I have really echoed that sentence of Su Xi-er by looking for things to do when I have nothing better to do.
As soon as the cooling medicinal powder was smeared on her back, it instantly disappeared into the skin and alleviated the burning pain.
Pei Qianhao gently caressed her back. “Su Xi-er, we will be leaving for Nanzhao tomorrow.”
His probing tone was met with nothing besides a small murmur of affirmation.
“Su Xi-er, what kind of person is this prince in your eyes?”
He didn’t know why he asked that question. After contemplating for a while, Su Xi-er answered, “Someone who love all beauties but is in fact ruthless and callous. There is not a single woman in the Beauty Palace you truly care about. With your lofty status and great power, no one dares to disobey you. You are the sun in the sky, gloriously resplendent as you cast your light without fear. Those who get close to you can only be burned to death.”
Pei Qianhao’s hand stopped. “The sun? Indeed, this prince is the sun. Su Xi-er, you are so close to this prince, aren’t you afraid of being burned to death?”
Su Xi-er shook her head. Her consciousness already faint, she wasn’t sure if her thoughts were simply muddled or if she was deliberately joking. “It’s the opposite, I’m not afraid of being burned to death but I’m actually scared of being frozen to death. The aura around you is too chilly.”
She could only feel her head getting heavier after speaking. Being beaten, getting drenched in the rain, and chilled to the bone by the wind. Although she had forcefully endured it all until now, she could no longer hold on, and quickly fell into the embrace of sleep.
Looking at her sleeping face, Pei Qianhao thought of her witty appearance just now and couldn’t help but ponder. Su Xi-er, exactly what kind of person are you? You dare to say what others don’t dare to say, and do what others don’t dare to do.
Pei Qianhao took off her clothes and helped her change into his own before covering her with the quilt.
When he felt her forehead, he realised that she was running a fever.
In this world, only a woman’s body is this fragile.
Pei Qianhao immediately walked out of the room and ordered the imperial guards from the Prince Hao Residence to call for a physician. The guard who was chosen to complete this task was none other than the one who had originally beaten Su Xi-er, and he had witnessed all of Prince Hao’s actions just now.
Strange. In the past, when Prince Hao punished servants, he paid no attention at all. If they were injured or even dead, it would be a minor matter. However, why is he acting so differently towards this servant girl? Was he no longer able to watch her silently endure, and decided that he no longer had the heart to punish her and see her in such a state?
“Quickly get moving.”
Hearing Prince Hao’s ice-cold voice, the imperial guard nodded his head repeatedly and directly ran out in spite of the heavy rain.
By the time Pei Qianhao returned to his room again, he realised that Su Xi-er’s forehead was covered in sweat. Her hands pinched the quilt tightly, and her ashen lips opened and closed, as if she was having a nightmare.
“How can you…be like this, Yun…” The word ‘Ruofeng’ was stuck in her throat.
Pei Qianhao looked at her. Yun? Someone with the surname ‘Yun’? Is it a male or female? What relationship does that person have with her?
She no longer spoke and clutched the quilt even more tightly, her face filled with despair and pain.
This appearance stunned Pei Qianhao. Why would a woman have such an expression?
I once wore the same kind of expression too. But I eventually managed to endure through it and walked to where I am now. I also had the same expression in the past.
Is her experience the same as mine? How can that be? She entered the palace when she was very young. How could a little girl have that kind of painful experience to make such an expression?
Pei Qianhao sat on the bedside and looked at the bloodstained yellow dress. He couldn’t help but reach out his hand and grasp Su Xi-er.
It was as if his hand was the spring water in the oasis. As soon as Su Xi-er touched it, her grip tightened until white streaks appeared on his wrist.
Pei Qianhao was pensive as he watched the hand gripping his with half-lidded eyes.
Who exactly is the ‘Yun’ she mentioned?
A physician hastily rushed over approximately an hour later, accompanied by the County Magistrate and Shui Yinglian.
Shui Yinglian had told everything to Lord Shui. In his anxiety, he had escorted Shui Yinglian over to apologise.
However, when he arrived, he was barred from entering the room by the imperial guards from the Prince Hao Residence.
He only saw the physician rushing in with a medicine box. Could it be that Prince Hao is injured? Lord Shui grew even more distressed.
Shui Yinglian came to a realisation. Her eyes became blank, and her whole body stiffened.
