The next morning brought unexpected summons: not from the Empress, not from Mei, but from the Emperor himself.
Yun Xi's legs felt weak as she followed Eunuch Chen through a labyrinth of gilded corridors to the imperial study. Inside, sunlight spilled across mountains of scrolls. The Emperor stood by a long table, arranging black and white stones upon a weiqi board.
"Scholar Yun," he said, not glancing up. "Come."
Yun Xi knelt. The Emperor gestured toward the empty cushion across the board.
"You are bold," the Emperor continued, placing a stone. "Few dare expose corruption before the entire court. Boldness can be brilliance—or foolishness. Which are you, I wonder?"
"This servant…" Yun Xi hesitated. "This servant only seeks to serve with sincerity."
The Emperor chuckled. "Every man claims sincerity. It is rare to find one who wields it well."
He pointed to the board. "Play."
Yun Xi obeyed, her fingers trembling slightly as she placed a stone. The Emperor's gaze sharpened.
"Do you know why I love this game?" he asked. "Because each stone is meaningless alone. But together, they form empires, devour rivals, strangle lives. A careless hand loses more than the match—it loses the world."
Yun Xi's throat tightened. She saw the lesson woven in his words.
"You toppled Kang," the Emperor said. "That pleased me. Yet I wonder: was it loyalty to me… or merely clever survival?"
"This servant's loyalty lies with Your Majesty."
The Emperor leaned back, studying her face. For a terrible instant, Yun Xi feared he would see through her disguise, her hidden womanhood. But he only smiled, a predator's smile.
"Good. Then you will serve me further. Reports arrive of unrest in the southern provinces. Grain shipments again falter, though Kang's fall should have ended theft. Someone else moves in shadow."
He slid a scroll across the table. "Investigate. Quietly. Find who dares challenge imperial authority. Do so, and your star will rise. Fail…" His eyes glinted cold. "And your bones will feed palace dogs."
Yun Xi bowed low, heart hammering. Another task, another snare. She had no choice but to accept.
As she rose to leave, the Emperor added, "One more thing. Beware the women of this palace. Their battles spill blood as surely as mine. Do not be so easily swayed by silk and smiles."
Outside, the autumn wind clawed at Yun Xi's robes. She clutched the scroll, the weight of its seal pressing like iron against her palms.
Already, she could feel invisible hands tugging—Mei with her honeyed temptations, the Empress with her veiled threats, and now the Emperor himself, weaving his game of stones.
Yun Xi whispered to herself: "If I must be a piece on their board, then let me be the one who turns the game."