The room had grown quiet again.
Only moments earlier, the courtyard had been filled with relief and laughter after the Empress woke up.
But now the atmosphere had changed.
A heavy silence settled over the chamber.
Everyone stared at the Empress.
Her words echoed inside their minds.
"I didn't jump."
The Empress sat against the pillows, still weak but determined.
Her eyes moved slowly across the faces around her.
Her mother.
Her father.
Her sister.
Her cousin.
Her friend.
Princess Zhi.
And finally—
The Emperor.
They all looked stunned.
The first to speak was her friend.
"That's impossible."
Her voice carried disbelief.
"The guards said you jumped into the lake."
The Empress shook her head slightly.
"I remember walking toward the garden."
"But I didn't choose to jump."
Her fingers tightened slightly on the blanket.
"It felt like my body was moving on its own."
Her sister's face turned pale.
"You mean someone forced you?"
The Empress hesitated.
