Chapter 33: Even the Empress Has a Jealous Heart

  Su Qing wanted to express his thoughts, but there was no way for them to come out as mere muffled hums.

  The soft sensation sealing his lips was far too effective.

  With such a blockade, even if he had the strength to move mountains, he wouldn’t be able to utter a single word.

  The Empress observed this scene, and an inexplicable discomfort stirred within her.

  This level of intimacy was simply excessive, making it difficult to accept.

  Even if it was with her mother, there were things she could not yield on!

  Right now, she couldn’t maintain the unshaken composure she had displayed moments ago.

  "I’ve been fishing for quite a while, and I'm feeling a bit tired. Come massage me at once."

  The Empress suddenly set down her fishing rod, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

  For an emperor to order their subject—this was only natural.

  "Mmph… right away!"

  As a loyal and dutiful minister, Su Qing immediately extracted himself from the Empress Dowager’s embrace.

  Some seals were indeed difficult to break free from.

  But if he didn’t, he’d surely have to face the consequences later.

  Ever the devoted servant, Su Qing positioned himself behind the Empress and skillfully began the massage.

  Clearly, this wasn’t the first time.

  He was well aware of exactly which points to press to bring the greatest relief to the Empress.

  The Empress narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, but she didn’t forget to cast a triumphant glance at her mother.

  With just a word from me, he comes to serve me obediently—can you do that?

  You think you can compete with me for him? Impossible!

  Su Mengxi immediately grasped her daughter’s meaning, and she was far from pleased.

  At first, she hadn’t thought much of it. She had already achieved her goal and was ready to settle down and enjoy her fishing.

  But now, after seeing that smug expression, how could she possibly hold back?

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Damn it!

  Her daughter was utterly disobedient, always trying to compete with her for everything!

  Fine, maybe her luck in fishing wasn’t the best, but in other areas, she could certainly outshine her!

  Suddenly, her fishing rod didn’t seem so appealing anymore—she needed to take action.

  "Ah, my body is so sore… If only someone could give me a massage too."

  Su Mengxi patted her shoulder, her expression showing a hint of fatigue.

  Hearing this, Su Qing silently extended his hands.

  Having two hands was truly a blessing.

  Even more fortunate was the fact that the two women weren’t sitting too far apart, meaning he could easily handle both sides.

  And what was he doing with both hands?

  Just a simple massage! Nothing else!

  One was his superior, the other his foster mother.

  Thinking of playing favorites? No, thank you!

  The young man, still growing his wings, had no desire to become a fallen angel.

  He could sense the subtle rivalry between the two, and all he could do was do his best to maintain balance and keep the peace.

  He had to ensure both were satisfied, while also preserving their pride.

  Thankfully, things didn’t escalate too far.

  After all, both of them were important to him.

  However, judging by the barely concealed flames in their eyes as they exchanged glances, Su Qing could tell—this was far from over.

  They wouldn't confront each other outright, which meant…

  He was the one who would suffer.

  Today was yet another day of maintaining peace in the imperial harem.

  ---

  Some time later.

  After much effort, Su Qing finally appeased both of them and, feeling utterly exhausted, left the White Jade Pavilion.

  If they hadn’t shown some restraint, pleasing them both would have been even harder.

  If this continued, what would happen if they discovered his connection to the Divine Maiden?!

  Lost in worried thoughts, the troubled young man had no idea that the Empress already knew everything.

  If he had known, he wouldn’t have been so concerned.

  ---

  In private, mother and daughter met again.

  "Mother, did you manage to acquire the medium you needed? Hurry up!"

  The Empress’ tone was filled with urgency.

  There was, in fact, a deeper reason for today’s meeting.

  Not long ago, she had specifically asked the Empress Dowager to secretly perform a divination for Su Qing—to determine his fortune and fate.

  Although her mother’s skills were useless for fishing, her talent in divination was undeniable.

  In the past, Su Mengxi had performed three readings for the Empress.

  One had helped her ascend the throne.

  Another had aided her in unifying the Ten Southern Kingdoms.

  The Empress trusted her mother’s abilities.

  "If you care about him so much, why not just say it outright? Why all the roundabout nonsense?"

  The Empress Dowager scoffed, clearly unimpressed by her daughter’s refusal to be honest with herself.

  After all these years, she had never seen her daughter show this level of concern for anyone before.

  This awkward, indirect approach was simply frustrating to watch.

  "Mother, do you have it or not? You didn’t waste such a good opportunity, did you?!"

  The Empress ignored her mother’s words and pressed further.

  This wasn’t something she could respond to directly—so she chose to answer with a question instead.

  "Of course I have it. You think I was just wasting time earlier?"

  The Empress Dowager let out a light hum.

  For divination to be accurate, a medium was necessary.

  And during their interactions earlier, she had successfully obtained more than enough from Su Qing.

  Producing strands of Su Qing’s hair, along with pre-prepared divination tools, she refrained from teasing her daughter further and began the process.

  The Empress watched intently, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on the tortoise shell and divination symbols.

  A moment later.

  Su Mengxi let out a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

  She was puzzled as to why this reading had been so unusually difficult.

  Had it been too long since she last attempted divination?

  The Empress remained silent, but her fingers had unknowingly clenched.

  Even as an outsider to the art, she could tell that her mother had struggled this time.

  Something was different.

  A change had occurred—but was it good or bad?

  "He is surrounded by calamities."

  The Empress Dowager’s expression grew solemn as she slowly spoke.

  "What?! What exactly is happening?!"

  The Empress’ voice immediately rose several pitches.

  The ominous feeling she had was now confirmed, and she rapidly began considering countermeasures.

  Perhaps she should arrange for him to stay by her side—at least that way, she could ensure his safety…

  Su Mengxi said nothing but instead flashed a mischievous smile.

  Her gaze was filled with amusement.

  The Empress immediately felt like she was being toyed with.

  Her fists clenched tighter—she was pissed!

  Her dignified phoenix eyes were now burning with unmistakable fury.

  "Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. I wasn’t lying—he truly is facing a calamity."

  After having her fun, the Empress Dowager quickly grew serious again, though her expression turned slightly strange.

  "What kind of calamity?"

  The Empress, displeased by her mother’s suspenseful tactics, pressed on.

  "It appears to be… a peach blossom calamity? Though it seems ominous, it doesn’t actually appear to pose much danger."

  "Moreover… his fate has started to blur for some reason…"

  Su Mengxi's expression grew contemplative.

  Whether this was good or bad remained to be seen.