The night was too long.

She gave Lian instructions to call Ah-Liu as soon as dawn broke before she made her way to the room where Yu had taken Manu. The room was sparse, with minimal furniture and none of the beautiful decor, furniture or design present in the main bedchamber. Yu was standing to the side while Manu paced anxiously.

As soon as he saw her, he rushed to her. This time, she did not wait for him to pounce on her. Instead, she bent and opened her arms before sweeping the boy up. Instead of his usual happy giggles, he wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her shoulder.

She looked up at Yu and attempted a smile. It came out more as a grimace. “Su, Min and Rin are resting in my chambers. Do not awaken them until they wake up themselves. And you, too, go and rest.”

Yu was unnaturally quiet as she bowed her head and left the room. A faint noise from her just as she was out of the room told her that she had been holding back her cries.

Samaya sighed softly and carried Manu to the bed. As she sat down with him still in his arms, he settled down on her lap and tightened his arms around her. There was a long silence before he finally spoke, his words slightly muffled against her shoulder.

“Did something bad happen to Sister Rin?”

“Yes.” The answer came a bit slow but it came nonetheless. What was the point of hiding it from the boy when he had seen everything?

“Like how bad things happened to girls back home? In the dark alleys?”

Samaya sighed softly. She really would have preferred that Manu had not known about such things at such a young age. But it could not be helped. Living in QingHu came with many dangers and this was one of them. Samaya would rather he learn the ugly truth of the world from her than experience it himself. After all, it wasn’t just girls that those slimy hands grabbed. Manu had to learn to protect himself. Besides, despite their bad efforts, you did not grow up in QingHu without witnessing some of the shittiest things yourself.

Samaya gently rubbed his back as she whispered, “Yes.”

Another long pause of silence.

“What will happen now?” He asked softly.

She frowned. “I don't know.”

She had a few ideas in mind but she wasn't about to discuss them with him. Still…

“But we will do our best to help Rin, alright?”

Samaya felt Manu’s nod against his shoulder and sighed softly.

“You need to sleep now.”

They ended up lying down like they used to, with Samaya on her back and Many lying down on her chest. He was getting too big to do that now and she could feel the weight pressing down on her chest. She would lay him down soon enough, but for now the weight on her, the warmth she felt from him, his steady breathing on her chest … was extremely reassuring.

Samaya stared at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts she wished she could silence. She stroked his back gently, trying to focus on the simple, repetitive motion. Her body was tired, but her mind refused to rest. Every time she closed her eyes, flashes of Rin’s face—pale, terrified, and broken—flooded her thoughts.

Her chest tightened as the memory of Rin’s trembling voice replayed in her mind. What would happen now? She had no clear answer, and that troubled her deeply. How long had it been since she had been so uncertain? Perhaps when she arrived in this world, but even then… even then, she had a vague idea of what to do. But for all her strength, she was lost here.

Eventually, the darkness outside gave way to the faintest hint of dawn. A pale gray light filtered through the thin curtains, signalling the start of a new day. Carefully, she shifted Manu off her chest and placed him onto the bed beside her. He stirred but didn’t wake. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before rising.

The air in the room was cool against her skin as she crossed to the window and looked out at the sprawling gardens below. Ah-Liu should be here soon. Samaya took a deep breath, centring herself. She needed to stay strong, to stay focused on what came next. But first, she needed to release the tension building inside her.

She quickly changed into her training clothes, a simple tunic and pants that allowed freedom of movement. The courtyard outside was still and quiet, with only the soft chirping of birds breaking the silence. Samaya began her morning exercises—swift, calculated movements designed to strengthen her body and clear her mind. Each punch, each kick, was executed with precision, her muscles burning as she pushed herself harder. The familiar discipline of combat training calmed her, grounding her in the present.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

By the time she finished, the sun was rising fully, casting a golden glow over the courtyard. Samaya stood in the centre, her chest heaving from exertion, but her mind felt sharper, more focused. She would need that clarity when speaking to Rin.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Samaya made her way back inside, where Lian was already bustling about quietly. "Eunuch Liu has been sent for," Lian said softly, her eyes meeting Samaya's with quiet understanding.

Samaya nodded in acknowledgement. “Good. Have Yu take a message to Lady Ren Siyun. Her maid is missing, she will be worried. No need to tell the details there. Just let her know that Rin is hurt and resting here.” She paused for a moment. “ Let’s give Rin a little more time, but the moment she stirs, come find me.”

Lian inclined her head and left the room to finish her tasks. Samaya sat in the corner, taking a sip of the tea Lian had brought, waiting patiently for Rin to wake. Time seemed to stretch. Samaya’s gaze drifted toward the doorway, her ears tuned to the slightest sound.

Finally, there was movement from her chambers. Lian appeared at the door. “Rin is awake.”

Samaya stood immediately and went to her chambers. As she entered, she saw Rin sitting up in bed, her knees drawn to her chest, looking frail but alert. Min and Su were beside her, whispering words of comfort. When Rin's eyes met Samaya’s, there was a flicker of determination in her gaze, though it was clouded by fear and uncertainty.

Samaya approached slowly, her voice soft. “How are you feeling, Rin?”

Rin swallowed hard, her voice small but steady. “Sore. Scared.” She paused, her hands gripping the blanket. “What happens now?”

Samaya sat beside the bed, close enough to offer support but not so near as to crowd her. “I do not know. That… is up to you. I would prefer to bring that monster to justice, but … you don’t have to decide anything right now. But you do need to think about what you want to happen next.”

Rin’s eyes darted to Min, who gave her a gentle nod of encouragement. “I… I do not know,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “What can I do?”

She had to take another shaky breath before she spoke. “Kang Yanxin is the brother of Consort Kang. His father is the Minister of Military Affairs. They have the backing of the Imperial Consort and her father the Prime Minister. There is nothing I can do against him.”

Samaya frowned thoughtfully. “Not entirely. I can speak with the Emperor on your behalf. It is the fastest way to get justice for what happened to you.”

Rin looked up at her, doubt clear in her eyes. “Will the Emperor … believe me? Will the Emperor do anything for a lowly maid like me?”

“Of course,” Samaya replied immediately. “The Emperor is a just man. He will not tolerate such a crime under his roof, especially not against someone under his protection.”

At least, the Emperor did not strike him as someone who would stay quiet in a situation like this.

Rin bit his lip but Samaya reached forward and took her hand. “Whatever you decide, I will be by your side.”

Rin stared at her for a long moment. Her eyes then darted between Su and Min. Letting out another shaky sigh, she looked down and nodded.

Samaya exhaled softly “I will do everything I can to make sure that that monster gets what he deserves,” Samaya said firmly. “But you must understand that this will not be easy. There will be people who will try to silence you, to make you doubt your own truth. You need to be prepared for that. I will protect you to the best of my abilities.”

Rin bit her lip. Her hands still shook with uncertainty and fright. Min took her hand. Rin looked up at her sister for a long moment before she seemed to square her shoulders and turned to Samaya. “I… I will be r-ready.”

Samaya nodded and reached out, gently taking Rin’s other hand in hers. “I believe you.”

There was a long pause as the weight of Rin’s decision hung in the air. Samaya studied her for a moment longer before speaking again. “The first step will be to go to the Emperor. He needs to know what has happened here, and he needs to hear it from me. I shall visit him once the Morning Court is over.”

Samaya offered her a reassuring smile. “Rest for now. I will speak to the Emperor. Once I return, we will take the next steps.”

Rin nodded again, though the worry never left her face. Samaya stood, giving her a final glance before stepping out of the room. She found Lian waiting just outside.

“Get Manu ready for the day and escort him to his lessons.”

“But, my lady, with all this-”

“That is precisely why. He needs to be awa-” she paused when she found Lady Ren approaching her residence hurriedly.

“Anyway, do as I say,” she instructed Lian before turning to face Lady Ren

Part of her was relieved to see that the Lady cared so much for the maid. She would have to go back to her mistress soon and if the Mistress was not kind… needless to say, things would have been worse for Rin.

She hurriedly welcomed Lady Ren into the residence, while instructing the two maids that accompanied her to wait outside. Her grim expression must have been enough for the woman not to bombard her with questions. She was grateful. It allowed her to tell her what happened with minimal interruptions. By the time she finished, Lady Ren had her hands on her mouth, trembling as tears clearly built up in her eyes.

She gently sat the woman down in the parlour. “Please sit here until you calm down. Rin is understandably very sensitive right now. If you meet her in this state, she might break down again.”

Lady Ren nodded. “I understand.”

Just then, the bell rang loudly. The Morning Court was over. Samaya tilted her head for a moment before turning her attention to Ren Siyun.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “Please wait here. I will have Yu bring you some refreshments.”

Lady Ren looked up at her, frowning. “Are you going somewhere?”

“I’m going to the Emperor,” Samaya said quietly, though her voice carried the weight of her decision.

It did not take long for the other woman to understand. “Are you sure?”

Samaya gave a small nod.

“Should I-”

“No.” Samaya immediately shook her head. “I can handle it. You should not get involved.”

“But Rin is my maid.”

“I know. But will you be able to speak to the Emperor about this? Will you be able to stand against the Ministers?”

Ren Siyun was silent.

“Exactly,” Samaya said softly. “Just make sure to take care of Rin, Lady Ren. That would be enough.”

With that, she walked out, finding Yu and giving her instructions.

“Bring some refreshments for Lady Ren. Tell Ah-Liu to meet me outside the Imperial Study when he arrives..”

Yu bowed her head in acknowledgement, her expression grim but resolute. “I will, my lady. I wish you luck.”

Samaya didn’t respond as she left, her mind already on the conversation ahead. She knew the Emperor would listen, but whether he would act swiftly enough to bring justice - that remained to be seen.