Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Under normal circumstances, I would have fought this man for eight hundred rounds of verbal sparring, but today I truly lacked the energy. Qi Yu remained silent, leaving Changying and me with no choice but to remain kneeling on the floor. There was no charcoal fire in the room; the air was freezing, and the floor felt like ice against my knees.

Ill as I was, I couldn’t hold myself steady. Changying placed a hand behind my waist, providing a subtle support to keep me upright.

Yet, this simple gesture somehow provoked Qi Yu once again.

“The two of you truly are a devoted couple. It seems I did not make a mistake in granting this marriage.”

Qi Yu sat unceremoniously on the bed, staring down at us as we knelt. He showed no intention of granting us leave to rise.

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. “When has the Emperor ever been wrong?”

“Huai’an, do not be impudent,” Changying softly cautioned me. I pursed my lips and fell silent.

“I have, of course, made mistakes,” Qi Yu said, picking up the jar of Peach Blossom Wine from the table that had yet to be sealed. He brought it to his nose and took a sniff.

“For instance, the day I ordered the search of this courtyard, I should have instructed them to dig up that crabapple tree.”

I looked up. What did he mean? Had those people caused such a commotion that day just to find this jar of wine?

“Qi Yu, you’re being unreasonable. This wine is mine. What does it have to do with you?”

“Yours?” Qi Yu swirled his wrist, and the wine sloshed out of the jar with every movement. My heart ached just watching it.

“He Huai’an, even you belong to me. What’s a jar of wine compared to that?”

Qi Yu’s words caused my expression to shift instantly. Subconsciously, I glanced at Changying beside me. His face remained relatively calm, but the hand supporting my back suddenly stiffened.

I stood up, my face cold as I issued a dismissal.

“Your Majesty, it is cold today and there is no charcoal here. We cannot take responsibility if Your Majesty’s precious health is compromised. Please, return to your palace.”

Qi Yu tilted his chin to meet my gaze, his lips curling into a smirk.

“What, trying to drive me away already? Was I wrong? He Huai’an, does this husband of yours know what you look like when you’re in my bed? Oh! I almost forgot-he’s a eunuch. He probably doesn’t have the chance to…”

*Slap!*

I don’t know how that slap landed on Qi Yu’s face. I only know that by the time I realized what happened, I had been forced to the ground by guards. I was gasping for air, my entire body trembling.

“Your Majesty, please forgive her! Huai’an did not do it intentionally. She… she is ill and not in her right mind. Your Majesty, please have mercy! Please have mercy!”

Changying knelt on the floor, repeatedly kowtowing to the enraged Qi Yu.

My eyes were bloodshot as I stared straight at Qi Yu, who was walking toward me step by step.

“Changying, don’t beg him.”

Qi Yu grabbed me by the front of my robes and pinned me against the wall. His strength was immense, and I couldn’t break free. My head hit the wall with a dull thud.

“You have a lot of nerve, don’t you? You dare strike me?”

Qi Yu gripped my collar tightly, emphasizing every word.

I let out a laugh-it must have looked hideous, perhaps even ghoulish.

“More than that. I want to kill you!”

Qi Yu looked down and laughed softly. “Good. Very good. He Huai’an, you’d better have the ability to do so. Otherwise, as long as I am alive, I will never let you live a comfortable day.”

“This Peach Blossom Wine was meant to be your nuptial cup, wasn’t it? Since you love drinking it so much, I’ll fulfill your wish today. I’ll let you drink your fill!”

With that, Qi Yu squeezed my throat with one hand and used the other to pour the Peach Blossom Wine down my throat. I couldn’t dodge. The spicy liquid surged into my gullet in great gulps, making it impossible to breathe.

Between the several days of severe illness and today’s ordeal, I had finally reached my limit. My head spun, and my feet felt light, as if I were treading on cotton. I couldn’t find my footing.

The sounds around me became a chaotic blur. It seemed like Changying had rushed forward to plead for me, saying I was too sick to endure this and that he was willing to take the punishment in my stead. Honestly, what did this have to do with him? Why was he so foolish?

Qi Yu seemed to be shouting something else. He was so loud. I closed my eyes, wanting to block out his voice, and then, I truly couldn’t hear anything at all.