The turmoil caused by the discovery of an ominous object in the imperial harem soon subsided, and the palace returned to its superficial tranquility.
In Huayang Palace, Concubine Lan spent her days in restless anxiety, fearing that her misdeeds would come to light. She felt as though a sharp sword hung over her head, ready to fall at any moment.
Three days passed without incident.
Concubine Lan remained despondent, barely touching her midday meal. She paced back and forth in the courtyard of Huayang Palace, where vibrant chrysanthemums bloomed brilliantly, yet she paid them no heed.
Her gaze drifted across the square courtyard, its carved railings and jade pavilions framing a sliver of sky hemmed in by palace walls.
She recalled the days before entering the palace, when she would ride horses with her mother in the autumn countryside, admiring the wild chrysanthemums. The open sky stretched endlessly, with rolling mountains in the distance and geese flying in formation overhead.
