Father and daughter sat down together, and Sheng Yu personally served her dishes.
"The chef just entered the household yesterday. Since I didn’t know your preferences, I had him prepare a variety of dishes. During your stay here, if there’s anything you’d like to eat or need, just let the servants know. Don’t feel embarrassed about it."
Yun Kui quietly ate the food in her bowl before finally speaking. "In the future… there’s no need to go to such trouble. I’m not picky, and I don’t fuss over food or clothing. I can manage with whatever is provided."
She had spent six or seven years as a palace maid, and only in the Eastern Palace had the meals been more abundant. Before that, she had eaten the same simple fare as the other servants, slept in shared quarters, and before even entering the palace, there had been days when she went hungry, nights when she curled up on a pile of straw to sleep.
She didn’t say these things, but Sheng Yu could guess. "All these years, I’ve failed your mother, and I’ve let you suffer."
Yun Kui lowered her gaze to the poached egg in her bowl. Her chopsticks pressed down, revealing the soft, golden yolk inside.
Suddenly, a memory from childhood surfaced. "I still remember when I was five, washing clothes for others. The lady of the household took pity on me and gave me an egg. I hid it at the bottom of a chest, unable to bring myself to eat it. Then one day, the egg spoiled, and my aunt smelled it. She scolded me mercilessly, asking why I hadn’t given it to my cousin if I wasn’t going to eat it. Now it was rotten and inedible… But I still sneaked away and ate that spoiled egg. My stomach revolted, and I vomited for three days without keeping anything down…"
She never wanted to recall the past—every day had been torment. Yet, seeing this perfectly cooked poached egg, the memories surged forward unbidden, and tears began to fall in large drops.
The maid Chun Chan, standing nearby, quickly handed her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Sheng Yu was overcome with guilt. After a long hesitation, he reached out and gently patted her back. "It’s my fault. I’ve let you suffer all these years… I don’t dare ask for your forgiveness. I only hope you’ll give me a chance to make amends, to atone for the mistakes I made back then. Is that alright?"
Steward Liu added from the side, "Young lady, our master is not the kind of man to abandon his responsibilities. Back then, the situation was perilous. He was gravely injured and feared he wouldn’t survive. He didn’t want to drag your mother down with him, so he didn’t insist on searching for her…"
This was also the reason Sheng Yu had remained unmarried all these years.
Steward Liu had never imagined that the woman who had saved his master in the mountains had borne him a daughter. Since Sheng Yu had never married and the woman had never taken another husband, he now referred to her as "Madam."
Tears welled in Steward Liu’s eyes. "You don’t know—all these years, the master has carried over a dozen knife wounds, nearly lost his life several times, and watched as his closest allies perished or were maimed…"
Yun Kui was silent for a long time before speaking, her eyes red. "I know. What happened back then wasn’t entirely your fault. I don’t hate you… I just ache for Mother. I suffered for over a decade, and now I can finally live well—but Mother will never get to see any of it."
At these words, everyone in the room was moved to tears.
Sheng Yu sighed. "I only blame myself for being too cautious back then. In the end, I harmed your mother. She saved me in my darkest hour, yet because of me, she endured scorn, the pains of childbirth, and died far too young. Even if I died ten thousand times, it wouldn’t absolve me of my guilt."
Yun Kui looked up and saw the tears in his eyes, the streaks of white at his temples. Only now did she notice the faint scar at the corner of his eye.
His Highness and Steward Liu had both mentioned that he had been blinded that year—he had never even seen Mother’s face…
She tightened her grip on the spoon, swallowed hard, and after a long silence, said, "What’s done is done. There’s no need for you to blame yourself so harshly. Let’s eat."
Over a decade had passed. Mother’s life could not be brought back. She hadn’t returned to the Sheng household to demand answers.
After dinner, she retired to the eastern chamber, where Huai Qing and Huai Zhu stood guard outside.
As soon as she entered, Chun Chan brought a basket of fresh fruits, while another maid, Jing Zhe, presented a tray piled high with candied snacks and pastries.
So, even while they were on the street earlier, he had still sent someone to buy food for her.
Yun Kui’s thoughts were preoccupied with the Crown Prince—how would his poison be cured? When would he go for treatment? And here she was, in the Sheng household, unsure how to face this father of hers. Her mind was too full, and she had barely eaten at dinner. Now, she had no appetite at all, so she told the maids to share the treats with Huai Qing and Huai Zhu.
Chun Chan opened the wardrobe and showed her the silks and ready-made garments inside. "The master personally selected these from the fabric shop and tailor. Would you like to try them on and see if they fit?"
Yun Kui glanced at them—soft pinks, purples, and apricot yellows, neither too thick nor too thin, all in styles favored by young women. A quick estimation told her the sizes would likely suit her.
Meanwhile, Jing Zhe brought over a vanity case filled with small and large brocade boxes, opening them one by one. "These are all gifts the master prepared for you—popular jewelry, cosmetics, and perfumes from the capital. Since he didn’t know your preferences, he simply bought the finest items available."
Yun Kui picked up a pure gold hairpin shaped like a butterfly, its wings crafted with intricate filigree and enamel work, exquisitely delicate and undoubtedly expensive.
Even if her heart still struggled to reconcile with him, she couldn’t deny that all this was far too extravagant.
He had once held a fifth-rank official position and had only returned to the capital last month. Without corruption, how much savings could he possibly have? Just furnishing this room and buying these jewels must have cost over a thousand taels.
Besides, how long would she even stay here? Once His Highness’s poison was cured, she would have to return to the palace.
Yun Kui sighed and placed the hairpin back in its box.
The two maids offered to help her wash up, but she felt uneasy. After years of serving as a palace maid, she was used to doing everything herself and wasn’t accustomed to being waited on. She bathed alone and then lay down on the bed.
The bedding was soft—not as luxurious as the brocade quilts in Chengguang Palace, but still the finest an ordinary household could afford.
Too much had happened today. Yun Kui closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.
In a daze, she slipped into a dream.
A wild wind howled across an open field, rustling the leaves like ghostly whispers. Dozens of black-clad men surrounded a lone figure wielding a spear, blades flashing with lethal intent. The man’s white robe was stained with blood, his eyes tightly shut, streaks of crimson trailing from their corners.
Despite his disheveled state, the youthful, handsome features were unmistakable—this was Sheng Yu, eighteen years ago.
Severely wounded, Sheng Yu was already at his limit. After mustering all his strength to defeat the assailants, he could barely stand, leaning heavily on his spear for support.
Alone, he staggered along the rain-slicked mountain path, each step leaving a bloody footprint behind.
Though Yun Kui held no particular affection for him, when she saw him collapse into a thicket of thorns, his body torn and bleeding, she instinctively reached out to help.
But she was only a phantom in this dream, unable to interact with its figures.
The scene shifted to a quieter, more peaceful cave.
A fire burned inside, illuminating the corpses of several snakes on the ground. Yun Kui averted her gaze, then looked up to see Sheng Yu leaning against the stone wall, locked in an embrace with a woman.
Her heart trembled. Was this… Mother?
Sheng Yu had never seen his mother, so in his dreams, she was only a vague silhouette.
He raised his bandaged hand, his fingertips tracing the contours of Mother’s face as if trying to memorize her through touch.
Mother seemed a little shy, her eyes lowered. "Am I not as beautiful as the other women you’ve seen?"
Sheng Yu shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "No, you’re very beautiful."
He sighed softly. "I just wonder if I’ll ever get to see your face in this lifetime."
Mother replied, "I’ve examined your eye injury. It’s not beyond saving, but we must hurry to the county town and find a better physician."
Sheng Yu nodded. "Alright."
Mother then asked, "Why are those people trying to kill you?"
Sheng Yu sighed. "We serve different masters. My existence is a hindrance to them."
Mother didn’t understand such matters and simply listened in silence.
After a long pause, Sheng Yu gently cupped her cheek. "Once my eyes are healed and I’ve settled my affairs… would you marry me?"
Mother smiled faintly and whispered, "Let’s talk after you recover. I won’t marry a blind man."
The flickering firelight cast their embracing shadows onto the cold stone wall.
The scene shifted abruptly—a wedding chamber adorned with red silk, dragon-and-phoenix candles burning brightly, a quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks strewn with red dates and longans. Sheng Yu, now the groom, sat on the bed, gazing tenderly at his bride, whose face was veiled beneath a red lotus-patterned headscarf.
In the next moment, the cries of a newborn echoed from the delivery room. The midwife announced joyfully, "Congratulations, General! A daughter!"
Sheng Yu took the swaddled infant into his arms, delighting in her tiny features before leaning down to his exhausted wife. "Ying, you’ve worked hard."
Mother looked at the little girl and smiled. "As long as she’s as beautiful as you, I’m content."
The warmth of their family moment shattered instantly.
The woman on the bed vanished. The infant in the swaddle disappeared. Sheng Yu stood alone by the bed, reaching out for something—anything—but grasping only emptiness. The room was hollow, as if the joy had never existed.
In the blink of an eye, wrinkles crept at the corners of his eyes, his black hair turned white, and he aged before an unseen gaze.
Silent and broken, he sat in the dim corner, abandoned by the world. No matter what he did, his wife and daughter would never return.
Tears blurred Yun Kui’s vision, and when she awoke, the traces of her weeping still dampened her cheeks.
The maids waited outside, so she stifled her sobs.
At dawn, Chun Chan entered to help her wash and dress. Hearing voices and the sound of digging outside, Yun Kui opened the door to find the courtyard newly planted with sunflowers.
Sheng Yu stepped through the moon gate, his expression softening as he saw her. He approached with a smile.
Yun Kui hesitated, watching the gardeners. "I’m only staying a few days. You needn’t go to such lengths—renovations, clothes, jewelry…"
Sheng Yu sighed, his voice rough. "Your father may not be much, but he’s still an official. And you’re my only child. If I don’t spend on you, who else?"
Remembering her dream, Yun Kui noticed the faint redness in his eyes and felt a pang of emotion.
"Have you eaten?" Sheng Yu asked. "I had someone fetch lamb buns and crispy sesame cakes. Join me?"
Yun Kui clutched her sleeve and nodded.
The dining hall was rich with the aroma of lamb and toasted sesame. Yun Kui, who had eaten little the night before, felt her stomach growl before she even stepped inside.
Her cheeks flushed, but Sheng Yu only chuckled. "Hungry? These lamb buns have been a staple in the capital for thirty years. I loved them in my youth. Never thought I’d taste them again after returning."
Yun Kui took a bite—juicy, fragrant, packed with tender lamb and scallions, the spicy richness awakening her appetite.
Were Sheng Yu not present, she might have licked the oil from her fingers.
He nudged the steamer toward her. "Eat as many as you like."
Yun Kui nodded.
Amused by her restrained eagerness, Sheng Yu’s smile faded as he recalled his subordinate’s report.
He ventured carefully, "I heard you dine daily with His Highness the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace. Surely common fare can’t compare?"
Yun Kui considered. "Not necessarily. His Highness prefers light flavors and eats sparingly. The palace kitchens rarely prepare spicy or oily dishes. You’d never find anything like this there."
The lamb buns’ pungency alone would likely make the prince frown.
But she quite enjoyed bold flavors.
Setting down her bowl, she asked, "Do you know when His Highness plans to remove the gu poison?"
Sheng Yu shook his head. "These days, His Highness has more than the gu to contend with. The one on the throne is steeped in sin. A reckoning is coming."
In matters of succession and life-or-death struggles, he couldn’t say more.
Seeing her pale, he reassured her, "By blood and by might, His Highness is the rightful one. The one who should fear sits on the throne—not him."
After a pause, he asked, "Are you worried for His Highness?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together. "I… I was just curious."
Sheng Yu noted her unease, remembering his subordinate’s words—
"The girl is no ordinary palace maid. She’s His Highness’s… bedchamber attendant."
"Since His Highness returned to the capital last winter, she has shared his bed. The servants of Chengguang Palace treat her as half a mistress."
So the prince hadn’t sought his daughter out of kindness—he’d sought a father for his lover.
No wonder they were closer than master and servant.
No wonder Yun Kui had vowed to stay by the prince’s side if the gu remained…
It was his fault. Had she been born his daughter, he would’ve hesitated even at the title of concubine—never let her become a bedchamber maid.
Clenching his fist, Sheng Yu said firmly, "Stay here in peace. Once His Highness settles his affairs, we’ll discuss the future."
Yun Kui looked up, puzzled.
Sheng Yu’s voice was stern. "The Sheng residence is your home. You are its young mistress, not a palace servant. From now on, no one will command or humiliate you."
Yun Kui hesitated. "Actually, I…"
How could she explain that she and His Highness were already…?
Yet warmth bloomed in her chest at his words.
Never in my life did I think I would hear the words, "Your father will take care of everything," again.
Noticing the bandaged wound on his arm, Yun Kui was reminded of the man covered in injuries from her dream the night before.
Had he been living like this all these years?
She wondered what he felt upon waking from those dreams.
Her eyes stung slightly as she lowered her gaze and asked, "Your... your injury, has it healed a little?"
Sheng Yu hadn’t expected her to show concern for him willingly. Uncontainable joy flickered in his eyes. "Just a minor wound. It’s nothing."
Yun Kui nodded, relieved.
After hesitating for a long while, she couldn’t hold back any longer. "Could you... send someone to the palace to inquire about His Highness’s condition? With the antidote for the poison so close at hand, the danger must be extreme. Yet he forbids me from leaving the estate freely, let alone returning to the palace..."
The corners of Sheng Yu’s lips, which had been lifted in a smile, slowly fell. The earlier trace of delight vanished without a trace.
One moment: My daughter cares about me, hehe.
The next: She cares more about that brat, no hehe.
