Chapter 1

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In the eighth year of Emperor Xander's reign, I spent my last winter in the servant quarters of the imperial palace.

"I knew it was you who stole it, you little thief! Kneel here for three hours, not a minute less!" the matron yelled as she walked past, kicking me for good measure.

I instinctively wanted to dodge but forced myself to stay still and take the blow. If I avoided it this time, there would just be worse punishment later.

"How dare you, you insolent wretch! From now on, you'll kneel here every day. When you finally die kneeling, we'll roll you up in a ragged mat and toss you in the paupers' graveyard like your dead mother!"

The snow was falling heavier, piling up on my shoulders as if trying to push me into the ground. I stared blankly at the distant snowy landscape, lost in thought.

I knew this would only enrage the old hag further, but over the years I had tried every approach - meek submission, fierce resistance. None of it made any difference.

They would never let me have peace. I was the daughter of a disgraced official. If my family hadn't fallen from grace, I would have been their mistress.

Once that line between mistress and servant was crossed, we became enemies. Class hatred knew no bounds.

"Who's kneeling there?"

"Your Highness, it's likely a maid being punished for some wrongdoing."

Most of the time my mind was in a fog, but on that day, breaking through the crowd of palace attendants, I looked up and met those eyes.

Beautiful eyes sparkling with life, an exquisitely painted flower adorning her forehead - the only splash of red amidst the heavy snow, piercing through the bitter cold of deep winter.

But those eyes merely glanced over me before moving on.

I lowered my head again, counting the footsteps of the departing entourage.

"Get up and come with me."

At last, I was leaving this place where human life was cheaper than dirt.

The thick snow quickly covered the footprints I left behind.

Little did I know then that in the vast imperial palace, the servant quarters were just one small corner of the man-eating machine.

I followed the palace maid for a long while before arriving at a magnificent palace surrounded by red plum blossoms.

"This will be your bed. Unless Her Highness summons you, just do some sweeping and cleaning outside the hall," she instructed.

"Yes, I understand."

I gently touched the first real bed I'd had in years. The servant quarters were far behind me now.

For the next two weeks, I kept my head down and focused on my work. Eventually I learned that my new mistress was Duchess Keera, who had recently entered the palace. Though a newcomer, she was already highly favored by the Emperor.

"Just look at all these plum blossoms - Her Highness clearly loves lively scenes. We must make sure the flowers bloom as vibrantly as possible," said Luna, the maid who slept next to me. She was refreshingly warm and lively.

"But with the weather so cold, surely Her Highness won't come out to admire the blossoms?" I wondered.

Luna sighed. "Even if Her Highness doesn't come out, how else will she know we've taken such good care of the plum blossoms?"

"Senior Flora picks plum blossoms for Her Highness every day. The flowers do make it into Her Highness's chambers."

"You're quite carefree about it. I wonder when I'll get to serve inside the chambers."

It was only after leaving the servant quarters that I realized even the lowliest palace maid had clear life goals and plans to achieve them.

I had always drifted through life in a numb haze, never thinking about the future.

But now I just wanted to tend these plum blossoms well for Her Highness.

Perhaps Luna's constant grumbling moved the heavens. One day the weather suddenly turned fine, and we heard Duchess Keera had invited the other consorts to come admire the flowers.

Luna had been inspecting every branch in the garden since dawn, even praying for the blossoms to bloom more vibrantly.

She put on the new uniform she'd been saving and the hairpin she'd asked the eunuch buyer to bring back last month.

"Once I get to serve inside, I'll make sure you eat and drink well too. We'll be able to casually eat or toss out those fancy cakes from the imperial kitchen without a second thought."

Before she could finish daydreaming, the servants preparing for the gathering told us to move further back.

Though disgruntled, Luna had no choice but to retreat with me behind the crowd.

"Look how arrogant they are. Palace maids really are divided into different ranks. Don't take it lightly."

I smiled and shook my head, my gaze drifting to the distance. I had never truly seen Her Highness up close.

That fleeting glimpse on that snowy day - I felt the entire garden of plum blossoms couldn't compare to half of Her Highness's beauty.

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