Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Xie Wuyang truly became my Shadow Guard.

Except for when I called him out to change his bandages, he was like a shadow-I could sense his presence, yet I could not see him.

I asked him why he had shielded me.

His clear eyes held a sincerity that came from the bottom of his heart.

“It is what a guard should do.”

I wasn’t quite satisfied with that answer.

Yet, I couldn’t exactly say why I was dissatisfied.

“If you were Zhao Duanhua’s guard, would you protect her too?”

He furrowed his brows. “I will only ever be Her Highness’s guard.”

“Why?”

“There is no why. I will only be Her Highness’s guard.”

He spoke with absolute certainty.

A secret flicker of joy rose within me-the joy of possessing something that Zhao Duanhua did not.

To vent her frustrations on Zhao Duanhua’s behalf, my Imperial Mother asked my Emperor Father to bestow the title of Princess upon her.

My Emperor Father hesitated, delaying his decision.

However, the news had already spread outside the palace.

Lü’e was furious but helpless, able only to grit her teeth in resentment.

“A fake is a fake. No matter how much she pretends, she can never be compared to a True Phoenix.”

That night, unable to sleep, I wandered aimlessly through the courtyard.

Xie Wuyang followed me silently, quietly stepping on my shadow.

He thought I didn’t know.

On a sudden whim, I spun around, circled behind him, and stepped on his shadow.

“I’ve caught you. Don’t move.”

Sure enough, he didn’t move an inch.

I let out a small laugh and started to walk away.

But he didn’t follow.

I looked back at him.

He gave a faint smile. “Your Highness, you haven’t released my shadow yet.”

How silly!

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

He laughed along with me.

In that moment, I suddenly understood.

I didn’t want Zhao Duanhua to have her way. She was already smug enough; it was time for her to experience some sorrow. I shouldn’t be the only one suffering.

The next day, I rose early and rushed to Wan’an Temple. I picked up a vegetarian meal and galloped back as fast as I could, personally delivering it to the palace before lunch.

The guards at the gate stopped me.

I understood.

It was my Imperial Mother’s command.

Instead, I waited at the place where the officials departed after the morning court session.

I waited from morning until night.

Every day, I went to Wan’an Temple early for the vegetarian meal, and every day, I appeared at the gates where the officials attended court.

Finally, on the third day, I saw my Emperor Father.

His eyes were deep and dark, and he let out a long, weary sigh.

“What is it?”

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something flattering.

I wanted to say that I saw many people outside Wan’an Temple prostrating themselves with every step as they climbed the mountain, just to beg for the Buddha’s protection.

I wanted to say that I was luckier than them; not only could I seek the Buddha’s protection, but I could also seek my Emperor Father’s protection.

I also wanted to say that I hadn’t been happy during this time-that there was a hole in my heart, and that hole was now growing more and more ragged.

But I couldn’t say a word.

Tears welled in my eyes.

I lowered my head, prostrating myself on the ground, and whispered, “Daughter only asks that Emperor Father favor me a little more. I only have Emperor Father left.”

With my forehead pressed against the cold ground, my mind raced with thoughts of whether my Emperor Father would be angry.

However, he remained silent.

After a long time, he slowly said, “I understand.”

When I left the palace, I didn’t know if I had succeeded.

I looked back at the palace with its golden roofs and green tiles, feeling its towering majesty and its immovable nature.

Time passed bit by bit.

The imperial decree to title Zhao Duanhua as a Princess never came.

My heart gradually relaxed, and a faint suspicion began to surface-was I truly being favored?

During this time, my Emperor Father’s energy was occupied by other matters. There was excessive rain this year; the south was suffering from floods, while the north was hit by continuous drizzling rain just as the wheat harvest season arrived.

Troubled by these events, I reduced my outings.

But every day, a flower would appear on my table.

Xie Wuyang picked them.

Lü’e happily arranged the flowers in a vase, smiling. “At least he has a conscience, remembering that it was the Princess who rescued him.”

But one day, he didn’t bring a flower back. Instead, he returned covered in injuries, trying to hide them from me.

But how could I not know? I could guess that something had happened.

I asked him who had hurt him.

He bit his lip and remained silent.

I said coldly, “Speak!”

He shook his head and simply said, “I will hit them back in the future.”

He seemed to have grown smarter, no longer the fool who would say whatever was asked of him.

I left in a huff. Even if he didn’t tell me, I could find out.

The one who beat him was the Crown Prince.

It was simply because someone mentioned that Xie Wuyang’s profile bore a striking resemblance to the Crown Prince’s.

At the time, the Crown Prince maintained his poise as the heir apparent and laughed it off.

Afterward, however, he sent men to waylay Xie Wuyang while he was picking flowers in the morning and gave him a severe beating.

If Xie Wuyang hadn’t fought desperately to escape, he might have died there.