After Wang Wuyue scolded her that day, Li Jun never tried to get close again.
She still liked the cold woman, yet could never truly understand her or give her whole heart, since Qing'er already held a piece of it.
So Li Jun let things be, unwilling to force her feelings upon someone who did not want them.
"Shishu, please try the honey-glazed chicken wings I made," She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and gently placed it into the old woman's bowl.
Her eyes curved with quiet delight, though somewhere in that smile lingered a trace of longing, perhaps for the grandmother from her past life who never smiled at her this way.
"This is really delicious… how can you cook like this?" Shishu asked, her tone full of pleasant surprise.
Li Jun chuckled softly, her expression calm and kind. "Cooking is just a basic skill for survival," she said. "Anyone can do it, as long as they have the will."
Shishu nodded, smiling with genuine fondness. She liked this side of Li Jun, the way she spoke with an optimism that never faded from her eyes, despite the heavy crown she wore.
To Shishu, Li Jun was not merely an empress, but a young woman who still held warmth in her heart, no matter how cold the world around her became.
Across the table, Wang Wuyue watched them silently. Lately, Li Jun had seemed different. She no longer teased her, nor did she come close. A strange discomfort twisted in her chest. Was this brat angry? Had her words that day been too harsh?
For the first time, she felt an ache that unsettled her. But she quickly pushed the thought away, unwilling to face what it truly meant. When their eyes met by accident, Li Jun only smiled softly before returning to her meal. That smile was gentle, distant, and for reasons she couldn't explain, it hurt.
After dinner, Li Jun lay on the hammock, gazing at the stars above. The night was calm, but her mind wasn't. She didn't want to simply lie there and do nothing. When everyone finally fell asleep, she quietly got up, determined to search for a pill that could help Wuyue.
It was, however, deeply embarrassing, she had ended up stealing Shishu's donkey. The creature was old, slow, and looked as though it had long given up on life.
With only Shishu's words that Mount Yunhe lay somewhere to the west, she set off, following the North Star as her guide. Li Jun lifted her gaze to the sky. The North Star shimmered faintly behind a thin veil of clouds.
"If Mount Yunhe is west… then I must keep the North Star on my right," she murmured.
She tugged the donkey's reins and started forward, even though she wasn't entirely sure it was the right direction.
A random survival video popped into her head: "Follow the North Star, and you'll never be lost. She decided to trust YouTube wisdom with her life.
Li Jun sighed as she rode along the quiet road. "Why are you so slow…?" she muttered, giving the donkey a gentle poke.
The donkey only snorted in protest, plodding forward at a pace that could make moss grow on its hooves.
"Even turtles walk faster than you," she grumbled.
Hours passed. The night thinned as the sky slowly painted itself in soft shades of blue and gold. Dew clung to the grass, and mist drifted above the road. Li Jun yawned, her eyes heavy, tugging lightly at the reins to keep herself awake.
Then, as the first rays of dawn brushed the horizon, something appeared ahead—tall stone walls and a great wooden gate. She blinked, straightening on the donkey's back. Etched above the entrance were two large characters: Luo City.
Li Jun stared for a long moment, speechless. "…You've got to be kidding me."
With a weary sigh, she patted the donkey's neck. "Fine, fine. We'll rest here first."
Li Jun led the donkey through the city gate, her eyes sweeping over the streets. The morning crowd was already beginning to stir, vendors setting up their stalls, people carrying baskets of vegetables, and the faint aroma of steamed buns drifting through the air. Her stomach growled in protest.
She patted her robe pocket, but the moment her hand brushed the fabric, her smile froze. Empty.
All her money was with Shen Yuqing. Li Jun stared up at the sky helplessly. "Perfect."
She turned to the donkey beside her. "Well, old one, looks like I'll have to sell you." The donkey blinked slowly, utterly unbothered.
Li Jun sighed and started leading it toward the market but before she could take another step, something in the crowd caught her eye.
Two figures in black cloaks walked down the street—one tall, one short—their movements sharp and cold. Poison North and Poison South.
Li Jun's breath hitched. Without thinking, she tugged her donkey into a narrow alley and pressed herself against the wall.
Then… her eyes widened. From behind the twins, a familiar voice called out cheerfully, "Master!"
That voice, she knew it too well. "...Xiao Dou'er?"
Her expression darkened. Damn… turns out you're with them? She clicked her tongue, a wry smirk curving her lips.
Li Jun watched as Dou'er followed the Poison Twins into an inn and disappeared inside. Waiting for the right moment, she tugged her donkey quietly toward the same building.
"Stay here," she whispered, tying it beside the horses. The donkey snorted in protest but didn't move.
Li Jun slipped along the wall, found a side window, and climbed up carefully. Her boots made no sound against the wooden frame as she eased herself into a dimly lit room.
The soft ripple of water came from behind the folding screen. Li Jun crouched low, eyes narrowing as she peered through the small gap. Dou'er was half-submerged in the bathtub, her eyes closed, almost asleep.
Quietly, Li Jun reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pill wrapped in thin paper. Moving soundlessly, she crept closer, her steps light as shadow.
Before Dou'er could stir, Li Jun pressed a hand over her mouth and swiftly pushed the pill between her lips, forcing her to swallow it.
The girl's eyes opened, shock widening them, her muffled cry lost against Li Jun's palm.
"Don't make a sound," Li Jun whispered close to her ear. "It's poison. If you scream, I won't give you the antidote."
After a long moment, she gave a small nod. Li Jun slowly withdrew her hand.
"...Your Majesty…" Dou'er's voice was barely a whisper, quivering between fear and disbelief.