"Wu Hen, you're back!" Xue Xingyue opened her eyes and saw Wu Hen had returned.
Wu Hen's expression wasn't good. Just as she was about to speak, she found her sleeve corner tightly clutched. She turned her head and saw that the sleeping Qi Yu Yuan was gripping her sleeve corner with all his might, showing no sign of letting go.
She reached out, intending to pull her sleeve corner from Qi Yu Yuan's grasp, but he held on tightly.
With a flick of her hand, the sleeve corner Qi Yu Yuan was holding fell away.
"Let's talk outside." Xue Xingyue stood up and walked towards the outer hall.
"Speak!"
Wu Hen said, "Your subordinate couldn't even leave the city."
Xue Xingyue frowned. "What happened?"
"The city gates are heavily sealed. Your subordinate tried to sneak out at night but was almost discovered. To avoid alerting them, I had to return." Wu Hen said.
"It seems they already know. Wu Hen, quickly send someone to see Emperor Qi and tell him I want to see him." Xue Xingyue said.
Wu Hen nodded. "Rest assured, I will attend to it immediately."
After Wu Hen left, Xue Xingyue returned to the inner chamber. Qi Yu Yuan was nowhere on the bed. She was startled, and suddenly felt a gust of wind behind her. She instantly drew the soft whip at her waist and lashed out at the person behind her.
Upon seeing those flustered eyes, she flicked her wrist and retracted the soft whip.
"Why are you here? Don't you know I almost hit you?"
Perhaps her tone was too cold, Qi Yu Yuan suddenly darted back to the bed, curled up, and hid his head under the covers.
"Qi Yu Yuan, what are you doing? Come out." She walked over to pull the blanket away, but no matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't budge. Even though Qi Yu Yuan was foolish, his strength hadn't diminished much.
"If you don't come out, do you believe I'll whip you?" Xue Xingyue's eyes glinted coldly as she stared at the blanket-covered Qi Yu Yuan and said sternly.
Sensing the person under the blanket trembling, she stepped forward and, this time with no effort, flung the blanket off.
Beneath the blanket were a pair of eyes filled with fear, like a frightened child instinctively seeking a chance to be rescued.
The eyes were dark, with a sparkling glint.
She was slightly taken aback. She truly hadn't expected Qi Yu Yuan to be crying.
"You... you're crying?" she asked, looking at Qi Yu Yuan.
Qi Yu Yuan merely crouched there, watching her cautiously, as if afraid of her next move.
She had never seen Qi Yu Yuan like this before. Perhaps the former Qi Yu Yuan would never have shown such an expression.
At this moment, she had to confirm that Qi Yu Yuan's mind had truly been damaged by the poison.
Suddenly, Qi Yu Yuan reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve. She flung his hand away.
Qi Yu Yuan obediently cowered in the corner, looking at her. There was no wariness in his gaze, but he watched her with extreme caution.
He looked like a child begging for candy. She instinctively asked, "You don't want me to be angry?"
Qi Yu Yuan looked at her, then nodded.
She simply sighed. "Come here, I'm not angry."
As if understanding her words, Qi Yu Yuan crawled off the bed step by step and continued to look at her cautiously.
He then gently reached for her sleeve again.
Thinking of how he had been frightened by her pushing him away earlier, this time she didn't push him. She simply pointed at his sleeve and said, "If you don't want me to be angry, don't pull my sleeve."
Qi Yu Yuan nodded as if he understood, then withdrew his hand.
"That's better. Remember to listen to me, understand?" she said to Qi Yu Yuan, word by word.
Qi Yu Yuan nodded as if he understood.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's time to eat." Xiao Ping Zi entered with the meal.
Xue Xingyue looked up and saw that Xiao Ping Zi had brought only two bowls of porridge and a small plate of green vegetables. Her eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"
Xiao Ping Zi lowered his head and said, "Reporting to Your Ladyship, the outside is surrounded by imperial guards. No one can get out or in." These meals were only delivered after he had pleaded with them and spent money.
"What happened to your face?" Xue Xingyue finally noticed the red marks on Xiao Ping Zi's face, which looked like he had been hit.
Xiao Ping Zi shook his head. "It's... it's nothing. This servant tripped and fell accidentally." He then placed the food on the table.
Qi Yu Yuan quickly clapped at the table and began to eat voraciously. Xiao Ping Zi, watching his former master, who was once so high and mighty, in this state, couldn't help but step forward, his voice choked with emotion. "Please eat slowly, please eat slowly."
Qi Yu Yuan looked up and grinned at Xiao Ping Zi. Xiao Ping Zi's eyes instantly reddened. To think that the emperor who once strategized and commanded everything was now a fool. He truly felt heartbroken.
Xue Xingyue watched Qi Yu Yuan gobble his food, unable to compare him to the former Qi Yu Yuan. They were clearly two different people. With internal and external troubles, she couldn't continue like this.
She walked forward, and before she could reach Qi Yu Yuan, the eating Qi Yu Yuan suddenly offered her a bowl of porridge. His expression seemed to say, "You eat too."
She pushed the bowl back. "You eat it. I'm not hungry."
Qi Yu Yuan's gaze dimmed slightly. He withdrew his hand and no longer ate as ravenously as before.
"Your Majesty, why aren't you eating?" Xiao Ping Zi also noticed Qi Yu Yuan's abnormality.
Qi Yu Yuan pointed to the porridge he had just offered to Xue Xingyue and then waved his hand.
Xiao Ping Zi said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty wants you to eat together."
"Let him eat." Xue Xingyue said.
Qi Yu Yuan suddenly put down his chopsticks and came before her. He looked at her, his clear eyes shining with a purity devoid of any impurities, staring at her intently. She sighed and said, "I'll eat with you."