Virtues on Canvas

Sunlight came through the tall lattice windows of the pavilion, catching the dust floating above my worktable. At the center of the room, King Shen Zhilan lay motionless on a silk-covered daybed, his fingers idly moving over a dizi.

He had barely stirred for the past hour, never once looking toward my easel. I didn’t mind. I had heard those melodies countless times before, yet there was still something soothing about the quiet music.

As for the posing, it was little more than a formality. I could paint the sharp lines of his jaw and every strand of his long black hair from memory, with nothing more than a little pine-soot ink.

The music stopped as he lowered the instrument to his knee.

“Are you done yet, Miss Bai Qinlian?”

“I’m afraid I need some more time, Your Majesty. I hope you can spare me a little more of your divine patience.”

“Go on, then. But I would like to discuss more important matters with you,” he replied, his focus shifting to me for the first time.

I knew what this was about. Still, I kept up the pretense.

I straightened on my stool, setting my palette and brush aside.

“Is that so, Your Majesty? You know I will leave no stone unturned to help you, provided the task lies within the abilities of a humble artist such as myself.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Bai. I’m more than certain you can help me, as this is hardly different from what you’ve been doing for me since you were appointed Court Painter,” the king explained.

He gently set the dizi down on the daybed, stepped off the platform, and began walking toward me, still naked.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors. My entourage was never one I could call secretive. But now that it’s official, I wanted you to hear it from me.”

He came to a stop a few paces away, turned his head toward the window, and added,

“Despite my staunch opposition, my marriage with Lady Zhao Mingzhu, First Princess of Tianyu, has been confirmed by the Ministry. They claim it will quell the strife between our nations.

“I assume you understand what this means.”

And I knew the implications all too well.

In ten days’ time, the prospective queen was to join King Shen and the Seven Orchids in the Rite of Blossoming. In blunt terms, the king and his harem would host a day-long orgy in which each maiden would awaken the virtue she embodied within the chosen bride.

If only there were a harem…

“I certainly do, Your Majesty. Now, if I may—”

“I know, Miss Bai,” he interrupted, his cerulean eyes settling on my unfinished painting as he placed his right hand on my shoulder.

“Things would be far easier had I a real group of courtesans to indulge in debauchery, as my predecessors did. But my lack of interest in women—or intercourse, for that matter—is not something we can fake once a third party is involved.

“You’ve served me well over the years, convincing the realm and beyond of my carnal instincts through your art. Depicting every inch of my regal form in the utmost detail and, most importantly, fabricating the fine maidens everyone admires so much. And while they admire the Seven Orchids, it is your vivid, even scandalous, imagination that fascinates me,” the king noted.

I wasn’t sure whether to feel flattered by the comment or offended.

“Your Majesty, while I appreciate your compliments, I suspect you have more than flattery in mind. If you already have a proposal, I would be glad to hear it.”

The king took a moment to gather his thoughts, then slowly lowered himself to one knee beside my stool. His eyes were fixed on the wooden floorboards, unable to look at me as he spoke.

“Please recruit seven maidens from the pleasure houses for me. You likely have acquaintances there, and no one knows better than you how the Orchids should look. Would you say a bag of coins or a feast would be enough to keep their mouths shut?”

“I’m afraid that will hardly work. I understand your distress, with the kingdom’s reputation and destiny at stake. Yet, having turned away beautiful maidens from across the realm, allow me to question your sudden willingness to bed mere prostitutes.”

“I could never get close to those filthy bags of diseases!” the king snapped, raising his voice. Yet he didn’t shift a muscle.

I flinched, though.

“I only need them to populate the Shrine of Virtues, like horses neighing and whinnying in a stable—from a distance. For a warrior king, I am silver-tongued enough to persuade Lady Zhao that her virtue is already self-evident, allowing us to bypass the ritual.”

“No doubt she would consider it the highest honor, Your Majesty. Your people, though it may sound hypocritical coming from me, might take it as an insult to our traditions,” I pointed out.

The king rose to his feet and, with one impatient motion, knocked my easel aside, sending the unfinished painting crashing to the floor.

“If you dare question the king’s plans, Miss Bai Qinlian, surely you have a better one. Care to share it?”

I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but I couldn’t resist the urge. If the ruse were to be discovered, it would be my head on the block, not the king’s.

“Your Majesty, if you were to receive Lady Zhao at the shrine and have the alchemists prepare enough sleeping elixir to last several nights, maybe on the pretense that you cannot sleep from nervousness, I am certain I could paint the princess beside you and the Seven Orchids.

"A few hours would be enough. I will be gone by the time she comes back to her senses. You would then only need to convince her that the Blossoming left her unconscious, as no one would question the painting or your formidable reputation.”

The words came out like I’d practiced them beforehand.

In truth, I had.

“You never fail to surprise me, Miss Bai. Though I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything less from you,” the king said with a faint snort.

He turned his back to me and crossed the room to retrieve his clothes. One by one, he dressed in garments befitting his station: layers of fine azure silk, richly embroidered with intricate orchid patterns, fastened with ornaments of jade and gold. Even in the simplest of movements, there was no mistaking the wealth and authority he embodied.

“I may be the monarch of the most powerful kingdom on the continent, blessed by the Southern Winds and descended from Haixuan, the First Kunpeng, but I certainly lack the cunning born of hardship.”

Even from across the room, the faint smile on his lips reassured me, but was my plan truly flawless? Was it really any better than what a renowned war strategist might have come up with himself?

Then again, those of us in royal service certainly enjoy far more leisure than a warrior king, especially one as young as Shen Zhilan. And the heavens know I’ve had plenty of time to play out thousands of possibilities in my mind.

“Would you have me finish the portrait, Your Majesty?” I mumbled to break the awkward silence.

“You need not finish it now; it is late already. If you wish to take your implements to your workshop and complete it there, however, you have my permission. I will ask a guard to escort you as I depart.”

With that, King Shen Zhilan made his way toward the doors, where his attendants were already waiting to accompany him to his chambers.

“And one last thing, Miss Bai Qinlian,” the king said, turning back to face me. “Not a single detail may go awry during the Rite of Blossoming. I expect you in ten days for the ceremony. See that you are prepared.”

“Master Wenhao, if I may.”

“Your Excellency, what a pleasure to see you here. To what do I owe the honor?”

“I would like you to meet your new apprentice. Her name is Qinlian. She has no formal training, but as you can see, she’s young and can certainly benefit from your vast experience. I’m also told she has a natural talent for painting the human form.”

Certainly a creative way to put it. At least it was not as embarrassing as saying I’d been drifting from brothel to brothel since I was seven, making a living painting prostitutes who took pity on me.

That was my first time visiting Master Wenhao’s workshop, and everything was very distracting.

Peaceful landscapes, monsters and battles I had only ever heard of in songs, and countless other studies lined the walls. I could also see hundreds of brushes, jars of colorful pigments, and cabinets filled with bolts of silk and stacks of pristine xuan paper.

“Forgive me, High Minister Decheng. I did not know I was being assigned an apprentice, let alone a girl. In all my years as an artist, I have never taught a woman, and I cannot guarantee they have the sensibility required for this craft,” the artist remarked, as though I weren’t there.

The High Minister laughed under his breath.

“I suspected you might say that, but this is not your decision. It is a royal dictate. Miss Bai Qinlian here was just appointed Court Painter by the King himself.

“We appreciate your commitment so far, Master Wenhao, but starting today, it is Miss Bai who will be in charge of all paintings related to the newly selected Orchids. That will give you more time to train her while also focusing on your military and courtly paintings.

“You were not expecting to paint King Shen Zhilan’s harem the way you painted his father’s, I hope,” the High Minister added. "You're too old for that now..."

“I understand, Your Excellency.”

“However, Master Wenhao, I do respect you deeply for all your years of service, so I brought some of the girl’s paintings with me. They will be enough to convince you. And please forgive the state of the paintings—I have no doubt her future works will shine even brighter with access to your more exquisite materials.”

Although we got off on the wrong foot, Master Wenhao would become more than a mentor to me. Over the years, he became the closest thing I have ever had to a father.

I was only fourteen years old when I first visited the Royal Palace, something a girl like me could never have dreamed of. And not because I lacked ambition, but because it was difficult to dream of anything when the floor was cold and rats were something you had to watch out for.

But after being introduced to my new teacher, Master Wenhao, my next stop was my very own room.

It was supposed to be my first night feeling like a human being; washing up before dinner—and actually having dinner—sleeping in a comfortable bed… but I was far too excited and nervous to sleep. By the time I finally drifted off, it was almost time for my audience with the High Minister.

A while later, there we were, walking through the gardens of what seemed like a dreamscape.

“Miss Bai, this is the Shrine of Virtues, the home of the Seven Orchids and from now on, your new workspace,” High Minister Decheng explained. “I understand that you might not be familiar with what they represent, so please pay close attention as everything related to them will now be of vital importance to you:

“For generations, every King of Yunzhou has had his own harem, each of the Seven Orchids representing a virtue that will later on be passed down to the future queen. These are Benevolence, Righteousness, Loyalty, Courage, Wisdom, Integrity, and Temperance.

“But you see, Miss Bai,” the High Minister added, stopping in his tracks and looking me straight in the eye. “While you’re expected to paint these beautiful women and their encounters with the King, your task is a little more complex than that…

“If you’ll follow me…”

Whatever a high-ranking court official might ask of me, I was in no position to question it. After all, for the first time in my life, I could go to sleep knowing I would wake up the next morning.

Nevertheless, I was not expecting what followed.

In one of the patios, King Shen Zhilan was waiting for us, feeding fish in a pond. He was tall and muscular, yet his features were surprisingly delicate, with eyes as blue as the sky and dark hair longer than mine.

In hindsight, I should have shown him proper reverence, but panic got the best of me.

Anyone else would have been imprisoned or executed immediately for such a display of disrespect. In my case, both men simply overlooked the offense.

“Are you the painter?” the king said.

“She is, Your Majesty,” the High Minister replied before I could think of what to say. “I brought Miss Bai Qinlian here to show her around and properly explain her new tasks. That is also why I asked you to join us, so we can address the… more important details. My apologies for keeping you waiting.”

The young king didn’t seem fazed.

“Then I suppose my minister here has already told you about this shrine and the Seven Orchids. Is there nothing that catches your attention?”

To be honest, absolutely everything about my new circumstances caught my attention, but surely none of my answers would be what the King actually had in mind. The things that fascinated me most were probably of no importance to someone of his stature.

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I fear I don’t know how to answer your question.”

King Shen glanced at the HIgh Minister for a moment, then continued tossing grains to the fish.

“Qinlian, is that correct?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Miss Qinlian, other than the three of us, the only living creatures in this shrine are the carp in this pond. And if my seven maidens were responsible for feeding them, I’m afraid it would soon be as empty as their chambers.

Somehow, I hadn’t noticed how empty the shrine was. I was still trying to make sense of my new surroundings, and I suppose the place was large enough to make seven people seem insignificant. Still, now that the King had pointed it out, it seemed rather obvious.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” the king followed. “Any woman from the realm, or even from beyond the oceans, would be glad of joining my harem.

He was probably right. And I dare say, even men would be eager to stand by his side, given the opportunity.

“But for reasons only the gods know, and unlike my father and his father before him, I’m far more interested in fine arts and warcraft than I am in the pleasures of the flesh.

“So here’s my offer to you, Miss Bai. I’ll be straightforward, as I would rather leave no room for misunderstandings:

“I need a painter with enough imagination to bring the Seven Orchids to life and convince anyone who might doubt them that my harem is real, as it has been for generations.

“I may be the King, but Yunzhou is above my name and personal tastes. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I understand.”

I didn’t.

Even for a girl from the slums like me, with no education to speak of, stories of kings having everything within their reach were an everyday occurrence, especially when told through the envious eyes of commoners. Glory, fortune… and the pleasure of bedding whoever they pleased.

“And how should these maidens look, Your Majesty?” I asked innocently.

“Do you think I care?” he replied almost dismissively. “It's up to you. Paint yourself as one of the Orchids, if you wish. If you make sure they are worthy of a king, that's more than enough for me.”

“The reason we recruited you, Miss Bai, is because your experience as an artist goes beyond simply knowing how to wield a brush. Master Wenhao is no doubt a skilled painter, but you spent years drawing naked prostitutes and watching them engage in all sorts of things. While not a sight any child should have been exposed to, I cannot deny that it is exactly what we need,” High Minister Decheng interrupted.

“And who knows? Maybe being close to King Shen will finally awaken his lust for women,” the old man added with a smirk.

Of course, it was not a joke the king appreciated. It brought out the worst in him.

“Let me be clear,” the King said as he approached me for the first time. “The whole scheme depends on you, even though you’re nothing but a whore painter. You’ll have a home, fine clothes, food prepared especially for you, and all the comforts befitting a noblewoman.

“You’ll even have access to painting lessons with Master Wenhao and all the materials you need. That seems to be what you enjoy doing, and you’ve had a miserable life so far, so I don’t see why you’d turn it down…

“But if, for some mysterious reason, you were to refuse,” the King whispered threateningly, his voice barely audible beside my ear, “no one will think twice before killing you.”

What the High Minister said next was no less threatening, so I could only look down..

“To be more accurate, if someone outside these walls were to discover the secret, your head will be the first to roll in a long list of victims. You and I, Miss Bai, but also the pleasure house owner we pay weekly to make it look as if you were recruited to work in the farms. Even Master Wenhao.

“King Shen and our entire realm would become the laughingstock of the continent, and it wouldn’t be long before other kingdoms dared to attack us. Yunzhou is a strong nation, but even we would not withstand a combined siege.”

Suddenly, the thought of going hungry or facing the bitter winters without a roof over my head didn’t seem quite so terrible anymore.

To the High Minister, I was a young woman who might sooner or later stir King Shen’s carnal instincts. To the King, I was a means of giving shape to his illusion.

To both of them, I was an insignificant tool.

“Think about it, Miss Bai Qinlian,” the King said as he took my hands in his. “Please give me your final answer before the sun goes down.”

There was not much to think about, as my only other option was death—and with me, the only person who had ever sheltered me and put food on my table.

Still, there was something about King Shen Zhilan I couldn’t quite put into words. To this day, I'm still not sure if it was his looks, or the contradiction between his gentleness and his coldness. All I know is that I found myself considering my new role as a carp in a luxury pond.

Maybe highborn girls dream of marrying a glorious king and ruling beside him.

But me? A poor nobody? I never would have dreamed of becoming a Court Painter with an entire kingdom resting on my shoulders.

The evening the war with Tianyu broke out, some three years ago, my duties as a painter became virtually nonexistent. King Shen was rarely at the palace, and the court’s high-ranking officials hardly ever left the war room.

There was nothing for me to paint. Master Wenhao, on the other hand, was preparing for what he did best.

Like sister islands in strategic positions, Tianyu and Yunzhou had never been at peace, but never in all my years had they attacked each other.

It was also the first time our king had led us into a proper war, rather than the usual skirmishes.

“Master Wenhao, can I ask you something?” I broke the silence, interrupting the lesson in the process. He met my gaze, expecting a question about my technique or the new varnishes I had been using.

“What do you feel when you paint the soldiers who die in battle? Not only ours, but theirs.”

My words took him by surprise, and I could tell he was analyzing how to reply.

“I suppose it’s no different from what you must feel when painting the Orchids. Feelings won’t get in the way of putting food on the table.

“Whether it’s a royal harem or a royal army, both are destined to meet a tragic end,” he concluded, and his words left me wondering.

“What do you mean, Master?”

“You really don’t know?” he asked, staring at me in disbelief. “All these years painting them and they never told you?”

But tell me what? And who?

If he meant the Orchids, I obviously couldn’t ask them. The same went for the old High Minister, who had sadly passed away a few weeks after recruiting me—a heart attack, the doctors said. Everyone else here ignored me. I was just a painter.

“Child, why do you think you only see the new Orchids at the shrine, but never the previous ones?”

Apparently, my attention to detail only worked when I painted. It wasn’t the first time someone had made me feel stupid for missing something right in front of me.

“They… are released to live out normal lives as commoners?” I thought I had come up with a clever answer.

That was probably the first time I heard Master Wenhao laugh. Loudly. Genuinely.

“They’re killed. Murdered. Not in battle, not with dignity. Just disposed of by the new queen when they’ve served their purpose,” he added, trying his best to regain his composure.

“Most queens did it mercifully. Others probably enjoyed the bloodbath. Queen Wei Meiying even made a ceremony of it, beheading them in the public square and leaving their bodies there for a week for everyone to see.

“At this rate, I’ll have to start teaching you history alongside painting,” Master Wenhao said, gesturing for me to get back to my exercise.

So that’s the true nature behind the Rite of Blossoming. Behind the Seven Orchids.

At that moment, I finally understood that, virtues or not, those women were no different from me. Chosen for a purpose, given a place, and eventually replaced when they were no longer needed.

On the Night of the Blue Orchids, the palace was alive with celebration. While the Rite of Blossoming took place, hundreds of people danced and feasted in the ballroom, while others were already discussing how to move forward once the ceremonies were over and the marriage had been consummated. Maybe King Shen and his new queen were partaking in a protracted orgy, but politics waits for no one, and everyone was out for their own advantage.

But behind the golden gates of the Shrine of Virtues, something far more consequential than a king and queen in bed was taking place.

“Is she asleep already?” I asked, looking at the half-empty pot of laced wine.

Lady Zhao lay on the grass, out cold like a slaughtered pig yet dignified in her pretty dress and red coral accessories. And though her face was peaceful, the longer I looked at her, the more I began to question my plan.

“It doesn’t matter, Miss Bai,” said the king, reaching beneath his robes toward his waist. “It should be enough for us to follow through.”

For a moment, I thought I understood what he meant. As long as Lady Zhao couldn’t remember what was going on, and I could paint her into the orgy, I had no reason to care about anything else.

I’d had the entire composition worked out for days, and painting the Seven Orchids or King Shen Zhilan was hardly a challenge by now. But when it came to portraying a future queen, there was no room for mistakes.

It was my first time seeing Lady Zhao, so I needed to make sure I did her beauty justice. Not just her beauty but the innocence in her resting face.

Still, when I saw King Shen draw a small dagger before moving toward her, I knew I had missed something.

“Your Majesty!” I yelled, throwing my supplies aside and rushing between the king and the princess. “Please, I implore you to reconsider what you’re about to do.”

He stopped, closed his eyes, and let out a faint breath. It was only a brief moment, but it felt like an eternity—one in which the king convinced himself he was right rather than doubting his decision.

“I appreciate your concern, Miss Bai. And though I sincerely apologize for taking advantage of you once again, I’m truly thankful for your help, as I’m sure your original plan would have succeeded had it not been for one small detail.”

“A small detail, you say?”

My heart was racing, and I was in no state to think. All I knew was that killing the Tianyu princess would put a target on our backs. Nevertheless, I was burning with curiosity, desperate to know what King Shen was talking about.

“So far, everything had unfolded as you intended,” the king calmly explained, looking me straight in the eyes. “We gave Lady Zhao the wine infused with the sleeping elixir, and now she’s unconscious. No one outside suspects a thing, and she had no time to question the existence of my Orchids.“We both know painting her while she’s sedated would be the easy part,” he followed.

“But did you ever ask Lord Decheng—may he rest in peace—how the Rite of Blossoming actually concludes, beyond the bride-to-be emerging worthy? You certainly haven’t asked me in all these years…”

Once again, he was savoring the expression on my face whenever I failed to notice the simplest things or ask the most obvious questions. Wounding me—not with the dagger he held, but with something that hurt even more than a thrust of steel.

This time, however, I wasn’t oblivious. I was pretending to be.

“I take it it’s not with a murdered princess, Your Majesty.”

“But with seven murdered maidens,” he quickly countered. “There will be bloodshed one way or the other, Miss Bai.”

“I am aware. Master Wenhao told me long ago… But you can put an end to this and let her go, Your Majesty. I’m begging you.”

The king paused for a moment, visibly affected by the unexpected revelation.

“So it wasn’t a miscalculation on your part?

“Ah… you certainly never fail to surprise me, Miss Bai.” King Shen said, almost conceding defeat.

“Now, if I don’t kill Lady Zhao, she will wake up sooner or later with no harem to murder and complete the Blossoming. So tell me, Miss Bai, what’s the difference if all roads lead to the same end?”

The king sure had a point. Even if she were to wake up and forget about the Orchids, Lady Zhao Mingzhu would return to Tianyu completely humiliated, proven unworthy of the Virtues. Her father and brothers would quickly try to restore both her honor and that of their kingdom.

They would answer just as King Shen would have.

War was inevitable, imminent. Something that had once felt like an abstract concept on Master Wenhao’s paintings was now dormant just behind me, in the form of an innocent girl my age.

“At the risk of offending you, Your Majesty, I don’t see how killing Lady Zhao will change anything. You’ll start the very same war our kingdom is trying to prevent by marrying you to her, yes, yet everyone will see you as a killer. A traitor.”

“Nonsense!” the king yelled, gripping the dagger tighter. “Even if you were right, they may call me a traitor now, but they will all recognize me as their rightful king once I defeat them.”

“I’m sure they will, but it’s not your only option,” I dared.

“Even if I had all the time in the world, I could never find an argument that would convince you to stay away from war, Your Majesty. All the love you lack for women, you make up for in your love of battle.”

“Ironic, don’t you think, Miss Bai?” he asked, getting up and slowly turning toward my easel, putting my scattered supplies back in place one by one.

“Had I truly meant to kill the princess, I suppose I would have done so already. You are no obstacle to a warrior king… yet here we are.”

There was no denying that, and once again, I found myself curious. By now, it wasn’t his constant contradictions, but the fact that there was always something more to uncover. Something that kept drawing me in.

King Shen slowly approached me and extended a hand to help me up.

“To be honest with you, a decision was made long ago, and nothing you could say or do will change it. Lady Zhao Mingzhu will be dead soon, and whatever happens here will remain a secret, as no one is allowed to enter this shrine.

“As for the war, it doesn’t worry me. We will eventually win it.

“But to make sure my darkest secrets remain protected, there’s one thing I needed to confirm. And that’s why I needed to delay things,” he confidently added, handing me one of my brushes.

At that moment, my heart was pounding like never before. I couldn’t tell why.

“You see, Miss Bai, all this time I played along to my council’s intentions. It was the new High Minister who suggested marrying a Tianyu princess, not me… but, strange as it sounds, that gave me the opportunity I needed.”

I was overwhelmed by my emotions, and all I could concentrate on was King Shen’s voice and pretending I wasn’t shaking.

“Opportunity?” I asked.

“With these very brushes, you’ve painted the Seven Orchids. Seven maidens whom every woman in the kingdom admires and every man lusts after.

“Or, as you’ve pointed out many times, every man but me.” he remarked.

“I’m far more interested in the Virtues themselves…

“Benevolence, who bears some resemblance to my mother; Wisdom and Righteousness, whom you paint as beautiful twins; Temperance, the youngest in the harem; Integrity, whom I’d wager you modeled after yourself…”

“…And then there are Courage and Loyalty,” the king completed. “They are the reason we’re here.”

My mind was blank as he explained it all. I felt like I was on the verge of understanding, yet at the same time, I was utterly clueless.

“…So listen to me carefully, Miss Bai: in a moment, Lady Zhao will be murdered. Don’t alarm yourself, I’ll make sure her death is painless.

“Then, I’ll stab myself somewhere that won’t hit anything vital.”

“What?! Are you out of your mind, Your Majesty?!” My voice cracked.

“Courage and Loyalty, Miss Bai. This is your Rite of Blossoming, don’t you see?”

It clicked. Finally.

“If you ask me, they’re virtues you show me every day. I’m sorry for putting you in this situation, but I need everyone in my kingdom to see them in something other than the paintings that uphold my lie.”

“Wait. What do you…? Are you really…?” I choked out, feeling my throat tighten.

“I never looked at you with hunger in my eyes, nor did I ever intend to confess my love to anyone. I expected to die unwed. Then I could simply appoint an heir when I was old enough…

“But High Minister Decheng was right all along, that dirty bastard. Being around you had an impact on me, and now I’m putting my future in your hands,” King Shen Zhilan said, reaching for my trembling hands.

“War with Tianyu can’t be avoided, but if you proceeded with my plan, I’d have a queen-to-be to return to. One that reunites all Seven Virtues. One that, in a way, made this shrine her home for so many years.

“One that I deeply care about, and who, without the people or even herself knowing it, has supported my reign all this time.”

I was… touched. So much so that tears began to fall, and I couldn’t stop them. I realized I felt the same. Not desire, not love as I knew it… something purer. So pure that it was extremely convenient for both of us, almost god-sent.

“If everyone believes Lady Zhao foolishly tried to kill me, and that you grabbed the dagger to save me while I fought her off, then I could marry a commoner. But only if you save my life.” King Shen explained, fully aware of the rules.

“But what about the Blossoming? Or the Orchids?”

“You’ll have your own Rite of Blossoming. And if it’s just the two of us, there’ll be nothing to pretend.”

When I arrived at the Shrine of Virtues earlier, I expected the Blossoming to be nothing but a farce. Somehow, I ended up being the one undergoing the rite.

If we had come this far, it was because King Shen’s Orchids had never really existed. And yet, there they were—on my canvas, showing both the king and me that I had always possessed the very virtues they represented.

And just as I had created them, I was now being given the chance to be the one to kill them. One final deception, the biggest one yet, that could finally let King Shen and me leave behind the secrets we had been carrying for so many years.

“Your Majesty… how does ‘Queen Bai Qinlian’ sound?” I asked, trying to make myself believe this wasn't some wild dream.

Behind me, I could hear the princess mumbling as she slowly stirred awake.

Then, the sharp sound of steel piercing flesh.