Yueyin's POV
My hand shakes as I touch my throat again.
Smooth. Alive. No blade wound cutting through my neck.
But I felt it. I felt the executioner's blade slice into me. I felt myself dying. That wasn't a dream it was too real, too vivid, too painful to be anything but a memory.
So how am I standing here?
Miss Yueyin? A voice calls through my door. Are you awake? You need to start preparing for the festival!
I spin toward the sound, heart hammering.
That voice. I know that voice.
Mei? I whisper.
Yes, miss! May I come in?
Mei. My personal maid. Sweet, loyal Mei who always braided my hair and snuck me extra sweets from the kitchen.
Mei who died when soldiers burned our estate during the coup. I found her body in the servants' quarters, still clutching the jade hairpin I'd given her.
My throat closes up. I can't breathe.
Miss? Mei sounds worried now. Is everything alright?
I force words out. Yes Give me a moment.
I stagger back to the mirror. The eighteen-year-old face stares back at me with wide, terrified eyes.
This is real. Somehow, impossibly, this is real.
I'm back. Five years in the past. Before the coup. Before the executions. Before everything turned to blood and ashes.
A laugh bubbles up in my throat half hysterical, half relieved. I slap my hand over my mouth to stop it.
I died cursing heaven. And heaven actually listened.
But why? Why send me back? What am I supposed to do with this?
The answer hits me immediately: Everything different.
I know what's coming. I know who betrays us. I know when they'll strike.
I can save Father. Save Mei. Save everyone who matters.
And destroy everyone who doesn't.
My hands stop shaking. The fear drains away, replaced by something cold and sharp.
This time, I won't be weak. Won't be naive. Won't be the stupid girl who trusted all the wrong people.
I open the door. Mei stands there with her usual bright smile, holding a tray of breakfast. She's so young only fifteen. She has no idea that in a few years, she'll die because of my mistakes.
Not this time.
Mei, I say, my voice steadier now. What's today's date? The exact date.
She blinks, confused by the strange question. It's the fifteenth day of the eighth month, miss. The Lantern Festival is tonight. Are you feeling well?
Fifteenth day of the eighth month. Five years ago exactly.
Tonight is when Crown Prince Zhengming will corner me by the lotus pond. He'll give me a jade bracelet and ask me to marry him. I'll say yes because I'm a foolish girl who thinks he loves me.
That bracelet becomes a chain. That marriage becomes a prison.
Not. This. Time.
I'm fine, I tell Mei. Just had a weird dream. What else is happening today?
Mei chatters as she sets down the breakfast tray. Your father has an important meeting this morning with the Emperor. Your brother Lingfeng has martial arts practice. And Lady Shen Qingyi sent a message she wants to visit before the festival tonight.
Each name is like a knife.
Father who'll be executed as a traitor in two years.
Lingfeng my baby brother who'll vanish during the coup, probably killed.
Shen Qingyi my best friend who'll testify against me at my trial, lying through her pretty teeth.
I must look strange because Mei touches my arm gently. Miss, you really don't look well. Should I cancel Lady Shen's visit?
No, I say quickly. Don't cancel anything. I need... I need to see them all. Need to confirm this is real. I need to make sure of something first.
After Mei leaves, I tear through my room like a madwoman.
My diary I find it in the desk drawer. I flip it open to the most recent entry, dated yesterday.
Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival! I can barely sleep. Prince Zhengming has been so kind to me lately. Father says he might make an important announcement soon. Could it be...? I'm too excited to even write it! Qingyi says she's sure he'll propose. Oh, I hope she's right! To be Crown Princess, to marry such a handsome and gentle prince... it's like a dream come true!
I want to vomit.
That naive, stupid girl. She has no idea that handsome, gentle prince is selling military secrets to enemy kingdoms. That he'll beat her once they're married. That he's only using her to get closer to Father's political connections.
I rip the page out. Then another. And another.
All these diary entries full of hope and trust and love for people who'll destroy me.
I tear them all out and throw them in the brazier. Watch them burn.
Never again, I whisper to the ashes.
Footsteps pound up the stairs. Yueyin!
I barely have time to turn before the door bursts open.
My brother Lingfeng charges in, all thirteen-year-old energy and wild grins. His practice sword is still strapped to his back. Father says you're being weird and won't come down for breakfast. What's wrong? Are you sick? Are you nervous about tonight?
I can't move. Can't speak.
Lingfeng. My baby brother.
The last time I saw him, he was sixteen and soldiers were dragging him away. He screamed my name. I tried to reach him but guards held me back. Then he was gone, and I never found out what happened to him.
Now he's here. Alive. Whole. Looking at me with concern in his eyes.
Jie jie? He uses the old nickname older sister. You're scaring me. What's wrong?
Something breaks inside me.
I cross the room in two steps and grab him in a hug so tight he yelps.
Ow! Yueyin! You're crushing me!
I can't help it. Can't let go. He's real and warm and alive.
I thought I lost you, I whisper into his shoulder.
Lost me? I'm right here! Are you sure you're not sick? But his arms come up to hug me back anyway. Do you want me to get Father? Or the physician?
I force myself to let go, wiping at my eyes quickly. Can't let him see me cry. Can't explain why I'm falling apart.
No. I'm fine. Just... had a really bad nightmare.
Must have been super bad. He peers at my face. You look like you've seen a ghost.
I am the ghost, I think. I'm the ghost of a future that hasn't happened yet.
Come on, Lingfeng says, grabbing my hand like he did when we were little. Fathers worried. And Cook made your favorite dumplings. You can't waste those!
He drags me downstairs. My feet move automatically while my mind races.
Father's in the dining hall, and seeing him standing there healthy, smiling, alive makes my chest ache.
In two years, I'll watch him kneel on an execution platform just like I did. Watch the blade fall. Watch the life drain from his eyes.
Unless I stop it.
There she is! Father comes over, pressing his hand to my forehead. Mei said you seemed unwell. You don't have a fever...
I'm fine, I say, but my voice cracks. I just... can I ask you something?
Of course.
The emperor. His health. Is he... is he well?
Father's eyebrows raise. What an odd question. Yes, His Majesty is in good health. Why do you ask?
Because in my timeline, he'll be poisoned soon. The Empress Dowager will slip toxins into his tea for months until he dies. And when he does, Crown Prince Zhengming will take the throne and the nightmare will begin.
But I can't say that.
Just curious, I mumble.
Father studies me with those sharp eyes that miss nothing. Yueyin, you're acting very strange. If something is troubling you
Miss Yueyin! A servant rushes in, breathless. Lady Shen Qingyi has arrived for her visit!
My stomach drops.
Qingyi. The snake who'll pretend to be my friend while reporting everything I say back to Crown Prince Zhengming. Who'll twist my words and smile while stabbing me in the back.
Send her away, I say immediately.
Everyone stares at me.
What? Father looks shocked. Yueyin, Qingyi is your dearest friend. You can't just
I don't want to see her.
The words come out harsher than I meant. Lingfeng and Father exchange worried glances.
Yueyin... Father's voice is gentle. Did you and Qingyi have a fight? You were just talking about her yesterday
That was yesterday. Things change.
People change. Or rather, I finally see who they really are.
Before Father can argue more, the door opens and Qingyi herself glides in, all sweet smiles and expensive silk robes.
Yueyin! She rushes over like we're the best of friends. I heard you weren't feeling well! I came right away!
I look at her perfect face. Her concerned expression. The way she touches my arm like she actually cares.
And I remember her at my trial, testifying against me. Her voice so sad and regretful as she lied: I saw Lady Yueyin meeting with suspicious people. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn't listen. I think... I think she might have been plotting against the emperor.
She sold me out to save herself. To win favour with Zhengming. Maybe even to take my place as Crown Princess.
My hand itches to slap that fake concern off her face.
But I can't. Not yet. Not here. If I act too different, people will ask questions. Get suspicious.
I need to be smart. Careful. Patient.
So I smile back. Qingyi. How kind of you to visit.
Her eyes narrow just slightly. She can tell something's off.
Good. Let her wonder.
I wanted to talk about tonight's festival, Qingyi says, still watching me too closely. We need to coordinate our outfits! And I heard Crown Prince Zhengming will be there. You must look your absolute best!
Ah. There it is. She's already working to push me toward Zhengming. Already setting up the trap.
Actually, I say slowly, I'm not sure I want to go to the festival tonight.
Qingyi's smile freezes. What? But you've been so excited! It's all you've talked about for weeks!
I changed my mind.
Father and Lingfeng are staring at me like I've grown a second head. Qingyi's expression shifts confusion, irritation, calculation all flickering across her face before the sweet mask returns.
Yueyin, are you sure you're feeling alright? Her voice has an edge now. You're acting so strange. Maybe you should lie down
I'm perfectly fine. I meet her eyes directly. I just realized that some things aren't worth the effort. Some people aren't who I thought they were.
Qingyi goes very still.
For a moment just a heartbeat I see something cold flash in her eyes. Something calculating and mean.
Then it's gone, hidden behind her pretty smile again.
But I saw it. And now I know for certain: Everything I remember is real. This snake hasn't changed. She's been like this all along.
I just couldn't see it before.
Well, Qingyi says, her voice a bit too bright, you must come to the festival. Crown Prince Zhengming specifically asked your father to bring you. It would be terribly rude to refuse, wouldn't it?
My blood runs cold.
Zhengming asked Father to bring me? That means he's already planning to propose tonight. The trap is already set.
If I go, I walk right into it.
If I don't go... what happens then? Will it change everything? Will Father be punished for my rudeness to the Crown Prince?
I'm trapped. Just like I was trapped five years from now on that execution platform.
Or am I?
This time, I have something I didn't have before: I know what's coming.
I know Zhengming will corner me by the lotus pond. I know what he'll say. What he'll offer.
And I know exactly how to destroy his plans.
A new idea forms in my mind. Dangerous. Risky. But possible.
I smile at Qingyi, and this time it's genuine. You're right. I should go to the festival. And I'll make sure to look my absolute best.
Qingyi relaxes, thinking she's won. Oh good! I knew you'd come to your senses! We'll have such a wonderful time!
She has no idea what I'm actually planning.
None of them do.
Tonight, Crown Prince Zhengming expects a naive girl who'll say yes to his proposal.
Tonight, he's going to get someone very different.
But as Qingyi chatters on about dresses and jewellery, a terrible thought creeps into my mind:
If I'm back... if heaven sent me back five years...
Did heaven send anyone else back too?
Does Yizheng remember executing me?
Does he remember our future?
And if he does... what will he do about it?