Xiao Che's trembling, blood-stained hand ultimately did not touch Lin Wanwan's cheek.
When his tall frame was just a step away from her, he suddenly swayed. The excruciating pain in his internal organs finally overwhelmed his willpower, and his vision blurred.
"His Majesty!"
Lin Wanwan exclaimed in surprise and quickly stepped forward, using her delicate body to barely support his almost collapsing body.
Only then did the belated reinforcements, the imperial guards and accompanying physicians, finally push through the chaotic crowd and arrive at the scene, panting heavily.
When they saw the scene before them—His Majesty the Emperor, pale-faced and with blood at the corner of his mouth, leaning against the Empress, while Consort Xian was being held down on the ground by two Imperial Guards, crying her heart out—everyone was stunned into a blank mind by the sheer volume of information.
"Imperial Physician!" The commander of the Imperial Guards was the first to react, roaring at the old imperial physician behind him carrying a medicine chest, "What are you all standing there for! Quickly treat His Majesty!"
The old physician was startled and hurriedly ran forward, but before he could get close, he was stopped by a cold look from Xiao Che.
"Don't worry about me." Xiao Che's voice was still hoarse, but it carried an undeniable authority. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the metallic taste rising in his throat, and disregarding his own serious injuries, bent down and personally picked up Lin Wanwan horizontally!
"Your Majesty, your health is of utmost importance!" The old imperial physician was sweating profusely with anxiety.
"Back to camp!"
Ignoring everyone's advice, Xiao Che, holding the petite figure in his arms, strode quickly toward the imperial tents, clearing a path through the rapidly advancing imperial guards. His steps were somewhat unsteady due to his injuries, but his arms holding her remained as steady as a mountain.
Lin Wanwan was held in his arms, her nostrils filled with the mingled scents of his ambergris and blood. She could clearly feel his body trembling slightly with each step he took. She knew he was enduring immense pain.
Her heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, aching and throbbing with indescribable discomfort.
Back in the imperial tent, a symbol of the empire's highest power, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost suffocating.
Xiao Che carefully placed Lin Wanwan on the soft couch covered with a thick white tiger skin, then staggered to the side and began to cough violently.
The old physician rushed forward and, without saying a word, grabbed his wrist to take his pulse. After a moment, the old physician's expression became extremely grave.
"Your Majesty, you...you have internal organ turmoil and reversed blood flow; your injuries are quite severe!" The old imperial physician's voice trembled slightly. "You absolutely must not exert yourself further and must rest immediately, otherwise...otherwise, it may damage the very foundation of your imperial body!"
Everyone inside the tent turned pale with fright at the diagnosis.
However, Xiao Che, the one most seriously injured, seemed not to hear anything. His pale face was expressionless, and his deep black eyes still churned with lingering fear and turmoil.
He leaned against the couch, catching his breath for a moment, and then issued his first and most shocking decree since his injury.
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present:
"Issue my decree!"
"From this moment on, the Empress's safety is the top priority!"
He paused, his icy gaze sweeping over every guard and palace servant who stood frozen in fear within the tent. His tone was chilling, carrying an unyielding, bloodthirsty, and domineering air that brooked no disobedience:
"Anyone who dares to come within three feet of the Empress shall be killed without mercy!"
The three words "kill without mercy" were like three ice spikes coated with deadly poison, piercing deep into everyone's hearts!
The entire camp was deathly silent.
Everyone was stunned by the emperor's almost obsessive and insane order. To place the empress's safety above everything else, even above his own health—what kind of concern was this? What kind of favoritism was this?
The old imperial physician wanted to offer further advice, but when he met Xiao Che's emotionless eyes, he swallowed all his words. He knew that the emperor at this moment was a dragon whose scales had been touched, and any attempt to defy his will would only be torn to shreds.
Lin Wanwan lay on the soft couch, staring blankly at him. Every word he spoke felt like a scorching hot iron, branding her heart and leaving her feeling utterly lost and bewildered.
She wanted to say that she was fine, and that it was he who really needed to rest.
However, before she could finish speaking, Xiao Che's next action silenced her.
Ignoring the imperial physician's advice against any rash actions, he struggled to move from his seat to the soft couch where Lin Wanwan was lying. He sat down close to her, disregarding the injuries on his back, and reached out to hold her hand tightly, very tightly.
His palms were icy cold, and trembled slightly from exhaustion, but the strength in them was astonishing, as if he wanted to crush her bones and completely integrate her into his own flesh and blood.
He held her hand, raised his head, and with his bloodshot eyes, issued his second command to everyone in the tent:
"Without my permission, the Empress is not to leave this tent even for a moment!"
This is no longer protection, this is confinement! It is a kind of obsessive and coercive possession born of extreme fear!
Lin Wanwan looked at the emperor, who was clearly unsteady on his feet but still glared at everyone with fierce eyes like a wounded beast desperately protecting its food. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
Touched, heartbroken, helpless, and a little bit of laughing and crying.
She wanted to say something, to tell him she was really okay and that he should get some rest. However, she was stopped by a warning look from him as soon as she opened her mouth.
His eyes were filled with the message, "Don't speak, listen to me."
Lin Wanwan reluctantly shut her mouth, but her heart was filled with tenderness.
She quietly raised her eyes and looked at the area above his head where the emojis hadn't moved for a long time.
The two rapidly switching images, "Thank goodness you're okay.gif" and "I want them dead.jpg," have disappeared.
At this moment, the area finally stabilized.
Instead, she received a brand new emoji that made her heart flutter.
It was a tiny, jet-black kitten, tightly, tightly clutching a small doll with the exact same hairstyle and clothes as her. The kitten's body was still trembling, and her big eyes were filled with tears, making her look pitiful and helpless.
Above the kitten, a small line of text, also trembling slightly, floated:
[I almost lost you... I was so scared.gif]
The moment Lin Wanwan saw this emoji, her heart melted completely.
It turns out that all his violence, all his tyranny, and all his madness stemmed from this.
It stems from...fear.
This arrogant emperor, this man who had just displayed his thunderous methods, was now so fragile and vulnerable inside.
Lin Wanwan turned her hand over and gently and tenderly grasped his cold hand.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com