My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 54: “I really can't bear to see you cry.”

　　Yun Ling froze, then belatedly felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

　　He really… how could he say such things?

　　This was still outside, she wanted to break free, but he wouldn't let go.

　　In the courtyard of the inn, a plum blossom tree was planted, blooming brightly even in the cold winter.

　　The faint, cool scent of pinewood from his body filled her nostrils, like his broad embrace tightly wrapping around her.

　　His dark hair fell on her shoulders, blending with the white snow-cloud patterned clothes she wore, a stark contrast of cold and warmth.

　　He held her waist, gazing at her, as if waiting for her answer.

　　Yun Ling's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly leaned against his chest, saying,

　　“I promised His Highness that I would return after finishing Master's affairs.”

　　He liked her, he cared about her; she had known this since the day he said he would make her his Crown Princess.

　　Even in the Palace, even after leaving the Cold Palace, she had sensed his affection for her.

　　But initially, she also knew he disliked this kind of affection for a palace maid, thinking it was merely his possessiveness. She thought, his dislike of this affection meant nothing to her; she didn't care.

　　But ever since he found her in Meiyang County, and she told him she didn't want to be a Cèfēi, he offered her the position of Crown Princess without hesitation. Never before had she felt his affection so clearly and unmistakably.

　　But she had escaped with such difficulty, and truly didn't want to return to the devouring depths of the Palace. She had hoped for a peaceful, ordinary life, but she also knew that under the circumstances, under his power, her wish was destined to remain unfulfilled. Therefore, she had long since given up on the idea of escaping.

　　This time, if it weren't for the fact that he had sent her a highly skilled and high-ranking Jinyiwei commander to escort her, how could she have sought justice for her Master?

　　In this vast world, under his control, where else could she flee? It seemed she could only compromise.

　　Since the age of sixteen, she had been entangled with him, experiencing his violence, oppression, possessiveness, and also his madness, concessions, and affection.

　　Who was right and who was wrong, how could she tell? She had never hated him for those things, but those past years were impossible to erase; how could they continue?

　　She suddenly raised her head, staring blankly at him.

　　Xie Jue felt her gaze and lowered his eyes, his long fingers stroking her hair. “What's wrong?”

　　“Nothing.” Yun Ling paused, wanting to say something, but ultimately shook her head.

　　“How did you handle your Master's case?” He asked, noticing her somewhat dazed expression.

　　Yun Ling replied, “Everything has been taken care of. A proper tomb has been established for my Master, and the slander against him has been cleared.”

　　“Mm.” He responded, loosening his hold on her. “Did anything happen over there?”

　　Yun Ling didn't intend to hide anything from him. “Aside from my Master's matters, I unexpectedly obtained a clue about my background.”

　　She then shared with him the information about the protective amulet possibly originating from the Lin family.

　　“Lin family?”

　　Upon hearing that surname, Xie Jue furrowed his brows, feeling as though he had heard it somewhere before. But it wasn't in Yunze. In that moment, his mind was a whirlwind, unable to recall.

　　He pulled her back into his embrace, saying, “Forget it. I will send someone to inquire and find out the truth for you.”

　　Since she wanted to uncover her background, he would surely do everything to assist her. Whether she was from a commoner or a Noble family, he didn't care.

　　“No matter what your identity is, you will always belong to me.”

　　Upon hearing this, Yun Ling's face creased slightly, and she couldn't help but say, “Your Highness is always so domineering. But I am me, I don't belong to anyone.”

　　She slowly turned her face away.

　　She was a person, not an object; how could she belong to him?

　　Seeing her pursing her lips and her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, Xie Jue clicked his tongue, his slender fingers with distinct knuckles caressing her cheek. The touch was light, and he simply gazed at the expression on her face, his thin lips curving into a smile. “You've become increasingly bold lately.”

　　“You dare to contradict me at every moment.”

　　Yun Ling mumbled, “I'm only telling the truth.”

　　Xie Jue paused for a moment, his brows furrowed, before exhaling and turning her face back towards him. “Alright, I—”

　　Before he could finish, his eyes suddenly sharpened, and he quickly spun her around to the side, hugging her waist. The next moment, a flying arrow narrowly missed them, embedding itself heavily in the doorframe.

　　On the roof, an unknown number of assassins in black cloaks had appeared.

　　The quick-witted Jinyiwei burst in the next moment, their leader, Fei Ying, asking, “Your Highness, are you alright?”

　　Xie Jue said coldly, “I'm fine.”

　　“They're looking for death.”

　　If it weren't for Pei Yuan still being in the prison in Zezhou, these assassins wouldn't have been able to get anywhere near this place.

　　Even so, there were numerous skilled Jinyiwei and hidden guards in the inn; these assassins wouldn't be able to harm him in the slightest. If they weren't looking for death, then what were they doing here?

　　Yun Ling was held in his arms, and having experienced such scenes numerous times, she remained relatively calm, though she was puzzled. “How could there be assassins?”

　　The governor of Yunze had already been arrested, so why would these assassins suddenly appear?

　　“Capture them and interrogate them; we'll find out.”

　　With Xie Jue's order, the Jinyiwei charged forward, engaging the group of assassins.

　　The battle on the roof was fierce and chaotic, but in less than half an incense stick's time, most of the assassins were either dead or injured.

　　Only a few leaders remained, being brought before the Jinyiwei.

　　Fei Ying barked, “Speak! Who sent you?”

　　To assassinate the Prince, they must either be rebels or part of the governor's forces in Yunze.

　　However, the situation was indeed suspicious.

　　The governor of Yunze had already been captured, so how could he send assassins? Was it possible that his accomplices were attempting to rescue him?

　　But that didn't seem likely.

　　The assassin leader was forced to kneel on the ground, hands bound and unable to move. With his head lowered, he bitterly said, “I have nothing to say now that you have caught me.”

　　“But—” He paused for a moment, suddenly revealing a surge of strength. He tossed the two Jinyiwei holding him to the ground and charged straight at Xie Jue with a short knife.

　　He was unexpectedly strong.

　　All the Jinyiwei immediately tensed and rushed forward to surround the assassin. Fei Ying, with quick reflexes, managed to disarm the man, taking the short knife away and incapacitating his arm in a swift motion.

　　With the Jinyiwei protecting him, the assassin couldn't get within arm's reach of Xie Jue at all.

　　Xie Jue furrowed his brows, a strange feeling welling up within him.

　　At that moment, his eyes caught sight of an arrow flying from the shadows, aimed directly at — Yun Ling, who was beside him.

　　Yun Ling's gaze was fixated on the assassin; she was completely unprepared and could only watch, her pupils widening, as the arrow flew towards her.

　　It dawned on her belatedly—this group of assassins hadn't targeted the Crown Prince at all; from the beginning, their target had been her.

　　It was all a diversion.

　　They had drawn the attention of all the Jinyiwei, who were nervously protecting the Crown Prince, and used that opportunity to kill her, before the Jinyiwei could even react to save her.

　　The arrow, aimed to pierce her heart, flew with impossible speed, intending to kill her instantly.

　　In a flash, Yun Ling felt a figure swiftly embrace her, and the next moment, she heard the dull thud of the arrow piercing flesh.

　　Yun Ling's eyes widened, trembling, as she fell into his broad embrace. Her mind went blank, unable to process anything.

　　He let out a muffled groan, his arm tightening around her.

　　Behind them, the sounds of panic erupted among the Jinyiwei. “Your Highness!”

　　The Jinyiwei quickly surrounded them, forming an impenetrable barrier. Fei Ying leaped onto the roof, engaging in combat with the assassin.

　　In her ears, it felt as though she could hear the sound of blood dripping onto the ground, each drop heavy and resonant, as if it were striking against her very heart.

　　In Yun Ling's line of sight, she saw a large spout of blood pouring from his right shoulder, staining his clothes a deep red.

　　Everything was drenched in crimson.

　　Even the Jinyiwei couldn't reach her in time, yet he had used his own body to block the arrow for her.

　　She opened her lips but couldn't make a sound.

　　Xie Jue held her tightly, closing his eyes forcefully for a moment before gathering himself. In a deep voice, he commanded, “Capture him; I will interrogate him personally.”

　　“Understood,” Fei Ying replied.

　　——

　　In the brightly lit room,

　　Basin after basin of blood-stained water was carried out. Zhang, the imperial physician who had come from Yunze, removed the arrow from the Crown Prince's shoulder, applied medicine, and dressed the wound.

　　Wiping the sweat from his brow, he said, “Fortunately, His Highness managed to control the position of the arrow; it only grazed his shoulder and isn't serious. He will need to recuperate well from now on.”

　　Pei Yuan, who had rushed back, bowed and said, “Yes.”

　　Even so, an assassination attempt on the Crown Prince was a matter of grave consequence. The Jinyiwei's failure to provide adequate protection was inexcusable.

　　Fei Ying and the others were all kneeling outside the door.

　　The Jinyiwei had surrounded the entire inn, forming an impenetrable barrier. The assassin was imprisoned in the jail, awaiting interrogation and punishment after the Crown Prince recovered.

　　Pei Yuan had investigated; these assassins were not exceptionally skilled, and they didn't even know the Crown Prince's identity. It was only because Fei Ying and the others were caught off guard that the assassins managed to launch a surprise attack.

　　No one had anticipated that the group of assassins was actually targeting Lady Yun.

　　She was kind-hearted and had never made enemies; who could hate her so much as to want her dead?

　　Such incidents had never occurred before. It was only after her return from Pengshui that the assassins appeared. Could it be related to Pengshui?

　　These matters would likely require interrogation of the captured assassins to uncover the truth.

　　……

　　The night had deepened, shrouded in dark shadows.

　　Inside the room, the candlelight was bright, with the doors and windows tightly shut, not allowing even a whisper of wind to enter.

　　It was tranquil and silent.

　　Yun Ling stayed by his side throughout the night, tending to him, and only felt a bit of relief when she saw him finally asleep.

　　His shoulder had been bandaged, and he lay on the bed with his eyes closed. The reddish hue of his lips appeared pale due to the significant blood loss.

　　It suddenly reminded her of the time in Qingzhou when she had been caught in a calamity and he had saved her, though only a minor wound to her arm.

　　But this time, the arrow had almost pierced his shoulder, and even Fei Ying was kneeling outside, pleading for forgiveness.

　　If the arrow had been just slightly off target, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

　　He was always so well-prepared and calculated; except for instances of self-inflicted injuries, he hadn't suffered such a severe wound even during his time in the Cold Palace.

　　In that critical moment, without a second thought, he had embraced her. He had been cruel to her in the past, yet time and again, he had shielded her from harm.

　　If something were to happen to him, what would become of the hard-won peace in the Great Jin Dynasty?

　　Yun Ling's heart was in turmoil; her thoughts were a chaotic mess.

　　Time slipped away, and deep night descended. Yun Ling slowly rested her face on her arm and closed her eyes. She didn't know when she fell asleep, but her dreams were far from peaceful.

　　An arrow passed before her eyes, and many people rushed towards her, intending to kill her. Blood, everywhere—so much blood, a sea of crimson engulfing her.

　　She was trapped, unable to escape, suffocating.

　　She looked down and found her hands stained with blood. Looking up, she realized it was his blood, from his chest; he was falling before her.

　　She was trapped in this nightmare, unable to wake up.

　　After the effects of the medicine wore off, the pain from the wound on his shoulder caused Xie Jue to slowly open his eyes. He paused for a moment, then turned his head and saw her slumped beside the bed. A fine layer of sweat covered her smooth forehead, her brow tightly furrowed in her sleep, looking very troubled.

　　As if she were having a nightmare.

　　Xie Jue had just reached out when she woke with a start at the sound. She lifted her face, her eyes red-rimmed, her hair damp with sweat; she looked terribly frightened, tears uncontrollably streaming down her face.

　　Seeing him awake, she anxiously asked, “You're awake? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

　　Xie Jue grasped her wrist and said only two words, “Come up.”

　　Yun Ling hesitated for a moment, then took off her shoes and lay down beside him.

　　He turned and looked at her quietly, “Why is your face so pale? Were you frightened?”

　　Yun Ling softly replied, “I just had a nightmare.”

　　She had experienced many dangerous moments and was no longer easily frightened. But she just had a nightmare.

　　She then worriedly asked, “Your Highness, how is your wound? Does it hurt? Should I call Imperial Physician Zhang?”

　　Xie Jue stopped her from moving. “I'm not in pain. What did you dream about?”

　　A mere arrow wound was nothing to him.

　　“I dreamed of a group of people trying to assassinate me, and then I dreamed that Your Highness was covered in blood.” The feeling of terror still lingered in her heart. Yun Ling's hair was damp at her temples, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, her voice tinged with lingering fear.

　　Those assassins were after her; if it weren't for him, she would be dead.

　　“I'm fine. With me there, those people couldn't hurt you.” Xie Jue looked at her pale face, his own eyes darkening slightly. His voice softened as he comforted her,

　　“Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you.”

　　Yun Ling's body stiffened, her eyes reddening. After a moment, she turned her head and buried her face in his neck, soft and docile. She softly murmured, “Mm.”

　　Her breath, light and even, brushed against his neck.

　　Finally, she gradually calmed down.

　　Xie Jue held her delicate body tightly in his arms, stroking her hair. He closed his eyes and said, “Don't cry anymore.”

　　“I really can't bear to see you cry.”

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T/N: This chapter is so sweet! See? We can see Xie Jue slowly showing his affection, albeit still domineering as usual. 😂

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