The Red Phoenix Crown

# RED PHOENIX CROWN: I MARRIED THE EMPEROR TO KILL HIM ## Chapter One: The Concubine Who Came for Blood The day Lin Yue entered the imperial palace, she carried no gifts, no blessings, and no dreams of becoming the emperor's beloved woman. She carried a dagger. And a list of names. Every name on that list belonged to someone she intended to kill. Three years ago, her family had been the pride of the empire. Her mother, General Lin, had commanded thousands of soldiers and defended the northern borders with her life. Her father had died in battle, and her mother had raised Lin Yue to be strong enough to survive a world that hated powerful women. Then came the betrayal. Someone accused the Lin family of treason. Their soldiers were slaughtered, their estate burned, and their servants executed. Her mother's military achievements were erased from history as if she had never existed. The final blow came when Emperor Zhao Yu signed the decree ordering General Lin's execution. Lin Yue had watched her mother kneel in the snow. She had watched the executioner's blade fall. And she had sworn that the emperor would suffer the same fate. Now, three years later, she had returned. Not as a general's daughter. Not as a noblewoman seeking justice. But as an insignificant concubine entering the emperor's harem. A perfect disguise for a woman who intended to destroy the throne from within. *** "Lower your head!" The sharp voice of the palace matron snapped Lin Yue out of her thoughts. She stood among twelve young women dressed in pale pink robes. They had been selected to enter the emperor's harem, and most looked terrified as they stared at the enormous palace gates. Lin Yue merely adjusted her sleeve. The matron noticed. "You! What's your name?" "Lin Yue." "Do you think entering the imperial palace makes you special?" "No." "Then why are you standing as though you own the place?" Lin Yue looked at her calmly. "Perhaps the ground is uneven." Several women gasped. The matron's face darkened. "You insolent girl! Do you wish to be beaten before you even meet His Majesty?" Lin Yue lowered her head. "Forgive me, Matron." Her apology sounded perfect. Her expression was humble. But beneath her sleeve, her fingers curled around the tiny blade hidden against her wrist. She had killed men for less than the matron's arrogance. She would happily kill this woman too. But not today. Patience was a weapon, and Lin Yue had learned to use it better than any sword. The matron stepped away, muttering curses. Lin Yue lifted her eyes toward the towering palace walls. *Enjoy your peace, Zhao Yu.* *Your nightmare has finally arrived.* *** The emperor did not attend the selection ceremony. Instead, an imperial eunuch announced the women's new positions before a gathering of palace servants. Some were assigned as noble ladies. Others received the rank of concubine. Lin Yue was given the lowest possible position among the emperor's women: **Ninth-Rank Lady Lin.** A rank so insignificant that she would barely be entitled to speak when addressed by higher-ranking consorts. Her residence was a small courtyard at the far end of the western palace. The paint was peeling, the furniture was old, and the garden had been abandoned for years. Her assigned maid, a young girl named Qing'er, looked ready to cry. "Lady Lin, how can they treat you this way? Other newcomers have received beautiful courtyards and servants. Even the least favored lady has better accommodation than this!" Lin Yue placed her small luggage on the table. "Then they have made a mistake." Qing'er looked hopeful. "Should I report it to the palace supervisor?" "No." "But—" "Would you rather live in a beautiful courtyard where everyone watches your every move, or an ugly one where nobody cares whether you breathe?" Qing'er fell silent. Lin Yue walked to the window and examined the neglected garden. There were weeds, broken stones, and a dead tree beside the wall. Perfect. No one would suspect a woman living in such a place of possessing any ambition. "Bring me water," she ordered. "Then find out who manages the emperor's daily schedule, who controls the palace guards, and which consort has the greatest influence over the imperial household." Qing'er stared at her. "Lady Lin, you have only just arrived. Why do you need to know these things?" Lin Yue turned. Her beautiful face carried the faintest smile. "Because I dislike surprises." It was not the truth. She wanted to know which doors the emperor used, which guards protected him, and where he was most vulnerable. She had not entered the palace to become a forgotten woman. She had entered to get close enough to kill a king. *** That evening, the women of the harem gathered in the Hall of Fragrant Clouds to pay their respects to Consort Xu, the emperor's most favored woman. Consort Xu was beautiful, elegant, and famous for her temper. Her father was a powerful minister, and even senior palace servants feared offending her. Lin Yue arrived last. Not because she was late. Because she wanted everyone to notice her entrance. Consort Xu's eyes swept over her plain robes. "Who is this?" "Ninth-Rank Lady Lin, Your Highness," a servant answered. Consort Xu laughed softly. "So this is the new addition to our little family. I heard the selection officers found you in a declining household. I suppose they were feeling generous." The women around her giggled. Lin Yue bowed. "Your Highness is kind to remember someone so insignificant." The response pleased Consort Xu. "At least you understand your place. Kneel and pour my tea." Lin Yue obeyed. She took the teapot and filled Consort Xu's cup with steady hands. The older woman accepted it, then deliberately tilted the cup. Hot tea spilled across Lin Yue's fingers. Qing'er gasped. Consort Xu examined her nails. "Oh, how careless of me. You wouldn't want to make a fuss over a little tea, would you?" Lin Yue looked at the reddening skin on her hand. Then she smiled. "Of course not, Your Highness." Consort Xu seemed disappointed by the lack of tears. "Good. Remember, the emperor's attention is a privilege, not a right. Women who forget that often leave the palace in disgrace." Lin Yue bowed again. "I will remember." *And I will remember your face.* Consort Xu dismissed her with a wave. Lin Yue walked out of the hall without looking back. Only when she reached the empty corridor did she stop. She examined her burned hand. Then, without the slightest change in expression, she pressed the injured skin against the cold stone wall. Pain was nothing. Pain had accompanied her mother's death, her family's destruction, and the three years she had spent learning to kill. A little hot tea could not frighten her. Neither could a spoiled consort. Consort Xu had made one mistake. She had assumed that a low-ranking woman was a harmless woman. Lin Yue would make sure she regretted that assumption. *** Later that night, Lin Yue received an unexpected summons. The emperor had ordered all newly appointed concubines to attend a private evening gathering in the imperial garden. For the first time since entering the palace, she would see Zhao Yu. She dressed in pale blue silk, pinned her hair with a simple silver ornament, and concealed her dagger beneath her sleeve. Qing'er helped adjust her collar. "Lady Lin, what if His Majesty notices you?" Lin Yue looked at herself in the bronze mirror. "Then I will bow." "What if he speaks to you?" "I will answer." "What if he chooses you to spend the night with him?" For a moment, Lin Yue's fingers stopped moving. Then she smiled at her reflection. "Then I will finally have the opportunity I came for." Qing'er did not understand. She did not need to. *** The imperial garden glowed beneath hundreds of lanterns. The emperor sat beneath a golden canopy, dressed in black robes embroidered with golden dragons. His expression was cold as he listened to his ministers discuss the affairs of the empire. Lin Yue entered with the other concubines and knelt. "Long live Your Majesty." "Rise," Zhao Yu commanded. His voice was deep, calm, and merciless. Lin Yue raised her head just enough to see him. Three years. Three years of nightmares, training, and hatred. She had imagined this moment a thousand times. In some dreams, she stabbed him before the guards could react. In others, she watched him beg for his life as she reminded him of the woman he had executed. But now that she stood before him, she felt no excitement. Only a cold, familiar hatred. Zhao Yu's gaze moved across the gathered women. Then it stopped on her. "Your name?" "Lin Yue, Your Majesty." Something shifted in his expression. Only for an instant. "Lin?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Are you related to General Lin?" The garden became silent. Several women exchanged nervous glances. Lin Yue lowered her eyes. "My family once served the imperial court. We are not worthy of being compared with the great General Lin." Zhao Yu studied her. "Look at me." She obeyed. For one terrifying moment, she wondered whether he recognized her. But the emperor merely leaned back in his seat. "An interesting answer." He turned to his eunuch. "Let Lady Lin remain." The other concubines were dismissed one by one. Lin Yue stayed kneeling. When the garden had emptied, Zhao Yu rose and approached her. "Tell me, Lady Lin," he said. "Do you wish to gain my favor?" She looked up at him. Every instinct screamed at her to draw her dagger and drive it through his heart. Instead, she lowered her head. "If Your Majesty wishes to favor this concubine, she would never dare refuse." He stopped before her. "Then perhaps I should summon you to my chambers tonight." Lin Yue's heart beat once, hard against her ribs. At last. The first door had opened. She bowed until her forehead nearly touched the ground. "This concubine awaits Your Majesty's command." Zhao Yu walked away without another word. Lin Yue remained kneeling long after his footsteps disappeared. Then she slowly rose. A smile touched her lips. The emperor had invited a concubine into his chambers. He believed he was summoning a woman who would compete for his affection. He had no idea he was inviting his own executioner. Lin Yue slipped her fingers beneath her sleeve and touched the cold handle of her dagger. "Sleep well tonight, Your Majesty," she whispered into the darkness. "Tomorrow, the hunt begins." **End of Chapter One.**