Eavesdropping on Fu Bao's inner thoughts, emptying the stored grain and fleeing the famine

Perhaps because the movement was too vigorous, the wound on Rongrong's back tore open again. Blood seeped through her clothes, staining her plain dress a deep crimson.

"Don't move!" Seeing this, Li Yuanqi felt even more distressed. He stepped forward and pressed Lian Rongrong down, then took out an exquisite porcelain bottle from his sleeve.

"It's my fault, but you have to give me a chance to explain. Listen to me, let me apply the medicine first."

"I don't need it!" Lian Rongrong struggled a couple of times, but she couldn't break free from Li Yuanqi's grip.

"If you don't behave, I'll press your pressure points and make you unable to move."

Li Yuanqi uttered threatening words, but his tone didn't convey any real threat.

Lian Rongrong knew that this guy was a man of his word, and besides, she wasn't stupid; she knew that Li Yuanqi's appearance at this time must mean he had something important to say.

However, the grievances and anger in her heart made Lian Rongrong refrain from looking at that scoundrel.

Seeing that Lian Rongrong had finally stopped struggling, Li Yuanqi then quietly removed Lian Rongrong's clothes.

Because Ruan Nianzhi had already treated Lian Rongrong's wounds, Lian Rongrong's back no longer looked as bloody as before.

But when Li Yuanqi saw the dense whip marks on Lian Rongrong's back, he couldn't help but tear up.

"Rongrong, I'm sorry."

“The Prince Consort has already said that.” Lian Rongrong seemed to be deliberately trying to stab Li Yuanqi in the heart.

Li Yuanqi sighed repeatedly, but did not argue any further. He simply took out some ointment from the porcelain bottle and gently applied it to Lian Rongrong's wound.

Li Yuanqi's movements were very gentle. When his fingers touched Lian Rongrong's skin, Lian Rongrong felt a slight pain mixed with a tingling sensation.

A blush crept onto her cheeks, and Lian Rongrong felt her heart race. In an instant, she felt completely overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Li Yuanqi, standing behind Lian Rongrong, was in no better shape. Despite his efforts to control himself, he couldn't help but feel a little distracted when his fingers touched Lian Rongrong's skin.

"The person who carried out the punishment today is my subordinate. Although your wound looks frightening, it will heal in less than three days."

This ointment will relieve your pain and will also prevent scarring.

"So, in that case, I should thank the Prince Consort?"

For every word Li Yuanqi said, Lian Rongrong would retort. The main theme was that neither of them would have an easy time.

"Do you really have to make me suffer like this?"

"Can anything hurt more than the injury on my back?"

Lian Rongrong didn't give Li Yuanqi any chance at all; every word she said hit Li Yuanqi right in the heart.

Li Yuanqi remained silent for a long time, which made Lian Rongrong feel uneasy.

It was unclear how long Li Yuanqi had been "touching" her back, but the ointment was finally applied. Li Yuanqi covered Lian Rongrong with his clothes and then slowly sat down beside her bed.

"I guess you're so smart that you probably already know who I am."

Li Yuanqi continued speaking to himself, but seeing that Lian Rongrong was still awkwardly twisting her body and refusing to talk to him, Li Yuanqi sighed helplessly and continued:

"Rongrong, that woman Zhaoyang is a madwoman. If I hadn't done this today, I wouldn't have been able to protect you at all."

I know you are no ordinary woman. Perhaps even without me, you could have escaped Zhaoyang's clutches.

But your family members, whom you care about, can't run away. I know you won't abandon them, and I'm even more worried that you'll get yourself hurt because of it.

Therefore, having no other choice, we had to resort to this desperate measure.

Li Yuanqi's voice was filled with unconcealed heartache and sadness, which even made Rongrong's contorted body relax a little.

Li Yuanqi was right. She would not abandon her family and run away alone. But in Shang Kingdom, Zhao Yang's influence was everywhere. How easy would it be to run away with such a large family?

"So what exactly is your relationship with Zhao Yang?" Lian Rongrong couldn't help but ask the question that concerned her the most.

Li Yuanqi was slightly taken aback, and then the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.

"You care a lot, don't you?" Li Yuanqi teased Lian Rongrong on purpose.

Seeing Li Yuanqi's attitude, Lian Rongrong snorted and said, "I don't care. Say it or not, it's up to you."

Seeing Lian Rongrong throwing a childish tantrum, Li Yuanqi's eyes showed even more doting affection.

"Speak, or someone's jealousy will become uncontrollable." Li Yuanqi smiled slightly before slowly speaking again:

"It's true that Zhaoyang likes me, but this woman is crazy. Crazy in a way you can't even imagine."

When I was a child, my father sent me to Shang Kingdom as a hostage. Although I was protected by people both openly and secretly, it was still a foreign land, and I couldn't be perfect in everything.

For the first few years, I was confined to the Shang Kingdom Palace, where I studied with Zhao Yang, along with many sons of officials.

You should have heard that Zhaoyang is the only heir of the Shang King, so naturally those young masters wanted to become her lovers.

Strangely enough, Zhaoyang was particularly interested in me, the prince of Dasheng, so I became a thorn in the side of those young masters.

However, after what seemed like the umpteenth time Zhao Yang was being harassed by those young masters, he suddenly appeared.

She was only seven years old then, and guess what she did?

"What have you done?"

"She personally chopped off the hands of those young masters!"

Lian Rongrong suddenly turned around and looked at Li Yuanqi, "Seven years old? Is it really that cruel?"

"That's what I thought too. However, in order to survive here, this cruel princess of the Fallen Kingdom is the best choice."

Li Yuanqi suddenly stopped speaking at this point, and looked at Lian Rongrong with a somewhat pitiful expression:

"Rongrong, will you look down on me for doing this?"

For the first time, Lian Rongrong felt such heartache for a man. Without thinking, she reached out and placed her palm on the back of Li Yuanqi's hand, whispering:

"How could that be? If it were someone else, they might not even be able to survive. You were still so young back then."

What's wrong with wanting to live?

Hearing Lian Rongrong say this, Li Yuanqi's eyes warmed even more.

"Later, I hid under Zhaoyang's protection and slowly began to develop my own power."

"The Xuanjia Guards?" Lian Rongrong quickly realized.

Li Yuanqi nodded. "Yes, it's the Xuanjia Guard. However, not all of the Xuanjia Guard are my men. After all, I was up to no good right under their noses."

"You're really amazing."

"Why does it sound like you're praising me?"

The atmosphere between the two gradually became much more relaxed. Their gazes towards each other also held a hint of ambiguity.

"Rongrong, you have to leave here quickly. You've already seen Zhaoyang's methods, and I really don't dare to gamble."

Even though I treat you this way today, I can't be sure if that madman will suddenly remember you again.

"Go back to Dasheng and stay there. I'll come back to you after I've taken care of everything, okay?"

"No!" Lian Rongrong refused without even thinking.