The desert is a place that evokes loneliness. No matter how vast and majestic it may appear at first glance, it remains forever cold, always indifferent, lifeless, and unloving toward anyone or anything. It is scorching, freezing, solitary, and filled with despair! No one would ever love it. Yet, many, many people live within its heart, within its blood, and on the scattered oases that can never truly be separated from it. And only when those oases wither away completely, will life and death intertwine. It is at that moment that humans will finally resign themselves to fate.
The army of Tiandu had been away from their homeland for a long time, but unexpectedly, they returned at this very moment. It was neither a triumphant return nor a defeat; it was nothing of the sort. It seemed as though they had returned merely to rest, to drink the water of their homeland, to gaze upon their homeland's sky. Soldiers are simple; whatever the reason, not having to fight is always a blessing. Moreover, this abrupt halt was the end of a battle that could have very likely destroyed half of the desert. After laying down their arms, these soldiers couldn't wait to rush home to bring news of their safety. No one paid any further attention to the woman whom the King of Beijing had gone to great lengths to bring back.
“Imperial Physician! How is she?” Qing Yun sat by the bedside, his face utterly exhausted. The woman lying on the bed was the one who, despite being gravely injured, had not said a word, as if she had wished to die in his arms. His gaze, filled with barely concealed anger, bore into the imperial physicians who had been busy through the entire night. He spoke coldly, “The military doctors managed to stop her bleeding several times on the journey, saying her life wasn’t in danger!”
The chief physician, frowning, bowed to him before replying, “Your Majesty, this young lady's body is frail, and though she has suffered severe injuries, she was not properly treated. She has endured too much, and... I fear it will be difficult for her to recover fully!”
Upon hearing this, Qing Yun clenched his fists tightly. “What do you mean by that?”
Sensing that the atmosphere wasn’t right, the imperial physicians immediately knelt down. “Your Majesty! The wounds on this young lady are too deep, and she has lost too much blood. Scars will certainly remain for the rest of her life!”
Upon hearing this, Qing Yun finally loosened his grip and asked in a calm voice, “Is her life in danger?”
The physicians quickly shook their heads and replied, “Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This young lady has passed the critical stage. With proper care, she will recover soon. However, her body will not be as healthy as before. She will likely suffer from chronic blood deficiency for the rest of her life.”
Qing Yun turned his head and looked at Huang Bei Shuang, lying so quietly on the bed. He leaned over and gently caressed her forehead. Seeing that even her eyelashes were damp with sweat, his heart filled with pity. Forgetting that the physicians were still present, he softly kissed her cheek, feeling the faint breath coming from her nose.
The imperial physicians knelt there awkwardly, stealing glances at Qing Yun. They dared not interrupt him, nor did they dare to leave without permission. They exchanged uneasy looks, unsure of what to do.
“Miao Jing!” After a while, Qing Yun stood up and, sitting at the table, called for the palace guard commander, Miao Jing. “Arrange for Mang Liu’s people to take care of her. From now on, the physicians’ check-ups must be done in my presence.”
Miao Jing nodded, and Qing Yun smiled before striding out of the room.
Once the King of Beijing had left, the physicians finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up wearily. Since returning to the palace, His Majesty had not closed his eyes for a whole day and night, sitting there watching them treat the young lady on the bed.
“Miao Jing!” The oldest physician hesitated and asked, “Who is this young lady? How should we address her in the future?”
Miao Jing glanced back at Huang Bei Shuang, lying on the bed, and after a moment’s thought, replied, “Uh... just call her ‘Your Ladyship.’ And as for the rest, it’s not for you to ask, so be careful not to pry!”
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