Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 15

The Empress led the two of them to her Phoenix Palace. Seeing Ji Yan’an’s low spirits, she asked, “Do you feel… that this punishment for Consort Liu… oh no, for Concubine Liu, was too light?”

Ji Yan’an subconsciously nodded, but realizing her mistake, she shook her head like a rattle-drum. “N-No. The Empress Dowager’s decision was excellent.”

The Empress chuckled at Ji Yan’an’s naive look. She knew Ji Yan’an was still a little unhappy, so she pushed a plate of small pastries toward her. “Yan’an, everything in the palace is interconnected. I don’t need to elaborate on the power of the Liu family. It is already very difficult for the Empress Dowager to demote Concubine Liu for your sake.”

Ji Yan’an held a pastry in one hand while a physician applied medicine to her injuries with the other. She looked aggrieved. “Yan’an understands these principles… but Yan’an just feels, feels wronged.” Wronged for herself, and also wronged for Song Yi.

Song Yi’s parents were harmed by this Liu Wanwan, yet Liu Wanwan still wouldn’t let Song Yi go. She wouldn’t spare her even on a single trip into the palace. Ji Yan’an began to regret whether it was a good or bad idea to bring Song Yi into the palace.

Next to her, Song Yi endured the physician’s treatment without a sound. Even when the physician was a little heavy-handed, Song Yi didn’t utter a word.

The two were tacitly agreed not to let the physician treat the wounds on their backs. Lady Ji saw the inconvenience and pulled the two girls, bowing to the Empress. “This official’s wife will take the two children back to the estate for their medicine. May I trouble Your Majesty to inform the Empress Dowager?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the Empress nodded. After rewarding Song Yi with several fine hairpins, she granted them permission to leave the palace.

Watching the three figures depart, the Empress genuinely envied them. They managed to escape unscathed this time, but she still had to remain in this deep palace, scheming and fighting… and enduring Liu Wanwan’s demeanor.

Back at the Estate

On the carriage ride home, Song Yi and Ji Yan’an sat together, but the situation was completely different from their journey into the palace.

Song Yi occasionally spoke to Ji Yan’an, but Ji Yan’an replied listlessly.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Yes, it hurts…” Ji Yan’an leaned listlessly in Song Yi’s arms.

“Are you hungry?”

“Not hungry. Her Majesty the Empress gave me pastries.” Ji Yan’an covered her stomach, which hadn’t eaten much, and shook her head.

“I’ll make you congee when we get back to the estate?”

“Oh… What?! You’ll make me congee?!” Ji Yan’an, who was about to lapse into listlessness again, suddenly reacted! Was Song Yi going to make congee for her? Was this a ‘once in a lifetime’ event?

Song Yi looked at the previously wilted Ji Yan’an, who suddenly sat up, her eyes also containing a smile.

“Hiss—” Ji Yan’an’s movement of sitting up pulled at the wound on her back, making her gasp sharply.

“Yes, I’ll make congee for you. Don’t move around now.” It was the first time Song Yi had been so concerned about Ji Yan’an, or rather, the first time she had shown such direct concern.

Ji Yan’an instantly felt wide awake. She kept lifting the carriage curtain to see if they had arrived at the Ji estate. For the first time, she wondered why time was passing so slowly.

Song Yi didn’t look at her; she closed her eyes to rest. Her own back injuries were no lighter than Ji Yan’an’s, but Ji Yan’an had grown up pampered. Even a slight injury could make her ache for a long time, let alone such severe, bloody wounds.

Under Ji Yan’an’s fervent anticipation, the carriage finally drove into the long street in front of the Ji estate and came to a stable stop. Ji Yan’an was helped out first. She didn’t rush into the manor but waited for Song Yi under the carriage.

Song Yi didn’t have a personal maid and got off the carriage by herself. Since the carriage was a bit high, Song Yi pulled at her wound while stepping down. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and a look of pain flashed across her face before being quickly hidden.

The expression was fleeting, but Ji Yan’an caught it. On the way back, she had been so focused on Song Yi making congee for her that she had overlooked the injuries on Song Yi’s back.

“Let’s apply the medicine first when we get back. We can make congee afterward.” Ji Yan’an took Song Yi’s hand and rushed into the Ji estate, allowing no refusal.

Song Yi let Ji Yan’an pull her, a slight smile gracing the corner of her mouth. Following her back to the sleeping chamber, the medicine brought by the physician was placed on the table.

“Come, apply the medicine for me first!” Ji Yan’an held the bottles and jars, her eyes full of expectation as she looked at Song Yi.

“Me?” Song Yi accepted the medicine in confusion. When Ji Yan’an lifted her top to reveal her back, which was as white as jade, Song Yi’s eyes deepened…

The originally flawless back was now covered in scars.

“Be patient…” Song Yi’s hands trembled slightly. The swollen wounds looked ferocious. It took Song Yi a long time to finally finish applying the medicine.

Ji Yan’an gritted her teeth, nearly crying out from the pain several times. But when Song Yi announced she was finished, Ji Yan’an took the medicine with a relieved look. “My turn!”

Song Yi hadn’t yet recovered from the sight of the scars on Ji Yan’an’s back when Ji Yan’an forcibly pushed her onto the bed. As the jacket of her jacket was lifted… Ji Yan’an gasped in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Song Yi thought Ji Yan’an’s wound was hurting again, so she tried to sit up to check on her. But before she could rise, she heard Ji Yan’an’s soft sobs.

“What’s wrong!” Song Yi asked again, sounding worried.

“Your… the wounds on your back…” Ji Yan’an couldn’t bear to look anymore.

The day Song Yi took a bath, Ji Yan’an had accidentally seen her back; it was smooth, delicate, and snowy white, making one want to reach out and touch it. Yet, just a few days later, seeing it again, it was in such a state.

“How about… we don’t apply the medicine?” Song Yi’s heart also ached hearing Ji Yan’an’s soft sobs, so she simply wanted to skip the treatment.

Ji Yan’an didn’t answer. The white powder was gently sprinkled on Song Yi’s back, but her gaze occasionally fell on the uninjured areas of Song Yi’s back…

As she watched, Ji Yan’an only felt her throat dry up. This waist, which seemed too slender to grip…

“Ahem… Done.” Ji Yan’an stopped herself quickly, afraid of thinking further.

Song Yi straightened her clothes and sat up, looking at Ji Yan’an’s eyes, which still held tears.

“You…”

“I’m sorry.”

The two spoke at the same time. Song Yi closed her mouth first, letting Ji Yan’an speak.

Ji Yan’an lowered her head deeply, afraid to look at Song Yi. The handkerchief in her hand was almost crumpled into a mess. “I promised to protect you, promised not to let them trouble you, but because of myself… because I pulled you to leave, I angered Concubine Liu. I’m such an idiot!”

As Ji Yan’an spoke, she started scolding herself. Did all those palace drama lessons go to waste? How could she dare to confront someone like Liu Wanwan head-on?

Song Yi blinked, watching Ji Yan’an scold herself. After quite a while, she finally spoke. “Are you… scolding yourself?”

Ji Yan’an was furious with herself. Hearing this, she looked up, only to meet Song Yi’s eyes, which were filled with a thousand smiles.

“You smiled… Although it shouldn’t be a time for smiles, but… you look so beautiful when you smile!” Ji Yan’an’s cheeks flushed red.