羅義佩

Reborn. Betrayed. Crownless. Dangerous.

Once, Shen Lian was the revered Empress of Great Wei—wise, loyal, and utterly devoted.

But loyalty meant nothing to a man hungry for power.

On a snowy night, she was cast into the Cold Palace, poisoned, and left to die with nothing but a torn decree and the bitter taste of betrayal.

Now, reborn at thirteen, she has no interest in love.

She will rise again—not as a bride, but as a blade.

In the palace where smiles are daggers and every word cuts, Shen Lian has only one goal: survive, strike first, and never bow again.

The Cold Palace took everything from her once.

This time, she will turn it into her throne.

Rebirth of the Cold Palace Queen

The day after the banquet, rumors bloomed across the capital like nightshade—beautiful, fragrant, and deadly.

"A noble girl collapsed during the performance?"

"No! They say she was cursed… and that the Prime Minister's daughter never flinched."

By noon, Shen Yue's name had already spread beyond the estates. She was praised for her calmness, her poise, her 'innate nobility' even in crisis.

Shen Lian sat in the rear courtyard with a guqin resting across her knees. She plucked one string slowly, her fingers calloused from days of practice, her lips curled in a knowing smile.

Zhou knelt beside her, pouring tea without a word.

"She's enjoying it," Shen Lian said, eyes half-lidded. "The spotlight. The praise. Like petals caught in wind… too light to notice the thorns underneath."

"She will," Shen Lian agreed. "But not yet. Let her rise a little higher."

Zhou hesitated, then asked, "And when she does fall… will you catch her?"

Shen Lian looked down at her reflection in the tea.

"No," she said. "I will step aside, and let her crash."

That afternoon, Shen Yue visited her in a flurry of joy.

"Sister! Did you hear? The Minister of Rites praised my conduct before Father!"

"I did," Shen Lian said warmly. "You've done wonderfully."

Shen Yue blushed. "I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

"True," Shen Lian said, smiling. "But I won't always be there to guide you. The palace tests more than grace. It tests survival."

"I'll survive," she said, almost defensively.

"Of course you will," Shen Lian said gently. "As long as you know who your enemies are."

Shen Yue left with confusion written across her face.

Behind her, Zhou stepped from the shadows.

"She will," Shen Lian said, watching the falling plum petals. "Just before it's too late."

Chapter 11: Ashes and Applause