Chapter 11 : The Trial of Masks

Chapter 11: The Trial of Masks

The Hall of Celestial Judgement had never been so full.

Hundreds of nobles, ministers, foreign envoys, and royal observers filled the tall marble chamber. The air was thick with tension, and whispers rose like poisonous mist. Intrigue and anticipation buzzed between the high columns.

Everyone was here for one reason:

> *The trial of Minister Mei.*

But beneath the surface, they all knew this trial was not about him.

It was about **her**.

Mei Lian stood by the far column, her crimson robe whispering softly against the polished marble as she waited. The Empress sat high above on her throne, her expression calm and unreadable. Lady Jin stood near her, head bowed, but her smirk was barely hidden.

The spectacle had been perfectly orchestrated.

The Empress had planned this scene to publicly break Mei Lian without ever touching her.

But Mei Lian would not bend.

Not today.

The trial began with loud formality. Court officials read aloud the false charges:

> "Misuse of imperial funds…"

>

> "Secret land dealings with northern merchants…"

>

> "Failure to report discrepancies in tax accounts..."

Mei Lian's hands clenched tightly beneath her sleeves. The lies burned in her ears, but she held her face steady, refusing to give the Empress the satisfaction of seeing her crack.

Her father sat silently in the defendant's seat, pale and frail, his weak body dwarfed by the towering marble walls. But his eyes remained sharp, and when they found Mei Lian's, she saw no fear.

> *He trusted her.*

Prince Rui entered then, commanding the chamber's full attention. His presence was like a cold wind slicing through the heavy incense.

He walked with steady purpose, unbothered by the sea of gazes following him. When he reached her side, he offered his hand openly.

Mei Lian accepted it.

Another public statement. Another scandalous gesture.

But neither of them cared anymore.

The Empress's voice rang clear. "Prince Rui, we thank you for attending. But your presence is not needed. This trial is about Minister Mei, not the royal house."

Rui's voice was calm but edged with steel.

"Your Majesty, I stand here as a prince of this empire and as an advocate for truth."

A hush swept through the hall.

The Empress's eyes narrowed, but her lips curved politely. "Very well. If you wish to involve yourself, proceed."

The prosecutor, one of the Empress's loyal officials, stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"We have witnesses," he declared. "Merchants who claim Minister Mei accepted bribes. Accountants who discovered falsified ledgers."

Two witnesses were brought forward—men with carefully rehearsed testimonies. They spoke of hidden dealings, stolen funds, and secret meetings under moonlight.

Falsehood stacked upon falsehood.

Each word aimed to bury Minister Mei deeper.

When the second witness finished, the Empress nodded in satisfaction.

"Compelling evidence," she murmured.

Prince Rui spoke next.

"Indeed. Compelling… if only it were true."

The entire chamber leaned forward.

Rui gestured. "Bring forward the palace scribes."

Two terrified scribes were dragged forward by guards. Their heads hung low, their faces pale.

Rui addressed the first scribe gently. "Tell the court who ordered you to alter the original ledgers."

The scribe trembled, eyes flickering toward the Empress.

"You are under royal protection," Rui said firmly. "Speak."

A long pause.

Then, in a quivering voice: "I—I was ordered by Minister Zhao."

Gasps rippled through the chamber.

Minister Zhao, one of the Empress's closest allies, turned pale.

Rui turned sharply to the second scribe. "And who approved the new entries?"

The second scribe's voice cracked. "Lady Jin."

A collective shock swept the room like a crashing wave.

Lady Jin's face froze. "This is slander!"

Rui's voice thundered. "Is it? Or have you grown too confident, knowing you're protected under the Empress's shadow?"

The chamber buzzed with murmurs. Several ministers whispered among themselves, shifting uncomfortably.

The Empress spoke at last, her voice like ice:

"Convenient testimonies gathered under pressure."

Rui stepped forward, his voice calm but pointed.

"Convenient, Your Majesty? Or finally unmasked truth?"

He held up sealed scrolls. "Here are the original copies of Minister Mei's true ledgers, smuggled out before the forgeries were ordered. Signed and sealed by his office months before your accusations began."

He passed them to the council leader. The ministers examined them, whispering urgently.

The Empress's mask slipped for a heartbeat.

Lady Jin tried once more. "If Minister Mei is innocent, why hide his daughter's past? Why keep secret her history with assassins?"

The crowd bristled. The question everyone had whispered now hung openly in the air.

This was the Empress's final move.

Discredit her character.

Mei Lian stepped forward, her voice strong across the chamber.

"Yes. I was once forced into a life of shadows. I have killed to survive. I will not deny it."

The hall fell silent.

"But every life I took was under coercion. Every breath I stole was given to me by those who owned my body, who trained me as a weapon."

Her voice trembled, not with fear but with conviction.

"I escaped that life. I chose a different path. I came here to build a life rooted in honesty, loyalty, and peace."

A pause.

"And the only people who cannot forgive that… are those who fear losing power if I stand unbroken."

The words landed like stones thrown into still water.

Prince Rui spoke next, standing beside her once more.

"She has committed no crime in this court. She carries no debt to the Empire. Only strength. And she has my unwavering loyalty."

His gaze swept the chamber. "Anyone who stands against her stands against me."

The court sat frozen.

The Empress's lips pressed into a thin line.

And then, with one final flick of her fan, she spoke softly.

"The court will deliberate."

Hours passed.

Whispers spread across the marble halls as ministers debated. The Empress worked hard behind closed doors, trying to salvage her control.

But the tide was shifting.

Too many had seen the evidence.

Too many had seen Rui's resolve.

And too many saw opportunity in aligning themselves with a prince unafraid to challenge even the Empress.

By sunset, the council returned.

The chamber quieted once more as the verdict was announced.

> "Minister Mei is hereby cleared of all charges."

The words fell like thunder.

A cry of relief escaped from Mei Lian's throat as her father was helped to his feet, weak but free. The entire hall erupted into stunned murmurs.

The Empress sat motionless, her face carved from stone.

She had lost.

At least for today.

Later that night, beneath the soft glow of lanterns in her private chamber, Mei Lian stood on the balcony, watching the rain drizzle gently against the palace rooftops.

Prince Rui appeared behind her, silent and steady.

"We won," she whispered, still scarcely believing it.

"For now."

She turned, searching his face. "She won't stop, Rui."

"I know." His voice was gentle but firm. "But neither will we."

Her heart swelled painfully. "You risk everything for me."

He stepped closer, cupping her face with both hands, his thumbs brushing away the rain from her cheeks.

"I told you before, Mei Lian. You're worth everything."

And then he kissed her—not in secrecy, not in fear, but boldly and fully.

The storm outside paled against the one burning between them.

> *They were no longer simply surviving.*

> *They were fighting for a future neither had ever dared dream of.*

To be continued.....

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