Ten Jade Continent;
Court Setting, Flame Kingdom, Flame King Luo's Palace, Main Hall.
The current king of the Flame Kingdom, King Luo Shogun, sat upon his throne cold, unmoving and unreadable as ever. His sharp eyes gazed down at the court below as a case unfolded before him.
The vast hall echoed with the voices of arguing ministers, their robes swaying as they gestured passionately.
Minister Wang stepped forward, his voice firm and accusing. He pointed directly at a woman kneeling in chains. "This woman has committed a heinous crime, my lord." He declared. "She has killed two officers who were carrying out their duties."
A murmur spread through the court.
The king raised a hand, and silence fell instantly. "Present the evidence." Luo Shogun declared. The proof was brought forward clear, undeniable. Even the woman herself had to confess, her voice trembling but resolute.
The air grew heavy. Luo Shogun did not hesitate. "Execute her." He said. His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
The guards stepped forward, gripping the woman by the arms as she was dragged away. Her faint cries echoed briefly through the hall before disappearing into silence.
The king rose from his throne and turned away. "The court is dismissed." The head minister said.
Not long after, the elder son and heir of the Luo family, Luo He arrived. He walked through the palace corridors with urgency in his steps. His expression was tense, dissatisfaction clear in his eyes.
Soon, he stood before his father. "That judgment was flawed," Luo He said without hesitation. Luo Shogun's gaze sharpened slightly. Luo He continued, his voice steady. "It is true that the woman killed a soldiers but she had a good reason one that changes everything."
He then revealed the full story, gathered through his extensive and well-hidden spy network. His father's expression darkened. "A judge," Luo Shogun said coldly, "is bound to the evidence placed before him. Nothing more. Nothing less. He has no right to meddle in matters beyond that."
But Luo He did not stop. "The woman had a secret relationship with Minister Wang," Luo He said as if to draw his father's interest. "She bore him two children." A ripple of shock moved through the room.
"These children," Luo He continued, "were stains on the minister's reputation. He wanted the woman gone and the children taken under his control." Luo He's eyes hardened slightly.
"He sent palace officials to retrieve them. But the woman refused as any mother would. She fought back. In the struggle, she killed one officer." He paused briefly.
"The second officer… was later killed by Minister Wang himself, to make the incident appear as a double murder."
Silence filled the room. Luo He stepped forward. "Do you still believe she deserves death?" He asked as this was completely natural. "I request that the case be reinstated. I will appear as her lawyer and defend her life."
Luo Shogun's jaw tightened. Anger flickered in his eyes but beneath it was something else. Reluctance. He could not refuse his only son for such a minor request. "Very well," he said at last.
The next morning, Luo He made his way to the prison. The air inside was damp and cold, thick with the scent of iron and decay. Torches flickered along the stone walls, casting long shifting shadows. Luo He was a master of disguise a man with a thousand faces. He is everything from prince to pauper. So not everyone sees through him.
This time, he appeared as a court official a lawyer. With calm authority, he requested permission to speak with the prisoner. His demeanour and appearance were convincing enough to grant him entry. He was led to her cell.
The woman sat quietly in the dim light, her figure frail but her eyes still holding a faint spark of life. "I am here to hear your story," Luo He said. Though he already knew it, he asked as if hearing it for the first time. The woman lifted her head slowly.
"My name is Su," she said softly. {In these times, commoners bore no family names only a single given name. Only nobles carried family names before their own names.}
As she spoke, her voice began to tremble. Tears welled in her eyes as she recounted everything. The fear, the struggle, the desperation. Her sorrow was deep and raw. Luo He listened silently. As he had suspected the truth was clear. The following day, the court gathered once more.
This time, Luo He appeared in full attire as a lawyer. With sharp words and undeniable evidence, he presented the complete story. His voice was precise, cutting through every argument raised against him. Each sentence struck like lightning, leaving no room for denial.
The court shifted. Even Luo Shogun could not ignore it.
At last "The woman is to be released."
A collective breath escaped the hall.
However, the matter was not fully resolved. There was no solid proof that Minister Wang had killed the second officer. Both bodies had been found at the woman's door.
And so the minister walked free. Unpunished save for the humiliation that now clung to his name.
Luo He was not satisfied. But still, he bowed slightly. "Thank you, Father." Luo Shogun looked at him calmly. "This is not my doing," he said. "It is your tongue that saved her."
Such incidents were not rare in the court and they weighed heavily on the king.
Later that day, Luo Shogun went to speak with his wife, Queen Luo Xinyue. He lay back, resting his head upon her lap, his usual cold demeanour softened with frustration.
"The prince will turn eighteen this year," he said. "I can no longer keep him away from court." He let out a quiet breath.
"I am still in my prime. I have the strength to rule. Yet, at every turn, he interferes in my decisions." His voice lowered.
"For now, he does so in private… but what happens when he begins to do so in public?" Lady Xinyue listened quietly. While gently running her fingers through his hair. "The moment a king is second guessed," Luo Shogun continued, "he begins to lose the faith of his people." He closed his eyes briefly.
"I try to give him responsibility and something of his own to govern. Even to send him abroad. But you always stop me." His voice grew heavier.
"What do you want me to do? I am the king yet within this city, he holds more influence than I do." Luo Xinyue remained calm. "I will speak to him husband," she said softly. And just like that, the tension eased.
Later that day, she summoned Luo He.
Mother and son sat together in quiet conversation.
Though upset, Luo He understood.
He was known as one of the smartest minds in the kingdom but many said his understanding was shaped deeply by his mother's gentle yet persuasive nature.
"I respect Father," Luo He said. "He is honourable and just." He looked away slightly. "But he is distant from the people. He does not feel their hearts...
I do not wish to become like that."
Xinyue studied him carefully. "What you seek is not simple," she said. "To understand the people you must live among them. Not for days but for years."
Her words settled deeply in his mind.
Luo He fell silent.
Then "I will leave the palace," he said. "I will live as one of them and return only when I understand their hearts." Her eyes widened slightly. "That is foolish," she said firmly. "Outrageous." But her words did not shake him. His resolve remained.
That night, Luo He presented the idea to his father. Luo Shogun strongly opposed it. But Luo He had prepared. "This," he said calmly, "is my request for my eighteenth name day." The words struck their mark.
Luo Shogun and Luo Xinyue both fell silent. They loved their only son deeply and never wished to deny him on such an occasion. For two days, they discussed, argued, and hesitated. The weight of the decision lingered heavily.
Finally on the morning of Luo He's eighteenth birthday...They agreed.