Chapter 36: Mochen Pavilion

The image of a figure so noble and refined it seemed otherworldly flashed through Qingdai’s mind, and a deep sense of worry clouded her eyes.

She had heard stories of ladies from great houses who kept “favorites”—women taken in on a whim. Such affection was rarely sincere; more often than not, it was a passing fancy. Once the novelty wore off, they were discarded without mercy.

Some, fearing the leak of a scandal, even chose to silence their playthings forever.

Was the Empress Regnant’s affection for her young miss truly sincere? Or was she like all the others, merely treating Shangguan Liqian as a temporary distraction from her boredom?

Regardless of the truth, Qingdai knew the Empress would not let her lady leave easily.

Qingdai lowered her gaze, hiding the shimmering tears in her eyes as she whispered, “If Her Majesty can truly treat my lady with sincerity, I can rest easy no matter where I am sent.”

The words had barely left her lips when the doors to the bedchamber were thrown open from the outside.

A figure strode in with hurried steps. Her expression was cold and aloof, her entire being radiating an overwhelming, regal aura.

Qingdai, still caught in her worries, looked up at the sound of the commotion. Her eyes immediately met the majestic, beautiful face of the Empress Regnant.

Recalling her own words from a moment ago, Qingdai’s legs instinctively gave way. She threw herself onto the floor in a prostrate kowtow, her voice trembling. “Your… Your Majesty.”

Luo Wushuang’s sharp phoenix eyes swept over the figure in green kneeling on the floor before slowly coming to rest on the beauty sitting gracefully on the chaise lounge, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips.

The Empress’s dark, imposing expression vanished instantly, replaced by a look of pure grievance.

“Sister…”

Luo Wushuang hurried forward and buried her head in Shangguan Liqian’s embrace, lodging a blatant complaint. “I am sincere toward you. You mustn’t listen to the provocations of such malicious people.”

Hearing this, Qingdai—already shivering on the floor—began to shake even harder.

A malicious person? Was Her Majesty referring to her?

The concern she had felt for her miss vanished, replaced by a thick, suffocating dread. Would the Empress have her beaten to death?

Qingdai felt a wave of despair as she thought back to the questions she had just asked. She had no idea when the Empress had arrived or how much she had overheard.

If she had heard everything… then today would surely be her last.

Shangguan Liqian, of course, knew exactly what kind of temperament her lover possessed.

While soothing the woman in her arms, she caught Leng Yu’s eye as the guard followed the Empress inside. With a subtle look, she gestured for Leng Yu to pull Qingdai to the side.

Leng Yu carefully stole a glance at the Empress’s expression. Seeing that Luo Wushuang was too busy burrowing into Shangguan Liqian’s arms to pay her any mind, she resigned herself to her task. She hauled the nearly paralyzed Qingdai over to the side and made her stand.

Liqian glanced down at the Empress, who was currently nuzzling against her chest under the guise of complaining. She let out a helpless laugh.

“You heard it all?”

Luo Wushuang nodded frantically, secretly taking liberties while she had the chance. She didn’t forget to ask, “Was that the truth from your heart, or did you say those things just because you knew I was listening?”

Liqian placed a firm hand on the unruly head resting against her, her red lips parting slightly as she breathed out two words. “You guess.”

Not getting the answer she wanted, Luo Wushuang looked up with a pout, acting spoiled. “Sister, good Sister, just tell me…”

Hearing the Empress’s soft, wheedling tone, Liqian’s heart softened even further.

Her fingers slid gently through Luo Wushuang’s long hair. Ultimately unable to bear the thought of disappointing her, she said softly, “It was the truth. More real than anything else.”

Seeing the Empress’s eyes light up instantly at her words, Liqian doted on her by tapping her nose. “Are you satisfied now?”

“Mm-hmm!” Luo Wushuang nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling like gems.

So, before she had entered, Liqian really had been confessing her feelings, not just trying to coax her?

The thought left Luo Wushuang feeling a mix of excitement and sudden regret. She should have come in earlier; then she could have heard exactly how much her sister loved her from a closer distance.

As the regret ebbed, Luo Wushuang’s gaze drifted toward Qingdai, who was standing with Leng Yu. She suddenly asked, “Sister, how do you plan to arrange things for this maid of yours?”

Liqian looked at her with a hint of surprise. She had assumed Wushuang would be too jealous to let her interfere with the girl at all.

A moment later, she realized her intuition had been spot on.

Without waiting for Liqian to speak, Luo Wushuang continued smoothly, “Since it’s difficult for you to arrange, I shall do it on your behalf.”

Liqian shot her a look, trapped between a laugh and a sigh. If she didn’t want Liqian to interfere, why put on such a generous front?

Luo Wushuang blinked innocently at the look, then turned her attention to Qingdai. She commanded, “I recall that Mochen Pavilion is in need of a manager. You shall go there and take up the post!”

Qingdai, having no idea what kind of place Mochen Pavilion was, hurriedly knelt and kowtowed in gratitude. “Yes… Yes! This servant obeys the decree!”

She was terrified; she had truly thought her head was about to leave her shoulders.

In her relief, she failed to notice the look of profound pity Leng Yu was shooting her.

Poor girl, Leng Yu thought. She clearly has no idea what Mochen Pavilion is.

If she did, she wouldn’t be thanking the Empress; she would be weeping and begging for mercy.

“Leng Yu, take Qingdai to familiarize herself with the environment,” Luo Wushuang ordered casually, diving back into Liqian’s arms.

“Yes!” Leng Yu responded with some hesitation. She considered for a moment whether she should plead for the timid girl.

Sensing that the guard hadn’t moved, Luo Wushuang’s gaze turned sharp and piercing. “I said she is to be the manager of Mochen Pavilion. Did you… hear me clearly?”

Leng Yu immediately caught the subtext in the Empress’s voice. She nodded frantically. “I heard! I heard clearly!”

She quickly pulled the bewildered Qingdai out of the room.

“What’s wrong?” As soon as they cleared the gates of the Phoenix Hall, Qingdai pulled her hand out of Leng Yu’s grip, asking in confusion.

Leng Yu merely shook her head and remained silent.

Those of them who served as the Empress’s personal guards understood her temper well enough. If she tried to plead now, Qingdai might not end up as a manager, but as one of the “mushrooms” that the manager had to deal with.

Inside the hall, Shangguan Liqian—who was still half-embracing Luo Wushuang—was keen enough to sense something was wrong from Leng Yu’s reaction.

“What kind of place is Mochen Pavilion, exactly?” Liqian asked, pulling the woman out of her arms to look her in the eye.

A flash of guilt flickered in Luo Wushuang’s eyes at the sudden question, but she adjusted quickly. She put on an air of righteous indignation. “It’s just a place where work gets done, like Lingxu Hall or Jingyuan Palace. Why are you asking about that, Sister?”

The moment she mentioned Lingxu Hall and Jingyuan Palace, Liqian knew Mochen Pavilion was anything but simple.

In her past life, she had accidentally stumbled into those two places while trying to escape. Despite their elegant names, they were the locations within the palace where prisoners were kept.

She might not know the specifics of Mochen Pavilion, but with Lingxu Hall and Jingyuan Palace as a reference, she could guess. Putting someone timid in charge of a place like that was a sure way to scare them half to death.

“Is that so?” The curve of Liqian’s lips flattened. Her voice turned cool.

Before Luo Wushuang could argue further, Liqian added unhurriedly, “If you are lying to me, you can spend the rest of the day in the Imperial Study reviewing memorials.”

“No! Anything but that!”