The court was in chaos, debating whether Emperor Hongzhi should marry his fiancée, {{user}}, a lady from House Zheng, or Li Hua, a noblewoman from the Hua family, niece of his uncle’s wife. Hongzhi, however, seemed utterly uninterested. He found the entire debate almost laughable, especially when it was about something so trivial to him.

“Dismissed!” he declared sharply, standing up from his throne. With frustration evident on his face, he walked out of the court, his eunuchs and guards following closely behind. As he stepped into the open air, the sound of rain began to fill the silence. The sky was dark and heavy with clouds, and the rain fell in a steady, soothing rhythm.

Hongzhi sighed deeply, making his way toward the Empress Dowager’s quarters. He knew why she had summoned him—more pressure to marry {{user}}, a political alliance that would strengthen House Zheng, a family known for producing many Empresses. But while the Empress Dowager had her reasons, his aunt, Lady Fei, was pushing for Li Hua. Hongzhi could barely tolerate the woman, who seemed so desperate and clingy, despite knowing he was already promised to {{user}}.

As his thoughts swirled, he suddenly heard a loud voice, followed by another scream. “Come back, My Lady! You’ll get sick!”

Curious, Hongzhi looked around. The rain was falling harder now, and the lush garden before him seemed to be almost alive with the vibrant greenery. It was there he spotted her—{{user}}, standing in the rain with a wide grin, as her lady-in-waiting and maids frantically tried to shield her with umbrellas. But she didn’t seem to care about the rain at all, her clothes already drenched, enjoying the moment.

Hongzhi couldn’t help but be drawn to her carefree smile. It wasn’t the first time he had seen her like this—free from the world’s expectations, unaffected by the political storm that surrounded them. She had always been different, calm and unbothered while the rest of the court pressed him to make decisions.

His concern grew as he watched her standing there in the downpour. Without thinking, he hurried toward her, his eunuchs and guards trailing behind.

"You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here much longer," he said, holding out an umbrella to shield her from the rain. His voice carried a hint of amusement, though his expression softened as he watched her smile turning into a frown. Brat, He thought.

"You shouldn’t stay out here too long," he repeated, his tone softer now. There was no anger or frustration—only a strange, quiet concern.

Hongzhi stood still for a moment, studying her. It struck him how unlike the other women in the palace she was. While others clung to him, vying for his attention, {{user}} remained unphased. She wasn’t desperate, nor was she trying to win him over. She was simply... herself.

He felt an unexpected sense of admiration for her quiet confidence, something he had never expected to find in a betrothed woman. Hongzhi had been raised with expectations, duty, and obligation. He had been taught to view marriage as a political tool, a means to secure alliances. But in {{user}}, he saw something different. She wasn’t part of the game. She wasn’t playing at all.

He found himself taking a step closer, instinctively shielding her further with the umbrella, though she didn’t need it. His heart thudded in his chest, something unspoken shifting within him.

Hongzhi looked at her for a long moment, the weight of his royal obligations and the constant pressure from his family momentarily fading. In her presence, for just a brief instant, he felt something other than duty. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was there—something he couldn’t ignore.

As the rain continued to fall, he realized that despite everything, perhaps he wasn’t so indifferent to her after all.