“You’re the only person who’s ever dared to touch my head without permission,” Qin Wujing said as he put a piece of steamed bun into his mouth.
Xiao Ruyi smiled. “And Your Highness is the first person Ruyi has ever combed personally.”
“Is your brain damaged?” Qin Wujing shot back coldly, making Xiao Ruyi’s smile and irritation grow at the same time. She had to be patient. She couldn’t pull the hair of an Emperor’s younger uncle.
“Your Highness, would you like to take a stroll around the princely residence? When I passed the orchard near the western pavilion, I saw that so much of the fruit had ripened and was ready to be harvested.” Xiao Ruyi chose not to respond and changed the subject instead.
Before Qin Wujing could answer, Xiao Ruyi spoke again. “Your Highness, where is your hair oil?”
“Table,” Qin Wujing replied, irritating Xiao Ruyi yet again. There were several tables in this room—the man never gave a proper, specific answer.
Xiao Ruyi turned around and searched every table with her eyes. As soon as she spotted the bottle of hair oil on the table beside the bed, she hurried over to get it. Before long, she returned to Qin Wujing, poured the hair oil into her palm, and slowly worked it through his smooth black hair.
“What do you think, Your Highness? Would you like to see the orchard?” Xiao Ruyi asked. Having finished applying the hair oil, she next crouched down in front of Qin Wujing’s wheelchair.
Qin Wujing stared at Xiao Ruyi’s face. This was the first time in three years that he had been this close to a woman. He had never shown himself in public during that time.
“Since you’re only staring at me in silence, I’ll take that as a yes.” Xiao Ruyi then stood up, walked behind the wheelchair, and began pushing it slowly.
The servants who saw this were shocked. They had never imagined they would witness such a scene. After the accident that had injured their Prince’s legs, every servant had been certain that it would be difficult to find a woman who sincerely cared for him. But after Xiao Ruyi’s arrival, their worries gradually eased.
Xiao Ruyi continued pushing Qin Wujing’s wheelchair toward the orchard in the western pavilion. When they arrived, the sight of fresh green plants with ripe fruit hanging from the branches was soothing to the eyes. The fresh morning air further lifted Xiao Ruyi’s spirits. The bad mood caused by Qin Wujing’s sharp words earlier slowly faded away.
“Your Highness, the servants here are very capable. They grow fruit of excellent quality. If it were sold at the market, it would definitely fetch a very high price.” Xiao Ruyi walked toward a grapevine, leaving Qin Wujing behind as he examined the plants one by one. It had been a long time since he had visited the orchard in his own princely residence.
A short while later, Xiao Ruyi returned with two ripe grapes and handed one to Qin Wujing.
“You have to try this. It tastes much sweeter and better when it’s freshly picked,” Xiao Ruyi said.
Qin Wujing hesitantly took the grape Xiao Ruyi offered him and put it into his mouth. But not long afterward, his brow furrowed.
“Xiao Ruyi!” Qin Wujing shouted, startling several servants who immediately turned to look at them.
Xiao Ruyi burst out laughing. She had deliberately given Qin Wujing a sour grape.
“Forgive Ruyi, Your Highness. Ruyi thought you could tell the difference between fruit that was fully ripe and fruit that wasn’t.” Xiao Ruyi laughed again. Qin Wujing’s expression as he endured the sourness looked hilarious to her.
Qin Wujing snorted in annoyance. His right index finger pointed at one of the unripe grapes, and the fruit instantly flew into Xiao Ruyi’s mouth with force.
Xiao Ruyi was startled and instinctively chewed the grape. Her laughter quickly stopped, replaced by utter silence as she endured the sourness that seared her tongue.
Seeing Xiao Ruyi’s funny expression, Qin Wujing unconsciously gave a faint, victorious smile. After getting his revenge, he turned his wheelchair around and left Xiao Ruyi behind.
“Damn it, just how advanced are that man’s martial arts for him to use his power like this?” Xiao Ruyi muttered before spitting out the sour grape.
“Your Highness! Wait for me!” Xiao Ruyi shouted as she ran after Qin Wujing.
As Xiao Ruyi chased after Qin Wujing, her eyes accidentally caught sight of a black shadow drawing a bow and arrow at him.
Xiao Ruyi’s eyes widened, and she sped up to reach Qin Wujing.
Whoosh!
The arrow shot rapidly toward Qin Wujing. At that exact moment, Xiao Ruyi managed to reach him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
“Your Highness!”
Xiao Ruyi squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the arrow to pierce her back. Yet even after she had been embracing Qin Wujing for quite some time, the arrow still had not struck her body.
Xiao Ruyi tried to turn her head. She was shocked to see Qin Wujing stopping the arrow with his palm, internal energy flowing from it and forming a protective shield around them.
“What—”
“Quiet. Stay there,” Qin Wujing said coldly, leaving Xiao Ruyi too afraid to argue. She rested her head against Qin Wujing’s shoulder again.
Before long, another black shadow appeared on the rooftops, seemingly from nowhere. They appeared to be Qin Wujing’s hidden guards, because they immediately attacked the black shadow who had fired the arrow.
Qin Wujing dispelled the shield he had formed, then glanced at Xiao Ruyi, who was still embracing him.
“We’re going back now.” Qin Wujing’s voice brought Xiao Ruyi back to her senses. She quickly released him without saying another word, then hurriedly pushed the wheelchair toward Qin Wujing’s room. In secret, the tips of Xiao Ruyi’s ears turned red.
They were now in Qin Wujing’s study, sitting across from each other. Xiao Ruyi was still somewhat shaken by what had happened. She was startled by the assassins who kept appearing—and… by herself, for reflexively wanting to protect Qin Wujing. Although Xiao Ruyi had indeed intended to earn Qin Wujing’s trust, she had never expected to make such a great sacrifice.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” Gu Sinjie’s breathless voice came from outside.
Gu Sinjie entered without knocking. He looked extremely panicked after hearing that another assassin had targeted Qin Wujing.
“Are… are both Your Highnesses all right? Good heavens… When will these assassins ever stop?” Gu Sinjie asked while still trying to catch his breath.
“Your Highness.” Xiao Ruyi looked at Qin Wujing, wanting to ask him something.
“Why do these assassins keep coming? What are they really after? Haven’t you stayed out of the public eye for a long time?” Xiao Ruyi immediately fired off her questions when Qin Wujing looked at her.
Gu Sinjie promptly answered on Qin Wujing’s behalf. “It’s because of Qin Prince’s vast military power. Many nobles covet it, especially the nobles who hold power along the borders and members of the imperial family.”
Xiao Ruyi raised her left eyebrow. “The nobles? Don’t they have no right to claim Your Highness’s military power even after Your Highness is gone?”
Gu Sinjie shook his head. “The military power bestowed upon Your Highness by the late Emperor was obtained by stripping highly ranked nobles of their military authority. If Your Highness were to die, that military power would either be divided equally among them again or kept by the Emperor himself.”
Xiao Ruyi nodded in understanding, then secretly sighed. She couldn’t tell whether the existence of this military power would bring good or bad consequences, because it was a double-edged sword. On the positive side, it could serve as a foundation of protection for Xiao Ruyi as Qin Wujing’s wife. On the negative side, she would never be able to live peacefully because she would always be terrorized by assassins.
Putting those thoughts aside, Xiao Ruyi chose to cast away her worries and resolve herself to remain patient. She gave Qin Wujing a faint smile. “Your Highness, would you like something to drink?”
Qin Wujing shook his head, then glanced at Gu Sinjie and said, “Leave. Order the servants to bring warm tea.” After that, his eyes shifted to Xiao Ruyi. “You stay here.”