The Emperor sat hunched in his bedchamber, a deep, rasping cough escaping his lips as he clutched his chest. He reached for a cup of water, but his trembling hand betrayed him—some of it spilled onto the marble floor as he set it down.
A moment later, hurried footsteps echoed outside. A prison guard appeared at the door, his arrival promptly announced.
The Emperor gave a nod of assent, and the guard—pale-faced and visibly shaken—stepped into the chamber. Dropping to his knees, he spoke with a trembling voice.
"Your Majesty… in the night—the Minister of Defense was found dead on the floor of his cell. His lips were blue as winter's first frost. The physician suspects poison… but its source remains unknown."
Emperor Wei regarded him with cold composure. "It seems the minister has met a timely end," he said weakly. "Another loose thread severed. One more serpent silenced before it could bare its fangs."
"Spread word that he escaped his cell under cover of darkness," the Emperor instructed the guard. "Let any remaining allies believe he fled the city."
At that moment, the arrival of the Empress was announced. With a wave of his hand, the Emperor dismissed the guard and ordered that she be admitted.
She entered with dignifing grace, her presence strong and commanding as always. Her gaze swept over the chamber, settling on the Emperor's weakened form. Without a word, she crossed the room and lowered herself onto a nearby seat silently, as she studied him for a long, unbroken minute.
The Emperor glanced at her with curiosity.
"And to what do I owe the honor of your presence today?"
The Empress offered a faint smile. "Am I no longer permitted to visit my husband?"
"That is not what I meant," he said in a softened tone. "You rarely come unless there is something of significance."
Her smile stayed on her face, calm and hard to read. "Then let me ask... why did you send Prince Cheng to Kǔ Hǎi?"
The Emperor leaned back slowly. "Is there something wrong with that?"
Her expression became intense. "You know me well enough not to feign innocence."
"You and I both know that sending Prince Cheng to a place like Kǔ Hǎi, given his condition, was a dangerous choice. You understand exactly what that means."
The Emperor's gaze remained on her. "If he intends to one day claim the throne, he must prove himself worthy of it. I was no different when my time came."
A faint smile appeared on her lips as she leaned back, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "And where did that proof get you?" she asked quietly. "Yes, you wear the crown... but at what cost?"
"A life spent looking over your shoulder, your health fading... and let us not forget the matter still unresolved betw—"
He cut in firmly. "The throne is a perilous thing, something few ever truly grasp. If Cheng does not learn that now, he will not survive the weight of it when the time comes."
The Empress leaned in slightly.
"Tell me, was that truly your reason for sending him away? Or was it your pride that was wounded?"
The Emperor said nothing, but his silence was heavy.
She pressed on regardlessly. "If I recall correctly, there was a certain young woman the prince was… deeply entangled with."
At the mention, the Emperor's hands clenched tightly into fists.
She noticed, paused, then softened her tone. "Let not pride cloud your judgment. There is still time to bring them back."
But the Emperor turned his face away.
"Cheng has disrespected me... repeatedly. He disregards my word as if it holds no weight."
The Empress looked him in the eyes. "Tell me, who among your children is more suited for the throne than Cheng?"
She sat up slowly, her voice calm but with a hint of warning. "You would do well to reconsider, and swiftly—before you repeat the same mistake your father made."
At that, the Emperor's composure cracked. "I am not my father!" he roared, his voice reverberating through the chamber.
The outburst startled her, but only for a moment. She drew a breath, straightened her posture, and regained her poise.
"I have nothing more to say," she said coolly, smoothing her sleeves before standing.
The Emperor made a motion to rise, "Wait—I did not mean—" his voice suddenly became remorseful, but she ignored him, offering only a curt, formal curtsy.
"Your Majesty," she said, and without another word, swept out of the chamber, leaving him alone with the silence.