"Wake up, Meilina!"
The harsh voice of a maid cut through the morning haze. I blinked at the ceiling, exhausted, as if the weight of last night still pressed against me.
Cao Renshu.
The memory returned like a blow. That argument, his strange apology, the gnawing confusion it left behind.
I dragged myself out of bed and dressed quickly, though every movement felt heavier than it should. My body was fine, my spirit wasn't.
"They should never have let someone like you into this pavilion!"
Jinmei's shrill voice echoed from outside, venomous as always. Ever since I had stepped foot in Lanxuan Pavilion, she had made it her mission to sabotage me.
Lies, whispered rumors, little traps set to make me falter. She even tried spreading tales to Shuyin herself.
At first her words were rough, but now… now they bounced off. Her spite had become background noise.
The sun was already high when I finally descended. I had overslept.
"See, Lady Shuyin! She's been lazing about while I worked hard all morning!" Jinmei's tone was triumphant, like she had caught me committing a crime.
The other maids whispered, eyes sharp and judgmental.
Shuyin's calm voice silenced them. "Meilina told me she was feeling unwell yesterday. No wonder she rose late. Now, all of you, get back to wor—"
"But what if she spreads her sickness to us? Who knows what diseases a girl like her—"
"Do not interrupt me, Jinmei."
Her words struck like a blade. Shuyin's eyes—deep, stern, and unreadable, fell on Jinmei, and for a moment even she shrank under that piercing gaze.
As I approached, ready to thank her, Shuyin spoke in a low, deliberate tone. "Someone came asking for you. He wishes to see you tonight."
She left without another word.
My stomach dropped. Him. Who else could it be but Cao Renshu?
No. No, this was bad. If he had spoken to Shuyin, if he had told her everything… what punishment was waiting for me?
All morning I tried to bury myself in work, scrubbing tables, polishing chairs, scrubbing the indigo carpets until my fingers ached.
Dust and grime clung to my clothes until their cobalt shade dulled to midnight. But no matter how hard I worked, my thoughts remained tangled.
By the time the sun dipped, exhaustion weighed on me heavier than the buckets I carried.
"Meilina, let us talk."
Shuyin's voice stopped me in the empty corridor right beside my room.
She had avoided me all afternoon. Her sudden appearance made my chest tighten.
"Yes?" I answered, trying to mask the impatience in my voice.
"Do you know who that man is?"
My breath caught.
Was I to tell the truth or to lie? Could I trust her?
I wanted only a simple life here. Instead, I was ensnared in the affairs of a powerful general and the lady in waiting of the palace.
"His name is Cao Renshu," I admitted. "That's all I know."
It was a lie, but at least I said some truth.
Her gaze sharpened. "Do you know what he does?"
I shook my head.
"He is the military general of the highest rank," she said gravely. "Second only to the Emperor himself."
I stayed silent.
"What are you doing with someone like him, Meilina? Why did he want you?"
Her voice trembled—not with anger, but fear.
I swallowed, the truth burning my throat. I had no choice.
"He saw me wield a sword that night. He wanted me to teach him. Last night… we argued."
Shuyin's eyes widened with horror.
"What?! You argued with someone like him?!"
She paced in frantic circles, muttering curses under her breath, calling me reckless, stupid, blind.
Her voice rose until it echoed through the empty corridor.
"Shuyin—"
"You'll be executed, girl! Do you not understand? Men like him do not forgive insults! They crush them!"
Her hysteria was sharp, but beneath it was something real—genuine fear for me.
Finally, she caught her breath and grabbed my wrist, pulling me into my room. The door shut with a thud, and she locked it behind her.
"You need to escape. Now. Tonight."
Her urgency clawed at me. For a moment, I almost believed her. Maybe I should run.
But a part of me resisted. If he truly meant harm, why had he apologized? Why had his words last night carried sincerity, not malice?
I told Shuyin everything. The apology. The quarrel. His strange request to learn.
She frowned. "Apologized? That is strange. Still, I cannot—"
"Shuyin," I interrupted, "I know you mean well. But I will meet him."
Her eyes blazed. "You're suicidal, clearly!"
No matter what I said, she would not be convinced. After an hour of arguing, she stormed out, muttering curses under her breath.
Alone again, I gazed out the small window of my cramped little room.
Beyond the lattice, the world darkened, rain-softened soil releasing its earthy perfume. The monsoon was near.
If I were to die tonight, I wanted my last thoughts to be of my family in Bharat. Of the mansion. Perhaps even of Shuyin and Lanling.
I slipped into the quiet night, crossing the wet grass. Each step dragged with the weight of dread, yet oddly… I did not rush.
My memories of my mission to finding Yixuan, meeting Liyuan again and writing a letter to Yichen and Ariya came spiralling back to me.
The storehouse loomed ahead. That same place again. Always there, as if fate kept pulling me back. Every time I had the same feelings of curiosity mixed with dread.
"Meilina, you came."
He stood waiting, a wooden sword in hand, another discarded on the ground.
"I wanted to apologize for last nigh—"
"Why are you apologizing?" His voice was low, sharp with frustration.
I froze, startled.
With a heavy sigh, he muttered while frowning, "I have never met someone as dense as you, Meilina."
He stepped forward, setting the sword aside. His hands landed firmly on my shoulders, steadying me.
Our eyes locked, level with each other.
"I want something from you."
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