Chapter Fourteen: What, the Emperor Is My Senior Brother?

“Aren’t we here to clean up Yoonbai’s mess? We mustn’t leave a single trace behind,” Xiao Jingxuan said with a calm air, taking Yoonbai’s hand and leading her forward. A chill crept through Su Jingluo’s heart. Just how far did this man’s reach extend, and how deep did his influence go? It seemed he had already infiltrated the ranks of the eunuchs and imperial physicians. Would it be so difficult, then, to break free with Yoonbai one day, to leave this place and start anew on their own?

Not long after they left the Empress Dowager’s quarters, a eunuch hurried toward them.

“Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress have been waiting for the three of you at the feast for quite some time. Please follow me, quickly.”

Another audience with the Emperor? Su Jingluo’s back ached from the ordeal with the Empress Dowager, and she could only wonder what fresh trials awaited her before the Emperor and Empress. She couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

“What’s the matter? Not pleased?” Xiao Jingxuan, seeing the look on her face, suddenly showed a rare flicker of concern.

“It’s nothing, nothing at all. I’m quite happy,” Su Jingluo replied, caught off guard by his unexpected attention. The usually cold Xiao Jingxuan was actually showing concern for her.

But then, for reasons she couldn’t fathom, her simple polite answer seemed to strike a nerve. No sooner had she finished speaking than Xiao Jingxuan shot her a fierce glare, his face dark as thunder. Was the man unstable?

In a short while, the three arrived at the grand hall where the Emperor’s family banquet was held. If the Empress Dowager’s chambers were exquisitely sumptuous, then the Emperor’s banquet hall was overwhelming in its grandeur. The Emperor and Empress were already waiting inside, and beside them stood a chubby boy of seven or eight.

Xiao Jingxuan, unlike at the Empress Dowager’s door, behaved impeccably as he entered, bowing and paying his respects to the Emperor and Empress, and greeting the Crown Prince.

Su Jingluo and Yoonbai followed suit, offering proper courtesies without once meeting the royal pair’s eyes. Her attention was fixed on the banquet table, laden with braised pork knuckles, roast chicken, a massive carp, racks of lamb, and other exquisitely presented dishes whose names she didn’t even know. There were also piles of oranges, grapes, and other fruits. In the depths of winter, such fruit was a rare and tempting sight.

“Brother, please rise. This is a family banquet—there’s no need for such formality. And this must be your Yoonbai. She certainly looks clever and beautiful. She should sit with the Crown Prince. They’re close in age; I’m sure they’ll get along well.”

The Emperor was far more affable than the Empress Dowager, his words free of hidden barbs. Yoonbai, captivated by the vast hall and its splendid decorations, gazed about in curiosity, not even hearing what the Emperor said. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to mind.

“Jingluo, my junior, how many years has it been? I haven’t seen you since you married my brother, have I?” The Emperor addressed her as “junior sister.” Su Jingluo’s eyes were glued to the food, her attention drifting.

“Yes, junior sister, it’s been so long since we’ve seen you. Have you grown distant?” The Empress echoed gently.

Who was this “junior sister”? Su Jingluo glanced around, but saw no one else; the Emperor and Empress both seemed to be speaking to her. As she studied their faces, a sudden pain exploded in her head. The Emperor’s handsome, confident, and warm smile was like a firecracker going off in her mind. The Emperor was her senior? She still couldn’t remember much, but this realization struck deep.

She looked at the Empress—her gentle, loving eyes and delicate, beautiful features—yes, that was indeed her senior sister.

The ache in her head was nothing compared to the explosive implications of the original owner’s relationship with the Emperor. Su Jingluo glanced from the Emperor to the Empress. Beyond knowing their connection to her, she couldn’t recall more; if she tried, the pain became unbearable. But who was Su Jingluo? She was not someone who would tolerate pain for long—if her head hurt, she simply wouldn’t force herself to remember.