冷 dawn slanted through the high windows of the palace, casting long shadows across the ornate floor tiles. The air in the main hall was thick with the scent of incense and the low murmur of courtiers discussing state affairs. I sat perched on the edge of my chair, trying to look engaged while my mind was miles away. The stiff, violet silk of my robes was suffocating, and the forced smiles I exchanged with the other court ladies felt like a chore. I was supposed to be the new favorite of the emperor, but right now, I felt like just another pawn in his grand game of power.

My name was Mo Xian, and I had spent most of my life preparing for this moment. My father, a once-prominent official, had retired to the countryside months before my eighteenth birthday, leaving me to navigate the treacherous waters of the imperial court on my own. It wasn't easy. The older concubines whispered behind my back, the ambitious ones tried to outdo each other in displays of piety and beauty, and the emperor’s other consorts barely acknowledged my existence.