AT THE SA TI
I SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:
The sound of voices reached first, soft, low murmurs like water trickling over stones. I could make out Huan’s excited little giggle, Lianwei’s deeper rumble, and... a woman’s voice. My eyes fluttered open, heavy and burning, and I found myself staring at the dim glow of firelight dancing across wooden beams.
"Don’t be scary to Mommy." Huan said.
My stomach twisted. Empress. She was here. I turned my head slightly, wincing at the ache in my neck. There she was, regal even in simple traveling clothes, her sharp eyes fixed on Huan with sothing I couldn’t read. No disdain. No judgnt. Just... thoughtfulness. Lianwei was seated beside the bed, Huan curled in his lap like a little barnacle, his storm-green eyes glittering with curiosity. My chest tightened painfully seeing the three of them together. I tried to speak, but my throat caught. A small, strangled sound escaped instead. Lianwei’s head snapped toward .
"i Shen." Relief softened his features instantly, and before I could gather my bearings, he was leaning forward. "You’re awake. Thank the heavens."
Huan squird free of his father’s hold and scrambled to my side.
"Mommy!" He grabbed my hand in both of his, his tiny fingers so warm. "You scared . Don’t do that again!"
I gave him a weak smile.
"I... I’m sorry, baby." My voice was barely above a whisper. "I’ll try not to."
The healer was already at my side, fussing over with quick, efficient movents. His brow furrowed as he checked my pulse and touched my clammy forehead.
"She’s awake, but her condition hasn’t improved much." He murmured, more to himself than to us.
"I feel... okay." It was a lie. Every muscle ached, and my head throbbed like it was being split open.
But I didn’t want Huan to worry. Or Lianwei. Or... her. The healer’s expression darkened.
"No. You’re not okay." His voice took on a grave edge, drawing all three pairs of eyes in the room. "I’ve done what I can here with the supplies at hand, but it isn’t enough."
Lianwei’s body went rigid beside .
"What do you an?"Lianwei asked.
"I an." The healer said carefully. "If we don’t get her to the capital where there’s proper equipnt and tonics, we risk losing her. Her fever’s too stubborn, her body too depleted. She won’t last long like this."
The air in the room seed to freeze. Huan’s little face crumpled.
"No! Mommy’s not gonna go bye-bye!" He looked up at Lianwei, panic flashing in his green eyes, his father’s eyes. "Daddy, do sothing! You’re the emperor, right? You can fix her!"
Lianwei’s jaw clenched tight. I could see the fury building behind his calm mask, not at Huan, not at , but at his own helplessness.
"We’ll take her to the capital." He said firmly. "I don’t care what it takes. I don’t care who tries to stop ."
The empress, silent until now, stepped closer to the bed. She was staring at with a mixture of calculation and sothing softer I couldn’t na.
"You’d be under my roof." She said quietly. "Protected. Seen to by the best healers in the empire."
My stomach twisted painfully. I couldn’t let this happen. The capital. The palace. It wasn’t a place for or Huan. It wasn’t safe.
"I-" My voice cracked. "I don’t need-"
"You do." Lianwei’s hand covered mine, strong and warm, yet trembling faintly. His eyes pinned in place, unrelenting. ’I almost lost you once. I won’t let it happen again."
Huan pressed himself against , tiny hands clutching at my arm.
"Mommy... I’ll keep you safe there. Promise. Daddy too. Grandma’s not scary anymore."Huan muttered.
I wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or both. The system’s voice humd coldly in the back of my mind.
"Critical condition acknowledged. Host’s survival probability rises to 82% if transferred to imperial facilities."The system said.
And then, as if on cue, that familiar mocking whisper curled like smoke through my thoughts.
"Ah... look at you. The little flower is being plucked straight into the golden cage."God smirked lightly.
I shut my eyes tightly, fighting the rising panic threatening to crush my chest. Could I really let them take there? The clatter of trunks being fastened and muffled voices outside told everything I needed to know. We were leaving. Again. My fingers twisted the thin blanket around as I sat propped up on the bed. Every movent still felt like wading through mud, and every breath carried a faint ache deep in my chest. The healer’s earlier words replayed in my mind like a curse:
"The only way to stabilize her is with treatnt in the capital. If we delay..."Healer spoke.
"Host, vitals still unstable. Recomndation: cooperate with relocation for survival."The system said.
"Oh, how tragic. Your little village days are over, i Shen. Off to the imperial palace, what will you do there, hm? Be a proper consort? A scandal? Or just his precious weakness?" Zeyrith’s voice dripped like honeyed poison in my head.
"Shut up." I thought bitterly.
But my stomach still twisted.
The sound of small feet pattering drew my gaze up. Huan ca bounding in first, his little face flushed. He ran to my side and clambered up onto the bed, throwing his arms around my waist.
"Mommy! Grandma said the big carriage is ready and daddy says I can sit with him! Are you coming too? You’re not too sleepy anymore?"Huan asked.
I managed a faint smile and smoothed his dark hair, so like mine, with that stubborn cowlick he never let fix. "I’m coming, sweetheart. Mommy’s just a little slow today."
The door creaked as Lianwei entered behind him. His eyes imdiately sought mine, scanning my face for any sign of pain. There was still that stormy tension in his expression, but it softened when he saw Huan clinging to like a barnacle.
"You shouldn’t be out of bed yet." He said gently but firmly. "But... I know you won’t listen."
"I’m fine." I lied, knowing he’d catch it.
"i Shen." His voice dropped lower, quiet but sharp. "Don’t do that. Not to . You’ve carried too much alone. Let carry it this ti."
Behind him, the dowager empress stepped into view. For a mont, my body locked up instinctively, an old fear coiling in my belly. But her gaze wasn’t the cold disdain I rembered from stories and whispers. Instead, there was an unreadable softness there.
"You’re pale." She observed, her voice steady but not unkind. "And far too thin for my liking. My son wasn’t exaggerating about your condition."
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond.
"She’s always like this." Lianwei said, his hand brushing my arm with feather light care. "Stubborn and selfless until she burns herself out."
The Empress’s eyes didn’t leave mine.
"Then perhaps it’s ti soone else teaches her how to be cared for."Empress said.
My throat felt tight. I wasn’t sure how to take that. Huan, oblivious to the tension, tugged at my sleeve.
"Grandma’s nice, Mommy. She said she’ll get you the best bed and dicine and soup too!"Huan said.
I blinked. My mouth opened but no sound ca out.
"Oh, how sweet. Even the great Empress is doting on you now. You’ve bewitched the whole imperial family, haven’t you?" Zeyrith teased.
"Host stress level rising. Breathe deeply. Prioritize calmness during transfer."System said.
"I... thank you, your majesty." I said hoarsely."
"No need for titles in private." She replied, almost briskly. But her eyes softened again. "You are family, after all."
Family. The word sat strangely in my chest. Heavy and terrifying and warm all at once. Lianwei extended his hand to .
"Ready? I’ll carry you to the carriage if I have to."Lianwei said.
"I can walk." I murmured.
"You’ll let help." He corrected gently.
And this ti, I didn’t argue. As we stepped outside, the chilly evening air brushed my face. The imperial carriage was massive, elegant, with banners fluttering faintly. Huan clung to my hand while Lianwei supported my other side. The empress walked just ahead, giving us space but glancing back now and then, her expression thoughtful. For the first ti, I wondered if she wasn’t my enemy after all. The carriage lurched forward, its wheels creaking as they crushed gravel underfoot. I sat stiffly against the velvet cushions, staring at my hands folded neatly in my lap.
Huan sat beside , legs swinging, humming under his breath like this was just another trip to market. Across from us, the dowager empress sat ramrod straight, her gown flowing around her like water. Her eyes, sharp, green as Lianwei’s, flicked between and her grandson, though her expression was unreadable.
"So..." I began weakly, my voice cracking in the stillness. "It’s a very... um... nice carriage."
Huan giggled.
"Mommy, it’s huge! Look! It even has little dragons on the windows!" He pressed his nose to the glass, leaving smudges.
"Yes, sweetheart. It’s very... pretty."I said.
The Empress’s lips twitched, just barely.
"He’s lively." She murmured.
"He’s... curious." I said carefully.
Lianwei broke the tension with a sigh.
"He gets that from her. Huan’s like i Shen in so many ways. Stubborn. Soft hearted. Too clever for his own good."Lianwei said.
"Daddy says I’m stubborn like mommy?"Huan asked.
"Yes, little fox." Lianwei said, ruffling his hair. "Exactly like her."
Huan puffed his chest proudly.
"Then I’ll be stubborn forever!"Huan said.
The Empress actually chuckled, startling so much I blinked.
"You nad him Huan." She said quietly, looking at Lianwei now. "Our family’s character."
"i did." He replied simply. "Because he’s ours. Even if you didn’t know."
There was a pause. The empress glanced at again, her sharpness muted now.
"I regret not knowing sooner."She said.
"She regrets? Oh, fascinating. The sa empress you feared?" Zeyrith cooed in my head..
I clutched Huan’s hand for grounding. He looked up at with those green eyes, innocent and bright.
"Grandma, why didn’t you visit us?" He asked suddenly.
"Huan-" I began, trying to deflect.
"Because I didn’t know you existed, little one. If I had..." Her gaze lingered on him. "I would’ve co running."
Huan blinked, as if considering this. Then he nodded solemnly.
"Okay. But now you know, so you can be nice to mommy too."Huan said.
Lianwei hid a laugh behind his hand.
The empress actually... smiled. A real, small, warm smile.
"Yes, I can."She said.
The awkwardness didn’t fully lift, but it shifted, warr sohow.
"Do you rember the palace?" Lianwei asked suddenly.
I shook my head.
"Not really. It’s been five years. And even before then, I wasn’t exactly..." I trailed off.
"Comfortable there." He finished for .
"Yes."I said.
Huan leaned against sleepily.
"It’ll be fun, mommy. Daddy and grandma will keep us safe. You’ll see."He said.
"Look at this picture perfect family. You almost make sick." Zeyrith drawled.
I tried to focus on Huan’s warmth instead of the twisting knot in my chest. The palace lood closer with every turn of the wheels. But maybe... just maybe... this ti I wouldn’t have to face it alone.
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