Chapter 30

While Shangguan Liqian was lost in thought, the expectation in Luo Wushuang’s phoenix eyes gradually faded into gloom, and her voice grew low:

“Does Sister not want to tell me?”

At this moment, Shangguan Liqian truly found it difficult to speak. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell Luo Wushuang; it was simply that she had no way of saying it.

Shangguan Liqian tried a few more times, but in the end, she gave up in resignation.

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you; it’s just that I’m not quite sure myself,” Shangguan Liqian said, forced to tell a little lie.

It was unclear whether Luo Wushuang saw through her, but she merely gave a soft “oh” in response and fell silent.

Seeing her look as if she had suffered a monumental grievance, Shangguan Liqian sighed helplessly. Setting aside the various matters of her past life, she warned her earnestly, “Wushuang, you must be careful of Prince An.”

Hearing her sister mention Luo Wuyan once again, the suspicions in Luo Wushuang’s heart seemed to be confirmed. A cold glint flashed in her eyes; it appeared that Prince An might truly not be as simple as “he” appeared.

Perhaps she should find a time to test him properly.

Seeing that Luo Wushuang had taken her words to heart, Shangguan Liqian breathed a small sigh of relief.

As the conversation between the monarch and the monk surfaced in her mind once more, Shangguan Liqian hesitated for a moment before continuing:

“Wushuang, could you have someone look into which temple has a high monk with the dharma name Yujing?”

It was a pity she hadn’t heard the dharma name of Master Yujing’s senior brother; otherwise, she might have been able to roughly deduce during which emperor’s reign the scenes in her dream took place.

Perhaps because the dream was so realistic, Shangguan Liqian couldn’t help but feel that the events in the dream must have truly happened.

But for a monarch to disregard the realm just to save a demon—it sounded utterly bizarre.

Truth and falsehood seemed indistinguishable; she could only hope that Wushuang would be able to find some information regarding Master Yujing.

“Master Yujing?” Luo Wushuang’s brows furrowed. Why was her sister asking about some bald monk out of the blue?

Although surprised, Luo Wushuang immediately summoned her Secret Guards to investigate. After giving her orders, she turned back, her gaze resting once more on Shangguan Liqian. Seeing her sister’s once delicate and radiant face now so pale and haggard, she couldn’t help but speak, her heart aching with distress:

“Sister, you’ve been unconscious for so long, you must be hungry. Let’s go have a meal first.”

Shangguan Liqian didn’t particularly feel like eating at the moment, but seeing the haggard look on Wushuang’s face, she knew that Wushuang likely hadn’t eaten much since she fell unconscious. She immediately nodded in agreement.

Seeing Shangguan Liqian nod, Luo Wushuang quickly took a cloak from the side and draped it over her, carefully supporting Shangguan Liqian’s somewhat frail frame.

Seeing her looking so nervous, Shangguan Liqian couldn’t help but say, “I’m fine, you don’t need to be so—”

But before she could finish her sentence, she stumbled and nearly fell.

Luo Wushuang’s expression shifted sharply at the sight, and she immediately swept the woman up into her arms.

“Sister…”

Just as Luo Wushuang was about to speak, a fingertip was pressed against her vermilion lips.

“Alright, I’m fine. I just feel a bit weak; I’ll be better after eating something.”

After Shangguan Liqian finished speaking, she looked up toward the dining table…

Excellent. Once again, it was a neat row of the backs of heads.

Perhaps because she had been humiliated so many times, Shangguan Liqian was now barely able to deceive herself that they—probably, perhaps, most likely, possibly, maybe—really couldn’t see a thing.

But… her skin wasn’t as thick as Luo Wushuang’s after all.

When she realized that Luo Wushuang fully intended to hold her like this while they ate, she still put up a “strenuous” struggle.

Luo Wushuang had no intention of letting go, but when her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of her sister’s earlobe—so red it looked as if it might bleed—she reluctantly placed her on a nearby chair.

Before Shangguan Liqian could even breathe a sigh of relief, she realized that she, along with the chair, was being hauled over by that brute of a woman. The distance between them was now so small that with the slightest movement, their shoulders would brush against each other…

Shangguan Liqian: “…”

It was just a meal; was she really going to run away?

With a helpless expression, Shangguan Liqian partook of the meal before her. Suddenly, a cautious voice came from beside her:

“Sister, do you not want to be this close to me?”

Shangguan Liqian was both helpless and speechless. She picked up a large piece of braised pork and stuffed it directly into her mouth.

Watching Luo Wushuang struggle to eat with her cheeks bulging, Shangguan Liqian couldn’t help but laugh and say:

“Eat properly. What are you letting your mind wander about all day?”

Seeing that her sister was not displeased, Luo Wushuang breathed a sigh of relief, her brows curving into a smile.

By the time the two finished their meal, it was nearly noon.

Luo Wushuang wanted to get her sister settled first before going to review the state memorials. However, before she could even speak, Shangguan Liqian pulled her toward the bed. Luo Wushuang was startled for a moment, then said with some hesitation:

“Sister, your body is still very weak right now.”

Besides, hadn’t Sister said it wasn’t allowed during the day? So why now…

Shangguan Liqian had no idea that a certain Empress Regnant, whose head was filled with smutty thoughts, had already misunderstood. Thinking she was merely worried about her, she spoke up nonchalantly:

“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry.”

Hearing her say this, Luo Wushuang was naturally elated, but when she thought of her sister’s health, she still hesitated.

“But…”

Seeing her still dawdling, Shangguan Liqian slapped her on the backside and said crossly, “No more ‘buts.’ Hurry up and go to sleep on the bed.”

Looking at the impatient Shangguan Liqian, Luo Wushuang spoke in a daze:

“Is it really okay?”

Still unaware that Luo Wushuang’s thoughts had already strayed as far as they possibly could, Shangguan Liqian explained patiently, “Why wouldn’t it be? You are the Empress Regnant; surely you have at least this much power?”

Shangguan Liqian’s original intention was that, as the ruler of a nation, how could she not even have time to sleep and rest? If this continued for long, what would happen if she ruined her health?

What Luo Wushuang heard, however, was her sister clearly telling her that she was the Empress Regnant; as long as she wished, she could do so at any time.

At this, Luo Wushuang was completely overjoyed, feeling as if she were walking on air…

Immediately, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, she lunged at Shangguan Liqian—who was in the middle of helping her remove her outer robe—and pinned her forcefully onto the couch. With practiced ease, Luo Wushuang stripped away the last remaining inner garment from her sister’s body. Before Shangguan Liqian could even react, the other woman had already succeeded.

Shangguan Liqian, who had originally intended to coax Luo Wushuang into taking a proper rest: “…”

What is this fellow going crazy for again?