The Jade Echo Hall was wrapped in a golden light that fell from the imperial glass windows, filtering the first rays of the sun like threads of liquid gold. Every surface reflected the light with a subtle shine, from the jade mosaics embedded in the floor to the tall columns, engraved with dragons in flight that seemed to move gently with the passage of time. In the air floated a silence heavier than any armor, filled with speculations, calculating glances, and fans that opened and closed like blades.
It was the first time in centuries that an imperial consort presided over the Council of Lineages without the Emperor's presence. The initial murmur among the representatives transformed into contained tension, each evaluating the young Suwei, son of a fallen duke, newly crowned as the Imperial Dragon Consort. No one expected his voice to carry weight, much less that his words would challenge tradition.
