"What kind of personal feud is it that they're sworn enemies?"
Seeing that Xiao Tian seemed determined to get to the bottom of it, Yi Qing said, "I didn't ask in such detail. Who ordered the Southern Border envoy group to come to the capital? The Southern Border emperor?"
She knew nothing about Southern Border. Just now, she hadn't had the chance to ask Zisu what was going on, who was in power now and what their relationship was with her.
"Of course," Xiao Tian replied. "Moreover, even if it's a personal feud, they wouldn't attack without discrimination."
"Zisu and I have been together for so long. I know what kind of person she is. It can't be her fault," Yi Qing said. "I'll ask about it later. Prince Zhen was injured while protecting Zisu. Could you explain this to the emperor?"
"Let him explain it himself," Xiao Tian said indifferently.
"Fine. We won't bother about his business. But if the Southern Border envoys ask the emperor for Zisu, could you help stop them? Or maybe you could go to the emperor and plead for mercy. I'll use my amnesty token to exchange for him to protect Zisu once. Of course, it would be best if the Southern Border envoys don't mention this at all."
Xiao Tian somehow felt that Yi Qing wasn't telling him the whole truth.
"We'll talk about it later," he said. "I should go pick up Baozi."
"Xiao Tian!" Yi Qing called out to him. "Just do me a favor and don't mention Zisu to anyone, unless the emperor blames us. Okay?"
Xiao Tian neither agreed nor refused. He quickly walked out.
Yi Qing felt a temporary sense of relief.
In the evening, Prince Zhen woke up with a slight fever. When Yi Qing went to see him, he was asking Zisu for an apple, but the latter didn't agree without Yi Qing's permission.
Yi Qing stepped forward and asked, "How do you feel now?"
Then she saw disgust in Prince Zhen's eyes.
Was he disgusted that she was disturbing their relationship-building?
Yi Qing couldn't help but think that if he knew Zisu's true identity, he'd be scared to death! He still wanted Zisu to be his concubine. She thought he was more suitable to go to Southern Border for a political marriage and be a prince consort, in charge of Zisu's three thousand concubines!
Prince Zhen accidentally glanced at Zisu and saw an unprecedented look of nervousness in her eyes. Immediately, he rolled his eyes and came up with an idea. "It hurts. I can hardly bear it."
"Yi Qing, could you check on him?" Zisu indeed spoke up.
Prince Zhen thought he had succeeded, and his eyes couldn't help showing a hint of pride.
Did Yi Qing not understand his situation?
She said seriously, "I'm afraid it's hopeless."
The other three people besides her were all stunned.
Xiao Tian said stupidly, "Didn't you tell me before that he wasn't in danger of losing his life? Why is it hopeless now?"
Zisu seemed to have realized something and glanced at Prince Zhen. "Is this what you called a sudden rally before death?"
Prince Zhen looked incredulous. "It can't be. I think I'm still okay. I can still live. Yi Qing, don't joke around. Scaring people can kill them. Do I still need to arrange my funeral affairs?"
Yi Qing's expression remained unchanged. "There's no need to arrange your funeral affairs. Think about how to explain it to your wives and concubines later. Or maybe you should just stop getting married and harming others."
"Do you mean that... is hopeless?" If it weren't for the pain in his wound when he moved, Prince Zhen would have jumped out of the bed long ago.
Xiao Tian also understood that Yi Qing was teasing him. He couldn't help clearing his throat and saying, "Stop joking."
He was talking to Yi Qing, but Prince Zhen misunderstood and thought he was talking to him. He said excitedly, "It's easy for you to say. You're not the one in this situation. If it were you, you'd be more panicked than me. My... wasn't injured. Why is it hopeless? Did you use the wrong medicine on me?"
"Sometimes, to save a life, some choices have to be made."
But this time, it wasn't necessary, but I won't tell you! Let you scare Zisu.
Prince Zhen said, "Zisu, do you dislike me?"
Zisu turned her face away and ignored him.
Yi Qing said, "What do you think? She disliked you when you were fine, not to mention now."
Prince Zhen said, "Alas, how can it be hopeless all of a sudden? Poor me. I've never even touched a woman. Zisu, could you let me hold your hand?"
Hearing this, Yi Qing knew that he had also realized that she was teasing him. She couldn't help saying angrily, "Seeing that you're so energetic and still trying to flirt with Zisu, you should know that you've managed to survive."
Zisu said, "Yi Qing, you and Xiao Tian go back. I'll take good 'care' of him."
Seeing her eager and gritted-teeth look, Yi Qing couldn't help laughing. "Be gentle. Call me if he has a fever at night. The night is long. Take your time to deal with him. Hahaha..."
Unexpectedly, Xiao Tian guessed Zisu's identity the next day.
"Is she Chen Yu'an, the former crown princess of Southern Border?"
"I don't know. Southern Border is so amazing. They even have a crown princess?" Although Yi Qing was surprised in her heart, she was very good at pretending to be stupid and diverting the topic. "Since Southern Border has a crown princess, do they have female officials? Not the ones in the harem. I mean the ones who can be prime ministers or be granted titles. If she really is, with our relationship, it's not too much for her to make me a prime minister, right?"
"Yi Qing, stop pretending to be stupid," Xiao Tian said with a cold expression. "Do you know that you're playing with fire?"
The smile on Yi Qing's face gradually faded. "If you say Zisu is fire, I can only say that she saved me from freezing to death in the wind and snow. Xiao Tian, it doesn't matter who she is to others. What matters most is what she means to me."
"So you really knew."
"Yes, I just found out yesterday. Now, what are you going to do? Hand her over to the Southern Border envoys?"
Seeing her confrontational look, Xiao Tian's heart felt like it was being pricked by a needle.
"I didn't say that..."
"I knew you were the best!" Yi Qing immediately changed her expression. She smiled and pounced on him, clinging to him like an octopus and refusing to get off.
Xiao Tian: "..."
This woman was clearly setting a trap for him on purpose!
But since she was his woman, what could he do but endure it?
"Get off and talk properly," Xiao Tian tried to keep a straight face and cleared his throat.
With her hugging him like this, her softness and fragrance were stimulating him, making his self - control almost fail.
"Hehe," Yi Qing then got off and sat down on a chair. She waved to him. "Come here. Let's discuss this in the long run. I'll listen to you. You speak."
Xiao Tian glared at her, but he couldn't hold back. The corner of his mouth couldn't help curving up.
"Where did you find out about Zisu's identity?"
"From the Southern Border envoys."
"What?" Yi Qing almost jumped up when she heard this. "You didn't expose Zisu, did you?"
"No," Xiao Tian's voice had a calming effect. "I just pretended to receive them on the emperor's order. When I saw that some of them were injured, I just asked around indirectly."
"They just told you that their crown princess was in the Central Plains?"
"Yes. They've already submitted a memorial to the emperor, and the emperor has promised to help them arrest Zisu."