After lunch, Shangguan Liqian was subjected to another bout of Luo Wushuang’s clingy antics before the two finally boarded the carriage to leave the palace.
This wasn’t the first time Shangguan Liqian had left the palace since her imprisonment. Previously, in an attempt to please her, Luo Wushuang would set aside time every month to take her to the streets, letting her experience the life of ordinary citizens.
However, back then, Shangguan Liqian had viewed every outing as a golden opportunity to escape. Her methods had been endless and unpredictable.
Over time, Luo Wushuang had grown reluctant to take her out. By a careful count, it had been two or three months since the last time she had stepped foot outside the palace walls.
Unlike every previous occasion, the atmosphere inside the carriage was unprecedentedly harmonious.
Under Shangguan Liqian’s subtle indulgence, Luo Wushuang grew increasingly bold.
She even went as far as using the excuse of being “overworked” from the previous night to claim she needed a nap in the carriage. With calculated precision, she let her head fall onto Shangguan Liqian’s shoulder.
At first, Shangguan Liqian didn’t think much of it. Seeing the faint dark circles under Luo Wushuang’s eyes, she genuinely believed the woman was exhausted.
She shifted her body slightly, carefully moving the “sleeping” Empress’s head onto her lap. Sensing her sister’s movements, a wave of warmth flooded Luo Wushuang’s heart. She nearly failed to suppress the urge to jump up and howl with joy.
However, to avoid revealing that she was faking, Luo Wushuang worked very hard to stifle that impulse.
Once she had settled Luo Wushuang comfortably, Shangguan Liqian picked up a casual journal to pass the time.
Then, in a momentary glance… she happened to catch the slight upward curve of the other woman’s lips.
Shangguan Liqian’s own lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile.
So, she’s faking?
Should I play along, or should I tease her?
In an instant, Shangguan Liqian made her decision.
She tossed the book aside. Her long legs shifted slightly, causing Luo Wushuang’s head to tilt toward the edge.
If someone were truly fast asleep, they would certainly be jolted by this “accidental” movement, and might even slide right off.
Luo Wushuang had no idea her act had been seen through. Sensing that her head was about to slip from her sister’s lap, she hurriedly steadied herself. Straining her core, she kept her head firmly pillowed against her sister’s slender, firm thigh.
The softness near the base of the thigh was enough to make one’s mind wander. Inevitably, her thoughts drifted back to the swaying shadows under the candlelight last night, and the melodious, haunting sounds… Ahem.
While Luo Wushuang’s imagination was running wild, Shangguan Liqian’s leg moved again. Luo Wushuang couldn’t afford to let her mind wander anymore; she strained her waist again, struggling to maintain her balance.
Watching Luo Wushuang work so hard to maintain her position despite the swaying of the carriage, Shangguan Liqian laughed inwardly.
After enjoying the Empress’s plight for a while longer, Shangguan Liqian tucked away her mischievous grin. Pretending she had only just noticed, she let out a soft gasp.
“My, you’re quite the restless sleeper. You nearly fell off. Thank goodness…”
Hearing Shangguan Liqian’s relieved voice, Luo Wushuang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Cooperating with her sister’s movements, she pretended to roll over naturally, finding a more comfortable position to settle back down.
After a while, Shangguan Liqian estimated that the woman had rested enough and decided to repeat the trick…
This left the “sleeping” Luo Wushuang crying out in silent misery. Yet, for the sake of lying on her sister’s soft lap, she continued to exert herself, maintaining various difficult poses just to stay glued to her body.
By the time Shangguan Liqian finally decided she had tormented her enough and was ready to let her off the hook, the sound of the carriage wheels gradually came to a halt.
Luo Wushuang let out a long, internal sigh of relief. She couldn’t wait to open her eyes, only to meet Shangguan Liqian’s half-smiling, knowing gaze.
“Done pretending to be asleep?”
Luo Wushuang’s eyes darted around as she stammered, “Sister… you… you realized?”
Internal Monologue: Is my acting that bad? How did she see through it? This is so embarrassing! Too embarrassing! Waaaaah…
“Hmph!” Shangguan Liqian let out a fake huff of annoyance. She made a show of being “furious,” turning to leave with a sweep of her sleeve.
In the next moment, she was caught by Luo Wushuang.
“I was wrong. Sister, don’t be angry.”
Hearing Luo Wushuang’s soft, cloying coquetry, Shangguan Liqian—who had been faking her anger to begin with—couldn’t keep up the act any longer.
She reached out and gave Luo Wushuang’s hair a messy rub. Looking at the Empress, who was behaving like a well-mannered child and letting her do as she pleased, Shangguan Liqian’s voice softened even further.
“Fine, get up. We’re here.”
Hearing her sister’s seemingly helpless words, Luo Wushuang nodded obediently and sat upright.
After smoothing out her slightly disheveled robes, she was the first to hop down from the carriage.
Looking at the hand extended toward her, Shangguan Liqian felt a brief flash of awkwardness.
In terms of status and rank, she should have been the one playing the role of the attentive servant right now. But seeing the expectation in Luo Wushuang’s eyes—and the stubbornness hidden beneath that expectation—Shangguan Liqian could only grumble a single word in her mind: Dominant!
Without further hesitation, she took the hand. Using Luo Wushuang’s strength for support, she stepped steadily down from the carriage.
The servants guarding the gates of the Shangguan Manor were used to seeing important figures come and go, so they possessed a fair bit of discernment.
As soon as the carriage stopped, they had scrutinized it. From the craftsmanship to the materials to the quality of the horses, it was clear this was not a carriage an ordinary official could afford.
The guests were undoubtedly of high status—perhaps even members of the Imperial family.
With that thought in mind, the servants grew even more respectful.
“May I ask which manor our guests hail from? Do you have a visiting card for the Master?”
A long silence followed, but no one answered. The lead servant raised his head in confusion.
The moment he saw Shangguan Liqian’s face clearly, he froze, his eyes widening in shock.
This was… the Sixth Young Lady had returned?
“M-Miss…”
Knowing full well that the Sixth Young Lady was no longer the person she used to be, the servant quickly lowered his head.
In the past, this young lady had been unfavored in the manor. The servants were accustomed to being sycophants—flattering the powerful while trampling on the weak. They had frequently made life difficult for this “Sixth Young Lady,” who had the title of a master but none of the actual power.
Even the guards at the gate had been no exception.
But now that the Sixth Young Lady was back in power, these lowly servants were naturally terrified of her settling old scores.
One by one, they lowered their heads like frightened quails, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
Shangguan Liqian had no intention of making things difficult for them. She merely spared the guards a glance before stepping into the Shangguan Manor.
Sensing that her sister’s mood seemed slightly off, Luo Wushuang remained perfectly behaved, following her closely. Her shadow-like devotion caused the servant who ran ahead to announce their arrival to completely misunderstand her identity.
