Chapter 240 Pitiful
After she finished speaking, the small house fell silent again.
Xie Tingzhou sat on the spot with his knees drawn up, massaging Chize acupoint every half hour. After repeating this three to five times, the coughing subsided.
The sesame cake had long been thrown out, but the smell still lingered in the room. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief, but it didn't help. The strange feeling in his body continued, and he punched the ground in frustration.
Suddenly, he remembered something and looked up at Qi Yuxuan.
Qi Yuxuan simply closed her eyes and sat quietly against the corner of the wall, her breathing long and even, as if she were asleep.
Is this fragrance only effective for men and not for women?
Xie Tingzhou's mind was a mess, he was dizzy and didn't know what he was thinking. He just felt hotter and thirstier, and his body was uncontrollably crawling towards the other side.
"Bang--"
A foot suddenly kicked Xie Tingzhou in the shoulder. He quickly came to his senses and found that he was holding a small piece of cloth in his hand.
"Xie Xingzhi, how dare you!"
The little girl clutched her sleeve, trembling with fear, yet her back remained taut, her jaw clenched, and her gaze icy, as if she held a resolute determination to rather perish than surrender, resolutely resisting his approach.
"I'm sorry, I... I don't know what happened..."
As Xie Tingzhou spoke, he suddenly slapped himself hard across the face, so hard that Qi Yuxuan was stunned.
"Otherwise, Princess, you can tie me up."
He stared intently at the tips of his shoes, feeling that every second was agonizing and driving him to the brink of madness.
Qi Yuxuan had already intended to do this, and she picked up the rope that had been binding her earlier.
"Turn your back and don't look at me."
She ordered Xie Tingzhou to sit down, then went around behind him, wrapped the rope around his hands, and began to tie a knot.
Her fingertips inevitably brushed against the other person's wrist, and she was startled by the heat.
She had only heard of the effects of honey, but had no idea whether abstaining from intercourse would harm her body, what if...
She shook her head, forcefully banishing the thought of marrying Xie Tingzhou from her mind.
The knot was tied tightly, and Qi Yuxuan didn't have the strength to drag the person back to the corner, nor the energy to run to the corner to sit down again, so she simply let him sit next to her.
The fragrance of honey also had a significant impact on her, but since she wasn't a man, she could still endure it, though she felt weak all over. The kick she gave Xie Tingzhou earlier had used up most of her strength.
“If you’re still feeling unwell, tell me. Since your hands are tied, it’s not good for you to slap yourself. I’ll do it.”
Xie Tingzhou: "...Okay."
Time passed second by second, and the moonlight gradually dimmed.
The fragrance finally burst forth completely at this moment. Qi Yuxuan could feel her eyes were bloodshot and her body burning hot, but she could only relieve the burning sensation by getting close to Xie Tingzhou.
"Hmm..."
As soon as the first unconscious groan escaped her lips, Qi Yuxuan decisively pulled out the hairpin from her hair and plunged it into her thigh.
The sharp pain did bring a sliver of clarity, and she heard Xie Tingzhou's low, hoarse voice:
“Princess, if you truly cannot bear it, I, Xie, may serve you…”
Qi Yuxuan held back for a moment, then squeezed out two words through her teeth:
"Shut up."
"Don't say that it's not the last resort yet. Even if all the men in the world died, I would not marry you. Forget about it."
Xie Tingzhou's voice softened, as if he were confused: "Why does the princess dislike me so much? Is it because of Miss Xiao Si?"
Qi Yuxuan closed her eyes, her mind becoming a jumbled mess of thoughts, and didn't answer Xie Tingzhou's question.
Five days ago, Min-young invited her to the palace to eat the desserts newly developed by the royal chef, but she encountered the Crown Prince in Min-young's palace.
Min-young did not appear, but the Crown Prince seemed to have been waiting for a long time. How could she not know that the one who had truly invited her was the Crown Prince?
The prince told her that he loved her.
Qi Yuxuan couldn't understand the meaning of those words, or perhaps she understood them but couldn't accept them.
Later, she didn't remember how she got out of the palace gate. She only remembered that she seemed to be fleeing in panic and almost tripped over the high threshold of the palace. After she came out, she asked Zheng Yanling if she wanted to go out for a spring outing and hid in the outskirts of the capital.
She refused the crown prince.
She said, "According to the laws of the Great Qi, people of the same clan and surname are not allowed to marry. Those who violate this rule will be sentenced to two years of penal servitude. Your Highness the Crown Prince is well-versed in the law, so you must know such a basic law."
The crown prince stood before her, his brows deeply defined, his thick eyelashes half-drooping, obscuring his dark pupils. As if he had expected this, he said:
"The law is no different from human sentiment. Your situation and mine are special and cannot be compared."
However, Qi Yuxuan was surprisingly stubborn: "Your Highness is the future king of Great Qi. In the future, there will be many women serving you. Today, it's just because Your Highness finds me novel and interesting. But Your Highness must prioritize the affairs of the country. Marrying me is just a momentary impulse. In the future, you will have to face the criticism and difficulties from historians. This deal is not worth it."
The crown prince's expression held a hint of pain: "I have never regarded this sentiment as a mere passing fancy. My invitation today is also because..."
"Your Highness!"
Qi Yuxuan's expression was cold and aloof, as if she had never had any interaction with the Crown Prince. "If Your Highness has nothing else, I will take my leave."
"Also, tell Min-young that if she ever misrepresents someone again, I will never believe her again."
The voice was loud enough to startle Qi Minying, who was hiding far away in the palace. She hurriedly tried to run out to explain, but she only managed to catch a glimpse of Qi Yuxuan's retreating figure.
"No."
Qi Yuxuan said softly.
At least in this lifetime, he hasn't had the chance to do those things that disgusted or troubled her, or rather, he didn't do anything in his past life either.
He simply placed his wife and family after the common people, and himself at the very end.
What she hated was her own dissatisfaction with her husband's dedication to the people over his family.
However, she will not do that anymore. She has something more to care about. She will no longer be so preoccupied with her husband and home. She has the Princess, she has friends, and she has figured out what kind of life she wants.
No matter who she marries in this life, or even if she marries at all, she will make peace with herself.
"Xie Tingzhou, you are very good."
"You're better than most people I know. You're smart, patient, polite, and ambitious... You're right. I may still be resentful that Xiao Yuyao tried to bribe you, but I won't anymore. Don't worry, I'll only see you as a pillar of Qi's future and will never look down on or dislike you in the slightest, okay?"
Her voice was calm and unhurried, a tone that should have gradually calmed the listener down, but Xie Tingzhou felt increasingly agitated.
He knew it wasn't because of the honey scent.
"Of course, I don't need you to repay me. I can still afford your medicine expenses, as long as you act as a good official and benefit the people after you take office..."
"Princess," his voice was hoarse, sounding somewhat pitiful in the thick of the night, "what if I say no?"
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