Chapter 427 I'm truly flattered!
Zhao Mingyan then lifted her wrist and applied medicine to her palm and fingertips.
Ji Qingwu said, "There's a young soldier under the rock. He was seriously injured protecting a bag of millet. I don't know how..."
As she spoke, her voice turned genuinely aggrieved.
Ji Qingwu said, her voice choked with emotion, "There's nothing I can do to save him."
Zhao Mingyan put the medicine bottle back in the medicine box, got up and sat down next to her. He stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his arms, his palm gently stroking her back.
His voice was low: "You've done your best."
With someone offering comfort, and this person being Emperor Wusu, Ji Qingwu could no longer stop sobbing.
"If, if it weren't for that fallen pillar, perhaps I could, I could have saved him..."
Her glistening tears fell like beads from a broken string, landing one after another on Zhao Mingyan's black armor. The dragon scale patterns were moistened by the tears and shimmered with a faint light.
A warm, large hand gently patted her back, offering silent comfort that gradually calmed her down.
Ji Qingwu buried her face above his collarbone.
There are no thick armor plates here, only the collar of the inner garment.
Even as Zhao Mingyan felt the collar of his jacket getting damp, tears were still welling up in Ji Qingwu's eyes, her expression one of grievance and helplessness.
He lowered his head and kissed away the tears at the corner of her eyes.
His lips were warm and soft. Ji Qingwu's eyelashes fluttered gently. She seemed to remember something and hastily wiped away her tears with her hand.
Zhao Mingyan asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Ji Qingwu's eyes were swollen like small walnuts, and she said embarrassedly, "There's still dust on my face..."
And it's someone else's face.
Previously, her disguises were improvised and created at will, but this one is a direct copy of Chunhua's face.
Zhao Mingyan gently flicked away the teardrop still clinging to her eyelashes with his long finger and teased, "Your tears have long since washed it away."
He cupped her face in his hands and laughed, "It's better not to wipe it at all."
A hint of confusion flashed across Ji Qingwu's eyes.
Her nose twitched as she smelled a strong medicinal odor. The medicine she had just applied to her hand was now smeared onto her face, making her look like a big mess.
Ji Qingwu felt embarrassed by his smiling gaze, just as Zhao Mingyan thought she was about to lower her head and pretend to be a quail.
She pounced on him again, rubbing her face against the crook of his neck.
Zhao Mingyan was surprised by her initiative today. He hugged her tightly, his long arms encircling her waist, carefully avoiding touching the injured area on her knee.
Ji Qingwu rubbed her face against his neck, like a cute little animal being affectionate and spoiled.
Zhao Mingyan's lips curled up silently as he asked, "What is A-Wu doing?"
Ji Qingwu gently touched the back of his ear with her chin, her voice becoming soft and muffled after crying, like a ripe peach.
"His Majesty was also injured, so I'll share some of the ointment with you."
She must have laughed, her breath brushing against his ear, her lips brushing against his earlobe.
Zhao Mingyan raised his left eyebrow, his deep eyes instantly brightening, and his dark pupils widened slightly.
He had a long scratch on the back of his neck, which had scabbed over, but it didn't look serious.
But the marks on the wound look a bit strange; it's impossible to tell what kind of weapon it was inflicted by.
Just as Ji Qingwu was about to ask something, Zhao Mingyan pressed down on her slender shoulders and pulled her out of his embrace.
Suddenly losing his support and warmth, Ji Qingwu's eyes were filled with confusion.
Zhao Mingyan stared into her eyes and said, "Have I really mistaken you for someone else?"
Ji Qingwu was stunned.
After all she's done, how could she possibly admit her mistakes?
Zhao Mingyan pinched her face and pulled it from side to side, as if he was really trying to find out if the person under that face was her.
Ji Qingwu pouted in dissatisfaction and asked, "Does His Majesty also kneel on the ground to treat other women's wounds and apply medicine personally?"
Zhao Mingyan's eyes revealed undisguised pleasure as he touched her lips.
"But I remember that my Ah Wu has never been so considerate, and he would even try to apply medicine for me."
He exclaimed, "I am truly flattered!"
Ji Qingwu's lips curved into a smile, his eyes glistening with moisture, reflecting his handsome features.
She said proudly, "I've always been this considerate, and I've been before..."
Zhao Mingyan asked, "What happened?"
Ji Qingwu paused. That time when the medicine was applied, Emperor Wusu was still unconscious in Zhaoyang Palace.
At this moment, she recalled it again, feeling both heartbroken and a little guilty. If she hadn't taken too many life-saving medicinal herbs from Wutong Garden, her true energy wouldn't have been disrupted by such a twist of fate.
This time, Ji Qingwu secretly made up her mind to stay by his side and never repeat the same mistake.
Ji Qingwu curled the corners of his lips and said, "There is a lot that Your Majesty does not know. It's just that I do good deeds and don't like to leave my name."
Seeing her smug little face, Zhao Mingyan's heart stirred, and he was about to lower his head.
"Your Majesty, Lord Li requests an audience!"
Li Yuzong's sharp voice came from outside the tent.
Ji Qingwu said, "The important matter is still the business. I'll go inside and take shelter for a while."
Zhao Mingyan held her down, his brows furrowed slightly, clearly displeased at being interrupted.
Ji Qingwu mimicked his earlier gesture, touched his lips, and said with a smile, "We await Your Majesty."
Zhao Mingyan looked down at her fingers, then turned back to her lips, a struggle flashing in his eyes. As Ji Qingwu tried to back away, he raised his hand and pressed down on her shoulder.
This time, it was his turn not to want her to leave.
Then, Zhao Mingyan called out to the outside, "What is it?"
Li Yuzong respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, Lord Li has been ordered to send the elite troops back and intends to resign and return to Longzhou. In addition, there is another matter I would like to report to you."
Zhao Mingyan draped the cloak over Ji Qingwu's head and said, "Let him in."
Covered in a thick outer cloak, Ji Qingwu could only show half of her face.
The tent flap was lifted, and Li Chengxun entered. He first smelled the medicine, and then bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject greets you."
Zhao Mingyan walked to the sandalwood table and sat down.
"Get up."
Li Chengxun rose and stepped aside, saying, "Your Majesty, the suppression of the Black Wind Stronghold bandits has been concluded..."
His voice clearly paused when his eyes fell on the person sitting on the soft couch and the medicine box on the ground.
Upon hearing the words "Black Wind Stronghold," Ji Qingwu also looked up.
Their eyes met briefly.
Li Chengxun immediately lowered his head, suppressing his surprise, and continued, "The three bandit leaders have already agreed to surrender after being persuaded by General Zhenbei, and have revealed the information of the Xijin spies. However, they have made a request."
The three Hu brothers have found Qi Peiyao. As expected, only they could open the secret passage. Currently, they are still being guarded in the village.
After hearing this, Zhao Mingyan asked in a deep voice, "Is it a very difficult request?"
Curiosity also appeared in Ji Qingwu's eyes. It must be a difficult problem to solve, otherwise Li Chengxun would not have reported it to the emperor.
Li Chengxun said, "Among the caravans that the bandits hijacked, there was a woman who was skilled at midwifery. She had once caught the eye of the bandits' wife, but after the hostages were rescued, this woman and her husband disappeared together."
Ji Qingwu blinked; he was definitely talking about her.
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