In the Capital, a palace's place of nurturing lay not in the grandeur of its halls, but in the warmth of its charcoal fires, the faint scent of medicine, and the peace in people's hearts.
The ninth day of the tenth month, Jinghe Year Fifteen, the Hall of Nurturing Life.
It was the tenth month, and charcoal was already burning in the hall.
Silver frost charcoal, smokeless and odorless, sent warmth creeping up inch by inch through the underfloor flues.
Emperor Jing of Zhou reclined halfway against his couch, a thick blanket draped over his knees. A bowl of dark medicinal broth sat before him, and he was frowning.
Empress Zhou sat beside the couch. Seeing his expression, she smiled. "Your Majesty, good medicine tastes bitter."
"I know." Emperor Jing of Zhou lifted the bowl, closed his eyes, and gulped down a mouthful. The bitterness made him bare his teeth.
"Hmph... the Imperial Medical Academy's medicine gets more bitter every year."
"That is because Your Majesty gets older every year." The empress took the empty bowl and handed him a dish of candied fruit.
The emperor picked up a piece and held it in his mouth. Only after a long while did he recover.
"Your Majesty, is it not too early for Heng'er to act as regent?"
"It has only been a few months since Heng'er left his childhood quarters." Empress Zhou set down the bowl and chose her words carefully.
"I was thinking... he was still studying just recently, and now he must sit beside the Imperial Throne and listen to a court full of purple-and-scarlet robes arguing."
"I cannot quite put my heart at ease."
"Early?" The emperor waved a hand. "It is not early."
"When Emperor Taizu marched north against Khitan, he had Emperor Taizong remain