Su Wei didn’t remember when she had passed out, nor did she know what time it was when she woke. When she opened her eyes, she could only feel a thin blanket covering her body, and the familiar presence beside her was gone.
“You’re awake.”
Su Wei immediately sat up. She clutched the thin blanket, wanting to find her clothes, her voice trembling. “Leader.”
The Leader tossed the clothes to Su Wei. She narrowed her eyes, then turned her back and said in a low voice, “The Master has requested you from me.”
“What do you mean?”
Su Wei didn’t understand. Hadn’t she always belonged to the master?
The Leader sighed, looking at the marks left on her body. She prepared to leave. Before she left, she dropped one last sentence: “From now on, you are the Master’s personal shadow guard. Take good care… of yourself.”
With those words, the person was gone. Su Wei had only put on her inner garment. Her eyelashes trembled. Feeling her way, she got off the bed. She thought, it doesn’t matter, as long as the Master is healthy.
Even if it meant giving herself completely.
“Your Majesty.”
The palace attendant followed behind Su He. During the morning court session, several ministers had brought up the matter of the imperial harem again. Su He’s face had darkened on the spot. She idly toyed with a string of Buddhist prayer beads. She walked up to the ministers, dismantled the string, and made each of them swallow a bead.
Su He warned them, “Be careful.”
The morning court ended with that single sentence. The attendant followed behind Su He, not daring to breathe too loudly, much less think about the scene she had witnessed that morning.
Su Wei had actually climbed into Her Majesty’s bed. The attendant’s legs went weak with fright, nearly unable to stand.
“What do you want to say?” Su He’s tone was as usual. “Want to ask about last night?”
The attendant hastily denied it. “How could I dare to ask?”
Su He snorted a laugh and said indifferently, “Gu is a traditionalist. Gu doesn’t dare violate the ancestral precepts.”
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at the attendant, a look of complete unconcern. “Anyway, Gu wouldn’t take a shadow guard into the imperial harem.”
Su He casually plucked a flower, one in full bloom. She sighed. “Just something to pass the time.”
Her purpose after leaving the morning court was very clear. When she returned to her bedchamber, Su Wei was already up. She hadn’t dared to go anywhere and was obediently sitting on her own bed, waiting for the master’s return.
Hearing the footsteps, Su Wei immediately knelt on the ground. “Master, you’ve returned.”
The moment Su He entered, her gaze collided with Su Wei’s eyes. A faint smile curved her lips. She dismissed the attendant and said mildly, “Is your body feeling any discomfort?”
“No.”
Listening to the voice, Su Wei shuffled on her knees to Su He’s side. She raised her head. “Master, the Leader came to see me today.”
Su He didn’t care about such matters. She gave an “Mm” and walked around Su Wei to sit in a chair. She lowered her eyes, playing with the flower in her hand, a look of amusement flickering in her eyes.
Su Wei’s body was very sensitive. Any little thing Su He did would make her lose control. The main thing was she was obedient, doing whatever she was told.
“Come here.”
Hearing the master’s command, Su Wei carefully identified the direction and shuffled over to Su He’s side, blinking as she listened for Su He’s voice.
Su He spoke again: “Open your mouth.”
Su Wei obediently opened her mouth. The next moment, the flower stem was shoved between her lips. Her master’s actions were not gentle, but rather rough. She didn’t dare close her mouth, allowing the stem to stir her tongue.
She just couldn’t swallow properly. Saliva dripped down along the flower stem. Su Wei furrowed her brows slightly in discomfort but showed no real aversion.
Su He’s gaze wasn’t on Su Wei. She looked off to the side, casually picking up a topic. “Today, those old fossils urged Gu to take consorts again.”
“Imagine a harem full of ambitious men scheming, outwardly respectful to Gu, but secretly always thinking about how to kill Gu.”
Su He chuckled softly, withdrawing the flower stem. She raised an eyebrow. “Gu, being who she is, doesn’t really like doing things against her will.”
She casually placed the flower on Su Wei’s head, then pinched Su Wei’s face. Su He bent down, leaning close, and suddenly asked, “Did you feel good last night?”
Su Wei’s eyes instantly widened. She blinked rapidly, her ears reddening, but still answered, “It felt good.”
This answer pleased Su He somewhat. She plucked a petal and pressed it against Su Wei’s throat, dragging it down with force. The flower juice left a trail. With just a little more pressure, Su Wei’s neck would snap.
Su Wei already felt her breathing becoming difficult. She opened her mouth slightly, tilting her head back to gasp, her hands braced on the floor, not saying a word.
No one knew how long it lasted, Su Wei’s face even beginning to flush from the heat, before Su He finally released her. “Gu is hungry. Let’s eat.”
Su Wei obediently stood to the side again, waiting for her master’s next command.
She didn’t eat much, spending most of the time drinking her medicine. Su Wei bit her lip, hands clasped behind her back, her posture ramrod straight.
Su He naturally wouldn’t think of such things. She wiped her lips, and her interest suddenly sparked. She turned her head, her tone tinged with a hint of worry. “Su Wei, are you familiar with this place?”
Su Wei was naturally familiar with it. During her duty shifts, she had always followed behind Su He, concealed in the shadows.
“I am familiar.”
“Then walk around and show Gu.” Su He had the dishes cleared away. She propped her head on her hand, her face devoid of emotion, yet the words she spoke sounded utterly pitiful. “Gu is afraid you won’t be able to protect yourself well.”
Su Wei was no fool. How could she not understand her master’s implication? She immediately declared her loyalty. “Master, rest assured. Even though Shadow Nine’s eyes cannot see, I absolutely will not let you fall into danger.”
She had promised she would never let the master be hurt again.
Su He nodded. “Then walk around and show Gu.”
Shadow guards had received professional training. This was similar to blindfold training and wasn’t particularly difficult.
Su Wei had observed this place for a long time. She walked out very naturally, not appearing at all like someone who had lost her sight. She didn’t know what Su He wanted her to do, but she knew that right now, she just had to obey Su He’s words.
Su He sat in the high seat above. She had taken apart the remaining beads from that string of Buddhist prayer beads, holding one in her hand to play with. Her gaze fell on Su Wei’s legs, making no move.
Since the master had no clear command, Su Wei prepared to walk a circuit around the residence. Her steps were steady, each one confident. But unfortunately, things didn’t go as wished. The next second, she sensed something. She turned sideways to dodge, but a projectile still struck her calf.
The sound of two prayer beads hitting the ground clearly reached Su Wei’s ears. She barely managed to steady herself, turning her head warily, only to discover the beads had been shot from Su He’s direction.
Was it the Master?
Su Wei was stunned but quickly understood. She had probably done something wrong, said something wrong, that displeased the master.
She was currently being punished.
Su Wei had the impulse to pick up the fallen prayer beads, but Su He hadn’t said to. While still wavering, she decided to continue walking forward. Just as she lifted her foot, she was struck in the waist by another prayer bead.
Su He’s strength was considerable. Su Wei let out a muffled groan, and blood clearly seeped from the corner of her lips.
“Continue walking.”
Su He’s voice drifted over, so Su Wei continued to move her foot forward. Before she could even lift it, she was struck in the ankle by the next prayer bead. She lost her balance and fell directly to the ground but quickly got back up.
Su Wei was about to walk again but was stopped by Su He. She immediately halted, her heart uneasy. The master’s mood didn’t seem very good.
“The flower fell off.” Su He walked over to Su Wei, bent down, and picked up the casually plucked flower. She lamented, “Such a beautiful flower. What a pity, now covered in dust.”
Su Wei finally panicked. She furrowed her brows tightly, raised her head, then hastily lowered it. Ultimately, she could only kneel and beg for forgiveness. “This subordinate failed to perform and could not pass the Master’s test.”
As soon as the words were out, Su Wei couldn’t help but cough twice, forcibly suppressing it. But she still couldn’t control it and coughed up a mouthful of blood. She casually wiped it with her sleeve, nervously awaiting the master’s punishment.
“Gu forgot you still have injuries.” Su He crouched down. “Are you alright?”
Su Wei shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s just that the flower has been soiled.”
Su He held the flower up to eye level, twisting it between her fingertips, her voice very soft. “Yes, a pity about this flower.”
This kind of flower was everywhere in the imperial palace. This wasn’t even the most beautiful or the one in fullest bloom. But Su He just had to fixate on this one, wanting to torment every part of it until her goal was achieved.
Hearing this, Su Wei felt even more remorse. She lowered her head. “It’s Shadow Nine’s fault. In the future, Shadow Nine will train even more diligently.”
Su He let out an “Oh?” and said, “Where are you going to train? Didn’t your Leader tell you? From now on, you can only stay here.”
At these words, a rare blankness appeared on Su Wei’s face. Only now did she slowly realize the meaning behind the Leader’s earlier words. She was no longer permitted to go back?
Then where would she stay?
Su Wei finally understood. She would stay by the master’s side. She exhaled a small breath. “Wherever the Master is, that is our home. From now on, Shadow Nine will remain at the Master’s side.”
Su He let out a soft “Ah,” a kind of unfathomable smile swirling in her eyes. She picked up the prayer bead that had landed near her foot and gently placed it in Su Wei’s mouth. She murmured, “Keep it with you from now on. Take good care of it.”
Su Wei raised her hand and removed the bead. Last night, this string of prayer beads had been felt many times between them. She lowered her eyes and silently clenched it tighter.
“Your Majesty, Her Highness the Elder Princess has arrived.”
The palace attendant’s voice interrupted Su He. She clicked her tongue softly but said nothing more.
Su Wei clearly felt her master’s shift in mood. She had seen this Elder Princess before—the master’s elder sister by blood. The dragon did not have only one child; there were legitimate and illegitimate offspring. Su He and her sister were born to a consort of low rank.
She remembered the first time the Leader had taken her to meet Su He. That day, the master’s birth mother had committed suicide. Su He was nine years old that year. The moment the door was pushed open, she saw the feet hanging in midair. Su Wei was only five that year. In her ignorance, she had followed behind Su He. That room was cramped, that woman appearing even more insignificant. There was no light, only the smell of decay and rot.
That was the first time she heard Su He speak. Her master, with her back to her, warned her, telling her to leave this place:
“Get out.”
Su Wei had been shut outside the door. She raised her head, dazed, and then, uncomprehending, stood guard outside.
She had kept that guard for fifteen years.
“So annoying.” The now twenty-four-year-old ruler before her muttered under her breath, then violently pinched the shadow guard’s face. Between heaven and earth, she kissed Su Wei.
Su He licked away the blood from Su Wei’s lips, relentlessly, fiercely, deepening the pressure.
