… … …

Shortly after, Su Xin followed suit and she greeted the emperor with less enthusiasm than the perky lady by her side.

Qu Feiqing's eyes crossed Qu Feiyun's with a hint of annoyance. Her arresting gaze then moved to Su Xin's face which was rather calm. She felt a twinge of jealousy at the sight of them huddled up this close. She gritted her teeth as she thought how lovely her day was unfolding.

She recalled Su Xin's words the night they were  intimate with each other. She blatantly told her that she didn't like her romantically and that she was overthinking things.

It p.r.i.c.ked her heart every time she remembered it, making her fidget.

Qu Feiyun sat quietly in the presence of her emperor sister, her expression now wary. Qu Feiqing wasn't very fond of her carefree temperament. Even if she was a royal princess, she didn't have the heart for imperial matters at all.

Unlike her sister, she didn't have certain plans for the future and chose to live her days in indulgence. Life was no compet.i.tion for her thus, she seldom paid attention to her royal instructors.

She was only just like a rabbit full of energy that couldn't stop jumping.

Qu Feiqing didn't always meddle in her everyday affairs as she didn't have the luxury of time to constantly keep her under her watch. As long as she doesn't do anything out of line, she let Qu Feiyun be.

Qu Feiyun was 16 years old, about the same age as Su Xin. Thus, she was a grown woman by society's standards and could already be held accountable for her actions.

Qu Feiqing was seven years older than Su Xin amd if there's one thing about herself that Qu Feiqing knew, it was that her beauty was second to no one, even from childhood.

Yet given the present circ.u.mstances, with Su Xin suddenly cozying up with her younger sister, she couldn't help but feel insecure.

Alhough she was undeniably more beautiful than Qu Feiyun, the latter has a more youthful skin. Therefore, it was not impossible for Su Xin to be attracted to Qu Feiyun, right?

Su Xin gloomily looked at the female emperor who looked like she could swallow her whole at any moment now. Meanwhile, Qu Feiqing was looking at Su Xin with the same gloomy eyes out from the doubts in her heart.

Qu Feiqing later switched her attention on the third wheeler, Qu Feiyun to berate her.

“You are a princess. This appearance is really beneath the demeanor suitable for loyalty. Go back inside and copy the scriptures 'Female Principles' and 'Commandments for Women' twice, then show them to me." Qu Feiqing wanted to punish Qu Feiyun for spending her study time at leisure even though it wasn't really the reason for her displeasure.

Doe eyes looked up to Qu Feiqing, pleading her to show some pity. Qu Feiyun wanted to shrink herself to a size invisible to her sister's sight.

“Emperor sister.. I know I did wrong. Can adults have an exception from copying a lot of times??"

Qu Feiyun said, feeling extremely wronged at the treatment she was receiving.

She wasn't a child anymore and she thought that Qu Feiqing was making a fuss out of a small matter. She mainly used her usual free time in the imperial garden to indulge herself in happiness and laughter. Her sister was making it seem like happiness was a crime.

She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Who would have imagined that of the countless times she had sneaked inside the garden, she would run out of luck just this time?

Her emperor sister saw her, and from the looks of it, she wasn't in a good mood from the start. Now she can't even spend the day in peace.

This time she couldn't even laugh, ah!

“Do you want to copy three times?” Qu Feiqing loomed over her sister, promising a fight if Qu Feiyun uttered one more word of disobedience. She didn't like others to bargain their way with her, even if it was her sister.

"This humble servant understands, and will go concentrate on copying the scriptures right away."