He has a home again.
Pei Zhaoying knew that the escape posture might be indecent and it would be embarrassing if someone discovered it.
But she just wants to survive!
Even ants try to survive.
After the wheelchair caught fire, Pei Zhaoying had no choice but to abandon this tool that she had to rely on. It was not beautiful and elegant, but she leaned on her front limbs and tried her best to stimulate her legs, which had only a slight sense of pain, to move towards the door.
She didn't know how much black smoke she had choked on, but her throat couldn't make a sound.
However, she brought the most crucial evidence of the fire and pushed over all the vases at hand, hoping that the crackling noise would alert the palace maids sent away by Pei Heng.
Embarrassing, but not shameful.
The one who should be ridiculed is the murderer who set up the trap behind the scenes.
Fate was besieging her. Every time she faced a crisis, Pei Zhaoying felt so exhausted that she wanted to give up everything she had.
The stubbornness in her bones that refused to give up made her decide to live towards death.
At least, today she and Xiao Bo rode in a carriage together, holding hands and appearing in front of people with smiles on their faces.
I really want to go home with him, just like when we came here...
Although the outer robe was taken off, the inner shirt was soon not spared and was also burned by the flames.
The bluestone floor was burning hot. Pei Zhaoying propped up her face with her arm. It didn't take long for her to smell the cooked meat.
There was also the smoke that kept being inhaled into his lungs... Pei Zhaoying coughed and coughed, and could only feel the despair of suffocation, and the strength to cough also disappeared in the struggle.
She seemed to hear someone coming.
Someone came to rescue her.
That must be Xiao Bo.
Pei Zhaoying opened her mouth, but her vocal cords could not make any sound. However, she was finally able to close her eyes peacefully and completely.
"I found you, Sakura."
Xiao Bo reached out and picked her up, then wiped Pei Zhaoying's little face, which was stained with black and gray. She loved cleanliness so much that she would definitely feel uncomfortable if it got dirty.
Fortunately, he found her.
His hands were covered with blisters caused by the burning flames.
After finding the person, Xiao Bo didn't dare to stay in the fire for long. After everything that could be burned was burned out, the fire became smaller. He held his breath as usual, protected the person in his arms, and escaped in one go.
During this time, his back was hit by many shelves and flower pots, which only caused his body to stagnate slightly.
After escaping, from his expression, it was not obvious that Xiao Bo was injured. Xiao Bo called out in a hoarse voice:
"Imperial Physician."
Lu Yunqi had already prepared with her colleagues with a sad face. Patients with severe burns could not be moved casually. She directed people to place Pei Zhaoying on the soft satin on the ground and check his injuries.
"Master Xiao Bo, the burns on your body..." Xiao Bo was still standing there as if nothing had happened, and Lu Yunqi devoted his attention to caring for him.
His back was already covered in horrible blood stains and yellow fluid from burst blisters, which could be seen through his clothes.
"It's alright, Your Highness..."
"I'm angry, I'm angry. Master Xiao Bo, please have someone apply medicine to your back."
Lu Yunqi checked Pei Zhaoying's breathing and felt relieved. While treating Pei Zhaoying's burns, he asked the inmates of the Imperial Hospital to apply medicine to Xiao Bo.
Pei Heng heaved a sigh of relief, fortunately his two men were not killed, and then he said to Xiao Bo earnestly:
"Thankfully, my sister is safe! This fire was caused by strange circumstances. Lord Xiao Bo has solved countless cases and will surely find the culprit who caused trouble in the palace, avenge my sister, and cleanse the palace of its filth."
Xiao Bo took a deep breath and used all his life's cultivation to not shake off Pei Heng's hand in disgust.
It was all his fault that Pei Zhaoying was repeatedly put in danger.
He couldn't even raise his head to reveal his contempt and disgust for Pei Heng.
Lu Yunqi simply checked Pei Zhaoying's injuries. She fainted because she was suffocated by the smoke. She was fine as she could breathe, but she inhaled a lot of thick smoke, which might have hurt her throat.
As for the burns on other parts of the body, it was inconvenient to treat them in front of others. Lu Yunqi and other female doctors pulled a curtain to block the man's sight, cut open the clothes that stuck Pei Zhaoying and her flesh together, and poured medicine powder on the bloody piece of flesh to bandage it.
Xiao Bo was a little glad that Pei Zhaoying didn't have to stay awake and endure this pain that was comparable to torture!
He raised the warm jade that Pei Zhaoying had been holding tightly in her hand before she fell unconscious, and asked slowly and clearly:
"Who started this fire?"
Marquis Huaiyang felt that things were not going well, but he still had some hope. A piece of jade alone was not enough solid evidence.
Xiao Yucheng could no longer wait to draw his sword and pointed it directly at the Marquis of Huaiyang's throat:
"You were the one who started the fire. You are so bold that you attempted to murder His Majesty. This is treason!"
Xiao Yucheng was extremely bold as he dared to draw his sword in front of the emperor in the palace.
Pei Heng was startled, and the commander of the Palace Front Division also held his sword to protect him behind him.
"You're spewing blood..."
The Marquis of Huaiyang had not yet finished his sentence.
Xiao Yucheng raised his sword and stabbed him through the heart. Afraid that the fat and strong Marquis Huaiyang was not killed by one sword, he continued to strike him with several more swords after the fat had shrunken down. Even a pig would be deader than dead under this sword attack.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Everyone was stunned.
Only later did the more timid palace maids cover their faces and scream and cry.
No one could have imagined that someone would actually kill people at will in the palace, and the person killed was a prince with royal blood.
The blood sprayed far away, splashing all over Xiao Yucheng's face and onto Pei Heng's bright yellow dragon robe.
The gleaming embroidered golden dragon was stained blood-red, looking eerie and terrifying.
Pei Heng's legs felt a little weak.
Xiao Yucheng knelt down and pleaded guilty: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! The Marquis of Huaiyang set fire to the imperial palace and committed treason, which is a heinous crime against all nine clans. I beg you to eliminate the remaining rebels in the imperial city, send troops to Huaiyang, purge the traitors, and restore order to Your Majesty's great country!"
Xiao Yucheng does not stick to the rules when doing things. This time he was caught by accident. He wanted to find an excuse to get rid of Huaiyang Hou before he could react. Even if Huaiyang Hou did not set fire to the house and rebel, he could not spare his life.
Pei Heng's eyes widened, and he took a long time to utter the word "accurate".
Xiao Yucheng immediately took the order and left, dispatching troops to wipe out the enemy completely.
The body of Marquis Huaiyang was dragged away, and the flowing blood was not cleaned up. The fishy smell and bright red color were nauseating.
Pei Heng climbed onto Xiao Bo's sleeve, finally unable to suppress his panic:
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law! Would you and my sister stay in the palace to accompany me for a while? When I was young, my sister slept on the floor outside the Yangxin Palace to accompany me all night. You saw that, that daring traitor... He! He's capable of anything!"
Pei Heng's neck felt cold and had goose bumps, as if Xiao Yucheng was about to raise his sword and chop him there.
Xiao Bo pulled his sleeve out of Pei Heng's hand inch by inch.
He didn't want to care about Pei Heng's life or death at all.
Pei Heng's panic at this moment actually added to his indescribable pleasure.
Anyone who owes Pei Zhaoying something shouldn't have an easy time!
Xiao Bo suppressed his sarcasm towards Pei Heng for reaping what he had sown, and stared at the imperial physician applying medicine to Pei Zhaoying behind the curtain. He lowered his eyes to hide his disgust and responded indifferently.
"Your Majesty is supreme, why should you be so flustered by the disrespectful actions of this traitor? I believe that the people in the Palace Guard are loyal to Your Majesty and guard you day and night. Your Majesty, the eldest princess has just suffered this disaster and is unconscious. Please allow me to take her back to your residence to recuperate. I truly cannot bear to let her leave her familiar home while she is injured. Please show me mercy! Look at Your Majesty, she has suffered such an unprovoked disaster. How pitiful!"
Xiao Bo didn't ridicule Pei Heng openly, but he used subtle sarcasm to make Pei Heng blush and turn pale.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Pei Zhaoying had once again saved the emperor from disaster.
When Xiao Bo learned that it was Pei Heng who put Pei Zhaoying in life and death danger, he lost his mind. At that moment, an idea that was even more outrageous than Xiao Yucheng's wolfish ambition flashed through his mind.
"Yes, yes, the Imperial Sister should be allowed to recover properly. I was inconsiderate at the time. I was just angry that Xiao and Cheng had no respect for the superiors. As a ruler, how could I be easily frightened by someone who had murdered someone in the palace with a weapon..."
Pei Heng was feeling guilty, and seeing that Xiao Bo and his wife were indeed pitiful, he agreed to Xiao Bo's request. He also specially ordered Lu Yunqi, who was accustomed to Pei Zhaoying, to stay at the mansion until he was sure that Pei Zhaoying had overcome the difficulties.
However, as soon as Xiao Bo disappeared, Pei Heng fell into fear again, his steps became unsteady, and he ordered the commander of the Palace Front Division to protect him closely day and night, and the imperial guards to be on standby at all times.
"Your Highness's burns are not serious. There are no major injuries to the skin and flesh, only small burns on the thighs and arms. Therefore, your life is safe. As long as you can wake up in time, everything will be fine. Remember, keep the wound away from water and avoid pressure. Change the bandage frequently."
Lu Yunqi gave instructions on every detail.
Pei Zhaoying was carried back by Xiao Bo himself and placed back on the large bed, breathing weakly.
With tears in her eyes, Qiluo carefully changed Pei Zhaoying into a clean and refreshing inner garment, trying her best not to touch her bloody wounds. Xiao Bo stared at Pei Zhaoying's haggard face infatuatedly, wrung out a towel and wiped it bit by bit, restoring her face to its usual clean state.
"Doctor Lu, when I married His Highness, I brought dozens of rare medicines. Among them were hemostatic herbs whose medicinal properties should be far superior to those in the palace's inventory. For His Highness' sake, there's no need to beat around the bush or be polite. Just go ahead and get whatever you can use and make medicine."
Xiao Bo directly gave Lu Yunqi the key to the warehouse in his mansion.
Lu Yunqi knew it was not the time to refuse, so he nodded and followed the servants' instructions to get the medicine and make the medicine.
The prince, who was good at talking and laughing, went to the palace and experienced the torture of life and death. How could the old people in the mansion left to her by Pei Zhaoying's parents feel about this? The head aunt, Nanny Sun, and three other maids lined up and kowtowed to Xiao Bo.
"Everyone says that your Highness's life was saved by your husband from a fire. I have nothing to offer, but I can only express my gratitude to your husband for his great kindness!"
"Your Highness has been treated like an eyeball by us since he was little! If the old prince and princess are still alive, I wonder how heartbroken they must be. I thank you, Prince Consort, for saving my life! Our prince has suffered so much, all alone with no one truly caring about him. Your Highness's second half of life depends entirely on you, Prince Consort!"
"My dear Prince Consort, let me speak from the bottom of my heart. Your Highness has been cursed by villains and has always been plotted against. That's why when you first came into the mansion, we didn't dare to be open with you and were very wary of you. But after seeing your deep affection for Your Highness in times of crisis, I, this old servant, will not hesitate to sacrifice my life for you."
Xiao Bo had never seen such a scene before and was stunned at first.
These maids were old enough to be his grandmothers, but he had never experienced the feeling of being praised, thanked, or cherished by his elders.
He didn't quite know how to respond normally, and was at a loss for a few breaths. Then he thought that these were the old people who had taken care of Pei Zhaoying when she grew up. His heart softened, and he hurriedly helped the weeping maids up.
"Mammies, it's too formal for you to say that. Your Highness and I...are one and the same. Taking care of Your Highness is my duty. Please get up quickly, maids. Otherwise, Your Highness won't be able to rest in peace while he's on his sickbed."
A strange feeling passed through his heart, as if it was... warmth?
Nanny Sun, who was in the lead, wiped her tears. Considering that Pei Zhaoying was still recovering from her injuries, she stopped sobbing and took the lead in expressing her loyalty to Xiao Bo:
"Don't worry, Prince Consort. From now on, no one in this mansion will dare to give you a hard time. To go against you is to go against His Highness and everyone in the mansion."
Xiao Bo didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Mammy, you're too kind. I'm doing well. No one has ever given me any hardship."
Nanny Sun held Xiao Bo's hand, like a kind and gentle elder, and whispered about Pei Zhaoying's childhood. At the end, she tearfully advised:
"Once a woman marries, she must be humble and subservient, enduring humiliation and being inferior to her husband's family. These days, from what I've seen, the Prince Consort is a very easygoing person. The old prince and princess died on the battlefield, leaving only this little bloodline behind. I sincerely hope the Prince Consort can show more compassion to His Highness. We are all willing to go through fire and water for him."
Xiao Bo is not used to physical contact with others.
The elders of the Xiao family did not hold his hand and say anything personal.
However, he did not feel disgusted by the maids' sudden openness, but was more at a loss. He then patiently told the maids not to worry and continued to sit by Pei Zhaoying's bedside to keep watch.
The people on duty in the inner room included Xiao Bo and Pei Zhaoying's usual personal maids. Lu Yunqi brought the mansion's doctor to the side room to make medicine. Xiao Bo refused to let others do things like changing the dressings and wiping the body. Nanny Sun had no place to use her skills, so she hurried to make a waist pad for Xiao Bo at night.
It's more comfortable to sit by his bed.
The mansion is full of gold and silver threads and precious fabrics. Nanny Sun does not pursue superficial luxury. The material she uses for Xiao Bo is the most suitable for the skin, filled with Chinese herbs such as cassia seeds that have a certain degree of support and can also shape the body. The stitches are so dense that you can hardly see any traces of artificial sutures.
Xiao Bo touched the stitches and knew that Nanny Sun was being affectionate towards the whole family.
In the Xiao family, he never got any object. Even the tiger-head doll made of simple cloth scraps that children liked, which Xiao Caizhen threw away after getting tired of playing with, was not allowed by the elders to be owned by him, otherwise it would be considered "losing one's ambition due to playing with toys" and "having the style of a bandit."
The duckweed, which was born without roots, stopped at the princess's mansion and miraculously grew roots.
In the candlelight, Xiao Bo stretched out his finger, gently touched Pei Zhaoying's cheek, which was as delicate as mutton-fat jade, and sighed softly.
"Aying, so many people care about you and you are loved by so many people. Please wake up."
A warm yellow glow shrouded the sleeping man's face.
Thousands of candles, because of her existence, Xiao Bo has a home.
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