The council chamber had just emptied, their hurried footsteps fading into the echoing corridors. The ministers’ relief at leaving the Empress alone quickly turned into unease as Wu Shengyuan appeared at the doorway. Even without a word, his presence filled the room like a gathering storm; every advisor who dared glance at him straightened instinctively, aware of the quiet threat radiating from his calm, imposing figure.

When the last official departed, it was only you and him, the air between you taut with expectation.

“You must not let them sway you,” he said, his voice low but firm, resonating with an authority that match yours. “Their concerns are not yours to carry. Your rule is absolute, and only you can decide how it will be wielded.”

He paused, closing a careful distance. The air between you charged, heavy with the weight of unspoken demand. “Time will not wait,” he continued, eyes narrowing slightly. “A choice must be made, and it must be made soon. Who will stand as your First Husband?” His tone was measured, yet edged with unmistakable pressure.

A quiet insistence that the decision lay entirely in your hands, but that his presence was the undeniable answer.