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The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent across the vast roofs of the imperial palace.
Light filtered through carved jade windows and painted beams, casting long golden patterns along the stone pathways of the inner palace.
The warm glow of the day should have made the palace feel peaceful, yet the air around the concubines' quarters carried an invisible tension that never truly faded.
Servants moved quietly through the corridors with lowered heads, their footsteps soft against polished floors.
The palace was beautiful.
But beauty did not mean kindness.
Walking slowly along one of the garden paths was Shen Yunxi.
His steps were careful, measured.
Beside him walked Mei Lian, whose expression had been dark with concern since they left the pavilion.
Neither of them spoke at first.
The quiet stretched between them as they passed through rows of flowering plum trees and curved stone bridges arching over still water.
But Shen's pace gradually slowed.
Mei noticed immediately.
Her eyes dropped to his hands.
They were partially hidden inside the long sleeves of his robe, yet she could still see the faint trembling that occasionally passed through his fingers.
The burn from the tea had not been severe enough to blister, but the heat had been enough to sting deeply. The skin across the backs of his hands was still flushed red, the color spreading faintly across his knuckles and fingers.
Each pulse of his heartbeat sent another throb of pain through them.
He tried not to show it.
But Mei could see the way he held his hands slightly away from his body, trying not to brush the sensitive skin against the fabric of his sleeves.
She finally stopped walking.
"Hold on."
Shen paused and turned slightly.
Mei reached forward and gently pulled one of his sleeves aside.
The redness was clearer now.
Her brows immediately furrowed.
"They really went too far."
Her voice was quiet, but anger burned beneath it.
Shen lowered his gaze.
He shook his head slightly.
It's fine.
The simple gesture was meant to calm her, yet Mei only frowned deeper.
"Fine?" she repeated softly.
She carefully took his hand and turned it over, inspecting the skin.
"You call this fine?"
Shen tried to withdraw his hand, embarrassed by the attention, but Mei held it firmly.
"You always do this," she muttered. "You just endure everything."
He didn't know how to answer that.
So he didn't.
Instead, his gaze drifted toward the quiet garden around them.
The imperial garden was breathtaking in the late afternoon light.
Petals from blooming trees drifted through the air like soft snowfall. Carp rippled the surface of nearby ponds, sending gentle circles across the water.
From a distance, the palace looked serene.
But Shen knew better now.
Behind every graceful smile hid something sharper.
Mei released his hand with a soft sigh.
"We should get medicine," she said firmly. "If you leave burns untreated they'll hurt longer."
Shen nodded faintly.
They continued walking.
The path they followed wound deeper into the inner palace gardens, where the atmosphere grew quieter.
Fewer servants passed through this part of the palace, and tall bamboo groves lined the edges of the stone walkways.
The leaves whispered softly in the wind.
Shen breathed slowly, trying to steady himself.
The pain from the tea had dulled slightly, but the memory remained vivid.
The way the tea had spilled.
The heat.
The sudden laughter quickly hidden behind concerned expressions.
And the way their eyes had watched him so closely afterward.
He knew what they had been waiting for.
They had wanted him to cry out.
To react.
To lose his composure.
But he had remained silent.
Still…
The humiliation lingered in his chest like a heavy stone.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Someone was walking toward them along the same path.
Mei noticed first.
She immediately straightened and lowered her head respectfully.
Shen followed her gaze.
Walking toward them was a young woman accompanied by two attendants.
She wore a flowing robe of soft lavender silk embroidered with delicate white blossoms.
The fabric moved gracefully with each step she took, brushing lightly against the stone path.
Her long dark hair fell smoothly down her back, partially gathered with simple silver hairpins that glimmered faintly in the sunlight.
There was a quiet elegance to her appearance.
But what caught Shen's attention most was the gentle expression on her face.
She looked kind.
Fragile, almost.
This was Princess Xiao Lihua, the younger sister of Emperor Xiao Zhenyu.
Shen recognized her immediately.
The princess was well known throughout the palace.
She rarely appeared in public gatherings due to her delicate health, but the servants often spoke about her fondly.
They said the emperor treasured her deeply.
Mei bowed immediately.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Shen followed her lead, lowering his head respectfully.
The princess slowed when she saw them.
Her steps stopped a few paces away.
"You may rise," she said gently.
Her voice was soft and warm, carrying none of the cold authority often heard among the palace nobles.
Shen straightened slowly.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Princess Lihua looked at him with open curiosity.
Her gaze was not sharp like the other concubines'.
It was thoughtful.
Kind.
"You are Concubine Shen, correct?" she asked.
Shen nodded.
He raised one hand slightly in confirmation.
The princess studied him quietly for a moment.
"I have heard about you," she said.
There was no mockery in her tone.
Only honesty.
Shen lowered his gaze.
Most people who had "heard about him" did not speak kindly afterward.
But before he could dwell on the thought, the princess's gaze shifted downward.
To his hands.
Her brows knitted together instantly.
"What happened?"
Shen instinctively pulled his hands slightly into his sleeves.
But the redness had already been noticed.
The princess stepped closer.
"Your hands…" she murmured.
Mei hesitated.
"There was a small accident earlier," she said carefully.
"During tea."
The princess looked up.
"With the concubines?"
Mei did not answer.
But her silence spoke clearly enough.
Lihua's expression dimmed slightly.
"May I see them?" she asked Shen gently.
There was no command in her voice.
Only concern.
Shen hesitated for a moment.
Then slowly revealed his hands.
The faint redness across his skin was still visible in the warm sunlight.
The princess inhaled softly.
"That must hurt."
Her voice carried genuine sympathy.
Shen shook his head automatically.
It's alright.
But the faint trembling in his fingers betrayed him.
Lihua noticed immediately.
"Please come with me," she said suddenly.
Mei blinked in surprise.
"Your Highness?"
"There is medicine in my residence," the princess explained.
Her gaze returned to Shen.
"It should be treated properly."
Shen looked slightly startled.
Most people in the palace avoided becoming involved in matters between the emperor's consorts.
Yet the princess did not hesitate at all.
"It will only take a moment," she added softly.
After a brief pause, Shen nodded.
The residence of the princess stood near a quiet lotus pond surrounded by flowering trees.
Compared to the other palace compounds, it felt peaceful.
Almost gentle.
The courtyard was filled with the scent of blooming jasmine, and small wind chimes hung from the wooden eaves, chiming softly whenever the breeze passed through.
Shen noticed something immediately.
The atmosphere here felt… warm.
Not tense.
Not watchful.
Just calm.
Inside, the princess led them to a small sitting room decorated with soft fabrics and painted screens depicting spring landscapes.
"Please sit," she said kindly.
Shen obeyed quietly.
Mei remained nearby, still watching cautiously.
A servant quickly brought a small wooden box filled with medicine.
Princess Lihua opened it herself.
"You may give me your hands," she said.
Shen hesitated.
Then slowly extended them.
The princess dipped a cloth into cool water first.
"This might sting a little," she warned gently.
When the cool cloth touched his skin, Shen felt a wave of relief.
The burning sensation faded slightly.
"There," she murmured.
She then applied a pale herbal salve carefully across the reddened skin.
Her movements were gentle and patient.
"You must be careful," she said softly.
Shen watched her quietly.
He could not remember the last time someone in the palace had treated him with such simple kindness.
When she finished wrapping his hands lightly with clean cloth, she smiled.
"That should help."
Shen lowered his head gratefully.
He placed one hand against his chest in thanks.
The princess smiled warmly.
"You do not need to thank me."
Her eyes softened slightly.
"The palace can be a lonely place."
The words lingered quietly in the room.
Then she added with a small smile,
"If anyone troubles you again… you may come visit me."
Mei blinked in surprise.
Shen looked up.
The princess laughed softly.
"I would enjoy the company."
Outside, evening light slowly began to settle across the palace.
And for the first time since arriving within those towering walls, Shen Yunxi felt something unexpected.
A small warmth.
Like the first hint of spring after a long winter.
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(End of Chapter 7)