Wang Jiang, who was guarding outside, immediately responded, "Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will attend to it right away. Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This servant will order people to escort Mr. You and Madam You back to their manor with great care."
Lin Qinghe glanced at the injured You Rong with her peripheral vision and added, "Summon the imperial physician. Have him come immediately!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will go now."
Outside the hall, Wang Jiang's hurried footsteps faded away, leaving the hall in silence.
After a long while, You Rong forced himself to sit up. Lin Qinghe also turned around, coughed lightly, and said, "You Rong, calm yourself. I have something to say to you."
You Rong lowered his gaze slightly and said indifferently, "Your Majesty, please speak. This subject is listening."
He wanted to see what tricks she would play now!
Lin Qinghe pursed her lips, deliberately fell silent for a moment, and then gave a forced, bitter smile, saying, "You Rong, I was wrong..."
You Rong visibly froze.
This person admitted she was wrong? As the female emperor of a nation, relying on her noble status, she had always been arrogant and self-centered. How could someone like her admit she was wrong!
You Rong remained silent, waiting for Lin Qinghe to continue.
Lin Qinghe's exquisite face wore a bitter smile. "I truly fell in love with you at first sight. Before meeting you, no one had ever captured my heart like this. I wished you would stay by my side every day, never leaving my sight. Seeing you happy made me inexplicably joyful. But..."
Lin Qinghe paused. "You don't like me. When I learned this, I was stunned for a long time, feeling an indescribable sadness and anger. I am the female emperor of this nation, why can't I win your affection? I like you so much, why don't you like me?! The more I thought about it, the more furious I became, and I vowed to obtain you by any means necessary, to make you like me... Now I know, I was wrong."
Lin Qinghe lowered her head, looking full of remorse. "Seeing how you hate me to the bone, I have suddenly realized that this is not what I want! I do not wish to see you unhappy in the slightest..."
You Rong lowered his eyes, scoffing at Lin Qinghe's words, not believing a single syllable.
You Rong pursed his thin lips and cupped his hands. "Your Majesty is not wrong. It is this subject who is ungrateful. As Your Majesty's subject, it is my honor that Your Majesty favors me. In the future, this subject will serve Your Majesty with all his heart and soul. Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my aged parents."
Although You Rong took all the blame upon himself verbally, Lin Qinghe knew well that inwardly he was filled with self-contempt.
She sighed softly. "You Rong, I truly realize I made a mistake. When one loves someone, one should not make them difficult or cause them harm. I will never force or threaten you again. I know your heart is with the court, and you are a pillar of the nation. Tomorrow, I will reinstate you to your official post to help me manage state affairs again. If you are unwilling in the future, then we shall remain merely sovereign and subject, and I will never overstep the bounds!"
You Rong lowered his eyes and said nothing. His pale face betrayed no expression. Lin Qinghe could not fathom his thoughts, so she decided not to dwell on it for now.
Just then, Wang Jiang's voice echoed from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, this servant has brought Imperial Physician Jiang. Should I let him in?"
Lin Qinghe: "Yes, let Imperial Physician Jiang enter."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The hall door opened, and Wang Jiang entered with Imperial Physician Jiang. Imperial Physician Jiang knelt and kowtowed, "This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Lin Qinghe nodded slightly. "Imperial Physician Jiang, please rise. I sent Wang Jiang to summon you to examine the injuries on Prime Minister You. Go ahead, examine Prime Minister You thoroughly."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Lin Qinghe stepped aside, allowing Imperial Physician Jiang to approach the bed. Imperial Physician Jiang cupped his hands. Upon seeing You Rong, a look of pity flashed across his face. He dared not say more and quickly stated, "Prime Minister You, could you please remove your inner robe so that this subordinate may examine your wounds carefully?"
You Rong's face was pale, and he did not move.
Imperial Physician Jiang looked troubled. "Prime Minister You, your external injuries are clearly severe. If you do not remove your clothing, this subordinate fears I cannot treat you."
Lin Qinghe suddenly realized. You Rong's unwillingness to remove his inner robe was certainly because she was present.
Lin Qinghe cleared her throat. "Cough, cough... Uh... Wang Jiang, come outside with me. I have something to ask you. Regarding the matter of sending Mr. You and Madam You back to their manor, has it been handled?"
Wang Jiang quickly followed Lin Qinghe's steps. "To Your Majesty, this servant has already instructed Little Xi Zi to handle it. I guarantee there will be no mistakes. Mr. You and Madam You should have already returned to their manor by now."
"That is excellent. Go and convey my decree. It was a mistake earlier. Prime Minister You was not forming factions or engaging in corrupt practices. Prime Minister You has always served the nation and its people with his utmost dedication and is worthy of commendation. Reward him with a thousand taels of gold, various fabrics and silks, and also send some thousand-year-old ginseng and top-grade bird's nest from foreign tribute to supplement the health of Mr. and Mrs. You and to calm their nerves."
Wang Jiang was secretly surprised by this.
Although he knew His Majesty had always favored Prime Minister You, to bestow such great favor immediately after obtaining him, Prime Minister You was likely to become exceptionally powerful in the future.
Thinking of this, Wang Jiang dared not delay any longer and quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. This servant has taken note of everything. This servant will personally supervise people to carry it out."
"Good, go," Lin Qinghe waved her hand.
In the inner chamber, Imperial Physician Jiang helped You Rong remove his inner robe, and was immediately stunned by the sight of his battered body.
His chest and back were covered in whip marks, torn and festering, some even suppurating. The sight was shocking. Most lamentable was the deep sword mark on You Rong's left wrist; it had likely injured the tendons. Even if he recovered, You Rong's left hand would never be as functional as before.
Despite being so severely injured, You Rong did not utter a sound. Apart from his pale complexion, there was no visible sign of distress on him.
Imperial Physician Jiang carefully examined You Rong's left wrist wound and gasped, "This... Prime Minister You's left hand may never recover fully."
You Rong lowered his gaze, remaining silent, staring at the wound on his left hand. A deep hatred flickered in his eyes.
When he was imprisoned, Lin Qinghe would torment him daily. That day, he had spoken harsh words, calling her shameless and a prostitute. Enraged, Lin Qinghe drew a guard's sword and struck his left hand.
Lin Qinghe stood outside the hall, carefully listening to every sound from within. She naturally heard Imperial Physician Jiang's gasp and his words.
She wanted to go in to check, but feared You Rong's displeasure, so she could only call out to remind him, "Imperial Physician Jiang, as you treat Prime Minister You, whatever precious medicinal herbs or ointments are needed, use them all for Prime Minister You. If we do not have them now, I will order someone to fetch them from the treasury!"
Imperial Physician Jiang hurriedly put away his look of pity upon hearing this and respectfully replied, "This subject obeys your command. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this subject will do his utmost to treat Prime Minister You and find every way to help Prime Minister You recover as quickly as possible."
Lin Qinghe: "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician Jiang."
"Your Majesty is too kind. This is what this subject should do."
Hearing this, You Rong could only sneer inwardly.
What a hypocrite!