"It's all right. I'm not injured. Keep it quiet," Si Junlin said. His intention was to keep this incident under wraps, but Su Wan'er was filled with fear.
"Your Majesty, this humble general... this humble official... no, this humble woman didn't do it on purpose. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!" What should she do now? Why didn't this man know how to dodge?
Si Junlin hadn't really been bothered at first. He could sense that Su Wan'er had withdrawn her strength as soon as she saw the blade pierce in. But now, seeing her kneel down, not even looking at his wound but only worrying about being punished, he got angry instead.
"A few days ago, when I just returned to the palace, every morning, half - asleep and half - awake, I always recalled such a scene. I was also injured here. Then, without even bandaging it, I just let the blood soak my clothes. After that, I half - reclined here waiting for someone to save me." Si Junlin seemed to be talking to himself, and then he did as he described.
He just let the blood soak his clothes, then sat there on his own and continued, "I seemed to be waiting for a girl. I loved her deeply... but she seemed determined to leave. After she came, she just said a few words, and then was also indifferent to my injury like this. She strode out and never came back." At first, Si Junlin couldn't clearly see the girl's face. And after he found himself inexplicably interested in Su Wan'er, he even suspected that he was a fickle person.
Fortunately, now that he had brought her into the palace these days, he could see clearly. The national teacher was right when he said when he was a child that he was not a person who could love multiple people at once, even when it came to women.
Su Wan'er looked at him curiously. She thought Si Junlin was different from the king she had imagined. But the more she listened to him, the more familiar he seemed. And... why was she feeling guilty? That girl who left him to die wasn't her... Wait, wasn't she also leaving him to die now?!
"Your... Your Majesty, perhaps this humble one can bandage your wound for you." So he was talking to her. If he wanted someone to bandage his wound, he should have just said so. He had really bled a lot.
"Wan'er, your name is Wan'er, right?" Si Junlin acquiesced to her fumbling around and even naturally opened his clothes.
Su Wan'er was taken aback. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"The girl I was talking about... was also named Wan'er." Si Junlin felt a coolness on his shoulder. It seemed that when he moved, she had touched a place other than his wound. Then Su Wan'er subconsciously tried to dodge, but he quickly caught her.
"..." Su Wan'er wanted to pull her hand out forcefully, but seeing that he was using his left hand to hold her, afraid of pulling his wound, she could only frown and struggle slightly.
"Continue."
"Yes."
"They all say... Wan'er used to be my empress."
"Them?" Who was spreading such nonsense? She had never heard that the emperor had ever appointed an empress.
"The empress dowager and the servants and maids in the palace." Si Junlin tilted his head and watched her carefully wipe away the remaining blood. The wound wasn't deep, but she still carefully bandaged it. "And coincidentally, they said that my former empress also came from a military family, was extremely skilled in martial arts, but was well - known for being bad at needlework." Si Junlin pursed his lips and smiled, as if he could recall the memories of that time.
"Really..." Su Wan'er had no choice but to tear off a piece of the lining of her sleeve to use as a bandage.
"It's a pity that I don't know whether I should believe the rest. Some say that she loved the servants and maids the most and was a kind empress. But others say that she was extremely arrogant and domineering, and that she entered the palace with a conspiracy. She bullied my other concubines and even wanted to join forces with her family to bring down the empress dowager..."
"Nonsense!" Su Wan'er was tying a knot and was slightly distracted. She got excited subconsciously and exerted a bit more strength with her hand. Si Junlin gasped in pain.
"I've already said that I don't know whether I should believe it or not..." Si Junlin laughed as he looked at her, thinking that the clothes he had specially chosen for her yesterday, made for fairies, looked especially good.
"Wan'er, I know you've forgotten. Actually, I've also forgotten a lot. But I remember one thing in my heart. If I don't make you my empress, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Su Wan'er finally finished bandaging. She thought that even if the emperor wanted to punish her for leaving him to die in the future, he couldn't do it now. So she clapped her hands as if she had completed a great task.
But Si Junlin stared at her intently. "Wan'er..."
"Yes?" Su Wan'er stood up straight, not knowing what was going on. "Your Majesty, this humble one... has finished bandaging."
"I can see that." Si Junlin's face darkened. "I said that if I miss this opportunity... I'll deeply regret it."
Su Wan'er still stood straight.
"I think you will too, right?"
Su Wan'er was completely confused now. "Y... yes." What did she have to regret? The emperor could miss his old lover if he wanted to. What did it matter to her?
"Then you've agreed?!" Si Junlin didn't care about the wound on his left shoulder and stood up with a swish.
"Hehe, agreed?" What?
"Then we'll hold the grand ceremony in three days... no, this time we'll follow the wedding ceremony and have the nuptial cup ceremony." Si Junlin was extremely excited, as if he had already planned it all out.
But Su Wan'er really didn't know what had come over her. It was only now that she understood his intention.
"Your Majesty must be misunderstanding. Moreover, this matter is too hasty. Your Majesty should remember that you are the Son of Heaven, the supreme being! How can you casually snatch a bride from the common people and bring her into your palace, and then marry her in just a few days?"
Seeing that she didn't admit it, Si Junlin got anxious again. "Su Wan'er, did you not listen to a single word of what I just said to you?" He had almost shed tears while talking. He had painstakingly arranged for her to be here, endured great pressure while arguing with the stubborn old officials in the court, and today he had even risked being labeled as unfilial by personally asking the empress dowager. And now he was accused of snatching a bride.
"Your Majesty's words are so confusing. This humble woman really doesn't understand the reason. May I ask if there really was a former empress two or three years ago?" Even if she resembled that empress in appearance, family background, and even personality, she was really innocent. Even the emperor couldn't forcefully snatch a commoner girl and force her to do something against her will.
"Do you really not know who the former empress I'm talking about today is?!" Si Junlin had been through so much these days. In the middle of the night, memories would flood his mind. He thought that Su Wan'er would surely be the same as him and recall some fragments. It didn't need to be much. As long as she had some concerns in her heart and could smoothly marry him, they could figure out the rest slowly. At least they wouldn't miss each other. But now she actually thought that he was missing an old lover.
"Please forgive this humble woman's stupidity. I really don't know. But this humble woman thinks that even if Your Majesty wants to find someone similar, it should be a mutual agreement."