🎋ཌ༻𝑪𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘢 ༺ད🎋

The Black Snake Society
And this would be the most mysterious enemy.
A secret organization that has existed for decades.
Nobody knows who founded it.
Its members are infiltrated among:
merchants;
officials;
soldiers;
servants;
nobles;
even people close to the palace.
They use a small black snake mark as a symbol.
Their leader is known only as:
"The Snake"
Nobody knows his true face.
Some believe he is a nobleman.
Others believe she is a court lady.
Others say it could even be someone belonging to the imperial family.

The border towns
Not all of the Xu's enemies are inside the palace.
To the north there is a confederation of warrior peoples known as the Confederation of the Wolf Steppes.
Their leader is:
🐺 Kharun
He is approximately 38 years old.
He is a huge warrior, around 1.90 m tall, with a muscular build.
She has long, dark hair, usually braided.
His face is marked by combat scars.
Use:
leather armor;
hides;
high boots;
gun belts;
compound bow;
curved saber.
He doesn't necessarily want to conquer all of Longyue.
He wants to reclaim territories that he considers to belong to his people.
And he has a relationship of mutual respect with some Xu generals.
That creates a problem:
enemy does not necessarily mean villain.

The border towns
Not all of the Xu's enemies are inside the palace.
To the north there is a confederation of warrior peoples known as the Confederation of the Wolf Steppes.
Their leader is:
🐺 Kharun
He is approximately 38 years old.
He is a huge warrior, around 1.90 m tall, with a muscular build.
She has long, dark hair, usually braided.
His face is marked by combat scars.
Use:
leather armor;
hides;
high boots;
gun belts;
compound bow;
curved saber.
He doesn't necessarily want to conquer all of Longyue.
He wants to reclaim territories that he considers to belong to his people.
And he has a relationship of mutual respect with some Xu generals.
That creates a problem:
enemy does not necessarily mean villain.
🦚 5. Prince Xu Jianyu — the imperial blood traitor
Now comes a complicated one.
Xu Jianyu, 39 years old.
He is the emperor's cousin.
He belongs to a secondary branch of the Xu family.
He does not want to destroy the dynasty.
He wants something much more dangerous:
become emperor.
He is tall, approximately 1.81 m, and has a very refined appearance.
Has:
black hair;
dark brown eyes;
defined jaw;
light skin;
straight eyebrows;
a small scar on the neck.
He always dressed impeccably.
He never threatens directly.
He never insults.
She never loses her composure.
He even treats Xu Jianlong with absolute respect.
But he secretly believes that he would be a much better emperor.

Lady Shen — the enemy within the palace
This is probably the most dangerous one. 😭
Shen Yulan, 31 years old.
She is a noblewoman who managed to enter the Inner Palace as a consort.
But in reality, he belongs to a family that has been conspiring against the Xu family for years.
It has an extremely elegant appearance:
approximately 1.67 m;
slim figure;
oval face;
dark eyes;
extremely long black hair;
reddish lips;
delicate eyebrows;
a small mole next to the mouth.
She always seems calm.
And that is precisely what makes it dangerous.
He does not need to confront the Empress directly.
It can cause two people to distrust each other and simply watch the conflict grow.

Prince Xu Jianyu — the traitor of imperial blood
Now comes a complicated one.
Xu Jianyu, 39 years old.
He is the emperor's cousin.
He belongs to a secondary branch of the Xu family.
He does not want to destroy the dynasty.
He wants something much more dangerous:
become emperor.
He is tall, approximately 1.81 m, and has a very refined appearance.
Has:
black hair;
dark brown eyes;
defined jaw;
light skin;
straight eyebrows;
a small scar on the neck.
He always dressed impeccably.
He never threatens directly.
He never insults.
She never loses her composure.
He even treats Xu Jianlong with absolute respect.
But he secretly believes that he would be a much better emperor.

1. Clan Zhao — the family that wants to control the throne
   The Zhao are one of the oldest noble families in Longyue.
   They have served the Xu for generations, but they believe the imperial family has become weak.
   Their leader is:

Zhao Guang — 51 years old
He is a tall man, approximately 1.80 m, slim and elegant.
Has:
black hair with abundant gray hairs;
dark, narrow eyes;
elongated face;
straight nose;
short and perfectly groomed beard;
light skin;
long, thin hands.
He always wore black, dark blue, or deep green robes.
He never raises his voice.
In fact, when he is furious he usually speaks even more calmly.
His true power is not in the sword.
She's in his network of contacts.
He has officials, merchants, and some military personnel who owe him favors.

General Han Qiao — military enemy
Han Qiao was one of the most important generals of the empire.
He is now 44 years old.
It's enormous.
He is approximately 1.88 m tall, has very broad shoulders and a muscular body due to decades of training.
His face is covered in small scars.
Has:
black hair pulled back;
short beard;
dark brown eyes;
thick eyebrows;
a scar on the nose.
Unlike Zhao Guang, Han Qiao does not know how to feign humility.
He believes the emperor is too soft.
And he thinks that Xu Zhen doesn't have what it takes to govern either.
His secret goal is to place someone on the throne whom he can control.

Consort Mei — 29 years old
Mei possesses a more mature and elegant beauty.
She is about 1.66m tall and has a curvy but refined figure.
Her face is oval and her eyes are almond-shaped.
Has:
shiny black hair;
dark brown eyes;
reddish lips;
arched eyebrows;
a small mole under the left eye.
Her hair is often decorated with seasonal flowers and jade pieces.
👘 Clothing
Their robes are primarily:
🌺 dark pink
🍷 wine red
🟢 jade green
Since her family is very rich, she uses excellent quality silk.

He comes from a military family.
He's not very interested in politics.
However, she has a very close relationship with the second prince, Xu Wei.
That gets people talking.

Consort Lan — 23 years old
Lan has a stronger and more athletic appearance than the other women at court.
Her family belongs to the military aristocracy and she grew up riding horses and practicing archery.
He is approximately 1.70 m tall, with slightly prominent shoulders and a very upright posture.
Has:
oval face;
dark eyes;
defined eyebrows;
long black hair;
skin slightly more tanned than that of women who spend their entire lives inside the palace.
She usually wears her hair up in a practical way.
Outfit
Although she owns beautiful tailored dresses, she prefers simple clothes whenever possible.
During riding, he wears trousers and garments adapted for riding, which are much more practical than long ceremonial robes.

General Liang Ren — 47 years old
Liang looks exactly what you'd expect from a veteran.
He is tall, approximately 1.86 m, and has a robust body.
Her hair is black with quite a few silver-gray strands.
He has a short beard.
His face is marked by a scar that runs from the top of his cheek to near his jaw.
He also has small scars on his hands and arms.
His eyes are dark and very serious.
He doesn't usually smile.
Armor
When on duty, he wears dark plate armor with metallic details.
She wears a heavy cloak over it.
His sword is long and quite simple.
It doesn't need embellishment.
Her reputation speaks for itself.

Prince Xu Ren — 17 years old
Xu Ren has a much more delicate appearance.
He is the youngest and still retains youthful features.
She is about 1.72 meters tall and has a slim build.
Her face is oval:
light skin;
large, dark eyes;
long eyelashes;
thin eyebrows;
small nose;
soft lips.
Her hair is black and very long, usually partially tied up so that it doesn't interfere when she studies.
Some strands of hair often escape around her face.
He has thin, well-groomed hands, more typical of a student than a warrior.
👘 Clothing
She prefers simple tunics made of:
white;
pale blue;
grey;
jade.
She carries with her small bottles of medicinal herbs and, often, a book.

personality

reserved
shy
sweet and kind
When they fall in love, they tend to be very attached.

Prince Xu Wei — 21 years old
Xu Wei is probably the most attractive of the three brothers in a charismatic and relaxed way.
It measures approximately 1.79 m.
He has an athletic build, but less robust than Zhen.
Her face looks more youthful:
soft jaw;
straight nose;
slightly curved lips;
dark and lively eyes;
slightly arched eyebrows.
His black hair is long and slightly less perfect than his brother's.
Sometimes she leaves a few strands around her face.
And he has a smile that makes it hard to tell if he's being sincere or hiding something.
👘 Clothing
She likes colorful tunics:
🟢 dark green
🔵 blue
🟣 violet
🤍 white
She usually wears fewer decorations than Xu Zhen.
He also uses a sword, but prefers light weapons and quick movements.

personality

charismatic
helpful
agile
gentle

Prince Xu Zhen — 24 years old
The heir has a much more military appearance.
He is approximately 1.84 meters tall and has broad shoulders and strong arms from years of training.
His face is serious:
marked jaw;
straight nose;
thick eyebrows;
dark brown eyes;
defined cheekbones.
Her hair is long and black, usually tied up in a high ponytail or a workout bun.
He has a small scar on his right forearm caused during his sword training.
Her posture is impeccable.
Even while seated, he seems ready to get up immediately.
⚔️ Clothing
During training, he wears durable fabric clothing, usually dark blue or gray.
At ceremonies he wears crown prince robes with gold details and dragon symbols.
His sword is always close.

personality

arrogant
challenging
helpful
lover of tigers and combat
former love of the princess of the neighboring kingdom

Empress Wei Lianhua — 35 years old
Lianhua has a very refined beauty.
She is of medium-tall height, around 1.68 m, with a slender and elegant figure.
Her face has a delicate appearance:
Fair skin.
Oval face.
Dark, almond-shaped eyes.
Thin, carefully groomed eyebrows.
Small, straight nose.
Defined lips.
Soft cheekbones.
Her hair is black, thick, and extremely long.
She usually wears it styled in an elaborate updo, adorned with:
🪷 jade hairpins
🌸 silk flowers
🪶 small golden ornaments
💎 Jade pieces
When she is inside her quarters, she can wear her hair much looser and simpler.
Her most striking feature is not only her beauty, but her gaze.
When someone lies in front of her, she usually just stares at him silently.
And that's much more intimidating than shouting.
👘 Clothing
Her robes are made of silk and have phoenix embroidery, a symbol associated with the empress.
Use colors like:
dark red;
golden;
jade;
deep blue.
You never need to overdo your jewelry. A single piece of jade can perfectly indicate your status.

personality:
suspicious
firm
gentle
comprehensive
a little distrustful of strangers
kind to boys and girls
She loves music

Emperor Xu Jianlong — 42 years
He is a tall man, approximately 1.82 m, with a firm and well-proportioned build. He doesn't have the overly muscular body of a warrior, but he retains the strength of someone who trained from a young age.
Has:
Jet black hair, long and very straight.
She wears it gathered in an elaborate imperial bun.
A few strands fall carefully around the temples.
Long and elegant face.
Dark, straight eyebrows.
Dark brown eyes, narrow and piercing.
Straight nose.
Prominent cheekbones.
Defined jaw.
A small scar near his left eyebrow, a reminder of a military campaign from his youth.
His usual expression is serious and controlled. Even when he's worried, he tries to make sure no one can easily read his emotions.

Outfit
For ceremonies, he wears a huge golden-yellow robe, decorated with dragons, clouds, and celestial symbols.
Outside of ceremonies, she prefers simpler robes in dark tones, especially deep blue, black, and dark green.
He wears a guan, a kind of ceremonial headdress, on official occasions.

personality
half jealous
firm and serious
Despite his cold demeanor, he takes care of his people.
gentlemanly

The Celestial Dragon Palace is divided into different sectors:
Throne Room — where the emperor receives officials.
Imperial Gardens — reserved for the imperial family and certain guests.
🪷 Palace of Flowers — residence of the consorts.
Scholars' Pavilion — where historians and officials work.
Courtyard of the Guards — headquarters of the imperial guard.
Inner Palace — private area of ​​the imperial family.
And obviously... nobody can move freely through all these areas.

🌸 The consorts
Instead of making them all simply "concubines", we can establish a hierarchy:
Empress
⬇️
Imperial Consort
⬇️
Noble Consorts
⬇️
Ladies of the Palace
⬇️
Maids
Each rank has different privileges.
A young woman who enters the palace with a low rank could end up becoming one of the most powerful women in the empire... or disappear completely from history.

Imperial complexes could be enormous and contain:
ceremonial halls;
grounds;
bedrooms;
administrative offices;
temples;
warehouses;
kitchens;
servants' quarters;
quarters;
courtyards;
spaces designated for the women of the court.
And access was tightly controlled.

We need to be careful here, because the situation of women changed a lot depending on the era, region, and social class.
In general, traditional society was heavily influenced by patriarchal ideas and Confucianism.
Many women were expected to primarily perform roles related to:
marriage;
maternity;
household management;
childcare;
respect towards the husband's family.
Women from powerful families could have a completely different life from that of a peasant woman.
A woman belonging to the imperial family could have servants, education, and enormous influence within the court, while a peasant woman could work in the fields for practically her entire life.
And yes: women could also have political power.

The empire has been ruled by the Xu dynasty for almost 230 years.
Its symbol is the golden five-clawed dragon, reserved exclusively for the imperial family.

The capital: Yunjing
The imperial capital is called Yunjing, "City Among the Clouds".
It is a huge city surrounded by walls.
From a distance they can be seen:
watchtowers;
curved roofs;
temples;
markets;
grounds;
channels;
enormous stone gates;
banners of the Xu dynasty.
At the center is the Imperial City, and within it is the Celestial Dragon Palace.
The difference between the city's areas is enormous.
The upscale neighborhoods have large houses with private gardens, while the working-class neighborhoods are full of small shops, workshops, and houses packed very close together.
At night, the markets are illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.

The Palace of the Celestial Dragon
The palace practically functions as a city within a city.
There are hundreds of people living and working there.
The palace is divided into two large areas.
☀️ Exterior Palace
This is where politics happens.
It is mainly reserved for:
emperor;
ministers;
generals;
officials;
ambassadors;
ceremonies.
The most important place is the Hall of the Celestial Dragon.
The throne is located there.

🎍 Interior Palace
This is where they mainly live:
empress;
princes and princesses;
consorts;
ladies of the night;
maids;
some members of the imperial family.
Men who are not part of the imperial family have very restricted access.

The clothes
Clothing also indicates social position.
The emperor wears ceremonial robes with dragons, clouds, and celestial symbols.
The Empress usually wears colors and embroidery reserved for her rank.
The consorts wear very elaborate garments, but with designs that allow their position to be identified.
Officials wear specific robes depending on their position.
And the peasants wear much simpler clothes, generally made of resistant fabrics.

12:00 — Noon
The palace eats in a completely different way than a humble family. In the imperial kitchens, numerous people work. The food is carefully prepared and presented according to the rank of the person receiving it.
The emperor eats surrounded by attendants.
The Empress eats in her own chambers.
The princes may eat together or separately depending on their duties.
Meanwhile, a humble family might be eating something much simpler: rice, millet, vegetables, fish, or some preparation available depending on the region and the season. The enormous difference between the tables of the court and those of the common population is a fundamental part of the world.

2:00 PM — The afternoon
After the audiences, the emperor continues working.
•Signs documents. •Receives officials.
•He listens to military reports. •He can meet with ambassadors. •He can visit the imperial gardens. •He can also receive members of his family. •The Empress, for her part, can receive noblewomen who have come to the palace.
And here the rumors begin.
A noblewoman comments:
—They say that General Liang is worried about the border.
Another responds:
—I heard that the second prince is gaining support among the military.
Silence.
Nobody says anything else.
Because everyone knows that talking too much in the palace can be dangerous.

6:00 PM — The lanterns
The sun begins to disappear.
The first lanterns are lit in Yunjing.
The vendors begin to pack up their goods, the workers return to their homes, in the palace, the inner gates begin to close and the guards reinforce their posts, in a historic imperial city, gates and schedules could strongly regulate nighttime movement; urban life was organized into distinct neighborhoods and spaces.
8:00 PM — The Imperial Night
Now the palace changes completely.
The corridors are illuminated by lamps.
The gardens are almost empty.
The guards are patrolling.

8:00 — The Inner Palace
Meanwhile, in another part of the palace...
Empress Wei Lianhua is already awake.
Her maids help her with her hair.
One of them places a jade hairpin.
Another adjusts the sleeves of her dress.
Another one prepares her breakfast.
But the empress is not simply thinking about her appearance.
You are receiving information.
—What's the news about the Zhao family?
—They have sent a letter, Your Majesty.
—And the second prince?
—He left this morning for the training fields.
Lianhua remains silent.
She knows that every small move can have political consequences.

9:00 — The princes
The three brothers have different routines.
Xu Zhen
Train with the sword.
Then he studies military strategy and administration.
His teacher doesn't allow him to rest too much.
-Again.
The prince raises his sword again.
Xu Wei
He is at the training camp with soldiers.
But instead of just practicing, talk to them.
Ask about their families.
Because of their salaries.
Due to the condition of the troops.
He seems relaxed.
However, he is gathering information.

Xu Ren
It's in the library.
He has several open books in front of him.
She is studying medicine.
One of his servants enters.
—Prince, your older brother is looking for you.
Xu Ren looks up.
-So that?
-Don't know.
And that immediately seems suspicious to him.

10:00 — The city awakens
Outside the palace, Yunjing is fully awake.
The markets are full.
For sale:
• rice • prepared foods
•vegetables •fish •fabrics •ceramics
•medicinal herbs •wood •salt •tea

Craftsmen work in their workshops, merchants negotiate, peasants bring produce from nearby areas, messengers traverse the streets; the imperial capital is a vast mix of officials, artisans, merchants, workers, and ordinary families

In the Celestial Dragon Palace, the first to rise are the servants.
Braziers are lit, water is heated, and food preparation begins.
The guards are already doing their rounds.
In the imperial chambers, several maids prepare the clothes of the emperor and the imperial family.
Meanwhile, in the city's neighborhoods, many peasant and artisan families also begin their day. Daily life depended heavily on domestic, agricultural, and artisanal work.

6:00 — The palace awakens
Emperor Xu Jianlong awakens.
He can't just get up and do whatever he wants.
An aide announces the morning's activities and the imperial doctors check on their condition.
Then he dresses in a tunic appropriate for his activities.
Once prepared, he has breakfast while listening to the first reports.

• Problems in a province. - State of the crops. - Military movements. - Tax collection. - Border situation.
  The emperor may lead an extremely luxurious life, but he is also subject to a very demanding political routine. In historical imperial courts, there were officials specializing in the sovereign's health, diet, clothing, and activities.

7:00 — Official activity begins
At the Outer Palace, officials begin to gather.
The most important ones are waiting to submit their reports.
The atmosphere is quiet.
When the emperor appears:
Everyone bows.
The emperor takes his seat.
And the hearing begins.
—"Speak."
A minister steps forward.
"Your Majesty, the floods in the east have destroyed three villages."
Another official responds:
"Imperial warehouses can provide grain."
And then an argument begins that can last for hours.
This type of audience is consistent with the structure of the Han court, where high officials would come to the palace to discuss important matters and participate in audiences.

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Thank you so much.