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墨書 Inktalez
Opening her eyes, she was greeted by a dim yellow light, with the glaring sight of silk curtains before her. Mo Xier took a moment to gather her thoughts, realizing that she was no longer in Night Manor, but in the palace.
Thinking of this, she suddenly sat up, but the movement tugged at the wound on her back, causing her to curl up in pain.
"Miss Mo has awakened." A gentle voice sounded beside her. With delicate yet strong hands supporting her, Mo Xier turned around in surprise. "You are... Green Wisteria?"
Green Wisteria was still dressed in green, but had changed into a lighter outfit. She appeared more refreshed than before, smiling gently. "Miss Mo has a good eye; you even remember my name after such a scene."
Mo Xier felt somewhat embarrassed. "I apologize for making you laugh."
"Not at all." Green Wisteria helped prop up her pillow so she could sit more comfortably before continuing, "You fainted earlier. The Empress Dowager has already sent someone to check on you. Fortunately, it’s just some superficial injuries. However, you did have a high fever and are somewhat weak due to malnutrition, which caused you to faint."
Mo Xier nodded; she was aware of her own condition. Seeing Green Wisteria's demeanor made her feel grateful. Had it been someone else, they would have likely reacted differently upon seeing her injuries.
Green Wisteria seemed to treat it as a common matter and maintained her composure. Mo Xier's character was always one of mutual respect; thus, she sincerely thanked her, "Thank you for your help."
"Miss Mo need not be so polite. I am currently residing in Cining Palace as well, just like you—both of us are here against our will. This place is Shuya Cottage, temporarily assigned to me by the Empress Dowager. It is relatively quiet here. When you fainted, I had to act quickly and brought you over."
Green Wisteria's voice was not the typical crisp tone of an ordinary woman; perhaps it was due to the sandalwood fragrance she carried that gave off an air of authority that made one naturally inclined to trust her.
"I have now awakened; I should go pay my respects to the Empress Dowager," Mo Xier said, noticing that Green Wisteria did not seem like a petty person and felt less guarded. "The Empress Dowager must be quite angry after seeing me faint."
Green Wisteria smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "The Empress Dowager practices vegetarianism and Buddhism; she holds compassion in her heart and will not mind such things. However, since you are awake, it is indeed time to pay your respects. I still need to prepare scriptures for tomorrow's prayer at Treasure Hall for the Empress Dowager, so I won't accompany you. Spirit Book is the maid in charge of Shuya Cottage; she will guide you."
Only then did Mo Xier notice that beside Green Wisteria stood a maid dressed in pink palace attire, around twenty years old with a refined appearance. Her eyes resembled those of someone from the Empress Dowager's court—calm and composed—as she stepped forward and bowed slightly. "I am Spirit Book; Miss Mo has my greetings."
Seeing that her bow was not the usual palace etiquette, Mo Xier guessed she had been instructed specifically and did not dare be negligent in return, slightly inclining her body. "Thank you for your assistance."
After Green Wisteria offered a few more reminders, she slowly departed.
Mo Xier observed that Green Wisteria carried nothing but wore a circle of glowing sandalwood beads around her wrist. She felt a newfound respect for her; it was rare to find such an elegant and poised woman in this palace.
Spirit Book moved swiftly, helping Mo Xier tidy up a bit before leading her to the Empress Dowager's chambers for greetings. Along the way, she spoke little but reminded Mo Xier of some of the Empress Dowager's taboos. Despite this brevity, Mo Xier felt very grateful.
It was already past dinner time. The Empress Dowager had taken her medicine and did not retire too early. The Cining Palace was brightly lit, filled with the rich scent of incense, and under the glow of the red palace lanterns, it appeared even more imposing.
After the announcement, Mo Xier was led into the Empress Dowager's chamber by a designated attendant. As soon as she entered, she immediately knelt upright in the main hall: "Commoner Mo Xier pays her respects to the Empress Dowager. Long live the Empress Dowager!"
"Get up," the Empress Dowager unexpectedly did not make things difficult for her. Instead, she sat beside a small table, flipping through a Sutra on the desk. With a wave of her hand, she beckoned Mo Xier to come closer.
Mo Xier set aside her doubts and approached humbly.
"Miss Mo fainted upon entering the palace; how is your health now?" The Empress Dowager did not look at her but continued to turn the pages of the book, her tone revealing no hint of joy or anger.
Mo Xier quickly replied, "It is due to my lowly fortune that I lost my composure in front of the majesty of the royal family. I beg the Empress Dowager to punish me for my lack of decorum."
"Enough, enough," the Empress Dowager seemed quite satisfied with her response. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "You are an honored guest invited by me; how could I punish you for such a trivial matter? However, the imperial physician mentioned that you have wounds on your back. What exactly happened? Is there really someone who could bypass Night Manor's defenses to attempt an assassination?"
Finally reaching this point, Mo Xier had known from the moment she woke up that her injuries would be discovered by the Empress Dowager. How to explain them would be a serious issue.
If she told the truth, she feared that the Empress Dowager might not trust her and could twist her words against her. But if she could not fully disclose what happened, how could she justify herself?
Fortunately, she had prepared a response along the way and immediately knelt down: "It was not an assassination attempt; it was merely my ignorance of etiquette that angered Old Madam, which led to my punishment. I am aware of my lowly status and do not dare to compete with Mingyue; I sincerely thank the Empress Dowager for your favor."
"All things are impermanent; they are subject to birth and death. To extinguish birth and death is to attain tranquility and joy," the Empress Dowager recited two lines from Buddhist verse, her expression softening slightly. She had already investigated how Mo Xier acquired these injuries.
She was just waiting to see how Mo Xier would explain herself. If she harbored resentment and shifted all responsibility onto Night Manor and Old Madam, then she certainly could not allow this woman to get close to the emperor and become a source of trouble in the palace.
However, Mo Xier did not defend herself at all; instead, she spoke highly of Jiang Yuli, which surprised the Empress Dowager somewhat.
Mo Xier did not understand Buddhist teachings, but she sensed that there was no malice in what the Empress Dowager said—at least not at this moment.
But she did not forget that she had been brought into the palace for no reason today; considering everything carefully, the root of the problem must lie with the emperor. Therefore, she could only belittle herself and clarify her position, ensuring that the Empress Dowager would feel at ease. Thus, she nodded: "Commoner has been taught well."
The Empress Dowager looked at her; her well-maintained face showed no signs of age or hardship. Her narrow phoenix eyes held a decisive authority over life and death that sent chills down one's spine. Yet if she wished, she could also make one feel as if they were basking in springtime warmth.
"You are a rare intelligent person; I have no intention of making things difficult for you. However, as a woman, there are many matters beyond one's control. That child Night Star has grown up under my watch; you must know his feelings for you. It’s just that..."
"I must ask you one thing, if the Emperor insists on having you, what would you do?" The Empress Dowager said, staring directly at her face as if trying to see into her heart.
Mo Xier felt a tightness in her chest and quickly knelt down. "Your Majesty, I have no intention of seeking to attach myself to the Sovereign."
"Is the Emperor of the Nine-Five not worthy of you, a mere orphan?" The Empress Dowager did not ease her tone upon hearing this; instead, she raised her voice and questioned loudly.
Mo Xier immediately defended herself, "Your Majesty holds the position of Son of Heaven. I am of lowly status and dare not harbor any delusions; it is not out of disrespect for the Emperor."
Only then did the Empress Dowager's voice soften a little. "So you are deeply in love with the Night General?"
Deeply in love?
Mo Xier's mind conjured up the image of that cold and aloof face, expressionless yet resolute. His bravery, his helplessness, his countless moments of endurance—all of it flashed through her mind, both perfect and imperfect.
Finally, she heard her own voice say, "Yes, I am deeply in love with the Night General."
Whether it was to feign compliance before the Empress Dowager or because a voice deep within her urged her to speak the truth without leaving any regrets behind, she wanted to follow her heart and not live with regret.
The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time—long enough for Mo Xier's knees to grow numb—before finally saying, "You may rise; it's not good for your health to kneel all the time."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Mo Xier lowered her head humbly.
"Do you know that the Emperor has already set his sights on you?" This time, the Empress Dowager was no longer testing but speaking candidly.
Mo Xier found herself at a loss; she neither nodded nor shook her head, caught in a dilemma.
The Empress Dowager laughed softly. "Look at me, I’m getting old. Asking you this way, you naturally don’t know how to respond. So tell me, what is your plan?"
After thinking for a moment, Mo Xier cautiously replied, "The Emperor's thoughts are beyond my control, but I know that a woman cannot serve two husbands. If my heart has already been given to another, how can I take it back?"
"But he is the Emperor, Sovereign of the Nine-Five, who holds life and death in his hands. If you refuse him, do you not realize your life could be at stake at any moment?"
The Empress Dowager spoke slowly. She could see that this girl had her own considerations but was still hesitant at present; thus, she was not in a hurry to pressure her but merely informed her of all circumstances.
"If you still don't understand the Empress Dowager's intentions by now, then you are not worthy of her favor. Bringing you into the palace is merely a gesture; I believe the Empress Dowager feels the same way as you do—unwilling yet compelled. Wouldn't it be better to send you away instead?"
Mo Xier no longer concealed her thoughts and respectfully inquired.
"You wouldn't understand a man's mind yet, as you are not married," the Empress Dowager replied with a smile, leaving her words somewhat ambiguous.
However, Mo Xier understood. After all, she had crossed over to this world; how could she not grasp a man's thoughts? It was simply that a wife was inferior to a concubine, a concubine was inferior to a courtesan, and a courtesan was inferior to a secret affair, while a secret affair was even less desirable if unattainable.
The more one could not have something, the more one would desire it with all their might, even if it ended up being neglected and gathering dust afterward.
To an emperor, women were merely collections of beauty—plump or slender, innocent or seductive, passionate or bold… They were no different from precious stones and artifacts.
But Mo Xier knew that Night Star was different. Even if all men in the world were like that, he would not be.
The reason was simple: Night Star was the only man she had seen who valued loyalty and responsibility above life itself.
For him, Mo Xier held an extraordinary trust—not just because he was the first person she saw when she opened her eyes in this world, nor solely because he was the only source of her affection; perhaps it was also because he was the source she did not want to give up on, even when hurt and in pain.
Night Star, where are you?
"What are you thinking about?" The Empress Dowager's voice broke her reverie.
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