Su Wei’s memories of the Elder Princess were actually very sparse. Her Master probably didn’t like her own elder sister much; every time the topic came up in conversation, she would sigh, a rare display of helplessness.
Her lip was bitten red and swollen by Su He, and she could still faintly taste the metallic tang of blood from her tongue. Her Master’s mood was probably not very good.
Su Wei was yanked up by Su He. She heard her Master murmur softly: “The medicine is ready.”
She immediately grasped Su He’s meaning. Her hand tightened around the Buddhist prayer bead, and she obediently turned to leave, but the next moment, her arm was seized.
The other emotions faded from Su He’s face. She stared at Su Wei for a few seconds, narrowed her eyes slightly, and then suddenly smiled. “Bring the medicine to the Imperial Study. I want to watch you drink it.”
Though puzzled, Su Wei nodded. “Alright.”
Whatever Master said was right.
Her palm was sweating from clutching the bead. Her Master had assigned someone to decoct the medicine for her, so she didn’t need to worry too much. Refusing offers of help from others, Su Wei carried the bowl herself, fumbling her way to the Imperial Study.
She had just reached the door when she heard Su He’s voice from inside: “What matter brings Elder Sister to see me?”
The Elder Princess was named Su Yuan, three years older than Su He. She hadn’t been raised by her birth mother, but by a noblewoman at the time.
Su Yuan’s tone was rather dejected: “Your Majesty has become quite distant now.”
“Come in. Come to my side.” Su He didn’t answer Su Yuan’s question, but instead called for Su Wei.
Hearing herself summoned, Su Wei pushed the door open, carrying the medicine, and walked steadily to Su He’s side. If one didn’t look closely at her eyes, it would be absolutely impossible to tell she had lost her sight.
Su Yuan’s expression changed slightly. “Who is this?”
Su He didn’t even spare a glance. She gently lifted the bowl, her voice soft. “Drink it. Be careful, it’s hot.”
Her tone made Su Yuan’s gaze grow increasingly strange. She couldn’t help but speak: “Is this your little attendant?”
Little attendant—often referred to someone without a formal title, used to warm the bed.
Su Wei acted as if she hadn’t heard. She only listened to Su He’s words; others merely received a bit of face, at most.
“What kind of talk is that, Eldest Sister?” Su He placed her gaze lightly on Su Yuan. “Just a Shadow Guard by my side. You still haven’t said what matter brings you here?”
Su Yuan frowned. “We are blood, thicker than water. Can I, as your elder sister, not come to see you? Or is Her Majesty now too exalted to be reached?”
Su He picked up her teacup and blew on it gently. She accepted the statement openly. “As you are now, you indeed cannot reach me.”
A mocking pity surfaced in her eyes. “Could it be that Eldest Sister is once again seeking to throw her life away for Grand General He?”
Su Yuan actually managed to hold her temper. “Your Majesty, those are past events. Since you bring it up now, I also wish to ask, when will you allow He Chengjiang and me to marry?”
The last trace of amusement vanished from Su He’s face. She stared at Su Yuan with a sinking gaze for a moment, then let out a low laugh. “Eldest Sister, you at least have a brain. Yet all day, you fill it with nothing but romance and love.”
“Your Majesty.” Su Yuan stood up, her lips pressed tightly together. “I still consider myself your sister. I must remind you, your foundation is unstable. Clipping the wings of a soaring eagle invites its retaliation. All those ministers behind your back condemn you for not letting He Chengjiang go to the frontier. I am also helping you. Moreover, I like him. My heart desires him.”
Su He directly crushed the teacup. Scalding tea splashed onto her hand. Startled by the sound, Su Wei reached out but immediately withdrew her hand.
“Su Yuan, this visit is not just about He Chengjiang, is it? It’s also because today I made those old fossils lose face.”
Su He walked slowly to Su Yuan’s side. She reached out and seized her own sister’s neck. Her gaze was fierce, and her words were like a snake lurking in the shadows. “I pretend to know nothing about how you collude with that waste. Are you so afraid my position on this throne is unstable? So afraid of being implicated yourself, you seek someone who can protect you?”
Su Yuan’s face was squeezed red. She glared resentfully at Su He but could not utter a single word. Su He’s grip did not loosen in the slightest. “I will tell Eldest Sister this: what you love is not necessarily what you get.”
She flung Su Yuan directly onto the ground, looking down at her from above. “Eldest Sister, we did not grow up together. If not for that face of yours bearing some resemblance to our mother’s, I could not have let you live until now.”
Su He shrugged, chuckled, and picked up a cup of tea. Looking at Su Yuan, she poured the tea down from above without hesitation. Her voice carried a smile. “And here I thought it was some major matter. So it was just this.”
Looking at the disheveled Su Yuan, she smirked with satisfaction and raised her voice. “The Elder Princess is unwell. Escort her back to her residence for quiet recuperation. Without my permission, no one is to leave, and no one is to visit. Offenders will be executed immediately.”
Su Yuan grew agitated. “You cannot do this! Su He!”
But The Palace Attendant would not give Su Yuan the chance. With a wave of her hand, she had people “invite” Su Yuan out, and then, tactfully, closed the door behind them.
Listening to the sounds, Su Wei could guess a fair portion of what happened. She murmured timidly, “Master, is your hand injured?”
“No.”
Su Wei relaxed. “That’s good. Otherwise, you should still summon the Imperial Physician to take a look.”
Just as her words fell, she heard the footsteps of Su He approaching. She bent down, lowering her posture, wanting to cheer her Master up.
“Su Wei.”
Su Wei’s chin was lifted. She felt the sensation of fingers tracing her face and heard Su He ask, “Do you know why my elder sister is so foolishly obsessed?”
“This subordinate does not know.” Su Wei was so honest. She didn’t want to speculate about the relationships between the people around her Master. She only wanted to serve Su He well.
But a Shadow Guard could not be stupid. They required extreme insight, needing to be wary of every person who approached their Master and quickly categorize them into safe and dangerous zones.
But Su Wei didn’t speak. She refused to guess. She looked blankly towards Su He, her eyes appearing even more innocent, even though she could not see. Su Wei waited for her Master to tell her the reason. If her Master didn’t want to tell her, it was fine. She would find a way to listen to her Master’s words, to cheer people up.
Su He and Su Wei stayed close for a long time, their breaths intertwining. She said softly: “Because she is jealous.”
After saying this, Su He gave a short laugh. “Because she is jealous that I climbed to this position and stole her spotlight. Just like my worthless imperial brother, they all watch, waiting for me to fall. It’s just that today, I could not directly deal with the old fools they rely on.”
Su He accurately found the Buddhist prayer bead hidden in Su Wei’s hand. Using her fingertips to press against the bead, she turned it in Su Wei’s palm. “I made them swallow it.”
Her shadow blocked most of the light. “You will follow me forever, won’t you?”
Su Wei murmured an “Mm.” Her tone was firm: “I will. I will follow at Master’s side forever.”
“I want that flower you ruined today.” Su He rested her head on Su Wei’s shoulder, her eyes open, staring blankly at the floor. “Go find it for me.”
Su Wei blinked and asked cautiously, “What if I can’t find one exactly the same?”
“It doesn’t need to be identical. Similar is fine.” Su He stepped back, reaching out to pat Su Wei’s shoulder. “Go. I believe in you.”
Su Wei clutched the empty bowl in her hands. She acknowledged the order forcefully and walked out. Seeing her emerge, the Palace Attendant had someone take the empty bowl from her and whispered a reminder: “After you leave, walk straight. When you’ve gone far enough, turn right. It’s not far.”
“Thank you.” Su Wei was sincere. She rarely went to the Rear Garden. She was either on night duty or going out with her Master. During the day, Su He basically wouldn’t go there either. She only had a fuzzy memory.
Su Wei hadn’t dared to touch the flower after receiving it, nor did she know what kind Su He wanted. She could only guess; it must have pleased her Master greatly, blooming gorgeously and beautifully.
She hugged the wall, walking quickly. On the way, she could feel gazes cast upon her from others, but she didn’t care. Su Wei only wanted to complete the mission.
Luckily, the Rear Garden wasn’t hard to find. She could smell the fragrance, and since she had been punished by kneeling in the pavilion there last time, it felt somewhat familiar.
What kind of flower was it?
Su Wei only remembered the stem had thorns, which scraped her mouth painfully. The fragrance also felt somewhat familiar, but she wasn’t sure if it was a peony or a monthly rose.
Her eyes trembled slightly. She reached out carefully to touch, wanting to find the most beautiful flower.
“Hold it.”
A familiar voice made Su Wei’s movements pause. She recognized it: Su Bai.
Why did he choose this time to come? Was he here to see the Master?
No, he must be here to see the Master!
Su Wei vigilantly performed a salute. “This servant greets King Hecheng.”
Su Bai looked Su Wei up and down, finding nothing particularly beautiful. He said with a long face: “You are Her Majesty’s Shadow Guard, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“She spoils you quite a bit, gifting you an earring.” Su Bai was already irritated. He had also originally planned to see Su He but heard midway that Su Yuan had been confined to her residence. Thinking it over, he decided to just go back.
Su Bai walked over to Su Wei. He made Su Wei lift her head. “What are you doing here?”
Neither servile nor overbearing, Su Wei lifted her head, her back straight. “My Master wished to see a flower.”
“Is that so?” Su Bai clearly didn’t believe it. He looked closely at Su Wei and realized this Shadow Guard seemed unable to see. He couldn’t manipulate Su He, but he could still manipulate this little Shadow Guard.
A woman, climbing onto the imperial throne, truly thinking she had any ability.
Su Bai’s tone turned hostile. “Deceiving this King is a capital offense. Her Majesty wants to see a flower and finds a blind person like you? Utterly ridiculous.”
He lifted his foot, preparing to kick. Before it could land on Su Wei, the Palace Attendant’s voice rang out: “King Hecheng, Her Majesty arrives.”
Su Bai retracted his foot. He looked at Su He and smiled. “Your Majesty has arrived. I saw this Shadow Guard being dishonest and was going to punish her on your behalf.”
Su He glanced at Su Wei, then withdrew her gaze nonchalantly. “It seems you quite fancy that White Jade Eardrop I gifted her. Very well, I shall bestow one upon you as well. Someone, relay my decree: forge a pair of White Jade Handcuffs for King Hecheng. He is not to remove them without my permission.”
“A while ago, Imperial Brother fell ill and missed morning court. Now, it seems you’ve recovered quite well. Then, we shall meet tomorrow. Now, please return.”
Su He’s tone was clearly dismissive. Su Bai’s eyes widened. He wanted to retort but swallowed it back. Forced by those around him to bow, he was dragged away.
Su Wei looked hesitantly towards Su He and called softly: “Master…”
But her Master only said: “You failed your task. I am very sad. So, kneel there. When the sun rises, you may roll back.”
