In that instant, Su Wei felt as if she had been nailed to the spot. Her eyes trembled as she struggled to process Su He’s words.
Her master meant she should know her place, that she shouldn’t harbor any improper thoughts.
But had she… acted on them?
Su Wei’s breathing grew slightly ragged. She didn’t fully understand Su He’s meaning, but her master’s single look had indeed frozen her in place.
She knelt on the ground helplessly, an inexplicable ache rising in her heart. Invisible threads pulled at her insides, twisting until she could feel the pain. Su Wei couldn’t move. She braced her hands on the floor, finally breaking eye contact with Su He.
Her master was right. She was indeed nothing more than a dog raised by her master.
“This subordinate understands,” Su Wei said softly. “I know. I would never harbor such delusions.”
Su He seemed very satisfied with her response. She patted Su Wei’s cheek and lowered her voice to ask, “What did He Erlu give you today?”
Su Wei didn’t bother wondering how Su He knew. She answered truthfully, “It was medicine to treat my hearing.”
“Is that so?” Su He’s lips curled up, undisguised mockery gleaming in her eyes. “But your credibility with Gu is indeed rather low.”
As she spoke, she gave a sharp pull. Su Wei lost all control and plunged into the water, her entire body soaked through. The hot water blurred her vision. Sensing danger, she tried to flee, but Su He called her back: “Shadow Nine, where are you going?”
Where was she going? She could go nowhere.
Su Wei turned around, pressing her back tightly against the smooth edge of the bath. She watched Su He approach with a tension she had never felt before, a creeping sense of crisis slowly rising within her. Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she hurriedly explained, “That medicine really was for my ears. This subordinate has never harbored any intent to harm you.”
Su He let out a soft chuckle. She reached out, pressing down on the back of Su Wei’s neck and forcing her to tilt her head up. She sighed, “Gu knows. But Gu is simply very displeased.”
She slowly peeled away Su Wei’s clothing. And the shadow guard’s final memory was only Su He’s murmured words: “It seems He Erlu’s medicine was somewhat useful after all.”
.
Su Wei no longer remembered what time it was when she woke. She was back in the side room, her clothes neat and tidy, but she knew perfectly well what had happened.
“You’re awake?”
He Erlu walked up to Su Wei, waving a hand before her face. “How are you?”
Only then did Su Wei notice He Erlu beside her. Her reactions were terribly slow. “Princess.”
She braced herself to sit up, about to get out of bed, when He Erlu raised a hand to stop her with a faint gesture. “Just sit and rest.”
Su Wei didn’t push herself. Her mind was a complete mess; she couldn’t sort anything out. Last night, her master had pulled her into the water and, using the drug’s effects, had toyed with her for a long time. She lifted her eyes, not quite asking, but more stating a fact. “You brought the drug in last night.”
He Erlu admitted it openly, her expression perfectly justified. “That’s right, aphrodisiac incense. How could I possibly seduce Su He without adding a little something?”
“Though it didn’t work anyway,” He Erlu added. She bent down, looking at the lost look in Su Wei’s eyes, and frowned slightly. “What’s wrong with you?”
Su Wei shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about some things.”
“What things? Tell me, I’ll help you sort it out. Maybe I can be your ‘mentor’.”
Seeing the look of concern on He Erlu’s face, Su Wei turned her head away. Her voice was very soft, its tone flat. “I think I’ve figured it out.”
It was as if she had pronounced her own death sentence, declaring the final judgment. “Shadow guards cannot have personal feelings.”
Su Wei lifted her head, her eyes calm. “Never.”
He Erlu felt a little uneasy under that gaze. She ventured a guess. “Do you really have feelings for your master? Was your affection rejected?”
“No.” Su Wei got out of bed and slowly tied up her hair. “I don’t like my master that way. It’s not admiration.”
He Erlu pressed her lips together and didn’t answer that statement. It was only when Su Wei looked back at her that she brought up another matter. “He Chengjiang has returned. He’s an old friend of our He Erqi tribe. They say he’s going to marry your nation’s Elder Princess.”
Su Wei had no interest in such matters, nor could she manage them. She remained silent, washing up in silence.
He Erlu clicked her tongue. Propping her head on her hand, she sipped water out of sheer boredom.
“Princess.” Su Wei remembered what her master had said the night before and voiced her objection. “You should go back. My place here is too crude. It’s not suitable for you to stay here.”
He Erlu nodded in agreement with her words but didn’t move an inch. She said, “I came to give you acupuncture.”
Su Wei’s lips tightened. She paused for a few seconds, then closed her eyes. “There’s no need. This ear of mine is useless anyway.”
He Erlu immediately let out an incredulous “Hah?” She walked over to Su Wei, clearly disapproving. “Your way of thinking is truly strange. Your hearing belongs to you. You can experience all kinds of sounds. You’re still a shadow guard—how can you manage if you can’t hear?”
“Come here, come here. Your master is busy. She doesn’t have time to bother with you.” He Erlu beckoned to her. “Come.”
Su Wei stood in place for a few seconds before finally moving her feet and walking over.
He Erlu immediately raised her head in pride. She performed the acupuncture on Su Wei. Seeing that the time was about right and she should be leaving, she dropped a parting remark: “Think it over carefully. If you’re sad, you can come find me.”
Sad, she could come find her—
Su Wei rose and respectfully saw He Erlu off. In her heart, she understood clearly: He Erlu did not like her master, and any liking she had for her was only a passing whim. What He Erlu wanted was power. Su Wei was merely a toy for her to find amusement with.
She composed herself and decided to stop thinking about all these chaotic matters. She only needed to be herself and fulfill her duty as a shadow guard.
Su Wei still had to stay by Su He’s side. She arrived outside the Imperial Study. The palace attendant glanced at her and naturally murmured a few words to an underling. Soon, a pot of tea was brought over.
The palace attendant handed it to Su Wei and said in a solemn tone, “Take this inside. This is Her Majesty’s instruction. Then stand where you are supposed to be.”
“Very well.” Su Wei agreed to everything. She pushed open the door, walked in with light steps, went straight to Su He’s side, and poured her a cup of tea.
Out of the corner of her eye, she quickly scanned the people in the room. There was He Chengjiang, Su Yuan, and also members of the He Erqi tribe.
“Many thanks, Your Majesty.” Su Yuan’s face was full of joy, her gaze towards He Chengjiang carrying a sparkle. “Then I won’t disturb you all any longer.”
He Chengjiang also rose to bow and followed Su Yuan out. It seemed the marriage was settled.
Now only the people of the He Erqi tribe remained. Su He’s eyes did not stray towards Su Wei. She lightly lifted her teacup and took a sip, then let out a small “Ah,” as if troubled. “What business brings you here this time?”
The visitor was a man. He Erlu had always called him Older Brother.
“Your Majesty, we have come with sincerity and hope you can give us a reply.”
Su He made an “Ah” sound. She clasped her hands together and propped her chin on them. She agreed in a seeming echo, “You are quite right. That is precisely why Gu gave you a reply today.”
The man was not satisfied with her words. “In today’s court, you expressed unwillingness for a marriage alliance.”
“Is there a problem with that?” Su He looked down at the man from her high position. Her expression was indifferent, the arrogance in her eyes completely unconcealed. “Mutual friendship between us, reducing the strife of war, is the best way. The ones who suffer are the common people.”
“As for the marriage alliance, Gu has no interest in Princess He Erlu. Surely you do not wish for the princess to marry here and suffer endless grievances.”
Veiled threats laced Su He’s words. The man offered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “But last night, many people saw you and…”
“Ah…” A trace of mirth appeared in Su He’s eyes, but a closer look revealed a flash of savage fury. She spoke as if joking, “You should ask Princess He Erlu about that in detail. Gu will thoroughly investigate who spread this rumor. As for the rest…”
Su He leaned her body slightly forward. Her gaze fixed unblinkingly on the man. “Let’s not play these crude little tricks. You know that Gu has never cared about such things.”
Her reputation was far from good. Such rumors were nothing more than idle gossip to her, adding another story for people to chat about. It had absolutely no effect on Su He herself.
“Go back and rest for now. Someone will attend to you shortly.”
Su He’s eyes no longer gave the man any attention. They fell lightly on Su Wei, her tone not quite a reprimand. “This tea is truly terribly brewed.”
“Good tea, all wasted.”
Su Wei immediately knelt on the ground and obediently accepted fault. “It is this subordinate’s error. This subordinate accepts punishment.”
At this, the man could only leave. He cast one last look at Su He, suppressing his anger, as he shut the door.
The door was slammed shut. Only then did Su He, as if bestowing a favor, look at Su Wei. “Is your body uncomfortable?”
Su Wei shook her head. “This subordinate is fine.”
Su He let out a couple of humming laughs. She opened a memorial and began reviewing it. “Do you know… never mind, you can’t hear.”
She turned her head back, curious. “Do you know why the He Erqi are so eager for a marriage alliance?”
Su Wei naturally answered that she did not. “This subordinate is dull-witted.”
“Why do you always give this kind of answer?” Su He was somewhat displeased. Her fingertip landed on Su Wei’s neck, spotting the very small needle marks there. Her eyes darkened. “Because they are afraid too. They can’t endure fighting like this anymore. A marriage alliance is security, and moreover, someone can keep watch. It also gives them a justifiable excuse to spread abroad.”
“What do you think of how Gu handled this matter?” Su He shifted the topic and threw the question back to Su Wei.
Su Wei remained silent, taking that as a default answer.
Su He didn’t press the issue. The tone of her voice lifted. “Did you meet with He Erlu today?”
“I did.” Su Wei thought for a moment, then decided to be clear. “This subordinate wants to heal her ears, even if the chance is small.”
“Actually, it doesn’t matter whether your hearing recovers or not. Your life is still here, and Gu has other shadow guards.”
Su Wei pressed her lips together, not saying a word for a long while. She simply wanted to try.
