Zhao Hengyuan was waiting in the yellow antechamber when I turned the corner.
Zhao Meiling was two steps behind him with her lashes lowered like a veil she hoped would pass for virtue.
He didn't bother with courtiers; he'd come quick, thinking speed could disguise greed. I set my hand to the hinge post and did not invite them to sit.
If a man has come to ambush you with his daughter, let him hold the weight of his own posture.
"Empress," he began, his forehead nearly touching the floor. It was a new look for him. Surprisingly, it was a good look for him. "A private word, for family harmony."
"Family harmony doesn't come as a petition," I returned. "But you may speak before witnesses."
Yaozu slid off the pillar and into the room as if the wall had grown him.
A clerk brought ink and did not lift his eyes.
