A Change in the Winds

The Emperor of Yonglan, the Golden Serpent empire lay on his sickbed, his once-imposing figure now reduced to a whisper of authority. Though still breathing, the empire had already begun to shift elsewhere. Ministers who once cowered before him now whispered in dimly lit corridors, their eyes set on the inevitable future.

Crown Prince Ji Haoyu stood at the helm, his golden eyes cold with calculation. Power was slipping into his hands, but so were the schemings against him, ministers circling him like vultures.

And yet, despite the gravity of the empire's transition, it wasn't just Haoyu the court had begun whispering about.

Within the vast, magnificent halls of the imperial palace, another name was quietly gaining traction

Ling A'Xian.

The hostage prince of Qinghe, a forgotten piece in the political chess game.

He was supposed to be invisible but ever since his failed escape, his daring defiance that sent ripples through the palace, eyes had turned toward him.

Not because of the whispers of his near-success.

No, it was because of the Crown Prince's reaction.

Ji Haoyu had not simply laughed like he did back then in front of him and moved on. He had taken an interest. An interest so obvious, so public, that the ministers could no longer ignore it.

He visited him frequently, an occurrence that should have been beneath a prince of his stature. He asked about the hostage in the middle of court meetings, his attention visibly drifting whenever A'Xian's name surfaced.

And in the palace, where power was an unending war, this was not something that went unnoticed.

But more importantly, the Empress Dowager had taken note.

A woman of delicate beauty and quiet grace, she was known for her gentle demeanor, the perfect contrast to her son's unyielding sharpness. The palace adored her, praised her softness in a world where power was often wielded like a blade.

But A'Xian knew better, such women- draped in silk, wielding power with a smile rather than a sword were the most dangerous of all.

Her summons came on a crisp morning.

A'Xian had no choice but to follow. Two veiled palace maids escorted him to her residence, their presence a quiet reminder that disobedience was not an option.

He walked with practiced ease, every movement immersed in the nobility that ran through his veins. He may have been a hostage, but he was still a prince. And if there was one thing he had learned in the treacherous courts of Qinghe, it was that composure was a weapon sharper than any blade.

The Empress Dowager's residence was a place of understated elegance, delicate incense curling in the air, veiled palace maids moving like shadows, and golden embroidery gleaming faintly in the morning light. A place of beauty, but also one of quiet, suffocating power.

At the heart of it sat the Empress Dowager herself.

She was as graceful as the stories claimed, dressed in flowing silk of pale lavender, her long hair pinned with a single phoenix ornament. She did not need elaborate jewels to command attention; the sharpness in her eyes did that well enough.

A'Xian stepped inside, his expression carefully blank as he gracefully lowered himself into a deep, fluid bow.

She watched him, her gaze amused yet unreadable.

"Prince Ling," she said, her voice as light as silk. "They say you attempted to flee the palace."

A'Xian's lips barely twitched.

Ah. So she wasn't one for idle pleasantries.

He lifted his gaze, meeting hers with polite confidence. "Your Majesty, I would never be so reckless. I merely wished to test the efficiency of Your Majesty's guards."

After a pause she laughed softly, unmistakably genuine.

The Empress Dowager leaned back, her fingers idly tracing the delicate porcelain cup before her. "A bold one, indeed," she mused. "You remind me of my own son when he was young."

A'Xian smiled politely.

But deep in his mind, a single thought surfaced.

I highly doubt that.

Ling A'Xian kept his posture poised, his hands folded neatly in front of him, yet his mind was on high alert. He had spent years studying people, learning when to bow and when to bite. And this woman who was gentle, well-loved, yet feared, was not someone he could afford to misstep around.

She regarded him with mild amusement, lifting her teacup with the elegance of someone who had spent a lifetime controlling the space around her.

"And yet, I wonder—what was so urgent that it compelled a prince of Qinghe to test my guards?"

She was prodding. A'Xian had expected nothing less.

Lifting his gaze just enough to meet hers, he allowed a small, deliberate smile to touch his lips. "Curiosity, perhaps. Or boredom. The palace is grand, but a cage is a cage, no matter how magnificent."

The Empress Dowager chuckled, but there was no real warmth in it.

"Boredom leads men to foolish choices. But you do not seem like a fool, Prince Ling."

"I take that as a compliment, Your Majesty."

She spoke immediately, setting her cup down with a quiet clink.

"It is merely an observation." She paused, studying him, before adding casually, "And I do wonder—does my son share this curiosity of yours? He has been most… attentive to you."

A'Xian felt the shift immediately. His fingers curled slightly beneath his sleeves, though his expression remained relaxed.

So she had noticed.

Of course, she had. The ministers whispered, the court watched, and Ji Haoyu—damn him—made no effort to hide his sudden interest. A'Xian had no doubt that this attention wasn't rooted in kindness, but rather in amusement or intrigue. Perhaps even something darker.

Still, under the Empress Dowager's scrutinizing gaze, he had to act carefully.

Lowering his lashes, as if embarrassed, he murmured, "I would not presume to know His Highness's thoughts. Perhaps he, too, was merely testing my ability to amuse."

A deliberate understatement.

The Empress Dowager's lips curled slightly.

"My son is not easily amused, Prince Ling."

Silence stretched between them like a thin blade.

A'Xian tilted his head, as if considering something deeply. Then, he let out a small, thoughtful hum.

"Then perhaps I should be flattered." He glanced at her, allowing the briefest flicker of mischief to shine through. "Or concerned?"

The Empress Dowager's fingers tapped lightly against the porcelain rim of her teacup. A slow, measured rhythm.

A flicker of amusement crossed her face.

"You are an interesting one, indeed."

Her tone was pleasant, but A'Xian knew a warning when he heard one.

This was not a dismissal, nor a true acceptance. It was an acknowledgment. She saw him now, truly saw him, and she would be watching.

He bowed once more, offering her the kind of smile that had gotten him out of trouble countless times before. "I live only to serve, Your Majesty."

Ling A'Xian left the Empress Dowager's residence with measured steps, his expression as impassive as when he had entered. The veiled palace maids trailed behind him in silent formation, but his mind was far from the scented halls.

He exhaled softly, his breath misting in the cool morning air.

This was no longer just a matter of escaping the palace. That ship had sailed.

Now he was a piece on the board.

As he passed through the vast palace corridors, he found himself slowing. Not by choice, but because of the figure waiting in his path.