After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

As his consciousness drifted, Chu Junci felt as if he had a very long dream, but he had forgotten the specific details of the dream.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard Mo Yan's voice.

"How is Aci's health?"

"Your Majesty, the Empress has suffered a loss of vital energy and is in poor health. She will need to be well cared for from now on."

"Your Majesty has already prescribed a formula to replenish your qi and blood. You may feed it to the Empress later."

"Understood, you may leave."

"Yes."

After the imperial physician left, Mo Yan turned around. His hair was disheveled, he wore a dark fox fur coat, and his face was equally pale.

Having just recovered from the poisoning, he was still weak. He walked step by step to the bedside and took Chu Junci's hand: "Silly Aci."

"Drawing blood from the heart must be very painful..."

He gently touched his face, and Mo Yan's voice trembled: "It's my fault for not protecting you."

"It's all my fault."

"Will you blame me?"

"..."

Mo Yan talked on and on. He wanted to hug him, but he was afraid of touching his wounds, so he had to give up.

After a while, the young apprentice appeared with the medicine: "Your Majesty, the Empress's medicine is ready."

"Give it to me."

Mo Yan took the bowl, helped Chu Junci lean against the headboard, and then fed him a bowl of food.

The medicine was so bitter that even those who were unconscious couldn't help but frown and show their resistance.

"Okay, Aci, you'll feel better after you drink your medicine, be a good girl."

Mo Yan's movements were gentle, as if he were a fragile piece of glass. In his dazed state, Chu Junci thought: Fool.

After taking the medicine, his consciousness went completely dark, and he didn't wake up until the next day.

The curtains overhead looked familiar. He blinked and saw Mo Yan lying by the bedside.

He was pale, with dark circles under his eyes, and the wound on his wrist was hastily bandaged. His long black hair was draped over his shoulders.

This was the first time Chu Junci had ever seen Mo Yan so "sloppy" and "unkempt".

A strand of hair slid from Mo Yan's forehead to his cheek. Chu Junci moved his fingertips and raised his hand to straighten the strand of hair.

The hand that was being pulled back was grasped by Mo Yan in mid-air. He looked up and stared intently at him.

They looked at each other, neither of them speaking.

Slowly, Mo Yan's eyes reddened: "Aci."

"Does it hurt?"

"..."

Chu Junci pursed his lips and shook his head: "It doesn't hurt."

"fraud."

Holding his hand, which trembled slightly, Mo Yan asked in a trembling voice, "Why did you save me? If I die, you can leave the palace and go wherever you want."

"No one can force you to do something you don't like anymore."

Mo Yan's words reminded Chu Junci of that imperial edict, "And what about you? Why didn't you take my blood, but instead silently waited to die in the Zichen Palace?"

"Because I can't bear to part with it."

"I can't bear to see my Aci get hurt, I can't bear to see my Aci suffer."

Mo Yan pressed his face against his palm and gently rubbed it. "I had a backup plan for you, but Aci saved me, so..."

"You'll never leave my side in this lifetime."

"No matter what, I will not let you go."

As he spoke, Mo Yan softened his tone: "But Aci was willing to use her heart's blood to save me, which means she's starting to like me, right?"

"Is it right?"

He looked at him, his eyes sparkling, hoping to get the answer he wanted to hear.

"..."

Chu Junci did not answer, and even avoided his burning gaze.

He struggled and pulled his hand back. "Mo Yan, I'm hungry."

"I'll have someone bring the meal."

Not getting the answer he wanted, Mo Yan wasn't annoyed. He turned around and ordered someone to bring some food over.

Returning to the bedside, he helped Chu Junci sit up: "Tell me if it hurts, okay?"

"Um."

Since both of them were ill, the dishes sent by the imperial kitchen were mainly light and bland.

Mo Yan scooped up a spoonful of porridge and fed it to Chu Junci's mouth, "Aci, open your mouth."

Chu Junci opened his lips and swallowed, then turned his head slightly after he had almost finished eating, saying, "You should have some too."

"Um."

After dinner, Mo Yan sat by his bedside to keep him company, chatting with him casually.

Chu Junci responded occasionally, glancing around but not seeing Wu Xu.

Where is Wu Xu?

"..."

Mo Yan didn't reply, but silently tucked the blanket around him: "Are you cold?"

"Where is Wu Xu?" Chu Junci repeated.

Mo Yan's expression remained unchanged: "He hurt you."

"So you killed him?"

"no."

Mo Yan clearly didn't want to say more, but Chu Junci had no choice but to say, "I did it myself, it has nothing to do with him."

"He only informed me of your situation; whether or not to have blood drawn is my own decision."

"Mo Yan, Wu Xu is very loyal to you."

"But he disobeyed my orders."

Mo Yan's tone was ambiguous: "I told you about this without permission, and it caused you to get injured. Aci, I didn't kill him because of his loyalty."

Even Mo Yan himself locked himself up to prevent Chu Junci from getting hurt...

But it was Wu Xu, whom he trusted most, who disobeyed his orders.

"Moreover, I have warned him many times not to touch you, but he has disobeyed and acted on his own."

"Mo Yan..."

Chu Junci wanted to say more, but Mo Yan interrupted him: "Alright, let's not talk about others."

"Are you thirsty? Would you like some water?"

Chu Junci shook his head and said one last thing: "Mo Yan, don't blame him."

"..."

After that, the two remained silent for a while. Chu Junci began to feel sleepy, and Mo Yan helped him lie down, saying, "Go to sleep."

After seeing that everyone had fallen asleep, Mo Yan left the Zichen Palace and went to the Heavenly Prison.

As soon as one enters the prison, one can hear screams of agony, and whips lashing against the body. If Lu Shu were here, he would surely recognize the screaming person as one of the guards standing at the entrance of Qiyue Palace.

Mo Yan looked straight ahead and went straight to the innermost cell.

Wu Xu was imprisoned there.

"Open the door."

The cell door opened, and Mo Yan stepped on the dry grass, looking down at him but saying nothing.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Wu Xu bowed. He was wearing prison clothes, and apart from his slightly disheveled hair, he looked no different from usual.

"Aci is awake," Mo Yan said softly.

"It is my good fortune that the Empress is unharmed."

Wu Xu remained kneeling on the ground, and Mo Yan did not tell him to get up. "Wu Xu, I remember telling you not to be like the Imperial Advisor."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths."

With his head touching the ground, Wu Xu thought: If he had to do it all over again, he would still make the same choice.

"I don't need subordinates who are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, but Aci pleaded for you and asked me not to blame you."

"..."

Wu Xu lowered his head, awaiting the final verdict.

A few breaths later, he heard His Majesty say, "One hundred strokes of the cane. If you are still alive, recover from your injuries and return to the Zichen Palace to serve him."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Wu Xu kowtowed and expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Remember, it was Aci who saved you."

"This servant will remember it."

Afterwards, Mo Yan left, and when he returned to the Zichen Palace, Chu Junci was still unconscious.

Perhaps due to her injury, Aci has been much more sleepy lately than before.