The hall was so still that even the hiss of incense sounded loud.
The Dowager Empress stared at Ananya as if weighing every breath she dared to take. Her fan tapped lightly against her palm. "Three days," she repeated. "You ask boldly. Too boldly."
Ananya's voice stayed calm. "It is not boldness, Mother. It is duty. To show my face to the Lian ancestors now that I have endured the trial. If I do not, their spirits cannot rest in peace. A daughter who forgets her roots is unworthy to serve Your Majesty."
A faint scoff escaped the Dowager. "Hmph. So you speak of ancestors. Clever girl. Yet the palace is not a marketplace where one trades words for freedom."
Wei Rong muttered at Ananya's shoulder, "Marketplace? Old viper makes her sound like a hawker selling fish."
Fen Yu whispered nervously, "Don't talk so loud, she'll hear you!"
Li Shen, calm as always: "She tests. Let her finish."
The Dowager sipped her tea slowly, as if every pause stretched to break the younger woman's patience. "Very well. You may leave tomorrow at dawn. You will have two days, no more. You return before the second bell on the day after."
Ananya pressed her forehead to the ground. "This daughter-in-law thanks Mother's grace."
The Dowager's sharp voice cut across her words. "Do not thank too soon. There are conditions. You will travel in a plain carriage, with no banners, no music. Twelve guards, not one more. Grand Eunuch Gao will lead. No temples, no markets, no idle visits. You will not speak with officials, scholars, or outsiders. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mother."
Wei Rong clenched his fists. "Two days with a leash around your neck! It's no leave at all."
Fen Yu pouted. "But at least she said yes. That's something…"
Li Shen murmured, "Wait. There is still room for more."
The Dowager leaned back in her seat, eyes cold. "And at your father's home—you receive only family. No private meetings, no whispers behind screens. If I hear a single rumor of disobedience, I will make you wish you never begged me."
Ananya lowered her head again, her voice quiet but steady. "Mother, I accept all conditions. But two days… my family waits for me, and my journey will take near a day itself. I would barely bow before my ancestors before turning back. Might Your Majesty grant me leave until the third morning? Only one more day, so I can fulfill both duty to family and duty to return rested and ready for Your service."
The air in the Phoenix Hall tightened. Even the servants froze, not daring to breathe.
Fen Yu gasped, "She's asking again? Oh heavens!"
Wei Rong swore softly, "Brave girl. Brave and mad."
Li Shen's lips curved faintly. "Watch. She will bend the ice, not break it."
The Dowager's eyes narrowed. "You argue?"
"No, Mother," Ananya said quickly. "I only beg for balance. To rush home, bow once, and rush back—it dishonors both you and my ancestors. But to spend a full day with them, to rest a night under their roof, and return at dawn on the third day… that would honor them properly, and let me serve you with a clear heart."
The Dowager studied her, tapping the fan against her chair. One beat. Two. Three. The silence dragged, heavy as stone.
Finally, the older woman gave a sharp, dry laugh. "Bold tongue. You risk much by asking twice. Most women in your place would crawl away thankful for two days."
Her gaze softened by a hair's breadth. "But… your words ring of duty, not indulgence. Fine. Three days. No more. You depart tomorrow at dawn, return by the first bell on the third morning. Fail me, and even Heaven's mirror will not shield you."
Ananya's voice held gratitude, but no trembling. "This daughter-in-law bows in thanks. I will not fail."
Wei Rong exhaled hard, muttering, "Ha! She bent the old viper after all."
Fen Yu spun in a delighted circle. "Three days, three days! We can eat cakes at her father's house!"
Li Shen inclined his head, quiet pride in his voice. "She has learned not only to endure silence, but to use it."
The Dowager flicked her sleeve. A maid stepped forward, carrying a tray: folded white silk, three candles, and a pouch of incense sealed with the phoenix emblem.
"These offerings go with you," the Dowager said. "They will be burned before the Lian ancestors. Let them remind you—when you kneel there, you kneel as the Emperor's consort. You carry this palace with you, whether you wish it or not."
Ananya bowed again, accepting the tray with both hands. "I understand."
"Good." The Dowager waved her hand dismissively. "Now leave. Before my patience grows thin."
---
Outside the Phoenix Hall
The moment the screens closed behind her, the air seemed lighter.
Fen Yu skipped beside her. "She said yes! And three days, not two! You're amazing!"
Wei Rong crossed his arms, still grumbling. "Three days shackled with rules. But still—better than two."
Li Shen smiled faintly. "The Dowager respects those who can bend without breaking. Today, she saw that in you."
Ananya allowed herself the smallest smile. "Then we pack. Tomorrow, we go home."