Mercenary Princess - Chapter 95
His hand, just before touching that equally pale cheek, slid down limply. As his eyes dimmed rapidly, his chin rested heavily on Rongyue's shoulder...
"Chen? Chen?" Rongyue tremblingly pushed Tuoba Chen on top of her, but the body did not react at all, which frightened and horrified Rongyue. Her heartbeat stopped at the same time!
"Chen--" The mournful cry of Rongyue echoed in the sky...
Not a single one escaped; all three thousand Rong bandits were wiped out. There was no joy of victory; instead, the Nancha army was shrouded in gloom and despair.
One basin after another of bloody water was brought out. Rongyue was in a daze, feeling as if each basin of bloody water was a debt weighing on her heart, suffocating her, yet filling her with fear...
He shielded her from that fatal blow, and his fate remains unknown. He saved her; if it weren't for him, she would likely be lying there covered in blood! But if possible, she truly wished he hadn't taken the blow for her; she would rather it be her own life hanging in the balance… One can owe anything in this world, but the one debt that cannot be owed is the debt of love! And how could she ever repay this debt of love, forced upon her with his life? If anything were to happen to him, how could she, the survivor, bear it…?
When the exhausted military doctor, covered in sweat, dragged himself out of the tent, Rongyue, who had been waiting outside for several hours, couldn't contain herself any longer and grabbed his sleeve: "How is he? How is he? Is he out of danger?"
Nodding, the military doctor respectfully placed his hands on his forehead and bowed to the sky: "Heaven blesses our Southern Clan; His Highness the Second Prince is finally out of danger..."
Upon hearing the words "your life is not in danger," Rongyue was overjoyed, and her heart, which had been in her throat, suddenly settled back into her chest. Lifting the dark blue curtain, Rongyue eagerly stepped inside, approaching the figure lying face down on the bed, wrapped in white bandages.
The smell of herbs and blood mingled in the tent, creating a strange, nauseating odor. Rongyue, however, seemed oblivious, crouching beside Tuoba Chen's bed, staring at the blood-stained bandages. An indescribable pang of sorrow welled up inside her. Her gaze shifted to Tuoba Chen's pale, handsome face, looking at his tightly closed eyes. Rongyue's heart trembled violently, her hand trembling uncontrollably. She slowly raised it, bringing it close to his nose…
Though faint and barely perceptible, that symbol of life reassured her. Her hand involuntarily touched his pale cheek, feeling the cool touch beneath her fingertips. For a moment, Rongyue's thoughts drifted, unsettling… This man, who would give his life for her? What is love in this world, that it can make people willing to die for it? Had he truly reached the point where he would give his life for her…?
"General..." A call from outside the tent pulled Rongyue back from her daze.
Removing her hand from Tuoba Chen's face, Rong Yue stood up and turned her gaze toward the tent entrance, unaware of the displeasure that flashed across her handsome face the moment her hand was pulled away.
"Come in."
Carrying a steaming bowl of medicine, the military doctor carefully entered the tent: "General, this is the medicine for His Highness the Second Prince."
Taking the bowl of medicine, Rongyue stirred the liquid with a spoon and said, "Alright, you don't need to do this anymore. You've worked so hard for so long! Go and rest."
"Yes, General. Oh, by the way, General, the guards waiting outside the tent..."
"His Highness the Second Prince has just escaped danger and is weak and exhausted. He needs peace and quiet and should not be disturbed. Please have them all leave!"
"Yes." After bowing, the military doctor stepped back a few paces and turned to leave.
She scooped up a spoonful of the medicinal liquid, blew on it to clear the steam, and brought it to her lips to test the temperature. Finding it wasn't too hot, she carefully fed the liquid to Tuoba Chen's mouth...
Watching the pale blue medicine trickle down his lips for the nth time, Rongyue angrily smacked her head, placed the spoon on the rim of the bowl, squatted down, and sighed heavily.
Because Tuoba Chen's injury was on his back, he was lying face down with his face turned to one side. If he were lying on his back, delivering the medicine would be much easier, but with his face turned to the side…
The bowl's temperature gradually decreased; if the medicine wasn't drunk while it was hot, its effectiveness would be greatly reduced! Staring at Tuoba Chen's tightly pursed lips, Rongyue's face flushed slightly. Did he really want her to do that?
The thought that Tuoba Chen was injured because of her filled her with boundless guilt. He was willing to risk his life for her; shouldn't she do something for him in return?
Driven by guilt, Rongyue tilted her head back and took a mouthful of bitter medicine. She then lowered her head and pressed her lips to Tuoba Chen's, trying to transfer the medicine into his mouth. Sensing his resistance, Rongyue quickly used her tongue to forcefully push the medicine down his throat. But to her utter rage, the medicine seemed to be defying her, refusing to go into Tuoba Chen's mouth and instead rushing straight into Rongyue's throat! Tuoba Chen didn't drink much of the medicine; Rongyue drank most of it.
The metallic and bitter taste in her throat infuriated Rongyue, who took a big gulp and pressed down on the back of Tuoba Chen's head, pressing herself tightly against him again!
She refused to believe it; she couldn't even do such a simple job well!
With Rongyue's constant blowing and pushing, she finally managed to administer the medicine. But when Rongyue wanted to make her way out, she was shocked to find that, without her noticing, her delicate tongue was now entangled with another large tongue.
Her eyes quickly rose, and when she saw Tuoba Chen's intoxicated gaze, Rong Yue was first taken aback, then delighted. Just as she was about to ask about his health, the foreign object in her mouth suddenly brought her back to her senses, and her fair cheeks instantly flushed red.
Just as she was about to push him away, a pair of large hands pressed down on the back of her head, rendering her immobile. Rongyue was both embarrassed and startled. She wanted to push him away more forcefully, but then she remembered his injuries and, fearing she might aggravate them, dared not move rashly. She had no choice but to give up struggling and let him do as he pleased…
Volume Two: The Resolute Heroines' Chronicle, Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid
As Tuoba Chen licked his lips, still wanting more, and reluctantly released Rongyue, her cheeks flushed from lack of breath, and her legs went weak from severe oxygen deprivation, almost causing her to collapse. Quickly grabbing the edge of the bed, she gasped for fresh air, feeling as if she had just escaped death.
A cool hand gently touched Rongyue's cheek, followed by a slightly hoarse, teasing voice: "Silly girl, trying to suffocate? Don't you know how to breathe?" If you listened carefully, it wasn't hard to detect the hidden glee in the teasing voice.
Her cheek unconsciously turned to the side. Glancing down to avoid looking at Tuoba Chen's disappointed eyes, Rong Yue picked up the medicine bowl, carefully composed her chaotic mind, scooped a spoonful of medicine, and touched it to Tuoba Chen's lips: "Drink the medicine."
Looking at Rongyue, whose complexion quickly returned to normal and who seemed completely unaffected as if nothing had just happened, Tuoba Chen felt an indescribable tightness in his chest. He pushed away the medicine bowl in a huff, "I won't drink it!" This shout may have aggravated his wounds, as his face turned deathly pale in an instant, and he began to cough violently, his body convulsing.
Rongyue panicked instantly, her composure vanishing. Grabbing Tuoba Chen's hand, she frantically shouted towards the tent entrance, "Medic! Medic! Someone, quickly call a medic—"
...
"...That stab may have injured the Second Prince's spleen and lungs, damaging his internal organs. It's a miracle he survived... He must be cared for calmly and attentively, following his wishes and avoiding any anger or upset, otherwise his condition will worsen and his life will be in danger..."
After dismissing the military doctor, Rongyue approached Tuoba Chen and stared blankly at him, who was on the verge of death. An overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse filled her heart.
"I'm sorry..." He stopped at the edge of the bed, seemingly unable to bear looking at that face as white as wax. His gaze shifted to the tall purple stove on the left, from which wisps of smoke were rising.
Struggling to open his eyelids, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, Tuoba Chen desperately adjusted his focus, trying to clear the blur before him and see the unadorned face he so desperately longed for. But in an instant, the yellowish haze vanished, and as if someone had blindfolded him, the earth was plunged into a vast, boundless darkness…
"The mistress..."
The terrified cries snapped Rongyue out of her daze. She quickly knelt down and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Fumbling around, Tuoba Chen called out urgently, "Xiao San, Xiao San, where are you?"
Noticing that something was wrong with Tuoba Chen, Rongyue quickly grabbed his hand, which was groping around in the air, and pressed it close to her cheek: "I'm here, I'm here."
The sensation under his hands reassured him considerably. He greedily caressed her smooth skin, stroking her full forehead, her almond-shaped eyes, her pert nose, and her small, angular lips. He gently stroked every inch and every part of her face. After a long while, just as Rongyue was starting to feel uneasy about his strange behavior, Tuoba Chen suddenly complained in a low voice, "Little San, why aren't you lighting the lamps?"
Her heart skipped a beat! She looked up in shock at his eyes, and the moment she met those dim, unfocused eyes, Rongyue felt as if she had been struck by lightning!
"Xiao San, go and light the candlesticks." Tuoba Chen said softly, gently pushing Rong Yue's cheek.
Her body trembled uncontrollably. Gazing at the brightly lit military tent, she stood up, her legs shaking. After taking a few unsteady steps, her legs suddenly gave way, and she leaned against the tent wall, slowly sliding down it.
"Little sister, is the candlestick lit?" Tuoba Chen's voice drifted into Rongyue's ears, but it sounded like a thunderclap to her!