Chiyou woke up and stared at the unconscious person on the ground in shock. Startled, she hesitated for a moment before running over to check.
"Hey, wake up."
No response.
She blinked in confusion, looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, and shivered with fear.
"Brother."
She called out, but the surroundings were empty, and there was no sound.
Chiyou's face turned pale. She hurried to push open the door, wanting to get out, but as soon as she did, several cold blades pointed directly at her.
She retreated a few steps in fright and fell to the ground.
Bai Ze, who was guarding the door, saw this and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Awu?"
Chiyou nodded, her expression full of alarm.
Bai Ze immediately ordered his men to stand down and stared at her with a peculiar gaze.
"Where is Brother?"
Hadn't she gone to rest? Why was she here?
Bai Ze said, "Master has gone to rest. You should go rest too, Miss."
Chiyou pushed herself up with her hands, looking at him helplessly, and said softly.
"Do I have to go back to Qutai Palace? Can I not go?"
Bai Ze said, "Miss can live here from now on."
"Really?"
Chiyou's eyes instantly lit up with a smile.
"Yes, Master is staying in the front hall."
As Bai Ze spoke, he called for a maid to take her to rest.
After the person left, he glanced at the scene inside the hall and said expressionlessly.
"Wake the person up and throw them in the dungeon."
"Yes."
The crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the cold wind whistled.
Bai Ze bypassed the corridor and walked to the front hall, pushing the door open.
He stood at the entrance of the inner room and respectfully said, "Master, it was Awu who came out."
Liu Rongruo was standing by the window, looking out at the dark night. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and pulled at the corner of his lips.
"This Chan King Gu is quite interesting."
Bai Ze was also surprised. In previous nights, it was that woman. Today, it was Awu who had woken up.
"You may go."
"Yes."
In the middle of the night, Chiyou suddenly developed a fever, and the pain from her injuries made her unable to sleep.
The little palace maid outside heard the commotion and quickly went to report to Liu Rongruo, but there was no response from inside for a long time.
The little palace maid could not make the decision to summon an imperial physician and dared not disturb them. She hurried back to the back hall.
"Your Ladyship."
Chiyou lay on the bed, her body trembling uncontrollably, breaking out in a cold sweat. Her thin, pale face was contorted with pain.
After soaking in the ice pool for more than half the night, her already injured body could not bear it, and she developed a fever that night.
The little palace maid quickly took a handkerchief and wiped her body, but it was useless.
She was so anxious that she didn't know what to do.
Chiyou tossed and turned in pain. She weakly opened her eyes, breathing with difficulty, her eyes occasionally looking towards the door.
"Brother, has Brother come?"
The candlelight flickered, and the hall was bleak.
Her slightly moving lips were unclear in what she was saying.
The little palace maid leaned closer to listen and realized she was talking about the Prime Minister.
She quickly said, "The Prime Minister might have gone to sleep. I'll go and beg again."
As she spoke, she immediately got up and ran towards the front hall.
Several guards stood at the entrance of the grand hall.
"Lord Bai, Her Ladyship is shivering all over with a high fever that won't subside. Can we beg the Prime Minister to summon an imperial physician into the palace?"
Bai Ze coughed lightly, saying nothing. *KanShuLa*.
The little palace maid was so anxious that she was about to cry. She immediately knelt in the courtyard.
"I beg the Prime Minister to save Consort Qing."
In the night, the cold wind whistled, and lonely winds blew.
The sounds from outside entered the hall wave after wave. Liu Rongruo threw off the quilt, sat up, and rubbed his forehead, his eyes dark and chilling.
"Bai Ze." *wΑp.kanshu伍.net*
The man pushed the door open and walked in.
"Master."
"Drag the person away."
Bai Ze paused for a moment, then said, "Awu's body is weak. After soaking in the pool water for most of the night, I'm afraid she won't be able to endure it."
The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a moment.
Liu Rongruo raised his eyes and looked at him.
Bai Ze's heart pounded, and he immediately knelt on the ground, "This subordinate misspoke."
"You care a great deal about her."
He got out of bed, put on an outer robe, and slowly walked out.
Bai Ze's head was pressed firmly to the ground, and he remained silent.
"Go and summon an imperial physician."
"Yes."
In her semi-conscious state, Chiyou sensed a familiar aura.
She struggled to open her eyes and, in a daze, saw a cold figure standing by the bed.
"Brother--Brother--"
Liu Rongruo looked at her indifferently, tucked the quilt in, and lowered the bed curtain, blocking the figure inside.
The imperial physician, summoned into the palace in the middle of the night, was cursing inwardly.
However, as soon as he entered the hall, he composed himself and bowed respectfully.
"Go and examine her."
The imperial physician quickly stepped forward. The bed curtain was tightly drawn, making it impossible to see the figure inside, only vaguely glimpsing that it was a woman.
He sighed inwardly, wondering if this person inside was an imperial concubine.
That would truly be a royal scandal.
Having served as an official for so many years, he had seen too many unsavory affairs in the harem. He was unfazed, pretending not to see anything, and quietly took her pulse.
Liu Rongruo stood outside the hall, looking up at the night sky with a clear expression.
Before long, the imperial physician came out.
"Prime Minister, the person is fine. This subordinate will go and brew some medicine. She will be fine as long as she takes it on time."
"Go."
Chiyou dazedly drank the medicine. She weakly opened her eyes and saw the person sitting by the bed.
"Brother."
Her heart leaped with joy, and she quickly propped herself up to sit.
But as soon as she moved, she pulled on the wounds on her body, and her face turned pale with pain.
The crescent moon outside shone in, falling on her weak face. Liu Rongruo looked at her quietly and then suddenly threw her a bottle of medicine.
"Treat the wounds on your body."
Seeing him about to leave, Chiyou quickly reached out to stop him.
"Brother, don't go."
Liu Rongruo lowered his gaze, let out a soft laugh, "Are you sure?"
Chiyou felt that his gaze was a bit dangerous and fearfully loosened her hand.
A flicker of displeasure flashed across Liu Rongruo's eyes, too quickly for anyone to see.
He leaned down, pinched her chin, and his voice was cold.
"Shall I apply the medicine for you?"
Chiyou nodded, "Thank you, Brother."
Liu Rongruo, "---"
He let out a light laugh, sat by the bed, and lifted her quilt.
"Take off your clothes."
Chiyou's body was covered in whip marks, some of which had cracked and were bleeding, and there were also traces of being pricked with needles.
In the hall, only candlelight burned, its faint glow illuminating the two people by the bed.
Chiyou lay on her stomach, feeling the cool fingertips circling on her back, her mind in a turmoil.
She secretly glanced at him. It was too dark in the room, and his features were shrouded in darkness, making it impossible for her to see his expression.
"Brother, I want to go home with you."
She was wearing only a bodice, and under the flickering candlelight, her skin was fair and luminous.
Liu Rongruo calmly applied the medicine to her, "From now on, you will live here."
"Can't I go back to the Prime Minister's mansion?"
She wanted to be like before, playing chess with him in the Prime Minister's mansion, playing horse polo, and racing horses. She didn't want to be in the palace.
Liu Rongruo's expression remained unchanged. He withdrew his hand, handed her the medicine bottle, and went to wash his hands nearby.
Seeing that he was ignoring her, Chiyou dared not say anything more, fearing that she would anger him.
She sat up, clutched the quilt to cover herself, and her beautiful eyes focused intently on his every move.