Samaya froze momentarily.

It took a moment for her mind to catch up with what was happening. Kang Yuxin must have gotten to her. The thought burned through her like fire, and she glanced at Rin, whose face had gone pale. The momentary pause cost her. Minister Kang was already blabbering by then.

“... told you, Your Majesty, this is nothing but a fool’s crusade to smear my son’s reputation. I do not know what her motive is. But she is clearly using what has happened to that girl to come after my family… if such a thing has happened at all.”

That snapped her back to reality.

Samaya’s blood boiled as she processed the minister’s insinuation. Her jaw clenched as she locked eyes with him.

“If such a thing has happened?” she repeated, her voice low but sharp. “Are you accusing me of fabricating a tragedy as serious as this, Minister Kang?”

Kang’s expression remained stoic, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes - calculated caution and a trace of amusement. It was infuriating, his calm demeanour even more so. He was playing the part of the dutiful father, careful not to tip the scales too far. “I would never dare make such an accusation against a member of the Emperor’s harem,” he said smoothly. “But I am stating, quite clearly, that there is no credible evidence to support these claims. This entire affair reeks of baseless suspicion.”

Samaya’s eyes narrowed. Of course, he wouldn’t outright accuse me. That would give me something to fight back against. Fuck, this was going to be harder than she expected, wasn’t it? Minister Kang was not like his hot-headed daughter or that maid whom she could torture into breaking. He was an expert at avoiding direct confrontation, at sliding through the cracks of accountability. He’d neatly sidestepped every trap she’d laid out so far.

“And what motive have I to go after your son?”

“That, Lady Qing, only you know.” He tilted his head ever so slightly. “Revenge, perhaps? Everyone knows that you blame my daughter for what the Senior Attendant did to your son. Perhaps you wished for her to feel the same pain that you did, by hurting her family.”

She snorted. “I do not harm innocent people just because they are related to those who wronged me. You are good at making stories, Minister Kang.”

“I could say the same of you, seeing as how you intend to send my son to the gallows with no solid evidence.”

“No solid evidence?!” She snapped. “There is a young girl who has somehow gathered the courage to stand in front of the court after being violated and you accuse that she is somehow engaged in an elaborate scheme that would compromise her own dignity to help me in a witch hunt against your family? Now who is talking with no solid evidence?”

Minister Kang’s eyes lingered on Rin for a moment - making even Samaya’s skin crawl - before he spoke. “I do not know the girl. I cannot possibly speak on her motivations.”

A soft whimper left Rin and Samaya looked back to see her trembling so hard that she could barely stand straight. This was no good.

She turned to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, Rin is clearly unwell and unable to handle the pressure of the court. Please allow me to send her back.”

The Emperor nodded in acknowledgement and Samaya quickly had Ah-Liu called to escort her back.

Once she left, Samaya looked back at Lan. “Are you really going to let them get their way? Even though a child was harmed? Even though tomorrow it could very well be you?”

Lan tensed. Samaya did not feel bad about it. It had been a while since she truly had to manipulate people but it didn’t mean she had given up doing it. This was even for a good cause.

“Your Majesty!” Kang’s voice scratched her ears. “She is clearly threatening the maid.”

“Lady Qing, please refrain from pressurising the witness,” the Emperor’s calm voice echoed in the court.

She turned to the Emperor. “I think you and I both know, Your Majesty, that I am not the one pressurising her.”

Minister Kang raised an eyebrow as if her very words were ludicrous. “Are you implying that I somehow threatened a maid whom I could not even reach, seeing that I am not allowed in the Inner Palace without the express permission of the Emperor?”

“Just because you could not enter the Harem does not mean you could not reach her,” she retorted. “Your daughter is in the perfect position to execute your will, is she not?”

The minister’s calm demeanour didn’t waver, his voice dripping with patronising sympathy. “My daughter? My Lady Qing, I fear you misunderstand my family’s integrity. Besides, one might argue that the maid was coerced into making these claims in the first place.”

Samaya’s fingers twitched with frustration, her hands itching to throw something at the man who seemed to be slipping through every argument like a snake. She forced herself to take a deep breath, to steel her resolve. This was far from over.

“There is enough circumstantial evidence to warrant a full investigation,” Samaya pressed, her voice hardening as her anger simmered beneath the surface. “The inconsistencies in Kang Yanxin’s behaviour, the boy’s testimony, the fact that your son fell mysteriously ill when he was supposed to appear in court—it’s too convenient. These are glaring signs that cannot be ignored.”

Kang lifted his chin slightly, his gaze cool as he regarded her with a thin smile. “Circumstantial evidence is hardly enough to accuse a nobleman’s son of such a heinous crime. Your Majesty, I trust the court will not waste its time pursuing unfounded suspicions.”

Samaya shot him a look of pure contempt. “Unfounded? Are we to dismiss the testimony of a witness who heard your son boast of his actions? Or perhaps we should overlook the sudden illness that conveniently struck him the moment he was required to answer for his crimes?”

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Minister Kang’s face remained infuriatingly composed, his voice smooth as silk. “People fall ill, Lady Qing. It is a simple fact of life. My son has been unwell for quite some time, as I have already explained to the court.”

The heated exchange between them continued, their voices rising as they argued in front of the Emperor and the assembled court. Samaya’s frustration grew with each passing moment. It was like arguing with a wall—Kang was slippery, twisting her words, sidestepping every accusation with practised ease.

Finally, the Emperor raised his hand, silencing both of them. His expression was unreadable, but Samaya could see the conflict in his eyes as he looked between her and Minister Kang.

“Virtuous Lady Qing,” the Emperor began, his voice measured, “We understand your concerns, but without concrete evidence, We cannot condemn a nobleman’s son based on suspicion alone.”

“I am not asking you to condemn him, Your Majesty,” she said firmly. “I am asking you to launch an investigation into this matter.”

“This is getting ridiculous!” Minister Kang’s voice echoed in the halls. “My son is innocent and you have no evidence to prove otherwise.”

“If your son is innocent, then you should have no problem with an investigation anyway.”

“Such an investigation will harm the reputation of my family!” He turned to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, are we to humiliate noblemen now every time someone who bears a grudge brings baseless, heinous accusations against them?”

The Emperor tapped on the armrest again. “Of course not, Minister Kang.” He turned to Samaya. “Noblemen form the foundation of the nation. Lady Qing, this evidence is not enough to publicly launch an investigation. Unless you can bring to Us proper proof, We are afraid this trial must be suspended.”

Samaya saw red.

“Noblemen do not form the foundation of the nation, Your Majesty” she began, her gaze piercing, “The people do. Your subjects do. Rin is your subject as well. And, more importantly, she is a maid of the Harem. She belongs to you. If you cannot protect your own woman in your own home, how can you expect to protect the nation? What, then, is the point of that crown you wear and all the power that comes with it, when it cannot protect the very people whom that power is for?”

A ripple of unease swept through the court at her words, an uncomfortable silence descending upon them. Samaya could feel the weight of the assembled officials’ eyes on her, the shock at her boldness palpable in the still air. She knew she had overstepped but she could not bring herself to regret it.

The Emperor’s face darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. His fingers, which had been tapping restlessly on the armrest of his throne, stilled.

“What are you implying, Lady Qing?” His voice was dangerously calm, the kind of calm that precedes a storm.

“A young woman of your home has come to you seeking justice,” she said, her voice icy. “How can you sit on that throne as the Son of Heaven and ignore her plight when she is directly under your protection? How can you wear that crown if you cannot protect a single maid who has been harmed under your very nose?!”

For a brief moment, the tension in the room was unbearable. Samaya could feel the eyes of every courtier and official boring into her, waiting to see how the Emperor would respond.

Then, with a sharp crack, the Emperor’s hand came down hard on the armrest of his throne, the sound echoing through the hall.

“Insolent!” His voice boomed, carrying the full weight of imperial authority. “It seems that We have been too lenient on your eccentricities. You have become too comfortable questioning Us. You dare question Our authority in Our own court? Do you think that just because We have been indulgent of you, you can go without punishment?”

Samaya’s teeth clenched and she felt strangely calm, her nerves burning so hot that they felt numb.

“Guards!” The Emperor’s voice rang out, and within seconds, a group of soldiers stepped forward. “Take Virtuous Lady Qing to the Imperial Punishment Grounds. She is to kneel there until I say otherwise.”

Another ripple of murmurs ripped through the crowd. The reason was obvious. The Imperial Punishment Grounds were for serious crimes against the Imperial Family. Matters with concubines, even when they involved the Emperor, were dealt with and, if need be, punished in the Inner Court. Rarely was a concubine punished with kneeling in the Imperial Punishment Grounds for everyone to see. Not when concubines were supposed to be carefully guarded flowers, the mothers of the nation. It was not a mere punishment. It was a statement. It was the consequence of questioning the Emperor.

It was humiliation.

Rage burned in Samaya’s veins.

The guards bowed and went to touch her. She stepped away from them.

“Do not fucking touch me!” She growled.

Great, she was cussing now. Thank fuck she had a habit of slipping into English whenever she cussed.

“If you do not comply with Our orders, Lady Qing,” the Emperor’s words made Samaya turn her head towards the man, only to find those icy golden eyes looking down on her, “you will be dragged there.”

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “So, this is the Emperor’s justice?”

She only waited for a split second before scoffing and turning around, muttering, “Son of Heavens, my fucking foot.” It was incredibly rude and against protocol to turn her back to the Emperor before taking at least three steps back. At this moment, however, Samaya could care less.

“Do not touch me,” she told the guards again. “I can walk.”

She was not going to hide from such an idiotic punishment.

The moment Samaya stepped outside, she saw Ah-Liu waiting for her below the steps. When she reached, he asked cautiously, “What happened?” He glanced at the guards.

She did not answer, instead growling a frustrated “Let’s go!” at the boy.

“Go where, ji… Lady Qing?” Ah-Liu asked.

“The Imperial Punishment Grounds!”

Ah-Liu must have heard the edge in her voice because he did not ask any more questions. She marched toward the Imperial Punishment Grounds, uncaring of the few servants or concubines who saw her. When they reached the Grounds, the guards led her to the middle, only a few steps away from where that maid had been punished for hurting Ah-Liu. Without another word, she knelt.

Ah-Liu stood a few steps away, along with the guards, pale with worry. Samaya could not even bring herself to reassure him, knowing it would only come out as angry screams. So she clenched her teeth and endured.

It was only about half an hour into her punishment that the sky seemed to crack open. Rain poured down in heavy sheets, soaking her robes within seconds. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, echoing the storm brewing within her.

“It is raining, I’ll go bring an umbrella!”

Ah-Liu turned around but was stopped by the guards. “The punishment must be carried out with no company or comfort, no matter the circumstances. You may not interfere.”

“She will get sick. Get out of my way.”

Samaya could tell Ah-Liu was getting agitated. Not good.

“Eunuch Liu, it is alright.” She said and turned to look at him. “This is my punishment. I must bear it.”

“But-”

She shook her head resolutely. “Do not fuss. Find shelter. Go.”

Ah-Liu frowned but stilled. He did not move, however, standing a few steps behind her, even as the guards took shelter on the nearby veranda.

The rain continued to pour, cold and unrelenting, but she remained still, her head high. Hours passed in silence, the rain soaking them both to the bone. The wind howled through the grounds, but Samaya’s resolve never faltered.

As the sky darkened further, the rain intensified, turning into a torrential downpour. Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by the deep rumble of thunder. Still, Samaya remained unmoved, her back straight. It wasn’t like this was the harshest condition she had been forced to endure. But the downpour of rain hitting her again and again and again made it hard after a while. She could feel the cold seeping into his very bones. She felt numb after staying in one position for so long. Strangely enough, she did not feel tired. Her anger and stubbornness kept her up through the entire thing, staring ahead as her nails dug into her palm in an effort to stamp down the blinding rage she was feeling.

By the time the rain finally began to let up, it was late into the night. It was only when the first peek of moonlight broke through the clouds that an eunuch came to inform her that her punishment was over.

Samaya’s body ached from the cold and from kneeling for so long, but she forced herself to rise, her legs trembling slightly from the strain. Ah-Liu, who had stayed by her side the entire time and was just as soaked to the bones as she was, helped her to her feet. Her robes had long become dirty from the mud.

“Let’s get you back to your quarters, my lady,” Ah-Liu said softly, her voice filled with concern.

Samaya nodded. Together, they made their way back through the palace grounds, their steps slow and deliberate. Samaya took off the stupid hairpins that were keeping her hair up. She walked through the Harem slowly, her soaked, pale and dirtied appearance making her look more like a ghost than anything.

But as they passed through the Harem grounds, something caught Samaya’s eye. A thick column of smoke was rising from one of the residences.

Lady Ren’s residence.

Without a second thought, she broke into a run, her drenched robes clinging to her as she sprinted toward the source of the smoke, her heart pounding with a new sense of dread.

Something terrible had happened.