Chapter 19: Luo Wushuang Pushes Her Luck!

As various thoughts raced through Shangguan Liqian’s mind, Luo Wushuang’s gaze remained fixed on the woman in her arms.

Upon noticing that Liqian was distracted, the gloom in the depths of her eyes deepened.

“Focus, Sister. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind…”

Seeing that Luo Wushuang looked ready to make the heavens her canopy and the earth her couch right then and there, Shangguan Liqian quickly snapped back to reality.

She swallowed nervously, trying her best to cast aside her stray thoughts as she kissed the woman back in earnest.

Sensing Liqian’s response, the coldness on Luo Wushuang’s face softened slightly, though her expression remained somewhat strained.

Seeing that a simple kiss wasn’t enough to dissipate the Empress’s irritation, Liqian decided to soothe her further. Enduring her own bashfulness, she wrapped her arms around Wushuang’s neck and leaned in, whispering softly into her ear.

“This is the Shangguan residence. When we return to the palace, we can…”

As her voice trailed off, it grew quieter and quieter until it was virtually a breathy murmur.

“We can what?” Luo Wushuang blinked, intentionally feigning ignorance.

Liqian’s voice had been tiny to begin with, and since she was whispering directly into Wushuang’s ear, the personal guards behind them tactfully ignored the private words between their Sovereign and the future Empress Consort.

The Emperor, however, showed no such restraint in her volume. The guards didn’t dare eavesdrop, yet they couldn’t completely ignore the movements around them. They could only pretend to be deaf, their eyes busily scanning the nearby flowers and grass as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

“Wushuang, don’t bully me.” Liqian’s beautiful eyes darted toward the woman who had clearly heard her but chose to tease her anyway. She bit her lower lip, her voice carry a hint of a reproachful pout.

Looking at Liqian—her eyelashes trembling, her thin lips pursed, and the corners of her eyes flushed with a delicate crimson—Luo Wushuang’s heart softened. The fire of her anger finally began to dwindle.

However, her arms remained locked tightly around Liqian’s waist. She rested her head on Liqian’s shoulder, muttering unhappily, “I feel uncomfortable. It hurts right here. Sister, you have to compensate me!”

Hearing this childish demand, Liqian turned her head slightly. Her eyes were filled with affection and a trace of ethereal tenderness as she answered softly, “Fine. I will compensate you.”

Hearing the agreement, Luo Wushuang’s heart eased, but she immediately pushed her luck further.

“I hate the Shangguan family. I hate everyone in this house except for you. Just let Ling Yun take those things back later. Don’t get involved with them anymore, alright?”

Luo Wushuang acted spoiled out of habit, her hand wandering restlessly into the opening of Liqian’s robes. Liqian’s lips pressed into a tighter line.

A deep blush crept across her face, making her look like a blooming peony—captivating, breathtaking, and drawing one irresistibly closer.

“Alright!” Liqian agreed hurriedly, wasting no time in grabbing the woman’s wandering hand and pulling it out from under her clothes.

Luo Wushuang flexed her captured hands. Sensing that Liqian was holding on tightly, she didn’t insist on pulling away. Instead, she pressed her lips against Liqian’s earlobe and continued her pleading.

“Sister, I don’t like your maid. Let’s just bury her and go back to the palace!”

“H—Bury her?” Liqian was about to agree instinctively when she realized what had been said. Her voice rose in shock.

Seeing this reaction, Luo Wushuang assumed the maid was deeply important to Liqian, and the tension she had just released surged back into her heart.

Before Liqian could speak, Wushuang took it upon herself to decide the girl’s fate. “We’ll bury her in a potter’s field, then. Or perhaps the mass graves in the suburbs!”

Liqian, who had been wondering if she had misheard, lost all hope of it being a mistake after that second sentence. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Wushuang! She’s still alive… you can’t bury her.”

Luo Wushuang buried her face into the crook of Liqian’s neck, her voice sounding hauntingly low. “Sister can’t bear to let her go?”

Watching Luo Wushuang attempt to slide her hand back into her robes at the slightest disagreement, Liqian blocked her movements while trying to coax her.

“It isn’t a matter of being able to bear it or not…”

Before she could finish, she felt Wushuang’s hand bypass the layers of fabric to reach her waist.

The coolness of those fingertips made Liqian’s body recoil instinctively, her blush deepening. Seeing how lawless Luo Wushuang was becoming, Liqian lowered her gaze, silently marking this debt in her mind.

But for now, she had to appeal to the woman’s reason and emotions.

“Wushuang, you don’t necessarily have to be a ruler who goes down in history as a saint, but you cannot be a tyrant who kills on a whim…”

Liqian was interrupted before she could finish.

“I don’t care!”

Seeing Wushuang’s indifferent expression, Liqian said seriously, “I care!”

Meeting Wushuang’s puzzled gaze, Liqian repeated, “Wushuang, I said I care!”

Luo Wushuang frowned, asking in confusion, “Why do you care about such things, Sister?”

Reputation was something only sour scholars and incompetent fools cared about. She didn’t care for the opinions of future generations. By then, she would be nothing but a handful of yellow earth. What use was a good name? It wasn’t as if she could crawl out of her coffin.

Liqian didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, she asked, “Wushuang, will you marry me?”

Luo Wushuang’s eyes went blank for a moment. Once she processed the words, she spoke without a second of hesitation. “I will!”

Hearing the firm answer, Liqian smiled beautifully and continued, “Then, in the future, will my name be recorded alongside yours in the annals of history? A hundred years from now, will I be the one buried with you in the Imperial Tomb?”

Luo Wushuang tried to control her racing heart—thump, thump, thump. Her lips parted and closed several times, trembling so much she couldn’t make a sound. She simply nodded vigorously.

She dreamed of marrying her sister. Regardless of whether Liqian agreed or not, she had to be hers!

Sometimes she felt she was despicable for ignoring Liqian’s wishes, but she simply couldn’t let go. She couldn’t bear to let Liqian out of her sight.

Sister belonged to her. To her alone. It had to be that way!

Regardless of life or death… regardless of whether she was willing…

Wushuang had even thought that if Liqian died first a hundred years from now, she would follow her without hesitation.

And if she died first… No! She wouldn’t leave Liqian alone.

There was no one in this world who loved Liqian more than she did. If she died first, Liqian would surely be wronged and mistreated.

They had to share life and death. In the future, even if they reached the underworld and stood before the King of Hell, she would be the one to protect her sister!

Liqian just had to be good. She just had to stay with her. Together, forever…

As the emotions flickered in Wushuang’s eyes and her expressions shifted rapidly…

Liqian’s gentle voice sounded in her ear once more. “If that is the case, I do not want you to carry the burden of infamy.”

Liqian paused, then added, “Do it for my sake.”

Luo Wushuang was about to nod when she suddenly stopped. She looked at Liqian with suspicion.

“Sister, are you saying all this just to plead for your maid?”