1
Clink-clank! The sound of clashing gold and silver utensils echoed from outside the hall.
“Be careful with these. The emperor personally selected these gifts for the princess. If anything gets damaged, you won’t be keeping your life.” Qing Ling sternly admonished the young palace maid to handle things with care and avoid breaking anything.
“Understood, Sister Qing Ling,” the little palace maid replied softly.
Yu Shu opened her eyes, got up, and walked out, only to find the outer hall’s table piled high with gold and silver jewelry and exquisite silks and satins.
Seeing Yu Shu emerge, Qing Ling hurried over to support her, smiling sweetly. “Your Highness, look—these are all items sent by His Majesty. There are the latest jewelry pieces and the most beautiful silks…”
“Take all these and divide them among yourselves,” Yu Shu suddenly spoke, utterly indifferent to the treasures before her.
“Your Highness…” Qing Ling’s lips parted in surprise.
“I told you to take them and share them. Consider it my reward to all of you.” With that, Yu Shu turned coldly and walked into the inner chamber, not sparing another glance at the precious and luxurious items outside.
Qing Ling: “…”
Just over half a month ago, the once-renowned young general, Xiao Jingyao, led a hundred thousand troops to storm the imperial city.
The incompetent and foolish last emperor of the Dayan Dynasty fled in panic, only to be pushed off his carriage midway by those around him. He died from severe head injuries, bleeding profusely.
With the death of the last emperor of Dayan, the dynasty fell, and Yu Shu, the beloved little princess of the former emperor, became a princess of a fallen kingdom.
The newly ascended emperor, Xiao Jingyao, confined Yu Shu to the Anyi Palace, keeping her like a caged golden canary—pampering and doting on her.
Yet, Yu Shu was far from happy!
More than ten days had passed since the palace coup, and though every corner of the palace had been scrubbed clean multiple times, Yu Shu could still faintly smell the lingering scent of blood in the air and hear the echoes of desperate cries and the clashing of swords, even when she tried not to think or look.
As evening fell, the last traces of rose-colored sunset finally sank below the horizon, plunging the sky into complete darkness. A crescent moon climbed slowly above the willow branches.
In the Anyi Palace, several maids attending to Yu Shu had just exited the bathing chamber when they caught sight of a tall figure in bright yellow robes entering from outside.
It was Emperor Xiao Jingyao.
The maids hurriedly lowered their heads and curtsied.
“All of you, leave,” Xiao Jingyao commanded with a wave of his hand, dismissing the maids.
They quickly and quietly bowed and retreated.
Xiao Jingyao strode directly into the bathing chamber.
Inside, steam curled upward, and the air was faintly scented with flowers—a scene like an earthly paradise.
A graceful figure lay resting against a smooth stone in the center of the pool, her lush hair pinned up with a hairpin, revealing a slender neck, captivating shoulder blades, and a waist so slim it could be encircled with one hand. Below, even more alluring scenery was faintly visible beneath the water, obscured and hazy.
Xiao Jingyao entered the pool and approached Yu Shu from behind, his large hand caressing her shoulder blade.
She had grown thinner than before—alarmingly so.
Xiao Jingyao wrapped his arms around Yu Shu, pressing his body against hers, his voice husky. “Yu Shu.”
Yu Shu had known Xiao Jingyao was there but couldn’t be bothered to move or even lift an eyelid. Limp and pliant, she allowed him to hold her, not stirring an inch.
Her fair skin glowed like precious jade against the water’s backdrop, resembling the finest, most delicate porcelain that might shatter at the slightest touch.
Xiao Jingyao dared not hold her too tightly.
“Yu Shu,” he called again, like a sigh, his thin lips gently brushing her neck, his warm breath fanning across her skin.
On Yu Shu’s shoulder was a small, butterfly-shaped red birthmark. Xiao Jingyao gazed at it intently, as if Yu Shu herself were that butterfly, ready to spread its wings and fly away at any moment.
He lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions within, and bit down on the red birthmark—not too hard, but not too gentle either.
Yu Shu winced in pain.
Feeling the reaction of the woman in his arms, Xiao Jingyao chuckled softly. He whispered into her ear, “If you keep ignoring me, I’ll devour you bit by bit.”
Yu Shu’s eyes flew open, her dark pupils glaring at Xiao Jingyao with hatred.
Xiao Jingyao laughed heartily.
Furious, Yu Shu struck his chest with her fist—not in coquettish play but with all her strength.
“Let go of me!” she shouted, her eyes reddening.
Yet, her resistance meant nothing to Xiao Jingyao.
Her punches felt like mere tickles against him, and he paid them no mind.
Easily overpowering her, Xiao Jingyao pinned her hands above her head against the stone.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Yu Shu demanded, both angry and anxious, tears rolling from the corners of her eyes.
“What do you think?” His scorching breath brushed her ear as he pressed his body even closer against hers.
“…” Yu Shu could clearly feel the heat and danger radiating from him, too frightened to struggle further.
But it wasn’t as if avoiding provocation would make him spare her.
In the end, he pressed her down against the stone.
The water in the pool rippled and lapped, forming circles of waves.
Yu Shu felt like a fish out of water, entirely at the mercy of another’s whims.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from Yu Shu’s eyes, only to be gently kissed away by Xiao Jingyao.
“Don’t cry, Yu Shu,” he coaxed her as though she were the world’s most precious treasure, yet his affection only grew more fervent, making Yu Shu’s tears fall even harder.
The long night stretched on, the moon creeping like a snail to the zenith of the sky.
Yu Shu couldn’t remember how that night passed, nor when Xiao Jingyao finally stopped or when he carried her back to the bedchamber.
When she awoke, the first light of dawn tinged the window, and Xiao Jingyao lay quietly beside her, eyes closed.
Recalling everything from the previous night, Yu Shu seethed with anger and frustration. She aimed a kick at Xiao Jingyao.
But in the blink of an eye, Xiao Jingyao’s dark eyes snapped open, his large hand accurately catching Yu Shu’s foot.
“Already causing trouble as soon as you wake up,” Xiao Jingyao remarked, his fingers gently kneading her foot, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
“Get out!” Yu Shu cried, her face flushed bright red.
A faint smirk touched Xiao Jingyao’s lips as he pulled Yu Shu’s foot toward him. Before she could react, he pinned her beneath him.
“How many times have I taught you, yet you still refuse to learn?” Xiao Jingyao murmured with a smile, lowering his head to capture her lips, his tongue forcefully parting them.
Hiss—
Yu Shu bit Xiao Jingyao fiercely. Startled by the pain, he had no choice but to release her.
Xiao Jingyao fixed a dark, intense gaze on Yu Shu, then raised a well-defined finger to slowly wipe the corner of his mouth, smearing away the blood on his lip.
Watching him, Yu Shu instinctively retreated backward.
Seeing her shrink away, Xiao Jingyao’s blood-stained finger froze mid-air.
The air seemed to solidify for a long moment. Finally, Xiao Jingyao turned and got out of bed. “Rest well,” he said.
“Won’t you let me go?” came Yu Shu’s tearful voice from behind. She stared at him with pleading, watery eyes.
Xiao Jingyao ignored her, calmly donning his robe as if to leave.
“You don’t love me at all,” Yu Shu sobbed, her gaze desolate as it followed his back. “You keep me here only to torment me…”
Xiao Jingyao abruptly halted and turned back. His eyes when he looked at her were terrifyingly unfamiliar, his voice as cold as midwinter ice. “You’re right. That’s exactly why.”
Yu Shu thought she heard something inside her shatter. She sat motionless on the bed, watching as Xiao Jingyao walked away without a backward glance.
After that day, Xiao Jingyao never appeared before Yu Shu again, as if he had forgotten her entirely.
The palace, now under a new dynasty, was no longer a place Yu Shu could roam freely. Unless absolutely necessary, she had no desire to step even half a foot outside the Anyi Palace.
On this day, Yu Shu walked silently along the familiar palace path, yet everything felt frighteningly strange. This was the place she had grown up in, yet it was no longer her home.
Now and then, palace servants would secretly point at her, whispering and gossiping amongst themselves.
Yu Shu tried not to listen or care, but eventually, someone blocked her path.
It was Yang Jinhui, Xiao Jingyao’s adopted sister. Her father had once saved Xiao Jingyao’s life.
“Don’t you know to bow when you see me?” Yang Jinhui lifted her chin high, looking down on Yu Shu like a proud peacock.
Yu Shu remained standing still, her gaze as calm and unruffled as ever when looking at Yang Jinhui.
Feeling her authority challenged, Yang Jinhui glared furiously. “What do you think you are, daring to look at me like that? Believe me, I’ll have your eyes gouged out!”
“As you wish,” Yu Shu replied flatly, utterly unmoved by the threat.
Yang Jinhui felt as if her punch had landed on cotton, which only fueled her anger further. She knew harsh words alone wouldn’t hurt Yu Shu—there was only one thing that could strike at her core.
“You probably don’t know yet,” Yang Jinhui said with a smug smile. “The Emperor is about to appoint an Empress.”
Finally, Yu Shu deigned to look at her properly.
Yang Jinhui grew even more triumphant. “Just as you’re thinking—I am the confirmed future Empress. Everyone knows I’m more beautiful, gentler, and more talented than you. As you are now, you’re not even fit to polish my shoes.”
“…” Yu Shu’s lips parted slightly, but in the end, she remained silent.
Watching Yu Shu’s reaction, Yang Jinhui assumed she had been defeated and swelled with even greater satisfaction. “Oh dear, are your eyes turning red? Does it hurt? Is it painful?
“Don’t cry!” she added hypocritically. “What’s the use of crying? Even in tears, you’d still be my defeated rival. Don’t tell me you think the Emperor spared your life and lets you stay in the palace because he loves you? How could he possibly love you? Don’t delude yourself!”
With brutal cruelty, Yang Jinhui tore open the wound in Yu Shu’s heart. “You’re a princess of a fallen kingdom! A princess in name only—in truth, you’re just a criminal! The Emperor keeps you alive merely to show those surrendered old ministers. You’re nothing but a decorative ornament!
“Know your place! Don’t covet what isn’t yours!
“Even if the Emperor has slept with you, you’re still nothing. Not even a plaything!
“You’re the mud beneath everyone’s feet, to be trampled by all.
“So, you’d better show me proper respect. Don’t anger me. Perhaps once I’m Empress, I might spare your life. Otherwise… I’ll have the Emperor send you to the lowest, most vulgar brothel…”
Slap!
Yu Shu raised her hand and struck Yang Jinhui hard across the face. She simply couldn’t bear her incessant buzzing anymore.
The slap was forceful. Yang Jinhui was stunned, taking a long moment to react. Clutching her cheek, she gnashed her teeth. “You dare hit me? Ah—”
Before she could finish her cry, Yu Shu moved faster. She grabbed Yang Jinhui by the hair, slammed her face against the palace wall, and pressed the sharp point of a hairpin against the vein in her neck. Turning her head, she glared fiercely at the servants who were about to swarm forward.
“All of you, step back!” she commanded. “Or I’ll kill her.”
**