The sky was beginning to lighten.
No one had expected that the Empress would spend the entire night in the prince's chamber playing the zither. The guards, including Chu Li, exchanged puzzled glances, none of them understanding what it all meant.
Of course, none of them knew that the Empress had been nearly naked, wearing only a sheer, revealing inner garment, kneeling before their prince with a flushed face, tears in her eyes, playing music all night long—fearful and humiliated.
It wasn't until Xiao Yuan finally fell asleep, no longer staring at her intently or demanding she play tunes commonly heard in brothels, that Pei Qing cautiously lifted her hands and stopped playing the zither. He didn’t wake up.
She dared not get too close and instead sat from a distance, watching him. After a night of bloodshed, he must have been exhausted. He had stayed awake until dawn just to humiliate her. He truly was someone who would seek revenge no matter what.
But what was between them wasn’t exactly a grudge. She couldn’t say what it was.
Pei Qing stood up, rubbing her knees that had gone numb from kneeling, and hesitated for a moment before approaching the bed. Her clothes were still trapped under his leg.
As she slowly walked closer, she got a better look at the man on the bed. He was still as handsome as ever, perhaps even more so than before, but his temperament had become far more brutal.
Pei Qing bent down slightly and gently tugged her clothing out from under his leg, then carried it behind a screen to dress carefully.
She quietly walked over to the mirror, washed her face with cold water, and rearranged her hair, restoring the dignified appearance of the Empress. But a closer look would still reveal her red, swollen eyes and the faded makeup.
When she opened the door, Chu Li immediately approached. Fortunately, he was alone, sparing Pei Qing from further embarrassment. She opened her mouth to speak but found herself at a loss for words.
Chu Li, understanding her predicament, didn't press her. "Shall I escort Your Majesty back to the palace?"
Pei Qing shook her head. "Thank you, but there's no need."
If people saw her being escorted back to Han Ning Palace by the King of Nanchuan's men in the early morning, the rumors would spread even faster.
Chu Li watched as Pei Qing left the Eastern Palace alone. He then turned back and entered Xiao Yuan's chamber, finding his master sitting silently on the bed.
"Your Highness?" Chu Li couldn’t tell if Xiao Yuan was pleased or displeased, so he cautiously asked, "Shall we have breakfast?"
Xiao Yuan looked up. "Have someone keep an eye on Han Ning Palace. Report to me where she goes and what she does each day."
Chu Li nodded. "Understood." He sneaked another glance at Xiao Yuan, and his instincts told him that his master seemed... unsatisfied. No wonder he was in a foul mood—he must have set his sights on the Empress but was rebuffed.
But then, why did they spend the night playing music?
"How long do you plan to stand there?" Xiao Yuan snapped at Chu Li, who was lost in thought. "Get out!"
Chu Li, being a loyal subordinate and believing in the value of honest advice, gathered his courage to say, "Your Highness, there are plenty of beautiful women in the world. Although they may not all compare to the Empress, she is, after all, the Emperor's wife. Even though you've earned great merit by protecting the throne, it wouldn’t be right to take her by force."
Xiao Yuan sneered. "She was mine to begin with."
Chu Li wisely fell silent, though he couldn't help but think that his master certainly had a way of justifying everything, even when it came to taking another man's wife.
Meanwhile, Pei Qing had returned to Han Ning Palace, where she washed and changed again before taking Xiao Ji'an to Yangju Hall to pay their respects. To her relief, Xiao Ji'an, likely pacified by Zhi Lan, didn’t ask any questions, which eased her anxiety.
However, along the way, she noticed the odd looks from the Nanchuan soldiers patrolling the palace. Although their glances lasted only a moment, Xiao Ji'an noticed them too.
Guards staring at noblewomen was a grave offense, yet they seemed to do it knowingly. Xiao Ji'an asked in confusion, "Mother, why are they looking at us like that?"
Pei Qing's eyes flickered with a hint of panic. "They… have never been in the palace before and have never seen the Empress and the prince, so they took an extra look."
Xiao Ji'an nodded thoughtfully. "They are loyal men, here to protect us. Mother, don't be upset with them for their rudeness."
Pei Qing nodded, holding her son's hand as they continued to Yangju Hall.
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