Chapter Two: A Resolve to Rise
638 Words
Poisoned. The word hung in the air like a blade. Lin Yue’s memories swirled in Aria’s mind, filling in the gaps. A cup of wine offered by Concubine Yao Liqing, a rival who despised her for reasons that were both petty and political.
“Does the emperor know?” Lin Yue asked, her voice sharper now despite the weakness in her body.
Xiu’er shook her head furiously. “No, Mistress. His Majesty doesn’t visit this part of the palace often. He has… other favorites.” Her voice grew quieter with each word.
Lin Yue frowned. So, Lin Yue was not only low-ranked but also forgotten, a mere pawn in the games of the imperial harem. The memories painted a clear picture: neglect from the emperor, disdain from the other concubines, and now an outright attempt on her life.
“Tell me everything,” Lin Yue said, her tone commanding despite her frail condition.
Xiu’er sniffled, wiping her face with the sleeve of her dress. “Mistress, it was Concubine Yao. She’s always hated you because of the way His Majesty looked at you during the spring festival last year. She must have felt threatened. So, during the banquet three nights ago, she… she offered you the wine. I didn’t notice anything wrong until you collapsed.”
Lin Yue mind raced. She remembered the moment vividly now, Lin Yue’s memory flashing before her eyes. The sweetness of the wine, the warmth of the evening air, and then the sudden, unbearable pain that wracked her body.
“And no one thought to inform the emperor?” Lin Yue asked, her voice cold.
Xiu’er flinched. “I didn’t dare, Mistress. Concubine Yao has powerful allies in the palace. If I spoke out, they would have silenced me too.”
Lin Yue clenched her fists, the sharp sting of her nails biting into her palms grounding her in the present. She wasn’t just Lin Yue now—she was also a trained assassin who had survived the deadliest of situations. If the emperor wouldn’t protect her, she would protect herself.
“Xiu’er,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. “From now on, you tell me everything. No matter how small or dangerous it may seem, I need to know. Do you understand?”
The maid nodded quickly, her fear giving way to a glimmer of hope.
“And one more thing,” Lin Yue added, her lips curling into a faint smirk that was all her own. “If Concubine Yao thinks she’s won, she’s going to be sorely disappointed.”The sharp tang of herbs lingered in the air, mingling with the faint hum of distant palace life. Lin Yue sat cross-legged on her bed, her body trembling from weakness, her mind alight with determination. The memories of her modern self—the assassin who had once been untouchable—clashed with the frailty of her current form.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the dull ache that never quite left her. This body was fragile, a shadow of her former strength. Lin Yue clenched her fists. Weakness wouldn’t do—not in this place.
The flood of memories from the former Lin Yue had been useful, giving her a clearer picture of the palace’s treacherous inner workings. Her rival, Concubine Yao Liqing, was just the first of many dangers. The imperial harem was a battlefield, each woman clawing for power and favor. But the greater threat lay beyond her quarters. The emperor, Zhao Ming, was a man who wielded power with an iron grip, and she would need to prepare herself before stepping into his line of sight.
Lin Yue sighed, her resolve hardening. If she wanted to survive, she had to heal her body, grow stronger, and find allies she could trust.
- Writer
