Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 38

Lingxi raised her hand and took away the hand warmer in her palm, replacing it with a new, warmer one.

The sudden change in temperature on her fingers made Lingxi recall that night. She had leaned against the soft bed, with Zhao Qingsui leaning over her, supporting himself above her. His fingertips had brushed against her lips, leaving a cool and smooth sensation.

Her gaze fell on the newly replaced hand warmer in her hand. Her fingertips lightly traced its contours. Just a glance, and it felt as if she was burning, a tiny spark igniting a wildfire, spreading rapidly around her.

Flames danced, flickering in her eyes, yet in the endless darkness, it was a source of warmth that made her want to get closer—closer still.

“Alright,” Lingxi responded softly.

Zhao Qingsui smiled at her expression, covering the back of her hand with his palm. Warmth spread along her veins and stopped at her fingers wrapped in fine cloth. “Let me see.”

Layer by layer, he carefully unwrapped the bandage, revealing the wound under the candlelight. The pale skin had a dark red scab forming over it.

His warm fingertips gently brushed around the wound, causing a ticklish sensation. Zhao Qingsui reached for the ointment on the table and began applying medicine to Lingxi’s injury.

As soon as the milky-white ointment touched her skin, the bitter scent of medicine spread through the air.

“Does it hurt?”

“No, it has already scabbed over.”

The cloth was wrapped around her finger again, soaking in the ointment and sticking to the wound.

Lingxi hadn’t paid much attention to the injury caused by the broken tile. In fact, she had already forgotten about it until the next day when Zhao Qingsui accidentally touched her hand and noticed something was wrong.

The moment he realized it, he frowned and immediately ordered Su Rui to summon the imperial physician. Lingxi had wanted to stop him, thinking it was just a small wound that she could treat herself. But Zhao Qingsui’s pursed lips and silent insistence made her swallow her words.

“It’s just a small wound. It’s nothing serious.”

After the physician left, Lingxi looked at her hand, now wrapped in thick layers of bandages, and spoke softly.

But Zhao Qingsui’s frown deepened, and his sharp gaze swept over her, making Lingxi immediately close her mouth.

“You are always careful. How did you get cut by broken tiles?”

When Zhao Qingsui asked, Lingxi was instantly reminded of that night when she had crouched by the window and overheard someone say the word “assassin.”

She understood how she had gotten cut, but she couldn’t explain why the pain of that small wound had felt as if a thousand blades were striking her heart.

Looking at her bandaged hand, she turned to Zhao Qingsui. At that moment, when their eyes met, something seemed to surface from deep within her heart.

Lingxi smiled at Zhao Qingsui. The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on her profile. It was blurry, yet Zhao Qingsui saw it clearly.

Then, he heard her let out a quiet sigh, “Because of you.”

Zhao Qingsui tied the bandage, then intertwined his fingers with hers, gently squeezing her hand. “You were crouching there for so long. Didn’t your legs get sore?”

“I forgot.”

Lingxi stood up, following Zhao Qingsui’s lead, and sat beside him. With her other hand, she adjusted the thick cloak around his shoulders.

“Your Highness, I still think you shouldn’t have come here with me.”

“Why?”

Zhao Qingsui tilted his head slightly, allowing the cloak behind him to wrap around both of them.

“This place is colder than the residence, and since we’re camping outside, the conditions are not as comfortable…”

Before she could finish, Zhao Qingsui suddenly tightened his grip on her hand, his thumb gently rubbing against her knuckles, interrupting her words. “As long as you’re here.”

Lingxi opened her mouth slightly, but after a moment, she closed it again. She pulled the cloak around them more tightly.

Noticing her movements, Zhao Qingsui leaned back slightly, easing the weight against her. Lingxi, fearing he might collapse onto her, held him closer.

The person in her arms adjusted into a comfortable position, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

Lingxi inhaled the faint fragrance surrounding him. Wrapped in warmth, she felt safe simply by his presence.

“How was the hunt today?”

Lingxi lowered her head slightly, considering the question. Then, she recounted her encounter with the prime minister, even repeating their conversation word for word.

Her soft voice blended with the gentle rustling of leaves outside the tent, like a melody accompanying her words.

“…I could only see that his expression was normal, as if he knew nothing about it. But people hide their true thoughts. I can’t be completely sure.”

After speaking, Lingxi shared her thoughts hesitantly. “Should I try testing him another way?”

Zhao Qingsui listened quietly, one hand resting on the hand warmer, the other gently rubbing the back of Lingxi’s hand. When she finished, he smiled. “You’ve done well. That’s enough.”

“Before you returned, my shadow guards reported that after we left for the hunt, someone saw that man with the white fan enter the prime minister’s courtyard.”

“Whether Prime Minister Li knows about this or not, whether he is merely playing along, he is connected to it.”

Zhao Qingsui paused before adding, “If he knows, then let this serve as a warning. If he doesn’t, I will personally make him aware.”

“What do you plan to do, Your Highness?”

Lingxi had just asked when Su Rui’s voice suddenly came from outside.

“Your Highness, the prime minister has returned.”

Zhao Qingsui tilted his head, catching a glimpse of Lingxi’s pale neck. There were faint marks that had not yet faded. He reached out, and the moment his fingers touched her skin, he felt her body stiffen slightly.

“Let’s go. Accompany me to see the prime minister.”

Zhao Qingsui withdrew his hand, his eyes bright and unwavering.

Ling Xi followed Zhao Qingsui into the main tent. Zhao Qingsui waved everyone else away and sat on the main seat.

“Your Highness, I didn’t welcome you properly. Please forgive me,” Prime Minister Li said respectfully.

“No need for that, Prime Minister. I came today to discuss something important with you.”

Zhao Qingsui lightly tapped the lid of her teacup. Her eyes were lowered, hiding her emotions.

“I dare not discuss—please tell me directly, Your Highness.”

“A few days ago, during the rest day, the prince consort accompanied me to inspect the water channels. That night, we were attacked outside the city.”

Zhao Qingsui looked up at him, her expression calm. It was as if she was saying something ordinary, but a chill could be heard in her voice.

“Attacked?! How—how could that happen! Who dared to do such a thing outside the capital?!”

“Please calm down, Your Highness. This is very serious. I will immediately order the capital’s governor to…”

He bent down and cupped his hands.

“No need.”

A cold, distant voice suddenly interrupted him from the front.

“I have already ordered the Court of Justice to begin an investigation, but…” Zhao Qingsui paused for a few seconds, pushed aside the lid of her tea cup, and took a small sip of the hot tea.

This sudden pause made the person standing below feel like a boat drifting in the sea, unable to tell when a storm would suddenly hit.

Lingxi looked down at the Prime Minister, then turned her head to look at Zhao Qingsui. As if sensing Lingxi’s gaze, Zhao Qingsui gently curved her lips to comfort her.

It was like a warm breeze brushing away the biting cold.

A “crack” sounded in her heart, and on the branches breaking through the soil, new buds appeared.

“Your Highness, please explain clearly.”

“However, during the investigation, the Court of Justice saw that person enter the Prime Minister’s residence.”

Zhao Qingsui placed her tea cup on the table with a clear clink. In the next moment, the Prime Minister knelt down and shouted, “Your Highness, please investigate clearly! I would never do such a treasonous thing!”

Zhao Qingsui leaned forward slightly. “I naturally believe the Prime Minister would not do something so foolish. But since that person could enter your residence, shouldn’t you give me an explanation?”

“Su Rui.”

Zhao Qingsui suddenly called out. Su Rui entered with her head lowered and held a portrait in both hands.

Zhao Qingsui slightly lifted her chin, and Su Rui bent down to hand the portrait to the Prime Minister, then left the tent.

“Take a look, Prime Minister. Do you know this person?”

The moment he saw the portrait, his pupils shrank sharply. His hand holding the portrait trembled slightly. “This—this!”

A few seconds later, he knelt again and bowed his head. “Your Highness, this person is indeed an adviser in my residence, but I truly didn’t know about this! I would never do something that would wipe out nine generations of my family!”

“An adviser,” Zhao Qingsui suddenly let out a cold laugh. “What a fine adviser!”

“Your Highness, please calm down. It was my fault for not seeing through him. I raised a tiger that now causes harm.
Please punish me, but please give me a chance to make up for it. I promise not to disappoint you.”

Zhao Qingsui leaned back in her chair. Her anger seemed not yet gone. She tapped her fingers on the table, again and again.

“Since you say so, I’ll give you a chance. As long as you cooperate with the Court of Justice and catch that person, I will deal with this more lightly.”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness.”

Zhao Qingsui narrowed her eyes slightly. As she walked past him, she suddenly stopped and looked down at the kneeling man, speaking coldly, “When you accepted this adviser, you didn’t check his background or ask where he came from. You only looked at his talent. So I have one question: is your adviser loyal to you, the Prime Minister, to the Emperor, or to someone else?”

“Your Highness…”

Before he could finish, Zhao Qingsui no longer cared what he was saying. She walked out of the tent, lifted the curtain that blocked the wind, and was instantly hit by the cold night wind, trying to swallow the last of her warmth.
It had only been a short time, but without the hand warmer, the warmth in her palms dropped again and again. Now it felt like she was holding ice just taken from a frozen lake.

Zhao Qingsui frowned tightly. A deep, hidden tiredness rose straight from her heart. In her mind, she saw herself standing on the city wall, looking back at a field of ruins. The soldiers beside her were cheering for victory, but the bl00d on their faces, the bl00d-soaked armor, the eyes pierced by arrows, the hands and feet cut by weapons, and the corpses covered in white cloth at the city gates—all mocked her.

Only peace can let the people breathe, only peace might let them live the life they want. The victory over the rebellion brought her no joy. It became another burden on her shoulders. She carried that burden alone.

On a dark snowy night, snowflakes filled the sky. She stood at the mountain top looking down. In front of her was an endless black cliff. Behind her was her lonely shadow.

Darkness closed in from both sides, about to swallow her.

Suddenly, the cold on her fingers was replaced by warmth. A cloak was draped over her shoulders. A figure appeared in front of her, blocking most of the cold wind.

Lingxi held her hands in her own warm palms.

“Why are your hands so cold?”

She frowned, but held Zhao Qingsui’s hands tightly.

Zhao Qingsui looked at Lingxi in a daze. All the emotions in her heart slowly faded. In the dark snowy night, someone appeared. She held a torch, lighting the way, warming her, guiding her.

With her there, even if darkness wrapped around her, it would be driven away. She would turn back, hold her hand tightly, and lead her forward.

Even Zhao Qingsui herself didn’t fully understand why she trusted her so much, but a voice inside always told her—it was safe to trust her, to believe in her.

Just like that night when Lingxi looked at her and said, “Because it’s you. Only because it’s you.”

Now, Zhao Qingsui also wanted to say the same to her.

Zhao Qingsui suddenly smiled. Lingxi saw her eyes light up. “Your Highness, why are you smiling? Don’t worry. I will help you remove all the rebels.”

They returned to the tent. As the curtain fell and blocked the cold wind, Zhao Qingsui turned and hugged her. She whispered in her ear, “With you here, I’m not worried.”

Before Lingxi could answer, light kisses fell on her—from her ear to her neck, then up to her closed eyes.

It felt like a fire suddenly lit inside her, spreading with Zhao Qingsui’s touch.

“Your Highness?”

Lingxi called softly.

Zhao Qingsui replied with a soft hum, “Mm.”

Until she was pressed down on the cold military bed, with no way to escape, only then did Zhao Qingsui stop moving slightly.

Lingxi breathed lightly, her cheeks turning red. “Your Highness, we’re still on a hunting trip.”

Zhao Qingsui lowered her head and pressed her forehead to hers. Her dark eyes seemed to melt into Lingxi’s, taking over all her attention.

The warm breath on her skin brought a deep blush.

“No one dares to come in without my permission.”

“But this…”

“Do you still remember the night you owed me?”

Zhao Qingsui’s voice was very soft, but when it reached Lingxi’s ears, it made her bl00d race.

Lingxi looked at her. When those dark eyes lowered again, she only heard Zhao Qingsui say, “Be quiet.”

Her fingers slid down, lifting the belt, slipping into her loose collar like a fish in the sea.

The fingertips that Lingxi had just warmed were now touching her skin. The heat from the body easily overpowered the warmth of the fingers.

Her robe came off, the inner clothing opened. Lingxi’s clear collarbone fell into Zhao Qingsui’s shadow.

Zhao Qingsui pressed on her lips, taking her breath away. But her fingers moved from behind her ear, circled the collarbone, and slid downward.

Her fingers gently brushed the firm muscles from years of training. The slow touch was another kind of torment.

Lingxi tried to clench her teeth, but Zhao Qingsui slipped in through the small gap. The torment didn’t stop—it grew stronger, wave after wave. Her voice, soft and broken, was swallowed gently by Zhao Qingsui.

Outside the tent, the wind rustled past.

Inside the tent, quiet, broken gasps continued.