Wei Lian's POV
My hands shook as I dressed for the welcome ceremony.
Are you nervous, my lady? Su Jin asked, adjusting my plain gray robes. It's natural. All new concubines feel this way.
I stared at her, alive, young, with no idea she'd die defending me in three years.
Su Jin. My voice came out rough. If someone ever accuses me of something terrible, would you believe I did it?
She blinked, surprised. Of course not, my lady! You're the kindest person I've served.
Tears burned my eyes. In my first life, she'd said the same thing at my trial. Then they'd dragged her away and executed her for lying to protect a traitor.
My lady? Are you crying?
No. I wiped my eyes quickly. Just... thank you. For believing in me.
She smiled, confused but pleased. Always, my lady.
I took a deep breath, centering myself. Tonight was the welcome banquet where all new concubines would be presented to the palace hierarchy. In my first life, I'd been drugged by Lady Chen another new concubine who'd pretended to be my friend.
I'd spent the entire banquet sick and humiliated while everyone whispered about the weak girl from the disgraced family.
Not this time.
Su Jin, I need you to do something for me.
Anything, my lady.
Find out everything you can about the other new concubines. Especially Lady Chen. Who she talks to, who visits her quarters, everything.
Su Jin's eyes widened. That's... my lady, that could be seen as
I know. I met her gaze steadily. But I need to know who my real friends are. Can you do this?
She hesitated, then nodded. Yes, my lady. I'll be careful.
Good. And Su Jin? Never eat or drink anything meant for me unless I explicitly tell you it's safe. Promise me.
I... I promise?
I squeezed her hand. Thank you. Now let's go before we're late.
The banquet hall blazed with candles and silk banners. Hundreds of palace residents filled the servants, guards, and the higher-ranked concubines who'd come to judge the new arrivals.
Twenty of us new concubines knelt in a line, heads bowed. I kept my eyes down, just like before. But this time, I was watching. Remembering.
The Empress Dowager entered first elegant, powerful, terrifying. She'd orchestrated so much of the palace's corruption. In my first life, I'd never even known.
Welcome, new flowers of the Inner Palace, she announced. You are here to serve the Emperor and bring honor to your families. Remember your place. Obey the rules. And perhaps some of you will rise beyond your current station.
Lies. The rules were designed to keep us powerless. And the only way to rise was to play games I hadn't understood before.
Imperial Consort Hua Rong entered next, and my breath caught.
Beautiful. Graceful. Poison wrapped in silk.
She was the one. The one who'd killed her own son and framed me. Who'd whispered lies to the Emperor until he trusted no one. Who'd helped destroy the entire empire.
And she smiled so sweetly, like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
How lovely, Hua Rong said, surveying us new concubines like we were furniture. Such fresh faces. I do hope you'll all thrive here.
Her eyes passed over me without interest. I was nobody to her. Not worth remembering.
Good. Stay invisible a little longer.
The banquet began. Servants brought food and wine. Musicians played. The higher-ranked concubines mingled, judging us, forming opinions.
Lady Chen sat beside me, just like before. Pretty, friendly, with a smile that had fooled me completely the first time.
Isn't this overwhelming? she whispered. I'm Chen Mei. You're Wei Lian, right? From the Wei family?
Yes. I kept my voice neutral.
I heard what happened to your father. So unfair. She leaned closer, sympathetic. We disgraced family daughters have to stick together, right?
In my first life, I'd been so grateful for her friendship. So desperate not to be alone.
Now I saw the calculation in her eyes. The way she glanced toward the head table where the Empress Dowager sat.
Here. Chen Mei pushed a cup of wine toward me. Let's toast to surviving our first day.
There it was. The drugged wine.
I picked up the cup, pretending to drink while barely wetting my lips. To surviving.
Chen Mei drank deeply from her own cup, watching me. Waiting for the drug to take effect.
When I didn't immediately look dizzy, confusion flickered across her face.
I set down my cup. Actually, I'm not much of a drinker. Makes me sick. I pushed the cup toward her. You finish it. I insist.
Oh, I couldn't
Please. I'd feel terrible wasting good wine. I smiled innocently. Unless there's something wrong with it?
Her face went pale. No! Of course not, I just
Then drink. My voice was still sweet, but my eyes weren't.
Chen Mei stared at me, realizing I knew. But she couldn't refuse without admitting something was wrong with the wine.
She lifted the cup with shaking hands and drank.
Within ten minutes, she was swaying in her seat. Within twenty, servants had to help her stumbling from the hall while everyone whispered about the concubine who couldn't handle her wine.
I sat calmly, eating my dinner, while the woman who'd ruined my first life got exactly what she'd planned for me.
Small victory. But it felt good.
Clever.
I looked up to find an older concubine watching me Lady Lin, one of the few genuinely kind people in the palace. She'd tried to help me during my trial. It hadn't saved me, but I remembered.
I don't know what you mean, Elder Sister, I said carefully.
Mm. Lady Lin's eyes twinkled. That Chen girl has been making friends with some questionable people. The Empress Dowager's servants, specifically. Interesting that her wine caused problems tonight.
My heart raced. Is it?
Very. Almost like someone warned you to be careful. She patted my hand. You seem smarter than most new girls. Good. You'll need that intelligence to survive here.
She walked away, leaving me trembling with hope.
An ally. A real one. I hadn't expected that.
The banquet continued. The Empress Dowager's cold eyes found me once, assessing. Hua Rong never looked my way at all, I was beneath her notice.
Perfect.
Let them underestimate me. Let them think I was lucky tonight, not careful.
By the time the ceremony ended, I'd mapped every important face. Memorized who smiled at whom, who whispered secrets, who held real power.
Back in my quarters, Su Jin helped me undress. My lady, everyone's talking about Lady Chen! They say she embarrassed herself terribly.
Unfortunate, I said neutrally.
Also... Su Jin lowered her voice. I found something. Lady Chen has been receiving secret visits from the Empress Dowager's head eunuch. Late at night, when she thinks no one's watching.
Ice ran down my spine. The Empress Dowager is using her.
For what, my lady?
To control the new concubines. To have eyes and ears everywhere. I turned to Su Jin. We need to be very, very careful. Trust no one except each other. Understand?
She nodded, frightened but determined. Yes, my lady.
After she left, I stood at my window, looking out at the moonlit palace.
Somewhere in the Emperor's quarters, Shen Yao was probably working late, alone, trusting no one. In three months, the Jiangnan floods would devastate the south. That was my first real test proving I knew things I shouldn't.
But how to get the Emperor's attention without seeming suspicious?
One step at a time, I whispered to the moon. First, survive. Then, make them notice. Then... change everything.
A shadow moved in the garden below. I tensed, watching.
Someone in dark robes slipped between the buildings, heading toward the Crown Prince's quarters.
My blood ran cold. The Crown Prince, the five-year-old boy who'd die in eighteen months, starting the empire's destruction.
Was someone already planning his murder?
I grabbed my cloak without thinking. Slipped out of my quarters into the night.
Following the shadow. Needing to know.
If the plot against the Crown Prince was starting already, I had less time than I thought.