Winter came exceptionally early to Shuofang City, and the first snow quietly covered the scars left by the war. Qi Mingxuan was unconscious for three days, and Xiao Chengyu stayed by his bedside for those three days.
As the army doctor removed the arrow, she held his hand tightly, her heart aching as she watched him wince in agony. The arrowhead was poisoned, the wound recurred, and his high fever persisted. She personally prepared the medicine, fed him, cleaned and changed the dressings, refusing to entrust the task to anyone else.
"Your Highness, please rest for a while," Ashina Yundi advised for the umpteenth time. "If you keep pushing yourself like this, your health will collapse."
Xiao Chengyu simply shook his head, his gaze fixed on the person on the bed: "When he shielded me from the arrow, did he ever think of taking a rest?"
Good news arrived from outside the tent: Xiao Chengrui led his army to a great victory over Kumo'er's main force and captured the enemy chieftain alive! The various tribes of the Northern Barbarians surrendered one after another, and the crisis at the border was resolved.
The soldiers cheered thunderously, but Xiao Chengyu seemed not to hear them. She only stared at Qi Mingxuan's slightly trembling eyelashes, watching him slowly open his eyes.
"Mingxuan!" She was overjoyed and tears welled up in her eyes.
Qi Mingxuan's gaze was unfocused, and it took him a long time to focus on her face before he smiled weakly, "Your Highness... it's good that you're alright..."
He tried to get up, but the movement aggravated his wound, causing him to groan. Xiao Chengyu quickly pressed him down, saying, "Don't move! The bleeding has just stopped."
Qi Mingxuan then noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the red marks on her slender hands from decocting medicine. He frowned and asked, "Your Highness is personally taking care of me?"
"Otherwise what?" Xiao Chengyu glared at him reproachfully. "If you don't take care of yourself, how can I trust someone else to take care of you?"
The charcoal fire crackled inside the tent, filling the air with the aroma of medicine. Their eyes met, a thousand words unspoken.
Suddenly, Xiao Chengrui's loud voice rang out from outside the tent: "Yu'er! Is Mingxuan awake? We've won a great victory!"
The curtain was lifted, and Xiao Chengrui burst in with Ashina Yun. Upon seeing the scene before the bed, they immediately fell silent. Ashina Yun smiled and quietly tugged at her husband's sleeve.
Qi Mingxuan was about to bow when Xiao Chengrui stopped him, saying, "Lie down! You're a great hero!" He then excitedly added, "That scoundrel Kumor has been captured! All the Northern Di tribes have surrendered! We can return to the capital soon!"
Xiao Chengyu noticed the hesitation in his brother's voice: "Second brother, is there something you're hiding from me?"
Xiao Chengrui and Ashina Yun exchanged a glance, their expressions turning serious: "Gu Zhili... escaped."
It turns out that during the chaotic battle that day, Gu Zhili took advantage of the confusion to kill the guard and disappeared. This man was well aware of the inner workings of the Great Liang, and if he colluded with the remnants of the Northern Di forces, the consequences would be dire.
Qi Mingxuan frowned: "We must apprehend him as soon as possible."
"We've already sent people to investigate," Xiao Chengrui said. "Your current task is to recover well." He then winked at his sister, "Yu'er, you must take good care of our Scholar Qi!"
After the two left, the tent returned to silence. Xiao Chengyu lowered his head to tuck the blanket around Qi Mingxuan, but Qi Mingxuan gently grasped his wrist.
“Your Highness…” his voice was weak but clear, “When I was unconscious, I seemed to hear Your Highness say… if I wake up, you will grant me one request?”
Xiao Chengyu's cheeks flushed, and remembering the promise she had made in the heat of the moment, she whispered, "What...do you want?"
Qi Mingxuan stared at her intently: "Your Highness, I beg you... to grant me a title."
Xiao Chengyu's heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his eyes, remaining silent. After a long while, he said softly, "I will inform Father and Mother upon returning to the capital..."
“There’s no need to return to the capital.” Qi Mingxuan took out a jade pendant from under his pillow. “His Majesty has secretly decreed that I may act as I see fit.” The jade pendant was engraved with dragon patterns and was indeed an imperial item.
Xiao Chengyu was surprised: "When did Father Emperor..."
"Before setting off," Qi Mingxuan smiled, "His Majesty said that if I could ensure Your Highness's safe return, he would grant my wish."
It turned out that the Emperor had already tacitly approved! Xiao Chengyu was both ashamed and happy. He took the jade pendant and examined it closely, but suddenly noticed something unusual—although the material of this jade pendant was similar, the carving was slightly rough and different from the one his Emperor usually used.
She had her doubts, but she didn't show them. She simply said, "Such an important matter requires the approval of Father and Mother in person."
Qi Mingxuan's eyes darkened slightly, then he smiled and said, "Your Highness is right."
During his recovery, Qi Mingxuan's temperament seemed to have changed somewhat. At times he was gentle and considerate, and at other times he was anxious and irritable. The army doctor said it was because the arrow poison had not been cleared, but Xiao Chengyu always felt uneasy.
While feeding her medicine that day, he suddenly grasped her hand: "Yu'er, shall we get married after we return to the capital? There's no need to wait for an auspicious day..."
Xiao Chengyu gently advised, "Marriage is a serious matter; it cannot be taken lightly. It must be..."
"Are you unwilling?" he interrupted abruptly, his eyes sharp. "Or do you have someone else in your heart?"
Xiao Chengyu was taken aback: "Mingxuan, why would you think that?"
Qi Mingxuan seemed to realize his lapse in composure, and lowered his eyes, saying, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is just afraid that things might change if you delay." His tone still carried a hint of obsessiveness that was barely perceptible.
Xiao Chengyu's doubts began to grow. The Qi Mingxuan before her was completely different from the gentle and reserved man she knew.
She secretly summoned Qi Mingxuan's deputy general for questioning. The deputy general hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "After Lord Qi was shot with an arrow, he often mumbled in his delirium, saying things like... he would never let go again... he must get married as soon as possible..."
Xiao Chengyu found it increasingly strange. She remembered the "Imperial Jade Pendant" and secretly wrote a letter, sending it by express courier to the capital for verification.
While waiting for a reply, she observed carefully. She discovered that although Qi Mingxuan was mostly lucid and normal, he would occasionally have a dazed look in his eyes and say some inexplicable things.
"Your Highness, do you know that the moment I saw you, I wanted to hide you away, to show you only to me..." "Those who covet Your Highness deserve to die..."
Such biased words alarmed Xiao Chengyu. She tentatively asked, "Mingxuan, do you remember what kind of mooncakes we ate when we admired the moon last Mid-Autumn Festival?"
Qi Mingxuan paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Naturally, it's Your Highness's favorite lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk."
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