Yueyin's POV
Two weeks after Zhengming's arrest, I finally breathe easier.
The palace has settled into uneasy calm. Zhengming sits in prison awaiting trial. The Empress Dowager vanished without a trace. The emperor clings to life despite the poison slowly killing him.
For two whole weeks, nothing terrible has happened.
I should have known it was too good to last.
Minister Chen has been arrested for corruption.
Father's voice is hollow as he tells me the news at breakfast. His hands shake as he sets down the letter.
What? My stomach drops. When?
This morning. Guards came to his estate at dawn. Found evidence of bribery gold coins from foreign kingdoms hidden in his study. Father looks devastated. Chen is my oldest friend. Like a brother. This can't be real.
But I know it is real. Because this is exactly what happened in my first timeline.
Minister Chen Father's closest ally and friend framed for corruption he didn't commit. The real traitor was Minister Zhao, working with the Empress Dowager.
In my first life, I didn't know this in time. Chen was executed. Father's position weakened. Everything fell apart.
Not this time.
Father, I say carefully, what if Minister Chen is innocent?
Of course he's innocent! But the evidence
Can be planted. Faked. I choose my words carefully. What if someone wanted to weaken your position? Remove your strongest ally?
Father stares at me. You think this is political?
Everything in court is political. I lean forward. Father, do you remember at the Lantern Festival, before everything happened? I mentioned hearing gossip about foreign gold.
Vaguely. You were acting so strange that night
I overheard Minister Zhao. Talking to someone about Northern Kingdom payments. The lie comes smoothly now. I didn't think much of it then. But if Chen is being framed, and if someone is really taking foreign bribes...
Understanding dawns on Father's face. You think Zhao is the real traitor?
I think it's worth investigating. Quietly. Before Chen is tried and convicted.
Father stands abruptly. I need to speak to the council. Request a delay in Chen's trial. Time to gather evidence
No. I grab his arm. If you request a delay publicly, whoever framed Chen will know we're investigating. They'll destroy evidence. Maybe even kill Chen to silence him.
Just like they killed him in my first timeline when Father got too close to the truth.
Then what do I do?
Investigate Zhao privately. Don't let anyone know. Find proof before the trial begins.
Father looks at me strangely. Yueyin, how do you know all this? How do you know Zhao is guilty?
Because I watched this exact scenario play out five years from now. Because I know every move the conspiracy will make.
I don't know for certain, I lie. But my instincts are screaming that something's wrong. Please, Father. Trust me.
He studies my face for a long moment. Then nods slowly.
I'll investigate. Discreetly. He pauses. But Yueyin, if you're wrong about Zhaoif I accuse a loyal minister without proof it could destroy our family.
I'm not wrong.
I can't be. Not about this.
Father leaves to begin his investigation. I sink into my chair, mind racing.
In my first timeline, Father investigated alone and missed crucial evidence. This time, I can help him. Guide him to the proof.
But I need to be careful. Can't be too specific or he'll wonder how I know.
A servant enters. Miss Yueyin, you have a visitor. Prince Yizheng.
My heart jumps. I haven't seen Yizheng since the night in the Cold Palace, when he nearly died protecting me.
Send him in.
Yizheng enters looking much healthier than weeks ago. The wound has healed, though he still moves carefully. His eyes are sharp, alert.
Lady Xia. He bows formally. I heard about Minister Chen's arrest.
News travels fast.
It always does in the palace. He glances at the servant. May we speak privately?
I dismiss the servant. Once we're alone, Yizheng's formal mask drops.
This is it, isn't it? The next move in the conspiracy. Just like you predicted.
Just like I remembered, I correct quietly. And yes. Chen was framed in my timeline too.
By Minister Zhao?
How did you know?
Because I remember finding evidence against Zhao after I became Emperor. Financial records showing he'd been working with the Empress Dowager for years. Yizheng's jaw clenches. I executed him for treason. But by then, Chen was already dead.
Not this time. Father's investigating Zhao now.
Good. But investigations take time. Chen's trial is in three days.
Three days. That's all we have to find proof and save him.
We need to help Father, I say. Speed up the investigation.
How? We can't just hand him evidence without explaining how we got it.
He's right. If we give Father too much information too quickly, he'll ask questions we can't answer.
Unless...
What if we lead him to the evidence? Plant hints. Make him think he discovered it himself?
Yizheng considers this. Where would Zhao hide proof of his treason?
His residence. But that's heavily guarded
Not heavily enough. A cold smile crosses Yizheng's face. I'm still a prince. I have authority to order searches. If I claim we're investigating threats to the throne...
Zhao will protest. Claim you're abusing your power.
Let him protest. By the time he complains to anyone important, we'll have already found what we need. His eyes meet mine. The question is: what exactly are we looking for?
I remember what Father found in my first timeline too late to save Chen. Gold coins. Northern Kingdom mint marks. Hidden in Zhao's private study behind a false panel in the wall.
You remember that specifically?
I was there when Father found them. After Chen's execution. After everything fell apart. The memory makes my chest tight. Father was so broken. He'd lost his best friend and discovered the traitor too late.
Yizheng's expression softens slightly. Then we make sure that doesn't happen this time.
We plan quickly. Yizheng will order a search of Zhao's residence tonight, claiming security concerns after Zhengming's arrest. I'll make sure Father happens to be there when the evidence is found.
It's risky. If Zhao suspects we're targeting him, he might flee like the Empress Dowager did.
But it's our best chance to save Chen.
That night, everything unfolds perfectly.
Yizheng arrives at Zhao's residence with guards, claiming he needs to verify the security of high-ranking officials. Zhao protests but can't refuse a prince's direct order.
I convince Father to come along, saying I'm worried about safety after recent events. He's suspicious of my concern but agrees.
We watch as guards search room after room.
Then in Zhao's private study a guard notices the wall panel is slightly loose.
Behind it: a leather pouch filled with gold coins bearing Northern Kingdom symbols.
Zhao goes white.
That's not mine! Someone planted it! This is a setup!
But the evidence is damning. Foreign gold hidden in his private study.
Father stares at his fellow minister with betrayal in his eyes. Chen was innocent. You framed him. Why?
Zhao looks around wildly, realizing he's trapped. I didn't I was ordered the Empress Dowager made me!
Made you betray the empire? Father's voice is cold. Made you destroy an innocent man?
I had no choice! She knew things about my family, threatened
Excuses. Yizheng cuts him off. Guards, arrest Minister Zhao for treason and conspiracy.
They drag Zhao away, still protesting his innocence even as the evidence condemns him.
Father turns to me, eyes searching. You knew. Somehow, you knew he was guilty.
I suspected
Don't lie to me, Yueyin. His voice is quiet but intense. You've been different since the Lantern Festival. Acting on knowledge you shouldn't have. Predicting things before they happen. What's going on?
I can't tell him. Can't explain about dying and coming back.
I'm just trying to protect our family, I say softly. After what happened with Zhengming, with the fire, with everything I'm being more careful. Paying attention to things I used to ignore.
It's not the full truth. But it's not entirely a lie either.
Father doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't push. We'll discuss this later. Right now, I need to get Chen released.
The next day, Zhao confesses fully under interrogation. Names the Empress Dowager as his handler. Admits to framing Chen to weaken Father's political position.
Minister Chen is freed. His name cleared. The evidence against him revealed as fabricated.
Father and Chen embrace like the brothers they are. I watch from a distance, relief flooding through me.
I did it. I actually changed something major. Saved someone who died in my first timeline.
Chen is alive. The conspiracy is more exposed. We're winning.
But that night, something happens that makes my blood run cold.
A servant girl runs through the halls, crying hysterically.
She's dead! Lady Mei is dead!
Lady Mei. A low-ranking concubine I barely knew.
In my first timeline, she was alive for years. Survived the coup, survived everything.
Now she's dead.
I rush to see the body. The concubine lies in her chambers, eyes open, face twisted in pain.
What happened? I demand.
We don't know, miss. She seemed fine this morning. Then she just... collapsed.
I notice marks on her neck. Faint, barely visible. But there.
Strangulation? Poison?
This wasn't natural causes.
Over the next few days, I investigate quietly. And I discover the horrible truth:
Lady Mei was a Northern Kingdom spy. Part of the network feeding information to the Empress Dowager.
When Zhao was arrested and started talking, the spy network panicked. Started eliminating anyone who might be interrogated next.
Lady Mei was silenced. Killed to prevent her from revealing more conspirators.
I stand at her funeral, staring at the body, and reality hits me like a blade.
I saved Minister Chen. Changed his fate.
But in doing so, I triggered the spy network to act faster. To eliminate evidence more aggressively.
Lady Mei is dead because of my actions.
The timeline self corrected. Someone still died.
Just a different someone.
You're wondering if it was worth it.
I turn. Yizheng stands beside me, watching the funeral with those cold, knowing eyes.
Worth what? I whisper.
Saving Chen. If it meant someone else had to die. He's quiet for a moment. That's the price of changing fate, Yueyin. We can shift who lives and who dies. But we can't save everyone.
She was innocent
She was a spy. Working for our enemies. His voice is flat. Her death was unfortunate. But necessary to protect the empire.
I want to argue. Want to say every life matters, that we can't just accept casualties.
But looking at his face the cold Emperor already emerging I realize something terrifying.
This is how it starts. This is how Yizheng becomes the ruthless tyrant I remember.
By making these calculations. Deciding some deaths are acceptable.
And I helped him take the first step.