Sitting at my desk, the early morning sun filters through the windows, illuminating the scattered scrolls in front of me. My fingers drum on the polished wood as my mind wanders in search of the right words to write.

  I stare at the blank paper and, after a moment's hesitation, pick up my brush. I take a deep breath and let my thoughts settle, then begin to write.

  After finishing, I reread what I have written and tear up the sheet, dissatisfied with what I have written. After taking another sheet, I write again.

  ‘Ling Tian, this world is not kind to anyone, and the losses we suffer are not compensated by more violence. If their lives were important to you, think about what your parents would want for your future. Not even a thousand deaths will bring back what you lost. The dead do not seek revenge, they only hope that the living will find peace.’

  'Remember that you still have a sister who depends on you. Revenge will not bring your family back, it will only perpetuate the tragedy. Honor the memory of those you loved by seeking a purpose beyond this whirlwind of destruction.'

  When I finish, I reread what I have written. It is an improvement, but I don't know if it will be enough. No matter how much I tweak the words, I know it will be very difficult to change his mind, but at least I can tell myself that I tried. I carefully fold the letter and call Lianhua.

  She appears quickly and asks “Do you need me, Zhāohuán Wen?"

  "Does your training include going unnoticed when delivering messages?" I ask, leaning slightly toward her.

  Her lips curve slightly in an intrigued gesture "Yes, it includes those skills, Zhāohuán Wen."

  "Perfect. Lianhua, I want you to deliver a message”, I say, noticing that her expression doesn't change, but a flash of curiosity crosses her eyes.

  "It's been sixteen days since the start of the tournament, so the second round of the playoffs should start today”, I begin. "Because of that, Ling Tian should be at the coliseum today. Go discreetly and deliver this to him."

  I extend the letter toward her. Her gaze rests on me, and there seems to be a flash of disappointment at my decision, but she says nothing as she takes the message.

  Before she can leave, I stop her to give her some final instructions "In addition to the message, tell him two things. First, that to enter the Fragment, he only needs to be among the top four thousand, and the dead cannot avenge anyone. And second, that since he entered the lion's den of his own free will, he is on his own. I will not intervene a second time."

  For a moment, I notice something in her expression, as if the words I have spoken have relieved her of an invisible weight, but she just nods and leaves the room with the message in her hand.

  After watching Lianhua leave, I take out a series of papers where I have been writing one of the drafts of the crash course in Architectural Archaeology that I want to give Lianhua before entering the Celestial Fragment so that she can examine the ruins for me, but in the end I sigh and put them aside to pick up another series of papers where I have written another course very different from the first.

  I know that if my old professor of the subject read them, he would be yelling at me all day, since it looks more like a guide to raiding tombs from an Indiana Jones movie or a Tomb Raider video game than actual archaeology. But I know that after hearing about the conditions in the Celestial Fragments, I am almost convinced that it will be more useful than a pure study of architecture.

  Putting those thoughts aside, I pick up my brush and continue with my study plan. As I work, I can't help but wonder if spending the last few days reading books on architecture in front of Lianhua will be enough to prevent her from questioning how I know so much about the subject. At the same time, I hope it will also help soften the blow when she hears that my request to enter the Celestial Fragment is so that she can explore ruined buildings for me.

  The room is quiet and bathed in the warm afternoon light. In front of me, a tray of freshly baked buns stares back at me innocently, as if they could do no harm. Xia, standing next to the table, looks at me with a mixture of pride and expectation, as if her life depended on what I say next.

  "Did you really make these all by yourself?" I ask as I reach for one of the buns.

  "Yes, Wen!" she says excitedly, bouncing slightly on her feet. "The cooks helped me a little, but I did almost everything myself."

  I can't help but swallow hard as I think of those anime scenes where food made by inexperienced characters turns into lethal weapons, but I push those images out of my mind and take a bite with some trepidation. To my surprise, the bun is not only edible, but quite tasty. It's not the best bun I've ever had, but considering it was made by a girl under eight years old who has only been learning to cook for a month, it's an achievement worthy of admiration.

  "It's very good, Xia”, I say with a smile.

  Xia's eyes light up and her face transforms into pure joy as she raises her fist in a gesture of victory. "I knew it! I knew you would like it!"

  "So, was it a good idea to send you to the kitchen after all?" I ask, taking another bite. "The idea I suggested of learning to make your own snacks while I taught Lianhua. Do you like it in the end?"

  "Yes!" she replies enthusiastically. "I love cooking. And besides, the cooks let me try all the dishes I help make."

  I raise an eyebrow as I try not to laugh. Sure, this little glutton may love to cook, but she's probably more excited about the tasting part. I decide not to say anything and gesture for her to sit down with us.

  Lianhua, who has been silent all this time, takes one of the buns and tastes it calmly. After eating a piece, she says, “It's a good effort, Ling Xia. With practice, you could become excellent.”

  "Thank you, Lianhua!" Xia replies with a sparkle of pride in her eyes. She sits down next to me and enthusiastically begins to tell me everything she has learned in her cooking classes, from mixing dough to baking buns. It's amazing how much energy she puts into every detail, gesturing with her little hands.

  As I listen to her and enjoy the buns, the peaceful moment is abruptly interrupted by a commotion in the courtyard. My brow furrows as I hear the noise.

  "Lianhua, go see what's going on”, I say, setting the bun aside.

  Lianhua nods and gets up without a word, disappearing through the door. Xia, on the other hand, seems uncomfortable, as if she remembers something bad. Her eyes are fixed on the floor and her little shoulders are tense.

  "Xia, don't worry”, I say softly as I place a hand on her head. "I'm sure it's nothing."

  She nods slowly, though the worry remains on her face. It isn't long before Lianhua returns. Her expression is calm, but there is a glint of seriousness in her eyes "Zhāohuán Wen, a delegation from the Imperial Palace has arrived. They are demanding entry to the Celestial Lotus Palace, but the Nei Wei have not let them pass without the authorization of Guifei Xiang."

  "The Imperial Palace?" I murmur, frowning. "Is it a coincidence, or does it have something to do with the opening of the Celestial Fragment?"

  I decide not to waste time on assumptions and quickly make a decision. "Lianhua, take me to the courtyard. Xia, take the dishes to the kitchen and stay there with the cooks until Lianhua comes to get you."

  Xia seems hesitant, but finally nods and carefully picks up the plate with the leftover buns while saying to me “Yes, Wen. But... will you be okay?"

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  "I'll be fine, Xia. This is nothing to worry about. Now go”, I tell her.

  I watch her disappear with quick steps as Lianhua helps me to the courtyard where I can see the whole scene. The large doors are open, revealing a luxurious caravan parked in the outer square, where my mother, Lingxi, and Nei Baihu Liang Xue are talking to a group of elegantly dressed men who seem to be protesting about something.

  I stand watching from the shadows of the doorway. My mother seems calm, but there is a firmness in her posture that silences any doubts about who is in control of the situation. Finally, after a few moments of discussion, the men seem to give in. My mother turns around, and that's when she notices my presence. She approaches, her face showing signs of fatigue.

  "What's going on, Mother?" I ask when she is close enough.

  "One of the imperial princes, the fifteenth, Sun Chao, has come with his entourage to enter the Celestial Rift”, she replies with a sigh.

  "And what does that mean for us?" I ask, knowing that the arrival of one of my half-brothers without any prior notice could be something trivial.

  "The emperor gave me full authority to manage the Celestial Lotus Palace, so I've managed to get only part of his entourage to stay in the part of the palace we don't use. The rest will have to find lodgings in the city."

  "Good luck with that”, I say with a slight smile. "The city is so crowded that finding a place will be like looking for a diamond in the sand."

  My mother gives a half-smile, but her fixed gaze begins to give me a bad feeling. "That's what I've been able to do about accommodation, but I have no authority to do more. That means the prince has come with the intention of monopolizing all the positions of the imperial family in the Celestial Fragment."

  My mother continues to stare at me, with her elegant posture and enigmatic half-smile on her tired face, as if she has just dropped a piece on an invisible game board, but this time I decide not to play along as I have done on other occasions and decide to confront her.

  "Mother”, I say, looking directly at her. "What do you expect of me? This doesn't seem like something that is really beyond your capabilities, as you just implied."

  My mother sighs, the weariness on her face softening as she clasps her hands in front of her "You're right, Wen. This is a test. I wanted to see if you were capable of dealing with this situation, in preparation for your return to court."

  "To court?" I ask, puzzled.

  "Yes”, my mother replies. "At your age, when we return to the palace, you will have to start attending some official events and parties. I wanted to know if you have the ability to handle the pressure that many people, including your imperial siblings, will try to put on you. This smaller, more controlled environment was ideal for observing you."

  "So..." I pondered for a moment before continuing with a wry smile. "You were trying to see if I'm capable of biting back when someone pushes me?"

  My mother let out a soft laugh as she said “That's a crude way of putting it, but yes."

  I take a moment to consider my options. Although I'm not thrilled about the idea of being constantly evaluated, I can't deny that the challenge intrigues me. I decide to take up the gauntlet.

  "All right, I'll accept your test”, I say, but as I say it, I smile at her while staring intently into her eyes. "But only if you're willing to bear the consequences with me."

  My mother's expression turns serious and her gaze seems to pierce the distance between us as she says “Whatever happens, Wen, and whatever you do, I will always be by your side."

  But after that moment of solemnity, her face lights up with a mischievous smile "Although, please don't kill the prince. That would be too complicated to handle."

  "I have no intention of doing anything so drastic, Mother”, I reply with a sigh of exasperation. "I just want to talk to my brother so that Lianhua can enter the Celestial Fragment."

  "Perfect”, she says with satisfaction before turning elegantly to head inside the palace. But before she can disappear completely, I remember Xia.

  "Mother”, I call out, stopping her for a moment. "Please stop by the kitchens and reassure Xia. I think all this commotion has probably reminded her too much of what she went through in her old home."

  "Don't worry, I'll take care of it”, she replies with a soft smile. And with those words, she disappears inside the building.

  I am left alone with Lianhua, who looks at me with a slight frown. I try to ignore her expression and focus on the courtyard. The murmurs slowly die down as I wait for my stepbrother's arrival, and my patience is soon rewarded.

  A group of men appears on the other side of the courtyard, led by a young man in his twenties. His lavishly embroidered robe glitters in the sun, and each of his steps exudes an arrogance so dense that it seems to envelop him like an aura. Even without knowing him, his resemblance to my father leaves little doubt. It is clear that he is Sun Chao, the fifteenth imperial prince.

  "Lianhua”, I say without taking my eyes off him. "Take me to him."

  Lianhua pushes my chair without saying a word, but her silence is a sign of her reluctance. But she doesn't need to say anything, I know exactly what she's thinking, and I'm not going to sacrifice her entry into the Celestial Fragment and all my work in her classes just to avoid a confrontation that I would sooner or later have with one of my other half-brothers over some other issue.

  When we are close enough, I raise my voice to get his attention and say firmly “Imperial Brother."

  The air in the courtyard seems to grow thicker as we approach. The hushed conversations of the attendees die down as I call out to my Imperial Brother. When Sun Chao turns to look at me, his expression is a mixture of disdain and curiosity that almost makes me smile. I know exactly what kind of person I'm dealing with.

  "What do you want, Imperial Sister?" he asks, his tone tinged with condescension.

  "I have come to inform you that of the imperial posts assigned for the Celestial Fragment, one of them is already mine”, I say in a firm voice without hesitation.

  For a moment, he seems taken aback, but soon his face hardens with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes "I'm sorry, Imperial Sister, but I've already assigned those positions. I can't give you one."

  "I'm not asking for your permission”, I reply, keeping my tone neutral. "I'm informing you that one of those positions is mine. That is the reality."

  Sun Chao narrows his eyes and his angry expression becomes more evident as he says to me “You are in no position to order me around or tell me what to do. You are an exile, while I am an imperial prince, higher than you in rank and in law. If I have decided that all the imperial positions are mine, it is because I so desire."

  His response is exactly what I expected, so I can't help but make a pitying face as I slowly shake my head.

  "Imperial Brother”, I say in a tone dripping with disapproval. "If your court etiquette tutor heard you utter those words, he would weep tears of blood at the ignorance you have just displayed."

  Sun Chao's face turns red as a tomato, his fists clench, and a vein in his forehead begins to throb. But before he can reply, I turn my attention to one of the members of his entourage, a man dressed in robes that identify him as a scholar.

  "You”, I call out firmly. "The scholar back there, can you remind my brother what the ranks are within the court?"

  The scholar seems paralyzed with fear when he hears me addressing him, causing him to look around nervously as if searching for an escape route. Sun Chao, still red with anger, does not miss the opportunity to tell him to answer me, believing that he will make me look ridiculous "Go ahead, answer my Imperial Sister and make it clear that the only ignorant one here is her."

  The man swallows hard and begins to speak in a trembling voice “The ranks within the court, in order, are the Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, the Guifei, the imperial princes..."

  I interrupt the scholar with a dry tone “You should be expelled from the academic circle for being so ignorant, since there is another title immediately after the Crown Prince, don't you think?"

  The scholar is silent for a moment, then suddenly his face turns pale and sweat begins to run down his forehead. Seeing this, I smile slightly and add “It seems you remember. Go ahead, say it so everyone can hear."

  The man stammers before speaking in a trembling voice “The title that follows that of Crown Prince is Zhāohuán."

  I look directly at Sun Chao, whose jaw is so tense that it looks like his teeth might break, and say “And, in case my Imperial Brother has forgotten, I am Zhāohuán Wen, THE Zhāohuán. Despite my current situation, our Imperial Father has not stripped me of my title or rank. That means my position surpasses yours so vastly that you are nowhere near reaching it."

  Sun Chao's anger is palpable. I see another vein bulge in his neck and wonder if the old Chinese saying about spitting blood in anger will come true before my eyes.

  "And”, I continue before he can interrupt me. "My rank gives me the authority to set rules here. Unless, of course, you decide to ignore the will of our Imperial Father and declare that the title he bestowed upon me is worthless. I'm sure he would like to know that."

  The silence that follows my words is so deep that it seems to absorb all sound from the courtyard. Even those who were pretending not to be paying attention now have their eyes fixed on us. Sun Chao, his face completely contorted with rage, looks around. Knowing people of his ilk, I can almost see the idea of trying to silence those present flash through his mind, but there are too many witnesses for that to be an option.

  Finally, he mutters under his breath “This prince submits to the authority of the Zhāohuán."

  "Then listen to my orders”, I begin. "First, one of the imperial posts for the Celestial Fragment will go to whomever I designate. You may administer the rest as you see fit. Second, the building where Guifei Xiang and I reside is off-limits. Neither you nor any of your men may enter. And third, the maidens and the Nei Wei are my personal staff, and therefore also off-limits to you. Anyone who disturbs them will be arrested by order of the Nei Baihu. And I emphasize, anyone."

  The vein in Sun Chao's neck looks like it's about to burst, but in the end, he just mutters again “This prince has listened to the Zhāohuán and will obey her orders."

  "Perfect”, I say with a cold smile. "Then I am done here."

  I turn to Lianhua and say “Take me to Guifei Xiang to inform her of the new terms."

  Lianhua, who I now realize is more tense than a spring due to the situation, seems to relax a little and grabs the chair to push it toward the main building, albeit perhaps a little faster than normal.

  As we head toward the building, she asks me quietly “Was it a good idea to corner him like that, Zhāohuán Wen?"

  "My mother wanted to know if I was capable of biting”, I reply in the same tone. "And I think I've amply demonstrated that with this."

  Although after those words I pause for a second before finally saying “But I'm not going to get within a zhang of him again without an escort from the Nei Wei. Just in case."