Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 27

Lingxi suddenly looked up. Zhao Qingsui’s calm gaze enveloped her, and the warmth in her hands slowly faded with each passing second.

Zhao Qingsui held her hand, absorbing its warmth.

At that moment, as she felt the soft yet cool touch of Zhao Qingsui’s palm, Lingxi finally understood why nobles always carried hand warmers with them.

A faint fragrance drifted in, wrapping around her senses like invisible threads, brushing against her nose and eyelids, unsettling her thoughts.

Zhao Qingsui’s frown slightly eased, and a fleeting smile appeared at the corner of her lips before disappearing in an instant.

Lingxi felt as if she had caught it, yet at the same time, she wasn’t sure. She blinked lightly.

“Is Royal Sister angry with me?”

As they entered the main hall, Zhao Sheng hurriedly followed behind them.

Zhao Qingsui led him to the side, gently patting his head. “Sheng’er, I know you are worried that I won’t find a suitable consort. But today is your birthday. Questioning my consort in front of everyone is not only disrespectful to Father but also embarrassing for me.”

“Royal Sister, I know I was wrong. Please don’t be mad, alright? I won’t do it again.” The young prince tugged at Zhao Qingsui’s sleeve, his voice soft and pleading.

“I am not angry. Don’t cry.”

“Okay!” The young prince nodded quickly.

When they returned to the hall, the little prince, who had been on the verge of tears, was now smiling brightly.

Lingxi looked up to see Zhao Qingsui speaking to him. After they parted, Zhao Qingsui returned to Lingxi’s side.

“Your Highness,” Lingxi called her softly.

“Hmm?”

Zhao Qingsui turned her head. Lingxi then lifted the hand warmer she had carefully found, presenting it before Zhao Qingsui.

“There’s a draft in the hall. Your Highness’ hands are cold. You should keep them warm.”

Zhao Qingsui’s gaze sharpened for a moment, but her expression softened. “The consort is quite thoughtful.”

“Your Highness should take care of yourself.”

Lingxi placed the hand warmer in Zhao Qingsui’s hands, their fingers briefly touching before Lingxi quickly withdrew hers.

Zhao Qingsui noticed the small movement. When she looked again, Lingxi was already sitting properly, hands resting on her knees as usual.

“Lu Mu is ruthless and has a twisted personality.”

As Zhao Qingsui recalled those words, she felt a strange sense of helplessness.

She hadn’t seen any signs of a twisted personality. As for being ruthless…

If Lu Mu were truly ruthless, she wouldn’t have hesitated just because of a brief touch or being in the same room.

The warmth from the hand warmer seeped into Zhao Qingsui’s fingertips, reaching her heart.

She gently traced the engraved image of a soaring black eagle on the hand warmer’s surface, lost in thought.

The birthday banquet began with a dance performance. The dancers wore deep red garments of foreign design, with bells adorning their wrists and ankles. The crisp jingling sound synchronized with their graceful movements.

Lingxi glanced at them but quickly lost interest. She even found the bell sounds somewhat noisy.

Midway through the performance, a new group entered, dressed in light pink traditional Tai robes. They were accompanied by jade flutes and guzheng music.

The flutes’ melodies were gentle, while the guzheng carried its unique charm.

Lingxi’s gaze rested on the wine cup before her, but her ears carefully listened to the accompaniment.

Zhao Qingsui observed the entire hall, yet her eyes landed only on Lingxi, who paid no attention to the dancers swaying before them. Instead, she was lost in thought.

In an instant, Zhao Qingsui recalled the person she had seen at the Prime Minister’s banquet before their wedding—just like today.

“Does the consort find the performance unworthy of attention?”

Lingxi snapped out of her thoughts. “Your Highness, I wouldn’t dare. The performance is beautiful.”

“Then why were you looking down?”

Zhao Qingsui held her wine cup, watching her closely.

“I am a simple person and do not understand dance.”

“Oh?” Zhao Qingsui swirled the wine in her cup. A bright figure danced past the table. “And does the consort also fail to appreciate beauty?”

Lingxi did not follow Zhao Qingsui’s gaze. Instead, she looked directly at her.

The flickering candlelight cast a soft glow, just one of the many lights in the hall. Its presence or absence mattered little, yet in its dim radiance, Lingxi saw the slight curve of Zhao Qingsui’s lips at the rim of her wine cup.

“I do understand.”

The words slipped out before Lingxi realized her mistake. But Zhao Qingsui was faster. Just as Lingxi was about to lower her gaze, Zhao Qingsui gently stopped her.

Her warm fingertips touched Lingxi’s chin with the lightest pressure, ensuring Lingxi’s eyes remained fixed on her.

Since the first time Zhao Qingsui had seen her at the Prime Minister’s residence, she had sensed something familiar. Tonight, she finally understood.

It was the same restraint Lingxi showed when bowing to Zhao Sheng in the courtyard.

Zhao Qingsui looked deeper into her eyes. Lingxi’s gaze flickered with panic but quickly suppressed her emotions, veiling them in uncertainty.

Under the glow of the candles, they locked eyes. The dancers swirled nearby, and the music played, fluctuating between swift and slow, mirroring their silent battle of wills.

“Why does the consort avoid my gaze?”

Zhao Qingsui’s red lips parted slightly, her voice soft and slow, like a feather brushing against Lingxi’s skin.

“Your Highness is mistaken. I do not avoid looking at you.”

Lingxi’s face remained calm, yet her words lacked conviction.

Zhao Qingsui’s eyebrow arched slightly. The warmth of her touch seeped deeper, making it impossible for Lingxi to guard herself—against Zhao Qingsui’s noble status or the emotions stirring in her heart.

A drifting plank on the sea, powerless against the tide, carried to an unknown destination.

Lingxi’s cheeks gradually flushed. Zhao Qingsui watched her, and that familiar feeling surfaced once again.

She had seen this before, but she couldn’t remember when.

Suddenly, the music stopped, and applause filled the hall. Zhao Qingsui pulled back, regaining her composure.

The pressure lifted, and Lingxi visibly relaxed. She reached for her wine cup, but as she grasped it, the liquid spilled onto the wooden table.

The clear liquid spread, and a faint “sizzle” sound emerged. In the next moment, the wood’s surface began to corrode.

Lingxi’s pupils contracted. She swiftly blocked Zhao Qingsui’s wine cup.

“Your Highness, be careful!”

Drops of liquid splashed onto Lingxi’s hand, turning into wisps of white smoke. A sharp pain followed.

“Assassins! Seal the palace!” Lingxi endured the pain and shouted toward the courtyard.

Zhao Qingsui’s expression darkened instantly. Rising to her feet, she ordered coldly, “No one is to leave the palace tonight!”

“Su Rui, take my token and summon the guards to surround the palace.”

“Anyone who disobeys—will be executed!”

“Yes!”

Su Rui lowered her head and took the command token with both hands. Just as she turned around, Zhao Qingsui called her again the next second.

The coldness in Zhao Qingsui’s eyes seeped from within, and even her voice was as icy as a blade. “Bring the imperial doctor back too.”

“Yes!”

Ling Xi forced herself to get up and poured out a wine vessel beside her onto the table. The liquid flowed down, but when it touched the table, there was no reaction at all.

She frowned. That meant the poison had been placed precisely into their wine cups.

“Little Prince! Little Prince!”

Voices of panic came from nearby servants, mixed with the hurried footsteps of guards in the courtyard.

Zhao Qingsui heard the noise and quickly walked over.

“Your Highness, please look at the Little Prince. He already drank the wine before Lord Lu noticed it was poisoned.

Although he spit it out quickly, now he’s still…”

The servant knelt down, trembling all over. He couldn’t even finish his words. After all, if something happened to Zhao Sheng, even a hundred heads wouldn’t save him.

Zhao Sheng’s mouth hung open, his facial features twisted in pain. He shrank into the large chair, unable to speak.

“Someone! Go get the imperial doctor right now! I don’t care who—there’s only one thing I want: be quick!”

“Yes!”

Ling Xi was just one step behind Zhao Qingsui. Seeing the scene, she immediately ignored her pain and said, “Fetch water from the courtyard—lots of it, quickly!”

She was suddenly thankful she had studied medicine in her previous life.

Zhao Qingsui turned to look at her when she heard that, and the chill in her eyes seemed to avoid Ling Xi.

“Your Highness, I know a bit of medicine. I can try an emergency method.”

Ling Xi bowed to her, but Zhao Qingsui supported her hand and looked at the servant nearby. “Didn’t you hear what Lord Lu said?”

“Yes, I’ll go now.”

The kneeling servant scrambled to his feet and ran out. In no time, several people came in, each carrying full buckets of water.

Ling Xi picked a clean, unused bowl and rinsed it quickly. After confirming it was safe, she scooped it full of water and spoke softly, “Little Prince, I’ll rinse your mouth with clean water. Hold a mouthful, spit it out, then repeat with new water. But remember—don’t swallow.”

Zhao Sheng nodded painfully. Ling Xi then ordered the servant to help support him.

Zhao Sheng took the bowl and rinsed and spat in turns, and Ling Xi handed him a fresh bowl of water each time.

After repeating several times, suddenly a hand reached out from the side and took the bowl from Ling Xi. Zhao Qingsui looked to the servant beside her and said, “You do it.”

“Yes.”

The servant stepped forward, bowed, and took the bowl from Zhao Qingsui, then stood in Ling Xi’s place.

Zhao Qingsui took Ling Xi’s hand and walked with her to the side.

She picked up a ladle from another bucket and poured cool water over Ling Xi’s burned hand. The sharp pain was immediately eased by the cool stream.

The water soaked into the soft carpet below without a sound.

Zhao Qingsui’s fingertips rested on Ling Xi’s arm, the chill seeping slowly into her skin. The water kept pouring down, again and again, and Zhao Qingsui’s hand dipped into the cold water with each pour.

Ling Xi’s fingers twitched slightly, as if she wanted to take the ladle. “Your Highness, it’s late spring and the water is cold. Your body is weak. You shouldn’t…”

“Shut up.”

Another stream of cold water poured down, cutting off whatever Ling Xi was about to say.

The water ran along her fingers, gathered at the tips, and dripped down.

Ling Xi’s raised hand hovered in the air for a while, then was gently pressed down by Zhao Qingsui.

Zhao Qingsui lowered her head slightly and looked at the burn on Ling Xi’s hand. Her eyes were filled with an icy fury she could not hide.