"Your Majesty, why don't you rest for a while?"

Early in the morning, Sanhezi came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to relieve Sanshu. Upon learning that Qin Jue had not slept all night, he went to Qin Jue's side.

"You stay here and look after the little princess. I'm going to take a bath."

After a night, Qin Jue saw that Xiao Xi'er's fever had subsided and she was much better, so Qin Jue decided to take a bath first.

Otherwise, he'd have to keep wearing clothes covered in Xiao Xi'er's vomit. Qin Jue wouldn't admit it, but he didn't want Xiao Xi'er to wake up to find her father filthy.

Give it to me.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Qin Jue didn't immediately take the medicine bowl. Instead, he went to the bedside, wrapped Xiao Xi'er in a blanket, and held her in his arms before having Chunhe give him the medicine.

Qin Jue, after receiving the medicine bowl, scooped up a spoonful of medicine, blew on it to make sure it wasn't too hot, and then slowly fed it to Xiao Xi'er.

While unconscious, Xiao Xi'er felt something enter her mouth and instinctively licked it with her tongue.

Upon licking it, she discovered it wasn't sweet, but bitter. Still unconscious, Xiao Xi'er immediately spat out the medicine in her mouth, her brow furrowing.

Qin Jue, who was holding Xiao Xi'er, saw that Xiao Xi'er had vomited up the medicine, so he took a towel and wiped the medicine from the corners of Xiao Xi'er's mouth and chin.

Then, he scooped up another spoonful of medicine and brought it to Xiaoxi'er's lips. Xiaoxi'er took a small sip and felt that it was still bitter, so she immediately pushed the medicine out.

Qin Jue continued wiping with the towel, then tried to feed Xiao Xi'er her medicine, but Xiao Xi'er vomited it all up.

Qin Jue held the medicine bowl in his hand and pondered for a while, then brought the bowl to his lips and took a sip.

Then, with a furrowed brow and remaining silent, the women in the palace, including Sanhezi and Chunhe, saw Qin Jue's displeasure and knelt down in fear.

However, Qin Jue's heart was not as calm as it appeared. What kind of medicine was this? It was so bitter! Was it even fit for human consumption? No wonder Xiao Xi'er didn't want to drink it. If it were my own medicine, I wouldn't want to drink it either. It's been a while since I drank it, and my tongue, throat, and entire mouth still tasted bitter.

Seeing that Qin Jue didn't utter a single word, the group didn't dare to even breathe.

"Sanhezi, go tell Feng Feng to find a way to make the medicine sweeter."

"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will go immediately."

"You may all leave."

Seeing the people kneeling on the ground, Qin Jue felt inexplicably irritated and told them to leave.

Qin Jue held Xiao Xi'er in his arms, gently smoothing the frown on her brow caused by the bitter taste of the medicine with his index finger.

————

"Feng, please advise that His Majesty instruct you to make the medicine for the princess a little sweeter."

Feng Feng, who was brewing medicine for Xiao Xi'er, stopped fanning the fire and turned to look at Sanhezi.

"Third Master, good medicine tastes bitter, how can there be any sweet medicine here?"

"Well...why doesn't Feng suggest we think of a solution ourselves?"

After speaking, Sanhezi immediately ran away, leaving Feng Feng, who was brewing medicine, sitting on the stool in a daze.

It wasn't until a young apprentice came over and reminded Feng Feng that the medicine was almost boiled dry that Feng Feng came back to his senses.

Feng Feng stood up resignedly and returned to the pharmacy to re-prescribe the medicine and start brewing it again.

——————

After the medicine was brewed, he personally carried it to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Feng Feng handed the medicine to Qin Jue, saying, "Your Majesty, this medicine was just re-prescribed by me."

Hearing that it was Feng Feng who had prescribed it again, Qin Jue, who was holding Xiao Xi'er, picked up the bowl of medicine and took a sip first.

He then clicked his tongue, frowning in dissatisfaction, "Why is it still so bitter? Didn't I tell you to have it sweet?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Feng immediately knelt down. "Oh, Your Majesty, good medicine tastes bitter. This is the least bitter medicine I've ever had."

"quack"

Qin Jue, holding the medicine, parted his thin lips slightly and, without even looking at it, began to berate Feng Feng.

Feng, the quack doctor, bowed and scraped, "Your Majesty is right."

"snort"

Qin Jue could only try to feed Xiao Xi'er the medicine this way, but Xiao Xi'er still wouldn't drink it. Qin Jue glanced at Feng Feng kneeling on the ground and called out...

"Come here and bring me my medicine."

"Yes, yes, yes. Your humble servant will come immediately."

Feng Feng stood up, walked up to Qin Jue, and took the bowl of medicine from Qin Jue's hand.

Qin Jue scooped up a spoonful of medicine, blew on it, and then gently pried open Xiao Xi'er's mouth with his other hand, slowly putting the medicine into her mouth.

Then he used his hand to close Xiao Xi'er's mouth. Seeing that Xiao Xi'er was about to spit out the medicine again, Qin Jue threatened her.

"If you dare spit out your medicine, you won't get any good food anymore."

The unconscious Xiao Xi'er seemed to understand, and slowly drank the medicine.

Qin Jue fed Xiao Xi'er half a bowl of medicine, and with each sip, Xiao Xi'er's eyebrows furrowed.

After feeding, Qin Jue called Xia Ju over.

"Where is the goat milk I asked you to prepare?"

"Here, Your Majesty," Xia Ju said, carrying a bowl of goat's milk to Qin Jue.

Qin Jue picked up a spoon, scooped up some goat milk, and started feeding it to Xiao Xi'er.

This time, Xiaoxi tasted something sweet and drank it without any resistance.

After Xiao Xi'er drank most of a bowl of goat milk, Qin Jue wiped her mouth, then placed her on the dragon bed, covered her with the quilt, and turned his gaze back to Feng Feng.

"Come here and let the little princess take a look."

"yes"

Feng Feng didn't dare hesitate at all. He placed the bowl of medicine in his hand onto the tray of goat milk that Xia Ju was holding, then went to the bedside to take Xiao Xi'er's pulse.

After taking her pulse, Feng Feng bowed respectfully to Qin Jue and said, "Your Majesty, the little princess's fever has subsided. She just needs to take her medicine on time."

"Your Majesty, please remember not to let the little princess indulge in the cold again."

"Understood, you may leave."

Qin Jue waved his hand, signaling Feng Feng to leave.

After Feng Feng left, Qin Jue turned his attention to Chunhe, Xiaju, and the others, and began to settle accounts.

What happened?

The women immediately knelt down, heads bowed, and said, "This servant/this humble servant did not know."

"I've noticed that you've all really forgotten what you're supposed to be doing lately."

"Two days ago, Chunhe, you took the princess out of the palace. These past few days, you haven't taken good care of her, and she's developed a fever."

The servants bowed their heads as low as they could, saying, "We know we were wrong, Your Majesty, please punish us."

Qin Jue twirled the jade thumb ring on his hand and said impatiently.

"In that case, each of you shall receive fifty strokes of the cane."

"This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

The group then withdrew.

Qin Jue actually wanted Chunhe and Xiaju dead, but considering that Chunhe and Xiaju were Xiao Liyan's people, and that Xiao Xi'er also had feelings for these three, he didn't take their heads, but instead chose to have them flogged.

The sound of a slapping board echoed outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation. None of the three being beaten cried out, afraid of disturbing Xiao Xi'er.

One hour later

The unconscious Xiaoxi'er's eyelashes trembled slightly a few times, and then she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing I saw was Qin Jue's face.

"Dad... cough cough..."

Qin Jue, who was dozing off with his head propped up, opened his eyes when he heard Xiao Xi'er's voice.

"Little Xi'er is awake. Don't talk, or your throat will hurt."

"Sanhezi, bring me a bowl of warm water."