Chapter 57: The Witchcraft of Those Years

"I never even touched you; what kind of miscarriage are you talking about?" Chen Ajiao, hearing him mention a miscarriage, retorted irritably.

She stepped closer, glanced at him, and immediately understood what had happened. Her expression grew strange, yet she still reached out, grabbed a nearby garment, and wrapped Liu Che completely.

Liu Che propped one hand on the edge of the bathtub, the other hand resting on his lower abdomen; the heavy pain in his belly furrowed his brows and his complexion turned pale.

Chen Ajiao lifted him sideways, placed him on a nearby soft couch, then turned to call a maid. Liu Che, however, seized Chen Ajiao's wrist, his voice hollow: "Chen Ajiao, don't go."

"I'll fetch a maid to help you with it," Chen Ajiao turned back, lowering her eyes as she looked at him holding her hand.

"Why am I suddenly bleeding?" Liu Che, having just seen his blood turn the bathtub red, panicked and thought he had miscarried, since the last time he experienced abdominal pain and bleeding, the child was lost.

But now that he calmed slightly, he realized this wasn't a miscarriage. Still, the sudden, unannounced bleeding made Liu Che very uneasy; he endured the abdominal pain, gripping Chen Ajiao's hand: "I won't die, will I?"

Chen Ajiao raised an eyebrow, sighed, and said, "Don't worry, a menstrual flow won't kill you."

Liu Che's expression froze: "What, a menstrual flow?"

"Yes." Chen Ajiao replied irritably: "You just have a menstrual flow."

Liu Che: "..."

He stared blankly for a long while, then stammered, "How, how could it be a menstrual flow? Haven't there been none for the past few months...?"

It's strange, actually; since Liu Che's last miscarriage, although he has been nursing his body, he hasn't had a menstrual flow.

Chen Ajiao had also stopped paying attention to it, after all it was no longer her own body. While Liu Che knew about menstrual flow, he didn't know when Chen Ajiao's body would experience it.

So the lack of menstrual flow these months hadn't concerned them. Today Liu Che ate chilled peaches and chilled watermelon, guessing it would stimulate the flow.

However, Changmen Palace was a temporary itinerant palace, and no sanitary pads had been prepared. When the maids came in, they could only help the Empress clean up and use a piece of cloth as a makeshift pad.

Liu Che turned onto his side on the bed, the heavy pain in his lower abdomen making cold sweat bead on his forehead; he had never imagined that a woman's menstrual flow could be so painful.

Chen Ajiao sat at the bedside watching him, her expression a bit helpless: "It must be because you ate too many cold foods today, that's why it hurts so much." When she herself had a menstrual flow, she also felt pain, but never this severe.

"Does the menstrual flow... really come every month?" Liu Che asked, clenching his teeth.

"That's normal." Chen Ajiao pressed her lips together and said, "It stops after pregnancy."

Liu Che: "..." No wonder he hadn't seen this menstrual flow during his previous pregnancy, but it truly hurts.

He felt that even falling off a horse wouldn't cause such pain; it felt as if he were experiencing another miscarriage.

Chen Ajiao watched his distressed look, a corner of her mouth involuntarily lifting, feeling a hint of schadenfreude. She couldn't explain why his suffering made her feel oddly relieved.

Liu Li, kept awake by mosquitoes, heard a commotion outside the chamber; curious, she got up, leaned at the window, and saw several maids carrying something, walking toward the back.

"It's late at night; what are they going to do?" Liu Li thought.

Curious, Liu Li climbed onto the window, then jumped down and followed behind the maids.

The maids entered a room; one maid took out some unknown ash, while another unfolded a cloth‑bag‑like item from her hand.

They poured the ash from the basin into the cloth bag, and Liu Li finally saw that they were holding a very long sack.

"What are you doing?" Liu Li asked abruptly.

The maids in the room, upon hearing Liu Li's voice, were startled and all turned toward the doorway: "Princess."

Liu Li stared curiously at what they held in their hands

"What is this?"

The maids exchanged glances, stammering, unsure how to explain the item's purpose to Princess Jianling, since the princess was still young and couldn't hear such indecent matters.

"What's wrong? Can't you say?" Seeing the maids' reaction, Liu Li became even more curious about what they were doing.

One of the maids replied, "Your Highness, this is for the Empress."

"For the Empress to use?" Liu Li stared blankly and asked, "What's wrong with the Empress?"

Seeing the maids still unable to speak, Liu Li pursed her lips, stopped pressing them, and turned to run toward the imperial couple's sleeping hall.

The window of their sleeping hall was left open; Liu Li tiptoed onto the windowsill, poking out half her head to see inside the room.

Chen Ajiao sat at the bedside, Liu Che lay on the bed, and the two were saying something incomprehensible to each other.

Liu Li called out, "Mother."

Chen Ajiao, regaining her senses in the room, stood up and looked toward the doorway; she seemed to have heard Liu Li's voice.

Liu Li jumped in place, then waved her hand trying to attract Chen Ajiao's attention: "I'm here."

Chen Ajiao looked toward the source of the voice, found Liu Li's hopping amusing, walked to the window, reached out, and lifted her from outside the window to sit on the windowsill.

"Why are you there?"

Liu Li gently clutched Chen Ajiao's arm, in a sweet voice saying, "There are so many mosquitoes in the room, keeping me awake," and she pointed to the mosquito bites on her cheek and arm.

"So itchy," she said, reaching out to scratch.

Chen Ajiao looked and indeed saw a large mosquito bite on Liu Li's cheek, the surrounding skin reddened from scratching. She quickly grasped her daughter's small hand, stopping her from further scratching: "If you break it, it'll mar your complexion."

Saying that, Chen Ajiao lifted Liu Li, carried her inside, and placed her by the bedside: "Hold on, I'll go fetch some medicinal paste."

Liu Li obediently sat on the bed, turned her head to the pale Liu Che, and whispered, "Father, what's happening to you?"

While searching for the paste, Chen Ajiao said, "It's nothing, he's just having an upset stomach." After all, a woman's menstrual flow is a shameful matter, so she didn't want Liu Li to know.

Liu Li thought that Liu Che had eaten worm‑infested peaches and watermelon today, so an upset stomach was normal.

With that in mind, she laughed and teased, "Father, could your upset stomach be because you ate watermelon seeds, and now they're sprouting inside you?"

Liu Che: "..."

Chen Ajiao let out a soft chuckle, found the paste, sat at the bedside, gently lifted her daughter's chin, and with her fingertip dabbed a bit of the medicinal paste from the ceramic bottle onto Liu Li's mosquito bite.

"What is this?" Liu Li felt a cool sensation on her chin and a hint of mint.

"It's a herbal juice made from bamboo grass, it can treat itching," Chen Ajiao whispered, "A healer from Tangyi told me, every summer I use this to repel mosquitoes and relieve itch."

That's clearly mint!

Liu Li blinked and asked, "Mother, is there more of this bamboo grass? It could be brewed as tea, to refresh the mind."

"There should be some by the pool at Ganquan Palace; I had people collect these for me," Chen Ajiao said, capping the ceramic bottle, then handed the whole little bottle to Liu Li: "Take these; your delicate face attracts the mosquitoes."

Liu Li didn't refuse, happily taking the ceramic bottle.

The maid outside knocked on the door and said in a low voice, "Young Lord, the menstrual band is ready."

Ajiao paused. Liu Li heard the words "menstrual band" and couldn't hold it together anymore. She said in astonishment, "So Father Emperor gets his period too... no, I should say monthly flow?"

Ajiao heard this and said with some helplessness, "I didn't want you to know to begin with. After all, monthly flow is an unclean thing."

"Uh..." Liu Li recalled that when she had asked the maid earlier, the maid's reaction had been the same.

The ancients believed that seeing blood was an ill omen, and a woman's monthly flow was no exception.

Ajiao had the maid come in.

The maid held the freshly made menstrual

band in her hands. Seeing that both the Princess and the Son of Heaven were in the room, she hesitated, unsure how to help the "Empress" change into the menstrual band.

"Give it to Us. You may step down," Ajiao spoke.

The maid was rather surprised that His Majesty showed no avoidance at all toward the Empress during her monthly flow, and even personally attended to her! In all the world, what man could go to such lengths?

The maid solemnly handed the menstrual band to the Son of Heaven, then turned and left the room.

Ajiao was about to teach Liu Che how to use the menstrual band, but Liu Li stopped her. "Mother, may I know what's inside this menstrual band?"

She seemed to recall the maid putting some kind of ash into it earlier.

Ajiao said, "Some cloth and wood ash."

Wood ash absorbs blood quickly, so the ancients used it to make menstrual bands. Wealthy families might prepare more menstrual bands, using a fresh one each time, but poor families—some couldn't even afford menstrual bands, and some would use a single menstrual band until old age.

Conditions in ancient times were backward, so this was understandable. But as a modern person, Liu Li still couldn't accept a menstrual band made of wood ash. Not only was it unhygienic, it also easily led to gynecological infections.

Without a second thought, Liu Li went "snap" and directly redeemed a pack of overnight sanitary pads from the system shop. Fortunately, this was a second-tier item in the system mall, requiring only 100 points.

"Use this," Liu Li said, handing the item to Ajiao. "This is clean, hygienic, and convenient."

Liu Che lay on his side on the bed, staring at the item in Liu Li's hand. "What is this?"

"You could call it a menstrual band too," Liu Li said, pressing her lips together. "Anyway, don't use the wood ash. It's not clean and it's bad for the body."

Ajiao saw that Liu Li seemed to have no avoidance at all toward monthly flow and menstrual bands. She then watched Liu Li tear open the packaging in her hand and take out a square-shaped object.

Liu Li said, "Stick this onto the inner..." At that point, she stopped again. She had forgotten that Western Han didn't have underpants—indeed, even the trousers people wore were split-crotch trousers.

However, they would slip something called "ku" over their legs to serve as undergarments. Wealthy families could afford "ku" made of softer, skin-friendly material, which gave rise to the term "silk-trousers youth."

Not long after transmigrating, Liu Li had Fuqu help her modify all of her "ku," giving them a rough resemblance to actual trousers.

The ancients felt that wearing trousers was something barbarians did, and thus disdained to wear underpants. She couldn't control whether others wore trousers or not, but at the very least, she herself had to wear a pair of underpants!

Ajiao asked curiously, "Stick it where?"

Liu Li scratched her head, ran to a spot where Liu Che couldn't see, closed her eyes, and spent 800 points from the system mall to redeem a pair of underpants.

Then, very thoughtfully, she found the right position, affixed the overnight sanitary pad properly, and only then handed it to Ajiao. "Just have Father Emperor wear this on his body. As long as he doesn't move around too much, it shouldn't leak onto the bed."

Ajiao took the item from Liu Li's hand, turned, and handed it to Liu Che. "Put it on following the method Ali described."

Liu Che's expression looked rather conflicted, but under Liu Li's expectant gaze, he still took the underpants and clenched them tightly in his hand. "You two go out first."

Ajiao led Liu Li out of the room. Mother and daughter walked outside the house and sat down on the steps. Ajiao asked softly, "Monthly flow is an unclean thing. How are you not the least bit avoidant of it? Aren't you afraid of catching misfortune?"

"Huh?" Liu Li was a little surprised. "Why do you say monthly flow is an unclean thing?"

Ajiao couldn't really explain why. After all, from the time of her first monthly flow, her mother had told her the same thing.

Liu Li shook her head and said, "A woman's monthly flow is a perfectly normal phenomenon. It's a sign that a woman's womb has matured. All those claims about it being unclean or ill-omened are superstitious nonsense. There's no need to believe them."

Ajiao blinked, hearing such a statement for the first time.

"Women are endowed with the ability to bear the next generation, and giving birth is like walking through the gates of death. Every month they must also endure the inconvenience brought by monthly flow. This should not be called unclean or unfortunate. On the contrary, I think every girl who endures these things is great."

Even in modern times, a woman getting her period, using

sanitary pads and so forth, would still be defined by some as unclean.

Liu Li wasn't trying to change anything by telling Ajiao these things. She just wanted her to know.

Getting one's monthly flow didn't need to be hidden away. It was not a shameful matter.

Because Liu Che had his monthly flow, he could only lie in bed and rest, and couldn't go to the sacrifice together. So Ajiao set out taking only Liu Li and a group of guards, heading for the Gucheng Shrine in Baling Township.

The carriage set off in grand procession. Once everyone had left, only some maids and attendants remained in Changle Palace.

Liu Che had suffered pain all night yesterday and was now much better. At this moment, he lay quietly in bed catching up on sleep, but the words Ali had said last night surfaced unbidden in his mind:

—I think every girl who endures these things is great.

This daughter always seemed to say things that left people utterly baffled. The ideas in her head were probably more numerous than those of people like Dong Zhongshu.

As Liu Che thought this, he suddenly felt a bit of regret. If only Ali were a boy.

Ajiao's party arrived at the Gucheng Shrine at noon. After completing the sacrificial rites and seeing that there was still time, she smiled and asked her daughter, "Would you like to stroll around nearby Baling Township?"

Liu Li blinked and nodded. "Sure."

So Ajiao had some soldiers remain on standby at the Gucheng Shrine, while she took her daughter and a small group of guards and left lightly equipped for nearby Baling Township.

In the early Western Han, there was a policy called the Relocation to Mausoleums system. Shortly after Liu Bang became emperor, he issued an edict relocating all the descendants of the noble houses of the other six states of the Warring States period to the Guanzhong region.

The purpose of doing this, on the one hand, was to prevent these people from stirring up trouble and rebelling; on the other, it was to bolster the population of Guanzhong.

Every emperor, upon ascending the throne, would begin constructing his own mausoleum. For example, Liu Che's Maoling was started in the second year of the Jianyuan era and wasn't completed until the year of his death.

By comparison, Han Wendi's Baling was much smaller in scale and had barely been robbed over thousands of years. Liu Che's Maoling, on the other hand, had been excavated by tomb raiders many times over the years.

The earliest record was during the reign of Emperor Zhao of Han, when Liu Che's tomb had already been raided. It was said that during the Three Kingdoms period, Dong Zhuo even had Lü Bu loot his mausoleum.

Thinking of this, Liu Li gazed afar at the towering Baling tomb and felt a wave of sighing emotion in her heart.

Baling Township had developed quite well in recent years. There was even a small market here, with quite a few merchants coming and going.

Ajiao took Liu Li to find a tavern, went up to the second floor, and sat down, gazing out over the entire market from afar.

A breeze blew in through the window, carrying a hint of coolness. Liu Li took a sip of cold tea and rested her chin on her hand, watching the people hurrying to and fro at the market below.

There were farmers hawking their wares, children playing and frolicking, and women out shopping. But who would have thought that none of these people were wearing underpants?

So it must be said that the civilization of human society was truly built up bit by bit.

"A Li, after we finish this cup of tea, let's go back," Chen Ajiao said softly.

A Li came to herself and nodded, "Alright."

"We're not returning to Changmen Palace," Chen Ajiao raised an eyebrow, "I'll take you to Ganquan Palace to escape the heat."

"Not going back to Changmen Palace?" A Li was startled by Chen Ajiao's words, "Not taking Father the Emperor with us?"

"Mm, without him, just the two of us," Chen Ajiao said, a suppressed smile in her eyes, and repeated, "Without him."

A Li licked her lips and nodded, "Fine."

Chen Ajiao chuckled low, "Won't you ask me why I'm doing this?"

A Li blinked, "Men are troublesome; if you don't want to take him, you don't. No need to ask why. Besides, doesn't he still have Kuisui now? Bringing him along is inconvenient."

"Poof." Chen Ajiao laughed at her daughter's words, lowered her eyes, "Liu Che will have to stay in Changmen Palace until Kuisui is over; that should take four or five days."

A Li watched her quietly.

"I want him to also feel the endless waiting in Changmen Palace." Even Chen Ajiao knew that perhaps Liu Che would never

…ever develop the same feelings as in her past life.

A Li was slightly stunned; even after being reborn, even now that she and Liu Che had swapped bodies, Chen Ajiao still couldn't let go of the past.

Indeed, the once‑pampered celestial maiden was betrayed in one night by the one she loved most. That man not only broke his vows but cast her into the "Cold Palace," never to see each other again in this life.

After rebirth, she thought changing her past‑life arrogant temperament would bring a stable life, but that ruthless, fickle man still intended no peace for her.

Chen Ajiao must be resentful.

But now that she and Liu Che have swapped bodies, she suddenly can't hate, for she faces her own face day and night.

So she can only use this method to mildly revenge Liu Che.

A Li licked her lips, hesitated, then said, "Mother, I have a method that can make him experience the grievances of your past life."

Chen Ajiao, after hearing, her dark eyes seemed to hold stars, "What method?"

A Li inhaled, then softly whispered two words, "Witchcraft."

Historical records state that on the Yiyou day of the seventh month, fifth year of Yuan Guang, Emperor Wu issued a decree to depose the empress and confiscate her imperial seal and sash. Empress Chen was moved to Changmen Palace, never to leave.

In the carriage heading to Ganquan Palace, Chen Ajiao fanned herself and A Li with a palm fan, finally bringing up the most bitter memory from her past life.

Witchcraft deposes the empress.

"That incident also began on a scorching summer day," Chen Ajiao narrated the origins of the witchcraft case.

In the past summer, Liu Che, as usual, went to Ganquan Palace to escape the heat. Accompanying him was not Wei Zifu, but Beauty Wang.

At that time, Chen Ajiao naively believed Liu Che would never be so cruel to her. She and her mother were still seeking ways to win Liu Che back.

Through the introduction of Dou Tai Zhu Liu Piao, Chen Ajiao met the witch Chu Fu.

Chu Fu said there was a sorcery that could make an unfaithful man change his heart. Chen Ajiao didn't believe it then; if such sorcery existed, there would be no unfaithful men.

But at that moment she truly wanted Liu Che to return, so she thought this could be a method, perhaps worth trying.

Thus, with Chen Ajiao's permission, Chu Fu set up a ritual altar in the underground palace beneath Jiao Fang Hall, asked for Liu Che's birth chart, and carved it onto a puppet.

The underground palace of Jiao Fang Hall was already dim; the sudden addition of an altar made it even more ominous. Chen Ajiao felt a vague premonition of impending misfortune.

Chu Fu said, "Now we only need a strand of the emperor's and the young lord's black hair; then the sorcery will be complete. From then on, the emperor's heart will belong solely to the young lord."

On the altar table lay two puppets engraved with Chen Ajiao's and Liu Che's birth charts; Chen Ajiao found it eerie.

At that time Liu Che was still in Ganquan Palace, and his hair could not be obtained, so the sorcery had to pause until he returned.

Chen Ajiao waited anxiously for Liu Che to return from Ganquan Palace.

She thought it would take long, but Liu Che returned from Ganquan Palace sooner. Palace staff said he suddenly got a headache there and then fell unconscious for an entire day.

If he were not the Son of Heaven protected by a deity, he might never have awakened. Sensing something amiss, Liu Che immediately decided to return from Ganquan Palace.

Chu Fu urged Chen Ajiao to seize the chance to take the emperor's hair strand to complete the final step of the witchcraft. Chen Ajiao felt something was off, but outwardly agreed to Chu Fu.

Little did they know that night, Imperial Guard soldiers arrived, claiming someone had used witchcraft on the emperor, causing him to fall unconscious again.

The imperial physician could not determine why the emperor was unconscious; the Grand Minister beside Empress Dowager Wang warned that perhaps someone in the palace was using witchcraft to harm the emperor.

Thus the Imperial Guard searched Jiao Fang Hall.

Originally Chen Ajiao was not afraid of investigation, but indeed there was an altar in the underground of Jiao Fang Hall.

Even if she had no intent to harm the emperor, she would still be suspected.

In the end the altar was discovered, but Chen Ajiao was surprised to find that the puppets of herself and Liu Che were gone, leaving only a puppet engraved with Liu Che's birth chart.

Moreover, two thin needles were stuck into the puppet's head, resembling a curse.

Chen Ajiao was speechless at the scene, and even more absurd, when the needles were removed, Liu Che actually woke up.

After regaining consciousness, Liu Che was furious, first imprisoning Chen Ajiao, then ordering Censor Zhang Tang to investigate.

Zhang Tang's investigative methods were unknown to Chen Ajiao. She only knew that after being locked in Jiao Fang Hall for a month without sunlight, all the palace maids attending her were arrested.

The maids cried and begged for rescue, but she knew nothing of what had happened.

Until the decree to depose the empress arrived, she learned that Chu Fu's sorcery was not to win a man's heart but to harm Liu Che.

And because she was "misled by witchcraft," she was stripped of her title.

Liu Li listened to Chen Ajiao's account and felt the whole affair exuded a strange atmosphere from start to finish.

First, Liu Li does not believe in any witchcraft, so the idea that a puppet engraved with a birth chart could cause Liu Che's coma sounds absurd.

Second, Chu Fu must be mentally unstable; even if she wanted to harm Liu Che, she wouldn't be so brazen. Being caught would mean execution—why?

Finally, the whole case looks like a deliberate frame against Chen Ajiao.

Actually, historical records of this story are unclear, and several histories contradict each other.

In the most scholarly *Shiji*, Chu Fu's name isn't even mentioned. It only says: "The emperor grew angry, Empress Chen seized a woman's charms, the matter was serious, so Empress Chen was deposed and Wei Zifu was made empress."

Compared with Emperor Wu's late‑life witchcraft disaster, the witchcraft surrounding Chen Ajiao is riddled with too many oddities.

So many that Liu Li can't help but suspect that Liu Che himself ordered it, his ultimate goal being only to depose the empress.

Ajiao said: "After being deposed, I went to see Chu Fu one last time. I wanted to ask why she did it, but she kept apologizing, saying she was forced."

"I think, if I had really given Liu Che's hair to Chu Fu back then, perhaps Liu Che would have actually died because of it… that would have been a good thing; at least the lives of over three hundred palace women in Jiaofang Hall would have been saved."

Being deposed as Empress Dowager of Changmen, she dreamed day and night of those women's mournful cries; they begged her for rescue, but she could do nothing, only watch helplessly as they perished because of her past greed.

Every time she awoke, she felt she shouldn't be alive. This matter became a nightmare she could never let go.

Liu Li heard the heaviness and guilt in Ajiao's words, and gently took her hand: "The past life is over; this life won't repeat those events. Don't forget, you are now the Son of Heaven."

Ajiao lowered her eyelids, smiled faintly, and added: "After I was deposed, my mother also wanted to help me. Princess Pingyang told my mother that if I hadn't been unable to bear children, Liu Che wouldn't have so easily deposed me."

Indeed, Liu Che's decree on deposing the Empress stated that Ajiao was "bewitched by a shaman," and he must have known she was ensnared by Chu Fu. Yet in the end he still chose to depose her, holding no old feelings.

The truth of those days no longer mattered to Ajiao now; after all, she is the one who holds life and death in her hands.

She cannot act against Liu Che, who now occupies her body, and she also needs Liu Che alive to assist her in governing the Great Han.

Since she cannot kill him nor depose the Empress, recreating the events Ajiao experienced in her previous life shouldn't be excessive, right?

"First, we must find Chu Fu," Liu Li said. "If we locate her early, we might learn why she was forced to act that way. Second, we recreate the witchcraft case; we can make the Father Emperor think that using a certain sorcery can swap you and him."

She believed that with such a pretext, Liu Che would do anything.

Ajiao listened intently to Liu Li, then frowned and asked: "Could it backfire? Chu Fu really seems to know sorcery."

Liu Li blinked: "Are you referring to the thing where a needle is stuck on a puppet and the Father Emperor falls unconscious?"

Ajiao nodded: "Yes."

"Such a thing…" Liu Li thought and said, "I guess either the Father Emperor did it on purpose, or the mastermind behind the witchcraft case did something to him that caused his unconsciousness."

"You mean the whole affair was man‑made?" Ajiao was shocked, recalling the past and feeling a chill.

Liu Li nodded: "Witchcraft is essentially tied to people's belief in celestial gods; it's all void. I don't believe a curse can actually harm others."

Ajiao, after hearing this, suddenly laughed: "Indeed."

If she could make Liu Che feel his own past mindset, even if it backfired, she would accept her fate.

But if it succeeded, it would be as if Heaven itself punished the ungrateful Liu Che.

Yet the whole scheme still requires mother and daughter to plan carefully; no room for carelessness.

Liu Che had been waiting in Changmen Garden for Ajiao and Liu Li to return, but from day to night he saw no sign of them.

He asked the maid beside him, who also said she didn't know. If not for the sunflower water still remaining, Liu Che would have gone looking himself.

He even wondered whether Ajiao had encountered danger on the road, which is why she hadn't returned. With such thoughts, Liu Che tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his heart full of worry.

The next morning, after waking up, Liu Che's first action was to summon the maid and ask whether Ajiao had returned.

The maid still said no.

Liu Che roared, "His Majesty has been out for a day and a night and hasn't returned; why didn't you send anyone to look for us?"

Seeing the Empress angry, the maid hurriedly knelt and said, "Your Highness, forgive us. When His Majesty left, only two guards remained to watch Changmen Garden; the other guards all went with Him. If we now send guards to look for Him, no one will protect Your Highness."

Liu Che: "…"

Another day passed and Ajiao and Liu Li still hadn't returned. Liu Che could no longer lie in bed; every second there felt like torture.

Fortunately, his supply of sunflower water was low but he still had the sunflower water artifact Liu Li left, so he wasn't afraid of staining his clothes.

Liu Che had the maid help him get up; he finally left his room and saw daylight again. The Changmen Garden was very quiet, not a sound at all.

Liu Che frowned, summoned a maid to call the guard stationed at the garden gate over.

Soon, two guards arrived, clasped their fists and bowed to the "Empress." Liu Che said directly, "His Majesty and the princess have been at Gu Cheng Temple for two days without returning. I order you to go to Gu Cheng Temple now, see what happened, and report back immediately."

One guard said, "Your Highness, His Majesty ordered us to guard Changmen Garden and protect Your Highness's safety; we may not leave a step."

Liu Che: "??"

He snorted coldly, "What do you think could go wrong with me in Changmen Garden? His Majesty has been absent for two days; are you not worried at all?"

The other guard, perhaps younger, couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, actually His Majesty has already returned…"

Liu Che, hearing this, sprang to his feet: "What did you say?"

"His Majesty said Your Highness's health is poor and she must convalesce within Changmen Garden, so for now do not tell Your Highness that she has gone back, lest she disregard her condition and leave the garden."

Liu Che: "…" Hearing this excuse, Liu Che laughed bitterly, "Fine, very well!"

He narrowed his eyes; his slender gaze carried a non‑angry, imposing aura. After a long pause he said, "Prepare the carriage and return to Weiyang Palace."

The two guards hesitated: "Your Highness, Changmen Garden is far from Weiyang Palace; it's already afternoon, and if night falls, the two of us may not be able to ensure Your Highness's safety. Perhaps we should set out tomorrow morning."

Their reasoning was sound; although Liu Che was angry, he would not gamble with his own safety, so he gave a nod of agreement.

That evening Liu Che ate his dinner alone, leaned by the window watching the full moon hanging in the sky, and suddenly felt lonely.

The Changmen Garden looks fine by day, but why is it so desolate at night? The wind feels not cool but chillingly oppressive.

With few people around, is that why it's so eerie at night? For some reason, Liu Che recalled the words Ajiao mumbled in the bath tub that day, and he furrowed his brows.

Indeed, the garden is cold; fortunately tomorrow he will leave.

The next day, the guards prepared the carriage to escort Liu Che back to Weiyang Palace. In their haste they never stopped, and finally arrived at Weiyang Palace in the afternoon.

Yet when Liu Che returned to Jiao Fang Hall and asked, he learned that Ajiao and Liu Li had never gone back to Weiyang Palace, but had instead diverted to Gan Quan Palace for summer retreat.

Indeed, Gan Quan Palace is built on a mountain and is an excellent summer resort. He himself used to enjoy going there in midsummer.

But thinking that Ajiao abandoned him, taking their daughter to Gan Quan Palace for a summer retreat, he instantly flared with anger.

So he angrily arranged a squad of guards and sent a carriage to take him to Gan Quan Palace as well.

Liu Li felt that Gan Quan Palace was truly cool, especially at night; she still needed a blanket to sleep, and the day‑night temperature difference there must be about twenty degrees.

The Son of Heaven's whereabouts must be reported to the Grand Steward, so the court officials all knew the Son of Heaven was in Gan Quan Palace.

Therefore, when it was time for the morning court, everyone gathered at Gan Quan Palace to discuss state affairs with the Son of Heaven.

Recently there were no major issues in court, so Ajiao ordered that they be told, unless something especially important, wait until she returns to Weiyang Palace to report. If something truly required the Son of Heaven's decision, they could go to Jiao Fang Hall to consult the Empress.

This move gave Liu Che, the Empress, face.

Yet Liu Che outright refused the courtesy and stormed from Weiyang Palace straight to the palace.

When Liu Che came over, Ajiao was touring Ganquan Palace with her daughter. After all, back then Ajiao had also lived here for a long time, and her daughter was born here too; she was very nostalgic.

Ganquan Palace is called Ganquan Palace because there is a very sweet and tasty spring inside it, and there is also a pure natural hot spring in the rear mountains.

Out of curiosity, Liu Li took a sip of the water from the spring, and indeed it had a sweet flavor, very tasty. However, this water should not be drunk in large amounts; drinking too much is not good for the body.

"You two are quite leisurely." Liu Che's clear voice rang out, startling both Ajiao and Liu Li.

Liu Li raised her head and saw the dust-covered Liu Che looking at them with an ambiguous expression on his face.

Ajiao, on the other hand, remained calm: "How did you come over?"

"You left me without a word, and when you came to Ganquan Palace you didn't even think I would come over?" Liu Che let out a cold snort, his tone seemingly carrying a hint of inexplicable grievance.

Just thinking that he had bitterly waited for them in Changmen Garden for three days made him furious. He had thought that returning to Weiyang Palace he would see them, but instead he was told they had come to Ganquan Palace to enjoy themselves leisurely.

Heh, these two women who didn't put him in their hearts at all are really hateful!

Liu Li glanced at the seemingly aggrieved Liu Che, then turned her head to look at the indifferent Ajiao.

She secretly sighed in her heart; now that the tides have turned, whatever Liu Che had once imposed on Ajiao will likely be returned to him in this way.

As a considerate daughter, Liu Li decided to give them space; she waved her hand at the surrounding palace attendants, signaling everyone to leave with her.

When the tranquil garden here had only Ajiao and Liu Che left, Liu Che slowly walked up to Ajiao and suddenly said softly: "Ajiao, Changmen Garden is really cold."

Ajiao startled, turned her head to look at him: "What did you say?"

Liu Che stepped closer to her, then reached out and embraced her, pulling her into his arms like a little bird leaning on a person: "You and Ali are not in Changmen Garden, that

a few days, I feel Changmen Garden is really desolate. Especially at night, there is not a single sound, so quiet and cold it makes me miserable."

Ajiao stood in place, tightly pressing her lips without speaking, only feeling that this scene was so ironic and satisfying.