Fortunately, no one came looking while she was away.

Ah-Liu was waiting for her when she came back. The boy had clearly been anxious ever since she forced him to stay back and he rushed over when he saw her.

“Jiejie.”

She sighed and tried to send a reassuring smile the boy’s way. Judging by the worried look on Ah-Liu’s face, she did not quite succeed. She should not be surprised. The discussion with Hualin, the eavesdropping on Kang Yanxin, and then rushing back to the Palace with blood rushing in her ears … none of those was conducive to expressing good emotions.

“Hualin seems to be doing well,” she said, trying to center herself with inconsequential talk after the night she had.

Ah-Liu nodded hesitantly, not sure where she was going with this.

Samaya sat down on the nearest couch. “She agreed, without hesitation.” She frowned. “This will be dangerous. For her.” Her eyes slid up to the boy. “For you.”

“I do not care, jiejie.”

Samaya sighed and ran a hand over her face, suddenly feeling

“I wish you did, Ah-Liu,” she whispered softly. “What I am making you do … is so very dangerous for you. It is the very thing people feared you for… almost killed you for. I always scold you for using it… and yet, I am making you use that very power of yours for my crusade. What kind of hypocrite does that make me?”

She had lost count of how many times she had made the boy use his powers by now. When they were going to see the maid, when she was going out, when she returned … and he would have to use this volatile power quite a few more times before this entire ordeal was over.

Ah-Liu frowned and walked to her, before kneeling down in front of her. “You are not making me do anything, jiejie. I am not a child. I am choosing to do this, just as I chose to follow you and Manu here, just as Hualin is choosing to help you. Jiejie, I think you underestimate how much the people you saved you respect you and wish to help you.”

Samaya looked at the little boy in front of him. Not so little anymore. She gently reached out, cupping his cheek. The physical presence of the boy helped her relax a little bit. The irrational fear that he too would disappear in front of her eyes faded.

She sighed softly and stood. “I am tired. We will talk about this later.”

With that, she went to bed, taking the squirming Manu in her chest, pushing her worries for the next day.

What she did not expect, however, was waking up with a clogged nose, a massive headache, and a rising fever. Now, that was a surprise. She rarely ever got sick in this world. In fact, she could count on one hand how many times she got sick ever since coming to this world.

As the maids found out and began to fuss around her, with some medicine already prepared by Lian, Samaya wondered if she really should not have been as surprised as she was. After all, after kneeling in the rain for hours and then barely sleeping the past few days after what happened, it was no wonder she collapsed after her semblance of a plan finally started being put into action.

Su and Min, to their credit, worked diligently. Perhaps they had to, in order to keep themselves occupied. Samaya, for once laid there, and let all of them fuss over her, feeling too exhausted to even move.

The following days passed in a hazy blur for Samaya. Feverish and weak, she remained confined to her chambers, alternating between restless sleep and moments of hazy lucidity. Manu’s worried face as he was ushered away to his lessons lingered in her mind. Though she hated being idle, her body refused to cooperate, and her trusted maids ensured she stayed in bed, plying her with medicinal teas and hot compresses under Lian's watchful eye. Physician Hou came and went, prescribing bitter medicines that had her cursing every time she took them.

The first visitor came soon after her collapse.

The news must have spread like fire.

Lady Ren arrived unannounced, her expression a mask of concern. She swept into the room, her delicate features set in a frown, a mixture of worry, nervousness and scolding.

"Lady Qing," Lady Ren said, sitting gracefully by the bed. "I know a lot has passed and you are most burdened. But you must remember to take care of yourself. I have heard you have not slept the past few days.”

“Is that pot calling the kettle black?” She asked and then immediately erupted into a series of coughs as her own vocal cords scratched her dry throat.

Her maids quickly had her sip on warm water. Lady Ren panicked for a moment but watching Samaya calm down seemed to have calmed her down as well.

Lady Ren sighed. “This should be my burden to bear. Rin was my maid. Is it not natural that i be the one to lose sleep over this? It is the least I can do for her.”

“Spending sleepless nights is not going to help her, Lady Ren,” she retorted. “Rin would want you to be well. I saw how hard she worked to ensure you had everything you needed. For you to be like this is disrespectful to her memory.”

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There was a long moment of silence.

“Perhaps you are right, Lady Qing.”

Before leaving, Lady Ren placed a small package of dried herbs on the bedside table. "For your strength," she explained, her voice soft, hoarse, yet firm. She was going to be alright.

Later that afternoon, Fu Caiyi arrived with Ai and Mei in tow. The girls were as lively as ever, their chatter filling the room as they presented Samaya with a basket of delicate pastries.

"Mother says you must eat something sweet to lift your spirits," Mei announced, setting the basket down with an enthusiastic grin.

Ai nodded solemnly. "And to recover your energy. Everyone says you’re the strongest, Lady Samaya. You must be better soon."

Their mother, always elegant, stood nearby with a calm smile, her presence as steadying as ever. "The girls insisted on visiting you. Do not let them tire you out."

Samaya managed a faint chuckle. "They are a welcome distraction," she murmured, her voice hoarse but sincere.

The presence of her friend and the little twins was a much needed balm to all her wounds. Fu Caiyi stayed well into the evening. Sometimes they spoke, other times they sat together in silence, basking in the sounds of their children chattering and playing.

Lady Song Yuhan followed the next day with her daughter, Fang. Unlike Ai and Mei, Fang was shy and soft-spoken, lingering by her mother’s side and offering a bouquet of medicinal flowers with a quiet, "For your recovery, my lady."

Lady Song Yuhan stayed longer, her keen eyes observing Samaya’s pale complexion with motherly concern. "You’ve taken on too much, haven’t you?" she said gently. "You must allow others to share your burdens, Lady Qing. Even the strongest thread will fray if pulled too tight."

Samaya nodded faintly, though her thoughts remained preoccupied. Those burdens were hers to bear, whether she liked it or not.

A discreet letter arrived from Lady Hou Tianjian on the evening of the second day. Samaya recognized the subtle elegance of the handwriting immediately. The letter was brief, wishing her a swift recovery and cautioning her to tread carefully in her current endeavors. Along with the letter came a box of medicinal red ginseng. It was an expensive gift. It seemed she was still keen on expressing her gratitude for helping her daughter get closer to the Emperor. Maybe she would take advantage of that someday.

But it was the Empress’s visit that shook Samaya from her feverish daze.

On the second evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the Empress herself appeared, resplendent in her understated yet regal attire. The maids bowed low, their movements stiff with nervousness, as the Empress entered Samaya’s chamber.

"Lady Qing," the Empress began, her tone measured but tinged with genuine concern, "I see that even your resilience has its limits."

Samaya struggled to sit up, but the Empress waved her hand dismissively. "Do not strain yourself. How are you?"

“As well as I can be, Your Majesty.”

“Very well, I have something for you,” she said and gestured at her Eunuch, who stepped forward with a box. Lian quickly stepped forward and took the box. “Rare herbs from my collection. It should help you recover quickly. I shall send a competent physician to make your medicine.”

“You didn’t have to…”

The Empressed seemed like she wanted to roll her eyes but refrained. “Of course, I did not have to. I wished to. Take the gift from your Empress, Lady Qing.”

Ah, her response had been too modern. She inclined her head in a bow. “I am grateful, Your Majesty.”

The Empress nodded, seemingly satisfied. And then she swiftly dismissed all the maids, citing the need for privacy.

“Lady Qing, I must caution you.”

Samaya leaned back against the pillows, her eyes heavy-lidded but sharp. "Caution me about what, Your Majesty?"

The Empress’s gaze was steady, her voice low. "The Kangs are not to be underestimated. They hold powerful sway within the court, especially as staunch supporters of the Imperial Consort. By standing against them, you have drawn their ire. I fear they will not rest until they see you undone."

Samaya’s lips curved into a faint, sardonic smile. "Undone or not, I cannot allow their actions to go unanswered."

The Empress sighed, her expression softening. "Your resolve is admirable, but tread carefully, Lady Qing. The court has consumed many with less fire than you." She placed a cool hand on Samaya’s arm, lingering for a moment before rising to leave.

Her final words lingered in the air long after she was gone. "Be vigilant. The shadows of the court are deep, and not all who walk them are as noble as they seem."

She already knew that, thank you very much. Still, the Empress’s words did not fail to be ominous.

The Emperor’s visit came the following day, unannounced and unexpected.

Samaya was startled from her rest by the sound of heavy footfalls and the maids’ hushed murmurs of "Your Majesty."

The Emperor entered, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the chamber. He dismissed the maids with a curt gesture before turning to Samaya, who was now sitting up and leaning against the pillows, having found the strength to do so today.

"You look pale," he remarked, his tone almost casual as he approached the bed. "I heard you were unwell."

"Your Majesty," she greeted, her voice polite but distant. As their eyes met, she did little more than incline her head in a semblance of a bow, not bothering to even lower her gaze. It was an act of defiance, she knew. One that - had the Emperor been a worse man than he was - might have resulted in her eyes getting plucked out of their sockets. As it was, the man only stared with only a hint of disapproval in his cold gaze.

The Emperor studied her for a moment before speaking again. "The maid whose body was found by your Eunuch - on her person was a handkerchief bearing the Kang family crest."

Samaya’s heart tightened, but she kept her face impassive. "And?"

"This is still not enough to publicly investigate and prosecute Kang Yanxing. But We have launched a discreet investigation into the Kang family," he said, his tone matter-of-fact.

Samaya’s eyes narrowed. "It is too late," she said quietly, her voice laced with bitterness. "No investigation will bring back the dead."

The Emperor frowned, stepping closer. "You cannot carry this burden alone, Ya’er. It will consume you."

“What does it matter to you?” She asked, adding after a beat, “Your Majesty.”

“It matters more than you think.”

He reached out as if to touch her forehead, but she leaned back, clenching her teeth.

"Do not touch me, Your Majesty," she said, her voice low but unyielding.

The Emperor froze for a moment, his hand hovering in the air before he withdrew it. His expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something—regret, perhaps—before he turned and left the room without a word.