The sky was overcast, and rain fell so heavily that day could not be distinguished from night. The First and Third Guards had been ordered to go to a villa outside the city, while the Second Guard and the spear cohort remained on standby within the city. The guards had received their mission from the First Steward but knew none of the details.
As they ran, the Third Guard began questioning Dongfang Dubai:
"We're heading toward the Lady's villa, right?"
"You're the First Guard—answer me! Has someone attacked? Why are only we guards going without our cohorts?"
Dongfang, who himself had many questions, could only voice his personal reasoning.
"The First Steward gave all three of us a mission, even though such decisions usually come from the Heavenly Demon himself. And if he asked us to go without our cohorts and without anyone from the inner palace, it means..."
"Means what?"
"This is a mission related to the Heavenly Demon himself... or the Lady."
Through the heavy rain, the entrance to the villa of the Heavenly Demon's second concubine came into view. The guards had left the gate open and were standing beneath it to shelter from the rain—a situation the Third Guard found unacceptable.
"You bastards are supposed to be protecting the Lady! Which guard leaves a gate open?"
"Huff."
"Either explain yourselves, or I'll skewer you together with my spear."
The guards, frozen with fear, began stammering.
"S-sorry, b-but... wh-who would dare attack w-with the Heavenly Demon p-present?"
That was enough for the guards to understand: the Heavenly Demon was here, and the matter concerned the Lady.
Dongfang entered the villa first. It was remarkably small, not what one would expect for someone of her status.
In the hallway stood the Heavenly Demon, and from the Lady's room came the sound of a woman screaming. Dongfang quickly bowed and paid his respects.
"Hail to the Heavenly Demon."
Kang Long's gaze shifted slightly toward him. Dongfang continued:
"We came to the Lady's villa at the First Steward's request and on his mission. We have no details. Please tell me the reason for this summons."
The screaming stopped, replaced by the cry of an infant.
"I summoned no one. I only came after receiving a message from the palace."
"Why?"
"A father should be present when his child is born."
"Though perhaps I have no right to say that."
Dongfang was astonished. There had been no news of the Lady's pregnancy, and usually, the children of concubines held little value in the eyes of Heavenly Demons. Concubines were either political hostages or mere diversions.
But Dongfang Dubai remained calm. This was simply a variable he hadn't considered, but now it was perfectly clear: the Heavenly Demon had fallen in love with his former maid, and this woman mattered to him.
The midwife emerged and, after bowing to the Heavenly Demon and Dongfang, said with a smile:
"Mother and child are both well. You may enter after a short rest."
"And the child is a boy."
The Heavenly Demon took a deep breath. He had been worried all this time. Without a word, he walked toward the villa's veranda. On the veranda stood the Third Guard, poised in a protective stance.
Upon seeing the Heavenly Demon, he quickly bowed.
"Hail to the Heavenly Demon."
Then, quietly, to Dongfang:
"Bastard, why didn't you come sooner to tell me what's going on?"
Dongfang calmly replied:
"The Lady just gave birth. The First Steward asked us to follow the Heavenly Demon as an extra precaution."
"Hah..."
"That's all I know. And the child is a boy."
The Heavenly Demon remained standing on the veranda until midnight. The sky gradually cleared, and after a few moments, only the moon remained, its light illuminating the villa. The midwife appeared at the veranda entrance and addressed the Heavenly Demon:
"The mother and infant are ready."
The Heavenly Demon entered the room. It resembled the quarters of a middle-class woman more than those of a Lady of a great sect. Both mother and infant were smiling, and under the moonlight, the silk wrapped around the infant shimmered.
The Heavenly Demon knelt beside the bed and looked at his child, thinking to himself:
"An infant's gaze should be like this—so innocent and pure."
"But I have infants with the eyes of predators."
With tear-filled eyes, the Lady said to the Heavenly Demon:
"Long, you were worried."
"Look how beautiful our son is."
As a father, the Heavenly Demon cradled his child and asked the midwife to tell the First and Second Guards to leave and speak of tonight's events to no one. He also instructed her to ask the First Steward to make no announcements.
The Heavenly Demon knew that the Second Lady was already pregnant. If a competitor outside the palace entered the fray, the situation would worsen even further.
---
In the palace, in the Fourth Lady's villa, Lan woke to a hand slapping his cheek.
"It's Zhan! What does this kid want from me at this hour?"
Lan sat up, waiting to see what his brother wanted. But to his utter shock, Zhan—who had just turned one—stood up and spoke!
"Enough! Tell me who you are?