After drinking the herbal medicine prescribed by the army doctor, along with the effects of a local medicinal herb and Xueying's tireless care, Hongli recovered quickly. Fearing a sudden outbreak of war, the Seventeenth Prince told Hongli that he wanted him to return to the rear to recuperate.
Hongli knew he couldn't stay here in his current state; if war broke out, he would immediately become a burden. So he agreed to return to the rear with Xueying.
For their safety, the Seventeenth Prince specially dispatched a twenty-man guard to escort Hongli and Xueying back together. Hongli was injured, so the carriage escorting him was larger than usual to make it easier for him to lie down inside. Although Hongli's injuries had healed enough to sit up, sitting for most of the day was still somewhat strenuous.
Xueying also sat inside the carriage, accompanying Hongli, while Piqiu drove the carriage outside with the driver. More than twenty guards rode horses in front and behind, sandwiching the carriage in the middle.
The two were in the carriage, and a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere suddenly arose. Hongli couldn't sleep either, and when he opened his eyes, he could see Xueying. For convenience, she was still dressed as a man, and was quite handsome.
Hongli was so captivated by her beauty that he reached out to take Xueying's hand. Xueying was surprised that Hongli would take her hand so readily, and her face immediately turned red.
"Xueying, aren't you afraid when you see the wolf in the grass?" Hongli asked, rubbing the back of Xueying's hand.
"I was scared, terribly scared. But reason told me that if the wolf sensed my fear, it would pounce on me immediately. So, I took out the precious sword that Prince Prince gave me to scare the beast. Speaking of which, I'm very grateful for Prince Prince's sword, otherwise, I really don't know what the consequences would have been," Xueying said.
"You almost swapped that knife with someone else!" Hongli said, feigning annoyance.
“Pichu is a very good child, and I couldn’t bear to see him being whipped. Please, Your Highness, understand my helplessness in exchanging that knife for someone else.” Xueying quickly said, “I will cherish any gifts Your Highness gives me in the future.”
Seeing Xueying's anxious expression, Hongli couldn't resist teasing her and said, "If you encounter someone like Pikachu again, you'll still be tempted to intervene."
After spending these days together, Hongli realized that many of his previous views on Xueying were prejudices. Although she came from the Ulanara family, her honesty and courage in dealing with people and things earned Hongli's admiration.
"Then I will choose something else to exchange, and I will not use the things that Prince gave me to exchange again," Xueying said with a smile.
"Alright, I'll reward you with something when I get back, but you must treasure it well." Hongli pulled Xueying hard.
Xueying knew exactly what Hongli meant, and her face immediately turned red. She simply gave a soft "hmm" and gently leaned against Hongli's chest.
"I dare not press down on Your Highness like this, for fear of hurting you," Xueying said.
"It doesn't hurt. I want you to be nestled in my arms like this," Hongli said, unable to resist lowering his head to kiss Xueying's forehead.
The two had never been this intimate before. Even their consummation of the marriage was only because Hongli was drunk. During that time, Hongli showed no tenderness whatsoever, which made Xueying feel a chill whenever she thought about it.
Hongli seemed to have guessed Xueying's thoughts and felt guilty about his drunken misbehavior. He lowered his head and said to her, "Don't worry, I will be very gentle."
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