"Very much so, Your Majesty."

Golden eyes blinked at her.

They then flicked away.

"That is good. The trial is hereby concluded."

"Your Majesty!" Minister Kang protested. "This is preposterous! My son has been tortured, and now he's being thrown into the dungeons upon the word of some lowly maids. We came asking for justice and now-"

"Minister Kang," the man interrupted. "The evidence you have procured is insufficient to prove that Virtuous Consort Qing had anything to do with what happened to your son."

Oh, the satisfaction she felt when she heard those words. The very same words she'd had to hear when she went asking for justice for Rin.

"And as for the maids' claims, they will be investigated properly. Rest assured, We shall issue no verdict until We get to the bottom of the matter."

There was nothing Minister Kang could say to that. The fact that the Emperor was assuring that much was generous of him. He could have easily executed Kang Yanxin for even touching so many of his women.

Minister Kang knew not to push. He bowed his head. The other ministers followed suit.

Samaya also bowed her head and was about to leave when the Emperor spoke.

"Lady Qing, please stay back."

The maids filed out as well, and the Emperor waited until all of them left.

She waited expectantly.

"We shall visit you for lunch todayt."

Samaya blinked at the man.

"Is… that all you held me back for?"

"Yes."

Samaya waited a few moments, but the man did not elaborate. Figuring she would have no further explanation here, she simply bowed.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

With that, she turned and walked out of the Imperial Study

Samaya sat in front of the mirror, watching Lian carefully arrange her hair. The scent of jasmine oil lingered in the air, mingling with the soft fragrance of agarwood burning in the incense holder nearby. The gentle crackling of the incense reminded her of the accusations brought her way due to the mere fragrance. Part of her wished to change it. But she knew it would be too suspicious. She would have to be more aware of her surroundings before going on a mission.

This world … this harem had dulled her quite a bit, it seemed.

Her mind was preoccupied with the events of the day. She had not been prepared to be thrown such a curveball today. She had not expected the maids to step forward, especially after she forbade them from doing so. She had been quite sure that she would have been able to twist Minister Kang's words to cast doubt on his and his son's testimony. But today was not the day when she thought Kang Yanxin would stand at the gates of Imperial Punishment.

She had anticipated Minister Kang's outrage, prepared for it, in fact. But the Emperor's swift decision regarding the maids had caught her slightly off guard. She had been pleased, nevertheless. Those women would have truly been left to the wolves if the Emperor had not made that decision. It was either that or sending them far away from the palace, and that would have been cruel to the maids who had probably spent most of their lives in the Palace.

But more than that, his sudden visit for lunch intrigued her. He was not a man who spent time idly, nor did he engage in pleasantries for their own sake. If he had chosen to dine with her, it meant there was something important he wanted to discuss.

She sighed softly as Lian pinned the final jade ornament into her hair. The servant had been with her long enough to recognize when she was lost in thought.

"Your Highness," Ah-Liu murmured, stepping back to admire her work, "the dining arrangements are complete. The kitchen has prepared all of the Emperor's preferred dishes."

Samaya nodded. "Good."

She barely had time to stand before a eunuch entered, bowing deeply at the threshold.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has arrived."

Her fingers twitched slightly, but she showed no outward reaction. Instead, she inhaled deeply, smoothing the fabric of her robes before walking towards the dining hall, her steps measured and deliberate.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The Emperor was already seated when she entered. He did not immediately look up, instead studying the small porcelain teacup in his hands as if contemplating something. But Samaya knew better. He had already assessed her the moment she stepped through the door. There was little that could escape the man's sharp senses.

"Your Majesty," she bowed in greeting.

His golden eyes flickered toward her at last, scanning her with the sharpness of a hawk before he gestured for her to sit.

She complied, gracefully taking her place across from him.

The servants moved quickly, setting the dishes before them—a spread of delicately prepared meats, steamed fish, and fresh greens. The aroma of the meal was rich, but Samaya hardly noticed. She was too focused on the way the Emperor moved, the way his fingers lightly traced the rim of his teacup before he took a slow sip.

Something was on his mind.

"Leave us," he commanded suddenly.

The servants hesitated for only a second before bowing and retreating from the hall, the heavy doors clicking shut behind them.

A moment of silence settled over the room, thick with unspoken words.

Samaya arched a brow. "It must be something important for you to send everyone away."

The Emperor set his teacup down with deliberate care, leaning back slightly. "We checked all the papers from the public examination."

She waited.

"None of them match the handwriting on the maids' supposed suicide notes."

Samaya exhaled through her nose, her fingers tightening slightly around her chopsticks. She had expected it, to be honest.

"Which means whoever wrote them was not someone who took the exams," she mused. "That would mean one of two things. A woman or an educated servant. Perhaps both at the same time."

The Emperor nodded. "If we want to find real evidence, we may have to search directly inside the Kang residence."

"It seems so, yes."

"We are still deciding on how to proceed. An official investigation would force them to cooperate, but they will have time to cover their tracks. Infiltration is riskier, but it may yield more useful results."

Samaya tapped her fingers against the table thoughtfully. She had the semblance of an idea. How fruitful it would be, though, depended on the Emperor and his tactics.

"Why not both?"

His brow lifted slightly. "Both?"

She nodded. "You promised to properly investigate the accusations against Kang Yanxin, did you not? Use that as an excuse to send officials to inspect the Kang residence. They will have to comply. At the same time, send one or two shadow guards inside secretly. While the officials keep them occupied, the hidden guards can search for actual evidence."

The Emperor stared at her for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, to her mild surprise, he let out a soft chuckle.

"You think like a strategist."

Samaya smirked. "I'm flattered you think so."

His expression shifted slightly, something unreadable flickering across his features. He tilted his head as if considering something, then nodded. "It is a good plan. If I send a particularly powerful official, their presence would cover the qi of the shadow guards from any … sensitive guards."

That was exactly why she had suggested it. She may not have qi, but she knew how those with qi worked. This was a favorite tactic of Siwang's.

"We will consider it."

That was enough for her. She knew he would follow through if he truly thought it was the best course of action.

She turned to the lunch, almost automatically serving the man dishes he liked. If the Samaya from a few months ago saw her, she would laugh her head off at her playing wife. But … oh well, it had become a habit. She found she did not quite mind piling the man's favorite foods on his plate.

The conversation could have ended there. But then the Emperor leaned forward slightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "There is another matter We wished to discuss."

Samaya picked up a piece of fish and placed it into her bowl. "Oh?"

"We wish to take Xu'er on a hunt."

Her chopsticks paused in midair.

The Emperor watched her reaction closely. "He is of age to start learning. It will be a controlled hunt—small game only. Perfectly safe." He spoke as if trying to reassure her.

Samaya set her chopsticks down and took a slow sip of tea, using the moment to gather her thoughts.

"I see."

She did not immediately object.

The Emperor's brow rose slightly, clearly expecting more of a reaction. "I thought you would protest." He tilted his head. "My mother certainly did, insisting I was too young."

Samaya let out a small chuckle. "And yet, you still told me beforehand."

His lips twitched slightly. "I assumed I would have to convince you."

She sighed, setting her cup down. "Hunting is a survival skill in this world. Manu is not a child anymore. He will need to learn eventually."

The Emperor seemed pleased by her reasoning. "Then you approve?"

"Of course," she said lightly. Then she added, "But I will go with him."

The Emperor frowned. "That is unnecessary."

Samaya leaned back slightly. It was her turn to be amused. "Perhaps. But I am his mother, and I would like to be there for his first hunt."

And make sure to protect him just in case. The memory of the attack on the caravan when they were travelling to the Capital lingered in her mind. She also had to make sure that Manu is not too upset by his first kill, if he managed to make one.

The Emperor crossed his arms. "You do not trust Our ability to keep him safe?"

Samaya smiled. "I believe I have already told you before, I trust no one. Not when it comes to Manu."

He exhaled sharply. "You are impossible."

"And yet, you still insist on visiting me."

He stared at her for a moment, then let out a resigned sigh. "Very well. But you will follow Our lead."

She inclined her head slightly. "Naturally."

The Emperor shook his head and picked up his chopsticks again.

And just like that, their lunch continued, the air between them laced with both tension and something softer - something almost like understanding.

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