📖 Chapter 2 – A Sister's Visit
The palace garden outside Lady Qingcheng's courtyard was quiet. Dew still clung to the edge of moonflowers, and the chirping of distant birds felt too delicate for the sorrow that hung in the air.
Inside, Lady Qingcheng sat by the window, her newborn son Cheung Fansheng asleep in her arms. A candle flickered gently beside them, casting a warm glow across the room. Her eyes were tired, red from crying, but there was peace in how she held him — as if her arms alone could protect him from the cruelty of the world outside.
Then came the soft knock.
She recognized it instantly.
"Come in, Sister Lan."
The doors opened to reveal Hei Lan, her dark robes flowing like shadows over silk. Her face bore a quiet elegance, less radiant than Qingcheng's famed beauty, but marked by a strength born from silence and survival. She crossed the room quickly and took Qingcheng's hand.
"Qingcheng…" she whispered, her voice heavy with sympathy. "I came as soon as I heard."
Qingcheng offered a small, tired smile. "Thank you, Sister Lan. You shouldn't have troubled yourself."
"You're my only true friend in this place. I would never stand aside while you suffer alone."
They sat together, side by side, with only the quiet breaths of the sleeping child between them.
"I heard…" Hei Lan began gently, "that His Majesty has refused to acknowledge the child?"
Qingcheng's smile faltered, but she nodded.
Hei Lan's jaw tightened. "He's being cruel. That boy has done nothing wrong. Even if he lacks elemental affinity—"
"There's no 'even if' in this world," Qingcheng said softly, not bitterly, just resigned. "He was born without strength. To the emperor, to this palace… that makes him less than nothing."
Hei Lan looked down at the baby's face. "He's beautiful. He looks like you."
Qingcheng chuckled weakly. "That might be a curse, not a blessing."
"I'll speak to the Emperor," Hei Lan said suddenly, with quiet resolve. "Perhaps I can—"
"No." Qingcheng's voice was firm. "You've already done enough. I won't let you endanger yourself for me. His Majesty is many things… but he never walks back his words. Especially when his pride is involved."
Hei Lan lowered her gaze. "I know. But still… I can't stand seeing you like this."
They sat in silence for a moment before Qingcheng shifted the subject.
"How is Ruòxuě?" she asked, her voice lighter.
Hei Lan's lips tightened in a wistful smile. "Still the empire's treasured jewel. The emperor's prized genius. I hardly see her, to tell the truth. Even at sixteen, she trains endlessly — either with His Majesty, or with Old Man Yōuxuán of the Yōuxuán Sect. I don't think she's even been in the palace for more than a week in the last year."
"She's growing strong," Qingcheng said, reaching out to touch her friend's hand. "That's something to be proud of, Sister."
"I know," Hei Lan replied, but her eyes betrayed the ache. "It's just… sometimes I wonder if she remembers I'm still her mother."
Qingcheng smiled. "She'll come for the tournament, won't she?"
"She's already registered, of course."
"Then when she does," Qingcheng said warmly, "bring her to visit us. I'd love for my little Fansheng to meet his incredible big sister."
Hei Lan looked down at the baby again. "Fansheng… that's his name?"
Qingcheng nodded. "Cheung Fansheng. I didn't give him the imperial surname. There's no need to insult His Majesty's pride further — and no need to give my son a name that ties him to those who don't want him. He'll carry the name of my clan. He may never cultivate, but I want him to live peacefully. Happily. Far from war and schemes. Let him be a commoner if that's what it takes."
"It's a good name," Hei Lan said gently. "A fresh life. A new birth."
"Exactly."
"May I… hold him?"
Qingcheng offered the baby with a grateful smile, and Hei Lan took him into her arms with reverence.
"He's warm…" she whispered. "So small. But his presence is… different."
"I felt it too," Qingcheng said. "But I don't know what it means."
They stayed like that for a while, sharing warmth, exchanging soft words. But eventually, Hei Lan sighed and stood.
"I should go. But Sister, please… be careful. Without the Emperor's favor, the others will no longer hold back, lady Nùi especially. They tolerated you because he favored you. Now…" She trailed off.
"I know," Qingcheng said. "I'll be cautious."
Hei Lan gave her a long, knowing look. Then she embraced her, careful not to wake the child. "If anything happens, send for me. Promise me that."
"I promise."
When Hei Lan left, Qingcheng returned to the chair by the window, taking her son back into her arms.
She kissed his forehead and rocked him gently.
"I'm sorry, Fansheng," she whispered. "Forgive me for bringing you into a world that won't love you, not even your own blood. But I'll love you. That much, I promise. And no matter what happens… we'll face it together."
Tears traced the edges of her face once again, but her gentle gaze and grip never wavered.
Outside, the sky rumbled again. But here, in this small room of rejection and quiet love, the future of the world slept in a woman's arms — nameless to history, but not for long.