Chapter 15
Edward Quan ·
General Li visibly staggered.
The old monk hurried to support him.
“Are you all right?”
He didn’t answer.
He only stared at me, his eyes turbulent.
Anger.
Grief.
And a resolve beginning to form.
He drew a deep breath as though to speak.
No words came.
He held my gaze for a long time. That look was enough to tell me the wheel of fate had begun turning.
Then he turned and strode away without looking back.
Fast, urgent steps. An enraged lion released from its cage.
I stood watching until he vanished.
My task was done.
What remained depended on him.
The capital’s still waters would soon be churned to mud.
12
I returned from Huguo Temple and shut myself indoors for two days.
Waiting.
For a result.
I trusted General Li.
And Zhao Heng’s judgment.
On the third morning, news finally came from the palace.
The general had entered before dawn and spent a double-hour in the imperial study.
No one knew what he told the emperor.
Only that his eyes were red when he emerged.
From inside came the emperor’s enraged roars and porcelain shattering on cold stone.
Soon afterward, the empress, crown prince, and Father were urgently summoned.
A tense stillness settled over the palace, as though a storm were about to break.
The play had begun.
That afternoon, a palace carriage stopped at our gates.
Eunuch Li personally brought the order inviting me for an audience.
Mother turned pale with fright. Her trembling hands gripped mine.
“Yue’er, what… what is this? Has something happened?”
I patted her hand and smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry. If it’s good news, we have nothing to fear. If trouble is coming, we can’t avoid it. I won’t be long.”
I changed into proper court attire, dignified and impeccable.
The blood-red pendant still hung at my waist.
Then I boarded with Eunuch Li.
Through layers of high walls and red gates, the carriage entered deep into the palace and stopped before the imperial study.
I took a breath and went in.
The air was thick enough to suffocate.
On his dragon throne, the emperor looked livid…
The empress and crown prince knelt below, bloodless.
Father stood aside, frowning, his expression heavy and worried.
I entered and knelt.
“Qin Yue pays her respects to Your Majesty.”
He didn’t tell me to rise.
His chilling stare remained on the jade at my waist.
His voice was icy, almost poisoned.
“Qin Yue, do you admit your guilt?”
My heart tightened once.
My face stayed calm.
I looked up in bewilderment, my voice innocent.
“I’m ignorant, Your Majesty. I don’t know what crime I have committed.”
“You don’t?”
He laughed coldly, seized a memorial, and flung it before me.
“Read!”
It fell open on the floor.
Bold, firm strokes, each sharp as a blade.
An accusation against the empress.
Framing loyal servants. Concealing evidence. Improper designs.
The evidence named was the pendant I wore.
I made myself look pale with terror.
“How… how could this be?”
“Her Majesty gave me this jade.”
“I thought it was a favor. A supreme honor.”
“I… truly knew nothing!”
Tears came on command.
I trembled and cried, frightened and lost, an innocent girl accidentally swept into a struggle for power.
I played the wronged victim perfectly.
Seeing it, the empress immediately wailed too.
“Your Majesty, I’m innocent!”
“I only thought it beautiful and gave it to Miss Qin. I had no idea it belonged to General Wang!”
“Someone must be framing me!”
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