Chapter Text
The Invitation
The kneeling maid was crying.
No—that wasn't quite accurate.
She was begging.
The distinction mattered.
Crying implied grief. Begging implied fear.
And fear was exactly what filled the drawing hall of the La Residence.
"Young Lady, please spare this servant! This servant truly did not mean it!"
The maid's forehead repeatedly struck the polished wooden floor.
Beside her lay a corpse.
The dead man wore servant's clothing. His eyes remained open, frozen in disbelief, while blood stained the front of his robes.
The sight was enough to make most people uncomfortable.
The young woman seated on the couch, however, merely sighed.
One elbow rested lazily upon the armrest. Her eyes remained closed. Slender fingers massaged her temple as though suffering from a headache.
The maid's wails only worsened it.
"Young Lady! This servant knows her mistake!"
"Do you?" the young woman finally asked.
The room immediately fell silent.
La Mao opened her eyes.
She had only celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony a month ago, yet she already possessed the poise of a seasoned noblewoman. Her beauty was undeniable, but what drew attention most was not her appearance.
It was her gaze.
Sharp.
Calculating.
As though she could strip away every secret a person possessed simply by looking.
"The kitchen prepared sweet lotus soup yesterday."
The maid froze.
"I specifically requested red dates."
Maomao tilted her head.
"What arrived at my table?"
"...white dates."
"Mm."
The maid stared blankly.
That was it?
That was the crime?
Several servants exchanged bewildered glances.
Only the household stewards remained expressionless.
They knew better.
Maomao continued calmly.
"I dislike white dates."
"This servant deserves death!"
"You certainly deserve punishment."
The maid's face paled.
Maomao tapped a finger against the armrest.
Yesterday's incident had been amusing.
A maid purchased by the household barely six months ago.
A servant with suspiciously clean records.
A servant who happened to pass near her father's study far too often.
A servant who happened to deliver tea whenever confidential documents were present.
Unfortunately for the Shi Clan, they had underestimated her.
The maid had never realized that the study she spent weeks observing contained nothing of importance.
"That thing" had long since been moved elsewhere.
As for the dead man...
He had attempted to flee after being exposed.
A pity.
He had chosen violence.
The guards had merely responded.
"Steward."
"Yes, Young Lady."
"One hundred lashes."
The maid collapsed.
"No! Young Lady! Please! Please spare me!"
"And remove her from the household afterward."
The steward bowed.
"This servant understands."
To outsiders, it sounded harsh.
To those who understood politics, it was mercy.
A hundred lashes would leave scars.
Being expelled from the La Residence would destroy her reputation.
Yet she would live.
And eventually find her way back to the Shi Clan.
Exactly where Maomao intended her to go.
After all, dead spies could tell no stories.
Living ones carried messages.
"Take her away."
The guards immediately dragged the screaming maid from the hall.
Silence returned.
Much more pleasant.
Maomao closed her eyes again.
Her godfather often warned her against becoming too involved in political games.
A physician should save lives.
Not manipulate people.
Unfortunately, politics was rather entertaining.
Footsteps soon approached.
A female servant entered and bowed.
"Young Lady."
"What is it?"
"A palace eunuch has arrived."
Maomao opened her eyes.
"A palace eunuch?"
"He carries an invitation."
Now that was interesting.
Her parents were currently traveling somewhere in the south.
Exactly where, nobody knew.
Not even Maomao.
Her father had a habit of disappearing whenever he successfully escaped official duties.
Her mother encouraged him.
As a result, all household affairs currently fell into Maomao's hands.
Visitors.
Correspondence.
Invitations.
Everything.
"Bring him in."
Moments later, a young eunuch entered the hall.
His expression remained respectful, though his eyes briefly flickered toward the bloodstain left behind by the corpse.
To his credit, he recovered quickly.
"This servant greets Young Lady La."
"You may rise."
The eunuch presented a lacquered invitation with both hands.
"Her Majesty the Empress is hosting a Plum Blossom Banquet and wishes to invite Madam Fengxian of the La Residence."
Maomao accepted the invitation.
As expected.
The name written upon it belonged to her mother.
Not her.
That was normal.
Fengxian was the wife of Lakan.
Countless people wished to approach the empire's greatest strategist through her.
Maomao casually opened the invitation.
Then she laughed.
Just once.
Very softly.
The eunuch lowered his head further.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Because intelligent people only laughed when they found something amusing.
And the Empress had just provided excellent entertainment.
A Plum Blossom Banquet?
Nonsense.
This was a matchmaking banquet.
For the Crown Prince.
Maomao rested her chin against one hand.
The timing was impeccable.
Her parents were absent.
La Han was in the palace for official duty.
Today is not the usual schedule for she studying medicine with her Godfather, Luomen.
No one could directly intercept her today.
The invitation had arrived directly in her hands.
Under normal circumstances, her father would have rejected it before the messenger even finished speaking.
Lakan treasured his daughter to an unreasonable degree.
The thought of marriage alone nearly drove him mad.
As for engagements?
Every proposal vanished mysteriously.
Yet this invitation had bypassed him entirely.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The Crown Prince still had two years before his own coming-of-age ceremony.
Meanwhile, Maomao had already reached marriageable age. As in this era, coming-of-age for a Man is 20 years old and for a Woman it is 17 years old.
From the perspective of the imperial family, this was probably the perfect opportunity.
The eunuch carefully observed her expression.
"Young Lady?"
Maomao remained silent.
Truthfully, she should refuse.
That was undoubtedly what Luomen would advise.
Avoid unnecessary political struggles.
Avoid power.
Avoid becoming a pawn.
But...
Power was fascinating.
She had grown up surrounded by it.
Seen what it could accomplish.
Seen what it could destroy.
And if the Crown Prince truly intended to draw her into his orbit...
Then perhaps she should see for herself whether the future ruler of the empire was worthy of the reputation he carried.
A smile slowly appeared on her lips.
Somewhere far away, Luomen probably felt a headache coming.
Forgive me, Godfather.
This once.
She is proceeding to write the letter of response for the invitation, then picked up the La Family seal.
Pressed it firmly onto the acceptance document.
Maomao handed the response letter she wrote to the eunuch.
The eunuch's eyes widened slightly when he read that the La Family ACCEPTS the invitation.
Then brightened.
"Please convey my gratitude to Her Majesty."
"It will be this servant's honor."
The eunuch brings the letter carefully, unable to hide his satisfaction.
Clearly, he had expected resistance.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, curiosity was one of Maomao's greatest weaknesses.
And perhaps her most dangerous trait.
"Xiaolan."
"Yes, Young Lady."
"Send the guest back."
The eunuch bowed deeply.
"This servant takes his leave."
As he departed, Maomao gazed toward the distant palace beyond the capital.
The Crown Prince.
The future Son of Heaven.
A man said to be as gentle as the moon.
She wondered whether the rumors were true.
Meanwhile, somewhere within the Imperial Palace, another young schemer was likely preparing his own move.
The game had begun before either side officially sat across the board.
And for the first time in quite a while, La Maomao found herself genuinely looking forward to what came next.