The palace quieted as night fell, but the silence was deceptive — the kind that hides venom beneath silk.
Lin Yue sat on the edge of the emperor's bed, her fingers twisting the hem of her borrowed robe. Xiao An stood nearby, nervously peeking through the curtains every few minutes.
"Is it always like this?" Lin Yue whispered.
Xiao An swallowed. "When His Majesty favors someone… yes. The harem becomes dangerous."
Lin Yue's heart tightened. She didn't ask for this. She didn't want enemies. She didn't even understand this world.
A sudden knock made both of them jump.
Before Xiao An could answer, the doors slid open.
A group of palace maids entered — but these were not the timid, obedient kind. Their eyes were sharp, their expressions cold. They wore the colors of the Jade Courtyard.
Noble Consort Zhen's faction.
Xiao An stepped in front of Lin Yue instinctively. "This chamber is forbidden! His Majesty ordered—"
The lead maid shoved her aside. "His Majesty is not here."
Her gaze landed on Lin Yue, and her lips curled into a mocking smile.
"So this is the little nobody who bewitched the emperor."
Lin Yue stood, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don't want trouble."
"Too late," the maid sneered. "You've already caused it."
Two maids grabbed Lin Yue's arms before she could react. Xiao An screamed, trying to pull them away, but one slapped her hard across the face.
"Stay out of this, servant!"
Lin Yue struggled. "Let go of me!"
The lead maid leaned close, her breath hot with anger. "Noble Consort Zhen wants to send you a message."
She lifted a small porcelain vial.
Lin Yue froze.
"What is that?"
"A cleansing tonic," the maid said sweetly. "For washing away impurities."
Xiao An gasped. "No! That's—"
But she was cut off as another maid covered her mouth.
The lead maid uncorked the vial. A sharp, bitter smell filled the air.
Lin Yue's blood ran cold.
This wasn't a tonic.
It was skin‑corroding poison — used to punish disobedient servants.
"Hold her still," the maid ordered.
Lin Yue's heart pounded. She twisted, kicked, fought — but the maids were stronger, trained for this kind of cruelty.
The vial tilted.
A single drop fell toward her cheek—
And then the doors exploded open.
"STOP."
The voice was ice and thunder.
The maids froze.
Emperor Jin Longwei stood in the doorway, his expression darker than a storm. His robe was still half‑open from rushing back, his hair slightly disheveled — but his eyes…
His eyes were muderous.
"What," he said softly, dangerously, "are you doing to her?"
The maids dropped to their knees instantly, trembling. The vial slipped from the lead maid's fingers and shattered on the floor, the poison sizzling against the stone.
"Y‑Your Majesty, we— we were only—"
"Silence"
The emperor stepped forward, his gaze locked on Lin Yue. He reached her in two strides, pulling her into his arms with a gentleness that contrasted violently with the fury radiating from him.
"Did they hurt you?" he asked, voice low.
Lin Yue shook her head, breath shaking. "No… not yet."
His jaw clenched.
He turned to the maids.
"You dared to touch what is mine."
The lead maid collapsed fully, sobbing. "Your Majesty, we were ordered—"
"By whom?"
She hesitated,
A fatal mistake.
The emperor's voice dropped to a whisper colder than death. "You have three seconds to answer."
"By… by Noble Consort Zhen!" the maid cried. "She said the girl must be taught her place!"
Silence.
Then—
"Guards,"
The doors burst open as imperial guards rushed in.
"Take them," the emperor commanded. "All of them."
The maids screamed as they were dragged away.
"Your Majesty! Mercy! We were only following orders!"
But Jin Longwei didn't look at them.
His attention was entirely on Lin Yue.
He cupped her face gently, checking for injuries. His hands trembled — not with fear, but with barely restrained rage.
"I left you for one hour," he whispered, "and they dared to touch you."
Lin Yue swallowed. "This is because of me…"
"No." His voice hardened. "This is because they do not understand."
"Understand what?"
He pulled her closer, his forehead resting against hers.
"That you are mine."
Her breath caught.
His voice dropped to a vow.
"And I will burn this palace to the ground before I let anyone harm you."