Chapter 5 – The Chancellor's Shadow
The Emperor's footsteps echoed against the marble as he strode out, the golden doors closing behind him with a heavy thud.
Silence fell over the study.
Yanyue stood where he had left her, her palms slick with sweat. The Emperor had told her not to move, but standing in the heart of his territory felt like being locked in a tiger's den.
She turned toward the shelves, scanning the scrolls—not out of curiosity, but to avoid staring at the door. Every heartbeat seemed louder than the last.
The silence didn't last.
The faint rustle of silk announced another presence long before the scent of peonies reached her. Yanyue stiffened.
Consort Liang stepped into the study as though she owned it, the long train of her crimson robe spilling behind her like a trail of blood. Two palace maids lingered at the threshold, their eyes lowered.
"My, my," Consort Liang purred, closing the door with a delicate flick of her wrist. "Alone in His Majesty's study. That is… bold."
Yanyue bowed, keeping her eyes down. "Your Highness, I was ordered to wait here."
"How obedient," Liang said, circling her slowly like a hawk inspecting prey. "And yet… something about you bothers me. That face."
Yanyue's stomach twisted, but she forced her voice calm. "This servant does not understand."
"Oh, I think you do." Liang's tone sharpened. "I've seen those eyes before—in a portrait. A very old portrait, painted for the Li family before their… unfortunate demise."
Her heart lurched, but she didn't move.
Liang's painted lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "If you are who I suspect, your life here will be… brief. The Chancellor does not like loose ends."
At the mention of her family's executioner, Yanyue's nails dug into her palms.
"Tell me," Liang continued softly, "how does a noble daughter learn to scrub floors without trembling? Unless she's had years to practice hiding."
Yanyue swallowed, saying nothing.
The Consort's smile deepened. "Ah, your silence is as good as confession." She leaned in close, her perfume cloying. "Be careful, little maid. In the palace, secrets are just another way to bleed."
The golden doors swung open without warning. The Emperor stepped inside, his expression unreadable. Behind him came a tall man in formal court robes, his hair streaked with gray but his bearing as sharp as a drawn sword.
The Chancellor.
Li Yanyue's breath caught.
Zhao Wenzhi's gaze flicked to her, then to Liang. "You were not told to be here," he said coldly.
"I was concerned for His Majesty's guest," Liang replied smoothly. "One never knows who may wander into the palace with ill intent."
The Chancellor's eyes settled on Yanyue, assessing, dissecting. "Is this the maid in question?" he asked the Emperor.
Zhao Wenzhi's voice was flat. "She is mine."
The Chancellor's brow arched, but he said nothing—though the faint tightening of his jaw betrayed his displeasure.
Liang's gaze slid between them, and her smile returned, smug and poisonous. "Then I will leave you to… your maid, Your Majesty."
She glided out, her maids trailing behind her like shadows.
When the doors closed again, the Emperor turned to the Chancellor.
"You claim there is a threat in my Inner Palace. Speak plainly."
The older man bowed slightly. "Rumors, Your Majesty. That an impostor walks among the servants—a survivor of the Li clan massacre."
Yanyue's pulse thundered in her ears.
Zhao Wenzhi's gaze did not waver. "And what do you intend to do if such a rumor were true?"
The Chancellor's lips curved faintly. "The same thing I did six years ago. Erase the problem before it festers."
The Emperor's eyes turned to steel. "I will decide what is a problem in my palace, Chancellor. Not you."
For a long moment, the air between them was taut with unspoken threat.
Finally, the Chancellor bowed again. "Of course, Your Majesty. I am only your loyal servant."
He turned to leave, but as he passed Yanyue, his gaze locked with hers for a fraction of a second—cold, knowing, and promising retribution.
When they were alone, Zhao Wenzhi approached her.
"You will not leave the Inner Palace without my permission from now on," he said, voice low. "The Chancellor suspects. Liang suspects. If they confirm who you are, you'll be dead before I can reach you."
Her throat tightened. "Then why keep me here at all? Why not send me away?"
His jaw clenched. "Because I lost you once. I will not lose you again."
The words hung between them, heavy with something she didn't dare name.
Before she could respond, a eunuch rushed in, breathless. "Your Majesty! There has been an incident—the Cold Palace is on fire!"
Yanyue's heart lurched. The Cold Palace… her quarters… everything she owned was there.
Zhao Wenzhi's expression darkened. "Stay here."
But the eunuch's next words froze them both.
"Your Majesty… there was a body found inside."
Cliffhanger: The eunuch's gaze flicked to Yanyue. "She was wearing this maid's uniform."