After being reborn, I hugged the villainous boss tightly.

Under Ye Zhuxi's surprised gaze, he forced a smile and gently comforted her.

"I'm fine!"

Fu Jingyuan's body was covered in bruises, his face was covered in purple and blue marks, and the wound on his abdomen bled profusely with the slightest movement. It was hard to believe that he was alright in this state.

Seeing that Ye Zhuxi was still looking at him with concern, Fu Jingyuan turned his head to look elsewhere. This was the wilderness, and there should be many medicinal herbs here.

His gaze swept across the edge of the cave entrance and he saw several mugwort plants growing quietly in the cracks of the rocks.

“Go… pick those mugwort plants, crush them, and apply them to my wound… it can stop the bleeding,” he said in a low, hoarse voice.

Ye Zhuxi had no suspicions and ran over. The stinging pain in her hand when she reached out made her frown slightly, but she still gritted her teeth and pulled out the herb.

After crushing the herbs, she looked up at Fu Jingyuan and saw that he was also looking at her. She then looked down and her gaze fell on the sash at his waist...

After a moment of stunned silence, she reached out and pulled open her belt, then ripped open her clothes to reveal a gruesome wound on her abdomen. The wound, which had already split open, was showing signs of festering from being soaked in water.

Ye Zhuxi was shocked. Fu Jingyuan was not only seriously injured, but he had also been beaten for so long without uttering a sound. She felt a pang of heartache.

Seeing the astonishment in her eyes, Fu Jingyuan chuckled, a pale and weak smile playing on his lips: "Now, apply the mugwort to the wound. I can manage!"

"Mmm," Ye Zhuxi obediently did as instructed.

She carefully applied the mugwort to his abdomen, and even leaned close to him to gently blow on the wound, just to help relieve his pain.

Feeling her gentle breath lightly resting on his wound, Fu Jingyuan's dark pupils trembled, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.

After the wound was bandaged, Ye Zhuxi looked up and was immediately drawn to the scars on his chest. She was familiar with these scars because she had caused them.

She reached out to help, almost as if possessed, but when her fingertips touched the raised scars, she recoiled in shock as if burned.

When Fu Jingyuan saw her reaction, his pupils darkened slightly, his expression unreadable.

Ye Zhuxi crossed her arms and slowly looked up at him, her eyes filled with regret and fear. She opened her mouth and asked, "Fu Jingyuan, do you hate me to death?"

"..."

"You must have wanted to strangle me back then!"

"..."

Fu Jingyuan pursed his thin lips, his gaze fixed on Ye Zhuxi, who had her head bowed, and remained silent.

"..."

After a long silence, Ye Zhuxi thought Fu Jingyuan had fainted again. She looked up in alarm, only to meet his gaze.

The two were very close at this moment, close enough to hear each other's heartbeats, and Ye Zhuxi almost fell onto the man.

Fu Jingyuan looked into her clear eyes and couldn't look away for a moment.

"..."

Realizing the awkward atmosphere, Ye Zhuxi quickly looked away and subconsciously took a step back.

Seeing her reaction, Fu Jingyuan lowered his eyes and said softly, "I stopped caring a long time ago!"

Although his voice was very soft, it all reached Ye Zhuxi's ears. She opened her bright eyes and blinked a few times.

"Big brother, you don't hate me anymore?"

"I don't hate you!" Fu Jingyuan replied softly.

This was the first time Ye Zhuxi had felt so close to Fu Jingyuan. Before, no matter what, even when Fu Jingyuan carried her home that time, he always seemed to keep her at arm's length.

Hearing him say that, Ye Zhuxi was overjoyed. She happily got up, patted her skirt, and said happily.

"I'll go find you something to eat, wait for me!"

Fu Jingyuan smiled, a handsome smile playing on his lips, and nodded.

In the palace

Ignoring the palace servants' attempts to stop him, Ye Qizheng brought Ye Fan's body to the Emperor's Taihe Palace and knelt down, vowing to seek justice for Ye Fan.

"Your Majesty, I regard the people of Daqi as my own children, and I am utterly loyal to you!"

"Now I've ended up childless and without descendants. I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for me!"

Because of Ye Fan's passing, Ye Qi arrived dressed in mourning clothes. When the chief eunuch Li Si, who came out to deliver the message, saw him, he was at a loss for words.

Li Si thought for a moment and then gently reminded him, "My lord, I know you are grieving the loss of your beloved son, but you are in the palace now. It would be inappropriate to see the Emperor in these clothes!"

"You don't have a dead son, so what right do you have to lecture me!"

Ye Qizheng's angry curse made Li Si's face stiffen. He was a eunuch; how could he possibly have a son? It was a joke.

Before Li Si could say anything more, a heavy voice came from inside the hall: "It's alright, let the old Marquis in!"

When the emperor spoke, Li Si dared not say anything and obediently stepped aside.

Ye Qizheng, however, did not give up. He glared at him fiercely and said sarcastically, "You old eunuch!"

After saying this, he flicked his sleeves and stepped into the hall.

The ingratiating smile on Li Si's lips vanished the moment the old marquis turned away, his gaze turning cold as he watched his retreating figure.

"Serves him right for losing his son!"

The emperor looked at Ye Qizheng's mourning clothes with some impatience in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, you must do justice for me!"

After he went in, he knelt down in front of the main hall with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and said...

The emperor put down the memorial in his hand: "What's wrong?"

"Your Majesty, Ye Zhenyu's nephew Fu Jingyuan, whose origins are unknown, killed my son. You must seek justice for me!"

The emperor frowned, somewhat disbelieving. After all, he knew Ye Fan's character; people were already grateful if they didn't avoid him, so why would they provoke him?

He looked at Ye Qizheng, who was weeping on the ground, and asked in a low voice, "Do you have any evidence to prove that Fu Jingyuan killed him?"

"Have!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly ordered someone to bring the witness in.

The emperor looked at the panicked witness below, who was cowering, and asked, "Did you witness Fu Jingyuan commit murder with your own eyes?"

Those below trembled with fear upon hearing the emperor's authoritative voice. They glanced at Ye Qizheng, who was still grieving over the loss of his son, and whispered, "Yes...yes, we witnessed it with our own eyes!"

The emperor was curious as to how Fu Jingyuan had suddenly become involved with Ye Fan.

Before he could figure it out, Ye Qizheng below couldn't sit still any longer. He shouted, "Your Majesty, the witnesses are here to testify that even if Fan'er did something outrageous, they shouldn't have killed him!"

"I only have one son, Fan'er. If you don't issue an edict to punish Fu Jingyuan, the other princes and nobles will be disheartened if they know how biased you are!"

Ye Qizheng spoke righteous words, but he was using those nobles and high-ranking officials to put pressure on him. The emperor frowned deeply with a cold face.

Seeing the emperor's displeasure, he gritted his teeth and said, "If Your Majesty punishes Fu Jingyuan, I will do whatever you ask of me!"

"..."

Now that the matter has been discussed, the emperor knows which is more important. He sighed and ordered the eunuch to convey his decree.

But Ye Qizheng stopped him.

"Your Majesty, this is my family matter. Please issue an edict to hand Fu Jingyuan over to me for handling."

The emperor waved his hand.

"OK"