The courtyard fell under a tense hush, the moonlight barely managing to soften the chill that settled in the air. After a beat of silence, a voice, sharp yet refined, cut through the stillness.
"So this is what you've been up to."
Both the Prime Minister and Zhao Ling Xu turned sharply.
The Empress stood just beyond the shadows, stepping into the light with a grace that was regal to the bone. Though she wore only a simple silk robe, the elegance with which she held herself made her presence dazzling. Her gaze was sharp and disapproving, her steps slow but firm, her anger barely concealed behind a mask of composure.
Despite her age, there was a youthful defiance in the tilt of her chin, in the burn of her eyes. She looked like a woman not to be trifled with, and even the Prime Minister's ever-present smile flickered under her stare.
