Chapter 17
Leaving the palace went smoothly. After all, she was the Empress—she could come and go as she pleased without asking anyone. She only needed to bring enough guards.
The Sheng residence stood in the most remote part of the capital, with a character all its own.
The main reason was that her father, the Grand Tutor, was far too upright and incorruptible to enjoy dealing with other officials. The Emperor had always favored him, and countless officials, high and low, had tried to curry favor with him.
By the time their party reached the Sheng residence, it was already noon.
Two enormous stone tortoises stood on either side of the entrance, and there was only one young servant on guard.
The servant showed no reaction at all when he saw her luxurious carriage. Instead, a hint of impatience flickered in his eyes as he walked straight up to it and bowed.
“I’m sorry, honored guests, but our master has gone out. I’m afraid he won’t be receiving visitors for the next few days.”
Chunwan pulled back the curtain, her eyes and brows bright with a smile.
“Wangfu! Miss is back!”
Wangfu’s eyes widened as he peered into the carriage. A familiar face smiled at him from inside. Wasn’t that... the Fifth Miss?
Wangfu suddenly took off running into the residence, shouting as he went, “Master, Master! The Fifth Miss is back! The Fifth Miss is back!”
Sheng Yanhuan smiled and shook her head. “Let’s get out.”
She walked slowly into the familiar courtyard, feeling as if ages had passed.
Ever since entering the palace, she hadn’t had a chance to return home. Whenever she remembered how the Sheng family had been exterminated in her previous life, her heart clenched with pain. She wished she could chop that dog of an Emperor and that venomous woman into eight pieces right then and there.
“Little Five, Little Five.”
A figure flashed past her eyes. Before she could make out who it was, she was pulled into an embrace, the scent of fresh grass filling her nose.
“You’re finally back.”
Sheng Yanhuan’s eyes burned, and tears spilled down her cheeks.
“Mother.”
She hugged Meng Chutang tightly, burying her face against her mother’s warm chest.
This was the mother she had missed day and night.
“Little Five, don’t be sad. Your younger siblings are all here, and your older brothers and sisters will be here soon.”
A familiar, resonant voice came from behind her.
Sheng Yanhuan turned around. Her father, once tall and handsome, now had white hair at his temples. In just over a year, he seemed to have aged several years.
“Father.” Sheng Yanhuan felt even sadder. Forgetting how old she was, she rushed over and threw her arms around him.
“Waaah, Father, I missed you!”
Sheng Zhuoan sighed and couldn’t help embracing his daughter, who had been spoiled since childhood.
“We all missed you.”
“Didn’t Father miss me?”
The stern and self-possessed Grand Tutor Sheng: ...
“Did you or didn’t you?”
Sheng Yanhuan looked up at him. Her cheeks, eyes, nose, and lips were all red. If he said he hadn’t missed her, she would probably burst into tears on the spot.
Sheng Zhuoan had no choice but to admit it. “I did. Father missed Little Five.” If it had been one of his sons, Sheng Zhuoan would have kicked him away without a second thought.
He had always been strict and demanding when educating his children. His sons and daughters were all afraid of him, but Sheng Little Five was the exception. Even when he put on a stern face, she would climb onto him and tug at his topknot, refusing to let go until she’d messed it up. She had been quite the handful.
Sheng Yanhuan burst out laughing, triumphant and uninhibited, but as she laughed, she began to cry and couldn’t stop.
Worry, fear, dread, unease—all those negative emotions suddenly pressed down on her until she could hardly breathe.
It wasn’t until her older brothers and sisters arrived that she managed to stop crying. By then, her face was as puffy and round as a little bun, her eyes red and swollen, faint tear tracks still visible on her cheeks.
Her eldest brother immediately patted her head and gave her a stack of banknotes, telling her to spend whatever she liked and ask him for more if she ran out. Her second brother gave her a pile of poisons and whispered that she should poison anyone she couldn’t stand, no matter who they were.
Her third sister hugged her without saying much, then gave her a book called The Art of Taming a Husband and told her to study it carefully. Sheng Yanhuan flipped through it; it was a collection of handwritten notes. She’d heard that her third brother-in-law did whatever her sister told him to, though...
As she’d expected, her fourth sister had already married far away to Yanmen Pass. Her twin brother, Sheng Yanming, clung to her and cried without letting go, while her two younger sisters each gave her a little handmade gift and tearfully called her “Big Sister.”
At the Sheng residence, Sheng Yanhuan felt happy in both body and soul.
Here, she didn’t have to scheme or stay on edge. Even if the sky fell, her father would hold it up for her...
Dusk fell, and their happy time flew by in a blink. Even Sheng Yanhuan, the Empress, had to return to the palace.
Sheng Yanhuan climbed into the carriage with red eyes. She only dared to lift the curtain once it started moving.
At the sight before her, she couldn’t hold back her tears at all.
Her father, mother, older brothers and sisters, younger sisters, and younger brother all stood at the gate. When they saw her looking back, they were sad, but still smiled warmly at her.
“Big Sister! Don’t worry about home. We’re here!”
“That’s right! And so is Big Brother!”
“If the Prince Regent uses his position to bully you, I’ll have your brother-in-law send him memorial after memorial until he’s sick of it!”
“And if that doesn’t work, remember to use the poison Second Brother gave you! Poison him first and ask questions later!”
“Big Sister, Big Sister, remember to come home often!”
Sheng Yanhuan’s lashes trembled slightly, her throat tight. In the end, she said nothing, only waved to tell them to hurry back inside.
Chunwan’s eyes were red too. She comforted her, “M-Miss... Your Majesty, we can come back often from now on.”
...
An Shi ran along the rooftops, following the carriage, cursing under her breath. The Prince was unbelievable—he hadn’t even sent another person along. It was just her!
If Noble Consort Meng tried anything, then even if An Shi could fight ten people at once, she still might not be able to overcome the power of the Meng family.
The Sheng residence was in the outskirts of the capital. To enter the main city, they had to pass through a stretch of woods. The sun had already set, and there were no lights around; everything was pitch-black.
An Shi narrowed her eyes and looked around, overcome by a vague sense of foreboding.
Suddenly, a flute sounded from somewhere nearby, its notes clear and melodious.
An Shi’s expression changed. Without hesitation, she drew the signal flare from her waist and fired it.
Flute music.
It was the signal of the Kongchan Pavilion in the Kingdom of Beiyuan!
And the Kongchan Pavilion was where assassins were trained!
Sheng Yanhuan furrowed her brows. Why was there flute music?
[Host, someone is trying to assassinate you!]
“Swish, swish—”
An Shi’s expression changed drastically. No longer caring whether she gave herself away, she shouted, “Get down!”
Sheng Yanhuan’s pupils contracted. Her body reacted instinctively, and she immediately pulled Chunwan down with her.
A sound cut through the air—
Countless arrows shot through the windows and embedded themselves in the wooden panels. The entire carriage shook. Then came the horses’ whinnies and the clash of blades.
“Protect Her Majesty!”
“Hurry, hurry!”
“This is bad! They’re too strong!”