“Crazy, don’t leave, I’m scared…”
Shangguan Liqian sobbed for a long time, yet not a single tear fell.
It turned out that ghosts had no tears, but why did she still have emotions? Why was she still afraid?
None of that mattered. The most pressing matter now was to ensure Luo Wushuang didn’t leave; otherwise, as the only ghost left behind, she would truly be driven mad with fear.
Shangguan Liqian drifted forward quickly and urgently, crashing straight into Luo Wushuang, but unfortunately, Luo Wushuang remained completely unaware.
However, Shangguan Liqian made a new discovery: by following Luo Wushuang, she could leave the Shangguan residence, though she couldn’t stray too far from her side.
This was enough to surprise Shangguan Liqian. She was already a ghost, so what more could she ask for? Fortunately, Luo Wushuang was mobile, and by staying by her side, she could at least see some new scenery. However, Shangguan Liqian soon realized that she had been far too optimistic.
She truly could not have imagined that Luo Wushuang could be so mad; she had actually summoned Prince An, who harbored intentions of usurping the throne, in the dead of night. Having just learned that the Shangguan family had been exterminated, Prince An was trembling in the arms of his newlywed consort when he received the Empress Regnant’s summons, causing him to faint from terror on the spot. The cowardly Prince An was carried into the palace. As Luo Wushuang looked at him trembling at her feet, her heart was filled with a profound sense of desolation.
Her sister was dead, and she had no wish to live on alone. She only wanted to join the person who had hated her from start to finish as quickly as she could.
But a vast empire needed an heir, and she didn’t want to waste her energy choosing a successor. Since Prince An wanted the throne, she would simply give it to him, but she had a condition.
“After I die, bury me and Empress Consort Shangguan Liqian together in the Imperial Tomb. Can you see this done?”
“I… I… I wouldn’t dare…”
The cowardly Prince An did not even dare to raise his head. He originally had no designs on his Imperial Sister’s throne, but with his fatal secrets held by others, if he did not ascend the throne, only death would await him.
Luo Wushuang utterly despised Prince An’s cowardice, and her voice grew increasingly cold and harsh:
“Can you do it or not?!”
Prince An shuddered in terror, stammering, “I… your humble brother… obey the imperial command.”
“This is my edict of succession. If you cannot accomplish what I have commanded, then do not expect your hold on the throne to be secure.”
“Yes, yes!”
Handed over along with the edict of succession was the decree appointing Shangguan Liqian as Empress Consort. After everything was properly arranged, Luo Wushuang, dressed in a phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, held Shangguan Liqian—who was dressed identically—and lay directly into the Dragon-Phoenix coffin intended for the Emperor and Empress to share in eternal rest.
Shangguan Liqian floated by her side, weeping as she tried to stop her, but it was to no avail.
“Seal the coffin!” Luo Wushuang’s cold and resolute voice rang out; this was the final decree she left to the world.
The four personal guards—Ling Yun, Ling Feng, Leng Yue, and Leng Yu—carried the coffin. After properly settling their Master and Mistress, they looked at each other and smiled. Then, they drew their swords and aimed at one another’s throats, striking with such ruthlessness that each died with a single blow.
Shangguan Liqian was deeply shaken by the actions of this master and her servants. She had previously thought Luo Wushuang was the only madwoman, but now it seemed that no one who stayed by her side was sane. The only consolation was that Prince An—that walking contradiction who was both audaciously bold and as timid as a mouse—had fulfilled every one of Luo Wushuang’s requests after her death.
Shangguan Liqian was unsure of what happened after that, as her memory had become a complete blank. When she opened her eyes again, she had reappeared in the place where Luo Wushuang had imprisoned her.
Now, as if the heavens had opened their eyes, they had returned to a time just over a year after their first meeting, when much of the harm had not yet been inflicted.
Starting over, she did not want to repeat her past mistakes, nor did she want to fail this madwoman who loved her to the very marrow of her bones.
She wanted to try to accept and reciprocate Luo Wushuang’s feelings.
She thought that it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Luo Wushuang, who had left at some unknown time and suddenly reappeared, looked at Shangguan Liqian staring blankly toward the gate, and her expression quickly turned cold.
She knew her sister wasn’t being well-behaved at all; the moment she was out of her sight, she would try every means possible to escape.
“Wushuang, you’re back. You even brought me food; I happen to be hungry.”
Meeting Shangguan Liqian’s faint smile, Luo Wushuang stepped forward quickly. Her hand reached out uncontrollably to caress the small face she constantly yearned for, her gaze flickering between love and madness:
“Has Sister thought of another clever way to escape?”
Otherwise, why would she be so happy?
Perhaps Shangguan Liqian herself hadn’t realized that she only ever showed Luo Wushuang a pleasant expression when she had come up with a good idea or was preparing to run away.
This was also why she was caught so easily every time she tried to flee; her behavior was simply too obvious, making it impossible for Luo Wushuang to ignore.
“I won’t run anymore. I’ll stay by Wushuang’s side from now on and never run again.”
Even though she knew Luo Wushuang wouldn’t believe her, Shangguan Liqian continued to repeat those words tirelessly.
Luo Wushuang set down the food box in her hand and lowered her head to gently kiss Shangguan Liqian’s forehead. Her voice was gentle and doting as she spoke:
“It doesn’t matter. If Sister runs away again, I will break Sister’s legs, or simply chop off all of Sister’s limbs. That way, Sister won’t always be thinking about running away…”
Shangguan Liqian: “…”
Why did she have to make it sound so gruesome? Was it really that fun to scare her every time?
She wasn’t very brave to begin with, yet this woman always insisted on frightening her.
No wonder she had always wanted to run away in her previous life; it must have been because she was terrified.
No, this is a bad habit that shouldn’t be indulged!
“I won’t run away anymore. You’re not allowed to talk like that; I’m scared.”
Looking at Shangguan Liqian, who spoke with such righteous confidence, Luo Wushuang curled her lip ever so slightly. Her sister being scared? She didn’t believe it for a second.
However, she did not dwell on the matter. Instead, she refocused on the food box she had brought, which contained dishes she had ordered the imperial chefs to prepare with great care. She only wondered if her sister, having failed her escape attempt, would be too incensed to eat.
“Sister, do you want to get up and eat? Or shall I feed you?” Luo Wushuang’s gaze swept back and forth over the chains around Shangguan Liqian’s wrists. Truthfully, she had no desire to release her.
She wished to keep her shackled just like this for all eternity. That way, her sister would belong to her and her alone.
Although she didn’t know what the other was thinking, Shangguan Liqian, who had no desire to be tied to the bed and unable to move, chose the first option without a second thought.
“I’ll eat by myself. Do you want to join me?” Shangguan Liqian asked tentatively.
Being invited for the first time, Luo Wushuang’s eyes lit up, but she quickly regained her composure. She wasn’t sure if this was yet another of her sister’s new tricks.
Reluctantly, she untied the restraints on Shangguan Liqian’s wrists. Watching Shangguan Liqian struggle to sit up, Luo Wushuang felt a pang of heartache, yet she still had no intention of granting her complete freedom. Because her sister’s freedom had never included her, she had no choice but to keep her locked away—to keep her locked away forever.
Famished to the point of her stomach sticking to her spine, Shangguan Liqian picked up her chopsticks, ready to dig in. Seeing Luo Wushuang standing there motionless and dazed, she couldn’t help but speak up:
“What are you dazing for? Aren’t you hungry?”
Reminded, Luo Wushuang had just sat down when she saw a soup bowl placed before her, along with a pair of slender, fair hands. However, the dark red bruises on the wrists were a jarring sight.
Luo Wushuang subconsciously reached out, her movements gentle as she stroked Shangguan Liqian’s wrist, murmuring softly:
“Sister, be a little more obedient, won’t you…?”
Looking at the yandere Empress Regnant who was constantly acting out, Shangguan Liqian felt utterly powerless. Was it that she wasn’t being good enough, or was Luo Wushuang simply too twisted?
Who on earth loved someone like this? If she hadn’t been reborn and become absolutely certain of Luo Wushuang’s sincerity, her first reaction upon seeing her would undoubtedly have been to run as far away as possible.
However, now that she knew this person would never truly hurt her, Shangguan Liqian grew a bit bolder.
“Alright, I’ll definitely be good from now on. Can we eat now?”
“Mhm,” Luo Wushuang responded softly. She ate in silence, quietly pondering the changes in her sister today.
After the meal, Luo Wushuang departed. Following Shangguan Liqian’s exhaustive efforts to curry favor and her repeated promises, Luo Wushuang finally relented and allowed her to set foot on the floor.
However, her ankle remained shackled by a chain forged of pure gold. Fortunately, the chain was long enough to grant her free movement within the room, but catching even a glimpse of the world outside still required Luo Wushuang’s permission.
