Yue was summoned to the Imperial study with no explanation. After what she'd done the night before, what would be the consequences of her actions?
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The next day, with the sun directly overhead, Yue was called to the Imperial study.
The day was hot, and the air felt humid and still. Even the noisy cicadas outside were quiet, as if everything had paused.
Following silently behind the eunuch, her footsteps were absorbed by the quiet hallways.
The golden tiles of the path gleamed under the sunlight streaming through the windows.
Yet, to Yue, everything seemed distant and muted.
Her fingers clutched the silk sash at her waist, damp from sweat.
The previous night's events lingered in her mind: the Dowager Empress's anger, the guards coming forward, and fear tightening her throat.
Then came the Emperor's voice—quick and unexpected like thunder breaking silence.
But what awaited her now?
Was she going to be punished like the kitchen maid? Beaten and cast aside?
And would her actions affect Consort Shu?
They passed through a courtyard where lotus flowers floated on a pond, their pink petals turning towards the sun.
A gentle breeze rippled the water, but Yue's mind was in a frenzy and could not notice the beauty of his surroundings.
Her heartbeat thudded loud and erratic, drowning out everything else.
Once they reached the doors of the imperial study, her steps slowed.
The eunuch bowed and opened the doors without a word. A wave of cool air met her face as she stepped inside.
The room was dimmer than expected, with sunlight softened by thin curtains.
Emperor Li Zhao sat behind a large writing desk, its surface pristine, scrolls arranged with precision.
Behind him, a tall screen with a coiled golden dragon cast part of him in shadow.
He didn't raise his head, his brush moving smoothly, the soft scratch of ink on parchment the only sound.
Yue kneeled at the threshold, her head lowered. "Greetings to Your Majesty."
Silence stretched in the room. Each moment felt like an eternity.
At last, The Emperor spoke.
"Last night was quite the performance."
A shiver ran down her back. His tone wasn't angry, but it wasn't soft either.
His words had a weight that settled like a stone in her stomach.
"Your Majesty, I was foolish and deserves punishment," she said, her voice filled with fear.
"I—I never meant to deceive anyone. Please, Your Majesty… you may punish me, but spare Consort Shu, she knows nothing of my actions."
Still, he didn't stand. The tension felt like a coil drawing tighter. And then—
"Punishment?" he echoed, his voice now almost with a hint of amusement.
Yue raised her head a little, puzzled. The Emperor finally looked up. And his faint smile sent her heart into disarray.
Li Zhao reclined slightly in his chair, one hand casually on the armrest, the other tapping a slender brush in his palm.
His dark, sharp eyes focused intently on Yue.
His expression was hard to read, almost as if he knew something she didn't.
"Yue," he finally said. His voice was smooth, like silk gliding over skin.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice you running around my palace in a maid's outfit?"
Yue was speechless, her wide eyes on him as her heart raced.
Her mouth opened, but no words came out. How much had he seen?
"That's right, I saw you," he continued, his voice as polished as lacquer.
"I noticed that you were frantically dashing through corridors. I sent my guards check what was going on"
"And later I watched you in the kitchen, cooking for the Dowager Empress."
He tilted his head slightly, examining her like a curious puzzle.
"You seemed very... determined."
Yue's cheeks burned with embarrassment, her body still shaking from fear.
"So tell me the truth Yue, what happened last night?"
"I…" She looked down, unsure if she should tell him the truth.
At this moment, there seemed to be no right answers. After a moment of thought, she decided to come clean with the Emperor.
"I snuck out of the palace.... dressed as a Maid to avoid attention."
"I missed the curfew, and had to sneak back in through the back of the palace.
Li Zhao listened without interruption, a slight smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
"Why did you want to leave the palace?"
"I was helping Consort Shu to deliver letters to her family... and I also wanted some fresh air." Yue said, head bowed with a guilty expression.
"And the cooking?" he asked.
"I don't know, I saw that the congee was not well prepared, and wanted to do something. I hoped if her Grace liked the food, she wouldn't ask questions." said Yue.
A few moments passed.
Li Zhao's gaze lingered on her reddened face, downcast eyes, and the tight grip on her robe. He carefully set the brush aside and stood up with slow, graceful movements.
His shadow fell across her as he stepped closer.
"You understand," he said softly, "that actions have consequences."
Yue swallowed, her heart pounding.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He turned and walked to a writing table near the window, where a jade inkstone, calligraphy paper, and brushes lay waiting.
Then he glanced back and said, "I hereby sentence you to...."
Yue's heart dropped, unsure of what would be her fate."
"Grind ink for me."
Yue blinked in surprise. "Your Majesty?"
"You broke rules of the palace. There should be a punishment," he declared with playful seriousness.
"You'll help me grind ink today."
Yue stared at him, unable to believe her ears. Just moments ago, she had braced herself for caning, exile—worse.
Yet here he was, delivering her punishment with a smile, as if this were all a game.
She lowered her gaze quickly, afraid her expression might betray the swirl of confusion and tentative relief rising in her chest.
Yue stepped forward, still somewhat in disbelief.
She knelt gracefully, taking care to arrange her sleeves neatly, and picked up the ink stick with delicate fingers.
The soft, steady sound of stone against ink resonated in the room, like a gentle heartbeat.
The faint but comforting scent of pine resin and soot drifted through the air.
Li Zhao returned to his seat, resting his chin in his hand, eyes still on her.
"You do it well," he remarked after a moment, almost lazily.
Yue looked up. "Grind ink, Your Majesty?"
"Mmm." His gaze shifted briefly to her hands, still moving.
Outside, the breeze rustled the garden trees, but inside, time seemed to hang still.
The only sound was the steady rasp of ink against stone and her heartbeat, which she was sure he could hear.
And still, his eyes remained fixed on her, as if she had become a fascinating puzzle, far more interesting than any scroll on his desk.
She felt the weight of the Emperor's presence nearby, impossible to ignore.
He watched her quietly, not like a ruler surveying a servant, but like a man observing something pleasing.
Yue sat so proper and focused, as if she truly believed this was a punishment.
He rested his cheek on his hand, allowing the silence to linger.
She had been reckless, that much was true. But her actions were not for her own benefit or selfish reasons.
Instead, she acted out of loyalty and devotion to someone else, putting their needs ahead of her own. She wanted to help them, even if it meant risking something herself.
Eventually, he spoke, his voice calm and composed, "Consort Shu's mother will be allowed to visit in the next few days. You may let her know."
Yue paused, wide-eyed with surprise.
"Really?"
Without lifting his gaze from the scroll he wasn't actually reading, he said,
"You've taken enough risk for her. I will allow it this time."
Gratitude escaped in a soft breath, and she bowed her head,
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
He didn't respond, simply flicked his sleeve and turned a page he hadn't read.
After a quiet moment, he added casually,
"There's a royal hunting trip planned for next week."
The ink stick slowed in Yue's hand.
"Hunting, Your Majesty?"
"You shall accompany me." said the Emperor.
She blinked, surprised. "Me?"
"You mentioned needing fresh air," he replied, not meeting her eyes, but with a hint of playfulness in his voice.
"What better place than the open wilderness?"
Yue opened her mouth, then closed it, realizing he was teasing her.
She risked a glance up from where she knelt.
"Is this… another punishment, Your Majesty?"
He finally turned to look at her and said:
"That depends. Do you see spending time with me as a punishment?"
Yue's heart skipped. A warm flush crept up her face, and she quickly bowed her head to hide her blush.
He chuckled under his breath—just a little. The kind of laugh he rarely showed in court or in front of ministers. A sound just for her.
The ink in the stone bowl had turned dark and glossy, ready for calligraphy.
Yet neither of them moved.
Instead, a new tension filled the room—not of fear, but something quieter. Warmer. Unspoken.
As the scent of ink deepened, so too did something between them. Invisible but there.
Like the brushstrokes of an unfinished painting—bold, deliberate, and just beginning to take shape