The Emperor rubbed his forehead and narrowed his eyes. “I will not mention the marriage again.” The Empress looked at me with a complex expression.
“Que’er pointed in the direction of her mother-in-law’s study. ‘The master said the madam must be hungry, so eat something first, no need to wait for him.'”
“Mm.” While we were talking, Yuanxiao had already held a stick in his mouth and flew back, his snow-white body like an arrow released from a bowstring.
I took the stick from his mouth and absentmindedly thought about why An Jin had gone to see his mother again. With a forceful throw, the stick arced over the roof and landed in the courtyard.
I was stunned. Que’er pointed in that direction. “Isn’t that the old lady’s study?”
Yuanxiao rushed over excitedly, too fast to stop. The mother-in-law most hated others entering her space, especially Yuanxiao. I hurried after him, wanting to grab him back before he could dive into the courtyard.
The courtyard was eerily quiet, with no one around. By the time I caught up, Yuanxiao had already joyfully found the stick and was running back to me. I tried to pull him away, but I heard the study door creak open.
I thought it was An Jin coming out, but instead, I faced the mother-in-law’s pale, cold face. Her expression was more rigid than usual, her lips slightly trembling, as if trying to conceal an intense emotion.
“Mother-in-law,” my heart tightened. “My husband—”
She stared at me, her black eyes, similar to An Jin’s, deep and dark as twilight. The sharp east wind rustled the leaves, making the silence unbearable. Yuanxiao whimpered, nestling close to me for support.
The mother-in-law descended the steps, walking towards me, her gaze never leaving my face.
“Juezi wine,” she said, the stiffness on her face dissolving into sorrow. “One wrong step, and every step goes wrong.”
“Juezi wine?” I finally awakened from my confusion. “The wine bestowed by His Majesty—”
“Ah Yao, does the An family owe you, or does Jin’er owe you?” The mother-in-law seemed to ask and lament simultaneously.
“Mother!” An Jin suddenly appeared in the half-open study doorway. “Stop talking.”
