Li Hua stood there radiating coldness, keeping everyone at arm's length.
Gan Qiongying had no idea what he was thinking. She just thought his eyes were really beautiful, with clear black and white, unusually deep yet crystal clear, so she casually complimented him.
Who would have thought that they would inadvertently offend the God of Wealth?
To be honest, Li Hua really doesn't have any hard spots. He has always been good-natured, doesn't talk much, has never been harsh on those around him, and doesn't easily reveal his true emotions.
His only two sore spots were pricked by Gan Qiongying in less than a day.
Li Hua glared at Gan Qiongying. She had bitten her tongue last night and couldn't speak. She was so angry that her ears turned bright red and her breathing became rapid.
Gan Qiongying, however, still feigned gentleness and said, "Sit down."
"Does Your Highness require me to personally help you?"
Li Hua took a step to walk outside, feeling more sorrow than anger.
From birth, he was the one abandoned by his biological parents. Over the years, he seems to have never had a self, nor dared to have one.
Forced by his own mother to come to the Southern Zhao Kingdom, he secretly helped his younger brother Zhongli Zhengzhen to stir up trouble in the internal affairs of the Southern Zhao Kingdom.
But who cared whether he wanted to or not, and who cared whether he lived or died?
In order to assist Zhongli Zhengzhen, he did not hesitate to use his own marriage as bait, and a marriage contract was given to the infamous Princess Duanrong to be her consort.
He thought that by enduring humiliation and abuse, he could wait until the great thing was done, then escape and live a life of freedom and adventure for himself.
But fate was so cruel to him, not even giving him a chance to save himself.
He didn't hate his wife for belittling him, insulting him, or cursing him; he didn't hate her for having many male lovers, making him a laughingstock in the eyes of her friends.
He could not hate anything, but why would she treat him as a substitute for Zhongli Zhengzhen?
Li Hua really didn't want to stay here for even a moment longer. He couldn't care less about anything else for the time being, such as the big picture or how to be patient. He just wanted to go back to his residence.
But before he could even reach the door, the shadow guards who had stopped him from injuring Gan Qiongying the night before suddenly descended from the sky. Two shadow guards dressed like black crows blocked Li Hua from the left and right.
He was blocked by the crossed longswords and turned to glare at Gan Qiongying.
Gan Qiongying put down her chopsticks and slowly smiled.
She spoke, her tone both indulgent and with the unique condescending air of a princess, "I really can't do anything with you."
She raised her slender fingers, rolled up her sleeves, and stood up to help Li Hua.
"Come, my husband, let me help you sit down."
Li Hua watched her approach as if she were looking at some monstrous flood.
For a moment, the resentment in his eyes thickened to the point of turning into a sharp blade.
Gan Qiongying turned a blind eye. She wasn't in a hurry to let Li Hua know her true feelings and good intentions. There was still a long time ahead, and he would eventually understand that they were husband and wife as one, and only by sticking together could they better survive those melodramatic situations.
She walked up to Li Hua, but instead of touching him to make him feel uncomfortable, she said, "Your people are all waiting outside the mansion, anxiously waiting for you all night. They even brought a doctor, afraid that I would torture you to death. You certainly have a good group of servants."
"Sit down and drink the ginseng soup. It should be cooled down by now. You are weak and cannot go without food."
Gan Qiongying's genuine concern, however, terrified Li Hua.
To Li Hua, Gan Qiongying's words were tantamount to a threat.
After all, even if Princess Duanrong had killed two sons of powerful officials, let alone a few servants, she would likely have no recourse now that the emperor felt guilty after being betrothed to a merchant.
Gan Qiongying was indeed threatening her; she never intended to, and dared not, show any difference from the original owner of this body.
Gan Qiongying added, "After you drink the ginseng soup, let the physician examine your tongue. If there's nothing wrong, and you've taken the medicine, I'll let them in."
“Otherwise…” Gan Qiongying looked at Yin Yue and asked, “What crime should be committed if a group of lowly people gather in the princess’s residence, attempting to assassinate her?”
Yinyue bowed, speaking softly yet firmly: "Your Highness, those who threaten the safety of the royal family should be beaten to death with sticks."
Upon hearing this, Li Hua's angry expression froze.
At that moment, Li Hua looked at Gan Qiongying's charming face, which surpassed even Chun Tao's, as if he were looking at a brightly colored, highly venomous snake.
He felt a chill and fear, as if he were being bitten and bound inch by venomous snake.
A moment later, he sat down opposite Gan Qiongying, feeling resentful.
He couldn't bear to disregard his followers just because he was angry with Gan Qiongying.
Gan Qiongying breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him sit down.
If he really persists in his stubbornness, Gan Qiongying really doesn't know how to handle the situation. She can't possibly kill the servants around him, firstly because she is not the kind of ruthless person who despises human life.
Secondly, according to Gan Qiongying's understanding, the attendants around Li Hua had all traveled with him all over the country and were very knowledgeable. Each of them was an important figure in the chambers of commerce in various places.
In short, what kind of servants are those around the God of Wealth?
Those are the generous spenders, so naturally we should treat them well.
As Gan Qiongying watched the maidservants serve him ginseng soup at the perfect temperature, he ate his breakfast slowly and deliberately.
Seeing Li Hua initially frown and look disgusted, but quickly relax his expression and start drinking seriously.
After all, he had been up all night, even if it was just him who was tormented, and he lost so much blood, so he must be hungry.
Gan Qiongying waited until he drank a whole bowl of ginseng soup, and his condition improved.
Then he spoke: "If you're not ready, just say so. You're a man. If you really don't want to, am I supposed to force myself on you?"
Caught off guard by such outrageous words, Li Hua dropped the spoon in her hand into the soup bowl with a "clatter".
He looked up at Gan Qiongying in disbelief, his expression unchanged, but the shock in his eyes was almost overflowing.
He couldn't understand how a woman could speak so recklessly in broad daylight.
Is she completely shameless and without any sense of decency?
Seeing that the two had stopped eating, the maids immediately bowed and withdrew, not daring to listen to another word.
Gan Qiongying glanced at Li Hua and said, "If you insist on biting your tongue, you won't be able to speak now, and you won't be able to eat properly either, will you?"
Li Hua watched her nervously, his expression unchanged, but his fingers gripped his sleeve tightly, fearing that Gan Qiongying, this shameless madwoman, would use his concern for her servant to demand that he have an affair with her during the day.
It's not fair to blame Li Hua for overthinking; it's just that Gan Qiongying brought up last night again after Li Hua had just been threatened and forced to compromise... she seemed like a lustful devil.
Gan Qiongying sat on the other side of the table, took a napkin to wipe her mouth, and with a slight movement of her red lips, uttered a few soft words: "Does it still hurt?"
Li Hua, on high alert and almost ready to break a bowl to preserve her integrity, asked: "...Hmm?"
An uncontrollable question escaped his throat.
Gan Qiongying then slowly got up, walked to a table next to the dining table, and personally brought over a bowl of medicine that had been stewed and cooled.
She was dressed in gorgeous clothes and adorned with jewels; this attire was certainly not suitable for serving tea and water.
However, after she had eaten and drunk her fill, her complexion was rosy, and her expression softened a bit. She personally carried the medicine bowl to Li Hua's side.
After putting it down, she urged Li Hua, "Use this. It's a medicine that I had the physician prepare for you. It can heal wounds. I added a small amount of hemp grass, which also has a slight numbing effect. Drink some first, then hold a mouthful in your mouth, and spit it out after a while. It will be less painful then."
Her beautiful eyes were lowered, and her tone was serious. At this moment, she had lost all of Princess Duanrong's aggressiveness and was like a kind and loving wife who cared about her husband's injury.
Gan Qiongying even smiled at him, her eyes gentle, reassuring him, "I was just teasing you because I was afraid you'd get upset and not eat or drink, which would hurt your health. I didn't harm your servants. I already had them properly invited in and settled Yinyue in the detached courtyard. Several physicians from the manor have gone over and are working with the doctors your people brought to figure out how to treat your injuries."
"Don't be silly in the future. No matter what the situation, if there's anything you don't want to do, just tell me." On the surface, there were only the two of them left in the room, but Gan Qiongying knew that there were also eighteen all-around surveillance cameras overhead.
Therefore, she dared not utter a single word about "mutual benefit and mutual gain," and only dared to pretend to be infatuated with him, treating Li Hua with utmost tenderness in order to lower his guard.
"I promise you, I will never force you, so you don't need to be afraid. It's me who likes you, what are you afraid of?"
Li Hua was stunned when she heard her gentle words.
He can withstand people's humiliation, insults, beatings, and abuse.
But I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this situation.
Li Hua is not stupid. He has been in business for many years and has seen countless people. Whether he was forced into it or had no other choice, he has learned to recognize people and understand their intentions.
He could sense that, at least for this moment, Princess Duanrong's kindness and concern were genuine.
She was genuinely afraid of the continued pain, which is why she did this. As a princess, she personally rolled up her sleeves and brought him the medicine, and even specifically instructed the royal physician to add hemp to the medicine.
Li Hua stood there, frozen, eyes lowered, motionless.
"Drink up, didn't you stay up all night in pain?"
Li Hua slowly raised his head and looked into her eyes.
He was indeed in so much pain last night that he tossed and turned, and tried to get up and leave several times. Did she know all this?
So she hugged me again and again... was she pretending or was she really fast asleep?
Li Hua realized she might be faking it, as she kept coming back after being pushed away repeatedly. Helpless, he had no choice but to give in. To prevent her from placing her hands on his sensitive waist, he even wrapped his arms around her to keep her from moving around...
A moment later, his face remained unchanged, but his ears and neck turned as red as ripe peach flesh.
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