The next morning.
Luo Wushuang, possessing a level of boundless energy that seemed impossible to exhaust, had headed out early to practice her swordplay.
Shangguan Liqian was startled awake by the sharp whistle of sword qi slicing through falling leaves. By the time she opened her eyes, it was nearly noon.
Finding the spot beside her empty, she felt a momentary sense of confusion. However, hearing the commotion outside the window, she quickly realized who was in the courtyard. In the Empress’s private quarters, who else would have the audacity to brandish a sword besides that woman?
Thanks to Luo Wushuang’s “unrelenting” efforts the night before, Liqian’s physically and mentally exhausted state had actually stabilized somewhat.
As she slid a delicate, boneless hand out from under the brocade quilt, her gaze fell upon the dense clusters of blue and purple marks peppering her arm. The calm expression Liqian had been maintaining began to fracture.
When her gaze drifted further down to her chest, the beauty couldn’t help but roll her eyes in annoyance.
Was this woman born in the year of the rooster? How is she so good at pecking?
Recalling someone’s persistence from the previous night, a surge of irritation rose in Liqian. Her fist, which was also covered in faint lip prints, hammered against the window frame with a series of muffled thuds.
“You’re too loud!” she snapped, her voice cold.
Hearing that her sister was awake, Luo Wushuang’s eyes lit up. She casually tossed her sword to a nearby personal guard and jogged toward the sleeping quarters.
“Sister, you’re awake?”
Seeing that her sleeping beauty had finally opened her eyes, the joy in the Empress’s gaze seemed ready to overflow.
Glaning at the woman crouching before her, Liqian thought that if the Empress had a tail, it would be wagging at high speeds right now.
After that momentary distraction, Liqian regained her expressionless mask and said, “I was woken up by you.”
Luo Wushuang froze. Her joy paused. Faced with the choice between lying and lying, she chose to lie.
“It wasn’t me. It was Leng Yu practicing outside. I’ve already scolded her. Sister, don’t be angry, don’t be angry.”
As she spoke, Wushuang’s wandering hand had already found its way to Liqian’s battered chest.
Liqian, who had been caught off guard and taken advantage of: “…”
She desperately wanted to beat the woman, but she was afraid Wushuang would find it rewarding.
After Liqian shot her a sharp glare, Wushuang let out a sheepish laugh and withdrew her hand.
Liqian had no intention of letting her off the hook. Amidst Wushuang’s awkward smiles, she continued tonelessly, “I recall that Leng Yu’s weapon of choice is the double halberds.”
Having her lie exposed, Wushuang didn’t panic… much.
The silver-tongued Empress’s mind raced. Under the pressure of Liqian’s piercing gaze, she continued to pass the blame.
“Practicing martial arts requires learning the strengths of many styles. She isn’t skilled with a sword, so Cold… Ling Feng is teaching her.”
Wushuang had originally intended to say Leng Yue, but remembered just in time that she had sent Leng Yue elsewhere a few days ago, so she quickly swapped the name to Ling Feng.
Watching Luo Wushuang talk nonsense with a straight face, Liqian sneered inwardly and continued to dismantle the lie without haste.
“Ling Feng isn’t skilled with a sword either. Among your personal guards, only Leng Yue uses a sword.”
At Liqian’s reminder, Wushuang remembered that Ling Feng used a spear.
Having a spear user teach a halberd user how to use a sword did seem a bit… inappropriate.
Enthralled by the beautiful sight before her, Wushuang swallowed hard, her eyes glazing over as she murmured, “Yes, no… no sword needed.”
Liqian, who was busy “taming” the Empress, followed Wushuang’s gaze downward. She quickly yanked the quilt up and spat, “Behave yourself!”
Wushuang, who had no intention of behaving, was about to lean in when a voice carrying a hint of genuine concern drifted from above.
“How is Qingdai doing? Has she adjusted to life in the palace?”
Seeing Wushuang’s expression darken almost instantly, Liqian lowered her eyes and smirked.
She had done it on purpose. She had even calculated the exact level of concern in her tone.
If she showed a fraction more, Wushuang would likely explode, and Qingdai would suffer for it. If she showed a fraction less, it would be too trivial to annoy her, and given this woman’s nature… if Liqian didn’t give her something to be frustrated about, the Empress would likely spend the whole day behaving shamelessly.
If they did it again, Liqian truly wouldn’t be able to take it.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a soft, seductive voice laced with a hint of gloom rang out.
“Does Sister want that maid to serve her personally?”
Liqian estimated Wushuang’s anger level. Just as she was debating whether or not to nod, a voice thick with jealousy spoke again.
“Only I can serve Sister personally.”
Not just personally, but intimately—day or night, on the bed or on the table…
Liqian raised her eyes to meet the deep, suggestive look in Wushuang’s phoenix eyes, and her face instantly flushed a brilliant red.
Failing to annoy the woman and being teased instead, Liqian struggled to maintain her composure and cleared her throat. “Stop changing the subject.”
Seeing the tip of Liqian’s ear turn translucent red and knowing that her sister wasn’t nearly as indifferent as she pretended to be, Wushuang finally smiled with satisfaction.
Her lips brushed against Liqian’s neck, which was “dotted with stars,” as she whispered, “I’m not changing the subject. Your maid has a much larger temper than you imagine.”
Liqian arched an eyebrow, unable to grasp the meaning behind Wushuang’s words.
Recalling the reports from the Secret Guards, Wushuang wasn’t sure how to explain it. She simply said, “Let’s eat first. After we’re done, I’ll take you to see for yourself.”
Liqian was stunned. Take me to see her?
When did this woman become so generous? She was actually willing to let her see Qingdai?
She had always been incredibly biased against Qingdai. Liqian remembered that not long ago, merely mentioning the maid’s name in passing resulted in her being…
Wushuang turned around holding the dress she had picked out yesterday, only to be met with Liqian’s “I’ve seen a ghost” expression.
Considering that her sister had been in a bad mood lately, Wushuang, who had finally managed to be generous for once, immediately bristled. She threatened huffily, “If Sister keeps looking at me like that, I won’t let you go!”
Though confused, Liqian expertly smoothed her feathers. “Fine, I won’t look.”
Wushuang’s brow furrowed.
Fifteen minutes later, discovering that her sister was truly not looking at her, Wushuang’s brow furrowed deeper.
Another fifteen minutes passed, and her frown intensified with every passing second.
Sitting at the table and watching Liqian eat with elegant composure, Wushuang finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“Sister, look at me.”
Facing the fickle Empress, Liqian’s hand paused momentarily before she continued to eat the food before her at a leisurely pace.
Most of the agitation and anxiety from yesterday had faded, and since she hadn’t eaten breakfast, she was genuinely hungry.
Especially since… glancing at her hand holding the chopsticks, which was covered in purple kiss marks, and remembering the absurdity in the Imperial Study yesterday, Liqian had no desire to pay her any attention.
Being ignored, Wushuang looked at Liqian and then at the food, speaking with a face full of tragic indignation.
“Last night you were crying and saying you liked me, but now you only have eyes for these lousy vegetables.”
