Chapter 15
The Empress brought the two girls back to her Phoenix Perch Palace. Seeing that Ji Yan’an looked dispirited, she asked gently,
“Do you think… the punishment given to Consort Liu—ah, no, Liu Pin—was too light?”
Ji Yan’an instinctively nodded. The moment she realized what she was doing, she shook her head so hard it looked like a rattling drum.
“N-No. It isn’t. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager made the right decision.”
The Empress couldn’t help laughing at her flustered reaction.
She knew there was still a trace of dissatisfaction in Ji Yan’an’s heart. Taking a plate of pastries, she pushed it toward her.
“Yan’an, everything in this palace is connected. Move one thread, and the entire web trembles. I don’t need to tell you how much influence the Liu family holds. For the Empress Dowager to demote Liu Pin because of you was already no easy thing.”
Ji Yan’an held a pastry in one hand while the imperial physician applied medicine to her injuries with the other. Her cheeks puffed up in grievance.
“I understand all that… I really do. But I still feel wronged.”
Wronged for herself.
And wronged for Song Yi.
It was Liu Wanwan who had ruined Song Yi’s parents, yet she still refused to leave Song Yi alone. Even after entering the palace, she had found a way to hurt her.
For the first time, Ji Yan’an began wondering whether bringing Song Yi into the palace had been the right choice.
Nearby, Song Yi sat silently while the physician treated her wounds. Even when the doctor pressed too hard and the pain must have intensified, she never made a sound.
As for the injuries on their backs, the two girls had reached a silent understanding—they would not let the physician see them.
Madam Ji noticed their discomfort and tactfully stepped forward.
“This servant will take the children home to apply medicine. Your Majesty, please inform the Empress Dowager on my behalf.”
The Empress nodded.
After bestowing several exquisite hairpins upon Song Yi, she granted them permission to leave the palace.
Watching the three figures disappear into the distance, the Empress felt a sincere pang of envy.
They had managed to emerge from this ordeal unscathed.
But she still had to remain within these palace walls, trapped in endless schemes and power struggles…
And forced to watch Liu Wanwan’s expression every day.
On the carriage ride home, Song Yi and Ji Yan’an shared the same carriage.
Yet the atmosphere was entirely different from when they had entered the palace.
Song Yi occasionally tried to start conversations, while Ji Yan’an answered weakly, sounding as though half her soul had left her body.
“Does it still hurt?”
“It hurts…” Ji Yan’an groaned, slumped against Song Yi’s shoulder.
“Are you hungry?”
“No. The Empress gave me pastries.”
She covered her stomach—which was, in truth, still quite empty—and shook her head.
“When we get home, shall I make some porridge for you?”
“Oh…”
Ji Yan’an responded absentmindedly before suddenly freezing.
“What?! You’re making porridge for me?!”
She sat bolt upright.
This was Song Yi.
Song Yi was going to cook porridge for her.
Was this some once-in-a-lifetime miracle?
Song Yi watched her instantly spring back to life and couldn’t suppress the smile in her eyes.
“Hiss—”
The sudden movement tugged at the wounds on Ji Yan’an’s back. She sucked in a sharp breath.
“Yes,” Song Yi said softly. “I’ll make porridge for you. So stop moving around.”
It was the first time Song Yi had shown such open concern for Ji Yan’an.
Or perhaps, the first time she had allowed herself to care so openly.
Ji Yan’an instantly lost all trace of drowsiness.
Every few moments she lifted the carriage curtain to check whether they had reached the Ji residence.
For the first time in her life, she wondered why time seemed to pass so slowly.
Song Yi didn’t watch her.
Instead, she closed her eyes to rest.
The wounds on her own back were no lighter than Ji Yan’an’s.
But Ji Yan’an had been pampered since childhood. Even a small injury would leave her aching for half a day, much less wounds severe enough to tear flesh and draw blood.
At long last, under Ji Yan’an’s eager anticipation, the carriage entered the long street leading to the Ji residence.
As soon as it stopped, Ji Yan’an was helped down first.
Yet instead of rushing inside, she remained beside the carriage waiting for Song Yi.
Song Yi had no personal maid to assist her. She climbed down alone.
The carriage was rather high.
As she descended, the motion pulled at her wounds.
Her elegant brows knit together.
Pain flashed across her face.
Then vanished almost instantly.
The expression was fleeting, but Ji Yan’an caught it.
The entire journey she had been occupied with thoughts of Song Yi’s porridge, completely forgetting that Song Yi was injured too.
“We’ll apply medicine first,” Ji Yan’an declared, grabbing Song Yi’s hand. “After that, there’ll still be time to cook porridge.”
Without giving her any chance to refuse, she dragged Song Yi straight into the residence.
Song Yi let herself be led along.
A faint smile curved her lips.
Together, they returned to the bedchamber, where the medicine sent by the imperial physician had already been arranged neatly on the table.
“Come on. You treat my wounds first!”
Ji Yan’an hugged the bottles and jars to her chest, looking at Song Yi with sparkling anticipation.
“Me?”
Song Yi accepted the medicine in a daze.
Then Ji Yan’an lifted her outer garments, revealing a back as pale and flawless as polished jade.
Song Yi’s gaze darkened.
Or rather—
It should have been flawless.
Now it was covered in bruises and welts.
“Bear with it…”
Her hands trembled slightly.
The swollen injuries looked frighteningly severe.
It took her a long time to carefully finish applying the medicine.
Ji Yan’an clenched her teeth throughout the process.
Several times she nearly cried out in pain.
But the moment Song Yi announced she was done, Ji Yan’an immediately brightened and snatched up the medicine.
“My turn!”
Before Song Yi could fully recover from the sight of those wounds, Ji Yan’an had already pushed her down onto the bed.
As Song Yi’s upper robe was lifted—
Ji Yan’an gasped.
“What’s wrong?”
Song Yi thought Ji Yan’an’s injuries had started hurting again and immediately tried to sit up.
Before she could, however, she heard quiet sobbing.
“What happened?”
Song Yi asked again, worry entering her voice.
“Your back…” Ji Yan’an’s voice trembled.
“I… I can’t even look at it anymore.”
The day Song Yi had bathed, Ji Yan’an had accidentally glimpsed her back.
Smooth.
Delicate.
Fair as snow.
The kind of skin that made people want to reach out and touch it.
Yet only a few days later, this was what remained.
“Maybe… don’t bother applying the medicine,” Song Yi said softly.
Hearing Ji Yan’an’s muffled sniffles made her chest ache.
Ji Yan’an ignored her.
Fine white medicinal powder drifted across Song Yi’s back.
Yet every so often, her gaze wandered to the patches of untouched skin between the injuries.
The more she looked, the drier her throat became.
That slender waist…
So narrow it seemed one arm could encircle it.
“Ahem… all done.”
Afraid her thoughts might continue wandering somewhere inappropriate, Ji Yan’an hurriedly cut herself off.
Song Yi adjusted her clothing and sat up.
When she turned toward Ji Yan’an, she noticed tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
“You—”
“Sorry.”
They spoke at the same time.
Song Yi fell silent first, letting Ji Yan’an continue.
Ji Yan’an lowered her head so far she couldn’t meet Song Yi’s gaze.
The handkerchief in her hands had already been twisted into a mess.
“I kept saying I’d protect you. I kept saying I wouldn’t let them bully you.”
Her voice grew increasingly choked.
“But because of me… because I insisted on dragging you away, I angered Liu Pin.”
She bit her lip.
“I’m such an idiot.”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became at herself.
Had all those palace intrigue dramas she watched gone straight into a dog’s stomach?
How had she dared confront someone like Liu Wanwan head-on?
Song Yi blinked as she listened to Ji Yan’an scold herself.
Only after quite some time did she finally ask,
“Are you… cursing yourself?”
Ji Yan’an was already furious enough to explode.
She lifted her head—
And found herself staring into Song Yi’s eyes.
Those eyes were overflowing with laughter.
“You smiled…”
Ji Yan’an froze.
“Even though this is probably the worst possible time to smile…”
A blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
“But… you really are beautiful when you smile.”
