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Hearing what was said, Jin Wang paused in his gesture of patting Ye Shu’s back.
He seldom saw Ye Shu shed tears. In the most bitter days of their past, only when he was in the throes of desolation would he shed a few tears behind his back.
This man had a stubborn streak. Even when he cried, it was heartbreakingly quiet.
Jin Wang could only feel the body in his arms trembling. He tried to wipe Ye Shu’s tears, but the latter refused to look up and only clung to him harder.
Jin Wang could do nothing but resign himself. He put an arm around the man in his embrace, and slowly said, “I didn’t see you when I woke up. You made me wait for so long. Just now, I was thinking about what punishment I should give you.”
He paused, and then laughed. “
Did you set up this scene for me because you were afraid I’d complain?”
“I’m not—” Ye Shu subconsciously retorted, but got choked with sobs as soon as he spoke, and coughed with his head tilted.
Jin Wang hastily helped him catch his breath.
Ye Shu eased up, but when he looked up, he saw the bandage on Jin Wang’s shoulder faintly oozing blood.
“The wound split open.” Ye Shu immediately shouted at the door, “Quickly summon the imperial physician!”
Yangxin Hall’s inner servants knew very well how to take their cue from both their masters’ words as well as their facial expressions, thus as early as when Ye Shu flung into Jin Wang’s embrace, they all immediately withdrew. When they heard the order, they gathered outside the door and promptly left to carry it out.
Jin Wang took Ye Shu’s hand and made him sit down by the small couch.
The blood on the bandage became more and more pronounced, while Ye Shu’s eyes became even redder. He dared not touch Jin Wang. “Why didn’t you push me away just now? Didn’t it hurt?”
“It didn’t, at least not as much as watching you cry,” Jin Wang wiped away the tear marks on Ye Shu’s face as he laughed vaguely. “Besides, don’t I still have to look good in front of you? How could I still push you away?”
Ye Shu lowered his head and said nothing. Jin Wang added, “Come closer.”
Ye Shu moved closer.
Jin Wang dropped a kiss on his eye.
Ye Shu’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and before a single tear could fall, it was already kissed away.
Jin Wang kissed him tenderly, his warm lips brushing the outer corner of his eye, on his cheek, down to his lips. After a long time, Jin Wang, with his lips against the corner of his, asked softly, “Where were you?”
Ye Shu’s voice was muffled. “Of my whereabouts, didn’t anyone inform you?”
“I did not ask,” Jin Wang said. “You don’t like me always looking into your whereabouts, hence I refrained from asking.”
Ye Shu had never mentioned any of this in front of him.
This man was the emperor; the one who wielded absolute power, who controlled people’s lives and deaths, but also someone who was also always trying hard to understand him and change for him.
Ye Shu looked away, feeling the rims of his eyes getting slightly hot.
Jin Wang asked no more questions and pressed the other man’s head into the hollow of his shoulder.
Following Ye Shu’s order, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall. A few young eunuchs were half-assisting, half-dragging, almost carrying physician Feng through the door.
Ye Shu hurriedly stood up, turned his back, and wiped his tears.
Physician Feng saluted the two of them, while Jin Wang only nodded slightly, his attention was still on Ye Shu, whose back was facing them, his clothes and hair were somewhat disheveled, appearing to be in quite a sorry state. From Physician Feng’s point of view, he was able to see the other’s slightly red and swollen eyes.
At first glance, it looked like he had just cried.
Physician Feng looked at Ye Shu and then at Jin Wang before he cautiously asked, “Wha
What happened? Another quarrel?”
Jin Wang, “
”
Ye Shu, “

”
Ye Shu went to bathe and change first. Meanwhile, Jin Wang was helped onto the dragon couch by several inner servants. The imperial physician untied the bandages wrapped around his body and rewrapped him in new ones.
The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat tense. Then, imperial physician Feng finally couldn’t help but speak up, “Your Majesty

”
Jin Wang cut in, “I didn’t do anything bad to him.”
“Anything that caused him to cry?”
Jin Wang, “

”
Imperial physician Feng sighed and advised earnestly, “Your Majesty, a Kunjun’s post-pregnancy temper is a bit volatile, as are their mood swings, but you should not be angry with him just because it is like this.”
“His Highness’s body is rather weak. He mustn’t be overly stimulated. Such excess joy and grief will not only be bad for him, but even worse for the unborn child.”
Jin Wang, “

”
It’s not me. I didn’t. I don’t even know anything.
Jin Wang pressed the space between his brows. “I really didn’t

”
Physician Feng was wearing an expression of distrust.
If not you, who else could have made that person cry?
Could it be Concubine An again?
Imperial physician Feng’s expression suddenly changed to one of great complexity.
Ever since he handed over the abortion pill to Ye Shu, he had been keeping a close eye on the news from Yangxin Hall. The pill was after all detrimental and if it had been taken, the Imperial Hospital would have been notified.
But there was none.
Thereafter, Ye Shu never mentioned the matter again, and neither did imperial physician Feng find the opportunity to ask about it.
As it would seem, it was most likely that His Highness was much too kind to do so.
After a moment’s deliberation, imperial physician Feng bandaged Jin Wang’s wound before falling to his knees.
Jin Wang frowned. “What are you doing?”
Imperial physician Feng touched his forehead to the ground and said firmly, “This subject has something important to report. I would like to ask Your Majesty to dismiss the others from the hall.”
Jin Wang waved his hand for the others to withdraw.
As the door to the hall was closed, Jin Wang said, “Speak.”
Imperial physician Feng closed his eyes and slowly spoke, “This matter
pertains to Concubine An

”
He gave Jin Wang a blow-by-blow account of what he had conspired with Ye Shu earlier, but when he had finished, Jin Wang did not respond.
Imperial physician Feng did not dare to look up and explained, “His Highness was also worried that such a scandal would be leaked, so he kept that secret until now. I hope Your Majesty would show some consideration. If Your Majesty were to blame me, then I would be willing to shoulder it all.”
Jin Wang remained silent.
Silence took over the large hall, with cold sweat breaking out behind imperial physician Feng.
After a long time, Jin Wang chuckled, his expression somewhat of helplessness. “So, he asked you for an abortion pill?”
Imperial physician Feng, “

Yes.”
“And fooled me into thinking that it was some tonic, little fool

” Jin Wang sighed and said to physician Feng, “Help me up.”
Imperial physician Feng hurriedly got up and helped Jin Wang to sit up.
Jin Wang looked at the other party’s apprehensive appearance and thought it was funny. “Don’t be nervous, I don’t blame you.”
He paused and then added, “Shall I tell you a secret too?”
A while later, imperial physician Feng walked out of Yangxin Hall in a trance-like state.
Ye Shu quickly finished bathing and changing, and returned to Yangxin Hall. Jin Wang was leaning on the bedside, waiting for him.
Seeing him coming, Jin Wang tossed the memorial in his hands to the side and pointed to the small tea cup on the bedside table. “Ginger tea. Drink it while it’s still hot.”
Ye Shu, with his eyes still a little red, nodded like a bunny and dutifully finished his tea.
“Come here,” Jin Wang patted his side of the bed. “It’s still early for dinner. Take a short nap first, I’ll keep you company.”
Ye Shu, unable to react, then shook his head. “No need. What if I bump into your wound

”
Jin Wang, “Just do as I say.”
The two looked at each other. Ye Shu then took off his shoes and socks, climbed into bed from its very end, and drew up next to Jin Wang.
Jin Wang took the man into his embrace.
“Loosen up. The physician said that the wound has recovered well. There’s nothing to worry about,” Jin Wang patted his shoulder as he spoke in a warm voice.
Ye Shu responded with ‘mhm’ softly.
Jin Wang added, “Stay here tonight, it’ll save you from losing a good night’s sleep.”
Ye Shu replied with “okay” in a low voice.
Jin Wang’s embrace was very warm and a faint smell of medicinal herbs was mixed with his usual incense scent in the air, which brought forth a tranquil effect on the senses.
Ye Shu took a deep breath before saying, “Jin Wang, just now, I

 I went to the Cold Palace.”
Jin Wang’s eyes flickered.
“I

 I discovered something, actually, I

 I

” Ye Shu’s voice became hoarse. He didn’t know where to begin.
He had been told far too many things from that system. It was all too confusing.
A decade since he was brought there for the mission, the unannounced goodbyes in between, the countless instances of storylines being restarted, and

this man’s repeated painful endings.
It may have seemed like a simple failure to the system, but the man before him was alive and breathing. All that he had endured was also real.
Ye Shu couldn’t imagine how much pain each storyline that started with his execution would put the man through.
How much despair would there have to be to make this man end up in that state.
The rims of Ye Shu’s eyes reddened sorrowfully.
“Alright now, why are you being so hard on yourself again,” Jin Wang said softly. “If you can’t say it, then you don’t have to. Don’t force yourself.”
Ye Shu, “But

”
Jin Wang sighed. “I have some regrets now. Why did I let you do this in the first place? Since New Year’s Eve up until today, when have you had a good rest? If you continue to be like this, how will your body be able to withstand it?”
“From now on, put all those things that made you feel awful out of your mind and don’t think about them again. If there is anything you want to say, take a breather first and we’ll talk about it later.”
Jin Wang kissed him on the forehead. “The days are still long. No need to hurry. Listen to me.”
Ye Shu, “But I promised

”
With a smile in his eyes, Jin Wang lowered his head and kissed the corner of Ye Shu’s lips. “Little fool, you’ve already given me the answer.”
The answer lay bare from the moment a certain foolish person who, knowingly having the abortion pill in hand, foolishly promised to give him a chance if he were to behave well, ended up missing the best time to take it.
Ye Shu was at a loss. “When did I

”
“I have advised you to sleep now. You don’t even listen to me anymore?” Jin Wang narrowed his eyes. “Do you really think that I can’t teach you a lesson because I’m like this right now?”
“I

”
Ye Shu was about to respond again when Jin Wang suddenly turned over and pressed him hard into the bed.
His Majesty proved by example that even if he had no use of one arm due to an injury, he would still be able to restrain a person with just his other arm.
Moments later, Ye Shu’s lips were bright red, and he was lying well-behaved beside Jin Wang, all swept into submission.
The only one who was still troubled was imperial physician Feng, who hadn’t yet made it out of the palace, but had to come back and bandage a certain person once more.
–
The following days, Jin Wang recuperated in peace at Yangxin Hall.
As for the people behind the assassination of the Ye Mansion, the investigation progressed extremely quickly because of Ye Shu’s involvement. Within just a few days, the causes and consequences of the assassination were ascertained fully and the case was declared closed.
Ye Shu personally delivered the case-closed report back to Yangxin Hall, and just as he entered, he saw Jin Wang sitting at the table writing something.
“Why did you get up?” Ye Shu strode over. “Didn’t I tell you I’d help you look over these, I’ll just ask for help if need be. Your wound

”
Jin Wang put down his writing brush and smiled nonchalantly. “This superficial wound is nothing. After lying down for so many days, I should be fine by now.”
Ye Shu didn’t take his word for it and said firmly, “No. Your words do not count, only the physician’s, who has said you shall lie down, so go and do so, and I will help you with what you need to write.”
“No matter, it’s already written,” Jin Wang said. “All that’s missing is the imperial seal.”
Only then did Ye Shu realize that an imperial edict had been placed before Jin Wang.
Jin Wang moved to the side and let Ye Shu sit beside him, saying, “It’s just as well that you’re here. See if there’s anything wrong. If there’s nothing, let’s affix the seal.”
Ye Shu quickly scanned over the edict before turning his head to look at Jin Wang. “You

”
Jin Wang clasped Ye Shu’s hand on the table and said seriously, “I’m going to restore your innocence.”