"Sister."
Just as Wu Huang was about to ask, a soft, lingering call came from behind her.
Yan Xiao'er heard Wu Huang's mental transmission: *If I don't call you, do not make a sound under any circumstances, or you will be obliterated.*
The formless Yan Xiao'er was so startled that she made a motion to cover her mouth.
Why was she suddenly so fierce?
Wu Huang turned around.
At a single glance, Yan Xiao'er saw the newcomer was simply a delicate and dainty woman. Aside from a slightly sorrowful expression on her face, there was nothing terrifying about her.
Why would the Empress be so nervous around her?
"Nian'er."
Wu Huang's tone, however, was extremely gentle.
"It is windy here, what brings you over?"
"I heard the female guards saying the court was full of arguing, and I was worried. Then, when I saw you hadn't returned to your bedchamber for a long time, I came out to look for you."
"I just wanted to come out here for a walk, rest my eyes and relax a bit. Sorry to have you worrying, little sister."
The girl called Nian'er walked over and took hold of Wu Huang's arm.
Seeing her with lowered brows and downcast eyes, she looked deeply troubled.
"Don't worry, little sister. General Dugu and I were just discussing matters objectively; we weren't arguing."
"Mmm."
The woman linked arms with her, and together they walked toward the other side of the open corridor.
Along the way, the two exchanged no further words.
Yan Xiao'er did not know what Wu Huang was thinking, but she could hear her heartbeat—heavy, rising and falling with her steps, *thud, thud, thud*—clearly troubled by something.
"Sister, today's protective health soup has cooled a bit and isn't as nice to drink. I'll have the maids take it away and pour it out."
"No need."
Wu Huang pressed down on her sister's hand and gently patted it.
"I cannot waste Nian'er's thoughtful gesture. Just go warm it up again."
"Alright."
Wu Nian sat beside her sister on the imperial couch, her fingers twisting together.
"Sister."
"Hmm."
"Do you like Li Ye?"
"..."
This time, Yan Xiao'er clearly felt Wu Huang's heartbeat subtly and lightly skip a beat.
"The war has dragged on endlessly. I only wish for both sides to resolve their enmity; it has nothing to do with whether I like him or not."
"Oh, so you do like him."
Yan Xiao'er curled her lips. *Your sister understands you pretty well, you know.*
"Ah, there's no use dwelling on that. What about you? Your marriage to General Dugu keeps getting delayed. Sister only hopes the war can end soon so I can drink at your wedding feast."
"Or, if you are willing, I can consent to you marrying sooner. It's just that due to the war, we might not be able to put on a grand celebration for you." Wu Huang's voice carried a hint of regret.
"Sister." Wu Nian slowly wrapped her arms around Wu Huang's neck, her tone both intimate and chillingly cold as she said, "You know full well that his eyes are fixed only on you, and his heart thinks only of you, which is why he keeps delaying our marriage. Why must you torture your little sister by teasing me like this?"
Yan Xiao'er recalled the bearded general in the hall; within his passionate gaze, there had been far more fervent yearning.
Wu Huang allowed her sister to bind her neck, her face once again adopting an innocent and pitiful expression as she remained silent. To an outsider watching from afar, it would only seem like deep sisterly affection, occasionally leaning on each other.
The warm soup was soon served. Wu Huang didn't even bother to blow on it; she drank it all down in one breath.
After watching this scene, Wu Nian helped her sister lie down, drew the bed curtains, and then departed at a leisurely pace.
The resentment that comes from someone close to you is the most terrifying thing of all.
The sudden impact of these emotions gave Yan Xiao'er a splitting headache. No matter how she tossed and turned, she couldn't ease it—it was agonizingly painful.
*Jumping up and down within my state of mind, you must have grown tired of living.*
*No... I'm in pain.*
*Hah, a mere spirit form, and yet you know what pain is.*
Yan Xiao'er couldn't help shouting out: "Small as I may be, my parents died unjustly and I was powerless to save them, trapped in a cage with no way out. Am I not even allowed to be betrayed, to be hunted down, and then cry out in pain afterward?"
"Betrayal, you say..."
Wu Huang gently covered her eyes.
A single clear tear slowly slipped down through the gaps between her fingers.
A vast, overwhelming sorrow seemed to completely envelop Yan Xiao'er. Feeling a bit embarrassed for having yelled so loudly just now, she softened her tone: "You, weren't you going to ask me something? Go ahead and ask."
"I'm tired and want to sleep. Don't disturb me."
Fine.
In the boundless darkness, Yan Xiao'er could see neither where she had come from nor where she was going.
Where had Ling'er gone? And Yu Changmian—he was probably still waiting for nightfall before entering the cave.
Surely she wasn't going to be trapped here forever, unable to get out?
...
The next morning during court, just as the officials had gathered, someone came forward to report.
"An envoy from the Xu Kingdom requests an audience."
Murmurs of discussion erupted. "Here they come to beg for a marriage alliance again."
"We must resolutely refuse."
"Right, kill the messenger first and talk later."
Wu Huang propped her head on her hand, silent.
Having spent the entire night within Wu Huang's state of mind, Yan Xiao'er could roughly understand that this gesture of propping her head actually meant she was utterly sick of these long-winded people.
At that moment, the leading civil official standing on the other side, parallel to General Dugu, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, in warfare between nations, one does not execute the messenger. Let us at least hear what they have come for."
"We shall listen to Lord Fu. Grant them entry."
A moment later, a spirited young soldier strode proudly into the front of the hall.
"I am Yan Qianshan, garrison captain of the Li Kingdom, paying respects to the Empress of the Xu Kingdom."
Yan Xiao'er widened her eyes, a jolt running through her entire body.
She didn't dare move too much, lest she alert Wu Huang to anything unusual.
It was her great-grandfather! Why was he so young? His build looked remarkably sturdy, though his face still had the look of an unpolished boy.
Ugh, describing her own great-grandfather like that didn't seem quite right. Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue, how disrespectful! Even though she hadn't spoken it aloud, Yan Xiao'er still gently patted her own mouth.
Who would have thought that even such a slight movement would be detected by Wu Huang?
The mental transmission came: *What is it? Do you know this person?*
Crap, how should she answer?
"Well... I don't know him. I've never even seen him before, I've just heard the name."
That was the truth; she wasn't lying.
Wu Huang stopped paying attention to her, but the officials below were growing somewhat restless.
"Why does this guy look familiar?"
"Ah, isn't he that foot soldier who tangled with General Dugu on the battlefield last time?"
"Right, right, it seems to be him. Just a lowly foot soldier—how did he get promoted to captain after only a few months?"
Someone sneered in a mocking tone: "For a kid who could hold on for dear life to the enemy's grand general while on horseback, not promoting him directly to general makes even a simple captaincy seem rather stingy."
The bearded general listening nearby burned with fury, but since what they said was obviously the truth, he couldn't easily vent his anger.
"It really is him! I thought that after poking all those holes in him, he'd have died long ago."
It was that same voice again: "General Dugu cherishes talent and ordered his men to hold back. Otherwise, there'd be one more ghost dying with regrets."
Following Wu Huang's gaze, Yan Xiao'er looked over and saw a man standing behind Lord Fu. He was pale and frail; it seemed he was just another civil official who was good for nothing but running his mouth.
"Alright, that's enough. Yan Qianshan, what is your purpose here?"
Yan Qianshan bowed deeply with cupped hands: "The monarch of the Li Kingdom earnestly requests a personal audience with Emperor Xu."
The buzzing chatter that had just been suppressed flared up again in a chorus. Yan Xiao'er thought this bunch of people were even noisier than a gathering of gossiping women in a courtyard.
Wu Huang slightly raised herself up. "Is this audience regarding the matter proposed previously?"
"Not at all. Our monarch has entrusted me to convey a message: even without a marriage alliance between the two nations, a cessation of hostilities is still possible."