Our days followed the same pattern. Every morning I’d meet her in her palace for breakfast and at night I’d have her brought to mine to have the evening meal.

It was the talk of the whole palace and even the Empress dowager made her displeasure known. I didn’t care. We spent most of every day together and even when I went to the training fields, I found a way for eunuch Van to sneak her there too.

Each morning we went together to greet my parents and receive their ...