Bai Shengli said nothing as he led Qin Yufei out of the prison, his steps unhurried, his grip on her arm light. She followed in silence, her mind a storm of shattered thoughts.

When they reached her pavilion, the servants bowed and opened the doors, but Yufei didn't even make it across the threshold before her knees buckled beneath her.

She collapsed to the ground, her hands trembling as they touched the polished stone floor. Her chest heaved, not from sobs, she had no tears left, but from the weight of everything pressing down on her.

Shen Wei's words still echoed in her mind.

I will walk out of here and plot again.

She had gone to him hoping for a truth that would set her free. But all she had found was a man she no longer recognized.

Bai Shengli stepped forward, his tone unusually gentle.

"Yufei... don't do this."

He crouched beside her, reaching to brush a strand of hair from her cheek.

"I told you he wasn't who you thought he was. You see now, don't you? He used you."

Qin Yufei flinched and turned her face away. He tried again, this time placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone. You still have me."

But the moment his fingers touched her, she jerked away.

"Don't," she whispered hoarsely.

Bai Shengli's eyes narrowed faintly.

"I'm only trying to—"— I don't want your comfort," she snapped, her voice cracking.

She didn't look at him. She couldn't. Not after what he'd done. Not after everything she now knew. Her heart was broken in too many places to distinguish which hurt more.

So she simply stayed there on her knees, her back to him, while Bai Shengli stood silently above her, his outstretched hand slowly curling into a fist.

Bai Shengli's jaw tightened as he looked down at Qin Yufei, still collapsed at the threshold of her pavilion, refusing to stand. His patience was worn thin.

Without another word, he reached down and seized her arm, pulling her upright with more force than care.

"You can't stay like this," he muttered under his breath. "Not when..."

He stopped.

The doors had already been opened.

And inside the pavilion, seated on a cushioned chair draped in imperial silk, was the Empress Dowager.

Her silver-grey robes shimmered faintly under the candlelight, and her elaborate headdress glittered with jade and gold. A pale fan was poised just in front of her lips, veiling her mouth, but her eyes, sharp, unreadable, furious, watched them both.

Bai Shengli froze.

Qin Yufei's breath caught as well. The two of them immediately bowed.

"Imperial Grandmother," Bai Shengli greeted with forced calm. "This grandson greets you.— Your Majesty," Qin Yufei added, still shaky as she lowered her head.

But the Empress Dowager did not respond right away.

She didn't even look at them directly. She simply held her fan in place and tapped it lightly against her sleeve. Then, in a voice as cold as winter frost, she asked:

"Would my grandson care to explain what is going on in this palace?"

Her words hung in the air like a blade. Bai Shengli kept his posture low, his eyes flickering up cautiously.

"This matter... is delicate, he began carefully.— Yes," the Empress Dowager replied, finally turning her gaze directly onto him, "so delicate that you took it upon yourself to arrest a high official, conceal a royal concubine's death, and arrange your own marriage, all without once reporting to your emperor."

Each word was like a strike. Bai Shengli's throat tightened.

"Imperial Grandmother, I was going to—"

She snapped her fan shut with a crisp click.

"Silence."

The sound was deafening in the room.

"You may forget that I once ruled from behind the veil, Shengli, but I remember all too well what happens when a crown prince begins to believe he is a sovereign. You have overstepped. Gravely."

Her gaze slid to Yufei, who was still bowing in silence.

"And you," she added coolly, "what part do you play in this?"

Qin Yufei didn't answer. She didn't know how. She hadn't even had time to collect herself. The Empress Dowager turned back to her grandson.

"You did not report the death of Royal Concubine Qin. You did not inform the Emperor of the accusations made. You did not seek permission to detain the Imperial Preceptor. And now you parade this girl around as your bride-to-be?"

The chill in her voice made even the air feel still.

"You will explain everything. Now."

And Bai Shengli, for the first time in a long while, had no clever smile to offer. Bai Shengli took a slow breath, adjusting his sleeves as he straightened his back just slightly, not enough to appear defiant, but enough to steady himself.

"Imperial Grandmother," he began smoothly, "this grandson acted in haste. I was... shaken by the death of Royal Concubine Qin. It happened so suddenly, and emotions were high. I did not stop to consider the full process before taking action."

The Empress Dowager did not blink. Her fan now rested in her lap, untouched. Her sharp eyes watched him with withering silence.

"I feared for the court's stability," he continued, carefully measuring each word. "A maidservant discovered Shen Wei inside the concubine's pavilion, alone, covered in blood, with the body still present. I ordered his arrest immediately... out of duty. Out of instinct. I did not wish to cause public alarm by declaring it too soon."

His voice dropped slightly, as if carrying the weight of grief.

"I did not plan to conceal it, truly. Only to verify the truth before disturbing His Majesty with such news."

Qin Yufei remained silent, standing beside him like a statue carved of ice, her expression unreadable. The Empress Dowager leaned back ever so slightly in her seat.

Then she exhaled slowly and said, "A convenient story."

Bai Shengli's shoulders tensed. She lifted her hand and waved a finger vaguely in the air.

"A maid witnessed it, you say. Shen Wei covered in blood. Alone. It all fits so nicely, too nicely. And yet..."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You expect me to believe Shen Wei, of all people, would be so stupid as to kill a concubine in her own pavilion, inside the palace, without covering his tracks? Without fleeing?"

Bai Shengli's lips parted, but the Empress Dowager cut him off with a flick of her fan.

"No. That man is many things, but not stupid. If he wanted someone dead, he would never leave a witness, nor sit covered in blood like a man waiting to be caught."

Her voice dropped, cool and pointed.

"Which makes me wonder, Crown Prince, who truly benefits from this death?"

Bai Shengli's hands remained calmly folded in front of him, but Qin Yufei felt the faintest twitch in his fingers. The Empress Dowager's gaze shifted between the two of them.

"You'll keep the Imperial Preceptor alive until I speak to His Majesty myself. If something happens to him before then..." Her voice hardened. "You will not like the consequences."

With that, the Empress Dowager turned, her attendants silently moving behind her, and swept out of the room, leaving behind only a prince whose lie had not passed unnoticed.

The doors had barely closed behind the Empress Dowager when the atmosphere inside the pavilion shifted entirely. Bai Shengli stood in stillness for a moment, his hands slowly lowering to his sides, his eyes fixed on the floor where her shadow had just vanished.

Then, without looking at Qin Yufei, he spoke.

His voice was no longer gentle. No longer measured.

"What are you planning to do now, Yufei?"

Qin Yufei didn't answer. She could barely meet his gaze. Her shoulders were stiff, her hands clenched at her sides. He turned toward her fully, his eyes sharp, cutting, a prince no longer pretending.

"Will you dare tell her the truth?" he asked, his tone soft but lined with threat. "Tell them I killed your sister?"

He took a slow step toward her.

"I hope you understand what kind of spot you're into. Because if you open your mouth..."

He tilted his head, the corner of his lip lifting into something more dangerous than a smile.

"I will kill him."

Qin Yufei's eyes widened.

"In a heartbeat," Bai Shengli went on. "All I need is a whisper, a rumor that someone in prison held a grudge, a revenge attack, an accident, a collapse, a poisoning."

His voice grew quieter, more sinister. "I can make it look like anything."

He stopped just in front of her.

"You know I can."

She did know now. That was the terrifying part. He didn't need permission. He didn't need a trial. He needed nothing but the will to do it. And Shen Wei, wounded, silenced, chained, could die tonight. After all, even if he was punished, he would never be sentenced to death for a mere preceptor.

"So," Bai Shengli whispered, his breath cold as winter, "I guess... you'll stay silent. And play the part I gave you."

Qin Yufei's heart was pounding, but her face stayed still, like porcelain about to crack. Bai Shengli stepped back.

"Good," he said softly. "Now let's get you changed."

As Bai Shengli reached the doorway, he paused, as if suddenly remembering something. He glanced over his shoulder, his expression once again calm, too calm.

"Oh," he said lightly, as though the threat he had just whispered hadn't happened at all, "we should eat."

His voice had regained its silken ease, but the menace behind it lingered beneath the surface like poison in honey.

"I've arranged dinner for us, I should stay a bit longer" he added, as if it were a simple matter between two engaged lovers. "It wouldn't do for my future wife to look so thin."

Qin Yufei didn't speak. Her eyes remained fixed ahead, her body frozen in place. Bai Shengli's tone dipped, mockingly gentle.

"You'll eat, won't you?"

When she still didn't respond, he gave her a thin smile.

"I'll take your silence as a yes."

The dinner table was elegantly arranged, adorned with gold-trimmed porcelain and delicate silverware, as if nothing in the world were wrong. Candlelight flickered over the steaming dishes, each carefully prepared by the palace chefs to please the Crown Prince's tastes, and now, supposedly, to honor his bride-to-be.

Qin Yufei sat in silence at the end of the table, her back straight, her hands resting motionless in her lap. The dishes in front of her remained untouched.

Bai Shengli, seated beside her, wore an expression disturbingly soft. His eyes followed her every move with unsettling fondness, the kind of gaze that did not match the darkness roiling beneath the surface.

He chuckled lightly, pouring wine into her cup though she hadn't touched the last.

"Are you still upset?" he asked, tone feigned with concern. "I know today has been overwhelming, but you'll feel better after eating something."

Qin Yufei didn't answer. She didn't even blink.

Bai Shengli picked up a porcelain spoon, dipped it into the fragrant soup, and brought it toward her lips.

"Just a little," he said, as if coaxing a child. "You'll fall sick otherwise."

But her lips remained firmly closed. Her eyes stared straight ahead, unblinking, refusing to even acknowledge the spoon at her mouth. The moment the edge of the spoon tipped, the golden broth spilled, splashing across the front of her dress.

She didn't flinch, but Bai Shengli did.

His hand shot forward with a silk cloth, reaching to wipe the stain from her lips. But as he approached her face, she recoiled violently, pushing back her chair with a screech of wood against stone. His smile faltered, his brows twitched.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, his voice no longer soft. "Why are you acting like this?"

Still, she said nothing. He dipped the spoon again, his movements more forceful this time, and raised it to her mouth once more.

Again, her lips stayed closed, and the soup dripped uselessly onto her lap. His jaw tightened. With a sharp motion, he threw the spoon across the room. It clattered against the marble floor, the sound echoing through the silent dining hall.

"Say something!" he shouted, slamming his palm down on the table. "Anything!"

His voice cracked with frustration, the fragile calm he had clung to all evening finally snapping.

"I'm sitting here with you! And you just sit there like a corpse!"

But Qin Yufei didn't move. She sat still, regal even in silence, her expression hollow, her eyes locked on nothing. And in that moment, her silence said more than any words ever could.

The silence stretched on after Bai Shengli's outburst, heavy and suffocating, pressing against every corner of the room. He stood beside the table, chest heaving, his fists clenched at his sides, staring at her as if trying to force her into life through will alone.

She sat motionless, her stained dress cold against her skin, her hands resting limp in her lap. The flickering candlelight painted shadows under her eyes, deepening the hollowness in her gaze.

Then, quietly, steadily, she finally spoke.

"You should kill me."

The words were soft, but they shattered through the air like a blade. Bai Shengli froze. She looked up at him at last, her voice steady, her tone disturbingly calm.

"Just kill me. I can't take this anymore. It's better if I die. Just let the others go."

His knees buckled as if the weight of her words physically struck him. He collapsed to the floor, kneeling before her, his eyes wide, filled with a kind of stunned disbelief.

"What are you saying...?" he breathed, shaking his head. "Why would you... why would you say something like that?"

Qin Yufei's expression didn't change. She looked at him for the first time not as her captor, but as a stranger.

"Because I would rather die," she said, "than marry the man who killed my sister... who framed my shifu... who turned my life into this."

Her voice cracked at the end, but her eyes did not blink.

"Kill me, Bai Shengli," she whispered. "And leave the others alone."

His breath stilled.

And then, slowly, his expression twisted.

From disbelief—

to confusion—

to rage.

His hand shot forward.

Before she could react, his fingers seized her by the throat.

"You dare..." he growled, his voice low, trembling with fury. "Say that again."

His grip tightened, Qin Yufei's breath caught.

But she didn't resist. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She only looked at him, straight in the eyes, even as the air began to escape her lungs. His fingers pressed deeper into her neck. Her vision blurred, her hands instinctively lifted to push him away... but still, she said nothing.

It wasn't until her mouth parted, gasping, struggling for breath, that Bai Shengli suddenly seemed to realize what he was doing. He jerked backward, releasing her as if burned.

She collapsed forward, coughing, her fingers at her throat, gasping hoarsely for air.

And Bai Shengli... he stood there, trembling, horror blooming across his face.

"Yufei," he whispered, his voice broken, "I... I didn't mean to... I would never hurt you. Never. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"

But Qin Yufei did not look at him. She curled into herself, still coughing softly, while his apology echoed into the silence, as hollow as the man who gave it.

Still gasping, her throat burning, Qin Yufei leaned forward, her palms pressing against the cold floor as she tried to steady her trembling limbs. The faint sound of her breath rasping in and out was the only thing filling the vast, silent room.

Bai Shengli stood a few steps away, frozen, his eyes wide with a storm of guilt and confusion, his lips parted but unable to speak.

She still did not look at him.

Her gaze was fixed on the floor beneath her, glassy and distant, yet within it, something resolute had begun to form.

"If you won't do it," she said hoarsely, her voice low and rough from where his fingers had crushed her windpipe, "then I'll do it myself."

The words were quiet. But each one struck like a hammer.

Bai Shengli blinked, stunned."What...?— I'll end it," she continued, still staring down, her hair falling over her shoulders in loose, tangled strands.

"I won't let you destroy the people I care about just to keep me in this nightmare. If you're going to use me to ruin them..."

She lifted her chin slightly, her voice trembling but firm.

"Then I won't give you that chance."

✤

The stone walls of the prison dripped with condensation, and the silence that hung in the air was almost absolute, except for the soft, rhythmic drip of water somewhere in the dark.

Shen Wei sat where he had remained for days, unmoved, his limbs heavy, his eyes half-lidded but alert.

He had grown used to the darkness, to the weight of iron shackles biting into his skin, to the sound of distant footsteps that never came for him.

But tonight, there was something different. A presence.

Subtle at first, like a shift in the air, a breath caught before a storm.

Then, the faintest echo of footsteps.

Shen Wei lifted his gaze.

A figure emerged from the shadows of the corridor, cloaked in dark robes, a hood concealing his face. The torchlight from the wall caught the edge of his silhouette, but it was his voice, calm, steady, and unmistakably familiar, that broke the silence.

"...Still just as obstinate as ever."

Shen Wei's eyes narrowed.

"You..."

He hadn't heard that voice in years. Not since the capital changed hands. Not since a long-buried past had been forced into silence.

Before he could speak again, more shadows moved, men, fast and efficient. They said nothing as they stepped into the cell, unlocking the heavy chains with a click that echoed through the stone chamber.

The weight fell from his wrists.

One of the men draped a heavy cloak over his shoulders, the fabric warm and thick, hiding the torn, bloodied state of his inner robes.

The hooded figure stepped aside and gestured silently.

Shen Wei didn't move at first. His eyes locked onto the man's face beneath the shadow of the hood.

But then, without a word, he rose.

And under the cover of night, Shen Wei walked out of the imperial prison.