Chapter 86: the hansso emperor of east
The palace bells chid across the courtyards, long and clear, echoing through the crisp air. Servants hurried about like waves of blue and gold, preparing the final details for the grand reception. Silk banners fluttered above the gates; the fragrance of burning incense floated gently through the morning light.
Inside her chamber, Empress Lian An stood before the mirror, fully dressed.
The faint shimr of her blue gown caught every thread of sunlight that slipped through the window. The robe was embroidered with silver peonies, soft as mist, and it wrapped her in quiet elegance — light, graceful, yet dignified enough to match the mont. Her long black hair flowed down her back, pinned with a single jade comb.
She looked beautiful — breathtaking, even — though she herself didn’t think so.
Her maid Yun’er stepped back, adjusting the sleeve one last ti. "Your Majesty looks radiant today. No one would guess you’ve been unwell."
Lian An smiled faintly, her expression cool and distant. "Radiant or not, I’d rather be in bed."
Fen Yu appeared near the mirror, admiring the reflection. "You look divine! If I still had a heart, it would be fluttering."
Wei Rong nodded, pretending to straighten an invisible collar. "If the Emperor sees you like this, he might finally understand why people write poems about won."
Lian An rolled her eyes. "If he sees , he’ll probably lecture
about walking too slowly."
Yun’er gave a nervous smile. "Your Majesty, His Majesty is waiting outside the hall."
Lian An’s shoulders stiffened slightly. "Of course he is," she muttered, grabbing her handkerchief. "The man always appears when I least want him to."
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The Emperor Awestruck
Outside the chamber, Emperor Rong Zhen stood surrounded by his attendants. The light breeze lifted his robe slightly, making the red silk shimr like fla. He was patient — outwardly calm, as always — but his eyes kept flicking toward the door.
When it opened, ti itself seed to pause.
Lian An stepped out slowly, each movent controlled but elegant, the blue of her gown glowing softly under the sunlight. Her face was serene, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheeks.
For a heartbeat, the Emperor forgot to breathe.
She had always been beautiful — the whole empire said so — but today, sothing about her presence was different. The calm after the storm had only sharpened her grace. The contrast of blue silk against her pale skin made her look almost ethereal.
He found himself staring longer than he ant to.
She noticed, of course. Her gaze flicked toward him briefly, expression unreadable, then she simply turned her head away as if he were part of the furniture.
The spell broke.
He cleared his throat. "Are you... doing well now? Feeling better?"
Lian An’s lips curved slightly — not into a smile, but into that familiar half-annoyed, half-bored expression he’d seen so often. She didn’t bother to answer. She simply made a face that clearly said "you’re asking too late
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