Chun Zhi nodded repeatedly, but still felt uneasy. She moved closer to Wei Zhong and whispered: “His Majesty and Yan’s Ninth Prince are alone together in a room…”

Wei Zhong glanced around and spoke in a voice only they could hear: “At a time when external enemies are attacking, why worry about such matters? As long as we servants keep our mouths sealed tight, that’s enough!”

Chun Zhi felt Wei Zhong’s words made sense and hurried to the small kitchen to heat water.

Wei Zhong looked at the servants in the courtyard and simply replaced them all with Bai family guards.

The Bai family guards were all their people with tight lips.

Once Wei Zhong left, Bai Qingyan said, “Physician Hong prepared a medicine chest for me with hemostatic medicine inside. Let me apply some to your wounds first.”

As she spoke, Bai Qingyan was about to go behind the screen to get the medicine chest for Xiao Rongyan. She had only taken two steps when Xiao Rongyan stood up, taking three steps in two strides to grab her arm and pull her against a pillar by the wall.

Having already removed his mask, Xiao Rongyan’s facial features were tense, his hands gripping Bai Qingyan’s shoulders tightly, with slight trembling in his hands.

“You didn’t light beacon fires for aid because you couldn’t bear to lose Yecheng Pass, but weren’t you afraid something would happen to you?!” Xiao Rongyan’s face was pale, his breathing slightly rapid. His entire expression looked very grim, his voice low and stern, cold and commanding. “Bai Qingyan… you truly don’t regard your own life as a life!”

He didn’t dare imagine what the situation would have been after the city was breached if he hadn’t arrived in time today.

Bai Qingyan’s shoulders hurt from Xiao Rongyan’s grip. She raised her hand to gently grasp his solid wrist, only then discovering that Xiao Rongyan’s body temperature was alarmingly hot.

“Why are you so hot?” Bai Qingyan raised her hand to cover Xiao Rongyan’s forehead, frowning deeply. “You have a fever. You came here injured? Where are you hurt?”

If it were a fresh wound, a person definitely wouldn’t be this hot!

Xiao Rongyan looked at Bai Qingyan, whose eyes were full of worry, his pupils trembling as he asked: “You worry when I’m injured, but what about yourself?”

Bai Qingyan gazed at Xiao Rongyan’s slightly trembling pupils. Their eyes met, and warm currents surged in her eyes, her heart inexplicably aching severely: “Where are you hurt? Let me see…”

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s appearance, Xiao Rongyan’s heart finally softened. He clenched his teeth, his Adam’s apple moving as he lowered his gaze to her lips, bent his head to kiss her, and bit her lips hard as if punishing her.

Bai Qingyan’s heart felt both sour and swollen. When Xiao Rongyan’s burning thin lips covered hers, biting her lips and forcefully prying open her teeth, tears unconsciously fell from the corners of her eyes.

Her mouth was full of a fishy, salty taste, and her lips hurt terribly, but she didn’t dare push Xiao Rongyan away… afraid of touching his wounds. Remembering how Xiao Rongyan had charged first into the Xiliang military camp regardless of life and death, covered in blood as he wielded his sword to kill Xiliang enemies, she gripped his armor tightly with both hands.

Their bodies pressed tightly together. Xiao Rongyan, mindful of Bai Qingyan’s belly, ultimately didn’t press her hard against the pillar.

Tasting Bai Qingyan’s tears, Xiao Rongyan released her, his deep gaze fixed on her: “Not caring about your own life or death, not caring about our child either – A’Bao… is there only the Bai family in your heart, only the unification of the realm?”

Xiao Rongyan’s voice was somewhat choked. Even now, seeing Bai Qingyan standing safely before him, he was still terrified.

Bai Qingyan wanted to explain, but seeing Xiao Rongyan’s tired, bloodshot eyes… full of disappointment, she felt as if someone had grabbed her throat.

“When facing great matters, personal feelings don’t matter – those words… I said them before! We reached a consensus! But A’Bao, when you truly encountered trouble, did you… Did you think of me even a little bit? Hmm?” Xiao Rongyan moved closer to Bai Qingyan, wearily pressing his forehead against hers. “Did you think about what I… should do if something happened to you, if something happened to the child? Hmm?”

Bai Qingyan’s lips moved, but she couldn’t answer for a long time.

“I’m not as good as you…” Xiao Rongyan’s voice was weary, seeming to carry a low laugh. “A’Bao, I’m truly not as good as you!”

If he could truly achieve not considering personal feelings when facing great matters, he wouldn’t have disregarded all obstacles… and led troops to Jiangzi City.

Being able to sacrifice one’s life for the other, but not sacrificing one’s Kingdom for the other – this was originally a tacit understanding they both shared. But this time, knowing what abandoning Yunjing meant, when choosing between Yan and Bai Qingyan’s safety, he chose Bai Qingyan.

He knew that Bai Qingyan would never send word to the front lines, and would never let Great Zhou lose Yecheng Pass.

So he came, because he didn’t know what he would be like without Bai Qingyan. He couldn’t imagine it; he only knew he absolutely could not lose her.

“I’m truly afraid – afraid I won’t be able to wait until we settle in Baiwu City, run a small business… and live our own lives.”

Xiao Rongyan, having reached his limit, murmured. His vision kept going black, and unable to support himself any longer, he collapsed softly to his knees before Bai Qingyan.

“A’Yan…” Bai Qingyan cried out in alarm. “Wei Zhong! Wei Zhong!”

Wei Zhong rushed in upon hearing the call. Seeing the pregnant Bai Qingyan kneeling on the ground, tightly holding Xiao Rongyan, who was still in his bloodstained armor, he quickly stepped forward to help Bai Qingyan get Xiao Rongyan onto the bed.

“Has the military physician arrived?” Bai Qingyan asked, her face deathly pale.

Wei Zhong looked up and saw the wound on Bai Qingyan’s lips, momentarily stunned before quickly saying: “Not yet. This old servant will immediately send someone to urge them!”

“Go quickly!”

Bai Qingyan sat by the bedside, removing Xiao Rongyan’s armor piece by piece. The inner clothing around his waist was already soaked through with pus and blood.

Bai Qingyan’s pupils trembled as she gently lifted the clothing on his waist and abdomen. The fine cotton cloth wrapped around his waist and abdomen had already rolled together, like coarse rope wound around his lean waist without an ounce of excess flesh. The wound that had healed but was torn open again was hidden beneath the armor. Without timely medicine changes and cleaning, it had long since festered…

Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan, who was covered in cold sweat with his facial features tightly drawn, and tears fell like broken strings.

He had dragged this kind of body to come save her!

Bai Qingyan gripped Xiao Rongyan’s hand tightly, stood up, and shouted to those outside: “Wei Zhong! Has the military physician arrived?”

“Your Majesty, we’ve already sent someone to urge them!” Wei Zhong was also extremely anxious.

Soon, seeing the military physician cross the courtyard gate, Wei Zhong quickly entered the room, picked up Xiao Rongyan’s mask, hurriedly went around the screen, and handed the mask to Bai Qingyan with both hands: “Your Majesty, he’s here!”

Bai Qingyan took the mask and gently placed it over Xiao Rongyan’s face. She was about to stand up after placing Xiao Rongyan’s hand on the bed, but his hand gripped hers tightly.

“A’Bao…”

Hearing Xiao Rongyan’s murmur, Bai Qingyan sat down by the bed and responded: “I’m here! The child and I are both fine and well. Let the military physician look at your wound!”

Xiao Rongyan seemed unable to hear Bai Qingyan’s words anymore, gripping her hand with increasing force until it hurt, turning her fingertips white.