On the other side of the capital
The room was bright, lit by several candles on the bedside table.
Dai Yu stood at the foot of the bed, her arms crossed, her face twisted in disgust. The maids had finished their work—changing the unconscious girl's robes, laying her down on the bed as if she had only been sleeping.
She sneered at the figure on the bed.
"Ruining the Lei family name," she muttered under her breath. "You've shamed your—"
Someone at the door cleared their throat making her stop mid-sentence.
Her mother-in-law stood at the edge of the bed, her face pale, her slightly swollen eyes still carrying the weight of the night's humiliation. Dai Yu's words died in her throat.
She turned away quickly, grabbing her husband's arm and dragging him toward the door. He stumbled, his frown deepening, but she didn't stop.
She didn't look back.
Her husband hesitated at the door, his eyes lingering on the room, then on his mother. He didn't speak. He didn't move.
Dai Yu tugged at his sleeve harder, her teeth gritted.
He finally followed her out.
The door closed behind them.
---
Madam Lei stood alone in the room.
Her daughter lay on the bed, still pretending to be unconscious, her breathing shallow.
Madam Lei watched her for a long moment. Then she raised her hand and struck her daughter across the face.
The girl's eyes flew open. She sat up quickly, her hand flying to her cheek, dodging her mother's next blow before it landed.
"Mother—"
"Don't," Madam Lei said, her voice cracking. "Don't you dare."
The girl ducked again, raising her arms to shield her face as her mother's hand came down. But the blows were weaker now—less anger, more grief.
"Why....Why my child?"
"Why did you have to disgrace yourself like that?"
"You were supposed to be safe," Madam Lei whispered, her voice breaking. "I suffered so much to give you this life. And now—"
She stopped. Her hand fell to her side.
"Now look at what you have done."
"I paid so much for you but you..."
Her legs gave out. She slid to the floor, her back pressed against the bedframe, her face buried in her hands.
The girl lowered her arms.
She lunged forward, catching her mother before she could slump completely.
"Mother, I'm sorry," she whispered, pulling her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry."
Madam Lei's body shook with silent sobs.
---
The girl held her mother tighter, her eyes fixed on the candlelight.
Her mind drifted back to the corridor.
She had been walking past the east wing when she heard the voices—maids, huddled near the service door, their whispers sharp with excitement.
"...the young master Ling..."
"...and the Shen girl..."
"...the door was open..."
She had rolled her eyes and kept walking. Gossip was gossip. It meant nothing.
Then she saw him.
Young Master Ling—already inside the east guest room—appeared at the door. His face was flushed, his movements frustrated but yet excited. He glanced down the empty corridor.
His face distorting slightly as he muttered something inaudible then slammed the door shut with an angry click.
The maids scurried away, still whispering, still eager.
She did not follow them.
But she did not walk away either.
Her feet carried her toward the closed door before her mind had fully decided.
She pressed her ear to the wood—muffled sounds, faint movement. Then nothing.
She tried the handle.
It was unlocked.
She eased the door open just enough to peek inside.
The scent hit her immediately. Floral, sweet, heavy. She pressed her sleeve to her nose and stepped forward slipping into the room
Her eyes scanning the dim room.
Ling Feng was already slumped against the bedframe, his head lolling, his breathing slow. The candle on the table was almost burnt out, the flame low.
She heard footsteps in the corridor—fast, unsteady.
She moved quickly, pressing herself into the shadows beside the bed, pulling the curtain slightly to cover herself. She held her breath, her heart pounding in her ears.
She pressed her sleeve tighter against her nose.
This was bad.
After a few seconds of silence
The door opened.
A figure stumbled inside—a woman in green robes, her movements slow, her eyes unfocused. Peeking out she managed to get a look at who it was it was the fourth miss of the Shen family Shen Miao. As if intoxicated, she unsteadily moved toward the bed without seeing the woman watching her not far away.
She lay down.
Lei Mi did not move for a long time fearing she would get caught in case someone walked in.
She watched, her breath shallow behind her sleeve, until the Shen Miao's breathing slowed into sleep.
She waited until the corridor finally fell silent.
And lowered her sleeve slowly, her head already spinning.
I need to get out.
She moved toward the door, her steps unsteady, her eyes fixed on the sleeping figure on the bed.
She didn't know who planned this, she thought. But she was willing to use it.
---
She held her mother tighter, her eyes lowering to her mother. Whose silent sobs had affected her making her eyes slowly redden.
"I did it for us," she whispered. "I did it for our position. For our future."
Her hand tightened on her mother's shoulder.
"For those concubines who think they can look down on you just because you were a concubine and couldn't give birth to my brother."
Madam Lei's sobs began to quiet.
The girl closed her eyes and breathed.
"Mother, don't worry I'll make them pay"
The night was not over.
"All of them"