So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

The night was pitch black, and the agonizing screams mixed with cries for mercy quickly faded into the tent.

None of the people summoned overnight dared to plead for mercy. His Majesty was clearly furious. When Master Wei entered, he immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness in a sorrowful voice.

Xie Xun's frosty face swept over the members of the Xie family. The head of the Xie family knew that the emperor had deliberately sent them to see him, to give them a warning.

He stepped forward, lifted his robe, knelt on the ground, and bowed his head, saying, "It was this old minister's fault; please, Your Majesty, have mercy."

"My mother is getting old and can't take much work. She'll stay at the Grand Palace to enjoy her remaining years. What do you think, Uncle?"

Recalling the guard who had just been sent away, the Xie family head looked slightly tired. "This old minister understands."

In the middle of the night, a blood-soaked corpse crashed into her palace. The Grand Princess was shocked and furious, and she got up from her bed, yelling for people to protect her.

The palace servants hurriedly lit the palace lanterns and helped the Grand Princess to her feet. At that moment, guards with knives rushed in and all pointed them at the general in the palace garden.

When the Grand Princess came out wearing her clothes, she saw the corpse clearly and her face turned pale with shock. What happened?

She stepped out of the palace gates, her elegant and noble face contorted with ruthless rage, and roared at the general, "Are you insane? How dare you kill someone in the palace?"

"Your Majesty, please do not be angry. This person tampered with His Majesty's horse, causing Princess Huayang to fall off a cliff and die. I was ordered to bring the body back to Your Majesty."

What?!

The Grand Princess was unaware of what had happened, and upon hearing the news, her face contorted with rage.

"Whose orders did you take, daring to break into the Grand Palace in the middle of the night with a corpse?"

"Your Majesty has ordered me to return to the palace to report on my duties. I shall take my leave now."

When the Grand Princess heard that it was on Xie Xun's orders, her whole body swayed instantly, and she was supported by the palace servants behind her.

Her son actually warned her like that because of a woman?!

On the edge of the cliff in Xiwei Forest, Wei Qingxue, who had been drugged, had lost her mind. When Qingfeng pulled her out from under the death row inmate in the prison, she was almost unconscious.

A bucket of cold water was poured over her, and Wei Qingxue opened her eyes, vaguely seeing an excessively tall and slender figure.

The surrounding lights were dim and indistinct, and the moonlight overhead shone on the man's tall and straight back. She reached out, wanting to grab the hem of the man's robe that was fluttering.

"Your Majesty---Your Majesty---"

She couldn't bring herself to beg for mercy; the pain was overwhelming her, and tears streamed down her face as she clenched her teeth in hatred.

If the original plan had been more thorough, perhaps the outcome would have been different. She regretted it so much. She should have used Huayang to kill that woman first, instead of losing her temper herself.

A cold wind blew around, and even the warm breath exhaled in winter seemed to freeze. Wei Qingxue watched as the man turned around and looked down at her condescendingly.

The face she had seen once and could never forget was extremely indifferent, like the snow on a high mountain that would never melt, causing her excruciating pain.

She struggled to say something, but heard him say, "How dare you!"

Her voice, cold as ice, betrayed no emotion. Wei Qingxue suppressed her fear, her voice sounding hesitant and miserable.

"I only wanted to get close to Sister Ning, and I had no intention of harming her. The assassin accidentally ingested the poison and harmed her. I really didn't know."

Xie Xun twitched his lips, as if he were laughing, "She was harmed and fell off a cliff, you should repay her once."

Wei Qingxue's eyes widened, a surge of hatred rising in her heart. Because of that woman, her Wei family was imprisoned in the palace, she lost her innocence, and now she wanted that woman to pay with her life?!

"His Majesty!"

The moment the pitiful and terrified screams left her lips, Qingfeng came over, picked up her tattered body, and threw her off the cliff. Her horrified screams quickly disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds.

"Go and clean it up. Hand over the weapons that Prince An confiscated in the southwest three years ago to the Xiao family. I want to see the memorial impeaching Prince An at the morning court tomorrow."

"Yes."

in the tent.

The imperial physicians had already left, so Ning Yu ordered the palace maids to return to their own quarters and bring back the exquisite jewelry from their dressing tables, which she then bestowed upon the servants who had been beaten half to death.

Inside the tent, only a single candle was lit, its flickering light illuminating the scene on the couch. Ning Yu sat on a stool beside the couch, looking at Qing He, who was covered in sweat, and wiped her forehead with a handkerchief.

When Xie Xun came looking for her, he saw her serving a lowly servant, her eyes full of tenderness.

His cold gaze swept over the person lying on the couch, his eyes narrowing. "Injured and not going home to rest? You're here to serve your servants?"

They walk without making a sound.

Ning Yu turned her head and saw the man who had entered the tent. Her hand paused slightly as a mix of complex and intense emotions welled up in her heart. She put the handkerchief into the basin of water.

"Qinghe and I are like sisters. I cannot ignore her injury. It is getting late, Your Majesty, please go back and rest."

"I'm only sparing her lowly life because of you."

A familiar masculine scent enveloped her from behind. Before Ning Yu could turn around, he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms.

She frowned slightly, trying to straighten up, but he held her so tightly that she couldn't move and could only raise her head.

Xie Xun wanted to go back to sleep. "Come back with me."

Ning Yu took a deep breath. "Can't you hear me? She's half dead. I need to take care of her."

"You're making a scene with me over a mere servant?"

Xie Xun wanted to lock her up again, but thinking of the suffering she had endured at the bottom of the cliff, he softened his expression. "I will send people to take care of her; you don't need to do it yourself."

She's incredibly kind to others, but she won't soften her stance towards him in the slightest. How could those people be worthy of her kindness?

Ning Yu felt her stomach hurt again as he held her so tightly, and not wanting him to notice anything amiss, she put on a cold face.

Did you aggravate my wound?

Xie Xun's arm paused, and he subconsciously loosened his grip. Taking this opportunity, Ning Yu got out of his arms.

She's been acting like this ever since she was found, completely oblivious to her own mortality. The only time she showed him any kindness was when he unlocked her chains. Of all the women in the world, she's the only one who doesn't know her place.

Xie Xun was annoyed and wanted to go back to sleep, but seeing her slender figure and injuries, he kicked the stool aside and sat down on the chair next to her.

"Are you going to stay here overnight?"

He kept talking, almost waking Qinghe up. Ning Yu was annoyed with him, saying, "I still need to feed her medicine later."

Xie Xun immediately ordered someone to quickly brew the medicine, and soon a palace servant hurriedly brought over the scalding hot medicine.

Seeing His Majesty also in this cramped tent, the palace servants turned ashen-faced and hurriedly knelt down beside the bed.

Ning Yu took the medicine bowl, stirred it, and let it cool for a while before slowly feeding it to Qing He.

Xie Xun watched from the side, finding it an eyesore no matter how he looked at it. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze unconsciously fixed on Ning Yu's face. As he looked, he couldn't help but wonder if she would treat him this way if he were injured.

If even a servant can be so considerate to her, then he can be too.

Suddenly, his expression turned cold. What was he thinking? What was he comparing himself to a lowly servant? If he wanted, she would have to obediently serve him—that was the unquestionable answer.