Shen Jintang did not deny it, but gently stirred the medicine. Her expression was blurred in the misty steam: "Your Highness, you've only just realized it now?"
He stared intently at her, the dull ache in his chest beginning to surge again, but not because of the wound.
He took a deep breath, his voice low and steady: "I understand the Xie family's injustice. But if you kill the Crown Prince with your own hands, the Xie family will never be able to clear their name. It will become a permanent stain, making it even harder for the Xie family to seek redress."
"Oh!"
Her fingertips paused slightly, then she let out a cold laugh, her voice laced with mockery: "Is Your Highness now going to teach me about loyalty to the emperor and love for the country?"
Shen Jintang suddenly raised her head, her lips curving into a sharp arc, but her eyes held an unyielding chill.
She looked at him coldly, her eyes filled with indifference and disdain.
Loyalty to the emperor and love for one's country?
What did her father and brothers get in return for their lifelong service in defending and expanding the territory of the Great Yong?
He died a gruesome death!
Even after death, they will still bear the crime of treason and collusion with the enemy!
How ridiculous!
"I'm not here to teach you any grand principles, I just want you to live!"
He suddenly pinned her against the vermilion pillar, gently placing his palm on the back of her head, his tone firm and urgent: "Live openly and honestly! No more hiding and running away, no more having to grit your teeth and swallow your pain like this every time you tremble with pain."
His bulging veins spread from his neck, yet he still held her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear at any moment.
His warm breath brushed against her cheek, yet carried a hint of suppressed pain.
Shen Jintang looked up at him, her breath brushing against his bleeding bandages, which seemed particularly glaring.
She frowned slightly and called out softly, "Gu Zhixing..."
Before she finished speaking, her fingertips suddenly pressed against his wound.
The excruciating pain instantly tensed his muscles, but he held her even tighter, as if trying to meld her into his own life.
Warm blood seeped through layers of gauze, staining her pale fingertips red—a shocking sight.
She frowned slightly, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: "Do you think the entire Xie family of 137 people managed to take their last breath?"
"They died unjustly, and I am the only one left in the entire Xie family."
Shen Jintang gasped, her voice trembling slightly, but she quickly masked it.
She raised her head, looked directly into his eyes, and asked, "Your enemy is so close, how can you expect me to refrain from killing him?"
“I will help you.” He lowered his head and approached her, his nose almost touching hers, his voice deep and powerful, “but not in a way that will ruin the Xie family and prevent you from ever recovering.”
"Help me?" Shen Jintang remained silent for a long time, then suddenly chuckled, withdrew his hand, and said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Your Highness does know how to think of others."
She broke free from Gu Zhixing, turned around, and her skirt gently brushed against his fingertips, bringing a cool breeze that seemed to sweep away his heart as well.
"Unfortunately, some things..." she paused, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "are not as simple as you think."
Outside the window, dusk was falling, and the last rays of the setting sun were mercilessly swallowed up by the thick clouds, as if the whole world was shrouded in darkness.
“If you block my way,” Shen Jintang said, her eyes slightly closed, her tone cold and resolute, “I will kill you.”
“I’m not joking.”
Gu Zhixing was slightly taken aback, and the heartache in his eyes became more and more obvious, as if he had been ripped apart by something, but then it gradually melted away, becoming a gentle touch, like a ray of warm sunshine in winter, soft and warm.
He stepped forward, reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, his movements as careful as if he were touching a fragile piece of porcelain, afraid that the slightest force would shatter her.
Gu Zhixing's palm gently stroked her long hair. When his fingertips passed through the strands of hair, they brought a slight tingling sensation, as if even the air itself had become softer.
His voice was deep and gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness: "If one day I get in your way..."
He paused, tightened his arms slightly, and pulled her into a deeper embrace, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones and never be separated from her again.
Shen Jintang could clearly feel the warmth of his chest and the steady, powerful heartbeat, which made her ears burn and her cheeks flush slightly.
"Then kill me." His voice was soft, yet each word was clear, as if branded onto her heart. "Don't hesitate."
Shen Jintang stiffened, her fingertips unconsciously gripping his clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She had imagined he would be angry, mocking, or even grab her by the throat, warning her not to have any wicked thoughts—but she never expected him to say such resolute words in such a gentle tone.
The hatred surging in his chest was like hitting a soft barrier; the sharp blade pierced through cotton, but there wasn't even the slightest echo.
She could even smell the faint scent of agarwood on him, clear and calming, just like him, silently seeping into her breath, making her forget to break free for a moment.
"I'm serious." Gu Zhixing lowered his head slightly, his warm breath brushing against her ear, his voice low and earnest, "Shen Jintang, I will never be an obstacle to you."
His thumb gently touched her furrowed brow, his fingertip warm and his touch very light, as if to soothe all her anger and unease little by little.
Shen Jintang's eyelashes trembled slightly, and at that moment she felt as if the way he looked at her was so focused that it was as if she were his only obsession in this life, as if all the light in the world was gathered on her.
"So stop frowning all the time, okay?"
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