Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 179 What to do when you meet Chi Yue?

Qi Xiao's own injuries were not serious, with frostbite, abrasions, sprains, and so on, which were enough for Qinglan to nag about. However, the others were far less lucky than him. Even Ah Zheng, who he thought was the least injured, actually had a broken rib. He gritted his teeth and persevered, and walked in the snow for two hours, and carried a person back. He was scolded by Qinglan, and Qi Xiao was also scolded.

Except for those who were unconscious, no one in the group could escape Qinglan's mouth, even Chi Yue was not spared.

Chi Yue carried Zong Sheng back on his back. He was worried about him and his eyes would not leave Zong Sheng for a moment. Qing Lan could not get Chi Yue to do other things or help with other things, so he simply left Zong Sheng to Chi Yue. He wiped Zong Sheng's body, cleaned the wound, applied medicine, boiled medicine, and fed medicine. In short, he just kept watch over him.

Chi Yue had been through all sorts of injuries since childhood, and he was even more skilled than Qinglan at treating them, quick and ruthless. He even had to pick the festering wound on Zongsheng's back clean, and Chi Yue was quick and decisive, his knife seemingly agile, his precision unerring. Qinglan wanted Chi Yue to help treat other people's wounds, but Chi Yue wouldn't even agree, constantly asking about Zongsheng, which was practically infuriating.

"Go back to the room and lie down for a while?" Tang Ling walked to Qi Xiao and reached out to pull him up.

"Sit with me for a while." Qi Xiao held Tang Ling's hand and pulled him to sit next to him.

Tang Ling leaned against Qi Xiao, slowly rested her head on his shoulder, and hugged him.

Qi Xiao had returned, his injuries not serious. Tang Ling silently thanked the heavens and then decided to thank Zong Sheng. Although Zong Sheng probably wouldn't accept it, it was his duty to protect Qi Xiao. She also had to thank Chi Yue.

"What are you thinking about?"

Qi Xiao was still staring at the makeshift hut. He didn't say anything, unsure what to say. He had never considered Zong Sheng a guard or servant. When he'd first met Bai Xiqiao and joined the Hanchen Sect, Qi Xiao had even dragged Zong Sheng along to kowtow to the Master. Zong Sheng, while he kowtowed, insisted he couldn't overstep his bounds, refusing to call him "Master" or to call him and Bai Xiqiao "Senior Brothers."

Qi Xiao, Bai Xiqiao, Gu Shanmo, everyone in the Hanchen Sect, and even those in the Chu Palace knew that Zong Sheng was more than just a guard. He was Qi Xiao's closest and most trusted person, a friend, a brother, a family member, and the one who could make decisions for Qi Xiao. It was just that Zong Sheng clung to his "status" and refused to let go.

But compared to Zong Sheng who always puts Qi Xiao first in everything, Qi Xiao is too "accustomed" to Zong Sheng. Otherwise, how could he not realize that Zong Sheng is hiding something, someone in his heart?

When they were hiding in the ravine, Zong Sheng had a high fever and was talking nonsense. Qi Xiao listened hard many times before he understood what he said: "Master, I want to see Chi Yue..."

What do you want to see Chi Yue for?

Qi Xiao was very confused. When Zong Sheng was occasionally lucid, Qi Xiao asked him about it, but Zong Sheng didn't answer. When he was unconscious, he kept saying that he wanted to see Chi Yue.

Meet Chi Yue...

After meeting Chi Yue, Qi Xiao suddenly understood what Zong Sheng wanted and what was his last obsession when he looked back at the world at the gates of hell.

Qi Xiao sighed, lowered his head, and whispered: "I don't know... How could I not know..."

"They deliberately concealed it so that no one could know."

Qi Xiao shook his head slightly and smiled bitterly: "At that time, I wanted to stick with you day and night, and it would be best if I didn't see anyone else. How could I possibly know?"

In Yuanjing, Qi Xiao was busy investigating cases and dealing with His Majesty. Later, when Concubine Lin passed away, he was overwhelmed with grief. When he left the capital, he hurried all the way. Qi Xiao couldn't even take care of himself, so how could he possibly notice that Zong Sheng and Chi Yue were deliberately concealing something?

"It's not too late to know now." Tang Ling hugged Qi Xiao and let him get close to her chest.

"Did Chi Yue tell you himself?"

On his way back to the camp, Qi Xiao encountered Bai Xiqiao and his men searching for them. Qi Xiao then realized that Chi Yue had escaped on his own in the snow. Bai Xiqiao realized that Tang Ling had let Chi Yue out, and unable to get angry with her, he led his men out to search for her. Fortunately, the snow and wind had died down considerably, and they met him halfway.

"Ah."

"They're in love, do they both know it?" Qi Xiao didn't know Chi Yue well. He spoke with a mix of vagueness and uncertainty, often making it difficult to decipher his words. And Zong Sheng, with his taciturn nature, probably wouldn't say anything he was thinking.

Tang Ling chuckled: "I guess, you should know."

"Guess? Didn't Chi Yue tell you?"

Tang Ling shook her head: "No matter what, it will be clearer than ever after this time."

Qi Xiao sighed again, and Tang Ling smiled again: "Thinking about it this way, you're still the best. You don't hide whether you like it or not. You just reach out and take what you want."

Qi Xiao was amused and chuckled: "What do you mean by just reaching out and taking it? Wouldn't that be blatant robbery?"

"Hmm. Don't you remember that incident on Baiyan Mountain when they forced me onto their horse and took me into the woods?"

Qi Xiao was speechless for a while before he said, "If you really don't want to, I won't force you."

Tang Ling stroked Qi Xiao's face with her palm and whispered softly, "Thank goodness you're back. Thank goodness you're safe."

Qi Xiao held Tang Ling's hand. He could feel the warmth of her palm, and she could feel his, their intertwined tenderness and lingering affection. When Qi Xiao first returned, Tang Ling felt she was dreaming, that everything was an illusion, that he simply missed her too much. But now, the two of them embraced, no need to express their feelings; the warmth of his palm soothed the fear and anxiety of the past few days.

Tang Ling closed her eyes, and fell asleep without knowing when. Although Qi Xiao had endured four days and four nights of blizzard, he still slept to conserve his energy. Hiding in the cave for most of the time meant he couldn't do anything. But Tang Ling hadn't slept a wink since learning Qi Xiao was missing. He had a low-grade fever yesterday, and Qing Lan had fed him a decoction, secretly adding some tranquilizers to help him sleep, but Tang Ling refused to sleep. Qing Lan had no choice but to decide that if Tang Ling's fever didn't subside by dawn, she would just have to throw him out.

Qi Xiao kissed Tang Ling gently, then carried her back into the house and let her sleep soundly. He sat beside her bed for a while before getting up.

Qi Xiao's injuries were not serious. Now that he was back, he should be with his soldiers. Besides, he had something to say to Bai Xiqiao and Lu Xiulin.

"When will his fever go away?"

"When will he wake up?"

Qinglan was annoyed by Chi Yue's two questions and gradually became numb. Chi Yue wished he could ask them non-stop.

"Don't ask. I don't know even if you ask. Do you really think I'm a god?" Qing Lan was furious. He had just taken Zong Sheng's pulse. In just half a moment, Chi Yue couldn't calm down for a moment. But when he looked up at Chi Yue, he couldn't say any more harsh words. He just said, "Although his pulse is weak, it has stabilized. He has a good physical foundation and needs to be carefully cared for. He will get better."

"Thank you."

"...You stay with him. If he gets a bad fever in the middle of the night, call me."

Chi Yue nodded.

Qinglan left, unable to help but glance back. Wasn't Chi Yue from the Tiance Camp? Aren't they all cold-blooded killers? Even when Concubine Lin was in trouble, Chi Yue had secretly helped them, but back then, Qinglan simply thought it was Qi Xiao's order, one he couldn't disobey. But now, Qinglan seemed to realize that Chi Yue was also a person with flesh and blood, a heartbeat, a breath, a feeling of pain, love, obsession, and delusion.

Qinglan shook her head, but this didn't seem like a good thing... Someone like the young master was a cause of worry.