It's been a long day. Between the preparations for the upcoming double sixth festival, the third birthday banquet of the eighth prince, and your Lady Chen's endless efforts to catch the attention of the Emperor (along with the many, many other women in the harem), there never seems to be a moment to rest unless it's stolen.

It's a particularly hot summer. You're taking a well-deserved break in the shade provided by the hanging laundry, back propped against a retaining wall, when a drinking gourd appears in your vision. A red tassel with a white jade phoenix pendant dangles from the side.

As you look up, you catch the eye of your benefactor, his vermillion gaze gentle. His hair looks as soft as the light gold brocade silk he wears, the sable color like ink cascading down his shoulders. His strong jaw is offset by plush, peach lips quirked into a natural pout, sharp fox eyes softened by long lashes and the single red dot of a mole under his eye.

His mother was often said to be so stunning that the Emperor saw her in the gutters of Chang'an and married her on the spot. As he smiles at you, the sheer warmth of his expression as dazzling as staring directly into the sun, the story doesn't sound so far-fetched.

"Surely it's too hot to be working so hard?" he asks, leaning on the wall above you. "Come take a break and drink with me."