The Fearless Empress - Chapter 19

The phrase “Get dressed properly” revealed Cheng Sangyi’s “dull and uninteresting” nature.

The Empress had no idea what she was thinking. With imperial power and the highest status in the mortal world, what could she possibly have to worry about?

Was it just because her mother didn’t like her?

Plenty of people didn’t like her, where did her mother even rank among them?

Why let so-called familial affection make her unhappy?

The Empress didn’t have time to dwell on it. She shifted back into her own bedding, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep. The moment her eyes shut, Cheng Sangyi, lying on the bed, turned to look at her, her gaze deep and inscrutable.

A palace attendant had reported that Gu Yunqi was indeed the daughter of the Gu family. Before the grand wedding, she had left the city to pray for blessings. Upon her return, it was said she had suffered a head injury and forgotten many things. The Gu family had confirmed that she was unmistakably Gu Yunqi.

Having uncovered this much, Cheng Sangyi ordered the investigation to cease. The person was genuine, and there was nothing else worth scrutinizing.

Yet, such a noble lady was unexpectedly unconventional. After Marquis Gu’s departure, Cheng Sangyi had expected Gu Yunqi to bring up the matter of Second Master Gu. To her surprise, the other woman didn’t mention it at all, as if she had completely forgotten about it.

For a moment, Cheng Sangyi found it impossible to decipher Gu Yunqi’s thoughts.

Gu Yunqi seemed muddled in trivial matters but sharp in important ones. Beneath her carefree exterior lay a meticulous heart.

Tossing and turning, unable to sleep, Cheng Sangyi opened her eyes and stared into the void. In her previous life, Gu Yunqi had been unremarkable, much like the other consorts, never seeking her favor.

In reality, Gu Yunqi had been infatuated with Su Shi. Conspiring with the Empress Dowager, there was nothing Gu Yunqi wouldn’t dare to do for Su Shi.

Reflecting on this, the warmth in Cheng Sangyi’s heart cooled considerably.

The Empress’s procession was grand and imposing. With over a thousand attendants before and after her, ceremonial canopies stretched like clouds as the entourage majestically exited the city.

The Empress and her consort traveled together. Inside the spacious carriage, the two sat shoulder to shoulder. The young Empress boldly picked up a storybook and handed it to Cheng Sangyi. “Read it to me, will you?”

Cheng Sangyi glanced at her, the calm in her eyes finally stirring as a wave of coldness seeped through. “If you don’t know how to read, behave yourself.”

“You!” The Empress huffed in frustration, tossed the book aside, turned, and wrapped her arms around Cheng Sangyi’s, cheerfully leaning on her shoulder. “Dear Ayi, read it to me.”

Dear Ayi?

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Cheng Sangyi’s eyes, her body heating up as if scorched by embers. Instinctively, she tried to pull away. “Gu Yunqi, don’t go too far.”

The Empress was surprisingly strong. Despite Cheng Sangyi’s martial training, she couldn’t break free. She hadn’t expected such strength from such a slender young woman.

“Fine, I’ll read to you,” Cheng Sangyi conceded, giving up the struggle. Reading a story was nothing she could treat it as a way to pass the time.

Satisfied, the Empress released her, sat up straight, her back ramrod straight, and gazed ahead, behaving with an almost unnatural docility.

She wasn’t being obedient, she was clearly up to no good. Cheng Sangyi was exasperated but resigned. She picked up the storybook and opened it.

The title caught her eye at once, and her face flushed bright red. “Little Darling Wife”? She was utterly dismayed. Suppressing her embarrassment, she turned to Gu Yunqi. “Who gave this to you?”

“Consort Gui did,” the Empress replied, wide-eyed and innocent, her fair, delicate face utterly charming.

Cheng Sangyi: “…”

She just had to endure it.

She tucked the storybook away and said, “This one isn’t good. I’ll find you some better ones later. Be good now.”

Her gentle coaxing worked. The young Empress, after a moment’s thought, nodded obediently and agreed.

Cheng Sangyi was taken aback and couldn’t help but glance at her. So she was the type to yield to softness but not force. A child, indeed easy to coax. She asked again, “What skills do you possess?”

“My martial arts are excellent. I can also…” The Empress paused. No, she couldn’t speak recklessly. If she were discovered, she would be hunted down and killed by demon slayers.

She fell silent, a faint, almost arrogant smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Cheng Sangyi grew even more curious about her.

“What else can you do? I won’t eat you,” Cheng Sangyi coaxed patiently. “You’re illiterate, yet you know martial arts. Are your memories muddled?”

“You!” The Empress was at a loss for words. This was the most troublesome part. The young lady of the Gu family had no martial prowess but excelled in literature, while the two of them were complete opposites.

She racked her brains, and suddenly, the carriage jolted. Instinctively, she reached out to protect Cheng Sangyi.

In the jolt, Cheng Sangyi collided with Gu Yunqi’s shoulder. She clearly heard a muffled groan, followed by a sharp cry: “Assassins! Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!”

The carriage came to a halt. Outside, chaos erupted, the clashing of swords and the clamor of voices instantly turning into disarray.

The Empress blinked, sniffed the air, and caught the scent of blood. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around the Empress. “Don’t move. I’ll protect you.”

The whistling sound of arrows seemed to graze past their ears. Before Cheng Sangyi could even feel embarrassed, Gu Yunqi had already shielded her, placing herself in front. Staring at the slender figure before her, Cheng Sangyi felt a tumult of emotions.

Gu Yunqi was risking her life to protect her!

Cheng Sangyi’s mind buzzed. Since her mother’s passing, no one had ever shielded her from danger like this.

Lost in thought, an arrow shot through the carriage window. The Empress caught it with one hand, lifted the curtain, and shot it back out.

She pursed her lips and said, “Don’t be afraid. Everything will be fine.”

Cheng Sangyi narrowed her eyes. How could she be afraid? Even before leaving the city, she had known an assassination attempt was likely.

“Your Majesty, all the assassins have been subdued, but none are left alive.”

The voice of the Imperial Guards echoed from outside. Cheng Sangyi gripped Gu Yunqi’s shoulder and gave it a gentle pat, signaling her to relax.

She replied, “Continue on. Do not delay.”

The procession resumed its journey.

The Empress sighed softly, leaning against the cushion beside her. Her cheeks were flushed, and the fists she had clenched in her sleeves slowly relaxed.

She touched her chest, her heart still racing with fear, and asked curiously, “Was it the Empress Dowager who sent them?”

“Without evidence, do not speak recklessly. If the Empress Dowager finds out you’re making accusations, she will hold it against you,” Cheng Sangyi chided coldly, though her tone carried a hint of persuasion.

The Empress was furious. She leaned in closer, staring at Cheng Sangyi’s flawless face. “Ayi, do you also suspect the Empress Dowager?”

“Without evidence,” Cheng Sangyi replied, lifting her gaze and deliberately ignoring those rosy lips.

The Empress was no fool and quickly understood that speaking without proof would only bring trouble upon herself. She soon convinced herself, “I understand. I’ll be careful.”

One moment, she seemed like an immature child; the next, she was all seriousness.

Utterly adorable!

A shadow flickered in Cheng Sangyi’s eyes. In that instant, it felt as though she had deciphered the Empress’s nature intimidating on the surface, but at heart, nothing more than a child who refused to grow up.

Her thoughts were simple.

Tightening her grip on her sleeve, her fingertips tracing the patterns, Cheng Sangyi tentatively asked, “Before entering the palace, did you have someone you loved?”

“Before entering the palace?” The Empress pondered, her delicate brows furrowing tightly as she shook her head. “No, not at all. You are the finest woman I have ever met.”

This statement left the one probing speechless, her face flushing red. The sudden confession made her unsure how to continue extracting information.

Cheng Sangyi fell silent.

The Empress lowered her head to examine her palm, where she had caught the arrow barehanded earlier. A red mark had been scraped into her skin, and it stung a little.

She remained dazed for a moment before Cheng Sangyi grasped her wrist. The sight of the pale, delicate hand seemed pitiful, and she remarked with suspicion, “Your skills are impressive, yet your palm shows no calluses unlike someone trained in martial arts.”

Gu Yunchu was shrouded in peculiarities from head to toe.

Instinctively, the Empress withdrew her hand. The Empress Dowager’s words were too sharp, as if they had pierced through her secret.

“I learned martial arts in my dreams.”

Cheng Sangyi frowned at such a feeble excuse but had no intention of exposing it outright. Do you think you’re fooling a three-year-old?

She lifted her gaze to the young Empress, whose eyes sparkled with clarity beneath long, dark lashes, radiating sincerity.

I don’t believe a word of it.

Cheng Sangyi resolved to treat her words as empty air but held onto her wrist firmly. “Let me apply the medicine.”

The Empress watched quietly, her eyes lighting up with anticipation and hope.

After the assassination attempt, the journey proceeded without further incident, and they safely arrived at the imperial mausoleum.

The Emperor and Empress went together to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. Standing before the palace hall, Cheng Sangyi felt as if she had jolted awake from a nightmare, her heart suddenly seized with unease. Beside her, the Empress took her hand and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. I will protect you.”

Cheng Sangyi’s pupils contracted sharply. She wanted to push her hand away, but just then, someone emerged from the hall. For some reason, she instead tightened her grip on Gu Yunchu’s hand. Her long-lonely heart found solace, like parched land receiving a sudden downpour, and a sense of relief washed over her.

Facing the Empress Dowager, Cheng Sangyi bowed with her hands clasped. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Seeing this, the young Empress imitated her, placing her hands in front and bending into a bow. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager’s gaze settled on Gu Yunchu. The light accentuated her skin, smooth as jade, and her features, elegant as a painting. True beauty lies in the bones, not just the skin and the young Empress possessed both. Standing beside Cheng Sangyi, they made a strikingly well-matched pair.

“Your Majesty has arrived,” the Empress Dowager said softly, her slightly disdainful gaze shifting from Gu Yunchu to Cheng Sangyi. “Your thoughtfulness is noted.”

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s indifferent tone, the young Empress recalled the assassination attempt on the way and couldn’t resist adding, “His Majesty is truly filial. She nearly lost her life on the journey here, which shows the depth of her devotion to you, Your Majesty.”

The remark made Cheng Sangyi glance sideways. Such words bordered on great disrespect.

She was taken aback. It was said that Gu Yunchu had been raised with proper upbringing did she not know that the weight of filial piety could crush a person?

Cheng Sangyi held her breath. Since childhood, the palace attendants had taught her that the Empress Dowager was her birth mother and that she ought to be filial. Yet no one had ever mentioned that the Empress Dowager disliked her. It seemed as though it was normal for elders to disapprove of their juniors, while any lack of filial piety from the younger generation was considered a grave sin.

The Empress Dowager on the steps was momentarily stunned. “The Empress is quite eloquent. His Majesty hasn’t spoken, yet you’ve already voiced your thoughts.”

The Empress raised her head, narrowing her eyes innocently. “His Majesty was too frightened to speak. Empress Dowager, who do you think would want to assassinate His Majesty?”

The fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl had a radiant and vibrant expression, her every smile and frown brimming with brightness. With a single sentence, she made the Empress Dowager turn pale. Across from her, Cheng Sangyi remained silent, exuding an imposing aura like a towering mountain, suppressing her with an air of authority, there was no trace of deference left.

Mother and daughter had not seen each other for five years. Cheng Sangyi was now cloaked in the demeanor of an emperor, her amber eyes clear and devoid of malice.

“How would I know? The Empress has asked the wrong person. You must be weary from your journey go and rest.”

The Empress Dowager’s face was cold, her expression resembling a smile, yet it felt unsettling.

Cheng Sangyi bowed and took her leave. As she departed, she noticed Gu Yunchu standing dazed and kindly took her along. “Let’s go.”

The Empress narrowed her eyes at the Empress Dowager, smiling innocently and harmlessly, then turned and cheerfully followed the female emperor away.

After they left, the Empress Dowager’s expression darkened. A Taoist priest emerged from the side and murmured, “This humble priest sensed a trace of demonic aura on the Empress.”

“Demonic aura?” The Empress Dowager recalled Empress Gu’s jade-like face. “Are you implying she is a demon? Or that Cheng Sangyi practices dark arts?”

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