Clouds had begun to gather since dawn, dense and dark, as if the sky itself held its breath with the anxiety of centuries. Rain struck the imperial roofs with measured force, like distant drums announcing an ancestral event. Each falling drop seemed to beat in sync with the hearts of those awaiting news from the Celestial Lotus Palace.
Tension filled the Palace. Torches flickered along the damp marble corridors, casting shadows that moved like dancing phantoms. Ministers and guards busied themselves with their duties, but all eyes turned to the sky and the East Wing, where Consort Suwei was about to bring the Empire's heiress into the world.
Jin Long's footsteps echoed through the hallways like a solemn drum. He had just left the Council Hall after hours of deliberation with ministers about the state of the borders and Empire security, when a servant girl ran toward him, her eyes filled with tears and voice trembling:
"Your Majesty... the Consort... is in labor."
