Sunlight filters through the windows of my room, creating golden patterns on the walls decorated with paintings that my mother has added to my room over the years we have lived here. Today is my seventh birthday, and the pavilion is filled with a vibrant energy that is rarely felt. Since early morning, the servants have been preparing everything for the celebration.

  Lianhua and Meilan are dressing me in an outfit that has been made exclusively for the occasion, and even my embroidery tutor made me add a small flower pattern in one corner of the outfit, which I hope no one will notice.

  As they finish dressing me, my mother enters the room dressed in a splendid ceremonial gown. Her presence, always majestic, radiates a serenity that, at this moment, I do not share. Seeing my appearance, she nods as if to approve of the work Lianhua and Meilan have done.

  "Wen, dear”, she says in her melodious but firm voice “Today is an important day. I know you don't like being the center of attention, but you will have to interact with the guests. It is a test of your etiquette lessons and a confirmation to the people of your excellence. And at the end of the party, you will play the Guqin for the same reason."

  I look at my mother with a trace of concern on my face "But mother, I've only been learning for a short time. I won't do well."

  She smiles at me patiently "No one expects you to do it perfectly, but you must try. It's important to show that you are learning."

  I sigh, feeling a mixture of nerves and resignation “All right, Mother. I'll try."

  While my mother gives me instructions on what to do at the party, they finish dressing me, so Lianhua picks me up and we head outside the pavilion. This year, instead of holding the party inside, my mother has decided to hold it in the garden just outside. I just hope that if the ducks see me, they don't make a fuss asking for their food.

  As we head towards the garden, I realize that as I grow older, it becomes more and more uncomfortable to carry me around. And it's clear that this will only get worse with time, and I refuse to end up being carried around like a princess, so it's time for me to invent the wheelchair, just like I did with the abacus.

  When we arrive at the garden, I see that it is decorated with paper lanterns, colorful banners, and floral arrangements that fill the air with a sweet fragrance. Several people I recognize from my previous parties and their children have arrived, and the murmur of their conversations fills the air. Gifts are piled on a table to one side, and many of them are books, just like at my previous birthdays. I also can't help but notice the numerous Nei Wei scattered around the park.

  Lianhua leads me to the area where the chair has been prepared for me and sits me down while my mother approaches the groups of adults to thank them for coming.

  The noble children run around, followed by their caregivers. Some look at me curiously, but as at previous parties, except for that first one where one of them gave me a doll, they all ignore me. I still don't know if it's because I can't move that they don't want to come near me, due to the ignorant cruelty of children, or because their parents have told them something.

  As in other years, I try hard to follow the conversations and group dynamics of the party. Listening to and observing the social dynamics of a classic imperial court always fascinates me, especially because I knew people who would trade places with me in a heartbeat despite my situation. And although I did not specialize in the subject, seeing a mixture of power, diplomacy, and subtlety that contrasts with the modern world I come from always reminds me of where I come from and what I was before.

  Time passes and the party proceeds normally. The servants diligently attend to the guests, offering trays of sweets and tea. The conversations revolve around various topics, from the latest news from the empire to, to my surprise, the progress of my brothers' various factions to be named Heir.

  From what I can tell, whenever this topic comes up and my mother is present, there is always someone who tries to discreetly sound her out to find out her position, and therefore mine, on the matter. But my mother always discreetly avoids taking sides, stating that I am too young to participate in such matters.

  The afternoon progresses and, taking advantage of the spaciousness of the venue, which was not available in the hall where my past birthdays were celebrated, various shows are held to entertain the guests. And I see that my mother has decided to go all out for this birthday.

  Throughout the afternoon, there is a classical dance group, a show that reminds me of classical Chinese shadow theater. She even organizes several competitive games for the children, and I have to personally give the prizes to the winners. The children who come up to collect their prizes do so shyly, and after receiving them, they thank me formally but quickly walk away to join their friends.

  If I were really a girl my age, with this level of social exclusion, I'm sure I would be starting to have serious psychological problems by now, but I can't blame them for it. This environment and its social customs are not exactly the best for someone in my condition.

  As the end of the party approaches and I start to get nervous about the performance I am going to have to give, I suddenly see a small commotion on one side of the park. When I look to see what is going on, I am startled to see Jiangjun Han Xin entering the celebration area.

  Since he hadn't appeared at any of my birthdays since that first celebration when he brought me a bed, I thought that after fulfilling his obligation once, he had forgotten about me, but if he has come today, that doesn't seem to be the case.

  Unless, of course, he has come for another reason, and I nervously look behind him to see if a wild Emperor appears, but seeing no one else, I breathe a sigh of relief.

  When she sees Jiangjun Han Xin, my mother approaches him and they talk for a while. I would like to know what they are talking about, but from my chair I cannot hear them and I have never learned to read lips, so I can only watch them talk while my curiosity gnaws at me.

  After a while, my mother walks away and returns to the rest of the guests, while Jiangjun Han Xin approaches me. As he gets closer, I see that he is carrying a small box in one hand.

  I get a little nervous, but I try to calm myself down, and when he reaches me, I greet him with a nod “Jiangjun Han Xin, it's an honor that you came to my birthday party."

  "Don't worry, little Wen”, he replies, and I startle at the casual way he addresses me, something no one else would normally do. “I'm just here to give you a gift that I'm sure none of the others here have thought to give you."

  I can't help but be curious about his words, so I reply “And what gift would that be, Jiangjun Han Xin?"

  Jiangjun Han Xin smiles at me as he continues talking, ignoring my question “I've heard that Jiaoliu Feng is training you in one of your classes, so first I want to offer my condolences. You have some very difficult years ahead of you under her tutelage."

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  Remembering all the exercises my coach makes me do, I reply “I appreciate your words, Jiangjun Han Xin. But Jiaoliu Feng, although strict, is fair to me and doesn't ask me to do anything I can't do."

  "I know”, he replies. “But soon her classes will change, and for that time I have brought you my gift."

  After those words, he hands me the box he is carrying in his hand in a complete lack of etiquette, since gifts should be left on the table prepared for that purpose, but without saying anything, I take it.

  After picking it up, I see Jiangjun Han Xin make a small gesture to indicate that I should open it, so without hesitation, I open it to look at its contents.

  To my surprise, inside the box is a small dagger with a finely decorated sheath. After seeing it, I can't help but look at Jiangjun Han Xin and ask him “Are you sure this is your gift to me?

  Jiangjun Han Xin looks at me without hiding his amusement as he answers my question “Believe me, knowing Jiaoliu Feng, she's going to teach you how to use it. And it's better that when you need it for your classes, you have a personalized one. The ones in the training area aren't bad, but they're too generic."

  I can't refute his words, especially without talking to Jiaoliu Feng first, but giving a dagger to a seven-year-old girl seems a bit excessive to me, unless...

  Thinking about something, I pull the dagger out of its sheath, and I don't know if it's relief or disappointment, but I see that it's not sharp. Although someone is happy about it, as I notice Lianhua's sigh of relief behind me, who strangely hasn't said anything during my conversation with Jiangjun Han Xin.

  Carefully, I put the dagger back in its sheath and chat for a while with Jiangjun Han Xin, who asks me about my classes, especially the training I do with Jiaoliu Feng, which he seems to tacitly approve of.

  Finally, my mother interrupts our conversation to tell me that it is time for the final performance.

  And finally, the moment of my performance arrives. The servants bring in a table on which they place a beautiful Guqin decorated with intricate engravings, and Lianhua positions my chair so that I can easily reach the instrument.

  I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. My fingers caress the strings of the Guqin, feeling their texture under my fingertips. I begin to play, focusing on remembering my teacher's lessons. The notes flow, forming a melody that, although simple, I hope will be enough to avoid embarrassing myself.

  The music stops and the garden falls silent for a moment. Then, soft applause begins, though clearly more polite than enthusiastic. I look at the faces of the guests, seeing expressions of approval and a few smiles.

  "You didn't do badly, little one”, Jiangjun Han Xin, who is still standing close to me, says. “You still have a lot to learn, but it's clear you've worked hard. My daughters, when they had their lessons, all they could do was complain about how their fingers hurt afterwards."

  I nod, grateful for his words, though somewhat shocked by how he referred to his daughters. Although I know it wasn't a perfect performance, the simple fact that I tried is already an achievement.

  And with my performance, the party comes to an end and the guests begin to say their goodbyes. The nobles, despite having ignored me all afternoon, come over to congratulate me and say goodbye with bows, while their children smile shyly at me.

  When the last one leaves, I feel a mixture of relief and satisfaction.

  My mother comes over and hugs me “You did very well, Wen. I'm proud of you."

  I smile, feeling a warmth in my chest “Thank you, Mother. I tried my best."

  Lianhua comes over and takes me back to my room. As she tucks me into bed, I feel the exhaustion of the day begin to take hold of me.

  "Rest well, Zhāohuán Wen”, Lianhua says softly as she tucks me in, then leaves the room.

  I close my eyes, letting Lianhua's words comfort me as sleep envelops me. Today has been an exhausting day, but also one filled with small triumphs.

  I wake up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest with a bad feeling. The room is dark, but something feels off. I shake my head and dismiss it as the result of a bad dream, when I make out the figure of a man with his face covered slowly advancing toward me thanks to the light coming in from an open window. A chill runs down my spine as I realize that this is probably an attempted murder, so remembering Jiaoliu Feng's teachings on what to do in such cases, I use my arms and upper body to roll out of bed, avoiding the intruder while screaming at the top of my lungs. After falling out of bed, with an agile movement, I roll back under it, trying to buy time while I wait for someone to come to my aid.

  The man, seeing that I have discovered him, jumps on the bed, trying to catch me as I fall to the other side, but he fails before I can get under the bed. Without wasting any time, he grabs the bed tightly and flips it over with some effort, even though he surely has increased strength, revealing my hiding place.

  Without wasting any time, the man prepares to stab me and I prepare to roll away as best I can, when a flash of movement stops him, and he suddenly turns, stopping a dagger that is heading towards his neck.

  I look at the person who tried to stab the man and, to my surprise, it is Lianhua, expertly wielding a dagger.

  Without a word, I see Lianhua lunge at the intruder, who quickly blocks with his dagger while trying to kick my maid, who deftly dodges him.

  The fight between them is fierce and continuous. Lianhua and the intruder seem evenly matched, each movement calculated and precise. She, agile and quick, blocks and dodges his attacks, responding with quick and accurate blows. The man, however, is not far behind, displaying a skill that indicates years of training. And all this at a speed that I can barely see, demonstrating an absolutely inhuman speed, which brings to mind the memory of the cultivation book, with the part about tempering the nerves and its description easily coming to mind.

  In the midst of combat, the man pulls what appears to be a talisman of the kind used in temples from his belt and throws it at me. Instantly, and to my complete surprise, the talisman transforms into a ray of fire that heads toward my position. Lianhua, without hesitation, steps in the way, pulling another similar talisman from her sleeve and creating a kind of barrier that appears as a small air storm. The clash of the elements illuminates the room with a bright flash.

  As I watch, despite my fear and nervousness, my little geeky soul can't help but get excited when I see Lianhua using her talismans, realizing that she's a ninja, and therefore, I have a ninja maid!

  The man takes advantage of the distraction to quickly escape through the window. Outside, the screams of the guards attracted by the noise of the fight and my cries alert them to his presence, followed by the sound of a chase.

  Lianhua turns to me, still with a serious expression, but there is a spark of concern in her eyes as she asks me, her voice firm but worried “Are you okay, Zhāohuán Wen?”

  I nod, still shaking and terrified despite my brief flash of excitement “Thank you, Lianhua. I don't know what I would have done without you."

  She smiles slightly, putting away her dagger “Don't worry, Zhāohuán Wen. I'm here to protect you."

  As the sounds of the chase fade away, I allow myself to relax a little when my bedroom door suddenly opens and my mother enters, dressed in her nightclothes.

  "Wen, where are you? Are you okay?" she asks, clearly nervous and frightened as she enters, followed by several Nei Wei.

  Lianhua steps aside so my mother can see me, and she quickly comes over to pick me up, relief evident on her face.

  "Wen, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asks as she checks me over in her arms to see if I have any injuries.

  "I'm fine, Mom”, I reply to reassure her, despite my lingering nervousness. “It's all thanks to Lianhua, who quickly came to fight the intruder."

  My mother turns to look at Lianhua, whom she had ignored because she was so focused on me. I take the opportunity to get a better look at her and see that her clothes have some bloody cuts from attacks that she clearly couldn't stop or dodge.

  My mother looks at Lianhua and suddenly asks a question I didn't expect.

  "You weren't just a nanny, were you?" she asks Lianhua in a serious tone.

  Lianhua sighs as she replies “No, Guifei Xiang. I am a Yushi sent by the Yushitai and permanently assigned to Zhāohuán Wen. If you want more details, you'll have to talk to my superiors."

  My mother closes her eyes while I look at Lianhua and wonder what it means that she has had to reveal what is clearly a position for what would be a secret agent. I really hope she doesn't have to leave and we can continue as we have been until now, especially now that I know I can have a ninja maid.

  The sound of more people can be heard, and before more people enter the room, my mother says to Lianhua “We'll talk later, when things are calmer. For now, you are still Wen's Fei Yi."

  Lianhua nods seriously as a Nei Shiwei enters the room, and I prepare myself for what is going to be a long night as we deal with the consequences of the assassination attempt.