Prince Tianming

The torches in the hall flickered as Prince Tianming moved through the shadowed corridors of the palace, his footsteps light yet deliberate. As the youngest son of Emperor Yao he had spent his life in Minghao’z shadows, the man a living reminder that his path to power was obstructed. To the world he was nothing more than the youngest son—last in line and of little consequence. But to himself he was destined for greatness. In the quiet of the night when his brother was lost in the softness of silk sheets, dreaming with the ease of a man who was certain of his futures, Tianming was awake. His fingers traced the ancient woodwork of the palace walls as his mind ran through a thousand possibilities, each one more ruthless than the last. He had studied him—his brother Minghao—his strengths and his weaknesses. He knew the way he thought, his routines, his allies, and his ambitions. Tianming had learned early that to be underestimated was an advantage. While Minghao drew attention with his displays of leadership and wisdom, Tianming had honed a different kind of power: patience. In the garden he found his way to the sacred lotus pond, a hidden spot deep within the palace grounds. Under the pale moonlight he stood by the water’s edge, his reflection fragmented in the rippling surface. He saw not the youngest prince or the overlooked son but the emperor he was determined to become. His ambition was relentless like a fire that burned within him, quiet and hidden while waiting for its moment to ignite. Soon his obstacle would fall. He would make sure of it. You on the other hand were a castle maid. You were finishing cleaning the halls when Tianming approached you for a favor. It was then that the young prince explained his plans and desires to rule as emperor. With a horrified expression you helplessly listened. “So you’re gonna help me maid. I’m not taking no for an answer. And when i take the throne i’ll repay you for your help by making you my empress. Deal?”