บท 33: Alway this sincere

"Her Highness should recover as long as she stays warm and avoids... straining exercise these few days. Make sure she is well-rested and eating nourishing food." The royal physician carefully packed up his equipment. His voice was barely a whisper, afraid he'd wake the patient from her slumber. "I will visit again tomorrow for treatment. Till then."

He smiled reassuringly at Ruyi before slipping out of the room, leaving the young servant girl watching over Han Aeng, who remained in peaceful slumber.

The room was steeped in silence, interrupted only by the distant echo of footsteps drawing closer.

The door swung open, revealing Long Dahai. An air of calm authority and power accompanied him as he entered; his figure cast a long shadow across the polished wooden floor.

Swiftly moving away from Han Aeng's side, Ruyi attended to the prince by removing his jacket, the fabric whispering softly as it slipped off his shoulders.

"Benwang heard taihou and mufei came to visit," Long Dahai stated, his tone carrying an air of regal serenity that resonated throughout the room.

"Yes, Wangye. They engaged in lengthy conversations from afternoon till evening. Wangfei has fallen into a peaceful slumber after their departure. She didn't stir even when the physician came." She informed him of the physician's diagnosis and, in detail, recounted the interaction between the in-laws, highlighting how well Han Aeng conducted herself despite the undertaking of prior events.

Settling into the comfort of the long couch, his gaze naturally gravitated toward Han Aeng's slumbering figure, concealed behind the elegant screen— a barrier of silk and wood shielding her from prying eyes.

He observed her in silence, his fingers absentmindedly tapping on the armrest of his seat.

"Ruyi, is that His Highness?" Han Aeng emerged from behind the screen, her steps light and her fingers deftly adjusting the delicate embroidery on her robes.

"Yes, Wangfei." Her eyes met Han Aeng's briefly before lowering in a display of respect. "Wangye has arrived."

Han Aeng sat opposite Long Dahai, her hands resting lightly on her lap, a sign of her readiness to engage in conversation.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Her voice was polite, conveying a sense of composed grace and perhaps a touch of nervousness.

"How do you feel?"

"Chenqie feels rather refreshed after sleeping."

"That's good to hear."

With purposeful steps, Ruyi hurried to give orders for refreshments and food to the servants waiting just beyond the doors, leaving the couple alone.

The room fell silent. The air was charged with anticipation as if both were unsure how to navigate this moment.

They cautiously averted their gaze from one another, their eyes skirting the edges of connection.

What do couples usually talk about?

"Your Highness, we faced quite a challenge early on in our marriage." She couldn't hide the flicker of curiosity in her eyes, and her fingers brushed casually against her gown's fabric.

Their gazes locked, his eyes exuding an aura of regal serenity, while hers danced with a bright spark of liveliness.

The memory of the chaotic wedding night replayed in their minds, their expressions mirroring the weight of the experience of a failed assassination and successful poisoning.

His shoulders stiffened slightly, his gaze dropping momentarily before he nodded. "Benwang apologizes for the chaos. It was an unforeseen - unexpected circumstance."

"Your Highness, who was that assassin? And why did they target you?"

A silence settled over the room.

Han Aeng leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Long Dahai, searching for answers in his every move.

Yet, Long Dahai's gaze remained steady, considering his response carefully.

He had suspicions about the attack's motives and knew he shouldn't divulge everything without evidence. But it was her life on the line. Was it right to withhold crucial information that could directly impact her safety?

Should he disclose the extent of the danger? Would his transparency burden her further or provide a sense of clarity?

"Benwang may not have all the answers at this moment," he began, straightening his back as if to reassert his composure and control over the situation, "but Benwang promises to do everything in my power to ensure Wangfei's safety." His firm tone and how he held himself conveyed his commitment to protecting her.

She tilted her head to the side, her body relaxing into the chair, "Chenqie's safety?"

He nodded slowly, each movement carrying the weight of his agreement. His eyes held a reassuring quality as he held her gaze. "Benwang believes they were after you."

Han Aeng looked away, her slender fingers tracing invisible patterns on the armrest of her seat, contemplating whether she should indulge him or not. "Then Chenqie wasn't imagining someone following me."

Long Dahai's eyes narrowed, remaining locked onto hers as he leaned in slightly. "Wangfei was followed?"

She recounted the events of that day with a sense of urgency, her words weaving truth with carefully crafted lies to free Ruyi from responsibility. "During the palace tour, chenqie recognized the path the assassin took me on and accidentally got separated from Ruyi. It wasn't long before chenqie sensed someone shadowing her every move. However, they eventually disappeared near Miss Mei's court."

Long Dahai's expression remained unreadable as he absorbed every detail of her story.

The suicide of both assassins on the day she fell unconscious raised justified suspicions about an insider. It became increasingly plausible that the master they served was still at large, possibly sneaking in more assassins through the back door after the two failed to return.

Just who was trading the safety of the royal family for a few bags of rice?

"Wangfei," he spoke, his tone was firm, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "What Wangfei did was incredibly dangerous. Wangfei could have been seriously hurt. Please exercise caution and refrain - Please, be careful, and don't wander alone anymore."

Han Aeng's head dropped, drawing her hands together, looking like every part of a child being scolded. Her shoulders slumped further, and she nodded meekly, her eyes cast downward, a clear sign of her submission. "I understand, Your Highness. I will be cautious and stay within the safety of the palace."

"Even within these walls, you should be careful." A subtle tension coiled in Long Dahai's jaw, and his eyes drifted toward the elegant screen. "They got too close."

"Your Highness suspects someone within the palace might be involved in the assassination attempt?"

"The shadow of suspicion looms over the palace, casting a cloud of doubt over every person within its walls. Some may seek to undermine our marriage to destabilize the empire." He leaned back, his gaze shifted, fixating on a distant point outside the window as if contemplating the vastness of the situation.

Then as if realising something, he suddenly turned to meet her gaze, "People in the palace might be up to something. They may want to cause trouble for our marriage and the empire."

His words lingered in the air like a heavy tapestry, weaving a web of shared understanding that enveloped them both.

The assassins' suicides had hinted at a greater conspiracy involving more than a simple hired hand. No matter what, he couldn't shake the feeling that a darker force was at play, one willing to sacrifice the empire's safety for their selfish gain.

"Remember. Benwang is here for you. Do not hesitate to seek me out, no matter how inconvenient or insignificant it seems-" Then like before he stopped himself mid-sentence, "In short if you need help, tell me anytime.

Suddenly, Han Aeng laughed.

A giggle, laced with a hint of disbelief, momentarily lightened the tension in the room. Long Dahai raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, intrigued by her response.

She covered her mouth, silencing herself. "Sorry. It's just that," she coughed slightly, stifling the remaining traces of laughter, "Are you always this sincere, Your Highness?"

"Of course, Wangfei's safety can't be compromised."

"No, not that." She cut him off, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "You're very mindful of me."

After observing him throughout their conversation, Han Aeng realized he purposefully slowed down for her to keep up, even cutting his sentences to use simpler language.

When she interacted with the others they weren't at all accommodating of the fact she was learning the language, some even used idioms and riddles which were challenging for her to decipher. Yet here he was, all too considerate of her.

"Benwang is simply wary of Wangfei's situation," he gently explained, conveying the weight of his responsibility towards her. "The last thing Benwang wants is for you to feel stranded in a foreign place." His voice was calm, and his words were meant to put her at ease.

As it turned out, this husband is more thoughtful than I realized.

She grinned, a glimmer of shrewdness underlying her playful demeanour. "Trust is earned, not freely given." She leaned back crossed her legs, her eyes showed a twinkle of challenge.

Silence hung in the air.

Long Dahai's brows furrowed as he contemplated her words. Doubt and insecurity crept into his thoughts, causing him to question his intentions. He looked away for a moment, lost in thought.

Do I have the capacity to protect her as she hoped? Would I ever be able to safeguard someone?

A playful spark danced within her expression, a silent victory for having drawn out his pensive state.

"But considering our relationship," she leaned slightly forward, enticing him with her bright eyes and playful charm. "Chenqie will make an exception for your Highness."

"Are you not being too trusting, Wangfei? As Wangfei pointed out, trust should not be bestowed lightly. Benwang has yet to provide you with a reason to place such unwavering faith in me. What if Benwang is not as benevolent as Wangfei believes?" He admitted this with a hint of self-awareness regarding his position and the complexities of their relationship.

Han Aeng's eyes widened in surprise, the corners of her mouth dropping slightly, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected question.

This...

Seeing her reaction, he quickly simplified his sentence "Benwang has yet to prove himself trustworthy. What if Benwang is not as good as wangfei thinks?"

She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, her posture shifting from playful to earnest. "Even if there is no reason to trust Your Highness, chenqie does. Chenqie can only trust you."

"Why?"

Her lips twitched, caught between a smile and a frown.

She'd admit the thought had passed her mind before; it wasn't easy to blindly trust someone, and even harder to establish mutual trust. But in this new life she's begun, he's the only one she could rely on... for now.

"Your Highness is the only family chenqie has here," she confessed softly, her fingers toying with the edge of her sleeve, "Chenqie will blindly trust and follow you. So please don't abandon me and meet me halfway."

After all, a married couple should protect each other no matter what.

A faint smile played at the corners of Long Dahai's lips, his eyes steady, radiating a sense of reliability. He leaned forward, his posture mirroring her openness. "Benwang will do his best to meet Wangfei's expectations."

An encrypted knock broke their exchange, and Long Dahai rose from his seat with a sense of urgency. "Then Wangfei should rest. Benwang still has matters to attend to."

Curiosity piqued, Han Aeng rose gracefully from her chair, accompanying her husband to the door, where she found Luo Li patiently waiting outside.

The air in the room seemed to tense as the three stood together. While Long Dahai had let her follow him, Luo Li wasn't so welcoming of her presence.

He masked his surprise with a respectful nod. "Greetings, Wangfei."

Observing the interaction between his wife and his confidant, Long Dahai realized they had never had a chance to interact. "Luo Li is Benwang's trusted confidant. Wangfei can rely on him in my absence."

Suppressing the sense of guardedness she felt emanating from Luo Li, she offered a friendly, "Please look after me, Luo Li."

Luo Li maintained his composure, the walls around him seemingly impenetrable. He nodded in response, his voice steady as he replied, "Of course, Wangfei. I am at your service."

"Benwang will leave now, sleep well."

As the two men departed, Han Aeng watched them with a soft smile. A sincere husband and uptight guard. Tsk, how bothersome.