Shadow guards cannot have feelings.
Su Wei gently blew out the lamp and carefully lay down on her bed, closing her eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, Su He opened her eyes. There was no trace of drowsiness in them. She propped herself up, using the faint moonlight filtering through the window to look at Su Wei for a few moments.
.
The next morning, Su He went to the early court session. This time, she brought Su Wei along. The shadow guard returned to her place in the shadows, just like the previous times.
The marriage of He Chengjiang and Su Yuan had left many ministers uneasy. After all, this Grand General had originally supported the deceased prince’s rebellion. Now that he was married to the Elder Princess, he would be even harder to guard against.
But no one could really say what Su He’s true attitude toward He Chengjiang was.
“Today is General He’s first day as a newlywed. Furthermore, with his merits in disaster relief, Gu has not yet granted any special reward. Is there anything you desire?”
Su He was in low spirits, leaning languidly on the Dragon Throne, quietly awaiting He Chengjiang’s reply.
He Chengjiang stepped forward. “Your servant has nothing he desires. To marry the Elder Princess is already this subject’s greatest wish.”
“Is that so?” Su He murmured. She suddenly raised her eyes, as if an idea had struck her, her gaze brightening. “Then why doesn’t Gu appoint you to the Ministry of Personnel?”
He Chengjiang was a military general. The new position Su He was giving him was a civil official’s post.
“Your Majesty.” He Chengjiang looked up in shock, not understanding why Su He was doing this. “Your servant fears he might—”
“Alright, alright.” Su He stood up, looking completely exhausted. “Gu believes you can do well. This matter is no longer up for discussion. Court is dismissed.”
Once Su He made a decision, there was no room for maneuvering. Those ministers who still had words to say found them stuck in their throats and could only leave resentfully.
Su Wei’s hearing recovered very slowly. She couldn’t make out most of the words being said, which suited her just fine for some peace and quiet. She only needed to follow behind her master when leaving.
But today was somewhat different. Su Wei followed behind Su He, hesitating for a moment before she was about to speak, but was interrupted. Her master was leaving.
Su He was busy again. She hadn’t even sat down before rushing off to another place. Su Wei naturally couldn’t follow her. She was left in the Sleeping Palace, told to stay and keep watch.
Su Wei sighed, thinking it would be fine to wait until Su He returned to talk.
The palace attendant brought food. Su Wei went with her to eat. As long as her master wasn’t there, she wouldn’t eat in the Sleeping Palace.
“You didn’t follow our master together?” Su Wei didn’t eat much. She was mainly drinking medicine. The herbal concoction was bitter, and once she finished it, she lost all desire to eat more.
The palace attendant’s attitude towards Su Wei was fairly decent. She snorted, nodding. “Her Majesty is handling private matters. They have nothing to do with us servants.”
Su Wei understood perfectly, so she asked no more.
Su He had granted her a sword. Su Wei prepared to train her body a bit. She felt her eyes had been more comfortable these past two days and thought she could do some physical activity.
Holding the sword, she had just emerged when, before she could even take her stance, she bumped right into Su Yuan, who had come looking for her.
Su Wei silently retreated a step. The palace attendant also hurriedly ran out. Though she spoke respectful words, appearing flustered, her expression suggested she had long anticipated this.
“You dog slave, get out of my way! I’m looking for Her Majesty.” Su Yuan’s expression was far from pleasant. “Where is she?”
The palace attendant was long used to being cursed at. In her earlier years, Su Yuan seemed even more mentally unstable. She was now completely unfazed. “Her Majesty has urgent matters and went to handle them first.”
Su Yuan looked ready to head straight for the Imperial Study, but the palace attendant stopped her in time. “Elder Princess, Her Majesty is not in the Imperial Study either. As for where exactly she is, that is not something we servants can know.”
“Ha?” Su Yuan was practically laughing from sheer rage. “So Su He just wants to make my life difficult. Today is the first day of my marriage. She speaks of a reward, then sends a military general to be a civil official. What kind of reward is that?”
Su Yuan’s chest heaved violently. “I see she simply doesn’t want me to live well!”
The palace attendant remained completely silent, her heart undisturbed. She had long known that this entire family wasn’t quite right. Looking at it that way, the most normal one was still Su He.
“You, come here!” Su Yuan sat down right in the courtyard. Her gaze locked onto Su Wei. “Why aren’t you following your master?”
Su Wei took a deep breath and came to Su Yuan’s side, her tone even. “The master has her business. It’s not something people like us can know.”
“Hmph.”
Su Yuan simply couldn’t understand why Su He repeatedly opposed her. Was letting her be not an option?
“What are you doing with that sword?” Su Yuan drew the sword and pointed it straight at Su Wei’s neck. “Surely there’s no problem if I teach you a lesson.”
Su Yuan was Su He’s blood sister. According to protocol, Su Wei belonged only to her own master, but the hierarchy was clear. She still knelt. “There is no problem.”
The palace attendant nearby widened her eyes, wanting to intervene, but was glared back by a single look from Su Yuan. She silently prayed for this madwoman to just leave. Why take out her anger on a subordinate?
Su He had blatantly slighted He Chengjiang. Wasn’t this an obvious display of her stance? And He Chengjiang had rebelled back then, causing a huge uproar. How could an emperor not be on guard?
Only Su Yuan didn’t understand. Or perhaps she did, but the experiences of her youth and subsequent suppression by Su He had ultimately fostered a twisted mindset. Whenever something didn’t go her way, she would come looking for trouble with Su He.
Su Yuan was in a rage. She exerted a little force with her hand. Fresh blood spread from the wound. She spoke with a biting, sarcastic tone. “I wouldn’t dare. I’m afraid you might whisper pillow-talk into your master’s ear.”
Hearing this, Su Wei didn’t even want to explain anymore. She and her master were clearly innocent.
Even if they had slept together, they were innocent.
Seeing Su Wei didn’t answer, Su Yuan raised her foot to kick her. She had just made contact with Su Wei’s shoulder when a sharp voice rang out to stop her. “Su Yuan!”
Su He walked in slowly. Seeing the crowd of kneeling people in the courtyard, her already poor mood instantly plummeted to rock bottom. Her expression remained unchanged, but everyone present could sense the furious rage she was suppressing.
“What do you think you’re doing? Coming to Gu’s place to cause trouble?”
Su Yuan was not afraid of her. “Your Majesty, what is the meaning of what you did today?”
Su He didn’t even need to ask which matter she was referring to. She let out a cold laugh, walked up to Su Yuan, and said to Su Wei in a low, suppressed voice, “Get out of my sight.”
“Su Yuan, he is first Gu’s subject, and only then your husband! Does Gu need your consent to do anything?”
Su He gave Su Yuan no chance to strike back. Moving with lightning speed, she grabbed Su Yuan’s wrist, forcing her to release the sword. “You fool! You make a huge scene over such a small matter. Do you know how many people Gu had to override to let you marry He Chengjiang? And you? You defy Gu, defy Gu’s decisions, and still think you’re in the right?”
“You!”
“Shut your mouth,” Su He scolded. “Gu calls you Elder Sister and has given you more than enough face. If you refuse to obey Gu, then go to the Imperial Mausoleum right now and cry! Cry until the Previous Emperor comes out, cry until that imperial edict is changed, and make Gu abdicate!”
“Before, when you acted out, Gu tolerated it. Now, you want to interfere in everything Gu does. It is you who shares the same blood as Gu.”
Su Yuan turned her head away, refusing even to speak to Su He.
“Gu didn’t want to make things this ugly, but now there’s no need to hold back.” Su He released Su Yuan and announced loudly, “Pass on Zhen’s decree: Confine Elder Princess Su Yuan to house arrest. Without Gu’s decree, she is not to take a single step out of the princess’s residence.”
With that, she ordered people to take Su Yuan away. She truly couldn’t be bothered to deal with her anymore.
But the matter wasn’t settled. Su He walked up to Su Wei, and her tone suddenly calmed down considerably. “You’re a fool too. Do you just do whatever anyone tells you to do?”
Su Wei gritted her teeth. “That was the Elder Princess, and this subordinate is merely a servant.”
Su He clicked her tongue. “Gu thought you might have learned to be clever.”
What cleverness?
Su Wei suddenly understood her master’s meaning. Outside, she was Su He’s personal attendant, someone who shared a bit of reflected glory.
But she didn’t want that! Su He herself had said it too. She didn’t want any so-called power.
Su Wei rarely retorted: “But this subordinate is just a lowly servant, a shadow guard. Shadow guards cannot overstep their bounds.”
Su He gave her a deep look and nodded. “Fine. Then just continue kneeling here for Gu.”
“Master!”
Su He halted and turned around, looking down at Su Wei. “Speak.”
Su Wei swallowed. “Could this subordinate be allowed to return to the Shadow Guard Camp for a short while? I will come back very quickly.”
“Fine,” Su He said with a cold smile. “Get lost, then.”
Su Wei straightened her back. “Master, I still have one more item to retrieve.”
Su He pressed her lips together, as if her anger had suddenly vanished. “What item? That little box of yours?”
“Yes.” Su Wei looked at Su He eagerly. “This subordinate will be out very quickly.”
Su He asked her, “What’s inside? Be specific.”
Su Wei considered her words. “A Longevity Lock, and also the dagger He Erlu gave me…”
And that jade hairpin.
She hesitated. Just as she was about to continue, Su He had already lost patience. She had taken out the box and swept her eyes over its contents. She casually tossed it in front of Su Wei. The Longevity Lock slipped out and landed beside her. The jade hairpin snapped directly upon impact.
Su He laughed. “Was what Gu gave you too shameful to mention?”
Su Wei was about to explain when Su He raised a hand to cut her off. “It doesn’t matter. Gu forgives you. And Gu wishes you a long life, a hundred years.”
With that, she shut the door, leaving Su Wei alone, kneeling on the ground in a daze. She picked up the Longevity Lock, carefully wiped the dust from it, and tucked it securely inside her clothes.
She didn’t understand. Today was the anniversary of her parents’ deaths… She had only wanted to go and pay her respects.
