I woke to a room filled with warm, golden light.
The curtains were drawn halfway, letting streaks of late-morning sun spread across the carpeted floors.
For a moment I simply lay there, blinking against the brightness, until last night's memories slid back to annoy me.
The drunk general.
His unconscious body.
And the very undignified struggle of dragging him across the room which made my shoulders sore.
Renshu was heavy, unreasonably heavy. I had wanted to plan what to say to him when he finally woke, but that train of thought stopped itself as soon as I caught sight of the light outside.
Afternoon.
It was already afternoon.
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. Afternoon meant servants were arriving, maids cleaning rooms, and of course there was chatter echoing down the halls—and me, a woman 'official.'
My makeup!
I sat up so fast my vision swam. If a single servant caught me without the contouring powder that sharpened my jaw and masked who I actually was the secret would be over.
And the guest room where I had slept was far from my own chambers. I would have to cross half the palace like this.
But my stomach growled, reminding me of an even more immediate disaster. I hadn't eaten breakfast. Hunger gnawed at me, and no amount of panic could quiet it.
Peeking through the door, I braced myself for a sprint the moment the hallway emptied. To my surprise, the second floor was silent. Not a single maid in sight, though faint chatter showed up from the stairwell. Why wasn't anyone cleaning?
I didn't waste time questioning my luck. Wrapping cloth around the lower half of my face, I slipped into the corridor and padded quickly to my room. My knuckles rapped softly on the door.
Silence.
When I pushed the door open, I found it exactly as I'd left it the night before…minus one unconscious general.
Working quickly, I retrieved my makeup kit and leaned toward the bronze mirror. A few practiced strokes sharpened my jawline, shaded my cheekbones, and roughened my face. From a distance, the illusion held. Up close, the powder looked slightly smudged, but my hunger overpowered vanity.
I needed food.
Bounding down the stairs, I followed the aroma of of freshly cooked food. In the main hall, a cluster of maids busied themselves setting the long dining table.
At its head sat Renshu, perfectly awake and far too composed for a man who had consumed an entire bottle of wine last night and decided to pass out. Beside him, Bao Qin sipped tea with an expression that promised both amusement and scolding.
"Ah—Me—Aryan!" Bao Qin greeted, catching herself on my false name. "How have you been? Word is you've been appointed as an official. Your sector assignment is tomorrow, yes?"
"Yes, because this idiotic man decided to sleep until midday." Renshu rose from his chair, his lips half-smiling. "Your ceremony was meant for today. Unfortunately, I had the misfortune of having to inform my dear commanders to postpone it until tomorrow. I told them you were sick and—"
A sharp glare from Bao Qin cut his words short.
He chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying himself.
"You might as well wait a bit to have lunch," Bao Qin said, setting her cup down. "It's nearly finished."
Refusing would only cause unnecessary fuss among the servants. Eventually I inclined my head and joined them.
When my bowl was finally empty, a firm hand caught my arm.
"I need to tell you something. Come to my room," Renshu said, releasing me just as quickly.
The words sent a ripple of unease through me. I prayed this was about my new post and not the events of last night. Reluctantly, I turned away from the stairs and followed him to his quarters.
He closed the door behind us with a soft click, his commanding presence filling the quiet room.
"Tell me what happened last night."
Straight to the point.
"What exactly do you wish to know?" I asked, keeping my voice light.
"Why—and how—did I end up sleeping in your bed while you were in the guest room?"
"You passed out from the alcohol," I said smoothly. "I couldn't carry you back to your own quarters, so I left you in mine."
His brows drew together. "Did…did anything happen while I was drunk? Anything I might have said?"
I remembered perfectly the words he'd slurred. But some truths were better left unsaid.
"No," I lied with ease. "You passed out right after finishing the bottle."
Renshu exhaled a long breath of relief. "Good."
Good? Did he truly not remember?
"You can go now—"
"Wait." I interrupted.
"I have my own questions," I said quickly, seizing the moment. "What happened at the Lanxuan Pavilion? Did anyone care about what happened..?"
His expression darkened. "No. No one. Well—there was one woman, a lady-in-waiting, I think. She looked at me with a sort of quiet sadness and anger. Why? Wait—did you tell her about me and—"
"Yes. She knows everything."
"What? Meilina, why would you—"
"She can be trusted," I interrupted. "Also…do you know someone named Yixuan?"
He frowned in thought. "Sounds familiar. Why?"
"Back at the mansion, someone mentioned a relative named Yixuan. He told me to find him. A carpenter, I think."
"Oh! Yixuan—the man who crafted my dining table?"
"Perhaps?"
"Well, you can find him around here. There are carpentry stations along the eastern wing."
"Good. I'll look for him then—"
I turned toward the door, but his voice stopped me again.
"I had something else to say," he murmured, softer this time. "I…apologize for my behavior. Bao Qin believes I've been disrespectful—making jokes at a lady's expense, and of course last night with my drunken tactics. So…yes."
The sight of a decorated general bowing his head in apology was unexpectedly disarming.
"I accept your apology," I said honestly. "Though I don't feel personally attacked."
He stared at me as if I'd said something baffling. But I had no time to dwell on his reaction. My mind was already racing ahead, planning how to contact Shuyin.
There was no way I could return to the rear palace dressed as a man. And as a woman? Someone might recognize me.
"Renshu...can you send a letter for me?"