Volume 1, Chapter 5: Fan Xiu, Don't Go So Deep!

“That shirt was stained with blood, so I changed it for you,” Fan said matter-of-factly.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruoqing felt an overwhelming surge of fury and humiliation.

She had endured Fan’s earlier inappropriate groping, and though she wished she could kill him for secretly kissing her, she bore it through gritted teeth to stay alive.

But her imperial robes—he had actually taken those off?

Xiao Ruoqing wanted to scold him sharply, but a wave of weakness from her severe injuries swept over her, leaving her only able to utter faintly with difficulty, “Who… who told you to change them for me?”

“Your clothes were torn and soaked with blood. Could you have changed them yourself? If you didn’t, the wounds would get infected! Besides, wearing blood-stained clothes—what if someone misunderstood and reported me to the authorities, and I ended up arrested?” Fan replied.

Xiao Ruoqing closed her eyes helplessly, realizing she truly could not care for herself, and a profound sense of powerlessness rose within her.

Enough.

Today, the mighty tiger falls prey to the dogs on the plains.

To think a majestic empress had sunk so low—how tragic.

She looked at Fan, despair etched deeply on her exquisite face, her voice trembling as she asked, “Then… did you take advantage of me while you were at it?”

“No!” Fan immediately raised both hands, swearing, “How could I be the kind to prey on the vulnerable? I am a man of integrity!”

But the panic in his eyes betrayed everything.

“You…” Xiao Ruoqing sneered with contempt, “You coward! You do wrong but won’t admit it. No wonder you’re so ‘kind-hearted’—guilty conscience!”

“Really, I didn’t! At most, when changing your clothes, I might have accidentally touched you, but there was absolutely no intention of taking advantage! I swear!” Fan said solemnly.

Xiao Ruoqing glared coldly at him.

She wouldn’t believe a single word from this scoundrel—his deceit was endless.

Yet she had grown numb.

Fan’s relentless behavior recently had dulled her spirit, like how a multitude of lice no longer itch.

She no longer had the energy to continue berating him.

But deep in her heart, she silently vowed that once she regained her strength and freedom, the first thing she would do was to deal with this scoundrel!

“Um…” Fan awkwardly scratched his head. “Do you still want to eat this apple?”

Xiao Ruoqing looked at the apple. Hunger and thirst suddenly overwhelmed her.

Her dignity as empress made her reluctant to eat—especially now, being fed like a beggar.

But she had no choice; otherwise, she might die soon.

Xiao Ruoqing, you must not die yet!

---

She swallowed her pride, shame flooding her as she began to eat the apple, swallowing with difficulty as if what she was swallowing was not fruit but the lofty dignity of an empress.

Fan nodded with a smile. “That’s more like it. Don’t rush—there’s more.”

After she finished the apple, Fan produced a banana.

“Here, have a banana. It’s big, so bear with it,” Fan said with a silly grin.

Xiao Ruoqing bit into the banana and coldly regarded Fan.

Why did this guy’s expression look so strange?

Especially when she opened her mouth to eat the banana, Fan’s silly grin stretched nearly to his ears.

I’m just eating a banana—why are you grinning like that?

Xiao Ruoqing couldn’t fathom what was going through Fan’s mind.

Also—

“Fan, don’t insert it so deep!” she frowned.

“All right, all right, I’ll go shallower.”

“Good, good, keep eating.”

“You’re feeding so deep it’s nearly at my throat!”

“Uh—used to it! By the way, what’s your name?” Fan quickly tried to change the subject, worried she might see through him.

Xiao Ruoqing was about to answer but hesitated.

At this point, she no longer wanted Fan to know she was the Empress of Dayin. After he had taken so much advantage of her, she could never let him discover her identity—and he wouldn’t believe her anyway.

She had no idea how long her injuries would take to heal, nor when the Blood Feather Guards would find her.

She could not trust anyone in the government.

If there were people connected to the Cheng family inside, going to the authorities would be like sending herself into the tiger’s den.

Though Fan was despicable, his medical skills were useful, and if she wanted to live, she had to rely on him.

“My name is Liu Qing, from the Liu family in Jingzhou,” she replied.

As long as she gave a distant enough origin, Fan would never trace her true identity.

Fan was surprised. “You came all the way from Jingzhou? Were those assassins your enemies?”

He knew Jingzhou—the Dayin Dynasty had one capital and thirteen provinces. Between his Xuzhou and Jingzhou lay Liangzhou. For a young girl to cross from Jingzhou, through Yuzhou, all the way to Xuzhou was quite a journey.

Xiao Ruoqing said, “Yes. The Liu family was wiped out by our enemies. I fled here with my guards. They all died in battle, and I was nearly killed myself. Fortunately, I met you, or I would have died at their hands.”

Fan nodded in understanding. “No wonder.”

Then he stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Who are they? The court? Or powerful families?”

“Why? Are you scared?” Xiao Ruoqing asked.

“No way! I’m a proper scholar-official! Why would I dodge them?” Fan declared solemnly, though his eyes began to flit nervously.

---

Xiao Ruoqing was initially surprised to hear Fan call himself a scholar-official.

But seeing his evasive eyes, she immediately guessed this coward was preparing to run again, making her grind her teeth in anger.

“Don’t worry,” she said gravely. “Those people are merely bandits after money. They won’t openly search for me, nor will they implicate you.”

The assassins acted secretly and would never boldly hunt her down.

Meanwhile, the Blood Feather Guards would be searching for her. Once she recovered or they found her, she could leave.

And Fan’s timidity made him easy to control—no need to worry about him betraying her.

Fan patted his chest. “That’s good.”

He had really been startled earlier.

If Xiao Ruoqing had truly provoked the court or powerful clans, he would have handed her over without hesitation!

He was just a commoner who didn’t even dare help the old lady cross the street.

To expect him to offend the court or noble families just for a woman he’d known for two days?

“Liu Qing,” Fan said confidently, patting his chest, “you’re the last of your family, right? Don’t worry—stick with me, and I’ve got your back!”

No response.

Turning his head, he found Xiao Ruoqing had fallen asleep again, and he felt bored.

It was only at the seventh watch that Fan finally brought Xiao Ruoqing back to Qinglin Village on the outskirts of Zhiyuan County.

But the old Fan family was an exception.

Just as Fan expected, the messenger reporting good news had arrived long ago. The dilapidated old Fan family gate had a faded, tattered red lantern hanging, whose origin was a mystery to him.

As he reached the doorstep, he heard anxious voices inside.

Father: “It’s been two days. Why hasn’t Xiuer returned yet?”

Mother: “Could something have happened?”

Their tones were full of worry.

Then a mocking laugh rang out—it was his sister-in-law’s voice.

“Now that he’s a scholar-official, he probably looks down on our family and doesn’t want to come back! You even invited relatives and neighbors to wait for Fan’s return to celebrate—let’s see what you’ll do now!”

“Who said that?” Fan strode into the Fan family gate holding the donkey’s reins. “I’m back, aren’t I? And I’ve brought a wife with me!”