Yan Peiyu pushed open the door and found the room completely empty and silent.
"Madam?"
"Xuanxuan?"
Yan Peiyu walked towards the inner bathroom. Sure enough, he saw Liu Xuan fast asleep in the bathtub.
Yan Peiyu's breathing quickened instantly. He dared not look at the scenery beneath the water. Gently and quietly, he picked Liu Xuan up, wrapped her in a thick blanket, and then carried her in his arms horizontally.
Liu Xuan slowly woke up. Seeing the red wedding robe on Yan Peiyu, it took her a while to remember that she got married today. "You're back."
"Yeah," Yan Peiyu unconsciously tightened his arms, "Why didn't you ask someone to keep watch? If I had come back any later, the water would have gotten cold. It's not good to catch a cold."
"I was too tired and just forgot."
As she spoke, Liu Xuan was placed on the bed. She pushed him gently. "Go and wash up quickly. You smell of alcohol all over."
Yan Peiyu looked down at himself. He had been forced to drink a lot during the banquet. At first, Qin Heng helped him block the drinks, but most of them were spilled on his body later. No wonder he smelled so strong. "I'll be back soon."
Yan Peiyu took his clothes and didn't ask anyone to change the water. He just washed in the water that Liu Xuan had used.
The sound of water came from the inner room. Liu Xuan had just woken up and was now wide awake lying in bed. The sound of water was quite evocative, making her can't help but look forward to what was about to happen later.
In fact, even now she still felt a sense of unreality. Was she really getting married again?
And the person she married was not some ugly and useless person, but such a wonderful one.
Yan Peiyu washed very quickly. Before Liu Xuan could snap out of her daze, he had already come out.
"What are you thinking about so intently?"
Liu Xuan's voice was still a bit hollow. "I'm thinking about the first time I got married."
Yan Peiyu: ???
Liu Xuan started to talk on her own. "The first time I got married, I was almost sold there by my parents. I still remember that on the wedding night, that person's face was as white as paper. He was lying in bed gasping for breath like a dead man. It scared me half to death."
She couldn't remember the things before she entered the Shen family, but she would never forget that cold and desolate bridal chamber and that husband who was like a dead man.
She was only sixteen years old at that time. She didn't even dare to get on the bed and just lay on the table for the whole night.
She didn't know if the wedding to ward off evil really worked a bit. That person really got better for a while. It was also during that time that she had Shen Yan.
Then he passed away, and her painful life began from then on.
Maybe it wasn't at that time. From the moment she married into the Shen family, it was doomed that there would be no good days for her.
If it weren't for Shen Yan all these years, she would have been unable to go on living long ago.
Yan Peiyu fell silent. After a long time, he held Liu Xuan's hand. "It's all in the past. I won't let you suffer any grievances in the future. We will get better and better."
"Thank you."
Liu Xuan also held his hand back.
Thank you for being willing to accept me.
"Ouch—"
"What's wrong?"
Liu Xuan was startled, but Yan Peiyu had already pulled his hand back first. "It's okay. I just accidentally scraped it."
"Let me take a look."
"It's just a minor injury. There's no need..."
"Let me take a look." Liu Xuan's voice was non - negotiable.
Yan Peiyu had no choice but to half - reluctantly stretch out his hand.
"This is not just a minor injury! I'll go get the medicine for you."
The knuckles were all bloody and mangled.
Yan Peiyu originally wanted to say it was unnecessary, but her nervous tone made him feel quite pleased, so he obediently sat still.
Liu Xuan got out of bed wrapped in the blanket. The blanket was so wide and thick that it wrapped her up tightly. Yan Peiyu could only see her feet.
Liu Xuan found the medicine in the box on the dressing table, got back into bed, and said, "Stretch out your hand."
Yan Peiyu obediently stretched out his hand.
The cold ointment was applied on his fingers. It was like a feather brushing against the tip of his heart, but the places she touched were burning hot.
Yan Peiyu felt a tickling in his heart and couldn't help but move his fingers.
"Did I hurt you?"
Meeting Liu Xuan's serious gaze, Yan Peiyu felt a bit ashamed of his wild thoughts and quickly said, "No."
"Did the Liu family cause any trouble today?" Liu Xuan suddenly remembered that half of the capital knew about her wedding today. If the Liu family knew, they couldn't possibly not come to cause trouble.
Seeing that she was talking about the Liu family as if they were not her family but just a group of irrelevant people, Yan Peiyu felt a lot more relieved. With her gentle nature, if she had to deal with those unreasonable people, she would surely suffer.
"No. Everything was fine."
"Really?" Liu Xuan was skeptical.
As she spoke, the medicine had been applied. Yan Peiyu took the ointment from Liu Xuan's hand and put it back on the dressing table. "Don't think so much."
Yan Peiyu returned to the bedside and looked down at her. "Xuanxuan, you'd better think about what's going to happen later."
What could possibly happen later?
Liu Xuan blushed. Although she had already mentally prepared herself, when it really came to the moment, she didn't dare to look at him.
Seeing her shy expression, Yan Peiyu's eyes darkened. He got into bed and lowered the bed curtain.
The charcoal was burning brightly red in the brazier, making crackling sounds from time to time, like the warmest melody on a winter night.
...
"Sister - in - law, great news! There's good news from the border!"
One day, before Shen Qing had breakfast, the Prince of Rong came over with an urgent report from the border in his hand.
It was cold in winter, and she didn't need to get up early for meetings. Lately, she hadn't been getting up early. So by the time the Prince of Rong had finished the court session, she had just gotten up.
As soon as she heard the news from the border, she didn't even care about having breakfast. Shen Qing immediately took it.
After reading it, her eyebrows relaxed.
"Sure enough, it's great news."
Half a month ago, Yelv Wujie launched a large - scale attack on them. The second prince of the Jiang Kingdom, who originally had the intention of making friends with the Xingshu Kingdom, suddenly defected on the battlefield. Before the swords of the Jiang Kingdom's soldiers could touch the people of the Jing Kingdom, they turned against the Xingshu Kingdom.
Yelv Wujie was badly defeated.
"We really let out a big sigh of relief." Shen Qing said.
However, the Prince of Rong was pondering. "Why did the second prince of the Jiang Kingdom suddenly defect? Isn't the Jiang Kingdom always advocating peace and not participating in the disputes among the three kingdoms? And why didn't Yelv Wujie notice it before?"
Shen Qing looked at him appreciatively. "You've made great progress for being able to think of this."
"The situation of the Jiang Kingdom is still unclear for the time being, but since they've made a move, there's no turning back. In the future, they can only form an alliance with us."
"Then, send a state letter to the Jiang Kingdom in the name of the court to thank them for their help. We can also take this opportunity to test the attitude of the Jiang Kingdom."
The Prince of Rong nodded. "Okay."
Just then, breakfast was served. Shen Qing said, "Let's talk while eating."
She used to abide by the rule of not talking during meals, but after her rebirth, she was led astray by Ji Junye. Now at home, there were naturally not so many rules.
The Prince of Rong readily agreed. The food in his sister - in - law's kitchen was much more delicious than that in his own home. Moreover, he really liked this atmosphere. More importantly...
"Uncle Six, I want Uncle Six..."
Si Bao was dressed like a little lucky doll. As soon as she heard that the Prince of Rong had come, she immediately ran over.
As soon as the Prince of Rong saw Si Bao, a smile immediately appeared on his usually cold face. He caught Si Bao steadily.
Si Bao lay in the Prince of Rong's arms, then turned to give Shen Qing a big smile. "Mother..."
Shen Qing gave her a reproachful look and said to the Prince of Rong, "Don't spoil her too much. Put her down. She can eat by herself."
"It's okay." The Prince of Rong let Si Bao sit on his lap. He held the child with his left hand without delaying him from eating with his right hand.
Shen Qing said, "The attitude of the Xingshu Kingdom this time is also quite thought - provoking. Yelv Wujie is irritable and hot - tempered. After his defeat, he didn't even gather his troops to counter - attack."
The Prince of Rong swallowed a steamed bun and said slowly, "Sister - in - law, you should send someone to investigate. After fighting for so long, maybe Yelv Wujie himself can't hold on anymore."