Chapter 23, a three-in-one VIP chapter, includes a surprise at the end.

Feeling the man's imposing aura so close to her, Su Panyue felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Like a child caught doing something wrong, his eyes darted around, and his mind was in a state of panic.

【What...what do you mean? Am I supposed to say I was peeping at you taking a bath in my dream?】

Hearing her innermost thoughts, Xie Lanzhou, whose fingers were clenched so tightly they turned white, paused slightly, listening as she recounted her dream in her mind:

After falling asleep, Su Panyue entered another strange dream.

The scene in the dream was the hot spring in the bathhouse of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Xie Lanzhou leaned against the pool wall, completely naked.

His dark hair was loose, and you could vaguely see an unnatural redness on his face. His fair skin had a pinkish tinge that extended all the way down into the water.

Seemingly enduring something, the man's forehead veins bulged, his eyes were tightly closed, and the muscles in his arms were particularly prominent due to the engorgement of blood.

Su Panyue moved closer, wanting to see more clearly, but suddenly noticed something strange: the surface of the hot spring water was completely dry.

Then she clearly saw the scar on the man's waist and abdomen, the same spot where she had been stabbed in her previous dream. The wound had scabbed over, leaving a light pink scar.

There was a fresh wound on his arm, unbandaged, with blood gushing down it. Blood droplets fell into the pool and swirled into wisps of red thread, wrapping around his erect member and adding a touch of decoration to the pink object, making it look even more like a carefully prepared gift, waiting to be picked.

Before Su Panyue could take a second look, a red figure suddenly entered the bathroom and ran towards Xie Lanzhou without any hesitation.

From afar, she seemed somewhat familiar, but as she drew closer, Su Panyue couldn't make out her face clearly. Then he woke her up, and the dream abruptly ended.

"Why aren't you saying anything? What are you thinking about?" Xie Lanzhou interrupted her reminiscence. She hadn't expected that the person she was dreaming about was herself. Xie Lanzhou's feelings were very complicated.

I don't know what she's thinking all day, that she would have such an outrageous dream, that a woman could just casually enter the bath room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it's utterly absurd.

Su Panyue couldn't bring herself to talk about her dream, so she took a deep breath and forced herself to say, "This servant doesn't remember having a dream just now. Perhaps Your Majesty misheard?"

My heart was filled with prayer: "Please, stop asking. I'd rather just give you a quick death than admit to having this dream."

Hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou snorted and deliberately put on a stern face, saying in a deep voice, "Throw away all those storybooks you've been reading. If I find you having wild thoughts again, believe me, I'll kill you."

Su Panyue nodded obediently and promised, "I won't watch it again."

In his mind: [Fine, I'll watch! I don't believe you'd be willing to kill me!]

Xie Lanzhou raised his hand to touch his brow, feeling that although she could relieve his headache, she could also make him so angry that his head ached.

Su Panyue, unaware of his thoughts and fearing he would press the matter, quickly changed the subject, asking, "Your Majesty, is there something you need from me so late?"

Are you sneaking off to have an affair with me late at night?

Xie Lanzhou was naturally fine; he had only intended to come and take a look, but upon hearing her rambling in her sleep, he angrily woke her up.

However, he had long since mastered the skill of keeping his emotions hidden, and upon hearing this, he simply said in a serious tone, "An assassin has come to the palace, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation is not safe, so I have come here to take refuge."

Su Panyue was somewhat bewildered: [If the Hall of Mental Cultivation isn't safe, is my drafty maid's room safer?]

But she absolutely couldn't say that. She glanced at the window, which was wide open because someone had climbed in, and quickly ran to close it tightly.

The moonlight was blocked outside the window and swayed, plunging the room into darkness.

Su Panyue groped her way back, saying as she went, "Is Your Majesty alright? I'll close the window; the assassin probably won't guess that Your Majesty is here."

She took two steps before someone grabbed her arm. The familiar scent of ambergris brought her a strange sense of peace, and a deep male voice came from beside her:

"Do you want to fall down again and stay in bed for another month?"

Su Panyue grasped the man's hand, which was a whole size larger than hers, and said with a giggle, "I don't want to think about it anymore."

Xie Lanzhou took her hand and walked to the bedside. He had practiced martial arts for many years and his eyesight was much better than that of ordinary people. He walked steadily to the bedside and sat down.

Su Panyue's eyes barely adjusted to the darkness, and she was able to make out the man's sharp, angular features.

She was still holding his hand, looking down at him. His pale fingers had distinct knuckles. Su Panyue pried open his fingers one by one to measure and compare them.

"Your Majesty, your hands are so big." Su Panyue noticed the thumb ring on his thumb, which seemed to be the same one she had given him earlier that day, making his hands look even longer.

I think I've heard it said that men with big hands also have big penises, and now it seems to be true.

Hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou's brow twitched. He withdrew his hand and said, "Go to sleep." Based on his previous experience, if he didn't interrupt this little yellow girl's wild thoughts, he would be the one who couldn't fall asleep in the end.

Su Panyue was indeed a little sleepy. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "Your Majesty, where do you sleep?"

Xie Lanzhou took off his outer robe and draped it aside, coldly asking, "What do you think?"

Su Panyue realized what was happening and muttered to herself:

Is my tiny bed really big enough for two people? Don't blame me if I roll over and end up on top of you.

He said very considerately, "Your Majesty, you should sleep inside. I'll stay outside so I can spot any assassins immediately."

Xie Lanzhou recalled how soundly she had been sleeping just now and couldn't help but scoff, "Are you sure?"

Su Panyue wanted to defend herself, but she was pushed to the inside of the bed. She could feel the man looking down at her, and she swallowed uncomfortably.

What is he trying to do?

The room quieted down, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window and the sounds of the two people deliberately suppressing their breathing.

Xie Lanzhou paused in front of her for a moment, but ultimately did nothing and lay down beside her.

Originally, Su Panyue could roll around in this bed by herself, but now that there's a strong man in it, she suddenly feels a bit cramped.

She moved further in until her left arm touched the wall, while her right arm inevitably brushed against the man's muscular shoulder.

The man's body temperature, noticeably higher than hers, radiated through her, quickly dispelling Su Panyue's initial shyness. She couldn't help but complain inwardly, "Is he a furnace? Why is he so hot!"

It was summer, and wherever Xie Lanzhou went, servants would prepare ice chests for him, but the palace maids' quarters naturally did not have this privilege.

Xie Lanzhou didn't feel hot, but she didn't expect to be disliked. She silently moved a little closer to the bedside and finally didn't touch her arm again.

However, this also left half of his body hanging outside the window, and he had to maintain his balance by slightly turning his body to the side.

Su Panyue, who was sleeping on the inside, was completely unaware of all this. Smelling the faint ambergris scent beside her, she soon felt sleepy and fell asleep with her head tilted to the side.

Listening to the even breathing of the person next to her, Xie Lanzhou quietly walked to the table and picked up a cattail fan that was placed on the table.

When I returned to the bedside, I found that the space I had been lying in was now completely occupied by someone.

He sighed, gently moved her outstretched arms and legs, lay down on his side, and softly fanned himself with a fan, watching the wind blow the stray hairs on the woman's forehead. He slept soundly through the night.

*

The next day, Su Panyue woke up unusually early, and when she turned over, she found that the spot next to her was empty.

She had gotten used to Xie Lanzhou's early rising; after all, being an emperor was no easy feat.

She got up so early today not only because she slept so well last night, but also because today was the day of the banquet for the Yan envoys, and she felt a little uneasy.

After asking the eunuch on duty, Su Panyue learned that Xie Lanzhou had gone to the Hall of Diligent Governance, and went there without even having a meal.

When they arrived at the Hall of Diligent Governance, Xie Lanzhou was reading a letter.

Su Panyue bowed respectfully: "This servant greets Your Majesty."

Xie Lanzhou was clearly surprised that she would arrive so early. He raised an eyebrow at her rosy complexion, nodded without saying anything, and then looked down at the letter in his hand.

This letter is evidence of collusion between Prince Rui and the envoy from the State of Yan. The letter promised the State of Yan military equipment and cities, and in exchange, the emperor's life was offered.

Xie Lanzhou curled his lips into a cold smile and slowly folded the letter in his hand and put it back in the envelope.

He glanced at Eunuch Fu, who was waiting to the side, and the latter hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "What are Your Majesty's orders?"

Xie Lanzhou: "Remove half of the Imperial Guards from today's banquet. I want to see what he's up to."

Fu Gonggong looked somewhat worried. He opened his mouth but ultimately bowed his head in agreement and was about to leave when he heard Xie Lanzhou continue, "Give her another chair."

As he spoke, he glanced indifferently at Su Panyue, who was leaning against a pillar, slacking off.

Grandpa Fu couldn't hide his surprise. Su Panyue smiled at him and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Grandpa Fu."

Grandpa Fu quickly waved his hand, "No, no," and then took small steps to make the arrangements.

Around noon, a palace servant came to report that everyone at the banquet had arrived and everything was ready.

Xie Lanzhou nodded and said, "Let's go see what kind of show it is."

Su Panyue followed closely behind him to Xuanhua Palace.

The eunuch leading the way announced loudly, "His Majesty has arrived!"

Everyone in the hall knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

While everyone bowed their heads in greeting, Su Panyue secretly glanced around but did not see the Empress Dowager. The lower left corner, which should have been reserved for her, was empty.

Looking down at the audience, Prince Rui stood prominently in the front row with his hands clasped in front. Just as she looked over, Prince Rui looked up.

Seeing the man's cold, sticky gaze sweep over her, Su Panyue shivered and thought to herself:

Why are you looking at me like that? Do you recognize me?

Hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou glanced indifferently at the unruly Prince Rui, who immediately lowered his head.

He withdrew his gaze and gestured for everyone to rise. He sat on the dragon throne at the head of the table and glanced sideways at Su Panyue, who was standing to the side.

Su Panyue glanced with a troubled expression at a sandalwood chair not far from the dragon throne, which was even higher than the chair that the Empress Dowager had left empty, and felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

She thought they'd just give her a chair in the corner, but little did she know they'd put her right next to the dragon throne. She couldn't help but cry out for help in her mind:

Is this the seat a palace maid should be sitting in? Perhaps I should just stand.

Xie Lanzhou frowned in displeasure, glanced at her again, and then looked gesturingly at the chair beside him, his eyes filled with threat.

Su Panyue resigned herself to her fate and sat down, trying her best to ignore the faint gazes cast from below, praying that no one would notice her.

As the drums and music began, the master of ceremonies and eunuchs announced the start of the banquet.

The envoys were led by the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial through a long corridor and into the palace through a side door. The attendants, carrying the tribute and the tribute list, walked at the very end and stopped at the imperial steps.

Su Panyue looked at the newcomer with curiosity and found that the appearance of this Yan person was obviously different from that of the Qi people.

The man from Yan who was walking at the front had deep-set eyes, a high nose, and surprisingly golden hair with a distinctive curly shape, making him stand out in the crowd.

The other envoys behind him also had similar features: sculpted facial features and thick, curly hair.

Seeing a blond, handsome man for the first time, Su Panyue thought to herself, "This leader is so handsome!"

Xie Lanzhou clenched the ring on her finger and looked down at the person she was referring to: Yan Shao, the third prince of Yan.

He also tilted his head slightly to look over, his eyes filled with the fierce and unruly gaze of a wolf cub. Xie Lanzhou ignored him, his expression remaining indifferent.

This fifth prince was a hostage sent by the State of Yan to sue for peace. He was born to a courtesan and the old King of Yan did not favor him much, so it was only natural that he was sent to the State of Qi to be tempered.

The official in charge of ceremonies chanted the rites, and the envoys were required to perform the ritual of three kneelings and nine kowtows.

The envoys from Yan all knelt down and bowed to Xie Lanzhou. Although Yan Shao also knelt down neatly, his back remained straight.

Xie Lanzhou rested his arm on the armrest of the dragon throne, leaned back slightly, and without saying "rise," asked:

"I do not yet know who the Yan Kingdom has sent. Perhaps you could introduce them?"

Yan Shao, kneeling on the ground, clenched his fists. The list of those to be received had been submitted long ago, and his questioning now was nothing more than a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for them.

A slightly older envoy from the Yan Kingdom, standing to the side or rear, replied: "Your Majesty, our country has sent more than twenty envoys this time, mainly officials from the Ministry of Rites, as well as His Highness the Fifth Prince, who have come to pay homage."

After saying this, he bowed again. Xie Lanzhou nodded and raised his hand to signal everyone to stand up.

The interpreter held the letter from the State of Yan and read it aloud. The content was nothing more than the King of Yan's greetings and praise to the State of Qi, and his wish to establish a lasting friendship with the State of Qi for the benefit of the people of both countries.

Next came a long list of tributes, including gold and silver jewelry, grains and fruits, cloth and brocade, weapons and warhorses, and everything else.

Xie Lanzhou's lips curled into a mocking smile. This old king of Yan had really gone to great lengths to prevent war during his reign.

Even Su Panyue, who was sitting to the side trying to remain invisible, couldn't help but sigh inwardly upon hearing this:

[This tiny Yan Kingdom is actually so rich? And the prince is so handsome. I should have gone to Yan Kingdom sooner.]

Hearing these thoughts, Xie Lanzhou couldn't help but frown. She actually had thoughts of betraying her country; she was truly audacious.

The man above frowned, and the Yan envoys who had just taken their seats immediately felt uneasy, wondering how they had offended him.

Xie Lanzhou tapped his fingers lightly on the table and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty of Yan is very kind, but I have another suggestion."

"Since the two countries are neighbors, why not open up trade and allow the two places to trade and sell goods?"

These words sparked a flurry of whispers within the hall, especially among the Yan envoys, whose faces were grave.

Trade is no small matter; it relates to a country's tax revenue. The Great Qi is powerful, and if a large number of Great Qi merchants were to flock to Yan to do business, Yan's gold and silver would likely flow into the pockets of Great Qi at a rapid pace. Even worse, some Yan citizens might voluntarily join Great Qi.

It must be said that Xie Lanzhou's move was truly killing two birds with one stone, bringing only benefits to Daqi.

The officials below were engaged in a heated discussion, but Su Panyue paid no attention to their words. She only noticed the anger flashing across the face of the Fifth Prince of Yan, and inwardly commented:

A beauty is a beauty; even her cold expression is endearing.

Xie Lanzhou's expression darkened. He cleared his throat, interrupting the discussion below. The hall quieted down, and he said, "No need to rush. I will give you three days to consider."

The Yan envoy finally breathed a brief sigh of relief.

Shortly after, fine wine and delicacies were served, and graceful dancers entered the stage to the beat of drums.

Ten women with exotic charm appeared on stage, each dressed in revealing clothing. Their movements and gestures subtly revealed glimpses of their cleavage, attracting the attention of the entire audience.

Even Su Panyue, who was originally engrossed in eating rice, was attracted by the fragrant breeze that blew in and out of the ordinary, and watched the dance on the field with great interest.

Accompanied by the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, they moved with a mix of gentle grace and passionate intensity, twirling around and casting alluring glances in this direction.

Even Su Panyue, a woman, felt somewhat distracted and overwhelmed. Turning to look at the man on the dragon throne at the head of the table, she saw that his expression was indifferent and calm.

"Seriously, boss? You managed to resist watching this? Anyone who didn't know better would think you'd become a monk..."

Hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and concealed the smile that she couldn't suppress.

Seeing his reaction, the dancers danced even more energetically until the song ended.

The Yan envoy who had just spoken rose and greeted Xie Lanzhou with a respectful gesture from afar, smiling as he said:

"These ten dancers are the ten most famous beauties in our country. They are specially presented to Your Majesty, and we hope Your Majesty will accept them with pleasure."

Upon hearing this, Xie Lanzhou put the teacup he had just picked up back down.

Without even glancing at the women standing in a row before him, he asked in a cool tone, "What have you thought about the trade issue I just mentioned?"

The Yan envoy's smile froze on his face. Not understanding why he had suddenly changed his mind, he said cautiously, "This matter is of great importance and needs to be discussed carefully."

Xie Lanzhou's face turned cold, and even his voice became a few decibels lower: "Oh? Then I don't mind personally leading troops to discuss this with the Prince of Yan."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the envoys present changed drastically, and Yan Shao even slammed his fist on the table and stood up, saying, "Don't push your luck!"

Before Xie Lanzhou could react, he heard someone's inner thoughts:

Oh dear, the beauty is unhappy. He looks like a little lamb with his fur standing on end.

He closed his eyes, clenched the teacup in his hand, and smashed it. The sound of the porcelain shattering was exceptionally clear in the hall. The imposing aura of the person in charge made everyone in the hall afraid to even breathe.

"So what if I cheated you?" His tone was so calm, as if he were just talking about what to eat for dinner.

Su Panyue couldn't help but gasp: [This guy is too domineering!]

The other party was, after all, a prince of Yan, and had never suffered such humiliation before. He immediately turned and left, saying, "Since Daqi has no sincerity in cooperating, then there is nothing more to discuss!"

The Yan envoys standing nearby tried to stop him and whispered words of advice.

Xie Lanzhou glanced at them indifferently with his unfathomable eyes, as if he could see through everything they were thinking.

Although the Yan state was rich and prosperous, its territory was extremely small and its population was sparse. It was probably no match for the million-strong army of the Great Qi, which is why it had to compromise and come to negotiate peace.

Xie Lanzhou remained silent, watching the Yan envoys whisper among themselves, while several others exchanged glances with Prince Rui beside him.

Finally, the envoy representative who had spoken earlier stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, could you allow us to return and discuss this for half a day? We will give you an answer tomorrow."

Xie Lanzhou nodded: "Okay, leave him here." He pointed to Yan Shao, who was still standing there indignantly.

Although Yan Shao was originally a hostage sent over, there was no reason to detain him before the negotiations were even finalized. The Yan envoys looked at each other, all feeling that this was inappropriate, but they were intimidated by the aura of the person in charge and no one dared to say anything.

Yan Shao glared at him fiercely, then threw something with lightning speed, which landed accurately on the imperial steps where Xie Lanzhou was.

The spherical object landed with a cracking sound, followed by billowing smoke that quickly spread.

Seeing the scene exactly as in her dream, Su Panyue panicked and, disregarding whether it would attract attention, shouted, "Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!"

But the hall was in chaos, and amidst the noise and screams, no one paid attention to her cries.

She tried to find Xie Lanzhou, but the thick smoke made it impossible to see anything, and even breathing was difficult.

The sound of arrows whistling incessantly filled her ears, coming from all directions. Su Panyue's heart pounded, and she shouted "Be careful!" as she groped her way toward the dragon throne.

Suddenly someone grabbed her arm, startling her. She instinctively reached for the dagger she had prepared beforehand, but then she smelled the familiar ambergris and looked up to see that familiar handsome face.

So handsome.

Xie Lanzhou grabbed her wrist with one hand and pulled her behind him, while using his other hand to swing his sword and knock down a hidden arrow.

Su Panyue didn't want to be tempted by male beauty at such a tense and exciting moment. It was just that there were a few bloodstains on his face, which made him look cold and added a touch of bewitching beauty.

But she quickly stopped thinking about such things, because two assassins had already broken through the Jinyiwei's control and rushed to her side.

The first person to be attacked was slit in the throat by Xie Lanzhou before he could even get close, and blood gushed out and splattered all over the ground.

Before Su Panyue could react, everything went black and she fell backward.

Xie Lanzhou reacted swiftly, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his arms, but a sword suddenly thrust towards her.

He dodged to the side, the blade slicing a long wound on his arm. Xie Lanzhou didn't even flinch, and swung his sword back, severing the assassin's arm.

The Imperial Guards had already dealt with the assassins and arrived at the scene: "Your Majesty is injured? We will escort you back first!"

"Leave one alive." Xie Lanzhou left these words behind, then turned and left Xuanhua Palace with the unconscious Su Panyue in his arms.

Two guards followed, worried. Seeing Xie Lanzhou swaying slightly but not loosening his grip on the woman in his arms, they hesitated before speaking, "Your Majesty, you are injured. Shall we take her back?"

Xie Lanzhou ignored him, his steps growing heavier but still steady, and soon returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The imperial physician was already waiting there, and immediately went to greet him upon his return.

Xie Lanzhou didn't say a word. He gritted his teeth and put the woman in his arms on the bed. The next moment, he seemed to be unable to hold on any longer and collapsed.

*

When Su Panyue woke up again, she found herself lying on a chaise longue in a side hall of the Yangxin Hall. She rubbed her eyes, feeling a little uncomfortable, which attracted the attention of Lu Tingyu who was waiting beside her.

She got up and walked to the bedside, a hint of worry on her face: "You're awake? How are you feeling?"

Su Panyue felt dizzy and vaguely remembered that she was in Xuanhua Palace. Suddenly remembering something, she sat up abruptly and asked, "How did I get back? Where is His Majesty?"

Lu Tingyu: "His Majesty..." she choked up as she spoke.

Her reaction startled Su Panyue. Forgetting about how she ended up lying there, she swayed as she got up and put on her shoes to check on Xie Lanzhou.

Lu Tingyu tried to stop her, but only managed to grab a piece of clothing before she saw her leave in a hurry.

Su Panyue went straight into the main hall of Yangxin Hall through the small door she had used before.

Before they even reached the inner palace's sleeping quarters, they saw Eunuch Fu standing anxiously at the door.

She bowed and asked, "Eunuch Fu, is His Majesty inside?"

When Eunuch Fu saw her arrive, his expression was somewhat complicated. After hesitating for a few moments, he said, "Miss Su, please go back and rest. His Majesty is not seeing anyone right now."

Undeterred, Su Panyue asked, "How is His Majesty?"

Grandpa Fu shook his head without saying anything, but the worry in his eyes was unmistakable.

Su Panyue circled around the doorway, then bowed her head and pleaded, "Eunuch Fu, please let me in for a look, I beg you."

Eunuch Fu shook his head with difficulty. His Majesty was unconscious in the palace, so he would absolutely not let anyone in. If it were anyone else, he would have already had the guards throw them out. But this person, he really couldn't figure out His Majesty's intentions, so he could only offer gentle persuasion:

"Miss Su, please don't make things difficult for this old servant. Please go back."

Su Panyue still didn't give up and pleaded with him using all sorts of kind words.

As the two were struggling outside the palace gate, the gate opened and Imperial Physician Gao came out.

Su Panyue quickly peeked through the crack in the door, but could only see what appeared to be a person lying on the bed. Before she could see anything else, the door was closed tightly.

Physician Gao said, "You've recovered quite well; you're already jumping around again so quickly."

Su Panyue asked impatiently, "Lord Gao, is His Majesty injured? How badly is he injured?"

The imperial physician looked at her strangely: "Why don't you ask yourself why you fainted?"

If he hadn't mentioned it, Su Panyue would have forgotten about it herself, and that's why she asked, "Why?"

The imperial physician asked helplessly, "Haven't you realized you have a phobia of blood all these years?"

Su Panyue scratched her head, recalling the first time she witnessed Xie Lanzhou execute the emperor's brother-in-law. She had also suddenly fainted in the palace for some unknown reason, realizing that she was actually afraid of blood.

But that wasn't the point. She then asked, "Lord Gao, you haven't told me how His Majesty is."

The imperial physician, Gao, was so bothered by her that he finally said succinctly, "His Majesty fainted after sending you back."

Su Panyue was a little stunned. It was actually him who brought her back. In such a dangerous environment, he still managed to take care of her.

She wanted to ask His Majesty why he had fainted, but Imperial Physician Gao said, "I still need to prepare medicine. Are you sure you want to waste my time?"

Su Panyue let go of his hand and watched him leave in a hurry. She turned around and wanted to beg Eunuch Fu to let her in again, but when she saw his hesitant expression, she realized that Eunuch Fu did not trust her.

She gave a bitter smile and returned to the side hall she had just been in.

When Lu Tingyu saw her return, she handed her a glass of water: "Let's wait until His Majesty wakes up before discussing anything else. Eunuch Fu is only thinking about His Majesty's safety."

Su Panyue asked in confusion, "How do you know His Majesty is unconscious?"

Lu Tingyu looked at her with an expression as if she were an idiot: "If His Majesty were awake, would he not let you in?"

Unexpectedly, she heard her say that, and Su Panyue fell into deep thought. Did His Majesty treat her in such a special way?

With nothing to do, Su Panyue could only wait in the side hall. She ate some pastries to fill her stomach. Even though she was worried about Xie Lanzhou, she would never mistreat herself.

After eating and drinking her fill, she lay back on the chaise lounge, closed her eyes, and recalled the details of her previous dream. Comparing them with what happened today, there were some similarities, but they didn't quite match up.

For example, the fifth prince of Yan who appeared today was not among the envoys from Yan in the dream, and there was no talk of trade or commerce. In the dream, Xie Lanzhou rejected Yan's peace request almost without hesitation, which led to the assassination attempt on the spot, and there was no dance performance by the dancers.

There was another thing she remembered very clearly: in her dream, Xie Lanzhou was seriously injured, and palace servants brought out basins of bloody water one after another. All the imperial physicians, big and small, knelt on the ground, looking completely helpless.

However, when she peeked into the bedchamber, it seemed that only Imperial Physician Gao was there, with no other palace servants or physicians present. Does this mean that his injuries are not serious?

Su Panyue felt that her guess was reasonable and well-founded, and the tension in her heart gradually eased.

She relaxed so much that she accidentally fell asleep, until Lu Tingyu woke her up.

She was furious: "His Majesty is still unconscious, how can you still sleep?"

Su Panyue wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, blinked, and asked, "Is he awake now?"

Lu Tingyu rolled her eyes at her and said in an annoyed tone, "You're awake. I need to see you!"

Hearing that someone was awake, Su Panyue jumped up and rushed to his bedroom.

At this moment, only two guards remained outside the palace gate, and they did not stop her when she ran over.

Before she even arrived, her voice preceded her: "Your Majesty, are you alright? I was so worried about you!" Her voice took many detours.

When she entered the room, she found that Imperial Physician Gao and Eunuch Fu were standing by Xie Lanzhou's bed. The two of them looked up at her at the same time, and Su Panyue immediately regretted her "enthusiastic" behavior. She lowered her head and bowed respectfully, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

Xie Lanzhou hummed in agreement and waved for the other two to leave.

Su Panyue then looked up at Xie Lanzhou lying on the bed. The man's face was pale, and his usually rosy lips had lost their color, making him look weak and vulnerable.

Su Panyue's gaze swept over him, and she immediately noticed his arm wrapped in white cloth. She asked, "Your Majesty, is your arm injured?"

Xie Lanzhou nodded, then heard her continue, "Are there any other injuries?"

I remember it was a wound on my lower back in the dream.

Xie Lanzhou closed his eyes speechlessly, gritted his teeth and said, "No, I was only unconscious for a while because the knife was poisoned."

Su Panyue thought to herself: [It really is just like in my dream, but things are much better now.]

Hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou also recalled the dream that had previously troubled her, and frowned in thought.

Su Panyue still hesitated before asking, "Your Majesty, this poison..."

"It's alright, Imperial Physician Gao has already gone to prepare the antidote."

Remembering something else, Xie Lanzhou continued, "You should avoid going to these kinds of places in the future."

It seemed he knew about her fear of blood. Su Panyue lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly and said softly, "I heard that it was Your Majesty who saved this servant. Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xie Lanzhou asked, "How will you thank me?"

Su Panyue hadn't expected him to ask such a question, and in her heart she thought wildly, "[How should I thank you? How about I repay you with my body?]" Thinking this, she blushed.

Xie Lanzhou also curled the corners of his lips and urged, "Hmm?"

Looking at his expectant eyes, Su Panyue smiled and said, "Then this servant will take care of Your Majesty's daily life."

"Your arm is injured, so it must be difficult for you to shower. I wouldn't mind helping you out, hehe."

Not getting the answer he wanted, Xie Lanzhou said somewhat displeased, "Then go and pour me a glass of water first."

Su Panyue responded, walked to the table to pour a cup of tea, returned to the bedside, and helped him sit up.

He reached out to take it, but Su Panyue stopped him, saying, "Let me feed you."

Xie Lanzhou withdrew his hand, leaned against the bedside and waited for her to bring the blanket to his lips, then lowered his head and took a sip.

You know what, after he got injured, he's become a bit of a delicate, pretty boy type; it's really endearing.

"Cough, cough."

Upon hearing her thoughts, Xie Lanzhou choked on her water and started coughing.

Su Panyue quickly patted his back with her other hand to help him catch his breath.

[Look at those two coughs, they just sound like my weak, sickly husband.]

Xie Lanzhou's face darkened, his fingers clenched and then relaxed, and he lay back down.

"Aren't you going to drink anymore?" Su Panyue asked, puzzled.

Xie Lanzhou turned his head away, his tone cold and hard: "I need to rest. You may leave."

Su Panyue didn't know why he was suddenly unhappy, but she was reluctant to leave, so she said, "Your Majesty, please rest. I will stay here and keep watch over you. I will not disturb you."

Then she really didn't say anything more, just sat quietly by the footstool on the edge of the bed, seemingly obedient, but her inner thoughts were in turmoil:

"My husband, don't worry, I'll sell everything I own to get you treatment."

Xie Lanzhou, unable to bear it any longer, said in a deep voice, "Get out of here."

Lost in her own thoughts, Su Panyue was startled. She didn't know why this ancestor was suddenly so fierce. She responded softly, got up, and left without looking back.

Xie Lanzhou snapped his fingers, and the Seventeenth Guard appeared before him: "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

"When you investigated her before, did she have... a husband?"

Seventeen hesitated for a moment, then remembered the task His Majesty had given her, and asked tentatively, "Is His Majesty asking about Miss Su?"

Xie Lanzhou gave a somewhat awkward "hmm".

Seventeen understood, and replied in his usual calm voice, "Your Majesty, according to my investigation, although many people are fond of Miss Su, she is not married. Your Majesty can rest assured."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Xie Lanzhou glanced at him sideways: "Are you itching for a beating?"

Seventeen quickly lowered his head: "This subordinate dares not."

Xie Lanzhou cracked his knuckles: "Investigate again, including her life before she entered the palace."

Seventeen accepted the order and left. Eunuch Fu then brought in a bowl of medicine: "Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine."

Xie Lanzhou took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp. Seeing that Eunuch Fu was still standing to the side, he asked, "Is there anything else?"

Eunuch Fu hesitated before handing over a paper package. Xie Lanzhou took it and opened it, finding a few candied fruits inside. He raised an eyebrow in confusion: "Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? When have I ever eaten these?"

Eunuch Fu quickly apologized, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was Miss Su who insisted that this old servant deliver it. I thought it was a token of her affection..."

"This old servant will take it now."

Xie Lanzhou cleared his throat: "Never mind, just leave it here."

Eunuch Fu responded and then asked about the important matter: "Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard captured three of the assassins alive today."

Xie Lanzhou asked, "What about those envoys?"

Eunuch Fu: "Several died on the spot, leaving five, including the fifth prince of Yan. Do you wish to interrogate him personally?"

Xie Lanzhou lowered his eyes: "No rush, let them suffer a bit first, I have plenty of time to waste with them."

Then he continued, "Now prepare water and call Su Panyue to serve."

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Author's Note: Thank you all for your support! We're finally going to be a paid service! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]

Updates will be normal tomorrow, but there will be a break on the 17th. I'll try to update daily afterwards. Please favorite, comment, and give me some support! [kiss][kiss]