Chapter 64 I will cherish and protect you for the rest of my life
Chi Ying's wound had already scabbed over, and she could move her arm slightly. With Xiangqin and Qingzhi serving her during her bath and washing, it was enough. Hearing his eager words today, Chi Ying insisted on not letting him wash again.
Who knows if he has ulterior motives?
Back in her room, Chi Ying saw that Yan Xuecui had another sketchbook next to him. Her brow twitched, and sure enough, she heard him say the next moment, "Take a look, are there any poses that don't involve the left arm?"
Chi Ying gritted her teeth and said, "No!"
She refused to read to him, went straight to bed, pulled the covers over herself, and buried herself under them.
Yan Xuecui quickly lay down as well. Chi Ying quietly moved closer, but he pulled her close and commanded, word by word, "Don't stray too far from me."
Chi Ying was on the verge of tears, "Please... no matter how careful you are, I can't take it."
The measuring tape was right there, and every time he got close, she couldn't help but tremble all over. Not to mention that the man got more and more excited as they went on, and at that point, she didn't care about any reason and couldn't listen to anything.
Chi Ying was determined not to give him any opportunity to take advantage of her.
Yan Xue Cui leaned closer, and she was so frightened that she burrowed into the blankets.
He pulled the blanket down a little and saw a fair and delicate face inside. Her almond-shaped eyes blinked at him, and his heart melted. How could he bear to bully her anymore?
Yan Xuecui lowered his head and kissed her smooth forehead. Seeing her trembling and close her eyes, he gently kissed her eyes, then her delicate nose, and then her soft cherry lips. He examined her closely, lingering over her, feeling that no amount of intimacy was enough.
The gauze on his shoulder was thin, and through it, he placed a very light kiss.
"Ah Ying," he suddenly called in her ear.
Chi Ying stammered, "Your Highness?"
Yan Xuecui pondered for a moment and said, "You can trust me. I will cherish and protect you for the rest of my life. I can grant you anything and I promise I will never let you get hurt again."
Chi Ying was stunned for a moment, wondering why he suddenly said these things, but her heart was still stirred by these words.
She understood perfectly well that the woman before him was his wife, whom he had spent every day with, the Princess Consort of Zhao, whom the emperor had bestowed upon him and whom he had married through proper channels, and the beloved who had shielded him from hidden weapons in times of crisis. Therefore, he was willing to make any promises, just to live up to her sincerity.
But even she herself is a fake. Even if she presents her true self, how many people will believe her?
Even so, a faint hope still ignited in Chi Ying's heart.
Since the hot spring resort, he has almost always granted her every request. Now that he has said this, perhaps she... can also be honest?
Perhaps love can turn into hate in an instant, and the two can never go back to the way they were before.
But she had previously discovered the Soul-Separating Pill, which improved Consort Zhuang's hysteria, and now she had even shielded him from silver needles. He shouldn't want to take her life. Even if they parted ways from now on, she could be at peace with herself.
In his eyes, all her past sacrifices based on love had become her schemes and bargaining chips to save her life, making love seem worthless.
And then there's Mother... If the Chi family is guilty of a capital offense, Mother, as the concubine of the Marquis of Changyuan, will also be implicated. At that time, Madam Yin will be desperate and make wild accusations, and she will not allow her and her daughter to escape by chance.
Chi Ying's eyes reddened slightly as he kissed her lips.
She also wanted to open her heart and be honest with him, but he didn't know her situation and concerns, or how difficult things were for her...
...
Chi Mansion.
News of King Xuan's caning and demotion to commoner status had already spread throughout the capital, and the Earl of Changyuan and his wife could not sleep all night.
Lady Yin sighed deeply all night, "Prince Xuan has truly fallen this time, Prince Zhao has gone blind, and His Majesty doesn't have many princes left. Who does he intend to pass the throne to?"
Uncle Changyuan rubbed his temples. "Why don't you go ask around on the street?"
Madam Yin: "I'm just worried about Yingyue. Are we going to let that illegitimate daughter become her pampered princess, while our Yingyue can only hide in the villa and never show her face in public?"
Marquis Changyuan scolded, "If you had known this would happen, why did you even have this idea in the first place? She's not young anymore. I think we should just go with the flow and send her back to her hometown in Yunzhou to live under the identity of Chi Ying and find her a good marriage..."
"How can this be allowed!"
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Yin hurriedly interrupted her: "A lie is a lie, and the truth is the truth. Does Yingyue intend to hand over the position of Princess Consort for nothing? Not to mention that Chi Ying hates you and me to the bone, do you expect her to genuinely call you 'Father'? If she becomes Princess Consort, will you get a promotion or make a fortune? Now that Prince Zhao is in power, who knows how she will openly or secretly bully others in the future! In return, you will be Prince Zhao's rightful father-in-law, and wealth and honor will be just around the corner!"
The Earl of Changyuan sighed, "King Zhao has offended all the powerful figures in the court since taking charge of the Northern Garrison. What if he were to be attacked one day..."
“Yingyue won’t be that unlucky,” Madam Yin gritted her teeth. “Even if Prince Zhao dies a violent death one day, Yingyue won’t have to serve that blind man. She can openly be a widow for him. A royal widow is far better than marrying a commoner. At that time, do you think His Majesty won’t be considerate of our family? This is the worst-case scenario. We have already deceived the emperor. Do you want to live with your head on the line for the rest of your life?”
The Earl of Changyuan had always been cautious and prudent. Although he had no political achievements, he never made any major mistakes. However, ever since the imperial decree for the marriage was issued and Lady Yin had arranged for Chi Ying to marry in his place, he had been living in constant fear. Even when his colleagues congratulated him, he could only manage a forced smile. As the father-in-law of Prince Zhao, he had barely even seen Prince Zhao a few times.
Madam Yin is right. He's had enough of this life of constant fear. He didn't expect Chi Ying to bring any benefit to the Changyuan Marquis's mansion by marrying in his place. It would be a blessing if she didn't kill him!
Seeing that she had persuaded him, Madam Yin hurriedly said, "Isn't Prince Zhao busy with official duties right now? When he leaves the capital, let Chi Ying return to the mansion, and we can also bring Ying Yue back to the mansion as soon as possible to make preparations."
...
Kunning Palace.
The Empress's elder brother has rendered meritorious service at the border, and Emperor Yongcheng has come to see the Empress today, also summoning the Imperial Preceptor Dongyangzi to come along.
The Empress fell ill in May and never recovered. She tossed and turned at night, plagued by nightmares, and no amount of calming and soothing medicine could help her.
Emperor Yongcheng then guessed that the Empress's illness might not be due to illness, but rather to possession by evil spirits. Ordinary imperial physicians were helpless, but Dongyangzi might have a solution.
After examining the Empress's pulse, Dong Yangzi pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty's condition is caused by excessive worry and emotional distress."
Emperor Yongcheng was puzzled: "You are already the Empress, and you have Yu Xi by your side. What is it that you can't let go of and that is making you feel depressed?"
The Empress shook her head with a wry smile.
Dongyangzi stroked his beard and said, "Everyone has many things on their mind when they live in this world. Some people have hatred in their hearts, some have regrets, some have greed, and some have resentment. Your Majesty must be no exception."
These words—hatred, regret, greed, and resentment—truly struck a chord with the Empress. However, she could not confide those past events to anyone and could only keep them hidden in her heart. Perhaps only by completely eliminating the troubles could she truly find peace.
Emperor Yongcheng asked, "Does the Imperial Preceptor have a solution?"
Dongyangzi shook his head: "Nothing in this world has a cause and an effect. Sowing good causes yields good results, and sowing bad causes yields bad results. This is the cycle of Heaven, which cannot be avoided..."
The Empress's expression changed slightly. Fearing that Emperor Yongcheng might misunderstand, she quickly interrupted, saying, "Grand Preceptor, you've gone to so much trouble. I'm not troubled by past matters, but rather by the fact that the princes and concubines have encountered one mishap after another. I haven't fulfilled my duty of discipline and restraint, and I'm feeling uneasy."
Emperor Yongcheng said, "What does this have to do with you? According to you, I am the one who has failed in my duty the most."
The Empress quickly replied, "That is not what I meant."
After Dongyangzi left, Emperor Yongcheng simply stayed in Kunning Palace for his meal.
The Empress ate some soup with him. Halfway through, she put down the bowl and sighed softly, "I heard that Prince Xuan was flogged fifty times by His Majesty. If he is not cured, he may be crippled for life."
Emperor Yongcheng said in a deep voice, "He coveted the throne and harmed his own brothers; he deserves to be punished."
The Empress hesitated for a moment before saying, "Although beatings are indiscriminate, His Majesty ultimately does not wish for his life. For a prince to meet such an end is perhaps worse than death. I have heard that the execution was overseen by the Embroidered Uniform Guard this time?"
Emperor Yongcheng raised his eyes. "So what if it is?"
The Empress said, "Since the execution is being overseen by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, then it must be Qilang's intention."
Emperor Yongcheng's face turned slightly pale, but he still said, "The assassin injured Princess Zhao, so it is only natural that Seventh Prince harbors resentment."
The Empress sighed, "Seventh Prince has had a tough time. He was once a spirited man, but now he has gone blind and his personality has become twisted. Nowadays, people say he is violent and cruel, and they regard him as a monster. But who remembers that he was once a general who protected the country and was skilled in both literature and martial arts?"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongcheng's expression gradually became serious.
In fact, he felt uncomfortable when he heard that King Xuan had been crippled. Although he had demoted him to a commoner, he was still his own flesh and blood and had father-son affection for many years. However, King Zhao held a grudge because of the injury to his queen and did not restrain himself, so he ordered people to punish him severely.
King Zhao's temperament is indeed much more ruthless than before.
On the day of the coup, Prince Rong also claimed that Prince Zhao had set a trap for him. Although he did not investigate further, everything from Prince Rong's secret planning to the coup was under Prince Zhao's control. It is not impossible that he set a trap to lure him in.
And all of this was planned even while he was blind.
Thinking of this, Emperor Yongcheng couldn't help but feel a chill.
He is exceptionally capable and was once a prodigy, but now he has gone astray and is ruthless. I'm afraid he will be difficult to control in the future.
A hint of ruthlessness flashed across Emperor Yongcheng's face as he finally came up with a solution.
A few days later, Yan Xuecui was summoned to the palace.
Today, however, was not for discussing state affairs; the Imperial Preceptor Dongyangzi was also present.
Emperor Yongcheng had a kind face. He gave Kangfu a wink, and the latter immediately presented a palm-sized brocade box to Yan Xuecui.
Yan Xuecui lowered her eyes slightly, glancing at the brown pill in the brocade box out of the corner of her eye.
Emperor Yongcheng smiled and said, "Your eyes have not healed for a long time, so I specially asked the Imperial Advisor to refine this elixir to clear toxins and improve eyesight. It may not work immediately, but it will clear away evil and detoxify, and nourish your eyes. You might as well give it a try."
Yan Xuecui pondered for a moment, then bowed and thanked the emperor.
Emperor Yongcheng ordered Kangfu to serve tea, and then said, "Take it here. After you finish, the Imperial Preceptor can examine your pulse."
Yan Xuecui raised her eyes and looked at Emperor Yongcheng's face, where the smile had faded slightly. She bowed and nodded, then calmly put the pill into her mouth.
Emperor Yongcheng watched him swallow it, and a great weight was lifted from his heart.
As father and son, as long as Yan Xuecui remains loyal to him, he will continue to provide him with the antidote and seek out renowned doctors from all over the world to treat his eye disease.
But if he becomes uncontrollable, then don't blame his father for being ruthless; the day he rebels will be the day his poison takes effect.
Yan Xue Cui swallowed the pill, took a sip of tea, and looked up across the teacup. Her gaze met that of Dong Yangzi beside Emperor Yongcheng, and they understood each other without saying a word.
-----------------------
Author's Note: This is just a brief plot development, setting the stage for my departure. Thank you all for your continued support! [hugs] 50 random red envelopes will be given out in the comments section. Have a happy weekend! [hearts][hearts]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
