Ying Lili was sitting on a stool in the bathhouse, waiting for Sheng Li to come. Her eyes were closing as she was a little sleepy, but at the same time, she was feeling hungry. "Your highness, get into the bathtub. Here, I will help you in undressing," Court Lady Xu humbly requested. 

Ying Lili hummed. Court Lady Xu removed the satin robe, which was covering the upper body of the Crown Princess. "Court Lady Xu, how was the Crown Prince behaving when I was unconscious?" Ying Lili queried her. The Court Lady stopped in the middle, removing the skirt, and peered at the Crown Princess, who was waiting for her response. 

"The Crown Prince was angry. His highness even pointed the sword at the Empress. He had completely lost his temper." Ying Lili's eyes widened. How could he raise the sword at the Empress? Ying Lili was not only astonished but also a little worried if this would lead to any bad consequences. 

Suddenly, they heard the creak of the door. The Crown Prince had entered the bathhouse. Court Lady Xu stepped back, leaving Ying Lili near the bathtub. Sheng Li ordered the Court Lady to leave the bathhouse, who bowed and taking gradual back steps she was soon out of the bathhouse. 

Ying Lili was standing with her back towards the Crown Prince. Her long hair was covering most of the back but the wound was visible. Sheng Li poignantly watched her as he slowly went to her. He walked past her and checked the water. Tilting his head, he asked her to come near him. 

Ying Lili went to him when she was gently pushed down to sit on the marble-raised platform around the bathtub. He placed his hand on the high waist skirt's knot and opened it. Ying Lili gulped out of nervousness because she was going to be half-naked in front of Sheng Li. "Get into the water," she heard him as he helped her get into the bathtub. 

Sheng Li was a little confused regarding the washing of those long hairs. He gently caught them and made a bun. Her smooth white skin was now visible to him and the wound too. He traced his finger over the wound, which was not healed fully. Ying Lili hissed in pain. Sheng Li pulled his hand back and took the hemispherical jug to pour water over Lili's body. "If you feel pain, then tell me," she heard him say. 

The lukewarm water fell over Ying Lili's body and her muscles were relaxed. She closed her eyes and kept playing with her fingers under the water. The nervousness had gone now and it had turned into a relaxing bath. 

"Sheng Li picked the rose water bottle as he poured it over her body. Ying Lili was squeezing her hands together when Sheng Li's fingers touched her collarbones. He had not touched her this close, though she wanted him to. The entire time, Sheng Li's focus was on Ying Lili's weak body state. "Sheng Li, did you raise the sword at the Empress?" Ying Lili suddenly questioned him, thus breaking the ice between them. 

"Hmm. I wanted to kill her but-"

"Don't let your conscience fall in such cases. It's unlawful to raise the sword at the Empress," Ying Lili said and tilted her head to glance at Sheng Li. 

"I know. Everyone would have thought that I was rebelling but it was the need of the hour. She harmed the most precious person to me. I could not sit behind and do nothing," Sheng Li stated, drawing his brows together. Ying Lili was out of words upon hearing him. 

Sheng Li washed Ying Lili's back with utter carefulness. Every time the water hit the region of the wound, Ying Lili would wince. His eyes were teary and it seemed that tears would fall anytime from them. 

"My heart is aching every time I see this," she heard him say. "I know you love me but please do not do anything like this again. I would not be able to take it. For me, each passing second was like a day when you were unconscious. Indeed, this is my fault for having poor security, still, you should not have taken that in my place. My body is made for those wounds, not yours. I will not allow it." The tears poured down his eyes to his cheeks and even to the bridge of the nose. 

He pulled his hands back from Ying Lili's shoulders and stood up. "I am sending maidservants for the rest of the work," in a hoarse voice Sheng Li before leaving the bathhouse. Ying Lili turned and saw Sheng Li had walked out of the bathhouse. 

Court Lady Xu and two maidservants walked in, helping Ying Lili in washing. 

Sheng Li entered the chamber in Zhenzhu Inn. The chamber was cleaned when Xing-Fu came to him. "Your highness, the Empress is arrested and is sent to prison." 

Sheng Li was shocked to hear about that. "What?" He exclaimed. 

"The First Prince provided the evidence against his mother," Xing-Fu further said. 

Sheng Li was completely shocked to hear that Jian Guozhi did this to his mother. Why? Sheng Li wondered. He wanted to converse with Jian Guozhi, so he left the chamber. 

Reaching outside Jian Guozhi's chamber, he told the maidservant to inform Jian about his visit. A few minutes later, the maidservant informed the Crown Prince that he could go in. 

Sheng Li went in and saw the First Prince was waiting for him. There was a tiny smile on his lips as he saw the Crown Prince coming. "You should have called me there. How is the Crown Princess doing?" Jian Guozhi asked Sheng Li. 

"She is fine. Thank you for bringing Hu Jingguo safely to the Palace," Sheng Li expressed his gratitude and saw the arm of Jian Guozhi. 

"It was my duty. Do not thank me," Jian Guozhi asserted and told him to sit on the floor chair. The two took seats around the floor table. "It seems Brother Sheng has a lot of questions in his mind. Ask me. I will be veracious," affirmed Jian Guozhi. 

"Why did you do all this? I know it's not because of me. If it had been for me, then you would have fought with your mother every time she harmed me," Sheng Li proclaimed. 

"You are right. I did it for your wife. But, there is something more that strived me to do it. I think there's no use hiding the truth from you when we two are going to work together and be like brothers for the rest of our lives," Jian Guozhi pronounced with a menacing expression. 

~~~~

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