Chapter 159: Wealth! Wealth! Wealth Flows in From All Directions!

Luo Wushuang found the girl’s reaction amusing, yet she maintained a fearsome facade, terrifying the poor maid for a good while longer before she finally, leisurely explained the reason for the summons.

The moment Qingdai realized the Empress was showing mercy and allowing her to return to her mistress’s side, she felt as if she had been brought back from the dead. However, the thought of spending every day in the presence of this unpredictable tyrant made her swallow hard.

It was terrifying, but the excitement of seeing her lady again flickered in her eyes. Since entering the palace, she had only managed to see Shangguan Liqian once.

Over the past two days, she had heard rumors from the other servants that the Eldest Miss could no longer walk. The news had devastated her; she had spent her nights crying until her eyes were swollen. She had approached the stoic Official Leng several times, begging for a chance to see her lady, but he had only told her that staying away was for the best—for both her and her mistress.

Only then did she abandon her plans to sneak into the Phoenix Hall.

It was a stroke of luck that she had listened to his advice. If the petty, jealous Luo Wushuang had caught her sneaking around the Phoenix Hall, Qingdai would likely be facing the executioner’s block right now.

Luo Wushuang gave a brief summary of Liqian’s current condition. She punctuated the update with threats, telling Qingdai that if she ever dared to badmouth her again, she would break the maid’s legs, plant her in the dirt like a mushroom, and then…

Before the Empress could finish her colorful threats, Qingdai, showing great survival instincts, began kowtowing vigorously.

“This servant was wrong! This servant was wrong! My lady said you were a person of virtue, and she must be right!” Qingdai gulped, her voice trembling as she continued her frantic apology. “You and my lady are a match made in heaven, a true union of hearts! This servant will never dare to utter another foolish word!”

Upon hearing the words “person of virtue” and “union of hearts,” Luo Wushuang’s expression softened visibly. She let out a cold snort.

“Keep up!”

With that, she pushed the wheelchair forward, marching into the hall with an air of immense pride.

The moment she stepped inside, her face underwent a total transformation.

“Sister, have you been waiting long? Look what I’ve brought you!”

Like a child showing off a prized treasure, Luo Wushuang pushed the wheelchair over to Shangguan Liqian. “With this chair on wheels, I can take you wherever you want to go from now on.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to carry Liqian everywhere, but she knew Liqian was shy and didn’t like being carried in public. Because of that, Liqian had stayed indoors for the past few days. Wushuang feared the isolation would lead to a heavy heart, which was why she had been so frantic to have the Imperial Workshop finish the commission.

Now, with the wheelchair, her sister could go anywhere.

Shangguan Liqian’s gaze shifted from Luo Wushuang’s smiling eyes to the wheelchair she held.

The frame was crafted from rare ebony, its grain as fine as silk and gleaming with a deep, somber luster. The armrests were inlaid with rounded suet-white jade that felt warm to the touch. Carved into the backrest was a vivid scene of a phoenix rising from the flames; every line was fluid and soul-stirring, making the bird look as if it were about to take flight.

Small, night-luminescent pearls were embedded into the phoenix’s body and all along the edges of the backrest. It seemed that even at the peak of night, visibility would not be an issue.

The seat itself was cushioned with top-grade mink fur, looking exceptionally soft and comfortable.

Casting her gaze lower, she saw that the rims of the four wheels were encased in pure gold, while the spokes were studded with various gemstones and pearls that sparkled with every movement. On either side hung a delicate embroidered pouch, releasing a faint, refreshing fragrance that lifted the spirit.

Good heavens, Liqian thought. Is this a wheelchair or a mobile treasure vault?

If she actually went out in this, she couldn’t imagine how much she would dazzle everyone.

[Xiaobai: I’m not just padding the word count, but Xiaobai is a bit poor lately. Everything on that wheelchair is what I want… Waaaah…]

Liqian’s lips twitched. She looked at Luo Wushuang and asked, “When did you have them start making this ‘wheeled chair’?”

Judging by the level of detail, it must have taken quite some time.

Luo Wushuang didn’t answer directly. Instead, she leaned down, picked Liqian up, and carefully settled her into the seat. “Try it out first, Sister. If anything is uncomfortable, I’ll have them change it!”

It was exactly as she expected—it was very comfortable. But it was also too…

Liqian sighed, looking at Luo Wushuang with a hesitant expression. She didn’t want to be this conspicuous. If she went out like this, people wouldn’t be able to tell her apart from the sun; they’d both be blinding!

However, this was Wushuang’s sincere gift. If she spoke her mind directly, would it hurt her feelings?

Noticing the long silence, a flash of confusion crossed Wushuang’s eyes. “What’s wrong, Sister?”

Liqian pointed at the gemstones and pearls on the wheelchair, choosing her words carefully. “Don’t you think I might be a bit… high-profile like this?”

Luo Wushuang let out a breath of relief. She had worried something was actually wrong. “Not at all! I’ve had them make other styles, too. This one was just finished the fastest, so you’ll have to make do with it for now.”

There are others? Liqian was about to ask if they could make one a little more “ordinary” when she noticed the trembling little “quail” standing behind the Empress.

“Qingdai? Why are you here?”

Seeing that Liqian had noticed the maid, Luo Wushuang reluctantly stepped aside to reveal the person she had been blocking.

Qingdai performed a quick bow and spoke up immediately. “The Empress feared the Eldest Miss would be bored, so she showed great mercy by allowing me to serve you again.”

In truth, the moment she saw Qingdai, Liqian had already guessed as much. Without Wushuang’s permission, it was impossible for the maid to appear before her.

Qingdai’s words confirmed her suspicions, and Liqian felt a wave of warmth in her heart. This person, who usually pickled herself in jealousy, had been generous enough to bring Qingdai back because she was worried about Liqian’s mood.

After a few brief words with the maid, Liqian dismissed her for the time being.

Seeing that her mistress looked healthy and well, the weight on Qingdai’s heart finally lifted. When she had heard that the Eldest Miss couldn’t walk, she had assumed the Empress had been mistreating her. It seemed she had overthought things. The Empress treated her mistress like a precious pearl; she wouldn’t dream of bullying her.

It seemed she had misunderstood the Empress before. Her Majesty was actually quite…

Before Qingdai could finish handing out her “good person” card, she heard a voice from behind—one that tried to sound indifferent but was clearly dripping with jealousy.

“The two of you haven’t seen each other in so long. Why didn’t you talk more?”

Qingdai instinctively hurried her pace to leave, missing her mistress’s—the ultimate “Empress-Tamer”—reply.

“Because I want to be with Wushuang.”

That single sentence turned the jealous Empress into absolute putty.

Luo Wushuang struggled to suppress the joy blooming on her face. She lowered her head and asked softly, “Then, shall I take you for a stroll outside?”

“Mm…”

Shangguan Liqian lowered her eyes and smiled. Wushuang was the one who brought the maid back, yet she was still this jealous.

What a handful she is!