Chapter 54

Tao Chuyi was terrified by the red-hot branding iron and shrank back desperately, too scared to answer the question.

With no response forthcoming, the Second Princess’s patience wore thin. She snatched the branding iron from the guard’s hand and advanced step by step.

“This princess is asking you—was it you who killed the Sixth Prince?”

Tao Chuyi shook her head frantically. “I didn’t kill anyone! I didn’t kill anyone!”

Her sister had said she hadn’t killed anyone. It was all a dream. She only listened to her sister.

The Second Princess’s patience finally snapped. She hadn’t expected even this intimidation to fail against the little fool, so she had no choice but to get serious. She pressed the branding iron closer and closer until it touched Tao Chuyi’s left shoulder.

Outside the hall, Nangong Yunshang was blocked by seven or eight guards. No matter how she pleaded or threatened, she couldn’t break through.

“You lot are out of line!”

The imperial guards, acting on the Emperor’s orders, refused to yield an inch. Their broad knives gleamed coldly, crossed to bar the doorway and prevent anyone from approaching.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from inside the hall. Nangong Yunshang’s heart sank. Ignoring everything else, she charged toward the crossed blades. Caught off guard and unwilling to risk injuring the princess, the guards had no choice but to step aside.

The hall doors flew open. Nangong Yunshang’s eyes fell on the blood staining Tao Chuyi’s left shoulder and the Second Princess holding the branding iron. She didn’t know what came over her, but a wild urge surged to take the Second Princess down with her.

The Second Princess smirked mockingly as she burst in.

“Third Imperial Sister, so reluctant to part?”

But in the next instant, Nangong Yunshang rushed forward, snatched the branding iron away, and slapped the Second Princess hard across the face.

In the vast hall, the sharp crack of the slap rang out clearly.

“Have you lost your mind? How dare you hit me?”

The Second Princess stared in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Nangong Yunshang ignored her and barked at the guards to release the prisoner.

“Chuyi, Chuyi—open your eyes and look at me.”

Tao Chuyi had passed out from the pain, but now because of her, she really did open her eyes—though only halfway.

“Sister.”

The moment she saw Nangong Yunshang, she smiled, but fainted again after just one word.

Nangong Yunshang cried out in alarm. “Chuyi! Chuyi, don’t scare me like this.”

Seeing her about to carry Tao Chuyi away, the Second Princess hurriedly said, “Nangong Yunshang, if you take her out of here today, you’ll be defying the imperial decree.”

Nangong Yunshang struggled to hoist Tao Chuyi onto her back. “Go ahead and report me. If anything happens to Chuyi, I won’t let you off the hook.”

With that, she staggered out of the hall without looking back.

She no longer cared about propriety, virtue, or any of those empty titles.

The matter of the prince consort’s interrogation was quietly dropped. The Emperor neither reprimanded the Third Princess nor scolded the Second Princess, maintaining perfect impartiality. To the Southern Frontier royal family, he explained that the Sixth Prince’s death was due to bandits, offering substantial compensation in gold and treasures.

The Southern Frontier royals were naturally unwilling to let it go, but the Emperor brought up Shengping County Princess’s death to shut them down. They had no choice but to accept the compensation and let the matter rest.

Back at the Princess Mansion, once Nangong Yunshang had calmed down, she realized the truth. The Emperor hadn’t been after the real culprit at all—he’d just wanted to give her a warning shot.

After the imperial physicians prescribed medicine and returned to the palace, the servants busied themselves decocting it. Xichan took charge of applying ointment to the wound.

“Young Master, don’t dodge like that—you’re spilling the medicine.”

Whenever Xichan leaned in, Tao Chuyi scooted back. Her shoulder stung with every pull of torn skin, and the ointment burned even more.

She didn’t want the medicine.

Tao Chuyi burrowed into the far side of the bed, burying her head under the covers and playing dead.

Xichan fussed for ages but couldn’t apply a single bit.

Just then, Nangong Yunshang returned. Xichan quickly stepped aside with the medicine.

Spotting her, Tao Chuyi eagerly thrust out her uninjured right hand for a hug.

But Nangong Yunshang held back from embracing her. “Chuyi was naughty—not letting them apply the medicine means the wound won’t heal properly. It could get infected and hurt even more.”

“But it hurts,” Tao Chuyi mumbled softly.

Nangong Yunshang offered her arm. “Be a good girl, Chuyi. We’ll apply the medicine nicely. If it hurts, you can bite me.”

Tao Chuyi clung to Nangong Yunshang’s arm and finally settled down, neither crying out nor dodging. With a nod from her mistress, Xichan hurried to apply the ointment.

Throughout, Tao Chuyi broke out in cold sweat from the pain, her body trembling. Yet she refused to bite the arm she held, instead gnawing her own lip until it bled.

Seeing this, Nangong Yunshang quickly gripped her chin and forced her mouth open.

“Stop biting—you’re bleeding.”

Xichan packed away the medicine, bowed, and withdrew, leaving the two alone.

“You little fool—I told you to bite me, and you didn’t.”

Nangong Yunshang tenderly wiped the blood from her lower lip.

Tao Chuyi squinted her eyes. “Didn’t want to. Hurts.”

Nangong Yunshang paused, but understood. “Sister doesn’t feel pain.”

“Liar.”

Tao Chuyi promptly bit herself. “It hurts.”

“Alright, no biting yourself. Sister was lying—it does hurt.”

Nangong Yunshang stroked her cheek lovingly.

“Chuyi didn’t want Sister to hurt, so you’d rather hurt yourself?”

Tao Chuyi nodded with a silly grin. She didn’t want Sister to hurt.

At those words, Nangong Yunshang’s heart warmed. Even the pad of her thumb brushing her cheek grew gentle, tinged with reluctance to let go.

After coaxing Tao Chuyi to sleep, she sat by the bed in a daze. She didn’t want to admit she’d fallen for a fool, but she couldn’t deny the feelings stirring uncontrollably within her.

Tao Chuyi’s wound took over half a month to heal. She ate when full, slept when rested—a leisurely life, marred only by medicine and ointments. Without those, it would have been perfect.

“Young Master, time for your ginseng soup.”

Xichan blew on it to cool it before feeding her.

Tao Chuyi obediently drained a full bowl, then rolled around the bed.

“Oh, ancestor—don’t bump the wound!”

Though Tao Chuyi’s injury was nearly healed, the servants remained exceedingly careful.

“Sister, sister, sister…”

Tao Chuyi chanted as she rolled. To an outsider, it might have sounded like a mantra.

Xichan chuckled helplessly. “Young Master, the Princess will be back soon.”

But Tao Chuyi kept rolling.

“I want Sister! I want Sister!”

At first, Xichan tried to soothe her. Later, she grew used to it and let her turn “Sister” into her personal mantra.

Light footsteps approached. Tao Chuyi immediately perked up, straightening the bedding and pillows before sitting bolt upright, the picture of obedience.

Xichan stared in astonishment, puzzled. Then she turned and saw Nangong Yunshang, and it all made sense.

“Has Chuyi been good?”

Nangong Yunshang sat on the bed’s edge. Tao Chuyi instantly snuggled close, wrapping her arms around her mistress’s.

Tao Chuyi called out sweetly, “Sister, you’re back! Chuyi has been so good.”

Nangong Yunshang pinched her cheek. “Good girl. Here’s a reward—a little bunny for Chuyi.”

She tucked a stuffed cloth rabbit into Tao Chuyi’s hands.

Tao Chuyi clutched it lovingly, but she still preferred clinging to her sister.

When Nangong Yunshang was around, Tao Chuyi could go outside to bask in the sun—but not for too long, and no running about. The imperial physicians had said it would take another half month for full recovery.

Liuzi had specially fetched a pear wood rocking chair so she wouldn’t get bored sitting in it; at least she could sway.

Tao Chuyi clearly loved the chair. Once seated, she refused to budge, with servants taking turns rocking it like a baby’s cradle.

The garden burst with blooming flowers in vibrant colors under the warm sunlight. Tao Chuyi stretched lazily, and someone promptly offered tea and snacks. After a few bites, she reclined again, lulled toward sleep by the gentle rocking.

Nangong Yunshang glanced over now and then, unable to suppress a smile. This was clearly just a little baby.

As Tao Chuyi closed her eyes, Nangong Yunshang dismissed the others and took over rocking the chair herself. The first thing Tao Chuyi saw upon opening her eyes was Nangong Yunshang.

She stared blankly, then blurted, “Sister is so beautiful.”

Nangong Yunshang laughed, amused. “Where’d you learn such sweet-talking?”

“Not sweet-talking.”

Tao Chuyi sat up in a hurry. “Sister really is beautiful.”

Nangong Yunshang smoothed her unruly locks. “Oh? How beautiful?”

This stumped Tao Chuyi. She racked her brain but couldn’t find the words, wishing she could rewind and study harder.

Seeing her so distressed, Nangong Yunshang meant to brush it off, but Tao Chuyi was stubbornly insistent.

Suddenly, Tao Chuyi noticed the garden’s flowers in full bloom and exclaimed happily, “More beautiful than them!”

It was the first time she’d heard such simple, sincere praise, and it filled Nangong Yunshang’s heart with delight.

“Very well—whatever our Chuyi says.”

The attending servants all smiled, keeping their distance at the rear so as not to disturb the tender moment.

Yinghong spoke up suddenly. “This servant heard that the stargazing priests predict rain for the next few days. The Listening Rain Pavilion in the east of the city will be packed again.”

Tao Chuyi had never heard of it and turned to ask, “What’s the Listening Rain Pavilion?”

“It’s like a teahouse,” Nangong Yunshang explained patiently. “But quieter—perfect for appreciating the rain.”

Tao Chuyi half-understood. “I want to go too.”

“Alright. Rest well today, and tomorrow we’ll go to the Listening Rain Pavilion.”

With Nangong Yunshang’s promise, Tao Chuyi became perfectly cooperative—whether drinking medicine, applying ointment, or going to bed—all for that one-day trip.

The next day, they set out early, yet the Listening Rain Pavilion was still packed. Luckily, they had reserved a private booth; otherwise, they’d have had to stand.

Before noon, dark clouds gathered, and a gentle drizzle began. At the Listening Rain Pavilion, the patter of rain sounded like instruments playing a clear, melodious tune.

Tao Chuyi clung to the windowsill, reaching out to catch the falling raindrops. Listening Rain Pavilion nestled against a bamboo grove, where the rain-soaked leaves released a fresh, earthy aroma. The subtle fragrance of the bamboo was amplified to its fullest, mingling with the tea scent wafting through the room, creating an atmosphere that soothed the soul and lifted the spirits.

She leaned even farther out over the sill—if Nangong Yunshang hadn’t held her back, half her body would have tumbled outside. The rain pattered in rhythms that shifted from rapid bursts to gentle drizzles, each variation a melody in its own right.

Tao Chuyi turned her head and gazed at Nangong Yunshang, who sat poised at the low table before her, looking utterly captivating. Inspired, she straightened up and perched properly on the sill, staring wide-eyed out the window while presenting the round curve of her head in silhouette.

Nangong Yunshang glanced her way and couldn’t suppress a soft laugh.

No wonder this place drew such crowds—the folk of the Capital City truly knew how to savor life’s pleasures.

Nangong Yunshang rose gracefully and joined her at the window, tilting her head to peer at the girl. “Do you like it here?”

“I love it!”

Tao Chuyi clapped her hands in delight. “Sister, can you eat bamboo? I want bamboo stewed with meat.”

Nangong Yunshang: “…”

The serene mood shattered in an instant.