The maids dropped onto their knees as soon as they filed in.

"What exactly," the Emperor started, "was so important that some insignificant maids dare to barge in on a private trial?"

The poor maids were trembling as they put their heads to the ground. Their robes - layered as they were - were barely enough to conceal the way their bodies shook with fear. The cold marble floor beneath them offered no comfort, and the moment's weight pressed down on their hunched forms.

"Speak," the Emperor commanded, his voice calm and cold yet unreadable. It was enough to send shivers down one's spine.

The eldest maid, her hands pressed flat against the floor, lifted her head slightly. Her lips trembled, and her eyes darted briefly to Samaya before she swallowed hard. Samaya clenched her teeth and hoped that she was able to convey the desperate message.

Stop.

She was not.

"Your Majesty," she began, her voice shaking yet filled with determination, "we beg your forgiveness. But … we could not stay silent. Not when Lady Qing is facing such serious accusations."

"Oh?" The Emperor raised a single eyebrow. "And what could you not stay silent about."

There was a pause and Samaya could hear the maid's breath shudder.

"Kang Yanxin."

Samaya's breath caught in her throat. It seemed that the woman was was going to spill the truth. She took a sharp step forward, her hands curling into fists, her nails digging into her palms.

"Get out," she snapped, her voice edged with uncharacteristic panic. "I told you not to get involved."

The maids flinched but did not retreat. They remained prostrated, stubborn to a fault. Their determination was admirable, but Samaya felt nothing but dread. They were putting themselves at risk.

One of the maids at the back turned towards her. "Lady Qing, we … we cannot stay silent anymore, not when you are here fighting against the injustices that we never had the courage to fight."

"I told you that I do not need your help. Do you want to end up like Rin?"

There was silence for a moment before the eldest maid took a deep breath. "If that is what it takes."

"Oh, for God's sake-"

"Silence."

The Emperor's voice was cold, sharp as a blade, cutting through her words. Samaya's body stiffened as his gaze locked onto her, piercing and unforgiving.

"We have not given you permission to speak, Lady Qing. If you speak again," he continued, his tone carrying a grave warning, "you will be punished."

Samaya clenched her jaw, forcing herself to step back. She had a feeling that the Emperor was on the edge of her side. She did not wish to reverse that. As much as it pained her to admit it, even to herself, the Emperor held all the power here. Her heart pounded as she watched the maids, powerless to stop what was coming.

"Continue," the Emperor ordered.

The eldest maid lifted her face, her gaze steady despite her obvious fear. A deep breath steadied her trembling lips.

"Your Majesty," she said, her voice stronger now, "Rin was not the only victim. We… we were victims, too."

The room stilled. Samaya held her breath, watching the reactions of everyone. The Emperor was unreadable, as always. Han Qin had tensed. Kang Yanxin had wide eyes trained on the maids while his father had rage emerging on his face.

But no one spoke. The silence was deafening. Even the flickering lanterns along the walls seemed to dim.

Minister Kang's face darkened. A muscle twitched at his jaw.

"What nonsense is this?" he barked, rising to his feet. "Lies! Brazen lies!"

The maid pressed forward, her voice trembling but unyielding.

"We swear upon our lives, Your Majesty. We were taken - some of us more than once - by Kang Yanxin… and sometimes, by his friends."

A low murmur swept over the gathered nobles, their once-stoic faces now contorted in shock. The two "neutral" Ministers exchanged furtive glances while the Grand Preceptor simply stared at the women. There was a seemingly impassive look on his face, but he could not hide the glint in his eyes. The only one who showed any appropriate reaction was Han Qin, who had his jaw clenched and - by the way his muscles seemed to ripple beneath the clothes - it seemed his hands were too.

He was trying to keep control of his rage.

Minister Kang - however - had no such compunction.

"Lies!" Minister Kang thundered. "You expect us to believe this filth?"

"You do not have the power to decide what is filth," Han Qin interrupted. "That power belongs solely to the Emperor."

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He turned to the maids. "If we ask you to identify your violator, would you do so? Is he here, right now?"

The eldest maid pointed a trembling finger directly at Kang Yanxin. One by one, the maids lifted their hands, emboldened by their leader, and pointed at the man.

Kang Yanxin sat frozen, his face paling beneath the bruises and wounds. His fingers clenched into the fabric of his robes, but his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line. He swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat refused to budge. Samaya could tell that the tense posture was sending ripples of pain throughout his body. Even so, he could not relax.

Minister Kang let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head.

"You are mere maids!" he spat. "Your words hold no weight. Why should we believe you?"

Samaya exhaled slowly, then turned to face him, her expression carefully blank but the ripples of wrath beneath the calm facade would be clear to anyone who knew her. When she spoke, her voice was eerily calm.

"No woman would ever lie about such dishonor," she said, her voice dangerously quiet. "Not in this court, not before the Emperor, not when the punishment for betraying His Majesty's trust is exile at best and execution for six generations at worst."

She let her words sink in before continuing, her tone unwavering.

"Even if the Emperor were to grant them mercy, their lives would be ruined. No one would take them as wives or concubines. They have doomed themselves. And yet, they are here, speaking the truth. Why would they do so if not because it is the truth? Because whatever has happened has gone past what they can tolerate?"

She turned to the Emperor at her last questions, seeking silently a fair judgment from the man.

The Emperor flicked his gaze toward her and then regarded the maids, his golden gaze scrutinizing. His fingers tapped idly against the armrest of his seat.

"Why did you not come forward before?" He asked.

One of the younger maids hesitated, then spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We were afraid."

"Afraid?" the Emperor repeated, his tone unreadable.

"The Kang family is powerful," she said. "They have the support of the Imperial Consort's family. If we had spoken out, nothing would have happened to him. No one would have stood with us."

The Emperor studied them for a long moment.

"And what changed?"

The maids exchanged glances before one of them turned her gaze toward Samaya.

"We had someone to stand for us," she said, her voice steadier now. "Someone who would oppose the powerful for a mere maid. We could not let her face this alone."

The words were soft, meant to praise her, but they only sent a punch through her gut. She had not been doing this to stand up for them. She had done this from a selfish desire to help Rin see the fucker's head on a pike at first, drunk on and so very sure of her own powers and invincibility, and later from the rage and desire for revenge burning in her. It had nothing to do with them. Granted, she had not known that there were other victims, though she should have guessed. But even if she had known, she probably would not have hesitated to use them.

She looked away, needing to calm herself. She swallowed the guilt. It tasted like ash.

The room was thick with tension. Minister Kang sneered.

"This is laughable," he scoffed. "They seek attention. They think this play will earn them sympathy, will sway the Emperor's decision! Tell us truly, who set you up for this?"

The man's eyes flicked to Samaya, his meaning clear. Samaya opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted when Han Qin, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His deep, steady voice cut through the tense air.

"No maid would reveal her dishonor for mere games, for mere sympathy," he said coolly, his eyes piercing into the older man's. "Minister Kang would be wise to be mindful of his words."

Minister Kang opened his mouth to retort, but Han Qin turned to the Emperor without giving the man the chance to speak at all.

"There is a way to determine the truth," he said.

The room turned to him in both curiosity and nervous anticipation.

"A talisman," he continued, pulling a small parchment from his sleeve. "It forces the bearer to speak only the truth. If they attempt to lie, they will experience unbearable pain. It will be as if someone is trying to squeeze their heart and pouring fire into every vein of their body."

Samaya frowned. She had not known there was such a talisman. It would have made some of her missions and interrogations much easier. If such a talisman existed, why did Siwang never lend it to her? Was it because it was too dangerous? Or was it because he feared Samaya might use it against him or his Sect members one day?

She was brought out of her thoughts as Han Qin turned to the maids.

"Are you willing to take the test?"

Samaya exhaled shakily and pushed those thoughts out of her head. There was no use or need to dwell on them right now. She turned her attention back to the scene before her.

The maids looked at one another, clearly fearful. Then, the eldest of the maids took a shaky breath and straightened slightly where she was still kneeling on the floor, before nodding without hesitation.

"Yes, my lord."

Minister Kang scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Ridiculous."

Samaya had to give it to him. The man could mask his emotions quite well. If he was nervous about the test - and Samaya was pretty sure that he was - he did not let it show. The same could not be said for Kang Yanxin, who was starting to breathe slightly heavier than before, with wide eyes trained solely on the maids.

Han Qin ignored him and turned to Kang Yanxin, who worked hard to keep any insulting expression from his face.

"And you?" he asked.

Kang Yanxin stiffened. His eyes darted between the Emperor, his father, and the talisman. Samaya could see his body quiver.

"Why should I have to prove myself?" he demanded, his voice a touch too frantic. "I am telling the truth!"

Han Qin tilted his head slightly.

"Then you have nothing to fear."

He took a step forward, talisman in hand. Kang Yanxin recoiled, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Then, he moved.

Despite his injuries, he struggled violently, throwing himself off the chair in an attempt to get away from Han Qin. He landed on the ground with a painful thud and then desperately tried to scramble away, his hands trying to leverage the ground while strangled screams left his throat as the scrambling and dragging of his body rubbed against what was once his manhood.

Those guttural sounds sent savage satisfaction coursing through her, and it was all she could do not to let a grin spread over her face. The very thought that this man would never be able to touch a woman was worth every bit of hassle she had to go through due to her haphazard plan.

The room watched in utter silence and astonishment.

Han Qin did not pursue him. Instead, he turned to the Emperor.

"I believe that answers the question of who is telling the truth."

The Emperor's expression darkened, his eyes glinting dangerously as he watched Kang Yanxin like a predator watched prey.

"Guards," he commanded, his voice akin to ice, "take Kang Yanxin away."

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