"Drink up."
Huang Ying brought the teacup to his lips.
Li Xiu had been kneeling for half a night plus an entire morning, drenched in rain and covered in snow, his entire body almost numb from the cold.
The steaming tea before his eyes was an indescribable temptation for him.
He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth and took a sip.
Half a cup of tea warmed him from the inside out, spreading through his internal organs and limbs.
"Thank you, Sister," Li Xiu said hoarsely.
"Don't thank me, the Princess Consort sent it," Huang Ying took out some snacks, broke off a small piece, and put it in his mouth. "You've already had tea; this won't make a difference."
Li Xiu cracked a grin, his chapped lips aching in the process.
His smile was uglier than crying.
After eating half a morsel, Huang Ying stopped and handed him the kneepad she had brought. "Put this underneath."