The wicker basket was octagonal, with a semi-arched handle on top.
It was somewhat large, and Su Ling had to use both hands to hold it.
That morning, Sista had specifically instructed her to bring the basket and pruning shears to the palace’s rear garden at quarter to four in the afternoon, but hadn’t said exactly what they were going to do, leaving Su Ling very curious.
Today, Sista was wearing a rare light blue fishtail gown, her jet-black hair styled into a floral bun.
Tear-drop shaped gemstone earrings dangled from her earlobes, giving her a style that seemed lighter and more lively than usual.
Sista’s pace was somewhat fast, and soon Su Ling found she couldn’t keep up.
So, she turned back to urge her, her eyebrows lightly knit:
“Walk a little faster.”
“Okay.”
Su Ling twisted the basket and hugged it to her chest, then took a couple of small running steps forward.
Where exactly were they headed?
The path beneath their feet neither led toward the Castle nor toward the central fountain.
As she walked, Su Ling glanced around, gradually getting a clearer idea.
“Flower Garden.”
The road ahead widened, enclosed by bamboo fences fixed with crossbeams.
Inside, a variety of flowers swayed gracefully in the evening breeze.
Though the flower garden was part of the Castle’s protected grounds, its main purpose wasn’t for sightseeing, but rather for picking flowers for decoration or other uses.
“All the roses in this area, cut them all down. The amount should be enough to cover the bottom of your basket,” Sista said in that usual tone—proud but tinged with cold indifference.
“Only keep the petals; no need for stems or leaves.”
Su Ling took the pruning shears and carefully avoided the thorns, beginning to clip the blooming rose blossoms.
Sista stood beside her, watching, which made Su Ling a little self-conscious.
“Ahem… What exactly are you planning to do?”
Unable to hide her curiosity, Su Ling asked while snipping petals.
“Dyeing.”
The answer was concise.
“Dyeing? Are you going to dye fabric?” Su Ling tilted her head, thinking it over.
“Sorry, Your Highness, I don’t have much experience in dyeing cloth. Duli might be better at this…”
“Are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?” Sista interrupted her words.
Hmph—just as Su Ling had suspected.
Lately, Sista’s temperament seemed to have changed.
She had once been straightforward and domineering, but as a high-ranking Royal Family princess, she had always maintained restraint in word and deed to protect her image.
Now, the Blood Princess before her seemed to be deliberately looking for trouble, frequently snapping at her, finding fault with this and that.
Moreover, whenever she appeared within Sista’s line of sight, Sista’s gaze inevitably landed on her, following her everywhere, which made Su Ling uneasy.
“Stop for a moment. As a personal Maid to the Royal Family, is this the image you want to present?”
Just as Su Ling was about to reply, Sista said again,
“Basket, pay attention.”
Su Ling looked back, somewhat surprised, only to find that a branch had snagged on the hem of her skirt, exposing her fair thigh, which looked somewhat shocking.
Immediately, a flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks.
She hurriedly stretched out her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, to free the branch from her skirt.
At the same time, her other hand quickly and delicately smoothed out the creases, ensuring the skirt fell neatly again, covering that inadvertent flash.
“Are you usually like this?” Sista stared at her, her tone tinged with anger.
“Could it be that many people have already seen that side of you just now?”
“Not at all!”
“If you’re lying to me, I won’t forgive you.”
“Really! I—It’s the first time!” Su Ling shook her head vigorously.
“I’ll remember Your Highness’s teaching and keep my image properly.”
“You’d better remember.”
Why was she making such a fuss about this? Su Ling couldn’t understand Sista’s thoughts and could only nod frantically as if she were defusing a bomb.
Collecting the petals wasn’t difficult, and before long, she had gathered the amount Sista had requested.
As the work concluded, the sun gradually sank in the west, and a few stars appeared in the sky.
“Your Highness, do you think this is enough?” Su Ling lifted the basket in front of Sista.
Sista lowered her head; a strand of black hair fell among the rose petals.
She gently picked up a petal with her fingertip, her expression softening considerably.
“It’s enough,” she said.
“This rose color should suit it well.”
Before Su Ling could reply, Sista suddenly lifted her head and looked into her eyes.
In those watery eyes shimmered a pale pink color close to that of the roses.
“I’m going to make a dress for you. I’ll use these petals to make the dye.”
“A dress? For me?” Su Ling doubted her hearing and blurted out, “Your Highness, did you say you want to make a dress for me?”
“Ridiculous. How could I make something for a servant?” Sista snorted coldly and corrected her,
“It’s just a way to pass the time when I’m bored. Finding some amusement in you as a plaything, that’s all.”
She looked carefully at the color of the petals once more, then turned and leisurely walked away.
Su Ling picked up the basket and jogged to keep pace behind her.
Their shadows stretched long in the sunset light, cast among the rose bushes.
“Well… I’m very happy that you want to make clothes for me…” Su Ling cautiously chose her words,
“But don’t you have a lot of lessons to study? So many books to read?”
She recalled how not long ago Sista had been holed up in the study every day, never going out unless necessary, and now she was constantly at her side.
“Books.”
Upon hearing that word, a faint trace of sorrow flickered in Sista’s eyes.
“I’m just a flower vase princess in Hailuosen Castle, a pure ornament with no real purpose.
If I read too many of those things, it will only invite gossip.”
Su Ling lowered her eyes and said nothing further.
She knew exactly what Sista meant.
Ever since Sista had shown promise handling state affairs at Private De Yard, Moria’s suspicion toward her had grown wildly like weeds.
That thirst for power and its protection made Moria intolerant of any potential threats.
Worried that Sista’s excessive political interference would undermine her own interests, Moria had become increasingly wary, constantly warning her sister.
But Sista seemed unwilling to cling to their rivalry, gradually reducing the frequency of her time in the study reading books or newspapers.
She attended noble balls or idled longer in the garden instead.
It was a temporary compromise born of helplessness.
Su Ling knew that Sista had never truly acknowledged Moria’s authority.
“Put the things here. After the petals are dyed, I’ll handle the rest.”
After entering the Castle, Sista pointed to an empty space beside the storage room.
“Please? You… will do it yourself?”
“What’s so surprising about that? Learning handicrafts is also part of noble etiquette.
I haven’t tried dyeing clothes before.”
Sista suddenly turned around, one hand pressing gently on Su Ling’s shoulder,
“Before that, I need to measure you. After you’ve taken a bath, come to my room.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.