Lin Qinghe paused, about to speak, when You Rong said first, "Don't talk. You just woke up and your body is still too weak."
Lin Qinghe managed a smile, her voice very soft, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, this servant... is fine."
"Mm," You Rong said softly, "Your injuries are not light, you've lost a lot of blood, but with proper recuperation for a while, there's no serious issue."
This was not what Lin Qinghe was concerned about. She took a breath and then had the strength to continue asking, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what about Miss Xu? Is she alright?"
You Rong's brows furrowed. "Miss Xu is fine, just a little frightened. Prime Minister Xu has already taken her back to his manor to recuperate."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qinghe immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "It's truly wonderful that Miss Xu is alright..."
The hope of the progress bar increasing had finally been preserved.
Seeing how worried Lin Qinghe was about Xu Ling'er, You Rong felt a hint of displeasure.
Did she still wish for him to make Xu Ling'er the Crown Princess, thereby trying to win over Prime Minister Xu?
You Rong was about to explain when footsteps approached from outside the door. "They're here, Your Highness the Crown Prince. This servant has invited the imperial physician..."
You Rong sighed, retracting the words at the tip of his tongue. He moved aside slightly to make way and said, "Imperial Physician Zhang, she has just woken up. Please examine her injuries."
"Yes, your humble servant obeys."
After Imperial Physician Zhang carefully examined Lin Qinghe, he cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to Your Highness the Crown Prince, this lady's injuries are gradually improving. With a few days of proper recuperation, there will be no major issues."
"I understand," You Rong said. "Zhu Hong, escort Imperial Physician Zhang out and accompany him to the Imperial Physician's Office to fetch medicine."
Zhu Hong curtsied, "Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Imperial Physician Zhang said, "Your humble servant takes his leave."
As Zhu Hong led Imperial Physician Zhang away, You Rong saw Lin Qinghe press her dry lips together. He turned and poured a cup of warm water, then sat down by the bedside, helping Lin Qinghe up. "Thirsty, aren't you? Drink slowly."
Lin Qinghe looked at the teacup being offered to her lips, feeling a sense of strangeness she couldn't quite describe.
Was You Rong being overly kind and amiable to her today?
But having been unconscious for three days, she was indeed parched. Without time to think too much, she lowered her head and took small, difficult sips of the water You Rong was feeding her.
The teacup was emptied, and Lin Qinghe's dry, sore throat finally felt a little better.
You Rong gently helped Lin Qinghe lie down again, even tucking her in himself. He said softly, "You've been unconscious for three days, you must be hungry. I've ordered the kitchen to simmer some soft, congee. I'll have it brought over for you to eat."
As he finished speaking, You Rong turned his head to look at Wang Gongyang. Wang Gongyang, understanding the unspoken command, immediately replied, "Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince. This servant will go to the kitchen immediately to fetch the warm congee."
After Wang Gongyang left, You Rong sat by the bedside, gazing tenderly at Lin Qinghe, and continued to ask, "Does the wound hurt? If it hurts, I can have the imperial physician prescribe some painkillers."
Lin Qinghe felt completely uncomfortable, looking at You Rong as if she had seen a ghost.
Had he been possessed by an evil spirit? Or a ghost? His behavior and words today were incredibly bizarre!
"Hm? Why aren't you speaking? Does the wound really hurt?"
Lin Qinghe forced a smile. "This servant, this servant... is fine. The wound doesn't hurt, not at all!"
You Rong nodded slightly. "It's good that it doesn't hurt."
Lin Qinghe looked at You Rong, feeling truly awkward and unable to articulate why. She let out a dry chuckle and said, "That... Your Highness the Crown Prince, why am I in your sleeping quarters? This is not proper protocol. Please have someone help me back to the side hall."
"Given your current injuries, it is not advisable to get out of bed and move around. We will discuss it when your injuries have healed better." After speaking, You Rong added, "I will be resting in the study these few days and will not be in the sleeping quarters."
No matter how much he liked her, he would never do anything to tarnish her reputation before their marriage.
Lin Qinghe gave another dry chuckle, thinking to herself: You know my injuries are not suitable for moving around, so why didn't you send me back to my own room in the first place!
Wang Gongyang brought the congee over, and under Lin Qinghe's shocked and disbelieving gaze, You Rong fed her spoonful by spoonful.
After eating, Lin Qinghe inquired about the assassins. You Rong brushed her off with a few words, then told her to rest well and left.
Lin Qinghe lay on the bed, her mind filled with many unresolvable questions. Annoyed, she casually opened the progress bar and was surprised to find it had increased to fifty percent!
"What the heck! After I fainted, what happened between Xu Ling'er and You Rong? The progress bar suddenly increased by twenty percent? What is going on?"
Lin Qinghe's brows furrowed tightly. She couldn't understand it. She always felt something strange about it. The progress bar's increase didn't seem related to Xu Ling'er, yet every time it grew, it was when You Rong saw Xu Ling'er.
Meanwhile, in You Rong's study.
"Eunuch Wang, these two letters are to be sent to my uncle on the border and to Prime Minister Xu, respectively. Please arrange for someone to deliver them."
"Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince." Eunuch Wang put away the two letters and hesitated for a moment before cautiously saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what are your plans next..."
A cold glint flashed in You Rong's eyes, and he sneered, "Heh... I was too lenient before, which is why Concubine Duan and her ilk dared to be so presumptuous. They dared to injure her... I will never let this go!"
Wang Gongyang was greatly shocked. The Crown Prince, who had always been low-key and concealed his actions to avoid alerting the enemy, was now, because Lin Qinghe was injured, willing to take risks to teach Concubine Duan and her faction a lesson!
However, remembering how on Yuling Mountain, the Crown Prince's eyes had been bloodshot, and he had desperately roared at the imperial physicians to save her, Wang Gongyang felt it was not surprising.
The Crown Prince had truly fallen for Lin Qinghe!
After Wang Gongyang left, You Rong stood by the window with his hands behind his back. Thinking of Lin Qinghe, his handsome face gradually softened.
Seeing her lifeless appearance that day, he had been engulfed by immense fear, only then realizing that he had fallen in love with her.
"I will never let you be harmed again..."
-------------------------------------
Time flew by, and half a month passed. Lin Qinghe recuperated in the Eastern Palace, completely unaware of the earth-shattering changes that had occurred in the imperial court in such a short period.
The Crown Prince's faction and the Third Prince's faction were locked in a tense standoff. You Rong, abandoning his usual low-key demeanor, with Prime Minister Xu and a group of loyal officials fiercely impeaching officials, had almost completely rounded up the corrupt and bribe-taking officials of the Third Prince's faction, severely weakening their influence.
Eastern Palace.
Lin Qinghe's injuries had largely healed. At her insistent request, You Rong reluctantly allowed her to move back to the side hall.
Zhu Hong helped Lin Qinghe, looking at her nervously. "Sister Qinghe, your injuries have just healed. His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to watch you carefully. Walk slowly..."
Lin Qinghe frowned irritably. "My injuries are already healed. I haven't broken any limbs. I'm as lively as ever, what do you want me to be careful about? And stop following me. I'll go to the study to find the Crown Prince myself!"
Ever since she had accidentally taken a sword for You Rong, he had been acting as if his brain had been waterlogged, treating her with a level of kindness that was downright creepy.
Even if she had become his savior, he was perhaps too grateful!