A Shadow’s Signal in the Light

The morning sun rose gently, its light still pale.

The air within the palace remained cold enough to sting the wrists.

Inside Luosu Hall, Xianlan sat quietly sipping tea beneath the garden pavilion. Her sharp eyes gazed upon the trembling dewdrops on the lotus leaves as the breeze passed by.

She said nothing about what happened the day before—

Even though she knew with certainty: the tea she drank… was not as it should have been.

"Someone… switched it," she murmured softly to herself.

It wasn't any of the maids in her service—she trusted their loyalty without question.

Which could only mean—there had been a third party in her chambers during the night.

And that hand… did not intend to kill her.

—

Xianlan made no public search for her mysterious benefactor.

Instead, she chose to respond in silence.

She asked her attendants to prepare a fine piece of calligraphy paper and penned a classical poem.

At a glance, it appeared to be a simple ode to flowers.

But if one examined the fifth and tenth characters of each line, a hidden message could be found:

"I have seen."

"The shadow is not a foe."

"I welcome your path."

The poem was sent to the women's envoy residence as an official "gift."

Jiang Xinluo opened the wooden box and found a delicate piece of paper faintly scented with osmanthus blossoms.

The moment she read the first line, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"She… knows."

Xinluo's heart beat slowly—but firmly.

This wasn't an accusation. It was an offering of goodwill.

No names were spoken, but for a woman who lived under constant commands, she could feel it clearly.

—

That evening, Xianlan left Luosu Hall

and attended the official inspection ceremony of the inner palace's storage chambers.

The event had been called in response to rumors of embezzlement of imperial funds.

She did not deny the rumors.

She did not deflect blame.

Instead—she volunteered to open her own accounts to scrutiny.

"All the records of my residence—be it clothing, food, or supplies—I hereby submit to the Royal Treasury for examination today. If anything improper is found, I will accept punishment without delay."

Her declaration sent ripples through the court.

And at that very moment, certain officials began to stir.

Because what Xianlan would soon present—

was a forged ledger from a supply merchant she had "discovered" on a previous journey.

That ledger was connected to a network of merchants backed by none other than the family of Bai Yue Ning.

She was now using the forgery as bait—to lure out the true culprits.

The moment they rushed to bury the evidence… would be the moment she struck.

—

Meanwhile, in the envoy's residence,

Jiang Xinluo sat still, clutching the poem tightly in her hand.

The breeze flickered the candlelight, reflecting in her eyes—eyes now shadowed by doubt.

She was no longer sure that the word "ally" held the same sacred meaning in her homeland as it once did.

Perhaps… her new alliance

was hidden in the silent smile of the woman who had never once asked for her name.

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