“Eh? Someone’s here?”
He Shu swept the spirit stones on the table back into the drawer, then opened the door and stepped into the courtyard.
“Who would come knocking at this hour?”
He Shu walked to the main gate with a trace of confusion. She did not know many people in the immortal city and certainly had no friends.
The moment she opened the gate, He Shu froze. The person standing there was someone she knew all too well, and the instant she saw her, her body began to tremble uncontrollably. It was He Ying, her younger sister.
He Ying was three years younger than He Shu, yet she was already slightly taller. She wore a set of azure silk robes with a black-and-gold longsword tucked at her waist.
“Y-You… why are you here… is something wrong?” He Shu stammered as she looked at He Ying. She had been bullied by her sister more times than she could count.
“What, can’t I come see my dear elder sister unless something’s wrong?” He Ying advanced with a wicked grin, forcing He Shu to retreat step by step.
“Gotta say, Sister, this little courtyard of yours is really shabby. You don’t even bother cleaning it properly. Every time I come here I’m afraid I’ll dirty my clothes.”
He Shu’s back pressed against the wall. She stared at He Ying with a trembling body.
“What exactly do you want?”
“I just heard you broke through to Foundation Establishment, so I came to show some sisterly concern.”
“I don’t need your concern.”
He Ying took a few steps back and spread her hands.
“Oh? You think breaking through to Foundation Establishment suddenly makes you tough?”
Shame and anger flared in He Shu. She grabbed a longsword and pointed it at He Ying, but He Ying simply looked unconcerned and pressed the blade against her own neck with one hand.
“Look at that. Even though my cultivation is lower than yours, you still don’t dare hurt me.”
He Shu truly did not dare injure He Ying. The sword in her hand remained sheathed, and she knew that even if she swung it, she would be the one who lost. The treasured sword at He Ying’s waist was a hundred times better than the weapon she held.
She lowered the sword and spoke to He Ying. “I really don’t dare hurt you. Now please leave and stop disturbing my life.”
Faced with He Shu’s warning, He Ying acted as if nothing had happened. She walked around her and headed straight for the inner room, pushed open the door, and entered.
The furnishings inside were simple: only a wall cabinet, a bed, a table, and a chair, along with a few miscellaneous items.
He Ying frowned at the shabby sight, then casually opened the table drawer and spotted the dozens of spirit stones inside.
He Shu’s heart tightened instinctively at the sight. He Ying had stolen her spirit stones more than once before. Was she going to do it again this time?
“Tsk, how poor.”
Luckily, He Ying did not take them. She only gave them a disdainful glance, then turned her attention to the wall cabinet. She walked over and began rummaging through it without the slightest regard for He Shu, the actual owner of the room.
After searching for a while, He Ying finally pulled out several exquisitely boxed pills. A spark of interest finally appeared in her eyes.
“What are these? They look like pretty high-grade pills.” He Ying asked He Shu.
“Medicine a physician made to suppress my congenital illness.”
“So these pills are quite important to you?”
“Yes, extremely important. You can take anything else, but not these.”
He Ying put the pills back and spoke with clear disgust. “There’s really nothing worth taking here. Nothing catches my eye. Gotta say, you really do live like a pauper.” Then her tone suddenly shifted. “But since I’m already here, I can’t just leave without doing anything.”
He Ying walked straight toward He Shu, her expression turning sickly. He Shu instinctively tried to back away.
With a dull thud, He Ying’s fist slammed into the soft flesh of He Shu’s abdomen.
The force was considerable. He Shu let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground, curling up while clutching her stomach.
“You…”
Before He Shu could finish, He Ying kicked her in the body. Fresh pain flared up, so intense that He Shu could barely speak.
“As expected, bullying you is still the most fun.” He Ying stepped on He Shu’s arm and pressed down hard.
At that moment, another knock sounded at the main gate. He Ying’s sickly expression instantly returned to normal. She kicked He Shu aside and went to open the door.
Freshly injured again, He Shu’s eyes filled with aggrieved tears.
“Miss He Shu… eh? Your Highness He Ying? Why are you in Miss He Shu’s home?” The visitor was a white-haired woman dressed in official robes. She appeared to be here to deliver a message.
“What is it?” He Ying glanced at the newcomer and instantly put on an innocent face, completely different from the way she had treated He Shu moments earlier.
The distant conversation drifted into He Shu’s ears. She tried to push herself up from the ground, but she failed. Her body had always been frail.
“His Majesty has ordered Miss He Shu to enter the palace at once. I am here to deliver the summons and escort Miss He Shu to His Majesty.”
The white-haired woman explained her purpose. She tilted her head toward the courtyard and saw the petite girl lying on the ground.
“Hm? Is that Miss He Shu? Why is she on the ground?”
The white-haired woman looked at He Shu’s dust-covered clothes and at He Ying standing by the door. The answer was obvious.
Rumors had long circulated in the imperial palace that Her Highness He Ying frequently bullied a solitary young girl from a collateral branch of the He clan. Seeing it today, the rumors were clearly true.
“Your Highness He Ying, please return. The summons for Miss He Shu comes directly from His Majesty. I hope you will not make things difficult for me.”
He Ying glanced back at He Shu. Upon learning that their mother He Xiu had personally summoned her, a flash of jealousy crossed her heart. She had no desire to disobey her mother’s command, so she left without another word.
The white-haired woman entered the room and helped the pain-racked He Shu to her feet, then sat her on the bed.
“Miss He Shu, are you all right?”
“I… I’m fine. You said… His Majesty He Xiu summoned me to the palace. Is that true?” He Shu clutched her throbbing abdomen and forced the question out.
“It is true, Miss He Shu. His Majesty personally issued the order for you to enter the palace. His Majesty wishes to speak with you alone.”
He Shu’s heart nearly burst with joy. Mother was willing to see her! Could it really be because she had broken through to Foundation Establishment on her own and caught Mother’s attention? Ignoring the pain in her body, she forced herself out of bed and tried to walk, only to be stopped by the white-haired woman.
“Wait, wait, Miss He Shu, don’t move yet. I am a healing cultivator who specializes in the medical path. Let me treat your injuries first, then we can go.”
After being pulled back onto the bed, He Shu stopped forcing herself. Only after receiving treatment did she follow the white-haired woman to the Nourishing Heart Hall where He Xiu resided.
The woman in white had already left. No outsiders were permitted near during a private conversation.
He Shu stood before the door, her mind swirling with countless thoughts. She had met her mother only a handful of times, and most of those had been from a distance. She had never been able to approach closely. Her own identity had never been made public; many people did not even know that He Xiu had a daughter named He Shu. Even so, simply catching a distant glimpse of her mother had always been enough to make her happy.
She felt a deep, heartfelt admiration and trust toward her mother He Xiu. She believed her mother must have reasons for everything she did.
She knocked on the door. A familiar yet unfamiliar voice answered, “Enter.”
He Shu stepped inside with a heart full of nervous anticipation. Finally, she saw the figure she worshipped sitting by the bed.
“He Shu pays respects… to Your Majesty…”
He Shu did not dare call He Xiu “Mother” and instead addressed her as Your Majesty.
He Xiu turned around. Her young, beautiful face wore a gentle smile mixed with a trace of guilt.
“Shu’er, there’s no need to be nervous. I know these years have not been easy for you. You’ve suffered. There is no one else here, so you don’t have to call me Your Majesty. Just call me Mother.”
Hearing He Xiu speak with guilt instead of mentioning her Foundation Establishment breakthrough, He Shu could no longer hold back. Emotions she had suppressed for more than ten years erupted, and tears poured down her face.
“Mother…”
She ran forward and threw herself tightly into He Xiu’s embrace.
He Shu cried against He Xiu for a long while. Her sobs gradually quieted into soft whimpers. She clung tightly to her mother, feeling her warmth, feeling that this moment was real.
When He Shu’s crying had reduced to faint hiccups, He Xiu continued softly, “Mother knows your body has always been weak and prone to illness. Living alone for more than ten years has been very hard. Mother knows you envy your elder and younger sisters. You want a proper status. You want to feel warmth.”
He Xiu’s voice was gentle as she spoke slowly.
“Shu’er, you have suffered so much all these years. Mother did not intentionally neglect you. Mother had no choice.”
Listening to He Xiu’s explanation, He Shu finally felt that the bitterness of more than ten years had somewhere to pour out.
“Mhm, I know Mother has difficulties. I don’t blame you. No matter how hard it was… I just wanted to see you more. Even if I had to give up everything…”
He Shu broke into sobs once more. He Xiu gently stroked her long hair, letting her feel, at this moment, truly happy.