Xu Lianhua's POV
I woke to strange hands touching me.
Don't move, Your Majesty.
Palace maids surrounded my bed. Their faces held no warmth.
The Dowager Empress has summoned you.
Fear shot through me. They dressed me roughly in crimson silk while judging me with cold eyes.
She's thin.
Not as pretty as Lady Mingzhu.
The illegitimate one.
They knew. Of course they knew.
The head maid yanked my hair. Try not to embarrass yourself.
We walked through endless gold corridors. Servants whispered as we passed:
That's her? The substitute?
Each word was a knife.
Massive doors opened. The Dowager Empress sat on a throne ancient, spine straight, eyes merciless.
Kneel.
I knelt on cold marble.
Silence. A test.
You're the illegitimate daughter they sent.
Not a question.
Yes, Dowager Empress.
Look at me.
I met her ice-fury gaze.
You committed fraud against my grandson. You're here only because he decided not to execute you.
Each word designed to wound.
Your duties are simple. Produce an heir. Attend ceremonies. Stay out of the Emperor's way. Her eyes narrowed. He has important work that doesn't involve an illegitimate nobody with delusions.
I'd never wanted importance. Just survival.
Your posture is terrible. Your face too plain. Your bloodline disgraceful. She leaned back. Everything about you is wrong. Try to be less of an embarrassment.
Something cracked inside me. Would I ever be enough?
I'll do my best to serve the empire.
Your best is likely quite poor. She waved dismissively. Dismissed.
I bowed and fled.
The head maid waited outside, smug.
A guard ran toward us.
Your Majesty! The Emperor has returned.
Relief flooded me. Is he
He brought your servant. She's alive. The guard looked shocked. But when he arrived at the Xu compound, Minister Xu tried to stop him. Claimed the servant was family property. Fear flickered in his eyes. His Majesty was very displeased.
Very displeased. The Emperor who killed his own uncles.
My father had challenged him.
What happened?
Your father is here. Under arrest. The guard's voice dropped. Lady Pei and Lady Mingzhu too. The Emperor brought them all. He paused. He says you get to decide what happens to them.
I stopped breathing.
Decide. Their fate in my hands.
This was a test. Show weakness and prove the Dowager right. Show strength and live with blood on my hands.
Take me to him. Now.
We ran through the palace.
His study. The guard knocked.
Enter.
The Emperor stood by the window, traces of dirt still visible. He turned, and something in his expression made my blood cold.
Not anger.
Satisfaction.
Come here.
Three scrolls lay on his desk with red seals.
Confessions, he said coldly. From your father, stepmother, sister. Very detailed about the substitution plot.
Horror washed through me.
These mean I can execute them publicly. Legally. He paused. Or I can be merciful. Exile them, strip their titles, spare their lives. His dark eyes pinned me. You decide.
My heart pounded. What?
They're your family. Despite everything, you choose their fate. He moved closer. Execute them show the court you're ruthless enough to be Empress. Spare them show mercy that might look like weakness. He tilted his head. What kind of Empress will you be?
The question hung like a blade.
Part of me wanted them dead. Wanted them to hurt like they'd hurt me.
But another part, the part that spent my life invisible, trying not to cause trouble...
I looked at those scrolls. My family's own confessions.
What would you do? I whispered.
His smile was sharp. I would kill them all. But I'm not you.
I opened my mouth to answer.
The door burst open.
A servant stumbled in, face white with terror.
Your Majesty! Forgive the intrusion but He gasped. It's Yue'er. She's fine, but she's saying something. Something about the drugging.
My heart stopped.
She says Lady Pei didn't act alone. The servant looked between us. There was someone else. Someone in the palace who helped plan the substitution.
The Emperor's expression went deadly calm. Who?
The servant's voice shook. She says it was someone powerful. Someone who wanted to ensure the wrong bride entered the palace. He swallowed hard. Someone who's been watching Your Majesty since the wedding, waiting for the substitution to be discovered.
Who? the Emperor repeated, his voice dropping to something dangerous.
The servant's next words shattered everything:
The Dowager Empress.
Silence fell like a hammer.
The woman who just humiliated me. Who called me worthless. Who said I'd never be enough.
Had helped my family drug and substitute me.
But why? What did the Dowager Empress gain from putting the wrong bride on the throne?
Unless...
Unless she wanted me here. Wanted me weak, powerless, controllable. Wanted an Empress she could manipulate because I had no power, no backing, no legitimacy.
My mind raced. The Emperor's too I could see it in his eyes.
Where is the Dowager now? he asked quietly.
In her quarters, Your Majesty.
He looked at me. Your decision just became more complicated.
My family in the dungeons. The Dowager implicated. And me, holding power to destroy everyone who'd hurt me.
What do I do?
The Emperor's smile was cold.
You learn your first lesson in palace politics. Sometimes the most dangerous enemy isn't the one who hates you. It's the one who needs you weak.
He called for guards.
Summon the Dowager Empress. Immediately. He glanced at me. Tell her the Empress requests her presence.
The guards left.
We stood alone. My family's confessions on the desk. The Dowager on her way. And the Emperor watching me.
You wanted to know what kind of Empress you'll be? he said quietly. You're about to find out.
In minutes, the woman who called me worthless would walk through that door.
And I'd have to face her knowing she'd helped destroy my life.
The only question was: what would I do about it?