Chapter 3

Heng remained silent.

His endurance only made Yu angrier.

He wanted to see his younger brother break down and cry as before. Today, Heng was like a piece of wood, giving him no reaction at all.

Yu kicked aside the herbs drying on a stone slab and ground them beneath his foot.

As he trampled them, he glanced sideways at Heng.

“This rubbish isn’t even worth dirtying my feet.”

I stepped forward and shielded Heng.

“Your Highness, these are an imperial consort’s quarters. Isn’t it improper to barge in without so much as a greeting?”

Yu gave me a sidelong look.

“Lady Shen, I’m speaking to my brother. What right has a lowly consort to interfere? This is a private matter between us.”

“Private?” I didn’t retreat. “You’re destroying my belongings in my courtyard. That concerns me.”

Before he could speak, I continued.

“You bully your younger brother, then swagger into your father’s consort’s home. If this spreads, what will His Majesty think? What will the Empress Dowager think? How will the ministers and common people see you?”

His expression changed.

He had come for amusement, not a scandal. He didn’t want a reputation for arrogance and bullying the weak.

“Stop using Father to threaten me!” he blustered. “A few dried weeds—I’ll pay you!”

He pulled several copper coins from his sleeve and flung them onto the ground.

“That’s more than enough for your rubbish.”

Then he left angrily with his attendants, slamming the gate.

I turned to Heng.

He stood where he was, his head bowed.

“It’s all right now.”

After a long time, he said miserably, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“The herbs… They’re ruined because of me.”

I crouched to gather the stems that hadn’t been completely crushed.

“We can save some. Once they’re dry, we’ll just get a little less in exchange.”

He watched me picking herbs from the ground for a long time, then came and crouched beside me.

Without a word, he helped.

### Part 5

Yu’s visit seemed over, but I couldn’t settle. I felt it wasn’t finished.

Petty, vindictive, and accustomed to abusing his power, he had always been the one humiliating others.

He would never let today’s loss of face go.

I thought he might make little difficulties later—cut our supplies, insult us, vent his anger.

I never imagined revenge would come so quickly or so viciously.

Late that night, the courtyard was silent.

Exhausted, Chuntao and I had gone to bed early. Heng had returned to his side chamber.

After an unknown length of time, the sharp smell of lamp oil filled the room. Crackling followed outside, and glaring red light shone through the window paper.

Fire!

I jolted awake, grabbed my outer robe, and pulled Chuntao from sleep.

Then I staggered to the side chamber and kicked the door open.

“Heng!”

He was awake, jumping from the bed.

I seized his wrist and dragged him outside.

Flames had engulfed Zhutang Courtyard. None of us dared look back. We forced our way through fire and burning smoke.

Only a few steps beyond the courtyard, a thunderous crash sounded behind us.

I collapsed onto the snow, gasping.

Chuntao doubled over coughing. Heng crouched on the ground, his eyes red from smoke.

The fire lit half the sky, staining the snow orange-red.

Imperial Guards rushed over and tried to put it out.

But it was too fierce. Water evaporated almost immediately and did nothing to check it.

While everyone fought the flames, the guards caught someone trying to slip away at the edge of the blaze.

One of Yu’s close attendants.

He reeked of lamp oil. Panicked and trembling, he looked plainly guilty.

The guards took him away and interrogated him through the night.

Unable to bear the punishment, he soon confessed everything.

Yu had resented being contradicted that day. Unable to swallow the humiliation, he had ordered the man to sneak into our courtyard with oil and burn all three of us alive.

Arson in the palace. An attempt to murder palace residents and an imperial brother.

The news quickly reached the emperor.