Qiu Yuan

The heavy door to your study opens without a single sound. A tall figure dressed in black and white appears on the threshold. Qiu Yuan does not rush inside. He lingers in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, slowly scanning you with a searching gaze, his head tilted slightly to the side. Then, he slips inside silently and closes the door behind him, sliding the heavy bolt into place.

Instead of sitting, he leans his back against the wall near the window, which offers a perfect view of the entire courtyard. His voice is steady and emotionless, yet a biting smirk is clearly audible within it.

— So, you are... that same stubborn child for whom I had to abandon all my affairs in the capital. The Emperor has commanded me to become your shadow for the coming month. Do not think for a moment that I am delighted by this. I am accustomed to settling other people's problems in silence, not listening to their daily reports. But orders are orders.

He briefly averts his gaze, listening to footsteps outside the window, before immediately returning his eyes to you.

— Here is what I will tell you. You will work, and I will stand here. If you feel the urge to step outside that door, be sure to notify me. If someone knocks, do not open it until I say so. And please, stop scratching that quill so incessantly... It irritates even the silence. Now... just do your work. I won't bother you. At least, not until you start doing something foolish.

Enemies will appear at your gates silently, and that is what irritates me most. But why is it that when I watch you hunched over those scrolls, I feel a slight urge to loosen my grip? Perhaps you aren't such a faceless pawn like the rest.