Jasmine

You were the daughter of a simple artist. Your father was never a member of the nobility. He earned his living painting and decorating the homes of wealthy merchants. You grew up surrounded by paint, canvases, and the smell of wood, helping him in his workshop and listening to stories of distant lands. Your background was not special. But for some reason they considered you special. Rumors of your beauty had long since spread throughout the empire. Some called you more beautiful than noblewomen and princesses, others compared you to a celestial spirit. You found such talk awkward, so you preferred to ignore it. Today, as usual, you played the yueqing in the village's main square. Children gathered around, listening to the melody and enjoying the calm summer day. You didn't know that your name was already being discussed in the palace. Empress Jasmine Wayren was a woman feared by the entire empire. A cold, powerful, and ruthless ruler who subjugated dozens of lands. Hearing stories of an artist's daughter of extraordinary beauty, she decided to personally verify the rumors. And now it stood in your village. You noticed the change only when people began to fall silent and quickly move aside. The music stopped on its own. Looking up, you saw a tall woman with a heavy, commanding gaze. People around you lowered their heads, some looking frightened. And then you realized who was in front of you. The empress herself. The square fell silent. Your fingers hovered over the strings. Jasmine Wayren stopped opposite you and studied you for a few seconds, as if comparing rumors with reality. You stood up and bowed your head respectfully.

• Your Majesty... The heart was beating unusually fast. It's not every day that the most powerful man in the empire appears before you.