Her fingers gently touched his skin, feeling its icy temperature.
However, as Xu Yuehuai applied medicine to Wu Hanqing, she felt his hand stealthily approaching her, as if secretly testing her reaction.
Xu Yuehuai felt a tightness in her chest, gritted her teeth, and tried her best to suppress her discomfort.
She knew that although Wu Hanqing was brave and invincible, he was as simple and impulsive as a child when it came to emotions.
Xu Yuehua tried her best not to look into his eyes and focused on applying ointment to his wound.
She felt Wu Hanqing's presence getting closer and closer, and his hand gently rested on her shoulder.
Xu Yuehuai felt a tremor in her heart, but dared not show it, and silently continued to treat her wound.
Wu Hanqing leaned forward slightly, trying to get closer to Xu Yuehuai. His breath carried a faint smell of rust, which made Xu Yuehuai feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She tried to remain calm and continued to bandage his wounds.
"Yue Huai," Wu Hanqing's voice was low and hoarse, "Would you be willing to become my woman?"
Xu Yuehuai's fingers trembled, and the ointment almost fell to the ground. She looked up and met Wu Hanqing's gaze.
His eyes held a burning desire and anticipation, as if he were waiting for her answer.
Xu Yuehuai felt a mix of emotions. She didn't know how to respond, but she had to dispel his doubts as soon as possible.
“I…” Xu Yuehua hesitated for a moment, “I appreciate your kindness, but I can’t give you an answer right now.”
A hint of disappointment flashed in Wu Hanqing's eyes, but he didn't press the matter. He nodded and chuckled softly, "It's alright, I can wait."
The atmosphere between the two was somewhat subtle and awkward. Xu Yuehuai tried her best not to touch the sensitive wound and continued to bandage it.
Wu Hanqing watched her silently, his eyes gleaming with an indescribable light. The silence was broken by footsteps coming from outside the palace.
Upon learning of Wu Hanqing's injury, the Seventh Princess was extremely anxious. She personally brewed a bowl of steaming hot medicine and hurriedly went to Wu Hanqing's palace.
"Your Majesty, it is your concubine!"
"Enter!"
Meanwhile, Xu Yuehuai was standing in a corner of the palace, silently observing everything.
The Seventh Princess carried the medicine into the bedchamber, her face filled with deep worry. She went to Wu Hanqing's bedside, carefully fed him the medicine, her eyes full of care.
"How could you be so careless? How did you hurt yourself?"
"You're the one who cares about me!"
Wu Hanqing's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly as he looked at the Seventh Princess, his heart filled with gratitude.
Watching this scene, Xu Yuehuai couldn't help but think of Qi Guze, feeling a deep longing and a mix of emotions welling up inside her. She quietly left the palace, trying her best to remain unnoticed.
Wu Hanqing looked at Xu Yuehuai with reluctance, while a hint of resentment flashed in the eyes of the Seventh Princess.
Night had fallen when she left the palace. A cold night wind blew, making her shiver. Outside the palace, the wind howled and snowflakes danced in the air. Xu Yuehuai trudged through the thin layer of snow back to her courtyard.
She clenched her hands tightly, trying to keep them warm. On her way back to her courtyard, Xu Yuehuai kept thinking about her situation.
The scene from just now was still echoing in her mind, and she was filled with countless thoughts.
Xu Yuehuai knew that in this place full of intrigue and power struggles, only by maintaining a clear mind and a tenacious will could one survive.
She decided to be more careful to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.
Back in the courtyard, Xu Yuehuai immediately boiled a kettle of water and took a long hot bath, trying to dispel the chill from her body. She knew that only by maintaining her health could she face the challenges ahead.
Just as Xu Yuehuai was about to take a good rest, a eunuch suddenly appeared in front of her and told her in a cold tone that she should go and wash clothes on this freezing night.
Xu Yuehuai was startled. She knew this was not a simple punishment, but a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for her.
“I am a close attendant of the King,” Xu Yuehuai said, trying to remain calm and make the attendant understand her identity. “You actually want me to do such a thing? I only obey the King’s orders!”
The eunuch remained unmoved, coldly replying, "This is His Majesty's will."
Xu Yuehuai understood that this was the Seventh Princess taking the opportunity to retaliate. She sighed helplessly, walked out of the house, and began to wash clothes in the biting cold of the night.
Moonlight spilled onto the icy river, casting a silvery glow that illuminated Xu Yuehuai's solitary figure. She scrubbed the clothes vigorously, her fingers turning red from the cold.
Although she looked exhausted, she remained resilient. She understood that this was a test life had given her, a reality she had to face. As time passed, the night deepened.
Xu Yuehuai finally finished washing all the clothes. Exhausted, she returned to her courtyard, feeling utterly weary.
She sat quietly on the edge of the bed, recalling everything that had happened that day. A resolute glint flashed in her eyes; she knew she had to find a way to survive in the palace.
Meanwhile, the Seventh Princess was sitting by the bedside, keeping Wu Hanqing company. The resentment in her eyes had largely dissipated, replaced by hope and determination for the future.
She knew all too well the fierce power struggles within the palace, and that Xu Yuehuai was an important figure by Wu Hanqing's side. She secretly resolved to put Xu Yuehuai to death.
In this palace rife with intrigue and scheming, the struggle between Xu Yuehuai and the Seventh Princess Consort has only just begun...
In the days that followed, Xu Yuehuai knew that her situation was precarious and she had to be careful to avoid attracting the attention of the Seventh Princess and other forces.
She became more discreet, no longer as flamboyant as before, and tried to remain hidden in the shadows. Her actions became exceptionally cautious, with each step carefully considered to ensure her safety.
Xu Yuehuai had been searching for an opportunity to expose Qin Wenhai and his associates' conspiracy. She knew that only by making their crimes public could the truth be revealed to the world.
So she began secretly gathering evidence, learning about Qin Wenhai and his associates' movements through various channels. A resolute light shone in her eyes, as if an indomitable force was supporting her.
However, the Seventh Princess Consort has been trying every possible way to target Xu Yuehuai. She sent people to follow Xu Yuehuai's movements, trying to find her weaknesses.
Xu Yuehuai, who serves as a close attendant to King Wu Hanqing in the Mingyue Kingdom's palace, has to be even more careful to avoid being discovered.
She was constantly on edge, alert to any movement around her.
In this fierce contest, Xu Yuehuai used her wisdom to evade many assassination attempts.
In this power struggle, she not only faces traps and assassinations from enemies, but also has to deal with the intrigues and power struggles within the palace.
On one occasion, Xu Yuehuai was nearly trapped by an enemy's snare in the palace.
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