Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 182 Not Cold Not Cold

When Zong Sheng woke up, it was dark and he didn't know what time it was. There were snoring sounds coming from the wooden house, which made Zong Sheng frown. Where was he?

He didn't feel the cold, nor could he hear the whistling of the wind. His breathing was heavy and he couldn't breathe because he was lying down.

Zong Sheng moved his neck slightly, but that was all he could do. He felt weak all over, as if he had been given anesthetic. His body felt extremely heavy and he couldn't move.

"Awake? Zongsheng? Are you awake?"

Zong Sheng frowned again. He heard Chi Yue's voice. He opened his mouth and wanted to respond, but his throat was so hoarse that he could only make a whimper.

Chi Yue helped Zong Sheng sit up, hugged him, and let him lean on him. Chi Yue was smiling, but Zong Sheng couldn't see it. His smile was gentle and relaxed, an expression Zong Sheng had never seen on Chi Yue's face before, and it was also a smile Chi Yue had never given to anyone else.

"I'm here, you're fine, Your Highness is fine too. Are you thirsty?" Chi Yue asked, having already reached out to pick up the teacup. He took a sip of water and lowered his head to feed it into Zong Sheng's mouth. Secretly, in the darkness where no one else could see, he kissed Zong Sheng.

"Chi...Yue."

"Ah."

"Yes, I'm sorry..."

Why did he say sorry? Zong Sheng himself didn't know. Only after he said it did he feel that he was really sorry for Chi Yue. Guilt occupied his entire mind and he was unable to delve into the reasons.

Chi Yue lowered his head and pressed it against Zong Sheng's forehead, silent tears cutting through his smile. He had been almost collapsed by the anxiety of so many days, but it was not until this moment that he was struck down by the sudden heartache. Even when he was cleaning the wound and applying medicine for Zong Sheng earlier, his heart did not hurt so much. He stabbed his heart with a knife, blood gushed out, and the pain immediately spread to every part of his body. He seemed to have never felt such pain before, so much so that he could not bear it!

Zong Sheng seemed to have noticed something. He slowly raised his hands and circled them around Chi Yue's waist, saying weakly, "I'm sorry..."

Chi Yue said, Zong Sheng, in this world, only you can make me hurt. He must be hurt because of him.

"Zongsheng, stop doing this, stop hurting me..."

"...Okay, I promise, I won't do that again."

Chi Yue smiled softly. This fool had finally wised up for once and learned to coax him. If there was a next time, Zong Sheng would still choose to protect Qi Xiao without hesitation. As for whether he would get hurt, he didn't care at all. However, Chi Yue didn't intend to care. If there was a next time, he could protect Qi Xiao before Zong Sheng did. His Qinggong was much better than Zong Sheng's.

When Zong Sheng woke up again, it was already bright outside. He was still lying down. He saw a person sitting cross-legged beside him, loosely holding his hand. His fingertips and palms were not sensitive, as if they were already familiar with this warm touch. He moved his fingers and gently scratched Chi Yue's palm.

"woke up?"

"Um……"

"Does it hurt?"

Zong Sheng shook his head. With the help of Chi Yue, he was able to sit up slowly. The wound on his back was throbbing and burning, as if he was being whipped by countless whips, but he could still bear this pain. It was nothing.

Chi Yue brought him a glass of water, this time bringing it to Zong Sheng's lips so he could drink it himself.

After taking a sip of water, Zong Sheng was about to speak when Chi Yue answered directly, "Your Highness is fine. He went out with Bai Xiqiao this morning. The weather is good today, so he will be back in the afternoon."

Zong Sheng opened his mouth, not knowing what to do for a moment. How did Chi Yue know before he even asked the question?

Chi Yue was amused by his clumsy look and said, "Rest. His Highness said he would come to see you when he returns. He also told you to take good care of your injuries. We will move camp within ten days."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Not much, just one day and two nights in the snow, and another day and night after we came back."

Zong Sheng lowered his eyes silently. It’s been so long. His previous injuries didn’t cause him to lose consciousness for such a long time.

"Qinglan's fever-reducing medicine contains anesthetics, which will make you unconscious for a while longer."

Zong Sheng looked at Chi Yue gloomily. He knew what Chi Yue was thinking.

Chi Yue smiled slyly: "I know what you are thinking."

……

Qi Xiao said that they would break camp within ten days, but in fact, two teams of 500 people left the camp one after another five days later, and they were escorting food and fodder first.

They had been in Fenglin Mountain for more than a month and seemed to have gradually gotten used to the ice and snow. However, when they were swept by the cold wind, they still seemed not to be used to it and shivered with cold.

The first group was led by Lu Xiulin himself. The further they got into Qi territory, the less familiar Qi Xiao and Bai Xiqiao became. No matter how naive they were, they wouldn't dare venture beyond the Dachen border. Besides, Qi Xiao was a prince, and leaving his fiefdom was a grave offense. Lu Xiulin, on the other hand, had fought countless battles against Qi alongside Bai Liu. Bai Liu had also crossed Fenglin Mountain and pinned the Dachen army against the Qi border, forcing the Qi people to tremble in fear behind the passes.

Two teams left the camp every day. If they encountered snow and wind on the way, they would take shelter on the spot. Before the tenth day, the camp in the hot spring valley was empty.

As Tang Ling and Qing Lan emerged from the valley, the chilly wind blew so hard they couldn't help but chatter, forcing them to keep their heads down. Ye Huai, who had been following Tang Ling, stepped in front of them. His tall stature tried to shield them from the cold, though it was of little use. Qing Lan unconsciously followed Ye Huai closer, pulling Tang Ling closer behind him, like a wall, silently chanting, "Not cold, not cold at all."