Su Wei knelt outside for half a shichen. Seeing it was getting late, she carried the box back toward the Shadow Guard Camp. She had also picked up the shattered hairpin, planning to find time to repair it.
She would return it to her master.
Su Wei walked and pondered, her thoughts only halting when she saw the Leader. The Leader was training, her muscles smooth and fluid, each punch creating a resonant boom in the air. Seeing Su Wei tentatively poke her head in, she stopped her movements.
“Little Nine, you’re here.” The Leader remembered what day it was. She had already prepared the yellow joss paper, just waiting for Su Wei.
Su Wei nodded, composing her feelings. Just as she forced a smile, the Leader ruffled her head. She heard the other woman sigh softly. “Unhappy?”
The feelings she had just managed to pack away instantly vanished. Su Wei leaned her head sadly against the Leader’s shoulder and said softly, “A little unhappy.”
“Only a little?”
“Mm.”
Su Wei blinked, pulling back a little distance. Head lowered, her spirits were low. “Let me burn some paper money for my parents first.”
The Leader did not push her, leading Su Wei toward the back courtyard of the Shadow Guard Camp.
There was an empty plot of land there. Burning paper money was technically forbidden within the palace grounds, but when Su Wei first arrived, she was plagued by nightmares and couldn’t sleep. Every night, she would wake up crying from bad dreams. The Leader had slept beside her for a long time. Later, to comfort Su Wei, she told her that her parents could be seen in that empty plot in the back courtyard.
As a child, Su Wei sat with the Leader on the grass, looking up at the stars in the sky.
After doing this many times, Su Wei naturally came to view this spot as a symbol of her parents. Her first memorial rite was also held here. When the Leader discovered it, she said nothing, letting Su Wei continue.
Su Wei’s parents had no graves. The night they were killed, a fire had razed her home to the ground. Her parents’ remains had turned to ash in that blaze.
She crouched down, expertly spreading the yellow paper and lighting it. The flames reflected in her eyes. Su Wei took out the Longevity Lock, slowly rubbing it, feeling the characters engraved upon it. The Leader stood behind her, giving her all the space she needed.
“Father, Mother.” Su Wei showed a rare vulnerability she usually kept hidden. “I’m living well here. Don’t worry about me. You must be well, too…”
Su Wei wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in the crook of her elbow. She silently watched the joss paper burn to ash. After crouching there for a while, she suddenly spoke. “Leader.”
She stood, holding out the jade hairpin fragments wrapped in a handkerchief to the Leader, making a request. “Could you help me repair this hairpin?”
Among the Shadow Guards, only the Leader could leave the palace. Su Wei was utterly clueless about such things. After thinking it over, she decided to find a professional.
The Leader glanced at the shattered jade hairpin. Recognizing the quality, she immediately understood. “A reward from the Master.”
Su Wei nodded, a little embarrassed. “I angered Her Majesty today, and this hairpin was flung out. I thought I’d repair it and return it to Her Majesty.”
“What happened?” The Leader sensed something off in Su Wei’s tone. “Did something occur?”
Su Wei remained silent, refusing to answer. How could she explain?
She couldn’t say anything.
The Leader thought for a moment, then took the fragments anyway. She waved Su Wei away, and finally, with deep earnestness, gave her a warning. “Do not sink in too deep.”
Su Wei looked at her obediently and nodded compliantly. But the Leader only sighed and turned to leave.
Su Wei stayed there for a while. It was only after the sky had darkened that she quietly left the Shadow Guard Camp.
By the time Su Wei returned, she discovered that her master did not want to see her now. For some reason, she actually felt a sense of relief.
Logically, she should be guarding from the shadows, not sharing a bedchamber with her master.
But she hadn’t been standing outside for long before a Palace Attendant came out and respectfully invited her in. “Her Majesty says she wishes to see you.”
Su Wei hooked the corner of her lip slightly and walked in, holding the box.
Su He was sitting on a lounging couch, leisurely eating cut fruit. Her gaze fell on Su Wei, her eyes holding a gentleness not usually seen. “Gu thought you wouldn’t return.”
“This subordinate is Her Majesty’s Shadow Guard, following her master for a lifetime.” Su Wei knelt honestly on the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed something like a collar chain beside her. Her expression changed slightly.
For some reason, she felt this was prepared for her.
Like a dog chain.
“Su Wei.” Su He walked over to her, telling her to raise her head. “Gu lost her temper at you today. You won’t be angry with Gu, will you?”
Su Wei met Su He’s gaze directly. “This subordinate would not.”
“That’s good then.” Su He chuckled lightly. “You had Gu worried and frightened for so long.”
As Su He finished, her brows and eyes curved downwards. She fed the fruit on her fork into Su Wei’s mouth. With her other hand, she picked up the chain.
Su Wei’s gaze followed her master’s movements. She silently clutched the box in her hands tighter. The next moment, the collar-like chain was fastened around her neck. The other end was in Su He’s hand, giving a light, not-too-heavy tug.
“Master.”
Su Wei looked up, stunned. “What is this?”
Su He crouched down, meeting Su Wei’s gaze levelly. Her fingers flipped open the box, taking out the dagger. She examined it carefully before putting it back. Her smile deepened, and she said warmly, “You don’t understand?”
“Gu was afraid you wouldn’t want Gu anymore, so Gu wants to tie you by Gu’s side. Isn’t that good?”
“Su Wei, Gu doesn’t actually care much what you do. But if you harbor even a single thought against Gu’s will, it causes Gu great heartache.”
Su He finished speaking and stood up, pulling the chain, wanting Su Wei to follow her.
Su Wei felt discomfort, more intense than ever before. Even being blindfolded and gagged hadn’t felt this awful. She resisted slightly, kneeling in place.
“Do you remember Gu acquired a tiger?” Su He turned around, enunciating each word. “That tiger was chained inside a cage. Gu, on the contrary, is especially fond of it.”
Su Wei hesitated. “I…”
Su He wasn’t annoyed. She walked over, placed the box aside, and helped Su Wei up, leading her step by step toward the bathing pool in the back. Su Wei almost instantly realized what was intended.
“No.” Su Wei panicked. “Master, this subordinate’s injuries haven’t healed yet. I—”
Su He turned around with a look of surprise. She raised an eyebrow, the hand holding the chain exerting force. “You’re unwilling? Su Wei, are you refusing Gu?”
Su Wei shook her head. She was clumsy with words and didn’t know how to explain. She could only try her best. “Master, let’s wait until the wounds are a bit better.”
The injuries on her body were still being treated with medicine, or they would leave many scars. Often, if she soaked in water too long, the wounds might become inflamed or feverish the next day.
Su He’s patience finally wore thin from Su Wei’s resistance. Her expression remained unchanged, but her tone dropped considerably. “Aren’t you a Shadow Guard? Are Gu’s words useless now?”
She forcefully pulled Su Wei to her side, her gaze utterly detached. Then she walked straight toward the water. Su Wei was also pulled to her knees on the floor. The Shadow Guard used all her strength, desperately digging her hands into the wet, slippery ground. Seeing the bath pool getting closer, Su Wei’s eyes widened. She suddenly began struggling fiercely. “I don’t want this!”
Su He stopped mid-action, turning her head back to look at Su Wei in confusion.
Su Wei knelt on the ground, shoulders shrinking. The corners of her eyes were red. She stubbornly refused. “Master, I don’t want to.”
“I really don’t want to—”
What more could she do? She wanted to escape this situation, didn’t want her master to misunderstand her. Su Wei kept her distance, but her master was unhappy.
Today was also the anniversary of her parents’ death. She couldn’t… couldn’t do this.
Su Wei rarely cried. Even when subjected to severe torture, beaten so badly, she had never cried. But now, tears threatened to fall.
“Master…” Su Wei’s eyes held a plea. “A little longer. Just a little longer.”
Su He quietly watched her for a few seconds, then, instead, found it interesting. Her expression, however, showed worry and guilt. She crouched in front of Su Wei, wiping her tears away with a fingertip. Holding the Shadow Guard’s face with one hand, as if coaxing her, she said, “Don’t cry. Gu won’t force you.”
She reached out and hugged Su Wei, gently patting her back. She murmured, “Accompany Gu on a trip out of the palace.”
Su He’s words sounded so sincere. Su Wei could even hear her master’s heartbeat. But the chain binding her neck was not loosened, swaying with their movements.
.
The next day, news spread that Su He had fallen ill. Su He had Elder Ji temporarily manage trivial affairs; other important reports would be forwarded to her.
Su He didn’t give herself much time to rest. Although Elder Ji disliked her in many ways, he still held nostalgia and passion for this nation.
Also on the second day, Su Wei packed a few simple things and left the palace with Su He.
Those accompanying them were disguised Shadow Guards. Su Wei could only recognize the Leader and Shadow Seven. The others… she had probably never seen before.
“Su Wei, sit inside.” Su He’s voice came from within the carriage, its inherent authority impossible to ignore.
Su Wei was sitting on the outside of the carriage. She wore a mask. Beneath her collar were bruises and purple marks impossible to fully cover.
Last night, her master had used that chain to collar her neck. The friction marks from Su Wei’s struggle had already started turning green and purple by the next day, looking shocking.
So much so that the Leader stared at her neck for a long time.
Su Wei lowered her eyes. She wasn’t in high spirits. Touching her head, she felt like she was running a fever. Vaguely, last night, she seemed to have dreamed of her parents again, but she could no longer remember what they looked like, nor what they talked about.
Probably telling her they were doing well.
“Master, this is against protocol.” Su Wei said softly. “This subordinate can just drive the carriage from outside.”
Su He let out an amused laugh, like she was teasing. “Gu brought you along, not to make you a coachman.”
Su Wei rose upon hearing this, handing the reins to someone else. She lifted the carriage curtain and knelt beside Su He.
“Raise your head.”
Su Wei paused, then raised her head. This made the wounds on her neck fully visible.
Su He exclaimed “Aiya,” taking out medicinal ointment and gently rubbing it on Su Wei’s wounds. She spoke words of apology. “Gu wasn’t in the right state of mind last night. Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt.” Su Wei lifted her head. She said, “It’s fine. Whatever Master wishes is fine.”
Su He raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
Su Wei’s gaze fell on an empty space in the air. She made a sound of agreement. “Really.”
Her head ached fiercely. Her whole body was drained of energy. Her mind was slow and sluggish to process, answering subconsciously.
Did it hurt? Yes, it hurt. But she couldn’t say so.
Su Wei had to go along with Su He’s words. Her eyes trembled slightly. She listened blankly to the sound of the carriage wheels rolling, so faint, almost inaudible.
She allowed Su He to manipulate her however she wished, as if she had no idea where she was going. Following her master, bound to Su He’s side, she stepped step by step onto a road of no return.
