Chapter 50: Luo Wushuang: I Was Kicked? And Slapped?!

It wasn’t until they returned to Qingluan Palace that Shangguan Liqian remembered the serious business that had been interrupted by “uncontrollable factors.”

Glancing at the chair opposite her, she hesitated for a moment before choosing to walk toward the nearby daybed.

There were no servants in the hall at the moment, so there was no need to endure discomfort just to maintain appearances.

Aware that she had indeed gone too far earlier, Luo Wushuang carefully attended to Liqian, helping her lie down. Only then did she speak up with a guilty conscience.

“Sister…”

Shangguan Liqian extended a slender, pale finger, pressing it against Luo Wushuang’s forehead as the latter tried to lean in. Her voice was cold and slightly raspy. “Sit down. We have serious matters to discuss.”

Luo Wushuang gave a soft grunt of affirmation. But the moment her imperial backside touched the edge of the daybed, she was promptly kicked away by Shangguan Liqian.

“Go fetch a chair and sit there.”

Looking at Shangguan Liqian, who still seemed to be fuming, Luo Wushuang offered a placating smile and obediently went to fetch a chair.

Glaring at Luo Wushuang’s retreating back, Shangguan Liqian took a deep breath. She quickly composed her emotions before the Empress returned.

“I asked you to send people to investigate Master Yujing. Is there any news?”

Shangguan Liqian’s voice sounded calm, but Luo Wushuang could still detect a hint of urgency beneath that composure.

Though Luo Wushuang didn’t understand why her sister placed such importance on a mere monk, she answered honestly. “Time has been short. For now, the Secret Guards have only searched over a dozen temples within a hundred miles of the capital. They found no monks belonging to the ‘Yu’ generation.”

Recalling the report the Secret Guards had sent yesterday, Luo Wushuang pondered for a moment before continuing. “However, according to Abbot Huikong of Lingyin Temple, monks of the ‘Yu’ generation haven’t entered the secular world for over a hundred years.”

Shangguan Liqian froze. A hundred years?

Was the Master Yujing from her dreams someone who had appeared a century ago?

But that young Emperor’s voice had been unmistakably similar to Luo Wuyan’s.

Had she misheard, or was there…

Her brows knitted slightly, a trace of confusion surfacing in the depths of her eyes.

Seeing Shangguan Liqian sink into deep thought once more, Luo Wushuang felt a mix of helplessness and indignation.

“Sister, why are you so intent on finding Master Yujing?”

Last time, her sister had brushed her off with a few casual words. What about now? Would she tell her the truth this time?

Interrupted from her thoughts, Shangguan Liqian looked at the stubbornness in Luo Wushuang’s eyes. She let out a sigh and offered a half-truth. “I simply dreamed of such a high monk and wanted to know if he truly exists.”

Luo Wushuang didn’t ask why she felt the need to find someone she had only seen in a dream.

She suspected her sister wasn’t being entirely truthful, but compared to the complete lies from before, she was satisfied enough.

Still, a faint sense of resentment lingered in her heart. She never hid anything from her sister.

She never hid her desire to possess her, never hid her feelings or her possessiveness, and certainly never hid her urge to devour her whole…

Catching the dark glint flashing in those phoenix eyes, Shangguan Liqian felt a sudden, ominous premonition.

Before she could react, a shadow loomed over her. When her slightly swollen red lips were captured once again, she realized her intuition had been spot on.

Slap!

Her slender hand moved faster than her brain, striking Luo Wushuang’s face without mercy.

Stunned by the slap, Luo Wushuang stood there frozen, her hand instinctively cupping her cheek.

The moment she struck out, Shangguan Liqian felt a pang of regret.

But as Luo Wushuang lowered her hand, revealing the bright red palm print on that exquisite little face, Liqian felt both heartache and the conviction that she deserved it.

Her brain is addled by lust. If I don’t hit her, who will?

She had said no during the day! Absolutely not!

Liqian’s fingers lightly brushed her own slightly numb lips. Recalling the Empress’s outrageous behavior in the Imperial Study earlier, the shame and annoyance on her face deepened.

Darn that Luo Wushuang. They had agreed to admire the flowers in the Imperial Garden after seeing Prince An. And the result?

What “flowers” did they end up seeing…

Suddenly, a soft, teasing voice echoed inappropriately in her mind: “Sister’s…”

Thinking of the praise Luo Wushuang had murmured while lost in passion, Shangguan Liqian bit her lower lip and couldn’t help but glare fiercely at the culprit again.

Luo Wushuang, who had been feeling a bit aggrieved, felt her entire body… relax under that coquettish glare.

Her mind was filled with images of how the “flowers” in her private garden had bloomed so recklessly—blooming and blooming again.

Luo Wushuang tried to lean in again, but Shangguan Liqian firmly rejected her.

“Go review your memorials. I’m tired and want to rest for a while.”

Shangguan Liqian wasn’t lying this time. After all that nonsense, she truly felt exhausted.

Luo Wushuang, who didn’t feel tired at all and desperately wanted to stay glued to her side, spoke in a small voice. “Sister, I’ve already finished reviewing all the memorials.”

Shangguan Liqian gave a faint “mm” to show she heard, then turned her back to Luo Wushuang and closed her eyes to rest.

Suddenly feeling like a lonely monarch, Luo Wushuang stole a glance at the figure on the daybed and pressed on. “I’m tired too. Can I rest with you?”

As she asked, she began to squeeze her way onto the daybed.

Just as she was about to pull Liqian into her arms, a cold voice drifted from in front of her.

“Go to the bed. It’s too crowded for two people here.”

Luo Wushuang’s movements stiffened. She pulled her hand back dejectedly and stood by the floor, staring blankly without a word.

Too crowded? In her mind, her sister clearly just didn’t want to see her right now.

However, she knew she had been excessive today. She didn’t dare defend herself, yet she was unwilling to leave. She could only stand there like a “husband-watching stone,” staring foolishly at the beauty on the daybed.

Luo Wushuang plotted secretly: Once Sister falls asleep, then I’ll…

Shangguan Liqian, with her back turned, didn’t hear the sound of her leaving. She knew the woman must be standing stubbornly behind her.

Without much effort, she could guess exactly what the brat was planning.

She couldn’t even stay angry anymore. Hadn’t she known what kind of person this girl was for a long time?

With another long sigh in her heart, Shangguan Liqian spoke helplessly. “The Imperial Household Department sent over several sets of jewelry and clothes yesterday. Go help me match them. There’s also a box of high-quality Eastern Pearls; help me string two bracelets, and then…”

To prevent being further harassed by this high-energy creature, Shangguan Liqian gave Luo Wushuang as much work as possible.

Little did she know, the moment she mentioned the Eastern Pearls, Luo Wushuang’s phoenix eyes lit up instantly.

She had personally handpicked that entire box of Eastern Pearls, so their quality was naturally superb.

However, she hadn’t intended for those pearls to be made into bracelets. She had a much better use for them!

Giving the figure on the daybed a meaningful look, Luo Wushuang hurriedly turned and left.