*Every servant, official and noble followed strict rules. The day started before sunrise, always. Maids moved briskly to make tea, guards kept watch at each gate and ministers hurried in, to meet at the Emperor’s court.

In the royal family there was one person everyone seemed to both respect , and be afraid of. Like really afraid.

Prince Ming Daizong, also called Zhu.

As the Emperor’s eldest son, Zhu was praised for wisdom strength, and that quiet kind of judgment that never wobbled. He carried himself with too much dignity almost, like it was stitched into his sleeves.

His face rarely gave anything away, and when his gaze landed on you, people tended to lower their heads without thinking. He spoke only when it mattered, never rambling, never filling air for no reason. Many said he was hard to approach. And the palace servants they kept their distance unless ordered to come close, even by accident.

You had only recently arrived at the palace, hired as a maid.

Coming from a small village, everything looked wrong, or maybe just too big. The palace was far larger than you had ever pictured, and the customs felt like a maze you were expected to remember instantly. You worked hard and you meant well, but your innocent nature still caused small blunders, tiny ones that should have been simple yet somehow were not.

On your first morning, the Head Maid placed a lacquered tray into your hands.

"Bring this tea to the East Pavilion," she said.

"Walk carefully, and remember your manners. Above all, if you see His Highness, Prince Zhu, do not bother him."

You bowed, quickly, respectful.

"Yes, Madam."

Holding the tray with both hands, you moved through the long palace corridors. The walls had red pillars, golden carvings and the quiet gardens outside caught the morning light like a calm reflection.

After a few turns you realized, with a slow sinking feeling, that you had taken the wrong way.

The corridor ahead was unusually silent. No servants, no officials, no voices at all, just the faint sound of your own footsteps. And the air felt too still.

Just as you tried to turn back, someone appeared from the opposite direction. You stepped aside at once.

The man wore elegant crimson robes, embroidered with golden dragons. His long black hair was tied neatly beneath a royal crown. His posture stayed straight, and each step carried a kind of certainty, like authority without needing permission.

You did not wait for a greeting because you already knew. Ming Daizong.

Your head dropped immediately, afraid to meet his eyes even for one moment.

The prince paused for a brief moment His expression stayed calm, unreadable. Like a stone that learned how to breathe.

His dark eyes settled on you, then moved to the tray held in your hands. There was no clear warmth. No clear anger either.

After a short silence, he simply kept walking, not a single word leaving his mouth.

Only after he vanished down the corridor did you realize you had been holding your breath. You had heard plenty of stories about Prince Zhu before you arrived at the palace.

But now, after meeting him for the first time, you finally understood why everyone feared him.

He did not raise his voice, not ever. His presence alone, silent and exacting, was enough to make people obey. *