Chapter Seventy-Seven
Yixiao sat by the bedside in coarse peasant attire, her gaze complex as she looked at the man lying unconscious before her—he had always loved her with a pure heart, yet she had never given him much in return.
Near the rocky shore, a few peasant households had taken them in. The kind and simple-hearted farmers had sheltered the disheveled pair, even offering their own bedroom to Feng Suige, who was half-conscious. Now, his wounds had been roughly bandaged, and his soaked clothes had been changed into soft cotton garments with the help of the male host.
Feng Suige frowned slightly and shifted, unconsciously pushing away the thin quilt that had been tucked tightly around him. Yixiao leaned over to pull it back up. There was no way they could return to the Royal City in his current state, and until he regained consciousness, she had no idea who to turn to for help.
By dusk, Feng Suige’s body grew increasingly feverish, yet not a drop of sweat appeared. Yixiao repeatedly covered him with the quilt, only for him to kick it off again and again.
After hesitating for a moment, Yixiao got up and bolted the door firmly. She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, wrapping the thin quilt tightly around both herself and Feng Suige.
The temperature beneath the quilt gradually rose, becoming so stifling that even Yixiao found it unbearable. Feng Suige began to struggle weakly, but Yixiao held him firmly, pressing down on his limbs as they endured the suffocating heat together.
Yixiao’s clothes were soon drenched in her own sweat, yet Feng Suige’s skin only showed the faintest hint of moisture. He began to moan softly in discomfort, his breathing rapid and labored. Seeing him suffer like this, Yixiao grew increasingly frantic, holding him even tighter, not daring to loosen her grip for even a second.
By the dead of night, Feng Suige’s fever finally began to recede, bit by bit.
Seeing him sleeping peacefully at last, Yixiao gently wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. Listening to his steady heartbeat and even breathing, she felt an unprecedented sense of security.
Pulling the quilt up, she inhaled the warm scent of his skin, and the tension that had gripped her all day slowly melted away. Before long, she too fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, still holding him close.
By the time the candle had burned halfway down and a faint light seeped through the paper window, Yixiao awoke from her dreams, her heart filled with tranquility, her body enveloped in a warm, indescribable comfort.
Turning her head to look at Feng Suige, she froze for a moment before a joyful smile spread across her face—his dark eyes were open, fixed intently on her.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked softly. "Are you hungry?" Feng Suige stiffened, blinking once before falling silent. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice icy, "Why are you still here?"
Yixiao’s smile vanished instantly. She met his gaze indifferently for a few moments before slowly pushing the quilt aside and sitting up.
A beast was still a beast after all. Its injury had been nothing more than a minor sacrifice, and she had foolishly let herself be deceived by it all, forgetting its savage nature. Now, she could only brace herself for its vicious bite—paying back the debt with interest.
Serves me right!!!
How pathetic!!
What a humiliation I brought upon myself!
What made me think he cared about you?
What made me think he was as lonely as you??The moment Yixiao's toes touched the ground, Feng Suige suddenly clung to her desperately, burying his face in her shoulder and pleading almost shamelessly, "Don't go... I don't want you to leave..." Yixiao struggled angrily but couldn't break free, scolding lightly, "Let go! You're hurting me!"
"I won't. I said the wrong thing, but you provoked me first," Feng Suige actually accused with a serious expression. "Your heart is always with that person, never caring about my feelings." "My only thought is to throw you back into the river," Yixiao retorted without backing down. "Is this all the trust you have in me? I opened my heart to you, and this is what I get? You want me to leave? Where do you expect me to go?"
Feng Suige looked at her slightly surprised. In his memory, Yixiao had never been so straightforward—he had thought himself content, yet a piece was always missing in his heart. Now, the most important piece had finally fit perfectly into place.
After venting in one breath, Yixiao turned and saw him staring blankly. Furious, she broke free from his embrace, not even bothering with her shoes, and strode barefoot toward the door.
Feng Suige snapped out of it and jumped up to stop her but stumbled weakly. Yixiao hurriedly steadied him and pushed him back onto the bed, chiding, "Lie down! Stop showing off!"
With his worries eased, Feng Suige relaxed considerably, leaning most of his weight onto Yixiao with a smile. "I can't believe... you'd say such things to me. I've been trying so hard, even risking Father's displeasure, just hoping that one day, standing by my side would bring you joy, not torment."
But Yixiao acted as if she hadn't heard, pushing him away ungratefully. "Are you boneless? You're so heavy—get up! I'll find you something to eat..." Feng Suige's gaze lingered on her moving lips until he couldn't resist leaning in to silence their source.
A kiss so faint it was almost imperceptible—Feng Suige treated it as carefully as dew on a lute string.
Perhaps this was their first real kiss. Perhaps this was the true beginning.
Xiyang sat dazedly in the pavilion by the Emerald Pool. A sudden cool breeze tousled her loose hair, and she instinctively reached up to smooth it. A fine strand slipped between her fingers and brushed her lips, tickling slightly. Xiyang couldn't help covering her mouth lightly.
That day, mid-sentence, the Holy Emperor had suddenly reached out and pulled her close. She had tried to push him away as if scalded, but his strength was overwhelming. He held her firmly against his chest and kissed her lips.
For just a brief moment, Xiyang felt as if she had died and come back to life. It was like being dragged into an abyss, only to glimpse a sliver of moonlight before drowning. In despair, she reached out weakly toward that light but grasped nothing.
His breath, the faint fragrance between his lips, his cool, thin lips, and the deep, dark eyes so close—they reminded her so much of Xia Jingshi...
Xia Jingshi!!
Xiyang found strength from somewhere and shoved him away. While he was still stunned, she staggered back, her back hitting a tree as tears streamed down. "How could you... You're the emperor!" The Holy Emperor narrowed his eyes. "So what?"Xiyang panted for a while before gradually calming down. With a solemn expression, she said, "Xiyang is now the wife of the King Who Pacifies the South. Please show some respect, Your Majesty." The Holy Emperor locked eyes with her for a moment before suddenly smiling. "If I were to offer you the position of empress and let you choose again, would you still choose him?"
"Yes," Xiyang answered firmly.
"Very well," the Holy Emperor clapped his hands and laughed. "For that single 'yes,' I've decided to lend you a hand." Noticing Xiyang's wary gaze, he added with a smile, "That was merely a test. Now, tell me—what is the greatest obstacle between you and him?"
Xiyang's heart skipped a beat. "Your Majesty's words are unclear to me."
"You understand perfectly," the Holy Emperor replied leisurely, glancing up at the swiftly drifting clouds before enunciating each word: "Fu. Yi. Xiao."
Seeing Xiyang stare at him blankly, the Holy Emperor smirked. "Xia Jingshi has petitioned me to grant her a noble title. Once my decree is issued, she will become a princess of the realm, just like you. Did you know that?" Xiyang instinctively shook her head.
The Holy Emperor continued, "Since the princess is so clever, I'll be direct. If you help me reclaim the military power from Xia Jingshi, I will assist you in uprooting his feelings for Fu Yixiao. I promise you this—when all is done, Xia Jingshi will remain the King Who Pacifies the South, and you will still be his wife. Nothing will change except the absence of military power. Without Fu Yixiao, with your intelligence, winning him over would be effortless, wouldn't it?"
"How do you uproot it? Will you kill her?" Xiyang blurted out.
The Holy Emperor gave a mysterious smile but did not answer. "The princess need only tell me: yes or no."
"I want to know why," Xiyang pressed. "I must know the reason."
After a brief silence, the Holy Emperor chuckled softly. "Everything he desires, I must have. If I cannot obtain it, I would rather destroy it."
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