Seeing Yuchi Yan’s expression, Qin Yining knew he had misunderstood.

She had only wanted to advise Yuchi Yan to think positively about everything, not to get stuck in a rut and harm his health, but Yuchi Yan seemed to have thought of other matters.

“Your Majesty, this subject’s daughter feels that nothing is more important than Your Majesty’s well-being.” Qin Yining had to kneel down, speaking softly and gently: “You are Great Yan’s legitimate ruler. Your existence is the reason for all of us to persevere.”

Yuchi Yan gazed intently at Qin Yining, his eyes gradually changing from suspicion to gentleness, then he let out a bitter laugh.

“In my current state, how am I still worthy of being a nation’s ruler? How am I still worthy of being the reason for common people to persevere? It’s precisely because of me that the people suffer such torment.”

When he came out now, he didn’t dare use the imperial retinue—not only because everyone was too weak from hunger to arrange ceremonies for him, but more because he feared that wearing dragon robes and taking a stroll would result in him being torn apart and devoured alive by the people filled with hatred.

Yuchi Yan repeatedly asked himself whether his stubborn resistance against the Great Zhou people was right or wrong.

Now the south already had Nanyan, his kingdom had been split in two. His current stubborn refusal to yield was only because he didn’t want to be recorded in history books as a ruler who lost his country, bringing shame. He didn’t want to face his ancestors with dishonor after a hundred years.

But when he saw the stripped tree bark in the capital, saw children curled up in corners who had starved to death, he felt he truly was the most selfish person in the world.

For his dignity and honor, he was sacrificing countless innocent lives.

“Rise. I know the Qin family’s loyalty.” Yuchi Yan smiled bitterly and shook his head. “It’s just that I’m truly confused right now.”

Qin Yining rose and sat back on the stone from before, lowering her head in silent contemplation.

Inappropriately discussing state affairs would bring trouble upon oneself—she still understood this principle.

Yuchi Yan sat in a daze for a long time, with Qin Yining accompanying him in silence. When Yuchi Yan came back to his senses, men’s voices could already be heard from the direction of Ning Garden.

Yuchi Yan looked at Qin Yining inquiringly.

Qin Yining explained: “It’s probably the people who went into the mountains to hunt and dig wild vegetables returning.”

Yuchi Yan smiled: “You’re quite clever, staying with so many common people near mountains and water, where you can all look after each other.”

He supported himself against the tree trunk to stand up, dusted off his clothes, and said: “Little Lu.”

“Present.” Eunuch Lu, who had been standing in the distance, immediately came forward. “Your Majesty.”

“Give the things to Fourth Miss.”

“Yes.”

Eunuch Lu immediately called over the guards who had been escorting them. Only then did Qin Yining notice that all the guards had baskets on their backs.

Two guards set down their baskets, which contained a bag of fist-sized black mixed grain cakes like those eaten in the army, and a bag of already prepared medicinal herbs.

Yuchi Yan felt somewhat embarrassed and smiled self-mockingly: “The way I’m being an emperor is truly… I know you have many people here and feared you had already started going hungry. Unfortunately, though I have gold and silver, I can’t buy grain. Don’t disdain these—there isn’t much dry food. You should first let the people close to you eat their fill, then take the rest back. And those medicinal herbs—I ordered them prepared to nourish blood and body. I imagine your health still isn’t fully recovered… Don’t be too foolish, giving everything to others. At least eat a few full meals yourself. Look how thin you’ve become.”

Yuchi Yan sighed and shook his head.

As a sovereign ruler, he couldn’t even ensure that the woman he liked could eat her fill—truly no one could be in such an embarrassing predicament.

But Qin Yining gratefully knelt down and performed a deep bow: “Your Majesty’s kindness in providing aid in our time of need, this subject’s daughter will remember in her heart. I kowtow in thanks to Your Majesty.”

“Rise quickly.” Seeing her so weak from hunger that she seemed like she’d fall over in the wind, her small face deathly pale and lips bloodless, Yuchi Yan felt distressed. “Eat a cake right here now.”

Qin Yining looked at him with some surprise.

Yuchi Yan continued: “Your maids are also loyal to you, not abandoning you even at such a time. Call them over to eat a full meal together. This is an imperial edict—I’ll watch you eat, and you may only return after finishing.”

Qin Yining lowered her eyebrows, moved to tears as she thanked him for his grace. She called Ji Yun, Bingtang, and Qiu Lu over, and the four each took a dry, hard cake and began gnawing on it.

Yuchi Yan watched Qin Yining eating like a little hamster—though it was just a hard, cold mixed grain cake, she made it seem like imperial cuisine. His nose stung and tears nearly fell.

This couldn’t continue!

If it continued like this, all the people in the capital would die for his selfishness!

When Qin Huaiyuan opened his eyes, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. Looking out through the window, he saw only darkness, indicating it was nighttime.

He didn’t immediately get up but calmly recalled the day’s events.

He had eaten a bowl of thin gruel, then felt drowsy and wanted to sleep, so he dozed off lying on the table. When he woke up, he was already here.

It seemed the person who brought him here didn’t want to kill him. At least not yet.

“You’re awake?”

Just as Qin Huaiyuan was lost in thought, he heard the door creak open. A tall figure entered carrying a tray with a large bowl on it, followed by someone carrying a candlestick. Because the candlelight was behind them, Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t clearly see who the first person was until the second person placed the candlestick on the table.

Qin Huaiyuan sat up, his expression unchanged as he looked at the steaming bowl of plain noodles on the table, then at Pang Xiao dressed in patched clothes like a disaster victim, and suddenly let out a cold laugh: “So it’s you. What, you brought this old man here to invite me to dinner?”

Pang Xiao paid no attention to Qin Huaiyuan’s cold words and still performed a proper bow: “Father-in-law, this son-in-law was impolite. This time’s actions were truly rash, but if I had informed you beforehand, first, it would have been inconvenient for our operation, and second, I didn’t want to put you in a position of disloyalty. Therefore, this son-in-law rashly used drugs. Please forgive me.”

Hearing this, Qin Huaiyuan’s eyebrows twitched violently. What father-in-law, what son-in-law—with the current situation between the two countries, how could their two families still have such a relationship?

“This old man dare not accept such address. Please, Your Highness, also speak carefully. This old man’s daughter is pure and innocent, never having any entanglements with anyone. Speaking this way, where does it place my daughter’s reputation?”

Pang Xiao wiped his sweat, thinking: This is bad, I’ve really offended father-in-law badly this time. Truly worthy of being father and daughter—when they get fierce, they’re equally difficult to deal with.

“Father-in-law, please calm your anger. It’s just that Yining and I have already pledged our lives to each other. In this lifetime, I will marry no one but her, and she will marry no one but me.”

“Ridiculous! Where do you get the confidence that she will marry no one but you?” Qin Huaiyuan angrily stood up, flicking his sleeves: “If it were before, she might have been moved by your actions, but now that she’s personally witnessed those who practice cannibalism and personally experienced hell, do you still expect her to remain indifferent? My daughter is human, not a saint! Where do you get such audacity to be so confident in yourself, thinking you can do whatever you want? Where does this place her?”