Chapter 41 Book 2 The 8th Princess
In the quiet, dim glow of the cold palace, Concubine Su sat on an old, lacquered bench, her hands folded in her lap. Her gaze softened as she watched Li An, the girl who had become her closest companion, busy herself with a medicinal herb mixture by the fading light of dusk. For years, they had shared this silent, forsaken corner of the imperial palace, isolated from the opulent courts and the scheming harem. Yet in their little world, they had forged a bond that was as warm as any mother and daughter's.
Li An carefully set aside her herbs and noticed Concubine Su's pensive gaze. She tilted her head, her usual calm expression shifting into one of curiosity. "Mother, what are you thinking about?" she asked, using the term of endearment she had come to embrace wholeheartedly for the woman who had taught and raised her with such care.
