novelraw Chapter 139 Never Showed Me any Pity [Bonus Chapter for Shi Qingbao]
Chapter 139 Never Showed Me any Pity [Bonus Chapter for Shi Qingbao]
For several days in a row, the long nights were silent, and Xiao Yan did not arrive.
She knew that Xiao Yan was avoiding her.
Or perhaps, they are running away.
In Xiao Yan's eyes, all her actions now are just for show, even the intimate moments and passionate entanglements of that night.
Song Shuangning leaned against the couch, a faint look of annoyance on her lips. The lotus seed soup in front of her was heated and cooled repeatedly, yet she felt somewhat helpless.
Xiao Yan was probably an avoidant type of person. The closer someone got to him, the more he instinctively shrank back. The heartfelt words and tenderness from others couldn't warm his heart at all.
*
The next morning, Xiaofeng walked through the corridor.
Ah Liu stood outside the door with a warm breakfast in hand, and softly called out, "Your Highness, are you awake? It's time for breakfast."
She called out several times, but the hall remained silent, without the slightest response.
Ah Liu was puzzled. Usually, the Empress would have gotten up by this time, so why was she so quiet today?
She hesitated before pushing open the door and entering; the brocade curtains were lowered.
As she got closer, she could see that the Empress's cheeks were burning red, her breathing was rapid, and her lips were dry and pale. A-Liu's heart tightened, and she reached out to touch Song Shuangning's forehead. The burning temperature made her fingertips tremble.
Ah Liu hurriedly dropped her breakfast and staggered out, shouting, "Quickly! Her Majesty has a fever! Go and fetch the imperial physician!"
Song Shuangning's illness terrified everyone in the Zichen Palace.
In an instant, everyone was in a state of chaos, yet each person performed their duties. The one who was summoning the imperial physician ran so fast that he almost lost his shoes, the one who was boiling water stood guard in front of the stove, and the several palace maids who were serving her closely surrounded the bed, taking turns to wipe Song Shuangning's body and cool her down with a handkerchief soaked in cool well water.
Xiao Yan had just finished court when he heard the news that Song Shuangning was ill. Without saying a word, he turned and rushed to the side hall, his court robes stirring up a gust of wind.
Upon entering the hall, Xiao Yan saw the person on the bed with a flushed face and weak breath. His suppressed anger instantly erupted, and he sternly reprimanded the palace servants kneeling on the ground.
"I've only been gone a few days, and she's already this sick. How have you all been taking care of her?"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger—"
Xiao Yan held her burning hand tenderly, "Where is the imperial physician?"
"Your Majesty, the imperial physician is on his way."
Xiao Yan gazed at her pale face flushed with a hint of red, his anger turning into tenderness, though he still spoke in a harsh, low voice, reprimanding her:
"How old are you? You can't even take care of your own health."
In her dazed state, Song Shuangning seemed to hear a familiar voice. She struggled to lift her eyelids, her vision blurred, and she could only make out the outline of the court robe in front of her.
The burning pain and drowsiness coursing through her body made it impossible for her to speak a complete sentence; she could only softly whisper, "Your Majesty..."
Xiao Yan immediately bent down, his large hand steadily supporting her face, his voice so gentle it could melt water.
"I am here."
"Don't be afraid, the imperial physician will be here immediately."
Song Shuangning was in a daze, and only instinctively grabbed his clothes.
"Your Majesty, don't go... don't go..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she fell into a deep sleep.
Xiao Yan looked down at her hands, which were tightly gripping his clothes.
A sick person's almost instinctive dependence cannot be faked.
Considering how genuinely she relies on me right now, I'll let it go for the time being.
Xiao Yan leaned down, letting her softly lean against his chest. He finally sighed helplessly, his chin gently brushing against her forehead, his voice low and soft:
"I will not leave, I will not leave."
It sounded like coaxing, yet also like a promise.
Li Fuquan stood guard inside the palace gate, sweating profusely with anxiety. According to palace rules, it was extremely taboo for the emperor to be near a concubine when she was ill, for fear that the illness would harm her health.
He gritted his teeth, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the imperial physician will be here soon. Your health is of utmost importance... please take care of your well-being."
"Can't you see how dependent she is on me?"
Xiao Yan didn't even raise his head, his brows furrowed with anger, and his tone was extremely impatient.
"Get out of here and go receive your ten strokes of the cane."
Li Fuquan immediately knelt on the ground: "This servant knows his mistake, this servant will go and accept the punishment immediately."
*
As night fell, Song Shuangning finally woke up.
The candlelight flickered in the hall, and all was quiet except for Xiao Yan, who sat on a soft couch, flipping through a scroll of memorials. His features appeared softer in the lamplight.
Noticing the movement on the bed, he looked up and asked softly, "Awake?"
Song Shuangning nodded with difficulty, her throat dry and sore. "Your Majesty, I am thirsty... I would like to drink some water."
Xiao Yan didn't answer. He got up, walked to the table, poured a glass of warm water, turned back, reached out and half-embraced her, holding the glass of water and carefully feeding her.
Her movements were incredibly gentle, completely devoid of her usual coldness and hardness.
After finishing his drink, he asked in a low voice, "Would you like some more?"
Song Shuangning shook her head, leaning against his arm, her heart pounding. Had the self-inflicted injury ploy actually worked?
It's been a long time since I've seen Xiao Yan so gentle.
Before long, the palace maids brought in the evening meal, which consisted entirely of plain porridge and side dishes, extremely bland.
Her gaze swept over everyone, but she couldn't find A-Liu, so she couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, where is A-Liu?"
Xiao Yan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his tone calm and even: "She served poorly, so I've punished her by sending her to the Censorate."
Song Shuangning's heart tightened, and she instantly became furious. She propped herself up and sat up: "It was my own fault for not taking care of myself. What does it have to do with A-Liu!"
Xiao Yan raised his eyes, his gaze falling heavily on her face, and said, word by word:
"I know you did it on purpose. You deliberately made yourself sick."
Song Shuangning turned her head away guiltily.
"You feel sorry for A-Liu being punished unjustly, but have you ever felt even the slightest bit of pity for me?"
Song Shuangning stared at him blankly, her lips moving slightly.
Xiao Yan spoke in a hoarse voice: "You have never cared about me. You don't know how anxious I was when I heard the news after court and rushed here. How heartbroken I was to see you in a daze, burning with fever and unconscious. You are full of other people, but you have never cared about me."
Song Shuangning was speechless after being bombarded with Xiao Yan's "questioning" words.
Why are we talking about feeling sorry for someone again?
Xiao Yan stood up. "As you wish, I have lifted your confinement. If you wish to go back, then go back."