The Chu Emperor’s probing gaze turned toward Chu Yunge.
It seemed his imperial sister truly liked Young Master Xie. She had gone all out to save him regardless of everything, even saying those words just now…
The surrounding spectators had been stifled by Chu Yunge’s scolding, but now they were even more dumbfounded, drawing in sharp breaths.
The princess wouldn’t even let Young Master Xie’s corpse go. Under the pretext of saving him, she had molested and insulted the body right in front of so many people. The princess had truly gone mad.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, they could not allow the princess to act like this.
“Princess, stop! Young Master Xie has already passed away. Even if you are angry inside, you shouldn’t insult him like this…”
Before Chu Yunge could retort, Xie Wangze coughed once, opened his eyes, and delivered the fastest face-slap in history, not even letting the man finish his words.
Everyone was shocked, unable to believe it.
“He… came back to life just like that?”
“Didn’t they say he had no breath earlier?”
Amid the whispers, Chu Yunge, who had been splashed by the water Xie Wangze choked up, straightened her body.
He had finally come back to life. She had known the male lead wouldn’t die so easily.
“He’s alive! The princess kissed Young Master Xie, and he came back to life!”
“Dead and revived—what is this? Did she blow immortal breath into him?”
Due to the sheer surprise, even with the Chu Emperor present, the crowd continued to discuss animatedly.
After Xie Wangze fainted, he didn’t know how much time had passed. When he regained consciousness, he felt something soft touching his lips, his nose pinched, and a breath blown into him.
He breathed in sharply and fully regained awareness.
But the crowd’s words left him stunned.
What did they mean the princess kissed him and he came back to life?
That softness was the princess?
He lay dazed on the ground without moving.
Pei Ji stepped forward and patted his shoulder. “Hey, Xie Wangze, have you actually come back to life?”
Then he looked at Chu Yunge. “Princess, is he dead or alive? Why has he resumed breathing and opened his eyes but still isn’t moving?”
Xie Wangze confirmed it—the princess had saved him.
“Could he be stupid now? Brain damage?”
Chu Yunge lowered her head and reached out to slap Xie Wangze’s face.
“Hey, Xie Wangze, you…” She was about to swing another slap to test him when Xie Wangze reached out, caught her hand, and said, “I’m fine.”
His voice was hoarse as he spoke.
“Then why aren’t you moving?” Chu Yunge shook off his hand.
The sun was setting in the west, its golden light reflecting in her eyes and also shining into Xie Wangze’s eyes.
Perhaps even into his heart.
Xie Wangze sat up straight and looked at Chu Yunge. “Many thanks to the princess for saving my life.”
As he spoke, he felt his face stinging a bit.
He touched his face, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Could it be from crashing into the water?
Seeing his action and the slap mark on his face, Chu Yunge’s face didn’t flush nor her heart race, as if she hadn’t been the one to hit him. She even snarked, “First, let me explain—that was just me passing breath to you earlier. Nothing else.”
She didn’t want him thinking she had deliberately taken advantage of him.
She had slapped him, and perhaps a bit too hard, but she had saved his life.
Xie Wangze pursed his lips, understanding her subtext.
A breeze blew over him, bringing a slight chill. Suddenly, he regretted his earlier impulsiveness—why had he let Pei Ji’s few words provoke him?
He clearly shouldn’t have said those words.
Xie Wangze put on the clothes that Ju An, with red eyes, had draped over him. He apologized to the Chu Emperor and the crowd for the trouble he had caused.
No one said much, just telling him to rest and summoning the imperial physicians to check him over. When they saw the slap mark on Xie Wangze’s face, their eyes flickered evasively.
But no one dared make a sound, and no one dared look at Chu Yunge.
Princess Yongning’s prestige had long been established. Everyone knew her temper was poor, and today they had witnessed it even more fiercely than before.
She even dared to confront the Chu Emperor—would she fear them?
No one wanted to be targeted by Princess Yongning.
In the end, everyone was extremely curious about how someone who had died could come back to life, especially the imperial physicians, who itched to ask but didn’t dare open their mouths.
The imperial physicians took turns diagnosing Xie Wangze and confirmed he was indeed alive. They prescribed some tonics for recuperation.
After changing clothes in the carriage, Xie Wangze still felt his face hurting.
When he used Chu Yunge’s exquisite bronze mirror and saw the slap mark on his face, Xie Wangze frowned and lifted the carriage curtain. “Ju An, what’s wrong with my face?”
Ju An was outside the carriage, his expression hesitant and strange. Xie Wangze’s face darkened. “Was it the Little Marquis?” Had Pei Ji taken the chance to hit him?
Speak of the devil—Pei Ji arrived right then.
“What Little Marquis? You mean the slap on your face? That was from the princess when she saved you. Don’t wrongly accuse people.”
Pei Ji paused, then blabbered nonsense. “She probably needed to slap you twice to perform the later rescue.” He had only seen Chu Yunge’s anger at the time, but since she had slapped him, there must have been a reason.
Xie Wangze touched his cheek. “Really?”
Hearing it was Chu Yunge who had hit him, Xie Wangze’s expression improved greatly, and he wasn’t so angry anymore. He just thought the slap mark was so small—it really did look like Chu Yunge’s hand.
She had hit so hard; she must have been annoyed with him inside, so her hand must hurt too.
“No doubt about it.” After Pei Ji spoke, he paused for a moment before suddenly saying, “Young Master Xie, I know how hard it is for you in the Chu State and your determination to return to the Chen State. But next time, don’t use the princess as a raft.”
Pei Ji had thought it over and still couldn’t get past the knot in his heart.
“Today, you inexplicably used the princess in that bet—it was my fault. No matter if you return to the Chen State this time or not, I hope this is the last time you use her.”
Pei Ji didn’t like all that scheming and maneuvering, but that didn’t mean he didn’t understand it. He wasn’t stupid.
Now, recalling the looks the crowd had given Chu Yunge when Xie Wangze “died,” Pei Ji felt a chill down his spine.
Chu Yunge had been right to scold them—they hadn’t even asked her, so why should she bear it?
Xie Wangze had been reflecting just a moment ago, thinking he shouldn’t have let Pei Ji stir his emotions. But now, Pei Ji’s few words ignited his anger again.
“Little Marquis, what right do you have to lecture and warn me? What qualifications do you have? I am the prince consort.”
Even if this marriage was ridiculous, it was their business as husband and wife. Since Pei Ji had fled the marriage, what right did he have to point fingers?
No one could take away his status and rights as prince consort.
Pei Ji fell silent for a moment, inexplicably finding the term “prince consort” grating. “Young Master Xie doesn’t need to emphasize your status as prince consort. I know I have no right or standing to lecture you. I am merely requesting.”
“Whether intentionally or not, the princess once thwarted your plans to return home, and she might even have poisoned you or done wrong. But today, she saved your life.”
“No matter what she did before, I simply don’t want to see her bear what she shouldn’t have to.”
Pei Ji quietly recounted what had happened earlier, including Chu Yunge’s scolding word for word. “Hearing the princess’s angry words and seeing the crowd’s gazes, I regretted it deeply. I didn’t even dare imagine what she might face in the end.”
“It was my bet proposal, and His Majesty agreed. We said no risks, safety first. But you, wanting to return home, put yourself in danger.”
“If you had died, it would have been over for you. But in the end, it was the princess, a woman, who had to bear the responsibility.”
Pei Ji’s voice lowered. “Now, I’m just glad she brought you back to life. I don’t dare let her fall into that situation again, so I’m requesting now—don’t use the princess anymore.”
“She is just… a woman, the kind most easily pushed out to take the blame, like those women in history. You read more books than I do; you understand better than I.”
Xie Wangze looked at Pei Ji’s sincere worry for Chu Yunge, the lingering fear in his eyes, and pursed his lips slightly. “The Little Marquis is truly deeply affectionate toward the princess, so conscientious.”
Pei Ji didn’t refute. Instead, he looked at him with helpless eyes.
“Young Master Xie, you mocked me earlier for vying for affection and jealousy. But what about you now?”
“I know how urgently you want to return to your country. But why don’t you examine your heart? Were you really just desperate to go home? Have you ever risked yourself so recklessly before?”
Xie Wangze’s expression changed.