The Orchid Palace was restless.
Maids rushed in and out.
Eunuchs whispered nervously.
Xue sat upright in her bed, her pale face twisted with frustration.
Her plan had been simple:
Appear weak.
Gain sympathy.
Make Lin Yue look dangerous.
But the emperor's public defense had shattered everything.
Xue's maid knelt trembling before her.
"Your Ladyship… the palace is saying His Majesty scolded you."
Xue's eyes flashed with fury.
"Scolded? He humiliated me."
The maid swallowed.
"And they say… Lin Yue is now untouchable."
Xue slammed her hand against the table.
"Enough!"
Her voice echoed through the hall.
She had miscalculated.
She had underestimated Lin Yue's calmness.
And she had forgotten one thing:
The emperor did not like being manipulated.
The Investigation
The Empress Dowager had ordered an investigation into the maid who claimed she was "threatened."
Now, the imperial investigators returned with their findings.
Lin Yue sat in her courtyard, sipping tea, when Ming He approached.
"My Lady," he said, bowing, "the investigation is complete."
Lin Yue set her cup down.
"And?"
Ming He's eyes glimmered.
"The maid admitted she lied."
Lin Yue's expression didn't change.
"Who told her to lie?"
Ming He bowed deeper.
"A senior maid from the Orchid Palace."
Bai Rui stepped forward, her voice sharp.
"Xue's doing."
Lin Yue nodded.
"Of course."
Xiao An looked troubled.
"My Lady… will the Empress Dowager punish Xue?"
Lin Yue shook her head gently.
"No. Not directly."
Bai Rui frowned.
"Then what will happen?"
Lin Yue's voice was soft, but cold.
"Xue has already punished herself."
The Empress Dowager's Decision
In the Phoenix Hall, the Empress Dowager listened to the report with a calm, unreadable expression.
"So," she said, "the maid lied."
The investigator bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And she was instructed by someone from the Orchid Palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager tapped her fan lightly.
"Very well. Remove the maid from service. And reduce the Orchid Palace's monthly allowance."
Gasps filled the hall.
The Orchid Palace's allowance?
That was a direct blow.
Xue's face drained of color.
"Your Majesty—"
The Empress Dowager raised a hand.
"Do not speak. You have allowed disorder in your palace. This is your consequence."
Xue bowed her head, trembling with humiliation.
The Empress Dowager continued,
"And let this be a lesson to all:
False accusations will not be tolerated."
Everyone understood the message.
This was not just punishment.
This was a warning.
A warning to Xue.
A warning to the harem.
A warning to anyone who dared target Lin Yue again.
The Emperor's Reaction
That evening, the emperor entered the Moonlit Courtyard with a rare expression — satisfaction.
"Lin Yue."
She rose and bowed.
"Your Majesty."
He approached her, his voice low.
"The Empress Dowager has punished the Orchid Palace."
Lin Yue nodded calmly.
"I heard."
"You are not pleased?" he asked.
Lin Yue shook her head gently.
"I do not celebrate others' misfortune.
Even when they bring it upon themselves."
The emperor studied her — deeply, quietly.
"You are too kind."
"No," Lin Yue said softly.
"I am simply not petty."
He smiled faintly.
"That is why you rise."
Lin Yue looked away.
"Your Majesty… Xue will not stop."
"I know," he said. "But neither will I."
He stepped closer.
"I will protect you."
Lin Yue met his gaze."
"And I will protect myself."
The emperor's breath caught.
"You amaze me," he whispered.
The Palace's Reaction
By the next morning, the palace was buzzing again.
But this time, the whispers were different.
"She didn't even fight back…"
"And yet Xue was punished…"
"Lin Yue is dangerous in a quiet way…"
"She doesn't need to scheme — others fall on their own…"
"The emperor favors her… the Empress Dowager respects her…"
"She is rising…"
Lin Yue walked through the corridor, her steps steady, her expression serene.
Concubines bowed deeply.
Servants lowered their eyes.
Even senior maids stepped aside.
Fear.
Respect.
Caution.
All woven together.
Bai Rui walked beside her, her voice low.
"My Lady… Xue's scheme has backfired completely."
Lin Yue nodded.
"Yes."
"And the palace now sees you differently."
Lin Yue looked at the magnolia blossoms drifting in the breeze.
"They see what they want to see."
Bai Rui smiled faintly.
"And what do you want them to see?"
Lin Yue's eyes sharpened — calm, intelligent, quietly dangerous.
"A woman who cannot be moved."
Later That Night
Lin Yue stood beneath the magnolia tree, the petals glowing in the lantern light.
Xiao An approached quietly.
"My Lady… are you satisfied with today's outcome?"
Lin Yue shook her head.
"No.
But I am prepared."
"Prepared for what?" Xiao An asked softly.
Lin Yue looked at the moon, her voice steady.
"For the next move."
Because Xue would not stop.
But neither would she.
And now, the palace knew:
Lin Yue was not a woman to be underestimated.
She was a woman to be feared.