Chapter 30

Chapter 30: The Wound (2)

Lu Chang and Eunuch Qu brought in the meal. Long Yi paused briefly to set up the bowls and chopsticks. Leng Jiu had little appetite but ate a bit for appearances. Hua Yuxuan, on the other hand, looked utterly uncomfortable, barely maintaining ladylike etiquette as she forced herself to eat before setting down her utensils. It seemed Long Yi was the only one enjoying his meal.

Seeing Hua Yuxuan's discomfort, Leng Jiu had no desire to keep them around any longer. Using fatigue as an excuse, Long Yi finally stood to leave, instructing her to rest well, which only made Hua Yuxuan's face turn paler.

As they left the Empress Dowager's palace, Hua Yuxuan walked behind Long Yi, eyeing his imposing back. Eventually, she couldn't resist commenting, "Your Majesty seems very concerned about the Empress Dowager."

Long Yi paused in his stride, glancing at her with a chilling look in his eyes, "You saw nothing tonight."

Hua Yuxuan shuddered, lowering her head submissively, "Yuxuan understands."

Emperor Longyi gave her one last glance before striding away, his sleeves flapping, leaving Hua Yuxuan standing, biting her lip until it turned white.

With her head down, Hua Yuxuan returned to her quarters, unaware that someone was waiting for her.

"Where have you been?" Hua Jinyi, even in the darkness, stood out in his radiant attire, his eyes shimmering with a cold, watery light.

Hua Yuxuan passed him without a word, too drained to speak.

Hua Jinyi didn't stop her, warning coldly, "You better not meddle in things that don’t concern you, or don't blame me for disregarding our sibling bond."

Hua Yuxuan, pausing at the door, turned sharply, her face etched with a scornful laugh, "You forsake our sibling bond for her, yet you mean nothing to her. Do you realize that?"

Hua Jinyi's expression darkened.

Hua Yuxuan, her repressed anger finding an outlet, abandoned her usual decorum, "I told her to stay away from you, or she'll be your ruin. But she didn’t care, didn’t utter a word more. She even suggested I tell the Emperor about your affair. Tonight, she was all smiles with the Emperor, as if I was invisible. What do you think you are to her? A heartless woman like her, why do you bother?"

Hua Jinyi clenched his fists, his eyes ablaze, "Who asked you to say those things?"

Hua Yuxuan, having vented her rage, resumed her composed demeanor, replying with a cold laugh, "I didn’t just say that. I also mentioned seeing you two in the bamboo grove."

Hua Jinyi stiffened, "You saw us?"

Hua Yuxuan scoffed, "What? Did you think no one would find out? Afraid of being seen in such disgrace?"

Hua Jinyi, fists clenched and unclenched, struggled to contain his fury, "Hua Yuxuan! You better shut up, don’t force me to act!"

"Would you hit your sister for her? She's the Dowager Empress, you two will never be possible!"

Hua Jinyi sneered, "You've said so much to prove how dutiful a sister you are, right?"

Hua Yuxuan tried to calm down, sighing, "Jinyi, I don't want to fight with you. As your sister, I can't just watch you walk into danger."

Hua Jinyi mocked her, "Hua Yuxuan, stop playing the saint. We barely have any sibling affection. Why this sudden concern? It's all for your own sake!"

Hua Yuxuan's face fell, "What do you mean by that?"

Hua Jinyi stepped closer, whispering, "How she became the Dowager Empress, you know better than me, right?"

Hua Yuxuan's shock was evident. Hua Jinyi continued sarcastically, "Remember how you pushed her into the palace? Our father influenced the old Emperor, but you played a part too. You were jealous of her and the Emperor, even wished her dead. I saw your joy when she became the old Emperor's consort. You say it's for me, but it's just jealousy because the Emperor is close to her again. You fear your secrets being exposed, jeopardizing your future as Empress. Am I wrong?"

With every word, Hua Yuxuan's heart clenched. By the end, her face was ashen. Silent tears fell as she bit her lip, "Hua Jinyi, I am your sister!"

Hua Jinyi scoffed, "I don't have such a sister. But don't worry, once you're Empress, I'll kneel and obey like everyone else."

He left, leaving a pale Hua Yuxuan behind.

"Miss!" Two maids approached cautiously, seeing Hua Yuxuan's pallor. She ignored them, storming into her room, soon followed by the sound of breaking porcelain.

Lying on her bed, Leng Jiu played with Kano. Although she had slept in the afternoon, she couldn't sleep now. With nothing to entertain her in the dark, she resorted to teasing Kano with a hairpin. Initially playful, Kano soon grew tired, swatting Leng Jiu's hand when prodded, leaving three fine scratches and drawing blood.

Unfazed by the pain but upset by the scratch, Leng Jiu stared coldly at Kano. Realizing its mistake, Kano stopped being haughty, gently licking her wound until it stopped bleeding, then cuddled in her palm, ready for her to decide its fate.

Amused by its attempts to appease her, Leng Jiu covered them both with a blanket and picked up a book to read, a pastime she occasionally used as a sleep aid.

Just as she began reading, Leng Jiu paused, sensing someone's shadow cast by the moonlight on her window. She intuitively knew who it was without a sound being made.

Laying the book aside, she lazily called out, "Since you're here, come in. Enjoying the cold breeze outside?"

After a moment of silence, the figure outside skillfully opened the window, jumped in, and closed it behind.