The camp was not yet set up.

Shang Xiye and the little bandit returned to the carriage first.

"We haven't even returned to the capital yet, and the Emperor and Empress Dowager have already launched a fierce attack. Once we get back, there will surely be turbulent waves and bloodshed." Shang Xiye held the little bandit's soft hand and gently advised, "My little wife, I know you are kind-hearted, but at this time, we can't leave any more hidden dangers around us."

Ji Fengyao knew he was referring to Lin Shuang, and a faint sadness flashed in her eyes. She said, "If she had been an enemy from the beginning, I would never have shown any mercy, nor would I have been sad. But she was originally of one mind with me, and then she gradually drifted away from me. I can't help but feel a little sad. However, Your Highness need not worry. I am not the kind of person who is indecisive and only realizes things when death is imminent."

"There are millions of people in this world, and there are countless people with different ambitions and paths. What is yours will stay with you automatically, and what is not yours will not stay no matter how hard you try to keep it. My little wife, you don't need to worry about these passersby." Shang Xiye hugged the little bandit girl tightly with heartache and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

His embrace was warm and comforting.

His words were gentle and sweet.

The slight sadness that had risen in Ji Fengyao's heart because of Lin Shuang was instantly dispelled.

but……

Then Shang Xiye whispered softly in her ear, "Once we've settled things in the capital, we'll settle down in Cangzhou. Then we'll have two more lovely children, and our family will live a lively and peaceful life, never again bothering with the intrigues and ruthless schemes in the court."

This was the second time Shang Xiye had brought up the matter of the child so seriously.

Ji Fengyao felt a slight prick in her heart, and she got up to look at Shang Xiye with a wronged expression.

Shang Xiye had never seen her look so aggrieved, and he was immediately flustered: "What's wrong? Did you hear that childbirth is very painful and you're afraid of the pain? If you don't want it, we can not have it. We can have it whenever you want it."

"No," Ji Fengyao shook her head.

She wasn't a fragile person, but when she heard Shang Xiye so sincerely want a child, she couldn't help but want to cry for no reason.

"What's wrong?" Shang Xiye asked anxiously.

He wanted to slap himself a few times!

Knowing full well that his wife is still young, and he has no intention of having children with her right now, why is he even bringing up the topic of children!

Ji Fengyao lowered her head with great guilt and stammered, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, there's something I haven't told you yet. We... may not have a child in the near future. I've been poisoned."

"It's alright, I wasn't planning on doing this right now..." Shang Xiye hurriedly tried to appease his wife, but only caught the key point halfway through his sentence: "Poisoning! What kind of poison! When did this happen! Do you know how to cure it?!"

He gripped her arms tightly, as if afraid she would vanish into thin air if he let go.

“It was during the Tongyou time…” Ji Fengyao recounted the whole story of how she was poisoned, looking at Shang Xiye with a pitiful expression, and said, “At the time, I hadn’t decided whether I wanted to go with you, and then all sorts of things happened one after another, so I didn’t find a suitable opportunity to tell you about it.”

"Silly girl!" Shang Xiye pulled the little bandit into his arms with extreme heartache, his unusually deep voice trembling slightly, "How can this be your fault? It's my fault for letting you suffer such great harm, yet you remained oblivious! Yet you still..."

Yet, he still harbored a sliver of hope for those relatives who were like jackals and tigers!

Little did they know, they had long been determined to kill him off and wipe out his entire family!