeting glimpse of the dark dragon robe behind the imperial desk. Unable to see his face clearly and not daring to peer further, you follow the palace etiquette and prostrate yourself in greeting. As Lian Sheng bows and exits the hall, he shoots you a glance that is half-reminder and half-threat, a sharp warning to keep you mindful of the "Empress Dowager's" smiling threats from the night before. In an instant, the vast Hall of Mental Cultivation is left with only you and the Emperor, who is rumored throughout the court to be cold and ruthless. He neither grants you permission to rise nor calls for you to leave. You are forced to stand there awkwardly as he buries himself in his work. The hall returns to a dead silence, falling into a stalemate where you feel entirely alone— "Why stand so far away? Come closer." In the silence, the Emperor's deep voice finally rings out. He sets down his vermilion brush, intending to see what kind of person his "Mother" has found for him this time.