542: Behind the Bars

Behind the Bars

"When did you fight for the throne?" Ying Lili asked. 0

"I did. Since the age of 14, I have been doing that. I always wanted my father to think of me as the most suitable person for the throne. And, he did! However, after seeing all this, I have a change of thoughts again," Sheng Li asserted.

"Do not think like this," Ying Lili stated and grasped his hand. "If you will not hold the throne, then you also know what will be the future of Han," she reminded him.

Sheng Li hummed. "Let's go in," Sheng Li said, and the two walked in. After changing into the white dresses, they both sat on the bed.

Ying Lili brought a towel and told Sheng Li that she would dry his hair. She started to do that. "Forgive me for getting angry at you. Brother Jian told me that he stopped his vengeance path because of me. I saved his life once, and when his mother decided to harm me, he changed his thoughts. He wanted to repay me. But I never feel anything for him. It was only a relationship of a big brother and sister from my side. Also, I will try to avoid him," Ying Lili explained to him.

"You do not need to limit yourself. That was a slip of tongue," Sheng Li proclaimed. Ying Lili moved the towel away from his head and looked into his eyes.

"You got angry because if Brother Yongzheng had said such a thing in front of people, then things would have been difficult for me, hadn't they? I realized that now. It's easy to raise the finger on a woman's character," Ying Lili stated. Sheng Li stood up and picked a towel. He came back to the bed and sat behind Ying Lili.

He dried her hair by wiping the strands with the towel. Xing-Fu came inside with a maidservant. "These hot soup will warm His and Her Highness's bodies. Please have it," Xing-Fu said humbly.

"Put it on the table," Sheng Li ordered the maidservant, who put the tray on the bedside table. She bowed and walked out of the room. Xing-Fu had called two maidservants to take away the wet dresses of the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. One of them wiped the floor and then left the chamber with Xing-Fu.

Sheng Li sat by the side of Ying Lili and started to dry her front hair. Her face was covered with that towel till her nose. He gazed at her lips and could not help but kiss her. Ying Lili was bewildered for a second, but then she kissed him back.

Sheng Li withdrew back and put down the towel. Ying Lili placed her palm on Sheng Li's cheek and stroked it, who had closed his eyes. After a while, he put her hand down and picked the soup bowl from the tray. He handed it to Ying Lili and, then, picked another bowl for himself.

They both finished it soon. Sheng Li called Xing-Fu in, who took away the tray.

"I heard that you had not slept last night. Lay down," Sheng Li commanded Ying Lili.

"Princess Zhu Lin's state was weak, so it was impossible to sleep," Ying Lili replied. "Even you did not sleep. Where were you the entire night?" Ying Lili asked.

Sheng Li smiled and pulled the blanket up. "Lay down," he told her again and laid down. Ying Lili did so, and he covered her from the blanket.

"Brother Wanxi is tense about Princess Zhu Lin. He did not have his meals last night and only drank water in the morning. I pray that Princess Zhu Lin will wake up soon," Ying Lili asserted.

"She will gain consciousness soon," Sheng Li replied. Their eyes started to get heavier, and soon both of them drifted off to sleep.

~~~~

Lei Wanxi came back to the Western Palace to check on Zhu Lin. She was still in a deep slumber, and it saddened him. He sat on the chair and continued to look at her. "When will she wake up? Did the Royal Physician say anything about it?" Lei Wanxi questioned.

"It is uncertain, Your Highness," the maidservant replied.

Lei Wanxi caressed Zhu Lin's head. "How much do you sleep? Just wake up. You promised me that you would not trouble me," he murmured.

Zhu Lin's hands showed the movements. However, Lei Wanxi failed to notice that. He had the focus on her face only. As Zhu Lin regained consciousness, deep frowns formed on her forehead because of the pain she felt in her abdominal region. Lei Wanxi noticed that and called out her name softly. "Zhu Lin."

"W-wa-ter," in a low voice, she said.

Lei Wanxi leaned closer to her mouth. "What did you say?" He brought his ear near her mouth. Zhu Lin again asked for water, but this time with more difficulty. Lei Wanxi understood her words and ordered the maidservant to bring luke water glass to him.

The maidservant quickly did her work and brought the glass. She brought a spoon for easy drinking of water. Lei Wanxi quickly took a spoonful of water and brought it near Zhu Lin's lips, who opened them and sipped it. Lei Wanxi did it a few times and waited for Zhu Lin to open her eyes.

She gradually opened her eyes and saw Lei Wanxi's face. He was smiling at her. She faintly smiled back. "You scared me. How are you feeling?" Lei Wanxi asked.

The maidservant had called the Royal Physician, who said, "Prince Wanxi, let me examine the Princess first."

Lei Wanxi quickly stood up from the chair and let the Royal Physician sit on it. He checked the pulse first, followed by her eyes. "Princess Zhu must not move too much. The wound is still not healed," the Royal Physician advised Zhu Lin.

"Is it deep? I-it is to-o pa-painful," Zhu Lin said as she stuttered.

"It is not that deep. Every wound is painful. Do not think much," Lei Wanxi intervened. He did not want Zhu Lin to know that the wound was so deep that she would not be able to pick a sword and do heavy work.

The Royal Physician agreed with Lei Wanxi and looked at the nurse. He instructed her about a few medicines before leaving.

"You had scared me to death. Why did you do that? You could have lost your life," Lei Wanxi asked her as he took the seat on the chair.

"If I had not done that, th-en you would have been behind the bars," Zhu Lin stated, this time with an audible enough voice.

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