My Fate Is in My Sister's Hands, Not Mine - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My father refused the emperor’s marriage decree.

His reason was that the Chancellor’s legitimate daughter had gone mad and was haunting the concubine-born daughter like a ghost.

The emperor said he had never heard such an excuse for refusing a marriage in his life.

So he had the Empress prepare a banquet and summon both my sister and me to the palace. He wanted to see for himself whether I had truly gone mad.

The Empress called my sister and me before her.

“I have heard that the Chancellor’s two daughters are known as the Two Beauties of the Capital. Seeing you today, I must say the rumors are well deserved.”

What Two Beauties? It sounded unlucky just hearing it.

I had already sent someone to change it.

To-my sister Li Changying, the Top Lady of the Capital.

The Empress paused. “And what about you?”

I leaned to the right and looped both hands around Li Changying’s arm.

“I’m my sister’s precious little darling, of course.”

Li Changying looked mortified, but even with all her strength, she couldn’t push me off. In the end, she could only smile.

Then came the part where the noble young ladies presented their talents.

Li Changying had loved the qin since childhood, and her skill was exquisite. When her piece ended, the lingering notes seemed to wind around the rafters.

Everyone present took a long while to come back to themselves.

The Empress sighed with feeling. “Empress Meng’s Song of Rivers and Mountains from the previous dynasty was lost long ago. I never expected Changying to be able to restore seventy percent of it.”

My sister rose and curtsied, poised and graceful.

Then it was my turn.

“I remember Changhuan’s Lüyao Dance last year outshone all the noble young ladies in the capital,” the Empress said.

Yes, I was good at dancing.

I decided to broaden their horizons.

“Empress, ladies, Changhuan has recently choreographed a new dance for my sister.”

Someone offered to accompany me, but I refused.

Because what I was bringing them was a sing-and-dance performance.

“Sister is my goddess, sister is my woman. Like the great ship of love, she pulls me deeper under. Being sister’s little baby, loving sister is a maybe? Never-it’s a guarantee. I want to go on dates with you, sister always comes first with me. It’s sister’s frosty air that makes my heartbeat race; like a startled little deer, for sister I’ll get jealous any day…”

My smile was bright, my voice cheerful, my skirts fluttering.

The entire hall fell silent.

Everyone looked at my sister in perfect unison-

My sister finally came back to herself. Her cheeks flushed pink as she snatched up a round fan and hid her whole face behind it.

From behind the fan came her muffled voice. “Changhuan, that was… quite good.”

More than good. I was an old hand at this.

In my previous lives, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince had both heard me sing the older-brother version.

Unfortunately, those two had failed to live up to my expectations.

The Empress said my performance was rather novel and invited me to stay in the palace for a few days.

I was not very willing.

Other than by my sister’s side, I didn’t want to go anywhere.

My sister noticed my unease and explained to the Empress on my behalf.

“Your Majesty, the Empress, my younger sister Changhuan is unwell. She still needs to remain at home and recuperate.”

The Empress did not insist. Instead, she bestowed several cups of wine upon me.

I drank until my head grew heavy and went outside to get some air.

I had just reached the back of the hall when someone pulled me into a corner.

“Li Changhuan, have you really gone mad?”