The girl's cheeks flushed crimson, and she protested, "...I only ate a little bit of ice fruit; I didn't expect the timing to be off. Alright, General, what important matter do you have to discuss with me? Is it related to Yun Zong and the others—"
Before she could finish speaking, a gasp escaped her lips. It turned out that Xi Chenzhou, disregarding the servants still in the hall, had lifted her directly from the bed, still covered by the thin blanket!
The palace servants inside gasped in surprise, and Qinghe quickly ushered them out. Xi Chenzhou said in a deep voice, "No matter how important the matter, nothing is more important than His Majesty's health. If you're feeling unwell, aren't you worried about catching a chill on the couch by the window?"
Ignoring Tongsu's struggles, he carried her back to the dragon bed in the inner palace, wrapped her even tighter with a thin blanket, and through the blanket, placed his large hand near her abdomen, channeling his inner energy to gently massage her.
Even through the blanket, his actions were far too intimate. The girl blushed and felt uncomfortable, wanting to pull away, but then she heard him say, "Your Majesty, are you no longer in pain? Why are you still moving?"
It was during this struggle, and the faint sensation of heat flowing through her skin, that she was already too frightened to move, her legs clamped together. Hearing the soft sigh, she became even more listless, nestled in his arms, and mumbled, "This is called insubordination. Did I give you permission to touch me?"
“If it really comes down to insubordination, it’s not such a trivial matter.”
Xi Chenzhou glanced at her, and that look inexplicably made Tong Su feel a little dangerous, but soon he got up and went to fetch some hot water with brown sugar.
He gently stirred the water in the plain white porcelain bowl with a small spoon to cool it down, and said, "Drink the water first, and I will use my internal energy to help His Majesty regulate his meridians."
His gentle massage seemed to have worked; Tong Su's abdominal pain had lessened. She struggled to sit up, sipped the sugar water, and lay back down, asking curiously, "General, do you have internal energy because you practice martial arts?"
Xi Chenzhou placed one hand on her abdomen, and even through the thin blanket, she could feel the warmth. The heat flowed through her body, making her feel as if she were soaking in a hot spring.
Tong Su couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"I have indeed practiced martial arts for many years."
"Practicing martial arts is good; it improves physical health and makes military campaigns safer. That's right!"
Tongsu suddenly remembered something, reached into the bedding, and quickly pulled out a thin, old booklet: "This is a military treatise. I heard it was written by a general?"
The booklet fell into the man's hands, and the usually composed man suddenly showed embarrassment, saying somewhat awkwardly, "Where did Your Majesty find this?"
“It was found by my men in the palace. I’ve been looking at it for days, but there are still some things I don’t understand. I was just thinking of asking the general when I have some free time.”
While using his inner strength to continue massaging her, Xi Chenzhou lowered his eyes and spoke softly.
"This was written when I was young, and it is truly unbearable to read. I was young and arrogant then, and I thought too highly of myself. Now, it is full of flaws. If Your Majesty is interested in this, please do not look at this booklet. It would be better if I summarized the amazing military campaign in the Northwest and told Your Majesty about it in person."
Tong Su originally only wanted to ask about things she didn't understand in the book, but she didn't expect that after handing it to Xi Chenzhou, she couldn't take it back. She frowned and said, "General, just write some simple annotations. I can figure it out myself slowly."
"What you learn from books is never enough. If Your Majesty is truly interested in military strategy and tactics, you cannot simply read books. I have extensive experience in the Northwest campaigns. How about I come to the palace every day to explain them to Your Majesty?"
The man lowered his eyes, his cool and handsome face showing only a gentle smile. His eyes were deep and smiling, as black as ink, as if a single glance could draw a person into that deep sea.
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