"Why are you crying?"
Meeting Qi Rong's sharp hawk-like gaze, Yun Xi opened her mouth but couldn't say a word. However, tears welled up in her eyes and slid down involuntarily, making Qi Rong's breath hitch. Immediately, he flew into a rage.
"I'll go to the Kunning Palace right now and settle the score with that old hag!"
Qi Rong's voice was menacing. His muscles tensed up, and his body was burning with fury.
"Don't go! I'm really okay."
Yun Xi exclaimed. She flung her arms around Qi Rong's neck and held on tightly, not daring to relax for a moment.
Her mind was in a complete mess. She hadn't figured out how to rescue Qi Rong's mother yet.
But one thing she was certain of was that she mustn't fall out with the Empress Dowager at this moment. It would not only hinder her previous plan of luring the enemy in but also be unfavorable for her future efforts to rescue the late Empress.
So, she absolutely couldn't let Qi Rong act impulsively!
At this moment, Qi Rong was like an enraged lion because of Yun Xi's grievances. He was ready to tear someone to pieces at any moment. But Yun Xi was like a chain, tightly holding back his anger and gradually bringing his sanity back.
He sighed, picked Yun Xi up horizontally, and strode towards the mansion.
Qi Rong gently placed Yun Xi on the soft couch and personally treated the wounds on her body. His eyebrows were knitted so tightly that they could almost crush a mosquito.
Yun Xi reached out her hand to smooth Qi Rong's knitted eyebrows. Mimicking what he had said to her before, she said softly,
"Don't always frown. It makes people feel bad."
Thinking of the matter of the late Empress, Yun Xi's gaze towards Qi Rong always involuntarily carried a touch of pity. It was as if there was a little person in her heart, holding a dagger and constantly stabbing at her heart. It made her feel extremely painful, but she couldn't confide in Qi Rong.
Qi Rong took Yun Xi's hand and kissed it on his lips. His deep gaze locked onto hers.
"Will you tell me what happened in the Kunning Palace?"
In his impression, although Yun Xi was physically weak, she had a strong will and didn't cry often. So, her current state must be because she had encountered something!
Seeing Yun Xi pursing her cherry lips and remaining silent, Qi Rong said helplessly,
"You know, even if you don't say it, I'll find a way to find out."
Although that old hag was highly vigilant and the Kunning Palace was not within his surveillance range, if he used all kinds of means in the palace, he could still find out what had happened to Yun Xi in the Kunning Palace today.
Knowing that Qi Rong wasn't just talking, Yun Xi couldn't help but suppress the pain in her heart. She stammered,
"Before that, I want to ask you something. Can you answer me truthfully?"
Seeing Yun Xi asking instead of answering, Qi Rong saw through her uneasiness. He wrapped his warm palm around her slightly cold hand. His narrow phoenix eyes stared at Yun Xi and he nodded seriously.
"Ask."
Feeling the warmth from Qi Rong's palm, Yun Xi realized that her body was so cold because of nervousness!
She took a deep breath first, then said to Qi Rong,
"If I hide something very important to you and make you miss the thing you want to do, will you hate me?"
Seeing the nervousness on Yun Xi's face, Qi Rong squeezed her little hand tightly. Without hesitation, he said directly,
"If it's something that will put you in danger, I'll be very angry, but I won't hate you. Because I know you must have your own reasons for doing so, and maybe it's even because you don't want me to be in danger."
As he spoke, Qi Rong held Yun Xi's lowered face with both hands, making her evasive eyes meet his. He said in an extremely gentle tone,
"Yun Xi, I'm your husband. I have the right to protect my wife from harm and fear."
"Don't you still want to tell me what it is?"
Meeting the sincerity and persistence in Qi Rong's eyes, Yun Xi's eyes flickered. The entanglement in her heart was almost overwhelming her.
Finally, she bit her lip and said solemnly,
"Give me three more days. If I can't solve it, I'll definitely tell you!"
She knew that she didn't have time to think slowly anymore because Qi Rong's mother's situation was not optimistic. She was tortured inhumanely every day.
If she couldn't solve the problem herself, she could only give Qi Rong some time to carry out the rescue before he left the capital.
After all, that was the only relative Qi Rong had left in this world. Even though she wanted to protect Qi Rong, she couldn't stop him from saving his mother!
"Okay."
Qi Rong smiled and agreed, but in his heart, he was already calculating how to activate the few secret agents in the Kunning Palace and let them play their roles inside, even though it might ruin all his efforts over the years!
Seeing that Qi Rong didn't insist anymore, Yun Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she told Qi Rong about the conversation between her and the Empress Dowager today.
Qi Rong couldn't help but snort coldly after hearing it. His expression was mocking.
"That old hag seems to be cornered. She's afraid that once I gain military power, there will be no chance for the Li family to rise again. So, she's racking her brains to use your hand to make my backyard catch fire, so as to achieve the purpose of restraining me."
Qi Rong straddled the soft couch, pulled Yun Xi into his arms, and placed her on his lap. He pecked her lips and said with a smile,
"You don't need to pay attention to that old hag. As long as you don't offend her on the surface, be more vigilant on weekdays, and stay away from her."
This was a war between him and the royal family. He didn't want Yun Xi to be involved.
Noticing that Yun Xi had been frowning since she returned to the mansion, Qi Rong reached out and pinched her smooth cheek. He said gently,
"As long as you're happy, it's more important than anything else. So, smile?"
Qi Rong winked at Yun Xi, but Yun Xi forced a smile, which was full of bitterness.
If Qi Rong knew that she had hidden such an important thing from him, would he blame her for acting on her own? Would he hate her from then on?
It was precisely because she didn't know how Qi Rong would react that she couldn't help but worry.
"I won't stay away from the Empress Dowager in the future. Instead, I'll find a way to get close to her."
Yun Xi pulled down Qi Rong's hand that was pinching her cheek and intertwined their fingers. Before the other could object, Yun Xi continued,
"Qi Rong, since you've recognized me as your wife, I can't always hide behind you. No matter how much you object, I've decided to fight side by side with you! Unless you divorce me or dismiss me."
Yun Xi had made up her mind and would never change it!
Looking at Yun Xi's serious and unyielding expression, Qi Rong, who originally wanted to object, couldn't help but sigh deeply.
She knew that he couldn't let her go, so she was using this as a "threat". If he didn't agree, she might do something even more dangerous behind his back.
Therefore, he had to compromise. His black eyes stared fixedly at Yun Xi and he hugged her tightly in his arms.
"Okay, but you also have to promise me that you won't hide anything from me and never put yourself in danger!"