In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Broad shoulders, a taut chest, and well-defined abdominal muscles—every inch of his physique exudes strength and beauty.

Her heart started pounding wildly, and her cheeks burned.

But her gaze was instantly drawn to the wounds on his body—two wounds on his right arm, the skin and flesh rolled back, still oozing blood; and an even deeper one on his back, on his shoulder blade, a bloody mess.

Large tears streamed down her face.

It struck him right in the heart.

"Don't be afraid, it won't hurt."

Xie Yige bit her lip and didn't respond. She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and quickly fetched some strong liquor, slowly pouring it over all his wounds.

The moment the strong liquor touched his wound, cold sweat poured down his forehead and veins bulged slightly, but he didn't utter a sound.

She immediately took a clean, finely woven silk cloth and pressed it against the wound for a moment. After the bleeding stopped, she sprinkled on the best wound medicine.

She first laid a layer of soft silk on his arms and back, then wrapped it with silk ribbons in sequence, her movements gentle and skillful. Finally, she carefully helped him put on his clothes.

Her hands trembled throughout the entire process, yet her movements were light and steady. She had never been so afraid before.

Cui Yutang just stared at her blankly the whole time, as if he couldn't get enough of looking at her.

"Cui Yutang, if you ever dare to get hurt again, show me!" Xie Yige threatened while crying.

Her long eyelashes were covered with tiny, sparkling beads.

Cui Yutang felt as if something had bitten into his heart, and for a moment he wished he could die in her hands.

"Yes, Yutang, listen to your wife." His lips were pale, but there was a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

"You...shut up!" Her eyes were brimming with tears, a mixture of shame and anger in her eyes. "We're not even married yet! If you dare spout any more nonsense, I'll see—"

He suddenly leaned down and kissed her lips.

Instantly separate.

"Yige, I missed you." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying the weariness of days of travel and the relief of finally seeing her.

Xie Yige's breath caught in her throat for a moment, as if she were under a spell, frozen in place.

He suddenly leaned down again, his face hovering less than an inch from her chest, and gently inhaled.

Then he lowered his head, nuzzled against her, and finally found the most satisfactory spot, burying his face in her arms.

It's fragrant and soft.

I'm finally back by her side, that's great.

I never want to be so far away from her again.

I'm very anxious.

He had been on the run for days with the monk Xuanji, his mind was tense, and he was injured. Now that he was back by her side, he relaxed and fell into a deep sleep in her arms.

Xie Yige looked at him, who was buried in her chest. His long eyelashes drooped obediently below his deep-set eyes, his nose was straight and prominent, and his skin was as pale and haggard as cold porcelain, yet it could not conceal his unparalleled beauty.

She suddenly felt a little dizzy, her heart fluttering with a mixture of excitement and tenderness.

She couldn't help but secretly plant a kiss on his head, then reached out and stroked his face, like a piece of fine, exquisite white porcelain.

He moved slightly, and she quickly pulled her hand away.

Any later and my hands would be practically pregnant.

Outside, the injuries of the five Xuanling Guards were quickly treated by Baoyu and the others.

They took the body of the other person and began their journey home.

Xie Yige lifted the carriage curtain and said in a low voice to Baoyu, "Slow down the carriage, don't jostle him."

He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, silently accepting the command.

When they returned to Chang'an, it was nearly midnight.

Under the hazy moonlight, there were only four soldiers stationed outside the Dongzhimen Gate of Chang'an City. Bao Yu took out the Prime Minister's token and showed it to the soldiers, and gave them a few ingots of silver before they opened the city gate.

"Master, I'm leaving now." Yu Xiaoshan leaned against the car window, his voice very soft.

"I'll tell you who's behind this once I find out."

"Okay, thank you for your trouble." Xie Yige gently lifted the carriage curtain and watched as Yu Xiaoshan led away most of his guards and disappeared into the night.

Cui Yutang did not wake up until he returned to the Prime Minister's residence.

Cui Zhinuan felt both angry and heartbroken after hearing Cui Shiliu's report on the situation along the way.

His son always seemed to put himself in danger for the sake of others, never considering how worried his old father was. He sat by Cui Yutang's bedside, looking at his son's pale face and the wounds wrapped in silk bandages, and sighed softly.

The Silent Killing Pavilion? He doesn't care about any rules of the martial world.

He is an official, and you are criminals.

He tucked the blanket around Cui Yutang, stood up, and went outside.

The night wind rustled his robes, and his gaze pierced through the layers of mist in the darkness, revealing the sharpness and murderous intent of a superior.

"Cui Zu," he said in a deep voice.

"Your subordinate is here."

"Take your men and find out where the Silent Killing Pavilion is hiding. Once you find it, arrest them on charges of murder and interrogate them thoroughly, one by one." He paused, "I refuse to believe we can't get them to talk."

"My lord, take your orders."

Xie Yige woke up again after only a few hours of sleep the next day.

She turned over, her fingertips lightly touching the empty space beside her, feeling as if something was missing from her heart.

She was worried about Cui Yutang's injury, but she didn't have the right to stay by his side.

They are not yet married. How can she, a woman, openly enter the inner courtyard of the Prime Minister's residence?

Why don't you change her into a maid's clothes and have Baoyu secretly bring her into the mansion?

Oh no, that won't do, it's against the rules.

Just as she was worrying, she suddenly heard a "clucking" sound outside the window.

Her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked to the window and called out to the gyrfalcon perched on the railing outside.

"Gudong, good gudong, come to me quickly!"

Xie Yige looked at it with her beautiful peach blossom eyes sparkling, and kept gesturing for it to come to the windowsill.

The gyrfalcon was startled and took two steps back—that look was definitely not good.

"Could you deliver this message for me? When you get back, I'll make you your favorite grouse, okay?"

Gu Dong's eyes suddenly lit up with an amazing light. It rushed to the windowsill without a care and nodded its head like a wooden fish being struck.

It is clearly completely unaware of the wickedness of human nature.

Because it soon discovered tragically that it wasn't just "delivering a message"—it was flying back and forth dozens of times a day, delivering many messages.

"Cui Yutang, are you up yet? Are you feeling any better? Does it still hurt?"

"My wife, your husband has gotten up and is doing well. Did you miss me?"

"Shut up, and don't call me 'wife'."

"Hmm, shut up? What makes me shut up? Why don't you do it yourself?"

……

Birds face many hardships in life; alas!

The next day, when Gu Dong finally got to eat its favorite grouse, it couldn't help but shed tears of surrender to its fate.

Xie Yige looked at it with a smile, with Bichun and Zhixia beside her, their eyes also sparkling.

This bird is so cute! I really want to pet it!

It can understand human speech and deliver messages; it's a real treasure.

Why are those women staring at it? How terrifying. Gu Dong, with the grouse in its mouth, shrank its neck and hid in the far corner of the windowsill.

Suddenly, a maid came in to report that Baoyu from the Prime Minister's residence had come to request an audience.

Xie Yige's face lit up with surprise: "Zhixia, go and bring him in."

"Yes, Miss." Zhi Xia pouted and left reluctantly.