How much effort and entanglement was involved (Part 1)

The cool water droplets moistened her parched lips and tongue. Zhiwei greedily sipped the water, drinking several cups of water in a row with Zhu Liji's help.

When she finally regained consciousness and saw the person in front of her clearly, Zhiwei's pupils shrank sharply, as if she had seen something extremely terrifying, and her body shrank back abruptly.

The pain from her wound made her gasp, and she realized that she was not dreaming. Zhu Liji was staring at her with piercing eyes.

Zhiwei instinctively flinched back, but Zhu Liji grabbed her by the back of the neck like a chick, pulling her closer. After another period of silence and scrutiny, Zhu Liji pressed down on Zhiwei's shoulders and said, word by word, "All these years, have you ever realized your mistakes?"

Zhiwei opened and closed her mouth, thinking carefully in her heart, before she finally understood what Zhu Liji meant by "wrong".

Zhiwei tried to get up, but she was too weak, so she simply used her elbows to support herself on the ground.

“…If Your Majesty thinks I am wrong, then I am wrong.” Zhiwei lowered her head and said hoarsely.

Zhu Liji felt no pleasure upon hearing this. The person in front of him hadn't even given him a second glance, showing no genuine remorse whatsoever.

Zhu Liji tightened his grip on Zhiwei's nape: "Stubborn and unyielding."

He suddenly ripped open Zhiwei's clothes, revealing the bruises and welts underneath. A mocking smile crept onto his lips. The newly added wounds from the caning were still oozing blood. Old scars were layered with new wounds, like a hideous map.

"Even after being beaten, he's still so stubborn. Look at him, he's lost everything."

One should remain silent when one senses something is amiss.

Zhu Liji chuckled softly, his fingertip brushing against the shallowest old scar: "The Crown Prince is quite kind-hearted. After thirty strokes of the cane, he can't even spare a decent bottle of wound medicine for you? It seems that your aunt isn't very important to him."

"And you even pleaded for him," Zhu Liji said, closing Zhiwei's collar. "Do you regret it now?"

Zhiwei took a breath, her chest burning with pain, but her expression remained unchanged, and her tone was calm: "His Highness the Crown Prince has been punished by His Majesty with confinement, so he naturally cannot come in person, but he has already sent someone to deliver medicine."

Zhiwei moved her gaze with difficulty, looking at the simple wooden table in the room. Several different kinds of porcelain bottles and medicine packets were piled on the table, taking up almost a corner.

“Your Majesty, please see, this servant has not been wronged,” Zhiwei said.

Zhu Liji glanced lazily at the pile of medicine, snorted, as if he couldn't be bothered to bother with such a small thing. He then pressed a slightly lighter old scar on her shoulder with his fingertip: "You have a thick skin, but thin flesh. This little injury would have scabbed over long ago if it were someone in the army."

Zhu Liji lowered his hand and casually wiped it on his clothes: "Why don't you beg me? Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll give you some of the scar-removing medicine that the Imperial Medical Bureau specially supplies. After all, you're a woman, and you still want your skin to be clean, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhiwei twitched the corners of her mouth, her laughter tinged with sorrow: "This servant is thick-skinned and tough, how can she compare to His Majesty's preciousness?"

That means refusing to plead for mercy.

Zhu Liji's voice turned colder: he changed the subject and focused on Zhiwei's wounds again: "You are unwilling to plead for yourself, but you are loyal to the Crown Prince and willing to risk everything."

Zhu Liji's tone was ambiguous, neither praising nor sarcastic. Zhiwei didn't want to ponder the deeper meaning of his words any longer. "Protecting His Highness is my duty," she said simply.

"Your duty?" Zhu Liji's voice suddenly turned cold, tinged with sneer. "Then where was your duty back in the Hall of Mental Cultivation when you stood beside Li Mingjing, accused Wang Miaoxiao, and opposed me?"

"Am I not your master? Or are you only outwardly obedient, but have long since betrayed me behind my back?" Zhu Liji pinched Zhiwei's chin.

Why was she standing next to Li Mingjing? Was that even a question? Zhiwei pursed her lips sadly, but instead asked an unexpected question.

"How could Your Majesty know... that at that time, wasn't this servant being loyal to you?" Zhiwei looked at Zhu Liji, as if trying to see more through him.

"This servant only wants to know the truth." Zhiwei smiled and met Zhu Liji's eyes. After many years, the two met each other's gazes again, and Zhiwei's phoenix eyes were still astonishingly bright.

"Besides, how does Your Majesty know that I am disloyal, how does Your Majesty know that I will not risk everything for Your Majesty?"

This time, it was Zhu Liji's turn to remain silent.

He paused, staring at her for a long while before asking seriously, "Are you willing to risk your life for me?"

Zhu Liji's fingers, which were gripping her chin, tightened unconsciously. The tent fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the occasional crackling of the oil lamp.

Some are waiting for an answer, while others are unwilling to bring it up again.

“Your Majesty’s question is rather pointless. Before the knife strikes, who knows if they will dodge? Similarly, until the matter is directly in front of someone…” Zhiwei raised her eyes, “These are all hypothetical scenarios that do not exist. Even if I answer, Your Majesty may not believe me.”

Zhiwei couldn't hold on any longer; waves of excruciating pain in her back and dizziness from the high fever washed over her. She tried to move, wanting to crawl back onto the hard, uncomfortable wooden plank bed, but her vision went black as soon as she exerted any effort.

Since no one would help her, Zhiwei simply gave up, pressed her face against the cold ground, curled up, her inner clothes loose, revealing a slender and fragile neck, and fell into a deep sleep.

"I've noticed that your health has been declining over the years." Zhu Liji's voice came from above, as if he was still talking about something, about the court, about the loneliness and balance that no one could understand... The words drifted into Zhiwei's ears, but were as blurry as if separated by a thick layer of water.

Her consciousness was fading, and her last sensation before sinking into darkness was that a slightly cool finger was gently and slowly poking her cheek.

——

Zhiwei woke up to a faint scent of sandalwood.

The skin beneath me was soft and dry, and before me lay a fine private room.

She was stunned for a while before realizing that she was lying in bed, wearing clean and soft undergarments, and even the burning pain in her back had lessened considerably, replaced by a cool, medicinal sensation.

The curtain was gently lifted a corner, revealing Pinghai's respectful face: "Aunt Yan, you're awake? Would you like some congee?"

Zhiwei blinked, looking completely bewildered: "Eunuch Ping, what is this..." Her voice was still hoarse.

“This is in Shu County. Aunt, you were unconscious for a whole day and night,” Pinghai explained.

Pinghai smiled appropriately: "Congratulations, Aunt. His Majesty has shown you favor by transferring you back to serve in the Imperial Palace. From now on, you will be working for His Majesty. As for the Eastern Palace, a reliable person has been sent there instead."

Zhiwei struggled to sit up, but upon hearing this, it was as if something was gripping her tightly, and her body suddenly sank. Pinghai quickly stepped forward and offered a helping hand.

Zhiwei remained stunned for a long time. Was he being transferred back to the imperial court? What was Zhu Liji up to?

Zhiwei lay back down on the bed to rest, pondering the problem but unable to find a solution until dusk. Zhu Liji then entered the small hut that had been temporarily allocated to her for recuperation.

Zhu Liji excused her from the formalities, and after the others withdrew, Zhiwei asked directly, "Did I do something wrong? Why did His Majesty transfer me away from the Eastern Palace?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is currently injured and needs someone to take care of him."

Zhu Liji glanced at Zhiwei indifferently: "It's just a minor injury. The Crown Prince has physicians by his side, but can't he do without someone who treats even bandaging like wrapping a radish?"

"That's not what I meant." Zhiwei frowned. This trip was long, and Zhu Sheng, being a young man, often needed the care of close confidants.

But the person in front of him was the emperor, and Zhu Sheng was the crown prince. He was afraid that someone might cause trouble, so he couldn't say too much and had to keep it to himself.

"This servant is foolish and ignorant; please give me a reason, Your Majesty," Zhiwei said earnestly.

Zhu Liji looked at her silently, his gaze unfathomable: "The Eastern Palace is sometimes more dangerous than my own palace."

Zhu Liji's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "The Crown Prince cannot forever hide behind a woman's arms. He is the heir apparent and should learn to see the storms ahead and stand firm on his own."

"Moreover," Zhu Liji's expression deepened, "your presence will hinder his growth. The crown prince of our Great Zhao does not need a weakness."

Zhiwei was stunned.

Looking at Zhu Liji's cold, hard profile, she suddenly understood something.

He didn't want to isolate her from Zhu Sheng; he felt that Zhu Sheng was too dependent on her and needed to sever that dependence, forcing Zhu Sheng to grow up quickly and face all the visible and invisible attacks.

That's fine...

"This servant understands," Zhiwei said softly, lowering her eyelashes.

Zhu Liji interrupted her, saying, "You don't truly understand yet."

Zhu Liji stared at her: "Do you know why I wanted you to come back?"

Zhiwei pursed her lips and did not answer.

Zhu Liji took a few steps closer, then simply lifted his robe and sat down beside Zhiwei.

A shadow fell.

“Do you remember ‘Black Lightning’? My fiery steed from my early years. It was like a raging fire, and no ordinary person could get close to it. I spent three whole years training it like a hawk, tempering it until it recognized only me and became the most untamed yet most loyal mount in the world.” Zhu Liji’s fingertips almost touched Zhiwei’s cheek as he whispered in her ear, “I think you are the same.”

"Does Your Majesty mean that you also want to completely tame this servant's heart?" Zhiwei finally understood; this was what they were waiting for. Indeed, Zhu Liji was such a vengeful and stubborn person; once he set his mind on something, or wanted to tame someone, he would never give up halfway.

Zhiwei raised an eyebrow and curled the corners of her lips: "Then, I wonder how Your Majesty intends to tame this servant? Will you tame her like those beasts?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Liji's lips curled into a slight smile: "You are indeed clever. But do you consider yourself an animal?"

“This servant is certainly not a beast, but in His Majesty’s eyes, perhaps I am not even as good as a beast.” Zhiwei fluttered her eyelashes, simply let go of the brocade quilt she was clutching, made a space on the bed, and bowed her head in greeting. “This servant is just a plaything. His Majesty can do whatever he wants. This servant has nothing to say.”

Zhiwei replied calmly, her face expressionless.

Everything was going according to plan, which made Zhu Liji happy. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his cheerful demeanor.

"It's good that you know," Zhu Liji said.