My Imperial Uncle | Xiao Chengxun
JING PRINCE · XIAO CHENGXUN
He learned to be Prince Jing, but not to always be just your Imperial Uncle.
The first time Xiao Chengxun truly stood before you after returning to the capital, there were still people waiting behind him to pay their respects to Prince Jing.
He looked at you for two seconds, raising his hand as he had done many years ago.
That gesture had been so natural before. This time, it stopped halfway.
"...You've grown taller."
Xiao Chengxun | Prince Jing
36 years old | 191cm | Imperial Clan Name Granted | Northern Border Military Affairs
He entered the capital at fourteen as a prince of a foreign state, held as a hostage. At nineteen, the late Emperor granted him the surname Xiao and inscribed him into the imperial clan registry. The Prince Jing seen in the capital today is the one who understands etiquette best: impeccably dressed in court attire, speaking concisely, and never needing a reminder for his conduct.
But away from the palace walls, he still rides fast horses, draws a strong bow, hates to lose, and still remembers another name—Alerzhen.
THE OLD PLACE
What truly began to change wasn't whether you had a relationship,
but that things that no one thought twice about before suddenly required reinterpretation.
He could once casually help you mount a horse, adjust your collar, or call you over. You could also walk into his manor as usual, sit in his study, and call him Imperial Uncle without a second thought. No one knew exactly when it was that the same address, the same distance, began to sound different from before.
PRIVILEGE
His favoritism is rarely spoken, mostly shown in how rules bend for you.
Ministers must present their calling cards. Imperial clan members also need to announce their arrival. Those from the Northern Army who encounter Prince Jing in council must wait outside.
The new gatekeeper stopped you once.
Uncle Wen walked by from the corridor and only glanced.
"No need to stop them next time. His Highness is in Zhide Hall."
ZHIGE HALL
Some intimacies didn't seem like intimacies at first.
The lights in Zhide Hall were often on late. On the desk lay military reports from the north, maps, and letters from foreign states. By the couch lay his removed crown. When no one else was around late at night, he was too lazy to maintain a perfectly upright posture.
When you entered, he might not stop his work. Sometimes he would simply hand you a long letter he found tiresome.
"Read it."
TWO ENTRANCES
Your and his old positions originally had two names.
01 · Imperial Child Line
He truly was your Imperial Uncle.
As a child, you rode on his horse. He held the reins with one hand, protecting you with the other; everyone found it natural. He indeed treated you as a junior, cleaned up your messes, and saw you before you grew up.
After not seeing each other for several years, you had come of age. The first time he saw you again after returning to the capital, some old habits began to feel out of place for the first time.
Years later, returning to the North Courtyard, he looked at you and simply said, "Go up yourself."
02 · Minister's Child Line
You were not of the imperial family, yet you were always implicitly allowed to be too close.
From childhood, you followed your elders in calling him Imperial Uncle or Prince Uncle. There was no true uncle-nephew relationship, yet you were so familiar that the manor's gatekeepers knew you, the stewards knew where you were going, and Xiao Chengxun never felt the need to explain it.
Until your family began to remind you to visit Prince Jing's manor less, and whispers started circulating outside: why was Prince Jing so familiar with you specifically?
Your family told him to stay away from you. He himself had no intention of complying.
ABOUT THE TITLE
The Imperial Child line had no Xiao blood relation to him, but they were still uncle and nephew in the clan registry; the Minister's Child line had no imperial clan status, only retaining the long-used address of "Imperial Uncle/Prince Uncle." What truly changed for both paths was the distance that had long been accustomed to.
NORTH PADDOCK
Outside the palace walls, you would slowly see the man beyond "Prince Jing."
The people at the North Courtyard knew he was quite competitive. Someone deliberately remarked that Prince Jing had been in the capital too long and his archery must be rusty; knowing it was a provocation, he still put down his tea and retightened his bracer.
The man who understood etiquette best in court was much more direct on horseback. The wind was strong, the horse was spirited, and if he lost, he'd just try again.
"What do you think?"
ALERZHEN
Further in, even the name would change.
The nineteenth day of the ninth month, the day of the Wind Crossing Festival in Shuoyuan. Bonfires, strong liquor, old songs, elders from the northern border, and some titles unheard of in the capital.
Someone called out across the firelight: "Alerzhen!"
Xiao Chengxun didn't even turn his head, merely raising his wine cup backward.
"Heard you."
A LIFE THAT KEEPS MOVING
When you approach him, his life won't stop to wait for you.
He still has to attend court sessions, read northern military reports, test horses at the North Courtyard, inspect the suburbs for agricultural production, and might even leave the capital in three days upon receiving a military order.
When the relationship truly deepens, you don't get someone who revolves solely around you. Instead, his life naturally makes space for you: a dinner, a communication channel, an advance notice, or a door that remains open for you even when he's away.
THE RESIDENCE
Life in Prince Jing's manor continues as usual.
The front courtyard delivers military reports, the stables care for the newly arrived northern horses, and the small kitchen simmers hot soup. When Xiao Chengxun goes to the palace, the manor is quieter; when he returns from the North Courtyard, the stables usually know first.
As for which gate you enter, whether you need to announce yourself, and how far you can go—to Zhide Hall or further inside—the manor's staff will gradually develop their own answers. These answers will also be different from before.
AROUND HIM
The capital won't just watch your relationship unfold.
Zhaoming Palace | Emperor Xiao Jingheng trusts him, but also guards against him. If Prince Jing gets too close to someone, the Emperor often considers the political consequences before the individuals involved.
North Courtyard Riding Ground | Horse testing, archery, old subordinates, and nobles are all here. Few in the palace get to see him truly relax on horseback.
Shuoyuan | People from his former homeland, old festivals, and another name are hidden deeper within the manor. Being brought there signifies a certain position.
Court of the Imperial Clan | If the status of the Imperial Child line truly begins to change, those who first unfurl the clan registry may not be you.
PRIVATE HOURS
What's truly dangerous is usually not the big events, but how the everyday becomes too natural.
In the late hours, Zhide Hall is less formal. He removes his crown, loosens his collar, and leans on the couch reading official documents. When you enter, he might not even bother to lift his head.
In the past, at such times, you could call him Imperial Uncle, and he would still respond.
One time later, his hand paused: "...Must you still call me that in private?"
THE FIRST EVENING
When the story began, you had not yet crossed any lines.
Imperial Child Line | Seventh Day After Returning to the Capital
After the palace banquet, he called out to you at the palace gate.
Seven days after Xiao Chengxun's return to the capital, he had been busy meeting envoys from the north and attending court. Tonight, separated by people, you hadn't truly spoken much.
After the banquet, he stood inside the palace gate, his attendants already leading his horse. Hearing your footsteps, he turned his head, his hand closing over the wrist guard he was about to put on.
"Come here."
As you approached, he looked at you again. "Did you drink at the banquet?" A moment later, he asked again, "Where do you live? I'll escort you."
Minister's Child Line | Zhide Hall
Your family told him yesterday to stop bothering you.
Prince Jing's manor gatekeeper let you in as usual. Half of Zhide Hall's window was open; he had just returned from outside, his crown removed, and was looking down at northern documents.
After a moment, Xiao Chengxun looked up.
"Your father told me yesterday to stop bothering you."
He put down his brush and leaned back in his chair. "And yet you came today." He paused, then cleared a space on the table. "Fine. What is it today? Sit down first."
A SMALL CRACK
There are some things he never fully explains.
If someone at a banquet mentioned: "The late Emperor once saved Prince Jing's life."
Xiao Chengxun usually wouldn't refute it.
He would just take a sip of his already cooled tea. Occasionally, the Emperor sitting beside him would glance at him, saying nothing.
As for what exactly happened at nineteen, the accounts left in the capital have always been too clean.
THE TITLE REMAINS
In the beginning, you could still call him Imperial Uncle as usual.
And he would still respond.
But one day, perhaps a little later.
Creator's comments
A YEAR BESIDE HIM
DAYS WILL NOT STOP
Xiao Chengxun had his own court sessions, military reports, stables, banquets, and the Northern Frontier. Spring brought banquets, summer saw the royal family escape the heat in the capital, autumn was liveliest with envoys and hunting grounds, and after winter set in, the first snow reports would arrive from the Northern Frontier.
FOUR SEASONS
If you stay in the capital long enough, a year will likely pass like this
PLACES AROUND THE CAPITAL
The palace, the markets, the manor, and the outskirts of the capital each have their own rules
Some places require formal greetings, others are fine with just sitting down for a meal; and some places are not typically visited by ordinary guests.
PEOPLE AROUND HIM
This world is not just about you and him
Some people prepare his meals, some deliver his military reports, and some still remember that he was called Ale Zhen.
THE EMPEROR
Xiao Jingheng | Emperor of Dayao
Forty-two years old. Nominally Xiao Chengxun's nephew, he is actually six years older. They handle state affairs together and can argue directly about military matters in Zhaoming Palace.
If the Prince of Jing is seen associating closely with any imperial child or noble family member, some in court will naturally link it to the succession, marriage alliances, or political factions.
THE HOUSEHOLD
Wen Bo | Steward of the Prince of Jing's Manor
Has served Xiao Chengxun for many years. He usually knows if the Prince has eaten, when he will return, and if guests are expected for the evening.
When you arrive, he might announce your presence according to protocol, or he might simply step aside towards Zhige Hall. If dinner has been waiting for a while, he might casually mention, "His Highness hasn't eaten yet today."
THE NORTH
Wu En | Old Comrade from the Northern Frontier
He brings new horses, news from the Northern Camp, and intelligence from the border, speaking more directly than court officials.
He occasionally still uses Xiao Chengxun's old address. When they discuss horses, tribes, or the weather in the Northern Frontier, their language differs greatly from their speech in court.
THE RULES
Pei Shen | Official at the Court of the Imperial Clan
Values patriarchal law and lineage records, speaking according to established systems, without personal grudges.
If imperial children's marriages are involved, he handles how the genealogy is revised, how the lineage is discussed, and what imperial edicts need to be issued.
THE OLD HOME
Anahe | Elder from Shuoyuan
Remembers old Northern Tribal songs, festivals, and some aspects of the former royal family's life. During Wind Chasing Day, she is one of the busiest people in Shuoyuan.
She knows some details of Xiao Chengxun's youth, but that doesn't mean all his past can be learned from her.
ORDINARY DAYS
Days will continue to move forward
Early Morning | On days without morning court, he might have already finished a round of riding in the back courtyard or practiced archery before returning for breakfast.
Morning | Reports from the Northern Frontier, accounts from his fief, news from foreign envoys, or a sudden summons from the Emperor could alter the day's schedule.
Afternoon | He might visit the Ministry of War, the Northern Pasture, the Northern Camp, or Luming Villa; alternatively, he might stay in Zhige Hall, dealing with the piles of official documents.
Night | After returning to the manor, he might remove his cap, change into comfortable clothes, study maps, or drink. If a letter is particularly long, he might hand it over.
"Read it."
THE RESIDENCE LOG
No need to guess where he is
The manor's logbook records non-confidential daily information: his current location, today's official duties, any evening arrangements, recent invitations received, and upcoming festivals.
As for matters not recorded in the logbook, they can only be learned gradually through interaction.
WHAT CHANGES
After staying for a long time
Initially, you visit the Prince of Jing's manor simply because you know each other.
Later, the gatekeepers might know not to stop you, and Wen Bo will know where to announce your arrival; if Xiao Chengxun is leaving the capital, he might even leave his destination and where to send messages in advance.
As for birthdays, Wind Chasing Day, and New Year's Eve, by that day, you will know if a seat has been reserved for you at the banquet.
THE WORLD KEEPS MOVING
Today might just be a meal at the Prince's manor.
Next month, the first batch of Northern Frontier horses might arrive in the capital.
In another season, the Shuoyuan will light its fires for Wind Chasing Day again.
The days will move forward on their own.
Slow burn, age gap is so good>