IN THE IMPERIAL HALL, Lily sat calmly across from Emperor Jun, the embodiment of composed defiance. Her slender fingers cradled a porcelain cup, steam curling lazily from the tea within. Behind her stood two maidservants, still as shadows, their eyes unreadable.
The emperor studied the young woman before him. She looked delicate, even graceful, but he knew better than to be fooled by appearances. This was Lily of the Pei family — the one whose name alone was said to be able to summon a million soldiers.
And yet, he had never seen those soldiers.
Not a single one.
Still, neither he nor any other ruler dared to test the truth of that legend.
His father's voice echoed in his memory, warning him as a boy: "We wear the crown only because the Pei family allows it. If they ever withdraw their support, we will fall as surely as night follows day."
At the time, he had thought the statement exaggerated.
However, even foreign emissaries tread lightly around the Peis. Some even whispered their envy, marveling that the empire had been gifted such guardians.
He broke the silence with a smile.
"Our imperial chefs are the pride of the empire. Would Young Miss Lily care to try a few dishes? It would be our honor."
Lily didn't return the smile.
"This tea is enough," she replied, her voice flat but polite. "Thank you for the offer, Emperor Jun."
There it was again — Emperor Jun, not Your Majesty.
It was subtle but unmistakable. The Pei family, for all their contributions to the empire, had never once claimed to belong to it. They were a power unto themselves.
Even Duke Pei, who had enjoyed a friendly rapport with the late emperor, had kept his distance — never forgetting that his loyalty was to his bloodline, not the throne.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and the Empress have arrived," the head eunuch announced from the entrance, breaking the tense silence.
Emperor Jun frowned slightly. He hadn't summoned the empress, but he supposed her presence made sense. Lily was, after all, intended to be her daughter-in-law.
The Empress and Crown Prince entered together, bowing first to the emperor, then glancing at Lily.
Ace, the crown prince, was momentarily stunned — not for the first time. Every time he saw Lily, her beauty left him breathless. She was ethereal, as though untouched by the mortal world.
Yet no matter how many times they met, she always kept him at a distance. Emotionally. Physically.
Once, when he tried to walk beside her in the palace gardens, she had wordlessly taken three steps back.
Even when she praised him — which was rare — her words felt as cold and impersonal as a report read aloud.
"Lily," he said now, forcing a friendly tone. But the words hung awkwardly in the air.
Lily turned her gaze toward him briefly, then set her teacup down with care.
"I've come to break off the engagement," she said, her tone devoid of hesitation.
The words dropped like a boulder into still water.
The empress's heart skipped a beat. This was the moment she had dreaded. No soft approach, no careful explanation — Lily had simply wielded the knife and cut clean through.
Emperor Jun's eyes widened in disbelief before narrowing into a glower.
"Young Miss Lily," he said darkly, "what is the meaning of this?"
"I meant what I said," Lily replied. "I am here to dissolve the engagement between the Pei and royal families."
The emperor's hands clenched on the armrests of his throne. "At the very least," he said tightly, "you owe us an explanation!"
Bang!
The low table in front of Lily shattered into dust. Gasps rang out from every corner of the room.
All eyes turned to the maidservant who had struck it. She hadn't moved more than a hand's breadth. She was slender, graceful — not at all the image of brute force. Yet the table was gone.
They turned next to the other maid, wondering what unthinkable strength she might possess.
These weren't mere attendants.
These were weapons.
Emperor Jun wanted to roar in rage. This was his palace, his throne room, his audience. And he had just been publicly threatened by a maid.
Yet all he could do was seethe in silence.
Lily watched him, her gaze sharp with mockery.
She had lived through this once already. Another life, another version of this throne room, another emperor who had worn that same smug expression — until it cracked.
She had no respect for him then.
She had even less now.
"I must apologize, Emperor Jun," she said, her voice smooth, almost amused. "My maids are trained to protect me. When you raised your voice just now, they interpreted it as a threat."
The emperor forced a tight smile. "This emperor overstepped. I was merely... surprised. The engagement was arranged by my father and your grandfather. Are you saying Duke Pei agrees with this?"
"Of course," Lily said without missing a beat. "He fully supports my decision."
A lie, technically — but not a wrong one. Her grandfather was likely still sulking in his study, grappling with the reality that his granddaughter had outmaneuvered him. She was confident he would come around.
"He truly agreed?" the emperor asked, stunned.
He had just seen Duke Pei the day before. There had been no indication of unrest, no suggestion that something like this was coming.
"It appears you were not informed," Lily said with a touch of pity. "The late emperor made that arrangement when you were still an ordinary prince. Back then, no one expected the crown prince to one day become emperor — a position that allows the keeping of concubines. Surely you understand what I mean?"
The emperor's expression soured.
But Lily continued unbothered.
"Our family has never tolerated infidelity among our in-laws. The crown prince, unfortunately, is no longer chaste. Therefore, the engagement is void."
The emperor turned sharply toward his son.
Crown Prince Ace said nothing, but his face said everything.
Emperor Jun's nostrils flared. He felt like striking his son on the spot, but with the Pei family's people watching, any show of weakness would only worsen things.
"Young Miss Lily," he said instead, his voice laced with fake fury, "who fed you such nonsense? This smells of conspiracy."
Truly shameless, Lily thought.
"The prime minister's daughter," she replied without hesitation. "But it doesn't matter if it's true or not. The Pei family doesn't gamble with its honor. Still, if you're so confident, we can test him with the Soul-Jade — the one that reveals a person's purity. Would you like to try it?"
The crown prince's face turned crimson. "Are you trying to humiliate me?!"
Swoosh!
The second maid appeared before him, dagger in hand — its tip glinting an inch from his neck.
The movement had been faster than sight.
"Don't!" the empress screamed, stepping forward but halting instantly. She dared not provoke further violence. Tears welled in her eyes. "Young Miss Pei, my son was foolish. Please do not punish him too harshly."
Lily raised her hand.
The maid vanished back to her original spot, as though she had never moved.
"For the sake of your family, I'll overlook it," Lily said coolly. Then she turned her eyes on the crown prince. "You saw what happened when your father raised his voice. And yet you thought yourself immune? I wonder what will become of this empire under your rule."
She stood, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve.
"My decision is final. Unless you can prove the crown prince's chastity, the engagement is off."
She began walking toward the exit but paused at the threshold.
"One last thing," she said, her voice light but cutting. "It seems the crown prince and the prime minister's eldest daughter share an ambiguous relationship. To preserve her reputation, it may be best to formalize their union as soon as possible."
Then she walked out — leaving behind a hall that had turned colder than ice.
Everyone understood the implication: whether or not they married, the woman's name was already ruined.