Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

On the way back to Beijing, day three.

The caravan slowly made its way to the post station, which was 300 miles from the capital.

Shen Qingci was reviewing the files from the Xiling trip in the carriage when he suddenly heard a soft moan behind him.

She turned around.

Bao'er curled up on the soft couch, her little face flushed red, her brows furrowed, and she muttered something.

"Bao'er?" Shen Qingci put down the file and reached out to touch his forehead—

Scalding hot!

"Stop the car!" she snapped. "Summon Physician Chen!"

-

The interior of the post station.

Physician Chen's hand trembled slightly as he took the pulse.

Shen Qingci stood to the side, her face calm, but her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

Nangong Ye stood guard at the door, his face ashen, without uttering a word.

With red eyes, Jinshu carried a basin of water in and out.

for a long time.

Physician Chen withdrew his hand and knelt down.

"Your Highness... what's wrong?"

He paused, then spoke with difficulty:

"Spiritual exhaustion."

"What?" Nangong Ye rushed in. "What does 'spiritual body overdraft' mean?"

Physician Chen took a deep breath and tried to explain in the simplest terms possible:

"Your Highness was born with a spiritual body, capable of communicating with all things. This is a blessing from heaven, but also a great burden."

"In Xiling, Your Highness summoned the sacred beast Snow Leopard, an ancient divine creature with extremely strong spiritual pressure."

"Your Highness, with the body of a three-year-old, forcibly sensed it, and for many days in an unfamiliar environment, passively received countless unfamiliar messages..."

He looked up, his eyes filled with heartache:

"Like a thin string, stretched too tight for too long—"

"Now, it's over."

Shen Qingci swayed.

Nangong Ye helped her up.

"How do you treat it?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Physician Chen shook his head: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is incompetent. Matters concerning the spirit cannot be cured by medicine."

We can only...we can only wait for His Highness to recover on his own.

"How long will it take?"

"I don't know," Physician Chen kowtowed. "It could be three days, five days, or..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But everyone knew what the unfinished words were.

It's also possible—

Never wake up.

-

late at night.

Bao'er remains unconscious.

Shen Qingci sat on the edge of the bed, holding his burning little hand, without saying a word.

Nangong Ye stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder, equally silent.

Jinshu brought in a bowl of ginseng soup and said softly, "Your Majesty, you haven't eaten all day, please have some..."

Shen Qingci shook his head.

"Your Majesty..."

"Just leave it there."

Jinshu bit her lip, put down the ginseng soup, and left.

Inside the room, only the two of them remained.

And there was that small, unconscious figure on the bed.

"Qingci," Nangong Ye said softly, "Bao'er will wake up."

Shen Qingci remained silent.

He simply held Bao'er's hand tightly.

Suddenly, Bao'er's lips moved.

"Mother..."

Shen Qingci suddenly bent down: "Bao'er? Bao'er!"

Bao'er frowned and continued to mutter to herself:

"Water...so much water..."

"The house collapsed... Someone is shouting for help..."

"Mother...save them..."

Shen Qingci was stunned.

She looked at Nangong Ye.

Nangong Ye was also looking at her.

"This is..." his voice trembled, "...he sensed it again?"

Shen Qingci closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Then, I opened my eyes.

The fleeting vulnerability in her eyes had vanished.

All that remains is—calmness and decisiveness.

"deliver an imperial order."

She got up and went to the outer room.

"An urgent message from the capital: how is the flood situation in Jiangnan?"

-

Two hours later.

early morning.

A swift reply.

"Your Majesty and Your Majesty! Urgent report from Jiangnan—Ten days of torrential rain in the Taihu Lake basin have caused three dikes to breach! Seventeen counties downstream are flooded, and hundreds of thousands of people are displaced! We urgently request the court to allocate grain and funds for swift relief!"

After reading it aloud, the messenger knelt down, not daring to raise his head.

Shen Qingci took the urgent report and read it for a long time.

Then she turned and went back into the inner room.

I sat down again in front of Bao'er's bed.

Looking at that little face, flushed red from the fever.

Looking at those tightly closed eyes.

Looking at those small lips, yet still crying out "Help!" for the disaster victims.

She reached out and gently stroked his face.

"Baby," she whispered, "you heard me, didn't you?"

"You felt it, didn't you?"

"So you tell your mother to save them."

Bao'er, of course, wouldn't answer.

But his hand moved unconsciously.

He gripped Shen Qingci's fingers tightly.

Shen Qingci's tears finally fell.

A drop landed on Bao'er's face.

-

Its daybreak.

Shen Qingci walked out of the inner room.

Nangong Ye stood at the door, having not slept all night, his eyes bloodshot.

"Have you decided?" he asked.

"Um."

"How do you decide?"

Shen Qingci looked at him.

"You're going back to Beijing," she said. "To take charge of the overall disaster relief efforts."

"And you?"

"I'll stay." She turned back to look at the door to the inner room, "to watch over Bao'er."

Nangong Ye paused for a moment.

Then, he nodded.

"it is good."

He reached out and took her hand.

"Qingci, Bao'er will wake up."

"I know."

"You need to take good care of yourself too."

"I know."

I will write to you every day.

"it is good."

"I……"

Shen Qingci suddenly reached out and gently covered his mouth.

"Ah Ye," she said, "stop talking."

"Go and protect the country."

"I will protect my son."

"Let's split up."

Nangong Ye looked at her.

Looking at her red and swollen eyes, her tightly pursed lips, and her figure that was clearly exhausted but still trying to hold on, I felt a sense of relief.

Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms.

They were holding each other very tightly.

"Qingci," he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse, "I'll come back as soon as I've dealt with things in Jiangnan."

"It's fine if you don't come back." Shen Qingci's muffled voice came from his chest. "Just make sure the disaster victims are settled."

Nangong Ye smiled.

As she laughed, her eyes welled up with tears.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said.

-

Half an hour later.

Nangong Ye led his team on a swift journey, heading straight for the capital.

Shen Qingci stood at the entrance of the post station, watching the procession disappear at the end of the official road.

Then, he turned around.

They went back to the inner room.

I sat down beside Bao'er's bed.

She held his hand.

"Baby," she whispered, "Mother is here."

"The person you wanted to save, your father has gone to save."

"Sleep soundly."

"Wake up when you've had enough sleep."

"Mother is waiting for you."

-

Three days later.

Bao'er remains unconscious.

Physician Chen took his pulse three times a day, and each time he shook his head.

Shen Qingci barely slept, staying by her side every step of the way.

Jinshu was so anxious that she cried, but dared not comfort her.

Fourth day.

early morning.

Shen Qingci leaned against the bed and dozed off in a daze.

Suddenly, I felt something moving in my palm.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

Bow down.

Bao'er's fingers gently hooked in her palm.

Those eyes, which had been tightly closed for three days, slowly opened.

"Mother..."

The voice was soft and gentle.

Shen Qingci was stunned for a moment.

Then, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Baby!" She pulled the child into her arms, holding her tightly. "Baby! You're awake! You're finally awake!"

Bao'er was a little breathless from being hugged so tightly, but she obediently stayed still.

Once Shen Qingci finally relaxed a little, he tilted his head up and blinked:

"Mother, why are you crying?"

"Mother is happy."

Why cry when you're happy?

Shen Qingci looked at him, at his pale yet still bright little face, and couldn't help but smile.

As I laughed, tears started flowing again.

"Because my mother was so happy," she said. "She was so happy she didn't know what to do, so she could only cry."

Bao'er seemed to understand but not quite, yet she reached out and clumsily wiped away her tears.

"Don't cry, Mother," he said. "Your baby is here."

Shen Qingci took his small hand and pressed it against her face.

"Yes," she said. "Bao'er is here."

"My precious baby is here."

-

Half an hour later.

Physician Chen rushed over, and after taking his pulse, tears streamed down his face.

"His Highness is awake...His Highness is awake..." he murmured repeatedly, "Thank God...Thank God..."

Shen Qingci waited until he calmed down a bit before asking:

"How are things now?"

Physician Chen took a deep breath and said solemnly:

"Your Highness, His Highness has survived this ordeal. But—"

He paused:

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you remember this: His Highness's spirit, though a gift from heaven, is fragile. It must not be overused in the future, especially not forcibly connected with ancient divine objects. Otherwise…"

He didn't finish speaking.

Shen Qingci nodded.

"I will remember this."

She turned around and looked at Bao'er, who was drinking porridge.

"Bao'er".

"Um?"

"From now on, you're not allowed to call it 'Great Snow Leopard' anymore."

Bao'er blinked: "Why? The snow leopard is very nice."

"Because it's too tired," Shen Qingci said. "Every time you call it, it gets tired. Can you bear to see the snow leopard so exhausted?"

Bao'er thought for a moment and shook her head.

"I can't bear it."

"That's right." Shen Qingci rubbed his head. "We'll go see it when Bao'er grows up."

Bao'er nodded and went back to drinking her porridge.

-

That night.

A letter from the capital.

The handwriting, written by Nangong Ye, is messy and clearly was done in a spare moment amidst his busy schedule.

"Qingci:"

"The capital has mobilized 300,000 shi of grain, which is being transported to Jiangnan in three routes. Xiao Jue has transferred 5,000 soldiers from the northern border to assist in dredging the waterways. Qian Sihai has mobilized major merchants in Jiangnan to donate silver and grain, and the people are also contributing their efforts."

"The disaster relief efforts are gradually getting back on track."

"How are things on your end? Has Bao'er woken up?"

"I cannot sleep at night, my mind is filled with thoughts of you and your son."

Reply immediately.

"Aye"

Shen Qingci looked at the letter, a slight smile curving her lips.

She picked up her pen and wrote a reply:

"Ah Ye:"

"Bao'er woke up today. She drank two bowls of porridge and ate half a piece of pastry. She's in good spirits."

"He said he missed his father."

"I want to too."

"You go about your business and make sure the disaster victims are settled."

"Bao'er and I are waiting for you to come back."

"Qingci"

She paused when she wrote the last two words.

Then, at the end, another sentence was added:

"Ah Ye, you've worked hard."

-

Ten days later.

The disaster situation in Jiangnan has eased.

Nangong Ye traveled day and night to return to the post station.

When he rushed into the room, Bao'er was leaning against the window, watching the birds in the trees outside.

Hearing footsteps, I turned around.

"Father!"

The tiny figure rushed over.

Nangong Ye caught him and hugged him tightly.

"Bao'er..." His voice trembled, "Bao'er..."

Bao'er was held quite tightly by him, but she didn't move obediently, only whispering:

"Father, your beard is poking Bao'er."

Nangong Ye was taken aback, then smiled.

As she laughed, her eyes welled up with tears.

He put Bao'er down, looked up, and looked at Shen Qingci standing to the side.

She has lost weight.

There were dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating he hadn't been sleeping well lately.

But she was smiling.

A genuine laugh.

Nangong Ye walked over and pulled her into his arms.

"Qingci," he whispered in her ear, "I'm back."

Shen Qingci leaned against him and softly hummed in agreement.

"It's good that you're back."

Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.

The light shone on this family of three.

It's warm and cozy.

[End of this episode]

Next episode preview: After waking up, Bao'er is still weak and needs to rest for several months. Meanwhile, the post-disaster reconstruction in Jiangnan is a complex and multifaceted undertaking. Shen Qingci stays in the capital to oversee the work, while Nangong Ye personally goes to Jiangnan to supervise the reconstruction. Before leaving, Bao'er holds his hand: "Father, come back soon! Bao'er has successfully grown the snow lotus that the snow leopard gave you!"