书斋小说网

第 8 章（第1页）

BythetimeSuyuanandAyaoreturnedfromtheriver，theafternoonsunhadalreadybeguntofade。Thefishtheycaughtswuweenthem，andalthoughSuyuansclotheshadlongsincedried，thecoldfromtheriverstilllingeredinherboheyhadbarelysteppedintotheOrchidCourtyardwhenSuyuannoticedthatsomethingwaswrong。Thekitdooren，buttherewasnosmokerisingfromthestove。Thecourtyardwastooquiet，andeventheusualsoundofNannyZhangmoviweentheroomswasobeheard。

"Miss。。。"Ayaowhispered。

Suyuanhandedherthebucketandhurriedtowardthemainhall。Themomentshepushedopenthedoor，shestopped。NannyZhangwasbesidethebed，herexpressiongrim。Shuranwaslyingagainstthepillows，herfacepalerthanusual。Abasinstoodbesidethebed，andthefaiainsatthebottomwereimpossibletomiss。"Mother。"Suyuanrushedtoherside，Shuranopenedhereyesslowly。Sheseemedexhausted，butwhenshesawherdaughter，shestillmahtenherself。"Whyareyourunning?Youllfallagain。""Imfine。"SuyuanglaNannyZhang。"Whathappened?"

BeforeNannyZhangcouldanswer，laughtercamefromoutside。Thedoorswerepushedopen。Arichlydressedwomaeredwithoutpermission，followedbytwomaidscarryingacoveredtray。HergazesweptacrosstheshabbyroombeforelandingonShuran。"Princess，Iheardyouweresick。"

Shesmiled。

"Sinceweresistersservingthesamehusband，naturallyIhadtoeandseeyou。"

NannyZhangimmediatelysteppedforward。

"eLiu，HerHighnessneedsrest。"

eLiudidntevenlookather。

Instead，shewalkedtowardthebedanddeliberatelyuncoveredthetray。Insidewereseveralexquisitedishes，stillsteamingandthesmellfilledtheroom。

Suyuanseyesnarrowed。Shuranglathefoodbeforelookingbackatthewoman。

"Youreverythoughtful。"

"Ofcourse。"eLiusmiled。"Iheardthekithasbeensendingyouleftain。HowcouldIbeartowatchtheKhansprincipalwifeeatscraps?"

Oneofhermaidsquietlyplacedthedishesoable。Suyuanexpressionhardened，howeverShuranremainedcalm。"Ifyoucameonlytoshowoffyourdinner，youmaytakeitback。"

ThesmileoneLiusfacestiffened，shehadntexpectedShurantoanswersodirectly。"Stillsoproudafteralltheseyears。"Shuranadjustedtheblaoverherlap。"Prideisallthatremainswhenapersonhasnothingworthenvying。"

Theroombecamequiet，AyaoalmostfottobreatheandeLiusfacedarkened。"Youreallythinkbeingtheprincipalwifestillmeanssomething?"

Shesteppedcloser。"TheKhanhasntvisitedthiscourtyardinyears。Eventheservantsknowwhianhefavors。"

Shuransexpressiondidntge，"Thenyoushouldbeenjoyingyourfavorinsteadofwaboutme。"eLiusfiightenedaroundhersleeve，shehadeexpegtohumiliateasian。Instead，shehadbeenremihatShuranstillpossessedsomethingshecouldneverobtaiitle，herbloodandherplaceastheKhansprincipalwife。eLiusgazeshiftedtowardSuyuan。Hersmilebecamecolder。"Suchapitythatsheiedyourmisfortune。"

Suyuansteppedforward"Watchyourwords。"eLiulaughed"Why?DidIsaysomethinguntrue?"

ShelookedSuyuanupanddown"raisedinYounisbutrulyacceptedasoneofus。Aprincesswithoutakingdom，adaughterwithoutafatherwhocaresforher。"

Shuranseyessharpened，"Enough。"Thesinglewordwasquiet，butitcarriedenoughauthoritytomaketheroomfallsilent。eLiuturnedbacktowardher。

Shuransatstraighterdespiteherweakness。"Youmayinsultmeifyouwish。Butdontspeakaboutmydaughterasthoughsheissomethingyouhavetherighttojudge。"

eLiussmiledisappeared，thenshegaveasoftlaugh。

"Verywell。"Sheleanedcloser。"PerhapsIshouldtellyousomethingmoreimportant。"

Hervoicelowered。"Theborderhasbeeless。"Shuranseyesflickered。

Suyuanwatchedhercarefully。

eLiutinued，deliberatelyenjoyingtheuneaseshehadcreated。"Ifwares，whatdoyouthinkwillhappen?"ShelookedtowardSuyuan。"XianhasalreadylostGeneralSu。Theirgreatestpillarisgone。"Shuransfiightenedaroundthebla。eLiunoticed，"Ah。"Hersmilereturned。"Soyoustillcareaboutthatname。"Shuranseyesbecamecold，"Leave。"eLiumovedcloser。

"Youhaventevenheardthebestpart，therearerumorsthatGeneralSusdeathwasnoact。"Forthefirsttime，Shuransposurecracked。Shepaused，"andIalsoheardthatothertribeswilleforsomethingreallyimportant。"

HergazesettledonSuyuan。"Perhapsthistime，theyllsendKhanyourdaughter。"

AyaosfacewentpalebutSuyuansexpressionremaiill。Shuransuddenlyreachedforthecupbesideher，thecuptrembledslightlyinherhand。"Getout。"

eLiusmiled，"What?Doesthethoughtfrightenyou?"

Shuranlookeddirectlyather，"No。"Hervoicewasweak，butsteady，"Imsimplytiredoflisteningtoawomanmistakegossipforpower。"eLiusfaceturnedugly，sheabruptlykhecupfromthetable。Itshatteredagainstthefloor，NannyZhangflinched。Suyuanimmediatelysteppedforward，butShuranstoppedherwithaglance。eLiulookedatthebrokenpieces。"Enjoyyourremainingpeace，Princess。"Sheturowardthedoor，"PerhapstheimeIvisit，yourdaughterwillalreadybepreparingforherwedding。"

Thedoorsslammedshutbehindherandsileurned。Shuranremainedsittinguprightforseveralbreaths。Then，herhaoherlipsandshecoughed。Owidthethirdcoughbroughtblood。

"Mother!"SuyuanimmediatelycaughtherwhileNannyZhanghurriedforwardwithacloth。Shuransbreathingbecamestrained，andthecolordrainedfromherface。

"Dontpanic，"shewhispered。"Imfine。"ButSuyuanknewbetter，shelookedatthebloodstainingthewhitecloth。Hermothersillnesshadtakenaurn。

Suyuanloweredhereyes，thefishtheyhadcaughtthatmstillsatuntouchedi。Shehadgootheriverhopingtoprepareonemoodmealforhermother。Instead，shehadreturofindthefirstcrathequietlifetheyhadbuilt。

Winterwasinganditseemedthecoldwouldnotbetheonlythingapproag。