The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Shen Wangxi left Jiaofang Palace and walked straight towards Qingyi Palace without stopping.

Inside the Qingyi Palace, Shen Qingruo was sitting on the edge of the bed. Granny Yan squatted in front of her and carefully lifted the hem of her right skirt.

"Your Highness, please bear with it." Granny Yan looked at the exposed calf with concern. "You bumped it and it looks a bit bruised. Let me take a look first, but I'll have the imperial physician come and examine it later to be on the safe side."

Shen Qingruo bit her lip and nodded gently.

Her skin was extremely delicate. Normally, if Shen Wangxi exerted a little force, the marks left on her body would not fade for a long time. At this moment, the small bump on the side of her knee looked particularly shocking.

The skin on the front of my knees still had a faint pinkish tinge from kneeling on the soft gauze for so long last night.

When Shen Wangxi stepped into the inner room, this was the scene that greeted him. He said in a low voice, "Send the imperial physician's order."

He then added, "Call another female healer to come along."

Shen Wangxi can't stand any other man looking at her now, not even the imperial physician.

When Granny Yan saw him arrive, she quickly stood up and bowed, then led the palace maids who were standing in the hall out as instructed, and gently closed the door behind her.

Only the two of them remained inside.

Shen Wangxi approached the bedside. Shen Qingruo stiffened upon hearing his footsteps, then turned to the side, burying her face in the soft pillow, leaving him with only a thin, stubborn back view.

He walked up to her, sighed, and condescended to squat down. He took her slender ankle in one hand and stroked her calf with the other, carefully examining the injury on her knee.

The bruises from the bump made him frown, and the surrounding pinkish discoloration caused by him made his throat tighten.

"Does it still hurt?" Shen Wangxi asked, her voice low and hoarse.

Shen Qingruo buried her face even deeper and remained silent.

Looking at her sulking appearance, Shen Wangxi felt both helpless and sorry for her.

He sighed and finally spoke: "Today in the Jiaofang Palace, I did not immediately help you up in public because I did not know what you were thinking."

He paused, his gaze fixed on her heaving figure. "Aruo, would you be willing to allow me to issue a decree to take you into my harem?"

Shen Qingruo remained neither up nor in response.

Shen Wangxi looked at her alluring waist and hip curves, which were made even more pronounced by her side-lying position.

He stopped squatting, got up and sat on the edge of the bed, reached out and put his arm around her waist, half-forcibly pulling her up and shielding her in his arms.

Shen Qingruo struggled for a moment, but her strength was weak, more like a reluctant acceptance.

She finally raised her face, her eyes red-rimmed, and glared at him, her voice filled with grievance: "Who wants you to take me in? I don't want to!"

Shen Wangxi's heart softened at her slightly temperamental demeanor.

"What do you want? Tell me." He coaxed in a low voice, his large hand gently patting her slender back. "Just tell me, and I'll give you anything."

Shen Qingruo was held captive by him, the scent of his ambergris lingering in her nostrils. Unable to break free or escape, she could only mutter, "I don't want anything."

"I just want you to care about me a little more, and not always leave me alone..."

The last sentence was spoken very softly, but Shen Wangxi heard it.

He was filled with mixed emotions. The difference between her and Ayun and Ayan was right there. No wonder he was becoming more and more biased towards her.

After all, no man could resist the wholehearted and pure affection and admiration of such a beautiful and delicate young girl.

Shen Wangxi lowered his head, found her soft lips, and kissed her gently with endless tenderness.