The morning light cast a warm and pleasant glow through the palace windows, but in Lian Yue's room, it only revealed an unpleasant sight.
Lian Yue stood before her mirror, feeling a mix of disbelief and disgust as she stared at her reflection.
"This… my face…" She hovered her finger, hesitating to touch the bumps, half afraid to disgust herself. "Did the drug I took last night do this to me?" she wondered.
The maid who was standing frozen and trembling behind her finally spoke, "Princess… what happened?!"
It took Lian Yue a while to process everything, but then her lips curved into a smile.
"Go and spread the news. Tell everyone I have contracted an illness, the same plague that has taken Lian Zhi. Make sure this news reaches the Emperor." Her voice was too calm.
The two maids looked at each other, then both smiled, realizing this was part of the princess's scheme. They bowed before walking quickly toward the door, grabbing the first palace maid and guard they could find to spread the rumor.
***
Meanwhile, on the other side of the palace, Xiao Zhi stood before her mirror. Her eyes were also wide with disbelief, but for a different reason. There were no bumps, no rashes, no sign of illness left on her face. Her smooth, flawless skin had returned.
"It's… gone. The rash is gone."
Her heart started to pound faster. Panic flashed across her now-smooth face. "No!... This can't be happening… not now!"
She took frantic steps toward her vanity table, rummaging through boxes and drawers to find the leftover poison. She couldn't find it. "Where did I put it?" She looked under the bed, under her pillow, beneath the vanity, turning the room upside down, but it was useless. The vial was nowhere to be found.
"Qin Yan!" she called for her maid.
Hearing the Princess's panicked voice, Qin Yan rushed in. She froze at the sight of the chaotic room. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"The poison! Where is it?" She asked while she kept flipping through the pillows.
Qin Yan tilted her head, confused. "You were the one who kept it, Princess. I do not know."
"But it's not here!" Xiao Zhi snapped, immediately feeling guilty for yelling at the poor maid. "Help me find it!"
Both Xiao Zhi and Qin Yan searched through the room again, flipping the same places she had already checked. Still nothing.
Before they could finish searching, another maid burst in, her voice trembling. "Your Highness! Princess Lian Yue… she…she has the disease!"
Xiao Zhi froze. "She what?" She stopped and turned to the maid.
"Princess Lian Yue has the plague, the same one you had, Your Highness!" When she looked at Xiao Zhi, her eyes widened. "Princess, you're cured! You no longer have rashes!"
Xiao Zhi quickly stepped forward and covered the maid's mouth. "Shh… don't say it too loud!" She turned to Qin Yan. "Close the door! No one should know that I'm healed!"
The maid nodded her head, and Xiao Zhi let go of her hand. "This shall not leave this room. Ok?!" She said to both maids, and they both nodded.
***
The news of Lian Yue's misfortune spread faster than expected. The Emperor hadn't even finished his breakfast when a eunuch rushed in and whispered something that made him spit out his food.
"What?!"
The Empress, sitting beside him, turned with concern. "What is it, Your Majesty?"
The eunuch bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but it seems that Princess Lian Yue has contracted the same disease as Princess Lian Zhi. Her body is now covered in bumps and rashes."
The Empress's eyes widened in horror. The Emperor slammed his chopsticks on the table and stood up. He stormed out of the dining hall, leaving the frightened Empress behind. The eunuch hurried after him, and moments later, the Empress followed with her maids.
***
In Lian Yue's room, a soft hum could be heard. The now "ill" princess sat on her bed, playing with her sleeves and occasionally brushing her fingers over the rashes. No longer feeling disgust, but content.
The eunuch announced the Emperor's arrival, and Lian Yue quickly pulled her blanket up to her chin, putting on a sickly expression, coughing weakly between breaths.
The door slammed open.
"Yue'er!" The Emperor rushed to her bedside, his eyes widening in shock. The Empress followed close behind. "What… what happened to you?"
Lian Yue sat up slowly, pretending to be weak. Her voice trembled. "Father… I think… I think I have the plague."
The Empress gasped and began to cry. "Oh, my dear! My precious baby!" She wanted to touch her daughter but hesitated, afraid to catch the illness.
"Mother, don't cry. I guess this is my fate." Fake tears rolled down Lian Yue's cheeks. She turned to her father, voice soft and trembling. "Father, forgive me… but I don't think I can be the bride anymore." She covered her face, sobbing quietly.
Then realization hit the Emperor. He remembered how just yesterday, Lian Yue had come to him claiming that Lian Zhi's illness was fake, that there was no plague at all. His expression hardened with anger.
"Princess Lian Yue!" His voice thundered. "Are you doing this on purpose? Did you use the same trick your sister did to deceive me?"
Lian Yue's eyes widened. "No, Father! I didn't—"
"Enough! Do you think I wouldn't see through this? Don't think I'll fall for your tricks the same way I did with Lian Zhi's!"
The Empress looked confused. "What's going on, Yue'er?"
"Your daughter used poison to make herself break out in rashes!" the Emperor snapped.
The Empress turned to Lian Yue. "Is that true, Yue'er?"
Lian Yue's heart sank. She regretted ever telling her father about Lian Zhi's supposed lies. Now the Emperor saw through her.
"But Father, look at me! I can't be the bride! The Tughril prince will be insulted to marry me!" she cried.
"And now what? Both my daughters are ruined! Who can I send to marry the Tughril prince?" The Emperor's frustration was clear. "Why must both of you cause trouble?"
The Empress finally understood. She gave Lian Yue a small nod, silently telling her that she had done well. Then, she turned to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, why don't we go check on Lian Zhi now? Let's see how bad her condition really is." She suggested calmly.
The Emperor frowned. "What do you mean? The doctor said her condition was permanent."
"But Father," Lian Yue added, "the doctor lied about the plague before. Maybe he lied about her condition too."
The Emperor sighed. She had a point. If Lian Zhi had faked her sickness, then maybe it wasn't so serious after all. And it had been days, perhaps she'd improved.
"Let's go to Lian Zhi's quarters," he said finally. He gestured for the Empress and eunuch to follow.
The Empress gave a small smile to Lian Yue before leaving the room.
When the door shut behind them, Lian Yue smirked and sank back onto her bed. "Let's see who's laughing now, Lian Zhi."