The rain hadn't stopped for three days.It drummed against the slanted palace rooftops, trickled down stone gargoyles, and seeped into the cold marble corridors like an uninvited guest. The air felt heavier, not only from the dampness but from the thick tension that clung to every shadow.
Inside the Eastern Wing, where the Empress's chambers lay hidden behind latticed silk curtains, a quiet war was unfolding.
Mei Lian stood near the tall window, watching the blurred outlines of the inner courtyard through the rain-streaked glass. Her fingers absently brushed the embroidery on her sleeve — white peonies on crimson silk — while her mind replayed the conversation she had overheard earlier that morning.
"…the Chancellor intends to submit the petition tomorrow.""…once the seal is stamped, even His Majesty can't easily retract it."
The voices had belonged to two senior eunuchs, speaking in hushed tones near the lotus pond. Mei Lian had pretended to pass by without interest, but every syllable had carved itself into her memory.
A petition… for what purpose? And why hide it from the Emperor?
The door creaked open, breaking her thoughts. Yun Qiao, her most trusted handmaiden, slipped in with a tray of steaming ginger tea. The girl's eyes darted toward the corridor before she spoke in a whisper.
"They're saying the Chancellor has been meeting with Lady Hua every night," Yun Qiao murmured, setting the tray down. "And last night… they say Lord Feng from the Ministry of Justice was there too."
Mei Lian turned, her gaze sharpening. "The Ministry of Justice?"
"Yes, my Lady. It's not normal. They've been in deep discussion. No one dares approach, but the guards said their faces were… grim."
Mei Lian's mind began to weave the threads together. Lady Hua, favored for her beauty but never for her wit, suddenly surrounding herself with the two most dangerous men in court? It smelled of plotting. And in the imperial harem, any plot not directed outward… was aimed inward.
She sipped the ginger tea slowly, the heat anchoring her in the moment. "Yun Qiao, tell the steward to arrange a lantern-light viewing in the North Garden tonight. Invite Lady Hua, but make it seem like an afterthought."
The girl's brows rose. "You mean to lure her out?"
"Not just her," Mei Lian replied. Her eyes glinted with quiet calculation. "If the Chancellor or Lord Feng are bold enough to leave the shadows, I will know."
That night, the North Garden was a sea of light. Hundreds of lanterns bobbed gently in the breeze, their golden glow reflecting off wet leaves and slick stone pathways. Music drifted from a trio of musicians hidden behind a carved wooden screen, their notes weaving through the cool air.
Mei Lian sat beneath the grand pavilion, dressed in a flowing gown of pale silver. The rain had stopped at last, and the air smelled faintly of wet earth and plum blossoms. Servants moved silently among the guests, offering wine and candied fruits.
Lady Hua arrived fashionably late, draped in a gown of turquoise and gold, her hair adorned with a single pearl phoenix. She smiled sweetly, but her eyes flickered with something Mei Lian couldn't quite name — was it nervousness, or simply the thrill of being the center of attention?
"My Lady," Lady Hua greeted with a bow, "you honor me with such a gathering."
"The honor is mutual," Mei Lian said warmly, her own smile polished to perfection. "I thought we could all enjoy the fresh air after so many days of rain."
But as the evening progressed, Mei Lian's eyes never stopped searching the edges of the garden. If the Chancellor and Lord Feng had come, they were hiding well. Perhaps they were wise enough not to show themselves… or perhaps they had already moved their game elsewhere.
It was almost midnight when she finally caught it — a flicker of movement beyond the lantern's reach. Two figures slipping between the willows at the far end of the garden. One tall, robed in dark blue; the other shorter, broad-shouldered.
"Yun Qiao," Mei Lian said quietly, never letting her smile falter. "The far path by the koi pond. Follow them, but keep out of sight."
The girl bowed and vanished into the crowd. Mei Lian continued her conversation with Lady Hua, speaking of trivialities — the blooming schedule of the chrysanthemums, the latest poetry favored by His Majesty — but her mind was with Yun Qiao's shadowed pursuit.
Half an hour later, Yun Qiao returned, her cheeks flushed from the cold. She bent low to whisper in Mei Lian's ear.
"They weren't meeting alone. There was a third man… wearing a cloak with no insignia. I couldn't see his face. But they handed him a sealed scroll, and he left through the servants' gate."
Mei Lian's heart quickened. A sealed scroll, delivered in secrecy, bypassing the official channels… It could only mean one thing: a hidden alliance.
She looked at Lady Hua again, her gaze soft but laced with steel. If Lady Hua was the key to this conspiracy, Mei Lian would not confront her directly — not yet. No, she would watch. She would wait. And when the moment came, she would strike so precisely that the blow would leave no trace of her hand.
As the lanterns flickered and the last guests departed, Mei Lian stood alone in the empty pavilion. The rain had begun again, light and steady, like the heartbeat of the night. She drew her cloak tighter and whispered to herself,
"The game has changed… and so will I."