Situ Qing's expression turned hurt, which made Dongfang Yi feel a pang of heartache.
"I can protect the Dongfang Family for you. I was once a prince. I..." Situ Qing said anxiously.
Dongfang Yi felt even more bitter. She forced a smile on her face, then reached out and flicked his nose, saying, "Qingqing, actually I still want to go back to the palace. After all, being a queen means you don't have to do anything and can have a lot of money."
Even she herself didn't quite believe such a far - fetched tone.
Situ Qing looked at her pitiful appearance. Suddenly, he became serious and said word by word, "I won't let Helian Qi take you away." Then he turned around and left her room, going downstairs.
Dongfang Yi was left alone, smiling bitterly.
"Don't do things against your will for me anymore."
Three days later.
It was the time Helian Qi had promised. Situ Qing had disappeared since he said that to Dongfang Yi that day.
At this moment, Dongfang Yi was sitting alone in the lobby of the inn. She had hung a sign of "Closed" at the door today. After having a meeting with all the staff of the inn and giving them a day off, now there was only her left in the whole inn.
She looked around the inn nostalgically. This was the place she had decorated bit by bit, and also the place where she had fulfilled her dream. Thinking of this, a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.
Just then, the door of the inn was suddenly opened. A gust of wind that was peculiar to the river blew in. At the same time, Situ Qing came in, covered in blood!
Dongfang Yi exclaimed and rushed over to support his tottering body.
"Xiaodong..." he gasped.
"Qingqing, what's going on? Where have you been? Why are you covered in blood?!" Dongfang Yi's eyes were soon blurred by tears. How could a person who was fine just a few days ago end up like this?
"Sorry, Xiaodong... I failed..." Situ Qing wanted to say more, but the blood gushing out of his mouth stopped him.
Dongfang Yi tried hard to cover his mouth with her hand to stop the bleeding, but it was of no use.
After a while, there came another sound outside the inn.
"Here we are, my lord."
Dongfang Yi looked up and saw Helian Qi and Donghua standing outside the inn.
Helian Qi stood against the light. Dongfang Yi could hardly see his face clearly, but she could guess his current expression. She couldn't help but smile bitterly and then stood up, walking step by step towards the man outside.
Each step she took was very difficult. The entangled emotions in her heart were indescribable. Whether it was anger or joy, she didn't want to feel them anymore. She could only feel the numbness at this moment.
"Helian Qi?" Dongfang Yi called out, only to find that her voice was hoarse for some reason. The voice sounded extremely shrill.
The man whose name was called didn't say a word. He just continued to look at the woman in front of him with a cold face.
"Save him..." Dongfang Yi said again. The "him" in her words obviously referred to Situ Qing, who was seriously injured behind her.
She only heard Helian Qi sneer and say, "The first words the queen says when seeing me is actually asking me to save another man? Do you know that he is a remnant of the previous dynasty! And he is an assassin who tried to kill me on my way here. Why should I save him?" He didn't even realize that there was a hint of bitterness in his tone.
Unexpectedly, Dongfang Yi suddenly knelt on the ground and continued, "Please, save him!"
The anger in Helian Qi's eyes was instantly ignited.
Good Dongfang Yi. Is Situ Qing really that important to you? You even kneel down and beg me to save him!
"What if I don't save him?" Helian Qi said in a freezing tone.
But Dongfang Yi took out a dagger from her bosom and pressed it against her own neck, threatening, "Then you can carry my dead body back to the palace."
After saying that, she increased the pressure on her hand, and the dagger cut her neck, and blood flowed out.
Helian Qi looked at the scene in front of him with a flickering look in his eyes. He didn't say a word for a long time, but his heart was filled with bitterness.
"Fine - Donghua!" Helian Qi closed his eyes and gave an order.
Donghua beside him ran out and came to Situ Qing behind. He took out a pill from his bosom and fed it to him, then said, "I've fed him the Guyuan Pill. For other external injuries, just invite an ordinary doctor."
"Then go and invite one!" Dongfang Yi roared. She had to make sure Situ Qing was completely safe.
Helian Qi's eyes grew colder. He ordered Donghua, "Go!"
Donghua took the order and got off the boat.
After a while, she came back with an old man carrying a medicine chest. When the old man saw the scene on the boat, his legs went weak from fear and he turned around to leave. But Donghua forced him to come to Situ Qing and start diagnosing him.
On the other side, Dongfang Yi put down the dagger in her hand when she saw the doctor coming. The blood on her neck kept flowing down, but she seemed not to feel the pain at all. She walked straight to Situ Qing's side.
"Why do you have to do this?" Situ Qing, sitting on the ground and being bandaged, looked at Dongfang Yi with a hidden smile.
"Shut up!" Dongfang Yi said fiercely with a sob. Why was he so stupid? He knew she must leave, but he still rushed to intercept someone on the way, got himself seriously injured and almost lost his life.
Helian Qi, on the side, watched the two of them looking so affectionate. He tightened his lips and pointed at the old doctor, saying, "Bandage her first."
"I don't need..." Dongfang Yi retorted.
"If you die, he will be buried with you." Helian Qi sneered and continued in a cold tone.
Dongfang Yi's lips moved. Then she raised her neck to let the old man bandage her.
It only took about the time to burn an incense stick for both of them to be bandaged.
"Qingqing, don't try to find me. Run our Duoyu Inn well, okay?" Dongfang Yi said. She was so afraid that Situ Qing would force himself again. She didn't want to burden anyone anymore.
Situ Qing looked at the woman in front of him with red eyes. He wanted to say something, but he clearly knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do now. He could only be at the mercy of others and watch helplessly as the person he cared about was taken away.
"Qingqing, thank you for these days. I've been very happy." Dongfang Yi continued.
These words instantly broke Situ Qing's last line of defense. He covered his eyes with one hand in a bit of a breakdown, and his shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.
Dongfang Yi patted his shoulder lovingly. Then she stood up and said to Helian Qi standing beside her,
"Let's go."