Before she could recover, a shout echoed from the hallway. Lady Yun had cornered one of the kitchen staff, yelling about missing reports. The kitchen erupted into chaos, and Li Mei ducked behind barrels, system alerts blazing.

Ding!

Chaos Instinct activated.

By the time the Empress returned to inspect, the minor disaster had somehow been "resolved." Li Mei had redirected supplies, distracted Lady Yun, and somehow made the kitchen more efficient—all while thinking only about escaping Jianyu's teasing eyes.

Celestia's silver gaze swept over the scene, meeting Li Mei's. For a heartbeat, the faintest curl of approval appeared.

"Impressive," the Empress said.

Li Mei's knees threatened to buckle. "Impressive? Me? I was literally hiding behind barrels!"

Hint: Sometimes survival looks like skill.

Celestia's lips curved faintly. "Stay close. You are more useful than you realize. But remember: usefulness draws enemies. Use it wisely, little maid."

Li Mei gulped, the weight of palace politics settling like armor over her shoulders. The maze had turned into a game, and she had just unlocked the first cheat code: accidental genius with a dash of charm.

Unfortunately, everyone now had eyes on her—friends, foes, and even the Crown Prince.

Quest Updated: Navigate the Rising Court Intrigue. Objective: Avoid political disasters, maintain Empress favor, survive Crown Prince interest. Reward: +300 XP, new system skill unlocked: Charm by Chaos. Failure: Death by intrigue.

Li Mei groaned, a sound somewhere between terror and exhilaration. "I'm doomed."

Ding!

Reminder: XP gained. You are surviving brilliantly.

She looked up at the vaulted ceilings, marble columns stretching endlessly, the scent of polished stone and distant incense filling her senses. Somehow, between stolen pastries, system alerts, and the dangerous attention of the Emperor's family, she had survived another day.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Li Mei realized one terrifying truth: she might not survive, but if she did… she might just become unstoppable.

Li Mei huddled behind a stack of flour barrels, trying to become invisible—a strategy that had worked approximately zero times in her life but seemed worth a shot now. The scent of warm bread, sugar, and baking spices filled her nose, mixing with the tang of iron from the polished kitchen tools. It was oddly comforting, if you ignored the fact that someone was out to get her, and also that the Crown Prince was lurking somewhere nearby.

"Practicing stealth and pastry theft, little maid?" The voice sliced through the aroma like a blade.

Li Mei's head snapped up, and her heart performed a triple somersault. Crown Prince Jianyu leaned against the doorway, that maddeningly perfect posture making him look like he owned every inch of the palace. One dark lock of hair fell across his eyebrow, shadowing his sharp eyes. The smirk curling his lips was infuriatingly smug.

"Y-you—uh—Your Highness! I—um—I—" she stammered, cheeks burning hotter than the ovens behind her.

Jianyu's laughter was soft, low, teasing, and silky. "Relax. I'm not here to scold you," he said, stepping closer. His gaze scanned the pastry she clutched, sharp yet teasing. "Though I must say, I admire your choice of sustenance. Very… resourceful."

Li Mei's brain short-circuited. "I… I was… uh… testing the dough quality?"

Side Quest Activated: Convince Crown Prince of Innocent Motives. Difficulty: Medium.

"You test dough?" Jianyu raised one perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Yes! Um… for… science?" Li Mei waved her hand desperately, as if that could undo her public humiliation at court and somehow justify herself.

Jianyu leaned casually against the counter, too close, his presence filling the small space with an oppressive charm. "Science, hm? Curious that your experiments yield political results as well."

Li Mei wanted to vanish into the pastry basket, but instead, she muttered, "I… I… I don't—uh—mean to!"

"Of course not," he murmured, eyes softening just slightly. "Yet somehow, you do."

Her ears burned, her knees threatened to buckle, and the system's warnings flashed relentlessly:

Warning: Emotional entanglement detected.
Warning: Heart rate elevated dangerously.
Hint: Avoid prolonged eye contact.

"I… I… must go!" Li Mei shouted internally, grabbing the first excuse that came to mind.

Jianyu chuckled, letting her slip past with a faint tug of gravity, the smirk lingering like a challenge. "Run carefully, little maid. The palace is filled with traps. And I… enjoy watching how you navigate them."

As she fled deeper into the kitchen, Li Mei's mind raced. Her accidental suggestion at court had already earned her unwanted attention, and now, even the Crown Prince had his eyes on her.

And then came Lady Yun, sharp-eyed and whispering schemes from the balcony above. The minor noblewoman had spotted the chaos in the kitchen and wasted no time. She descended with a calculated grace, fingers drumming like a spider preparing its web.

"That maid… she's dangerous," Lady Yun hissed under her breath, watching Li Mei duck behind barrels. "The Empress favors her, and the Crown Prince notices. If I do not act soon, she will disrupt everything."

Li Mei ducked lower, wondering if she could somehow disappear entirely, maybe into a sack of flour. Her mind raced: Okay. Calm down. You survived court. You survived… staring down the Crown Prince. You can survive this.

Then disaster struck—or rather, opportunity. A commotion erupted as Lady Yun cornered a kitchen assistant, screaming about missing reports. Pans clanged, baskets tipped, and flour dusted the air like a ghostly fog. Li Mei, buried behind barrels, accidentally tripped over a rolling pin. It clattered across the floor and… somehow redirected the flow of supplies, distracted Lady Yun, and caused a minor but perfect domino effect of efficiency in the chaos.

Ding!

Chaos Instinct activated.

Li Mei froze. Wait. That worked?

By the time Empress Celestia returned for her inspection, the kitchen looked surprisingly… orderly. The flour dust had settled, the assistants were scrambling, yet productive, and Lady Yun was nowhere to be seen.

Celestia's silver eyes scanned the room, finally resting on Li Mei. For a heartbeat, the faintest curl of approval flickered across her lips.

"Impressive," she said, voice calm, unyielding, but with the smallest trace of warmth.

Li Mei's knees threatened to buckle. "Impressive? Me? I was literally hiding behind barrels!" she protested in her head.

Hint: Sometimes survival looks like skill.

Celestia's lips curved faintly. "Stay close. You are more useful than you realize. But remember: usefulness draws enemies. Use it wisely, little maid."

Li Mei swallowed hard. Her accidental competence had just painted a target on her back, and yet… there was a thrill to it, a dangerous, delicious thrill that made her pulse race.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized a terrifying truth: the palace was no longer just a maze to survive. It was a game, and she had just unlocked the first cheat code—accidental genius with a dash of charm.

The reality of it hit her: everyone now had eyes on her—friends, foes, and even the Crown Prince, whose teasing gaze lingered like a spark over dry tinder.

Quest Updated: Navigate the Rising Court Intrigue.
Objective: Avoid political disasters, maintain Empress favor, survive Crown Prince interest.
Reward: +300 XP, new system skill unlocked: Charm by Chaos.
Failure: Death by intrigue.

Li Mei groaned, exhaling a mix of fear, exhilaration, and disbelief. "I'm doomed," she muttered, feeling the weight of palace politics pressing down like a velvet-and-steel guillotine.

Ding!

Reminder: XP gained. You are surviving brilliantly.

She lifted her eyes to the vaulted ceilings, marble columns stretching endlessly, and inhaled the mingling scents of polished stone, warm pastries, and lingering incense. Somehow, she had survived yet another day in the imperial palace. Somehow, she had turned chaos into advantage.

And, somewhere deep in her chest, a spark ignited: if she could survive this, if she could outwit nobles, evade assassins, and dodge the Crown Prince's teasing, she might not just survive. She might actually become unstoppable.

But Li Mei also knew one thing for certain: the higher you climb in the palace, the sharper the claws waiting for you. And somewhere, waiting in the shadows, Lady Yun and others were already sharpening theirs.

The game was on—and this time, she had no choice but to play.