CH 22

In his daze, Ling Xiao felt as if he was being held. His head rested on that person’s broad and sturdy chest, and their embrace felt very warm. So warm that Ling Xiao wanted to cry for a reason he couldn’t name.

Ling Xiao’s hand hurt, and it hurt a lot. It was a burning hot pain that made him hate that he couldn’t discard this hand.

His throat also hurt a lot, as if he was being pricked by needles. The pain was extensive, and so dry and rough that even swallowing was difficult.

However, his consciousness was very clear, and he knew that he couldn’t faint. If he fainted, then his identity could be exposed at any moment. He couldn’t lose his life because of that.

Ling Xiao forced himself to open his eyes. A vague image appeared in front of him, the shadow gradually becoming clear.

Sword-like eyebrows, a straight nose, pursed lips that formed a line with handsome and bright features, and a profound silhouette.

It was the Emperor. Ling Xiao’s eyes squinted in astonishment, finding that he was being carried in the Emperor’s embrace and that they were moving forward.

Ling Xiao was startled and powerlessly struggled, wanting to go down. The Emperor looked down at him and frowned, berating him, “Don’t move.”

After that, Ling Xiao didn’t dare to move anymore.

The Emperor brought him to a room and placed him down on a soft bed.

Ling Xiao kept his eyes open, and the Emperor stood before him, looking down at him.

Ling Xiao tried to get up, but the Emperor stopped him, “Be at ease, the imperial physician will be here at once.”

“Your… Your Majesty…” Ling Xiao made himself speak in spite of his condition, the sound that came out was so hoarse it amazed him and made the Emperor frown.

“If you have something to say, wait until you’re better before you say it.” The Emperor stated.

Ling Xiao pursed his lip and nodded, it could be considered a simplified salute. His head collapsed back down on the pillow, his eyelids also slowly lowered.

When he woke again, his surroundings were already free of the Emperor’s shadow. Only a few maids were around, watching over him. Ling Xiao suddenly started in surprise.

“Steward, Steward, you’re finally awake!” The maid on watch, seeing Ling Xiao rise, said with a tone full of pleasant surprise.

Ling Xiao looked at her, and she saluted, then slowly retreated as she said, “This servant will go notify the Emperor immediately.”

Ling Xiao’s eyes flashed and hurriedly stopped her, “Wait, come back first.”

After saying that, Ling Xiao started to cough and choke, his throat still very dry and slightly painful. The maid hurriedly got water for him to drink, and Ling Xiao drank down two large bowls before he felt somewhat better.

When he set down the teacup, the maid was already waiting in front of Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao slowly turned his body, then asked in a hoarse voice, “How long have I’ve been unconscious?”

The maid answered, “Replying to the Steward, you have been sleeping for one day and one night.”

“One day and one night?” Ling Xiao frowned, then lifted his eyes to look around his surroundings. It was unexpectedly the Emperor’s Qin Palace. Stunned, his eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at his clothes at once.

Fortunately, he still wore the same dirty and messed up clothes and had not been cleaned up by anyone. However, his hand had been wrapped thoroughly with bandages.

Ling Xiao released a breath. However, he also got off the couch. This was the Emperor’s daybed in the Qin Palace, how could he sleep in it as he wished!

Seeing Ling Xiao getting up, the maid immediately kneeled to prevent him, “Steward, the Emperor had said for you to take a good rest. Your body still isn’t well.”

Ling Xiao turned back to look at the yellow brocade bed, shook his head and then shifted the subject to ask, “Why am I here?”

When she saw Ling Xiao standing barefoot on the floor, the maid’s face became awkward. Seeing that Ling Xiao really wasn’t planning to go back on the bed, she crouched down to help him put on shoes, “Because your residence has been burned, the Emperor ordered people to rebuild it. The reason you are hear nursing your wounds is because the Emperor brought you here.”

While speaking, the maid intended to curry favor with Ling Xiao, “Steward, you don’t know how nervous the Emperor was about you. You’d lost consciousness, but the Emperor personally carried you over and even permitted you to sleep in his bed. Who doesn’t know that, in this palace, even the Emperor’s concubines have never slept in the Emperor’s daybed before.”

Ling Xiao rolled his eyes, those concubines naturally have never slept on the daybed. I they were going to sleep, they would sleep on the Emperor’s bed over there.[1]

Ling Xiao was also too lazy to argue with the maid. Not only that, why was she comparing him to those concubines? It really was… silly talk.

Ling Xiao shook his head and somewhat impatiently interrupted her words, “Enough.”

Cleverly, the maid didn’t say anymore. However, seeing Ling Xiao checking his clothes the whole time, she took the initiative to speak, “Steward, how about this servant go get you some hot water for a bath and attend to you? When you were unconscious, we were unable to touch your clothes. Even the Emperor couldn’t. As such, you haven’t taken a bath at all this entire time, and we servants only wiped your face.”

Ling Xiao stared blankly. Lifting his only intact hand, he touched his face. It really was very clean, while his body was still dirty. His clothes were also hanging raggedly off his body.

Seeing this, Ling Xiao nodded his head and ordered, “After you get the water, go report to the Emperor that I am fine now.”

The palace maid saluted, “Yes.”

He took a bath with the fastest speed possible to rid himself of the dirt on his body; but then, Ling Xiao discovered a problem.

That maid hadn’t given him eunuch clothing. Instead, what was hanging over the side of the screen was a set of silk embroidered clothing. They were even white.

In this palace, besides the Emperor and his concubines, who would dare to randomly wear clothes.

Ling Xiao stared at the set of clothes with distress, but then “His Majesty has arrived” echoed from the doorway, startling him. He had no choice but to hurriedly put the clothes on.

Walking out from behind the screen, he respectfully welcomed the Emperor.

Because the small eunuch in front of him was dressed in all white, it made his stature appear more fine and slender. His hair was in a mess, half wet and half dry, while his cheeks were somewhat red from the steam of the water, seeming a bit flirtatious.

The Emperor’s heart couldn’t help but be moved when his mind recalled the four words within that iron case again.

Ling Xiao kneeled down to make his salutations. Although he wasn’t dressed correctly, the Emperor didn’t say anything for a long time.

Ling Xiao was puzzled. When the Emperor spoke, he wasn’t speaking to him, but sending away the maids and eunuchs in the palace hall.

In a moment, only the Emperor and Ling Xiao were left in the room.

For some indescribable reason, Ling Xiao began to feel nervous.

The Emperor bypassed him to sit by the table, saying, “Ling Xiao, come over here.”

Ling Xiao rose and, with his back bent, walked before the Emperor.

Suddenly, the Emperor grabbed Ling Xiao’s chin and a surprised Ling Xiao immediately looked away.

“Look at Us.” The Emperor ordered.

Ling Xiao lifted his eyes. The Emperor suddenly approached him, and his breath puffed on his cheek. As he looked straight into the Emperor’s eyes, his heart beat like thunder.

“Exactly what kind of thoughts do you have toward Us?” The Emperor asked him.

Ling Xiao looked back blankly, somewhat puzzled. What had the Emperor asked? Although he thought that, Ling Xiao did not dare not to reply and expressed his devotion, “Your servant is Your Majesty’s servant. Your Majesty is this servant’s Master.”

“Just this and nothing more?” The Emperor looked straight at him.

What did the Emperor mean? Ling Xiao swallowed his saliva, hoarsely replying, “Your servant’s loyalty can be judged by heaven and earth.”

The Emperor closed his eyes, then released him. He fished out a paper from his embrace and threw it in front of Ling Xiao.

“This was found in your iron grip, read it out for Us to hear.”

Ling Xiao was surprised, but picked it up and opened the paper. Stunned, his eyes went wide. There were only four words, and it was in his handwriting.

I like Your Majesty…[2]