Novels by Zhihan Liu

The doors of Phoenix Palace closed behind him with a low, final thud—like a held breath let go.Xiao Heng walked, boots steady against the damp stone, robes whispering with each unhurried step.The weight of the morning audience still clung to him, and he let it loosen with every measured step. State affairs could hold. A quarter-hour more wouldn't bring the empire to its knees.Overhead, the glazed tiles still glistened from the night's rain, and water slipped from the eaves in a lazy, arrhythmic drip.His mind circled back to Lanxin.A witness silenced before she could speak. Someone had slipped in before the Palace Guard arrived—quiet as a shadow, meticulous to the point of obsession. Whoever it was had stripped the room clean.The corner of his mouth twitched—not quite a smile, not quite a sneer. Panic was a clumsy tool. It left fingerprints in the spaces people forgot to look. A hasty retreat. A misplaced seal. A servant who remembered too clearly or not at all.They'd flinch agai

Court had barely dispersed when Li Dequan caught up with Xiao Heng at the bottom of the marble steps, falling into step half a pace behind."Your Majesty. The imperial physician's report."Xiao Heng didn't slow. "What did he find?""No poison, no wounds, no struggle. The physician believes her heart simply gave out."Xiao Heng's stride hitched for just a fraction of a second, then evened out again. He walked a few more paces, eyes fixed on the long palace avenue ahead, before he spoke."Mm. We'll speak of this at Phoenix Palace."Li Dequan bowed his head and said nothing more, keeping to his customary distance. Master and servant passed through the side corridor of the Meridian Gate in silence, the morning sunlight cutting sharp angles across the flagstones.At Phoenix Palace, Mingshu had already finished her breakfast and was sitting by the window, a book open on her lap—though she hadn't turned a page in some time. She had calculated the timing carefully: court would have ended, the

The first pale light of dawn was just starting to seep through the windows of Chengqian Palace—thin, watery, the kind that made everything look washed out. Xiao Heng stood still while Qingyuan worked the jade belt around his waist, her fingers moving with quiet familiarity. She tugged the ends into place, then let her palm rest flat against his stomach for a moment. "You've lost weight," she said, not quite looking up. Her thumb brushed across the fabric, smoothing a crease that wasn't really there. "Have I?" "You have." She stepped back, tilted her head, squinted. Then she reached up and straightened his collar—left side, then right, then left again, just to be sure. She stepped back and gave him a slow once-over, chin lifted, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and approval: "Now you look like an emperor." Xiao Heng raised an eyebrow: "And what did I look like a moment ago?" Qingyuan held his gaze, her smile growing one heartbeat at a time: "My husband."

He carried her out of Phoenix Palace without a word. Not until they were well past the palace gates did Qingyuan tug lightly at his sleeve:“You can put me down now.” “No.” She looked up at him: “Xiao Heng.” He glanced down. “My sleeve’s wet,” she said. “Not my legs.” For the first time since leaving the banquet, the corner of his mouth lifted: “…Fine.” He set her down carefully. The moment her feet touched the ground, his hand found hers again. Qingyuan glanced at their joined hands and gave them a playful little swing: “Do you really need to hold my hand right now?” He didn’t even look at her: “Very.” She only smiled and let him have his way. Neither of them spoke all the way back to Chengqian Palace. Only after the doors closed behind them did Xiao Heng finally let go of her hand. He rested a hand lightly on her shoulder and guided her toward the couch: “Sit.” She sat, watching him with quiet amusement. “The outer robe.” His eyes fell to the damp edge

"Enough." Mingshu's voice cut through the hall. Finally, all quiet. "We're checking the records." She turned to Nanny Xu. "Go get—" Just then— A eunuch's voice from outside. "His Majesty has arrived." The hall went silent. Everyone stood up and turned toward the entrance. Xiao Heng stepped inside. Without sparing anyone else a glance, he walked straight to Su Qingyuan. "Qingyuan." She looked up and smiled. "You're early." "I was worried about you.” He raised one hand to cup her cheek, thumb brushing lightly over. His other hand reached for hers, then paused. —his fingers brushed against something damp. His gaze dropped immediately. see her sleeve. His expression darkened: "What's this?" "Nothing—"She instinctively tried to pull her hand back. He caught her wrist before she could. “Nothing?”His fingers traced the damp fabric, “You call this nothing?” "I'm fine. Just a little splash." "A splash?"His jaw tightened, "Boiling tea?" His gaz

The tray lurched sideways. The pot of scalding tea looked like it was about to spill all over Zhao, but somehow it swerved midair and headed straight for Su Qingyuan's face! A few people in the hall gasped. Zhao shot to her feet, completely forgetting herself, and let out a yelp—"Ahhh!" Su Qingyuan dodged to the side in the same instant. The hot water splashed past her shoulder and drenched the table between her and Zhao. The teacup hit the floor and shattered. The little maid dropped to her knees in terror, banging her head on the ground. "This servant deserves death! I deserve death!" Zhao caught her breath and quickly put on a concerned look, leaning toward Qingyuan. "Lady Su, you're not burned, are you?" Her voice was all sweetness, but the disappointment in her eyes was plain as day. Before Qingyuan could answer, Zhao turned to the maid. "Which palace are you from?" The girl was trembling all over, her voice hoarse. "I—I'm from… Chengqian Palace." The hall went