On the way to the Palace of Benevolent Peace, Shangguan Liqian’s brows were knitted in a tight frown. She paced her thoughts, mentally rehearsing how to respond if the Empress Dowager truly intended to tear them apart. How could she possibly convince the woman to give them her blessing?
They were bound by blood, after all. No matter how estranged they were, Liqian knew that Wushuang couldn’t be entirely indifferent to her mother’s opinion.
Perhaps, deep down, Wushuang truly wants her mother’s blessing.
But that thought was quickly replaced by a far more unsettling one. She suddenly remembered the first time she had ever seen Wushuang—the wariness and the sheer panic buried deep in those young eyes.
It wasn’t the look a normal child should have. It was more like…
Like a small, wounded beast that had been bullied for far too long, forced to bare its fangs for survival, lashing out indiscriminately at anyone who dared to draw near.
Liqian’s hand instinctively brushed over her left arm. Back when she was still a child herself, she had been bitten there by a child even younger than her. That oval tooth mark had remained on her arm for years.
Back then, she had spent an immense amount of effort just to get Luo Wushuang to lower her guard.
Liqian didn’t know exactly what kind of life Wushuang had endured in the Imperial Palace during her youth, but she could guess it was far from pleasant. And a large part of that suffering was likely due to the current Empress Dowager’s negligence.
If the Empress Dowager had been capable of putting the Late Emperor under house arrest without a single whisper reaching the outside world, she certainly had power. If she had offered Wushuang even a shred of protection, the palace servants would never have dared to humiliate her so.
Let alone the fact that the eunuchs had been bold enough to collude with outsiders to smuggle a ten-year-old Luo Wushuang out of the palace entirely.
Thinking of this, as Wushuang’s lover, Liqian found it difficult not to harbor a seed of resentment toward the Empress Dowager.
Torn between these conflicting emotions, the closer she got to the Palace of Benevolent Peace, the deeper the hesitation in her eyes became. She didn’t know what attitude she should adopt toward the woman who had given Wushuang life, yet had never once shielded her.
Soon, the Palace of Benevolent Peace loomed before her.
Caught in a web of indecision, Liqian followed the maid, her steps slow as she entered the compound—a place that had reportedly seen no outsiders for years.
Desolate. Gloomy. This was her first impression.
The furnishings and the landscaping were exquisite, yet every corner of the palace seemed to radiate an inexplicable chill. Even with the sun shining down, Liqian felt a shiver run through her body.
She suddenly regretted not asking Wushuang for permission before coming here. Knowing Wushuang, if the Empress Dowager truly intended to make things difficult, the Empress would never have let her face it alone.
Though she didn’t know why the Empress Dowager had summoned her, she felt she would have been much more at ease with Wushuang by her side. But it was too late for “what-ifs.” She was already here; she could only take it one step at a time.
Despite the trepidation in her heart, Liqian’s face remained a mask of calm. She delicately lifted the hem of her skirt amidst the fragrance of blooming flowers and followed the maid up the stone steps.
As her gaze swept over the main hall—which felt icy even in the warmth of midsummer—Liqian’s lips tightened, and her expression grew solemn.
Upon reaching the entrance, a Head Maid stepped forward to greet them.
“Please wait a moment, Miss Shangguan. I shall go and announce your arrival.”
Liqian nodded slightly, her voice cool yet polite. “Thank you, Auntie.”
The Head Maid offered a small curtsey, her expression an impenetrable mask that offered no clue as to the Empress Dowager’s mood.
Left with no other choice, Liqian waited quietly outside. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the woman reappeared.
“Miss, the Empress Dowager summons you.”
Liqian inclined her head and followed the Head Maid into the Palace of Benevolent Peace—a place said to be so shunned that even Luo Wushuang rarely set foot here.
Ling Feng had accompanied her today. Of all the Personal Guards around Wushuang, she was the most taciturn. Liqian noticed that from the moment they entered the palace grounds, Ling Feng stayed glued to her side.
Even when the Empress Dowager summoned her specifically, he did not falter.
By protocol, a guard was not allowed to enter without the Empress Dowager’s explicit permission. Yet Ling Feng ignored the Head Maid’s subtle hints and stubbornly followed Liqian inside.
Liqian expected the Empress Dowager to be displeased, but instead, a faint, weary sigh drifted from the main seat.
Unsure of the reason behind the sigh, Liqian performed her greetings with perfect etiquette, then stood with her head bowed, waiting for the interrogation to begin.
The expected harshness never came. Instead, a relatively gentle voice spoke from a short distance away.
“Raise your head.”
Liqian complied, meeting the Empress Dowager’s gaze with a polite, measured smile.
The face on the main seat bore a striking resemblance to Wushuang’s, though the expression was cold and detached. The woman’s eyes were narrowed, scrutinizing her with clinical precision.
After a long silence, a voice of unreadable emotion spoke.
“You are indeed a beauty. No wonder she is so obsessed with you.”
Everyone in the hall knew exactly who “she” referred to, and Liqian was no exception. She didn’t bother to argue, though that didn’t mean she agreed with the sentiment.
Wushuang loves me for who I am, not just a pretty face!
Despite her inner thoughts, Liqian’s expression remained serene and unruffled.
Seeing Liqian’s composure, the Empress Dowager gave a subtle, internal nod of approval.
“I have heard that Luo Wushuang once imprisoned you. You tried to escape her several times in the past. What about now? Do you still desire your freedom?”
As the question was asked, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
Outside the hall, a figure draped in bright yellow silk froze in her tracks. Luo Wushuang instinctively held her breath.
The moment she had learned that the Empress Dowager’s people had taken her “sister” to the Palace of Benevolent Peace, Wushuang had rushed over without a second’s delay, terrified that the Dowager would mistreat her.
She hadn’t expected to arrive at the door just in time to hear her mother asking Liqian if she wanted to leave.
In an instant, a surge of murderous rage boiled within Wushuang. She felt a primal urge to tear the Empress Dowager apart. Anyone who dared to drive a wedge between her and Liqian deserved to die—no exceptions.
However, to hear Liqian’s answer, she forced herself to endure the wait.
How will she answer?
Wushuang felt a mix of dread and anticipation. Compared to before, she had grown to trust Liqian significantly more.
She won’t leave me… right?
Inside, Liqian still hadn’t figured out the Empress Dowager’s true motive. She steadied her mind and answered with absolute sincerity.
“In the past, I failed to appreciate Her Majesty’s feelings. But now…”
Liqian paused for a heartbeat, and the heart of the eavesdropper outside skipped a beat with her.
Although Wushuang believed that Liqian wouldn’t leave her now, the mere mention of the possibility always left her feeling insecure.
Seeing their Empress clenching her fists so hard her knuckles turned white, the Secret Guards following her prayed silently in their hearts. Miss Shangguan, please, you have to say the right thing.
Their master had only recently returned to a state of relative normalcy. They truly did not want to go back to serving a moody, capricious tyrant who would kick a passing dog just for looking at her.
“Now, Her Majesty is my heart’s direction. She is the lover I wish to spend the rest of my life with. I beg the Empress Dowager to grant us your blessing!”
Liqian knelt and kowtowed in one fluid, respectful motion. Her attitude was remarkably humble.
The Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed, her phoenix eyes narrowing. Just as she was about to speak, a sharp voice cut through the air.
“The Empress Dowager will not interfere in my personal affairs. When we wed, my Queen need not bow to anyone.”
Having heard that beautiful confession with her own ears, Luo Wushuang let out a long breath of relief. She could no longer contain the excitement in her heart as she stepped out from the shadows and revealed herself.
LESSGOOOOO