Chapter 17 deliberately ignores him.
Chapter Seventeen: He was deliberately ignored.
The moment Su Su appeared beside the artificial rock, before she had even fully emerged from the path shaded by the bamboo, Shen Gaoyi's well-trained eyes had already spotted her.
He stood guard outside the pavilion, keeping a watchful eye on everything around him—it was his duty. More importantly, from the moment Consort Su stepped into this area, he had keenly noticed out of the corner of his eye that the Emperor's gaze, which had been fixed on Consort Wan, or rather, on something unseen, shifted almost imperceptibly. Although the Emperor did not turn his head and remained composed, Shen Gaoyi knew that the Emperor had seen it.
These days, the Emperor is busy with state affairs. Although the southwest has been pacified, the subsequent appeasement, the reward of generals, and even the undercurrents left by the case of the Prince of Ning's heir all require His Majesty's sole decision. The Emperor spends almost every day in the Imperial Study and rarely sets foot in the inner palace. On occasional moments of leisure, Shen Gaoyi has seen more than once the Emperor staring blankly at the sandalwood chair in the Imperial Study that Consort Su used to sit on, which is now empty. His eyes are complex and hard to discern, with probing, anger, and perhaps... even a trace of emotion called "uncomfort" that he himself has not noticed.
Shen Gaoyi knew perfectly well that the Emperor did have feelings for Consort Su, but these feelings were likely shrouded in layers of considerations from the previous dynasty, imperial pride, and past grudges, to the point that even the Emperor himself might not be willing to admit it.
Therefore, when Shen Gaoyi saw that Su Su not only did not immediately fly over like a joyful bird as before, but instead turned to leave without hesitation the moment she saw who was in the pavilion, he thought to himself, "This won't do!"
He reacted almost immediately. In the past, whenever Consort Su saw the Emperor, she would always cling to him with her eyes crinkling and no regard for others, wishing she could hang on to him. But now... why is she avoiding him the more he sees her? If the Emperor were to watch her leave, wouldn't he vent his inexplicable resentment on them, his servants?
So he immediately called out to her.
Inside the pavilion, Li Qianche had seen Su Su the moment she appeared.
The early spring sunshine outlined her slender figure. She seemed a little fuller than when I last saw her at Cining Palace, but she appeared even more radiant and graceful. Her light pink palace dress was brighter than her previous plain attire, yet still elegant, making her skin look as white as snow. The once aggressive brilliance in her eyes seemed to have been replaced by a calm, soft light, which was even more captivating. She simply stood there, like a spring scene brought to life.
But she actually pretended not to see him and tried to leave?!
This realization ignited a nameless anger within Li Qianche. Did she really not want to see him? Where had she gone, that reckless energy she used to have, always drawn to him?
"Now that you're here, why are you hiding?" Li Qianche spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying his usual cold and authoritative tone, penetrating the not-so-distant distance and clearly reaching Su Su's ears. "Come here."
Su Su turned her back to them, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she turned around again, a faint smile, proper but devoid of warmth, was on her face. She walked slowly toward the pavilion, her steps unhurried, her skirt swaying slightly, each step as if measured precisely.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Consort Wan." She curtsied, her posture impeccable, her eyes lowered, fixed on the smooth bluestone floor of the pavilion.
Mu Hanyan had already risen and returned a half-bow with a smile: "Sister Su, there's no need for such formalities." She curiously sized up the woman before her, a woman whose name she had long heard of. After entering the palace, she had heard from the whispers of the palace servants how arrogant and domineering the former Consort Su was, how she abused the Empress Dowager's favor to run rampant in the six palaces. But the person before her was quiet, respectful, and even somewhat aloof, quite different from the vibrant, flamboyant, and passionate image she had been portrayed as. Was the rumor wrong, or... had she truly changed completely after being demoted?
“Sister Su, are you also here to enjoy the scenery in the Imperial Garden? What a coincidence.” Mu Hanyan’s voice was gentle as she tried to break the slightly tense atmosphere. “Just now, His Majesty was rewarding me with some newly presented Yunwu tea and these pastries. If you don’t mind, would you like to sit down and have a taste?” She pointed to the exquisite plates of pastries on the stone table.
Su Su then raised her eyes, her gaze quickly sweeping across the stone table. In that instant, as she drew closer to Mu Hanyan and looked at her still flat stomach, a thunderbolt that she had almost forgotten suddenly exploded in her mind.
In my past life, it was around this time! A few days before the plum blossom viewing banquet! Mu Hanyan suffered a miscarriage!
She had recently become so engrossed in the comfortable life of eating and drinking at Changxin Palace that she had completely forgotten about this matter of life and death! Cold sweat instantly soaked her inner shirt.
"Thank you for your kindness, Consort Wan." Su Su forced herself to calm down, trying to keep her voice steady. "Then I will accept it without being impolite." She needed to observe Mu Hanyan and then find a way to avoid the coming storm.
Seeing that she agreed, Li Qianche didn't say anything.
Su Su lowered her gaze slightly, glancing over the two people she least wanted to be near at that moment. That bright yellow figure was the source of her infatuation in her past life and the hatred in this life. Just looking at him made her heart ache.
She subtly turned and chose a stone bench furthest from Li Qianche and closest to Mu Hanyan to sit down. A chill ran through her. Although this person had enjoyed his favor, in her previous life he had never actively sought to kill her. Weighing the two evils, the most important thing was to use this spot beside her to avoid the one who had truly ordered her death.
She gracefully gathered her skirts and sat down, her back ramrod straight, like a bamboo swaying in the wind, but she never once looked at Li Qianche again.
This deliberate neglect only intensified Li Qianche's displeasure. From the moment she entered the pavilion, his gaze had been intentionally or unintentionally fixed on her. He looked at her long, thick eyelashes, which hung low like two small fans, casting soft shadows; at her lips, slightly pursed due to nervousness or unconsciousness, tinged with a natural rosy hue; at her slender waist and the graceful, shapely figure that even her loose palace attire couldn't conceal when she sat down. She was more beautiful than before, a beauty devoid of frivolity and aggression, like a carefully polished pearl, warm and restrained, its radiance inherent.
But she simply ignored him!
Mu Hanyan pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of Su Su and said with a light smile, "Sister, try this tea. It is said to grow on the top of Yunwu Mountain, and only a few ounces are produced each year. It is sweet and mellow with a unique flavor."
Su Su picked up the teacup, her fingertips slightly cool, and softly thanked her, "Thank you for your trouble, sister." She took a small sip; the tea was fragrant and refreshing, indeed a fine tea. However, at this moment, she was preoccupied and could not appreciate the taste of even the best tea.
"I heard that you have been resting quietly in Changxin Palace recently, copying Buddhist scriptures. Are you still praying for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?" Mu Hanyan asked casually, but she was actually testing the waters. She felt that this Consort Su was too quiet, not like the resentment a disfavored concubine should have, nor like the affectation of playing hard to get.
Su Su put down her teacup, looked down at her nose, and replied, "Your Majesty, I merely wish to calm my mind and reflect on my mistakes, seeking inner peace. I dare not presume to pray for the Empress Dowager or the Emperor." Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion.
"You're too modest, little sister." Mu Hanyan smiled and pointed to a plate of translucent pastries shaped like plum blossoms. "These are plum blossom cakes newly made by the Imperial Kitchen. They're made with plum blossom snow water stored from last year's cellar. They're sweet but not greasy. Please try them, little sister."
"Thank you, Sister." Su Su picked up a piece as instructed and ate it in small bites. The pastry was indeed exquisite and delicious, but she couldn't taste it. She always felt that Li Qianche's gaze was watching her from an indistinct angle.
Li Qianche silently sipped his tea, but his gaze seemed to have its own will, always involuntarily drifting towards Su Su. He watched her polite and distant conversation with Mu Hanyan, watched her quiet profile as she focused on her snacks, and watched her hair occasionally fluttering slightly in the wind. She was sitting there, only a few feet away from him, yet it was as if there was an invisible barrier between them.
He suddenly remembered the past, how she would always snatch the snacks from his plate, chatter incessantly, and lean against him without regard for manners. Even if he pushed her away with a cold face, she would still come closer next time.
Now, she is very submissive and always tries to stay away from him.
This stark contrast, like a fine thorn, pierced his heart. It wasn't deep, but it brought a persistent, subtle pain and... an indescribable sense of loss.
He finally put down his teacup, the porcelain clinking against the stone table, breaking the seemingly harmonious yet eerie atmosphere in the pavilion. He looked at Su Su, his voice low and tinged with a barely perceptible tension:
"Consort Su, are these tea and snacks to your liking?"
His sudden question startled both Su Su and Mu Hanyan.
Su Su had no choice but to raise her head and meet his gaze. His gaze was deep, scrutinizing, and contained a hint of...anger? She was bewildered. What had she done to offend him?
"Your Majesty, the tea is fragrant and the pastries are sweet; they are all of the highest quality." She lowered her eyes and answered respectfully, still with that flawless yet lifeless demeanor.
As Li Qianche stared into her lowered eyes, which refused to meet his gaze, the nameless fire in his chest burned even brighter.
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