The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

He stirred it gently with a spoon, patiently explaining, "This is yam and egg drop soup, which is excellent for strengthening the spleen and stomach. Use a little bit, okay?"

He scooped up a spoonful, tested the temperature on his own lips before bringing it to hers, his gaze gentle as he looked at her.

"Good boy, open your mouth."

Shen Tinghe opened her mouth and swallowed the spoonful of soup.

The soup is delicate and smooth, the yam is sweet, and the egg custard is tender; the taste is indeed refreshing and palatable.

He fed her like that, and she slowly drank half a bowl.

They refused to drink any more.

Xie Yanzhao knew her temperament and didn't force her, only smiling helplessly.

"That's enough."

After saying that, he used the spoon she had used to finish the remaining half bowl of soup.

He put down the bowl, picked up a handkerchief, and carefully wiped the corners of her lips before gently explaining.

"My husband has some things to take care of. Yuan Yuan, would you like to play by yourself for a while?"

Shen Tinghe tugged at his sleeve: "I'm not a child anymore."

Xie Yanzhao held her hand in his palm: "Yuan Yuan is with me, and I need to take even better care of her than I would a child."

"Let Qingyu and the others keep you company, or let them read a book or play with your little gadgets."

After giving all the instructions, he got up to leave.

But a small hand gently tugged at her sleeve.

He turned around and saw that Shen Tinghe had also stood up. Suddenly, she tiptoed and quickly pecked him on the lips.

She looked at him, her eyes clear as a stream: "You need to come back soon."

A warm ripple spread through Xie Yanzhao's heart.

"it is good."

When Xie Yanzhao stepped into the dark room, a heavy smell of blood mixed with the stench of rust and decay hit him.

The flickering firelight on the wall stretched his shadow long and distorted as it was cast onto the stone wall.

His movements swayed with each step, like a phantom waiting to strike.

He walked slowly to the largest iron cage in the center and stopped.

Inside the cage, Xie Xuancheng was chained in the middle, surrounded by several black-feathered birds with sharp beaks.

They were not large, but their eyes were as fierce as eagles. They would swoop down swiftly from time to time, peck hard, and then fly away, leaving behind a cloud of fine blood mist and tattered clothing.

Xie Xuancheng's exposed skin was almost entirely unscathed; old wounds were stained with dark purple, while new wounds flowed with bright red blood, some so deep that the bone was visible.

He heard footsteps and struggled to lift his head; his once handsome face was now covered in bloodstains.

His eyes were cloudy and filled with intense pain and despair, reflecting the flickering firelight.

"Oh,"

Xie Yanzhao chuckled softly, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent, dark room, carrying a cold, playful tone.

"They've held up better than I expected. They didn't die."

Xie Xuancheng let out a "hoarse" sound as he struggled to say something, but only managed to exhale a breath of foul air mixed with blood and foam.

His throat had long been pecked raw, his vocal cords destroyed, and he couldn't even string together a complete curse.

Xie Yanzhao's gaze fell on a bird that was preening its blood-stained feathers. His eyes paused subtly for a moment before being covered by an even deeper chill.

Do you know them?

He spoke as if it were a casual conversation, but his tone was icy cold.

"Yuan Yuan was pecked by this beast on the edge of a cliff while she was gathering herbs for Gu, leaving a wound on the back of her hand."

"At that time, my heart ached terribly."

"Heh...heh heh!"

Xie Xuancheng struggled violently, the iron chains rattling and aggravating his wounds.

The excruciating pain made his vision go black, but it couldn't outweigh the tearing regret and resentment in his heart.

Shen Tinghe… that name is now like a red-hot branding iron, searing into his very soul.

"I was indeed poisoned by the Poisonous Essence Powder."

Xie Yanzhao leaned slightly closer to the cage, his voice low, yet each word struck Xie Xuancheng's ears like a hammer blow.

"However, Yuan Yuan found the antidote for me. She's always like this, so foolish it's heartbreaking."

He straightened up, his tone returning to its indifferent state, even carrying a hint of smug cruelty.

"Look, all your scheming has ultimately led to our union. After the assassination attempt, Yuan Yuan is clinging to me tightly. Just now, when we came out, she was still obediently holding me, not letting me leave."

Xie Xuancheng's head slumped heavily, his forehead pressed against the cold, filthy ground, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

The wound hurts, the bones hurt, but neither can compare to the pain of having your heart squeezed and crushed.

She regretted her past actions, hated Xie Yanzhao for his cruelty, and resented the injustice of fate.

A torrent of emotions boiled in my chest like magma, but I could find no outlet and could only turn into a deeper despair.

My mother... I'm afraid...

Xie Yanzhao's gaze swept over another empty iron cage next to him.

"See that cage over there? That's for the King of Qi. He'll be here to keep you company soon. Speaking of which, I have to thank you."

"If I hadn't followed your lead, I wouldn't have been able to gather all that evidence against him so quickly."

Everyone behind the scenes should pay the price for the wound on Yuan Yuan's hand.

He then quietly watched for a moment as Xie Xuancheng struggled hopelessly in a pool of blood.

Like examining a masterpiece that is about to be completed, he turned around with satisfaction.

"What a pity."

Xie Yanzhao seemed to be talking to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it.

"This appearance is too filthy; it's not appropriate for Yuan Yuan to see it."

He really wanted to show his silly Yuan Yuan how rotten, filthy, and disgusting the innocent sheep she thought she was, had now been stripped of its sheep's skin.

However, he couldn't bear to let such filth soil her eyes.

The clanging of the chains behind him, mixed with a hoarse "hoarse" sound, created a symphony of despair.

Xie Yanzhao seemed not to hear, and stepped steadily out of the dark room, locking that bloody hell back into deep darkness.

Before returning to his bedchamber, he deliberately went to the side hall's bathhouse.

He washed himself carefully until there was no trace of blood on his body.

After changing into clean everyday clothes and burning a light, warm fragrance that Shen Tinghe liked, he made sure there was no trace of malevolence left on his body before heading towards their bedroom.

Just as Xie Yanzhao was about to enter the sleeping quarters, he heard Shen Tinghe's voice from inside:

"Husband, wait a moment, don't come in."

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, but he readily withdrew his hand.

A moment later, the door opened slightly, and the maids with bowed heads retreated.

He pushed the door open and entered.

The room was filled with a familiar warm fragrance, but there was no one in sight.

His gaze swept over the empty chaise lounge and dressing table, finally settling on the canopy bed.

The layers upon layers of rosy clouds and gauze curtains have all been drawn down, vaguely obscuring the scene inside.

He walked over, and the closer he got, the clearer her unique fragrance became.

It wasn't the expensive ambergris from the incense burner, but rather the natural scent emanating from her skin.

Strands of air seeped through the gaps in the gauze curtains, mingling with his breath.

Xie Yanzhao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He reached out and pinched the edge of the curtain, his fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly.

Shen Tinghe knelt among the pile of brocade quilts, not wearing her usual silk and satin robes, but in an outfit he had never seen before.

A short, narrow-sleeved blouse made of crimson brocade with gold trim revealed a glimpse of her delicate waist.

She wore a long sari skirt, but it was cut open on the side, revealing two fair and soft legs as she knelt down.