The silence in the courtyard could've cut glass.
Every breath, every heartbeat, hung suspended. Even the wind seemed too afraid to move.
Li Mei stared at the steaming puddle of tea spreading across the Crown Prince's boots. The tray trembled in her hands before she instinctively dropped it, porcelain shattering across the stone like a gunshot.
No one dared to speak.
The guards had their hands on their swords, waiting—just waiting—for the order that would end her life.
Her lips moved soundlessly. "I… I can fix—"
The Crown Prince's eyes flicked toward her.
That was all it took.
A chill slammed into her spine, knocking the words right out of her throat. His gaze was cold, assessing, the kind of look you gave a bug that somehow had the audacity to exist in your tea.
He didn't shout. He didn't frown. He just looked at her.
And it was terrifying.
Li Mei's brain scrambled for survival tactics. Do I faint? Do I cry? Do I pretend I'm invisible?
But before she could decide, a sharp voice cut through the stillness.
"Take her away."
Her stomach dropped.
Two guards stepped forward immediately.
"Wait, wait, WAIT— I didn't even touch him!" she squeaked, backing away, hands up like she could physically block death.
(Quest Failed: Impress the Crown Prince. Execution Probability +30%.)
"Are you kidding me right now?" she hissed under her breath, but the system, as usual, offered zero sympathy.
The guards didn't drag her to the dungeon, though. Instead, they brought her to the outer servants' quarters—dumped her onto the floor, muttered a warning about "watching her insolent mouth," and left.
Li Mei sat there for a long second, blinking at the door.
She was still alive.
Barely.
"Okay…" she breathed out shakily. "Okay. That could've gone worse."
Her voice wobbled. "Like… execution worse."
(Bonus Survival Tip: You were spared because the Crown Prince was too disgusted to waste time.)
She gawked. "That's not a bonus tip, that's character assassination!"
The system made a cheerful chime, like it couldn't hear her through the wall of her own misery.
By the time night fell, Li Mei's nerves were shot. Every sound made her flinch—the rustle of robes, a servant whispering outside, the flicker of a lantern in the dark.
She lay on the thin mat, staring at the paper ceiling, the faint scent of sandalwood still clinging to her clothes.
"I really died choking on noodles," she muttered, voice small. "And now I'm in a palace where looking at someone wrong can actually get you executed."
She rolled onto her side, curling up tightly.
Her throat still ached from earlier. Her hands still trembled.
She closed her eyes.
Don't die, she thought. Just survive tomorrow. Don't do anything stupid.
(Daily Quest: Survive another day. Reward: Continued existence.)
"Yeah," she whispered to the ceiling. "Real generous of you."
The night stretched long and heavy.
Li Mei lay awake, the image of the Crown Prince's eyes burning behind her lids, her stomach twisting with a sick mix of fear and disbelief.
When sleep finally came, it wasn't peace—it was exhaustion.
And somewhere deep in the dark, the system hummed quietly to itself, waiting for morning.
Morning came far too quickly.
Li Mei woke to the sound of chaos—footsteps, rustling robes, someone shouting about an inspection. Her head pounded, and her limbs felt like soggy noodles.
Before she could even sit up, a voice hissed through the paper door.
"Meiyun! Get up, you fool! The Empress wants to see you!"
Li Mei froze mid-blink.
"…The what now?"
Bao'er shoved the door open, her round face pale with terror. "The Empress! She summoned you personally!"
Li Mei sat up so fast she nearly headbutted the girl. "Me? Why me? I didn't do anything—okay fine, I did a lot of things, but none of them on purpose!"
Bao'er wrung her hands. "They said her attendants recognized your name from the Crown Prince's retinue yesterday."
Li Mei's heart sank. "Oh, noodles. He snitched."
(Main Quest Update: Audience with Empress Celestia.)
(Survival Tip: Do NOT make eye contact for more than three seconds.)
"Noted!" she whispered sharply, scrambling to her feet. "Very noted!"
She barely had time to throw water on her face and straighten her servant's robes before two palace guards arrived to escort her. Their expressions were carved from stone, unreadable and merciless.
The walk to the throne room felt like a death march.
The corridors stretched endlessly—gold and jade and silk, the scent of lotus incense heavy in the air. Every servant they passed knelt instantly, heads lowered.
Li Mei swallowed hard. Okay. Be calm. Don't trip. Don't say anything dumb. Maybe she just wants to, like, tell me to get lost. That's fine. I'll happily get lost forever.
When the massive golden doors opened, she instantly forgot how to breathe.
The throne room was vast. Columns painted with phoenixes stretched toward the ceiling, sunlight pouring through patterned screens, reflecting off the polished marble floor.
And there—seated upon a dais framed by shimmering drapes—was Empress Celestia.
She was breathtaking.
Draped in flowing robes of pale blue and gold, a delicate crown resting upon her sleek dark hair, her eyes were calm and unreadable—the kind that had seen too many schemes and silenced them all with a single glance.
Li Mei dropped into the clumsiest bow in palace history, forehead practically smashing against the floor.
"Your—Your Radiant Imperialness of Eternal Whatever—"
The entire room went still.
Her words hung there like smoke.
Then, somewhere in the back, someone coughed to hide a laugh.
Li Mei's soul left her body. I'm dead. I'm actually dead.
The Empress's voice, smooth and cool as silk, broke the silence.
"You are… Meiyun?"
Li Mei swallowed. "Yes, Your—Your Majesty."
A pause.
Then the Empress spoke again, her tone unreadable. "I heard you caused quite a scene yesterday."
Li Mei's head snapped up in panic, then immediately slammed back down to the floor. "I swear it wasn't my fault! The floor was uneven! The tea was slippery! Physics betrayed me!"
(Warning: Rambling detected. Stop talking.)
"Shutting up!" Li Mei hissed at the system, then realized she'd said it out loud.
The Empress blinked once. "Excuse me?"
Li Mei's heart stopped. "I—I mean—shutting up… respectfully."
A few attendants visibly flinched.
The Empress leaned back ever so slightly, her eyes glinting with faint amusement—or maybe disbelief. "You're an odd one, Meiyun."
"Thank you?" Li Mei squeaked.
Empress Celestia studied her for another long moment before waving her hand. "Odd may prove useful. The palace is full of vipers. Sometimes, a fool survives where the clever die."
Li Mei blinked. "…That sounds like an insult."
(Hint: It was not a compliment.)
The Empress's lips curved slightly, though it never reached her eyes. "You will serve in the inner palace from now on. Under my supervision."
The world tilted. "Wait, what?"
Murmurs rippled through the attendants. One even gasped aloud. Being summoned into the inner palace meant proximity to power—and danger.
Li Mei's mind went blank. "I… get to live?"
The Empress raised a brow. "For now."
(Quest Complete: Survive the Audience with Empress Celestia.)
(Reward: Temporary Protection granted. Duration: Unknown.)
Li Mei's body slumped in relief. She pressed her forehead back to the floor. "Thank you, Your Majesty! I promise not to die stupidly!"
The Empress regarded her one last time, then said softly, "See that you don't."
When Li Mei was escorted out, she barely felt her feet touch the ground. Her hands were clammy, her pulse racing so hard it buzzed in her ears.
She'd survived. Again.
Somehow.
But as she reached the courtyard, she caught the faintest sound of a quiet voice behind her—an attendant murmuring to another:
"She's the one who spilled tea on His Highness. Why would Her Majesty keep her close?"
Li Mei didn't have an answer.
But she had a terrible feeling she was about to find out.
The day after her audience with Empress Celestia began with a kind of tension that clung to the air—sharp, metallic, and unrelenting.
Li Mei could feel it.
Even the morning light that poured through the latticed windows seemed to hesitate before touching her.
The palace buzzed like a living thing—whispers darting between courtyards, rumors blooming like weeds. Every servant's step seemed quieter, every glance sharper.
By the time Li Mei left her quarters, she could already hear the murmurs.
The Empress chose her?
That clumsy maid?
What could Her Majesty possibly see in someone like that?
If gossip could kill, Li Mei would've been six feet under before breakfast.
She adjusted her sleeves and muttered under her breath, "Fantastic. I've achieved notoriety before getting a proper bed. Dream goals, achieved."
Bao'er hovered beside her, biting her lip. "Li Mei… this is bad. You've become visible. That's dangerous in this place."
Li Mei offered her a shaky smile. "Visible? Bao'er, I've been violently visible since the noodle incident. At this point, I'm a walking cautionary tale."
Bao'er gave her a nervous shove. "Just—don't say things like that near the guards!"
(Status Update: Visibility – High. Threat Level – Elevated. Proceed with caution.)
"Thank you, oh great digital anxiety enhancer," Li Mei whispered to the air.
She carried her tray of tea down the echoing corridor, her hands trembling slightly. Every carved dragon on the pillars seemed to glare at her, and even the koi in the courtyard pond looked suspiciously judgmental.
When they reached the Phoenix Hall, Bao'er gave her an encouraging pat. "Deep breaths. Serve tea, don't faint, don't say anything dumb."
"Right," Li Mei said, inhaling shakily. "No fainting, no dumb. Easy."
The hall was breathtaking again—golden light, the scent of sandalwood, delicate silk banners that swayed like rippling fire. Empress Celestia sat upon her raised seat, serene and devastating, her expression a mask carved from ice.
Li Mei swallowed. All right, Mei. You survived once. You can do this.
She stepped forward with the tray, bowing low.
The room fell silent.
"Meiyun," the Empress said softly. "You've served tea before, I presume?"
Li Mei's throat clicked. "I—I've… observed the process closely, Your Majesty."
A faint smile ghosted across Celestia's lips. "Then let us observe you."
Li Mei almost whimpered.
Her hands trembled as she lifted the pot. Every sound—the trickle of tea, the faint clink of porcelain—echoed far too loudly. Sweat prickled at the back of her neck.
Please don't spill. Please don't spill. Please don't—
The cup filled, steady and even. Not a drop lost.
A quiet exhale escaped her lips. She placed the cup down in front of the Empress and stepped back like she'd just defused a bomb.
(Quest Complete: Serve Tea Without Spillage.)
(Reward: +1 Dignity. Temporary Confidence Boost Activated.)
Celestia's gaze flicked toward her—sharp, assessing, and… faintly intrigued. "Not bad. Most new attendants tremble until they drown the table."
Li Mei blinked. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I try my best not to… drown things."
One of the older maids coughed into her sleeve to hide a laugh.
The Empress's tone, however, remained perfectly composed. "Continue."
Li Mei obeyed. Every movement became a dance between fear and concentration. She felt the other maids' stares prick her skin—envy, disdain, curiosity—all swirling together like storm clouds.
When it was finally over, her arms ached and her nerves were fried.
The Empress rose gracefully, her robe whispering like silk wind. "You've done well, Meiyun. But remember this: in the palace, competence attracts attention… and attention is not always a blessing."
Li Mei's lips parted. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Celestia's gaze lingered a moment longer, and for the briefest heartbeat, something in her expression shifted—something not cold, not cruel… almost thoughtful.
Then the mask returned, and she turned away.
(Quest Completed: First Day of Service in Phoenix Hall.)
(Reward: +5 Favorability with Empress Celestia. Hidden Trait Unlocked – Marked by the Phoenix.)
Li Mei blinked at the invisible text only she could see. "Marked by the Phoenix"? What kind of ominous nonsense—
But the System was silent.
Silent in that smug, knowing way that made her stomach twist.
When she left the hall, Bao'er nearly tackled her. "You're alive!"
"Barely," Li Mei wheezed. "I think I aged ten years just pouring tea."
Bao'er's eyes widened. "Everyone's talking about it already. The Empress watched you the whole time! You must've impressed her."
"Or doomed myself with flair," Li Mei muttered.
They both laughed weakly, but the sound came out strained. The weight of the palace hung heavy on her shoulders—its secrets, its dangers, its silent rules that no one ever wrote down but everyone somehow knew.
That night, Li Mei lay in her narrow bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling. Her body ached, her brain replaying the day like a fever dream.
Crown Prince Jianyu's piercing gaze.
Empress Celestia's cool, haunting smile.
The invisible pressure of power she didn't understand.
Two truths settled deep in her chest like stones.
One: the Crown Prince had nearly executed her.
Two: the Empress had claimed her.
Both facts were terrifying.
She turned onto her side, pulling the thin blanket to her chin. "Rule one: avoid Crown Prince. Rule two: don't disappoint the Empress. Rule three: survive by sarcasm alone."
(System Notification: Rule three unadvised. Sarcasm statistically reduces survival by 17%.)
Li Mei groaned. "Can I uninstall you?"
(Response: No.)
"…Figures."
Silence filled the tiny room, but her thoughts refused to quiet. The memory of Celestia's gaze lingered—sharp, knowing, almost… interested.
It sent a strange shiver down her spine.
And somewhere in that shiver, a whisper of something dangerous stirred—fate, perhaps, or the faint heat of destiny beginning to kindle.
Li Mei buried her face into the pillow. "Why couldn't I have just died from noodles and stayed dead?"
(Answer: Because fate is bored. And you are entertaining.)
"...I hate you," she muttered.
But even as she drifted toward sleep, she couldn't stop picturing the Empress's faint smile—the kind that promised both danger and opportunity.
Somewhere in the palace, the Phoenix spread its wings.
And Li Mei—marked, exhausted, and entirely unprepared—was caught right in the middle of its fire.