Fu Erkang chimed in, "Xiao Jian said that no matter what happened to Qing'er, she will always be his wife!"
Qianlong's heart finally settled down. If Xiao Jian were unwilling to accept Qing'er, then Qing'er would truly be doomed!
Although they still don't know what happened to Qing'er, they should be prepared for the worst, just in case.
Emperor Qianlong was furious when he thought about the recent events. "Erkang, you must investigate this thoroughly. I want to see who dares to cause trouble in the capital!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Fu brothers accepted the order and left.
After returning to Cining Palace, Qing'er chatted and laughed with the Empress Dowager for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before making an excuse to return to her room.
Shuangxi looked at her with great concern, "Princess, why don't you let me stay with you?"
Qing'er shook her head and gently patted Shuangxi's hand. "Good Shuangxi, I just want to rest now, so please keep an eye on the door and don't let anyone disturb me."
"Alright, Princess, I'll come and call you again at dinner time." Shuangxi couldn't persuade Qing'er otherwise, so she had no choice but to leave.
After watching Shuangxi leave, Qing'er's tears, which she had been holding back, began to fall again. She took off her shoes and socks, and then took off her coat, wanting to cry under the covers for a while, but the images from the night once again flooded her mind.
...
"Qing'er, I really love you!"
...
She was both in pain and happy; she had finally become his.
"Xiao Jian, Xiao Jian..."
Qing'er calling his name made Xiao Jian even happier.
"Qing'er, my Qing'er..."
She lost consciousness, and when she opened her eyes again, she was lying in bed with Xiao Jian guarding her by her bedside.
She thought it was the beginning of happiness for her and Xiao Jian, but little did she know it would turn into hell.
"Xiao Jian, what should I do?" Qing'er cried bitterly, her face buried under the covers.
She naturally didn't notice that her surroundings seemed to have changed.
"Qing'er, Qing'er, my wife, why aren't you awake yet?"
Hearing that familiar voice, Qing'er slowly opened her eyes and saw Xiao Jian in front of her. "Xiao Jian."
She looked around, puzzled. "What's wrong with me? Aren't I in my room?"
But here, there is a hot spring, and steam keeps rising up.
As Qing'er was pondering why she was here, Xiao Jian carried her down into the hot spring. "What are you doing?"
"Naturally, it's time to spend our wedding night together, Madam." Xiao Jian led Qing'er to the edge of the hot spring pool. "Madam, I'm here."
Qing'er instinctively tried to push him away, but found that she still had no strength and couldn't push Xiao Jian away at all. "Xiao Jian, let me go, don't do this!"
Even if this was just a dream, she didn't want this version of herself to do that kind of thing with Xiao Jian...
“My lady is naughty. Do you remember what I said? As long as I live, as long as I remember you, I will never let you go.”
As Xiao Jian spoke, he removed his and Qing'er's clothes, kissing the beauty before him passionately. "Qing'er, leave everything to me..."
His hand moved down her face, and Qing'er's voice gradually changed from its usual tone, "Xiao Jian..."
...
"Princess, Princess, wake up!" Shuangxi's voice rang in Qing'er's ears.
Shuangxi looked at Qing'er with concern, reaching out to touch her forehead. "Princess, do you have a fever? Why is your face so red?"
Qing'er seemed to have just regained her senses. "Am I in my own room?"
"Yes, Princess, you've been sleeping all afternoon, it's time to get up and have dinner."
Qing'er hurriedly grabbed Shuangxi's hand and asked, "Did anyone come to my room this afternoon?"
Shuangxi shook her head, "This afternoon I was worried about you, so I came in to keep you company after you had slept for an hour. I was fully awake the whole time and didn't see anyone come in..."
"Was it just a dream?" Qing'er murmured softly.
Shuangxi looked at Qing'er in confusion, "Princess, what did you say?"
Qing'er shook her head. "It's nothing. Didn't we say we were going to have a meal? Hurry up and help me with my hair and makeup."
Qing'er was getting ready to have dinner, while Xiao Yanzi was almost done preparing.
Xiao Jian was already waiting at Ruyi Pavilion, with Yongqi and Benjamin personally guarding him. Xiao Yanzi and Xia Ziwei, disguised as eunuchs, quietly arrived at Cining Palace.
When Qing'er wanted to go back to her room after the meal, Shuangxi advised, "Princess, don't stay cooped up. Why don't you go out for a walk? It'll be good to change your mood."
Shuangxi kept trying to persuade Qing'er to go out, and Qing'er naturally guessed that there must be something fishy going on, so she went along with her wishes.
After leaving Cining Palace, she saw Xiao Yanzi and Xia Ziwei, dressed as eunuchs, waiting for her. Qing'er asked in a low voice, "Xiao Yanzi, Ziwei, what brings you here?"
"Don't ask anymore, just come with us." Xiao Yanzi thought that if she were told first that they were taking her to see Xiao Jian, she might not go. It would be better to wait until they got to Ruyi Pavilion and let her see for herself.
"Good Qing'er, aren't you worried about me and Xiao Yanzi?" Xia Ziwei's words finally put Qing'er at ease, and she followed them to Ruyi Pavilion.
Qing'er asked, puzzled, "What are we doing at Ruyi Pavilion?"
"You'll see when you go in." Xiao Yanzi and Xia Ziwei escorted her to the inner room, where she naturally saw the people waiting.
"Xiao Jian..." Her eyes were fixed on the person in front of her, but her mind was filled with the images of her two intimate encounters with Xiao Jian.
Upon seeing Xiao Jian, she instinctively wanted to turn around and leave, but as soon as she turned around, Xiao Jian grabbed her hand.
She was held tightly in Xiao Jian's arms. "Qing'er, I don't know what happened to you, but I beg you, don't leave me. No matter what happens, you will always be my wife!"
On the way here, Qing'er felt the wind and her mind became clearer. If no one came in the afternoon and it was just a dream, then was last night the same?
But how do you explain the extra marks on her body?
But now, held in Xiao Jian's arms, she couldn't help but want to cry again, "Xiao Jian, I'm sorry..."
"I'm the one who should apologize. I failed to protect you and let you be taken away right under my nose."
"Qing'er, I will listen to what happened after you were taken away. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. I only hope that you won't give up on yourself or me. I, Xiao Jian, will only recognize you as my wife in this life!"
Qing'er leaned against Xiao Jian and cried for a while before slowly saying, "After I was taken away yesterday... I was unconscious for an unknown amount of time before I woke up. When I woke up, I found myself tied to the bed, and there were two men in the room who wanted to take off my clothes..."
“A woman named Mama Hua stopped them and helped me tidy my clothes. She told me I was being held in a brothel and advised me to behave myself. She even brought me food. I persuaded her to untie me, but I didn’t have the strength to escape…”
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