Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Xiao Zong knelt on one knee, half-squatting beside Yuan Zhi, and stretched out his arms to pull her into his embrace.

The clasped hands slowly loosened, and a hint of disappointment flashed across the woman's face. He caught a glimpse of it and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

Yuan Zhi was resting on his lap, feeling depressed, when she suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck. She then realized that the hand had not really left, but had just moved to another place.

She could clearly feel the man's long, well-defined fingers gently pressing and kneading her spine from top to bottom, inch by inch.

She blushed and looked up. Xiao Zong seemed to sense her and gave her the answer.

"No bones were broken."

Yuan Zhi: "..."

That's not what she wanted to hear!

Xiao Zong turned his head and said, "Dou Zhao, go and fetch a doctor."

"Yes, master."

After the guards left, Xiao Zong picked Yuan Zhi up and carried him straight out.

"Stop!" Qin shouted, halting him. "You're just going to take her away like that?"

"What, hasn't Mother punished you enough?"

Xiao Zong had his back to Qin Shi, his voice chilling.

Qin patted her chest, heartbroken and indignant: "You think your mother went too far? She stabbed your brother! You're not only not on your own side, but you're also siding with outsiders?"

“Azhi is my legal wife, whom I married with proper betrothal rites. She is the future matriarch of the Xiao family and is not an outsider.”

Xiao Zong lowered his phoenix eyes slightly, "As for my second brother, Mother, why don't you ask him what he has done?"

"Your brother is the most obedient. What outrageous thing could he possibly do? I think you've been bewitched by this vixen, and that's why you're finding fault with us!"

Xiao Zong, unable to bear it any longer, shouted, "Xiao Chengqi, get over here now!"

When Xiao Shen heard his elder brother call him by his courtesy name, he knew that the other party was really angry. He quickly rolled over, knelt down and admitted his mistake in one go.

"Mother, please don't argue with my elder brother. I was bewitched and framed my sister-in-law. Punish me if you must!"

No kidding, if my older brother gets really angry and spills all his secrets, he'd be beaten to death by his mother even if he had ten lives!

Qin Shi thought that Xiao Zong was trying to protect Yuan Zhi by dragging Xiao Shen out to take the blame, and she refused to believe it.

"Shen'er, step back. This is none of your business."

She was panting heavily. "Congyun, if you don't divorce her today, don't call me 'mother' from now on. You decide what to do!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zhi trembled, as if afraid of being abandoned, and tightly wrapped her arms around Xiao Zong's neck.

Xiao Zong turned around, holding her in his arms. "If your son divorces Yuanzhi, will our relationship improve? No. The problem between us has never been this. You've always known that, haven't you?"

Qin staggered, realizing he had indeed found out!

"Take her away."

Qin's face was ashen, and she waved her hand dejectedly.

"Brother Yun!"

"Uncle!"

Just as Xiao Zong was about to take Yuan Zhi away, Granny Zhao, Luo Mei, and Chen Qing came in from outside.

Luo Mei saw the blood at the corner of Yuan Zhi's mouth and asked in a tearful voice, "Miss, did they hit you?"

Yuan Zhi was in so much pain that she couldn't open her eyes, but she still comforted her, "It was just a little hurt, it's nothing."

Granny Zhao was heartbroken. "Yun-ge'er, take the young mistress back first. I'll handle things here!"

"it is good."

Luo Mei was worried about her mistress's injuries, so she followed Xiao Zong back to Songfeng Courtyard. Dou Zhao invited a doctor, and she ran to the kitchen to brew medicine without stopping for a moment.

Yuan Zhi was afraid that she would overwork herself, so she urged her to go back and rest.

Luo Mei shook her head, "That won't do, I have to take care of Miss."

Yuan Zhi put down the medicine spoon, gestured towards Xiao Zong who was reading a book to the side, and whispered, "With him here, I'll be fine."

Luo Mei understood, covered her mouth and chuckled, then tactfully withdrew.

Lying down to drink medicine was too tiring, Yuan Zhi groaned. Xiao Zong paused in turning the page and looked towards the bed.

"Does it hurt?"

Yuan Zhi held the medicine bowl, putting on a pitiful expression.

"My hands ache, and my back hurts too."

In their past lives, whenever the two met, it was always tense and filled with mutual loathing. This vibrant and endearing Yuan Zhi was someone Xiao Zong had never seen before.

He suddenly felt like teasing her and said gloatingly, "Who told you to send the maid away? Now you regret it, don't you!"

"Luomei has been busy for me all day, she deserves a rest." Her voice was soft and charming. "There are only the two of us in the house now, husband, please come and help me."

Xiao Zong put down his book, walked to the bedside and sat down. He took the medicine bowl from her hand, placed it on the small table by the bedside, and then folded two pillows for her to lean against.

"Do you still want to take your medicine?"

Yuan Zhi squinted and said lazily, "It's a drink."

Seeing that she seemed used to being waited on, Xiao Zong became suspicious again. He scooped up a spoonful of medicine and brought it to her, calling out in a deep voice, "Your Highness?"

Yuan Zhi subconsciously hummed in response, then realized something was wrong and pretended to choke, coughing violently.

Xiao Zong initially thought she was faking it, but then he saw that her face was red from coughing, so he patted her back to prevent her from moving too much and aggravating her injuries.

Cold sweat soaked through his clothes, coughing exhausted him, and he felt weak and breathless, with pain all over his body.

It is said that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, and Commander Xiao is no less than His Majesty!

Yuan Zhi pushed away the medicine bowl. "I'm not drinking it anymore. Could you get me a clean nightgown?"

Xiao Zong didn't say anything, but went to the closet and found a set of snow-white undergarments, which he placed on the bed.

Yuan Zhi was sweating and felt sticky and uncomfortable. She muttered to him, "I want to take a bath."

Xiao Zong said expressionlessly, "Your wound can't get wet, just bear with it a little longer."

"Isn't my husband here? Can you wipe it for me, just avoid the wound?"

"This...is not appropriate."

She stroked her nightgown. "What's wrong with that? After the wedding ceremony, we're husband and wife. We'll have to consummate our marriage sooner or later. Why is my husband so reluctant to do that?"

Xiao Zong's gaze was as deep as the ocean. "I have never been alone with a woman before. Please forgive my rash words. As for matters between men and women, they will naturally fall into place once we are more familiar with each other. My wife, please don't be in a hurry."

Yuan Zhi thought to himself: Not in a hurry? It'll be ages before you finally figure it out!

Seeing that he was about to leave, Yuan Zhi said aggrievedly, "I don't know what I did wrong. Please enlighten me, my husband."

Xiao Zong stopped in his tracks. "What makes you say that?"

"If I haven't displeased my husband, why does he always avoid me like the plague and refuse to be close to me?"

Tears welled in her eyes: "On our wedding night, my husband said he was busy with official business and left me alone in the room. I understood his hard work and went to the kitchen early in the morning to prepare. When you went to Jingzhou on business, my mother-in-law made things difficult for me because of our consummation, but I never complained. I finally got you back, but you are so cold to me. What should I do to make my husband see how good I am?"

Xiao Zong was speechless. He had set the betrothal gifts and personally married her. If he said he didn't like her now, no one would believe him!

Well, since Yuanzhi is injured and cannot consummate the marriage tonight, it's not unreasonable for him to stay.

Xiao Zong instructed the maid outside the door to prepare hot water, then turned back and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? When have I ever refused to be close to you?"

Yuan Zhi had intended to play the victim to make him feel guilty and dispel his doubts. Unexpectedly, he turned the tables on her, forcing her to continue her act.

She dared not be careless, so she raised her hand to loosen her belt and stole a glance at his reaction.

Xiao Shen initially wanted to avoid her, but remembering her words, he couldn't bear to hurt her. Seeing Yuan Zhi stop moving, he assumed she was in too much pain to lift her arm, so he took the initiative to help her remove her clothes.

The moment her clothes slipped off, Yuan Zhi turned her head to look back.

Her hair was as green as clouds, her face as white as a crabapple blossom, her beautiful eyes sparkling with affection. As spring's light peeked through, her jade-like bones and icy skin revealed her captivating and alluring beauty.

The candlelight in the room was dim, and Xiao Zong looked at the beautiful scenery before him, but it felt as if he were looking at flowers through a fog or gazing at the moon by a stream, lacking any sense of reality.

He hated this vague and ethereal feeling, like the dream he had as a child about his father's death, where no amount of pleading could change anything.

People cannot be brought back to life after death, and even the gods and Buddhas will not grant every request. When will the karmic retribution come? It is better to be the master of your own destiny, with life and death entirely in your own hands!

What does gain or loss matter? As long as he is still in pain, he will continue to live in this world!

Xiao Zong stretched out his hand, wanting to break through the illusion and return to where he belonged.

Warmth and pain descended simultaneously, and Yuan Zhi, like a frightened sparrow, cowered and chirped softly.

Xiao Zong instantly regained his senses, his gaze focused, and he realized that his hand was covering Yuan Zhi's affected area.

The red and purple scar stood out starkly against his porcelain-like skin. His eyes held no tender emotions as he lightly brushed it with his fingertip, glancing over it like a dragonfly skimming the water.

"Does it hurt you?"

Yuan Zhi bit her lip. "It's alright."

A moment later, a maid brought warm water and a cotton handkerchief. She saw the young mistress wearing only her undergarments, sitting half-on the couch. Her beauty was as pure as snow, her figure slender, like a plum blossom branch in the snow, graceful and elegant.

The young master sat behind her, his cold face showing some unease. From her angle, she could see his bright red ears.

The atmosphere inside was quite intimate, so she covered her mouth and stepped back, not daring to disturb the two lovers' sweet talk.

Xiao Zong tested the water temperature, soaked a handkerchief, and gently wiped her smooth back.

Yuan Zhi was only wearing a pink lotus-patterned bodice. As the warmth of the water dissipated, she felt cold and instinctively crossed her hands to increase her warmth.

Unfortunately, Xiao Zong was slow in his movements, turning what should have been a beautiful and romantic experience into a form of torture.

Yuan Zhi took a deep breath, turned around and snatched the handkerchief from his hand, "Let me do it."

Xiao Zong thought she was shy and said, "The doctor left some ointment, I'll go get it."