Chapter 810: Always Smiling Foolishly

"I dare not anymore! I won’t let my thoughts wander," Xia Ruqing instantly conceded.

Zhao Junyao curved his lips with satisfaction and continued sipping tea.

Zi Yue brought in the medicine, ready to apply it to Xia Ruqing’s hand.

The blisters from the burn had already been pierced, and the medicine was applied once yesterday.

Presumably, it had already formed a scab now.

Zhao Junyao’s gaze fell on her fingers, feeling a bit of pity and some regret.

He then said,

"Bring it over! Let me do it!"

Zi Yue was somewhat surprised.

"Yes!"

She responded and handed the medicine over.

Zhao Junyao took the medicine, sat beside Xia Ruqing, and gently unwrapped the bandage from her hand.

Seeing the dry, shriveled blister marks had indeed scabbed over.

He inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a heavy stone had quietly set down in his heart.

"Does it still hurt?"

This poor little girl, why didn’t she say anything?

Always silly and smiling, truly foolish.

"No, it doesn’t hurt!"

Actually, after applying the medicine yesterday, it didn’t hurt anymore.

In her previous life, she had climbed mountains and crossed waters in the countryside, suffering many injuries, so what did this minor injury count for?!

Zhao Junyao: "..."

Other women would be overly dramatic.

Would it kill you to act a little dramatic?

He gave her a cool glance, gently applied the medicine to her, and then carefully wrapped up her hand.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and instructed,

"Don’t touch it recklessly!"

"And don’t move around carelessly!"

"Got it! Hehe..."

Xia Ruqing obediently agreed, her heart also warmed.

Seeing her silly smile again, Zhao Junyao felt a bit of a headache.

"All you know is how to smile foolishly!"

Xia Ruqing didn’t speak, her large apricot eyes swirling mischievously.

Suddenly, she leaned closer to him and bit down hard on his arm, using all her strength!

Zhao Junyao was caught off guard and let out a muffled groan.

"What are you doing?!"

Xia Ruqing didn’t answer, still biting with force.

Zhao Junyao didn’t dodge either.

The pain was secondary; he wanted to see what exactly this little girl intended to do.

Xia Ruqing looked at him and bit down harder.

Her mouth tasted the metallic sweetness as she wished.

Finally, blood flowed, not bad.

Then she released her grip.

Satisfied, she looked at her handiwork, still foolishly smiling.

Zhao Junyao didn’t get angry, just looked at her with an enigmatic gaze.

"Satisfied?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"Emperor, this is the mark left by this concubine on you; it can’t be wiped off or washed away."

"In case someday you become fond of someone else"

"Look at this scar, maybe you’ll remember my good qualities again."

All in all, she had to work hard to remain a favored consort for as long as possible!

Zhao Junyao was a little surprised; the pain was indeed real.

But upon hearing that this was her intention.

His heart warmed inexplicably, sweetly so.

He slowly raised his hand, gently touching the wound on his arm, and after a long time, spoke tenderly.

"Alright!"

She truly was foolish, foolish to the point where he felt cherished pain for her.

If it were any other emperor.

By now, she would have likely been dragged away.

Assaulting the emperor and injuring the imperial body are serious crimes.

Didn’t she think?

If this act angered the Emperor, what would be her fate?

Just so stupid? Totally defenseless?!

Doesn’t she know the emperor is the most ruthless?!

However.

Her foolishness, her defenselessness, always struck the depths of his heart, making him cherish her like a treasure, stirring his emotions wildly, unable to stop!

...

At Xifu Palace.

Noble Concubine Shih broke down emotionally last night, crying the whole night.

She fell ill the next day, unable even to get out of bed, her complexion pale, coughing up phlegm with blood.

Ying Qiu was terrified and hurriedly summoned the Imperial Physician.

After taking her pulse, the Imperial Physician said:

It was an acute attack on the heart due to anger, resulting in stagnation of liver qi and blood stasis.

Serious but also not serious.

As long as her emotions are soothed, avoiding aggravation, and resting and recuperating, she could recover soon.

After diagnosing,

The Imperial Physician wrote a prescription to replenish blood and energy, dispelling the stagnation, then left.

Ying Qiu hurriedly called someone to get medicine and prepare it.

After bustling for half a day, the medicinal soup was finally brought to Noble Concubine Shih’s bed.

But Noble Concubine Shih was immersed in the Emperor’s heartlessness and had no thought of drinking the medicine.

Ying Qiu was extremely anxious.

"Madam, your health is important. No matter what, you must take care of your health!"

"Don’t be foolish and let those who care suffer while your enemies rejoice!"

Noble Concubine Shih self-mockingly laughed.

"Haha... Suffer for those who care, rejoice for enemies? Are there any relatives left for me in this harem?"

"I lost favor, even the Empress Dowager changed her face, standing by idly watching!"

"Needless to mention the Emperor; the affection from those days is completely gone now!"

Saying so, she took a deep, shaky breath.

"Ying Qiu, tell me... Is there any meaning in me living like this?"

Ying Qiu was scared to death, immediately kneeling by the bed, imploring urgently.

"Madam, please don’t think like that!"

"No matter what, outside the palace, there’s an old master who loves you dearly!"

"If anything happens to you, it would be the white-haired mourning the black-haired!"

"Please don’t act recklessly, madam!"

Noble Concubine Shih laughed again, biting her lip as she spoke slowly.

"The white-haired mourning the black-haired? Haha!"

"My father is struggling to manage himself, how could he care about my life or death!"

"That wretched Lady Xia, her brother frequently sends letters into the palace!"

"But my father, how long has it been since he wrote a single letter to me?!"

As her voice fell, so did her tears.

Ying Qiu’s heart twisted painfully.

"Madam, you still have me and Ying Yue!"

"Madam, have you forgotten how Ying Yue died?"

"For us two sisters, we’ve accompanied you since childhood, our lives are yours!"

"As long as you rise again, I’m willing to sacrifice my life to pave the way for you!"

Noble Concubine Shih looked at the kneeling Ying Qiu and thought of Ying Yue, and again tears fell.

Three years ago, she had set a trap hoping to implicate Lady Xia’s brother and Lady Wang in an affair.

But unexpectedly, that wretched Lady Xia cunningly exposed it.

Even the Emperor supported her.

In the end, not only was the newly birthed Third Princess taken away, but Ying Yue was sent to the Laundry Bureau.

While the Laundry Bureau might be tough, it shouldn’t be lethal.

But Ying Yue died within just a few months of being sent there.

She couldn’t believe, even if beaten to death, there wasn’t Lady Xia’s involvement in it.

"Lady Xia!"

"How cruel-hearted you are!"

Ying Yue was already sent to the Laundry Bureau, yet you didn’t let her go, you actually had her tormented to death.

Ying Qiu also cried and said.

"Madam, there’s something you don’t know!"

"During that time, I was constantly worried about Ying Yue, so I secretly took all my monthly allowance of silver and delivered it to the Laundry Bureau, attempting to gratify those sisters and ladies there!"

"Hoping they would relent a little in tormenting Ying Yue!"

"But..."

Ying Qiu was sobbing uncontrollably.

"But it was of no use!"

"Madam, it was useless!"

"Ying Yue still died, all because I’m useless!"

Noble Concubine Shih’s heart shattered, tearfully and angrily she gritted her teeth.

"Why didn’t you say so earlier!"

Ying Qiu was trembling in fear.

"At that time, even you were being blamed by the Emperor, and couldn’t escape it!"

"Ying Yue repeatedly told me, not to let you know these things!"

"Before dying, she grasped my hand, making me promise to never tell you about these things!"

"She didn’t want you to stir up any more trouble because of her!"