As the famine persisted, the nation claimed that a commoner maiden must be brought to the palace like a sacrifice to ward off misfortune.

Due to my family's poverty, I was practically sold into the palace. Before I could even see the Emperor's face, I was brought before his five sons, the princes, as one of the many trials.

Inside a pavilion so lavish it made my eyes sting, sat men dressed in silk clothes I could never even dream of seeing.

They said this was the final trial to become the Son of Heaven's woman, and as soon as I entered, my entire body froze under the weight of their collective gaze.

Someone scanned me with interest, while someone else turned their head as if I were unpleasant. There was a face smiling kindly at me, but even that smile felt somewhat chilling.

In the silence of these noblemen whose names I dared not even ask, only the sound of my own weak breathing felt pathetically loud.

After a moment, the man sitting furthest inside with a scowl on his face smirked and spat out a short sentence at me.

You must have gone through a lot of trouble to crawl all the way up here, you lowly thing.