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Evening settled slowly over the imperial palace.
The golden glow of the setting sun stretched across tiled rooftops and carved stone paths, painting the towering walls in warm amber light.
From afar, the palace looked serene, its elegant structures standing proudly against the fading sky.
Yet behind those magnificent walls, life was rarely peaceful.
Walking through one of the quiet corridors of the inner palace was Shen Yunxi.
Beside him, as always, was Mei Lian.
The two moved slowly along the lantern-lit pathway leading back toward Shen's residence.
Servants occasionally passed by with lowered heads, carefully stepping aside when they noticed the emperor's concubine approaching.
Shen walked with his usual quiet composure.
Yet his hands remained carefully hidden within the long sleeves of his robes.
The faint pain from the burn had not disappeared entirely.
Each time his fingers moved, a soft throbbing sensation followed.
Mei noticed it immediately.
She had been watching him closely ever since they left the residence of Princess Xiao Lihua.
"You're still hurting," Mei said quietly.
Shen shook his head gently.
But the small movement of his hands betrayed him.
Mei sighed.
She stopped walking and stepped in front of him.
"Let me see."
Shen hesitated for a moment before slowly revealing his hands from his sleeves.
The cloth bandages wrapped around them were still neat and clean, faint traces of herbal medicine soaking through the fabric.
Mei carefully examined them under the lantern light.
"They look better already," she murmured.
Her expression softened slightly.
"That medicine the princess used must be really good."
Shen nodded faintly.
The memory of the princess's gentle treatment lingered in his mind.
The careful way she had cooled the burn.
The warmth in her voice.
And the quiet kindness in her eyes.
Mei crossed her arms as they resumed walking.
"You're lucky you met her," she muttered.
Shen tilted his head slightly.
"The princess," Mei continued. "She's one of the few people in this palace who actually has a heart."
They passed beneath an archway leading into the quieter section of the palace gardens.
The wind rustled softly through bamboo leaves overhead.
Mei's voice lowered.
"Those concubines... they think they can do whatever they want."
Shen remained silent.
Mei glanced at him again.
"But don't worry," she added, trying to sound reassuring. "You're not alone."
Shen paused slightly at those words.
Not alone.
The idea felt strange.
Yet... somehow comforting.
Soon they reached his residence.
The servants there bowed respectfully as Shen entered his chamber.
Mei helped him settle inside.
"Don't move your hands too much tonight," she instructed.
Shen nodded obediently.
After the long day, exhaustion settled over him quickly.
Within the quiet safety of his chamber, Shen Yunxi eventually fell asleep.
....
Morning arrived bright and clear.
Sunlight spilled across the imperial gardens like melted gold, illuminating rows of blossoming trees and rippling ponds.
In a pavilion overlooking the gardens, three women sat gathered around a polished stone table.
They were none other than the emperor's concubines.
Concubine Zhao Liyue lounged elegantly against the carved railing of the pavilion, her crimson silk robes flowing gracefully around her.
Across from her sat Concubine Han Yurong, who stirred her tea with quiet composure.
Meanwhile, Concubine Fang Xinyi leaned forward eagerly, clearly enjoying the morning gathering.
A servant poured fresh tea for them.
The atmosphere was light.
Almost cheerful.
Zhao Liyue lifted her cup.
"I must say," she said lazily, "yesterday's tea party was rather entertaining."
Fang Xinyi giggled.
"You mean the part where he nearly dropped the cup?"
Zhao Liyue smiled.
"Yes. That part."
Han Yurong remained quiet.
But the faint curve of her lips suggested she remembered it as well.
"His hands turned red so quickly," Fang Xinyi continued, covering her mouth as she laughed softly. "I almost felt sorry for him."
"Almost?" Zhao Liyue teased.
"Only almost," Fang Xinyi replied.
Their laughter echoed lightly through the pavilion.
But suddenly-
A servant's voice interrupted.
"Her Highness the Princess has arrived."
The laughter stopped immediately.
All three concubines straightened.
Walking toward the pavilion was the delicate figure of Princess Xiao Lihua.
Her lavender robes shimmered softly in the morning sunlight as she approached. Her steps were slow but graceful, her attendants following a respectful distance behind.
Despite her gentle appearance, her presence carried undeniable authority.
The concubines rose and bowed.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Lihua smiled warmly.
"Please, sit."
Her voice sounded soft and pleasant, just as it always did.
She took a seat beside them.
A servant quickly poured tea into a delicate porcelain cup before her.
For a while, the conversation remained light.
They spoke about the blooming flowers.
The warm weather.
The peaceful beauty of the gardens.
Fang Xinyi pointed toward a cluster of peach blossoms swaying in the breeze.
"They're especially beautiful this year," she said.
"Yes," Lihua agreed gently.
She lifted her tea cup.
Her expression remained calm.
Yet as the conversation continued, her gaze slowly moved across the three women sitting before her.
Observing.
Measuring.
Finally, she set her tea down.
Her voice came quietly.
"Yesterday..."
The single word immediately shifted the atmosphere.
The concubines looked at her.
"I encountered someone in the garden," the princess continued.
Zhao Liyue smiled politely.
"Oh?"
The princess's eyes lowered briefly.
"It was Concubine Shen."
Silence fell.
A faint breeze stirred the curtains of the pavilion.
Fang Xinyi glanced nervously at Zhao Liyue.
Zhao Liyue maintained her smile.
"How fortunate for him," she said smoothly.
But the princess continued speaking.
"His hands were injured."
Her voice was still soft.
Still calm.
Yet something about it made the air feel heavier.
Zhao Liyue let out a small laugh.
"Oh, that must have been yesterday's accident."
"Accident?" Lihua repeated.
She looked up slowly.
Her gentle eyes rested on Zhao Liyue.
The smile on her face had not disappeared.
But it no longer reached her eyes.
"Yes," Zhao Liyue continued lightly. "Tea spilled."
"I see."
The princess folded her hands neatly on the table.
Then she asked quietly:
"Tell me something."
The three concubines felt a subtle chill.
"How does tea continue pouring after a cup is already full?"
No one spoke.
The silence stretched.
Lihua's gaze shifted slowly from Zhao Liyue... to Han Yurong... to Fang Xinyi.
"I saw his hands myself," she said softly.
"They were trembling."
Fang Xinyi's fingers tightened around her sleeve.
"And his skin was red from the burn."
Her voice remained calm.
But every word carried unmistakable weight.
"He could not even hide the pain."
The pavilion felt colder now.
Zhao Liyue's smile slowly faded.
"Your Highness," Han Yurong said carefully, "surely there has been a misunderstanding-"
"There was no misunderstanding."
The princess's voice interrupted gently.
The calmness in her tone made the interruption even more unsettling.
She stood slowly.
The movement was graceful.
Yet suddenly, the entire pavilion felt as if it belonged to her alone.
Her delicate appearance seemed almost deceptive now.
"Concubine Shen cannot speak," she said quietly.
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"But silence does not mean weakness."
The three women lowered their eyes.
The princess took a step closer.
"If I had arrived a little later yesterday..."
Her voice softened further.
"I wonder how much worse his injuries might have been."
No one dared answer.
Then Lihua smiled again.
The same warm smile she had shown before.
Yet now it carried something far more dangerous.
"Let me make something clear."
Her words were still gentle.
But the message behind them was sharp.
"I do not enjoy involving myself in palace disputes."
She paused.
"But I will not tolerate cruelty."
The concubines felt their throats tighten.
The princess continued:
"If anything like this happens again..."
Her voice lowered.
"I may have to mention it to my brother."
The unspoken name lingered heavily in the air.
The emperor.
Fear flickered across Fang Xinyi's face.
Even Zhao Liyue's composure faltered slightly.
The princess smiled sweetly.
"I trust that will not be necessary."
Then she turned gracefully and walked away.
The sound of her footsteps slowly faded down the garden path.
The pavilion remained silent long after she left.
Finally, Fang Xinyi whispered nervously,
"She... she knew everything."
Han Yurong stared quietly at her untouched tea.
Zhao Liyue clenched her jaw.
For the first time since Shen Yunxi entered the palace...
They realized something unsettling.
The quiet concubine they had mocked...
Was under the protection of someone far more dangerous than they had expected.
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(End of Chapter 8)