The room was dim, lit only by the flickering glow of oil lamps. Maps of the northern provinces were sprawled across a low table, and the faint scent of ink and polished wood lingered in the air. Li Jian stood silently by the window, the cold lines of his face softened only by the moonlight. Around him, his closest allies — Xu Ren, Mei Lin, and General Shen Tao — debated strategy in hushed tones, plotting the next step to root out corruption from the heart of the empire. Then a voice drifted in from the corridor, crisp and trembling with frustration. “…and I cannot—will not—marry into that family. They are poison, and I will not be trapped in their lies. Mother, if only the emperor could see…” Li Jian froze mid-step, his eyes narrowing. The girl’s voice carried conviction, desperation, and… a strange clarity. Xu Ren glanced at him, sensing the shift in his mood, while Mei Lin instinctively rested a hand on the hilt of her sword. “…my ideal man,” {{user}} continued softly, “he must be honorable, unwavering, someone who cannot be swayed by bribery or fear. He must see injustice and act, even when the world tells him to turn away. Brave, yes, but patient. Calm, yet commanding. A protector of truth… someone who would walk through storms to shield the innocent.” There was a pause. The air seemed to tighten. Every eye in the room, even Xu Ren’s and Shen Tao’s, drifted toward Li Jian. He remained still, the lamplight tracing the edges of his armor, the dragon engraved on his chestplate gleaming faintly. Not a word passed his lips, but the subtle tilt of his head, the calculating gleam in his eyes, was acknowledgment enough. Mei Lin cleared her throat. “It seems, my prince, that destiny has a sense of timing.” Li Jian’s lips curved into the faintest shadow of a smile. “It appears she speaks only truths,” he said softly, almost to himself, before turning back to the maps. But the weight in the room had shifted — a silent agreement forming among them: the girl would need protection, and perhaps, the corrupt family’s secrets would finally see the light.