Chapter 13: Mind Your Own Path

The candle crackled and popped as Lu Huaijin stared at Su Yao’s bloodstained skirt.

“The Empress Dowager wishes to borrow someone; naturally, I cannot refuse,” he said suddenly, crushing a pearl in his hand. “But this girl is clumsy—just the other day, she broke my mutton fat jade pillow.”

The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, her gilded armor pressing under Su Yao’s chin. “Chief Minister, you jest. Such a jade-hearted person—how could I not cherish her?”

Su Yao trembled violently as Lu Huaijin’s jade ring suddenly cracked along a fine line.

The Empress Dowager abruptly pushed her toward Lu Huaijin. “Little girl, tell me—are you willing to stay here in my Cining Palace?”

Staggering, Su Yao collided with Lu Huaijin’s chest, inhaling the familiar scent of cedar from his robe. “I... I am willing.”

Perhaps this was her chance to escape his grasp, even if it meant serving as a slave within the palace.

Lu Huaijin suddenly grasped her bloodied fingertips. “Are you sure? The tiles of Cining Palace are three degrees colder than those of the Lu residence.”

Su Yao smiled, withdrawing her hand and kneeling to kowtow. “To serve the Empress Dowager is my blessing. I humbly ask for your approval, sir.”

The Empress Dowager clapped her hands and laughed heartily. “What a sharp-tongued girl! Mistress Chang, take her to change into palace attire.”

As she turned, the hem of her phoenix robe brushed Lu Huaijin’s hand. “Chief Minister, so reluctant—are you having second thoughts?”

Lu Huaijin watched Su Yao hobble away, then suddenly grabbed the teacup on the table and drank it all in one gulp.

“How could that be, Your Majesty? She is but a mere servant. Since you desire her, I shall yield without hesitation—no question of regret.”

The Empress Dowager waved her hand gently. Mistress Chang immediately understood and stepped forward to escort Su Yao away.

Su Yao heard the Empress Dowager’s voice: “Huaijin, you returned from the city quickly this time. I thought you’d be gone three or five days.”

“Just handling some minor matters,” he replied. “Once done, I came back in time to dine with Your Majesty and the Emperor.”

Su Yao couldn’t help but feel their relationship resembled that of a family.

Mistress Chang pushed Su Yao into a side chamber where a gilded beast-shaped incense burner emitted swirling smoke.

“You shall stay here for now,” she said.

Su Yao secretly examined the palace with its green tiles and red pillars. She was merely a servant—why was she given a single room?

Inside, there was a bed, a large cabinet, and matching table and chair.

This was unlike the rooms typical servants occupied.

In the past, maids in the Minister’s household shared rooms, and only the elderly of high status had solitary chambers.

“Mistress Chang, are you sure this is not a mistake?” Su Yao finally asked.

Mistress Chang, having received gold from Lu Huaijin that day, knew how much the Chief Minister cared for her and was unwilling to offend him lightly.

She didn’t know who had revealed Su Yao’s existence to the Empress Dowager and worried that if the Chief Minister held her accountable, what would she do?

“You won’t be staying long,” Mistress Chang said, feigning calm. “After all, you are borrowed from the Chief Minister—bear with it here for now.”

Su Yao nodded lightly, her heart a tangle of emotions.

“These next few days, the Empress Dowager will summon you. But remember, if you are sensible, you might soon return to where you were before. If not…” Her words trailed off, her brow tightening. “Take care of yourself.”

Su Yao listened carefully as Mistress Chang explained palace rules, fearing to miss any detail—especially the Empress Dowager’s likes and taboos, which she memorized diligently, unwilling to err.

Night fell, and Su Yao lay alone on the hard little cot, feeling somewhat comforted.

She never imagined that all her efforts to escape Lu Huaijin’s control had failed, yet this time fortune smiled upon her misfortune.

At dawn the next day, the Empress Dowager sent for Su Yao.

Inside Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager reclined on the phoenix-and-dragon couch, twirling a jade ruyi scepter between her fingers. “I hear that Lord Lu loves watching you grind ink?”

Su Yao knelt on the cold floor tiles as an old eunuch approached, carrying a cinnabar inkstone.

“The ink here in Cining Palace is different from that in the Lu residence.”

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager used the jade scepter to lift Su Yao’s chin. “You must use snow water to dissolve the ink, kneeling and grinding for three full hours to achieve the proper flavor.”

The old eunuch, long-serving near the Empress Dowager, sneered as he slammed the inkstone down before her knees. Pain made Su Yao’s vision darken.

Ice water mixed with cinnabar swiftly seeped over her fingertips, the biting cold making her shiver uncontrollably.

In a daze, she seemed to return to Lu Huaijin’s study, where a warm jade inkstone rested—he had said her wrist was too gentle, and the ink she ground was never concentrated enough.

“Your Majesty! The Emperor is ill!” A palace maid screamed.

Su Yao’s skirt had already frozen stiff with ice crystals.

“What? Quickly summon the imperial physician!” The Empress Dowager swept her sleeve and, before leaving, pressed the scalding teacup onto Su Yao’s hand.

The cup shattered, hot tea splashing as Su Yao’s hand instantly swelled bright red.

“Keep a close watch on her. Should a single drop of water be missing, chop off a finger.”

“Yes, sir,” the old eunuch responded, eyes gleaming with ill intent as he appraised Su Yao up and down.

He deliberately knocked over a nearby ice bucket, the water splashing loudly. “Oh dear, why are you so careless?”

Su Yao frowned, knowing the eunuch was making things difficult for her.

“Sir, I...” she began to explain but was coldly cut off.

“Don’t bother explaining. If the Empress Dowager sees you like this when she returns, you’ll be in serious trouble.”

Su Yao knew now was not the time to argue. “Is there any way, sir, to help this servant?”

The eunuch’s fat hand slid onto her slender neck. “Try warming the frozen cinnabar with your neck.”

A shudder ran through her.

The heavy hand traced down her neck, fingers pinching her delicate collarbone just enough to cause a sharp sting.

“You’re too fragile for such cold, aren’t you?”

Su Yao clenched her teeth and forced herself to obey the eunuch’s instructions.

The biting cold invaded her neck, spreading throughout her body.

She closed her eyes tightly, refusing to think or feel.

But the icy chill made her tremble uncontrollably; her lips lightly tapped, the sound of teeth clicking softly.

“You’re frozen through, aren’t you?” The eunuch’s heavy hand pressed against the nape of her neck. “My room is quite warm, you know...”

She shuddered violently, instinctively recoiling from his touch. Her face drained of color, yet she forced a calm voice. “Sir, please show some respect.”

The faint smile vanished from his face, replaced by a dark scowl. His small eyes shot her a glare full of displeasure, sneering, “Hmph, ungrateful wretch!”

That night, Su Yao dragged her exhausted body back to her room, feeling as if she’d entered an icehouse.

Curled under the blankets, she hugged herself tightly.

Half-asleep, her throat burned with thirst like fire. She rose shakily and leaned weakly toward the table.

Her trembling hand reached for the cup, but a sudden dizziness robbed her balance. She fell, knocking over the cup and teapot, the crash echoing sharply.

Su Yao lay on the floor in a sorry state, the dizziness making it nearly impossible to breathe.

The door creaked open gently...