The Hua residence was calm once more. Second Aunt and Hua Mei had been stripped of all standing; Zhao Rui was little more than a shadow, drunk in taverns and muttering of past glories.
But Hua Lian knew the real game had only begun.
The capital was a lake, its surface glittering with light — yet beneath, countless fish snapped at one another in silence. To rise too high invited envy; to shine too brightly attracted daggers.
And she had begun to shine.
Rumors of Hua Lian spread beyond the noble circles. Scholars admired her wit at gatherings; merchants praised her calm in business; even palace servants whispered of the young lady who had risen from disgrace to win Xu Han's hand.
One evening, Xu Han spoke as they walked through the lantern-lit corridors of the Xu residence.
"The capital stirs. Already, ministers in the court speak your name. They wonder if Hua Lian is merely a beauty… or a mind to be feared."
Hua Lian lowered her lashes, hiding the sharp gleam in her eyes.
"In my last life, they called me nothing but a burden. This time, let them call me dangerous."
Xu Han's lips curved. "Then I shall be the shield that lets you wield your thorns freely."
Days later, an imperial edict arrived.
The Emperor's favored consort had heard of Hua Lian's elegance and wished for her presence at the Moon Offering Festival in the palace gardens.
Such an invitation was both an honor… and a test. To refuse was impossible. To attend meant stepping into the snake pit of palace intrigue.
The Hua family trembled with worry. But Hua Lian only smiled.
"A flower must face the storm if it wishes to bloom in the sun."
On the night of the festival, lanterns floated upon lotus ponds, painting the palace in gold and silver light. Noble ladies in jeweled gowns exchanged smiles sharp as knives. Ministers whispered in the shadows.
And Hua Lian entered, her robes of soft moon-white embroidered with pale blossoms, a simple silver hairpin gleaming like frost. She was not the most adorned, nor the loudest — yet the hall seemed to hush at her presence.
Second Aunt, had she been there, would have laughed at her simplicity. But the nobles saw something else: a confidence that needed no gilding.
Consort Yue herself approached, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"So this is the girl who captured Xu Han's heart. Tell me, Hua Lian — is your beauty your only talent?"
Hua Lian met the consort's gaze, her lips curving slightly.
"Your Grace flatters me. But beauty fades with seasons. A mind, once sharpened, remains a blade forever."
Gasps rippled. A bold reply — respectful, yet impossible to dismiss. Even the consort smiled faintly, her interest piqued.
That night, as lanterns drifted into the sky, Hua Lian knew.
This life was no longer about mere revenge against petty enemies.
This life… she would step into the storm of the court itself.