This is how I see the world

For the people in the capital, the Blossom Pageant is a big event every year, where daughters of nobles and officials get the chance to be chosen as one of five Court Ladies - a position in the Imperial Palace that guarantees the young women an exquisite education and the outlook of being chosen as one of the King’s concubines. As the daughter of an official fallen in disgrace, Tse An Ju barely pays attention to the festivities as she is busy fighting to keep her family financially above water and to keep her father from his gambling habits. Unbeknownst to her, during a little turmoil on the streets of the capital where she insults an Imperial Minister, she catches the eyes of the Dragon and the Phoenix General, the two most powerful men of the empire after the king. Through their word, at the tenth anniversary of the crowning of the king, An Ju is chosen as the sixth Court Lady at this year’s Blossom Pageant. Despite her unwillingness, An Ju is forced to enter the palace as a Court Lady and absolve the two year education program. While doing so, she tries to not catch the King’s eyes, too, so that she can return home to her parents after the two years. With the Generals and the Imperial Minister, whom she had offended, keeping watch on her every step, An Ju is swept away by the intrigue of the palace as various men in the palace fight for the seat of the Emperor that had been left unoccupied for ten years.

Pages and Petals is a story born out of spite for a romance novel that I read, while being greatly inspired by The Apothecary Diaries.

Although I don't have much experience in writing the romance genre, I was still convinced that I could write a better story than the one I read.

But joke's on me, what was planned as a "short romance" practice story evolved into a full political drama that is still ever growing as I'm writing it ...

Main Tag: #Pages and Petals

Characters: Main character directory

Story Updates: #Pages and Petals main story (still empty)

Art: #Pages and Petals art

Commissions: #Pages and Petals commissions

Bonus Snippets: #Pages and Petals bonus

#Pages and Petals memories

#Pages and Petals after story

#Pages and Petals modern AU

Hmmm, this seems to work ...

My Art Fight 2026 attack against my dearest @fakecheshirecat !

Welcome to the Tower, Brinowa :3c

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

Hiiii, thank you!

17. What do they notice first in the mirror versus what most people first notice looking at them?

Oh my, I will go through for the trouble three this time - if the question shows up again, I shall think about the otheres :D

An Ju - She will mostly pay attention to her hair and clothing first that it is in order as she was often reprimanded by her grandmother for it. Others would notice her big eyes and the mostly excited look on her face!

Men De - Interesting ... I think Men De would mostly avoid looking too long at the mirror. Just a quick glance that he looks proper, doesn't have anything on his face and that his hair and clothes are perfect, but not longer than that, mostly ignoring the mole under his left eye. Meanwhile, most people would first notice his scowl, the way his eyebrows seem to be constantly furrowed.

Hong Zai - He will of course notice his real face! It's something he only sees in the early morning, under dim candlelight, he will pay attention to his eyes, the way they softly droop, and something that no one else will see once he puts on his make up. And that flashy make up of his is what everyone who meets him will notice the most~

What do they tell people they want? What do they actually want?

Choose for whoever you want, or all of them! :3c ENJOY! (And have a hug!)

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

Thank yooou! Hugs back to you, too, Pjarox ♥ I'll just go with my girl and the four boys orbiting around her x'D

So, I was thinking about it and got to the conclusion, most of the boys are pretty consistent in what they're saying and what they're doing 🤔 Neither Sun Hou, Zi Tian, nor Men De are not upfront about their wants.

Sun Hou wants to be a good king for the nation and protect his younger brothers - check

Zi Tian wants the throne - oh, huh, yeah, well, he does that, too, but he's actually also quite content as long as the ones he loves are safe and happy~

Men De wants to support the throne and be loyal - that's pretty much what he does his entire arc x'D

Now, much more interesting are Hong Zai and An Ju ...

An Ju wants to leave the palace as soon as possible and not become one of the king's concubines - she cannot say that out loud, though, because it would be lèse-majesté and she could be exectued for that ...

And Hong Zai? What does he even want? Is there anything he wants? There is one thing he wishes more than everything else, but how to achieve it? - He certainly will not talk about that one big wish, and everything else he says? He says a different thing every time, so who knows for real?

commission for @celestialspark's OCs Sun Hou, Zi Tian and Men De! these three were so fun to draw, thank you so much for the support!