Deep beneath the Lu clan headquarters, in a chamber no servant dared to enter, the air was damp with the scent of stone and secrecy.
A single candle burned low, its wax pooled like blood around the base.
From beyond the narrow window slit, a flutter broke the silence — soft yet sharp, like a knife slipping into silk.
Through it came a strange bird. Its feathers were an iridescent azure that caught the dim light in ghostly glints, its eyes and beak the deep crimson of fresh blood. The Azure Water Crow was a rare breed, trained for silence and bred for one purpose — to carry secrets between hands that killed to keep them.
The bird landed on an outstretched hand, talons curling over the skin. The moment it settled, its body dissolved into a swirl of blue mist, leaving a folded letter resting in the palm.
The man holding it was tall, his frame outlined by the faint candlelight. His robes were dark, embroidered subtly with waves and clouds, the mark of the Lu clan's high bloodline. His face remained hidden in shadow, but the light caught the curve of a smirk as his eyes moved across the words.
"Oh, sister… you are really making us proud again and again," he murmured, voice low and sharp with satisfaction.
"Shen Hóngtú, you bastard. Your Shen Empire has tried to swallow our Lu clan for years — this is but a sliver of payback for the compromises and humiliation you forced on us. And who would have thought… the great Emperor Hóngtú would sire a little trash…"
The chuckle that followed was quiet at first.
Then it grew.
And grew — until it filled the chamber with a cold, mocking echo.
He rolled the scroll back into its seal, tucking it into his sleeve with the care one might give a blade.
"You've been Emperor too long, Shen Hóngtú. Even mountains crumble with time."
The candlelight wavered as he turned and left, vanishing into the maze of corridors — the darkness swallowing him whole
————————————————
Two days later, in the imperial study, the scent of ink and old scrolls hung heavy in the air.
Emperor Shen Hóngtú sat at his desk, reviewing memorials when footsteps approached.
"Your Majesty," General Shen Língxiāo bowed with military precision.
"Rise," the emperor said, his tone neither cold nor overly warm — the measured authority reserved for those he valued. "Tell me — how proceed the preparations for the Five Continental Tournament?"
"The arrangements are nearly complete," the general replied. "The remaining details will be finished before the day ends."
A faint nod of satisfaction. "Good. Efficiency is expected of the Shen Army's commander."
Língxiāo hesitated, then said, "There is another matter I must report. I judged it best to speak to Your Majesty in person."
Hóngtú's eyes shifted from the scroll in his hand to the general's face. "Speak."
The words came firmly, though with weight.
"Rumors have begun to spread beyond the palace — that Lady Qingcheng's newborn son was born without elemental affinity. We are moving to suppress them, but they travel quickly."
The emperor's gaze sharpened, and the study seemed to grow colder.
"How did this leave the palace?" He paused, then asked in a tone like tempered steel, "The midwife — was she dealt with?"
"Yes," Língxiāo answered without hesitation. "She was taken care of immediately after leaving the palace, along with those who assisted her."
Hóngtú's eyes narrowed. "Then there is a traitor still breathing within these walls. Someone believes themselves untouchable."
He leaned back slightly, his voice low but cutting. "Find them. Search every hall, turn over every stone — I do not care whose protection they think they have. You will bring me the hand that fed this rumor."
The general clasped his fist in salute. "It will be done."
When the door closed behind him, the emperor's gaze lingered on the empty space.
Whoever you are… pray you remain unseen. If I lay eyes on you, there will be no place in this world for your corpse to rest.
In the eastern gardens, the air was sweet with plum blossoms. Several concubines sat beneath the shade, their robes shifting like waves in the breeze. Only Lady Nui smiled.
The others wore anxious expressions, voices kept to whispers.
"Sister Nui," one said, "are you certain no one will know?"
"If I weren't certain," Lady Nui replied smoothly, "do you think I would risk myself? Calm yourselves. Watch Qingcheng's downfall with me."
The reassurance soothed them slightly, though one woman began, "But what if—"
"Enough." Lady Nui's smile never faltered, but her tone carried a quiet warning. "Do not speak of it again. The walls have ears."
Inside her heart, her thoughts were venom.
Oh, Qingcheng… this is only the beginning of your pitiful future.
A faint, poisonous smile touched her lips as the wind rustled the blossoms.