The familiar, deep voice entered her ears, and Yu Qingwu's body jolted.

That voice was…

Xie Jin Yan!

In an instant, her tense heart finally relaxed, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel stunned and suspicious.

According to the plan, even according to past experience, Xie Jin Yan wouldn't be able to come out for at least a month.

But now, how could he be…?

For a moment, Yu Qingwu doubted the identity of the person outside the door.

But soon, she saw that familiar face through the crack in the door.

It was almost dark, and the corridor was already dim, but with the faint light, Yu Qingwu could still clearly see that familiar, deep outline.

When she opened the door, looking at the man's pale and haggard face, she breathed a sigh of relief, but also frowned.

The strong smell of blood on the man made her heart tremble.

"Your Highness, what happened?"

She hurriedly helped him into the room, and then quickly closed the door.

Then she quickly took out some commonly used wound medicine.

She didn't know medical skills, but because she always got injured when she went out on missions in the past, she still knew how to do basic bandaging.

But at this moment, looking at Xie Jin Yan's expression, this miserable state…

She felt a little uneasy in her heart. She just lowered her head, used the candlelight to carefully clean his wounds, bandaged them, and confirmed that there were no other serious injuries on his body, before sitting on the edge of the bed and asking him gently with a somewhat probing tone, "Your Highness, why are you back at this time? Also, what's going on with all these injuries? Could it be…"

Defeated?

Of course, Yu Qingwu didn't say the last few words.

After all, for a crown prince to fight against invaders on his own land and end up defeated would be both disgraceful and despairing.

She stared at Xie Jin Yan, looking at his listless eyes, and her heart was extremely tense.

Hearing this, Xie Jin Yan didn't speak.

He just looked at her expressionlessly, with a somewhat bleak expression.

Beneath that stunning face was written full of unbearable defeat and embarrassment, without a trace of his past spirit and vigor, and even less of the arrogance and dignity of a crown prince.

Looking at him like this, Yu Qingwu felt even more uncertain.

However, just as she was about to ask again, Xie Jin Yan suddenly chuckled and looked at her with a smile, "Shijie (Senior martial sister), it turns out that neither I nor Xie Qiyun were ever the most important thing.

"Whether it's me or Xie Qiyun, it turns out that we are just pawns for Father to pave the way for others!"

"What loving emperor and empress, it turns out that he has always despised me!"

"No wonder, no wonder he wanted me and Xie Qiyun to come and die one after the other. No wonder he went through all kinds of difficulties to put Mother on the Phoenix Throne. It was all for his second prince, all for the son born to that early-deceased palace maid!"

"He protected him so well…"

"No… and her, what being mistreated by her mother country, what revenge, it's all fake! It turns out… it was all for her lover, for that man surnamed Xiao!"

"But what about me? What am I? I am their flesh and blood! How can they treat me like a pawn! How can they use my life to pave the way for others…"

Xie Jin Yan's eyes were red, and he was already a little incoherent at the end.

After speaking, he suddenly stood up and hugged Yu Qingwu tightly.

Yu Qingwu was worried about his injuries and originally wanted to push him away.

But seeing Xie Jin Yan's expression, she ultimately didn't move, but just hugged him quietly, patting him gently on the back.

Xie Jin Yan closed his eyes tightly, lightly smelling the warm and soft aura on Qingwu's body.

At this moment, only the aura on her body, only she, could make him feel slightly at peace.

Just like that, an unknown amount of time passed before Xie Jin Yan's mood gradually returned to calm.

Seeing that his emotions were no longer as agitated as before.

Yu Qingwu slowly got up and went out to ask the shopkeeper for a pot of hot water.

She poured a bowl and carefully handed it to Xie Jin Yan, coaxing him gently.

"Your Highness, drink some water first."

Xie Jin Yan's eyes were still bloodshot, but after calming down, he seemed a little embarrassed when facing Yu Qingwu again.

Although she had seen him in his most embarrassing state when he was young.

But now, he was a dignified seven-foot man, the current crown prince, and her husband.

But just now, he seemed so vulnerable and so weak in front of her.

He raised his eyes, took a deep look at her, and then took the bowl of hot water, saying with some bitterness, "Shijie, I was out of control just now."

Out of control?

If anyone suffered such a blow, they would probably lose control.

What's more, this wasn't the first time he had lost control in front of her.

Yu Qingwu glanced at him lightly, took the empty bowl from his hand, and comforted him softly, "What are you talking about, Your Highness? Is this the first time you've lost control in front of me?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, just like when we were kids."

Yes, just like when they were kids, he only had her by his side.

But in the past, he was always so ungrateful.

Because of that so-called jealousy, he ignorantly caused her to lose all her internal energy.

If it weren't for the fact that they had depended on each other for survival when they were young, his Shijie would probably never have forgiven him, and even as she once said, she would find it disgusting to even look at him.

If it hadn't been for the sake of using him to take revenge from the beginning, she probably wouldn't have had any interaction with him.

But now, he really only had her.

But if he lost the power in his hands and could no longer help her take revenge, would she still tolerate everything he had done in the past?

Staring at Yu Qingwu for a moment, a bitter smile appeared in Xie Jin Yan's eyes. He suddenly opened his mouth and asked her, "Shijie, if I am no longer the powerful Crown Prince, if I can no longer help you take revenge, if I am down and out, if I return to the time when everyone could trample on me, would you still be willing to be with me?"

"What… exactly happened?"

Concentrating on looking at Xie Jin Yan for a moment, Yu Qingwu asked softly.

After speaking, she sat forward a little, took his hand, and said gently, "Also, it's unnecessary for you to ask me these questions. Since we are husband and wife, we should naturally share blessings and hardships together. If one day you really fall into trouble, with my ability, I can still barely make a living."

"Not to mention anything else, even making some rouge would be enough to support the two of us."

"That's not necessary. Even if I'm down on my luck, I can still support you."

Xie Jin Yan interrupted her, hearing her answer, he felt much more at ease.

Those tearful eyes were even redder.

Taking a deep breath, pausing for a while, the look in his eyes gradually became serious.

Looking at her with a bitter expression, he said, word by word, "Yunzhou City has been defended. All the spies in the city have been arrested and imprisoned. Not a single person in Yunzhou City was injured."

"It's just that the credit doesn't belong to me, nor does it belong to Xie Qiyun. Instead, it's attributed to my second older brother, Xie Rufeng, who arrived late."

"There's also one more thing. Xie Qiyun's leg is crippled, and he'll probably blame it on me."