Capital, Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager leaned back against her phoenix couch, her fingertips rolling a string of jade Buddhist beads. The beads clicked together, producing a crisp, clear sound. The Emperor sat on a lower seat, holding a cup of clear tea. Wisps of steam rose from the cup, failing to mask the agitation etched across his brow.
The hall was so quiet that the dropping of a needle could be heard, save for the ticking of the bronze clepsydra, which seemed to urge something forward.
Chapter 248