Butterfly Wings

"He dares to betray Qin!"

Ying Zheng's voice rang with fury through the Qin Palace's Grand Hall.

At the foot of the hall, Mi Hua and Fusu knelt on the ground. Since Mi Qi had betrayed Qin, the mother and son had been the ones hit hardest.

Ying Zheng had no queen, and his eldest son, Fusu, had been taught by Verdant Green Maiden. His succession as the next King of Qin had practically been set in stone!

But now, after Mi Qi's betrayal, Fusu's status at the Imperial Court had become awkward in an instant, since he carried Chu blood. The ministers' purge of the Chu bloodline soon escalated into an attack on all officials from outside Qin.

Under these circumstances, they naturally couldn't allow a new king with Chu blood to ascend the throne.

Even the other princes had grown active.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. My father, he..."

Mi Hua faltered for a long time, unable to say another word.

Ying Zheng said coldly, "He deserves to die!"

At this point, unless Mi Qi became King of Chu and then surrendered the entire Chu State to Qin, nothing anyone said would matter!

"What are you making such a fuss about? What that old bastard Mi Qi did has nothing to do with her and her son!"

Verdant Green Maiden rebuked him from the side.

Ying Zheng was becoming more and more like a heartless king.

Perhaps anyone who sat on that throne would eventually turn out this way. But Ying Zheng's respect for Verdant Green Maiden remained unchanged. Hearing her quiet scolding, he fell silent for a moment, then considered how to explain the situation to her.

"Master, you don't know the state of the Imperial Court. Because Mi Qi betrayed Qin, my plans have nearly been ruined!"

Ying Zheng braced one hand against the table, his voice low. "I trusted him so much..."

Verdant Green Maiden clicked her tongue and complained, "What were you thinking? You sent the King of Chu's son to Chu capital to pacify the people. I'd have found it strange if he hadn't rebelled! If he did, he could become King of Chu and leave his name in the history books. If I were him, I'd give it a try too!"

"Would you betray me too, Master?"

Ying Zheng froze and turned to look at Verdant Green Maiden.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Have you lost your mind?"

Ying Zheng realized he had misspoken. His eyes flickered as he apologized to Verdant Green Maiden, then waved at Fusu and Mi Hua.

"Go."

Mi Hua's eyes brimmed with tears as she gave a slight nod. "Yes, Your Majesty."

After she and Fusu left, Verdant Green Maiden sat down beside the throne and tapped the table. "Ying Zheng, tell me honestly. Are you thinking of stripping Fusu of his position?"

"Of course not!"

Ying Zheng immediately shook his head. "Fusu was raised by you, Master. He should be the next King of Qin!"

"Then decide it soon, before anyone gets ideas they shouldn't," Verdant Green Maiden reminded him.

With that, she waved to Ying Zheng and left the hall.

Outside the hall, Mi Hua stood with Fusu at the foot of the steps. When Verdant Green Maiden emerged, Mi Hua gently nudged Fusu, her expression uneasy and embarrassed. She whispered to him, "Quick, go to Master."

Fusu stepped forward, bowed with cupped hands to Verdant Green Maiden, and called, "Master!"

"What's the need for such a grand bow?"

Verdant Green Maiden hurried over and helped Fusu up.

Then she glared at Mi Hua and chided her. "And you, why are you panicking? Your father was the one in the wrong, not you! Don't you know Ying Zheng? He won't blame you two."

Mi Hua pressed her lips together and hesitated. "I knew the King Your Majesty used to be, but the King he is now... I dare not say."

Seeing how cautious she was, Verdant Green Maiden sighed too. She turned to Afang beside her and said, "Afang, take good care of this mother and son."

"Yes, Master."

Afang nodded and signaled to the people beside her.

When Mi Hua saw Afang's people approaching, she hurriedly asked, "Master, what will His Majesty do to us?"

"Don't worry."

Verdant Green Maiden reassured them. "I won't abandon my students."

Since Verdant Green Maiden had said so, Mi Hua said no more. She bowed to her, then left with Afang's people.

After they had gone, Verdant Green Maiden stretched.

A eunuch approached from the side, respectfully holding up a tray. "My lady, His Majesty ordered this brought to you. He said you would understand..."

Verdant Green Maiden turned to look. Resting quietly on the tray was a small object: a straw doll Ying Zheng had made for her when he was a child. She'd thought it ugly at the time, so she'd only carried it around for a few years before leaving it at the Jade Maiden Shrine.

When she'd returned, she hadn't gone to look for it. So Ying Zheng had taken it away long ago.

"What does this mean?"

Verdant Green Maiden asked.

The eunuch looked awkward. "That... how could this servant know? Please don't make things difficult for me, my lady."

Verdant Green Maiden understood what Ying Zheng meant. He wanted to tell her that he hadn't changed, that he was still the boy who called her Master every day. But she'd never thought there was anything wrong with how Ying Zheng had changed. At most, she'd tell him not to go too far.

That was what being a king was like.

Verdant Green Maiden picked up the straw doll from the tray, glanced at the eunuch, and asked, "What's your name?"

"This servant is Zhao Gao."

Zhao Gao bowed as he answered her.

To have someone as important as Verdant Green Maiden ask his name was an unimaginable blessing! Zhao Gao was tremendously excited, but afraid of offending her. He lowered his head as far as he could and didn't dare look at her.

"You're Zhao Gao?"

A flash of surprise crossed Verdant Green Maiden's eyes at the name.

Zhao Gao froze, then asked in confusion, "My lady, you know Zhao Gao?"

Verdant Green Maiden suddenly laughed, but didn't say anything more. She waved him off. "I'll keep this. Go back and tell Ying Zheng that I understand what he means. Then come see me at the Jade Maiden Shrine. I have something to ask you."

Zhao Gao was even more bewildered.

He had no idea why Verdant Green Maiden wanted to see him, but he wouldn't dare defy her, so he could only nod and agree.

When Zhao Gao arrived at the Jade Maiden Shrine, Verdant Green Maiden was sitting by the entrance, sharpening a sword.

"My lady, Zhao Gao is here!"

Zhao Gao stopped and bowed to her with cupped hands.

Verdant Green Maiden gave a quiet hum. "Wait a moment. I'm not done sharpening the sword. Just stand there for now."

Watching Verdant Green Maiden work away at the sword, Zhao Gao found it strange. He cautiously stepped closer and asked, "My lady, what are you sharpening the sword for? If there's anything this servant can do to help, please just give the order!"

"You're helping me by standing still."

Verdant Green Maiden replied.

Before long, she finished sharpening the sword. Turning around, she plunged it straight into Zhao Gao's chest!

Zhao Gao's face filled with shock and disbelief. He looked at Verdant Green Maiden and opened his mouth, but with his lung pierced, he couldn't speak. He could only cough up bloody froth again and again.

His body crumpled weakly to the ground. He twitched a few times, then fell still.

Watching Zhao Gao die, Verdant Green Maiden, who had set the butterfly's wings in motion, had no idea what the future would bring. But she didn't think she'd done anything wrong. She dropped the sword and called into the Jade Maiden Shrine, "Bird Sister, go find someone to clean up the body!"

"Clean up a body? Whose—"

Hearing the call, Hong Luan flew out from inside. When she saw Zhao Gao lying in a pool of blood, the rest of her sentence caught in her throat.