The Rise of Xueyue

Chapter 450 Heart and Soul

A few days went by in the blink of an eye, and soon, it was the day of the Round Table Discussion. Li Xueyue had woken up earlier than Yu Zhen, for she wasn't able to sleep the entire night. But that wasn't what bothered her the most. 

She had an upset stomach all night long, and when the morning came, everything spiraled out of control. 

Her dinner from the previous night came back up and she threw up first thing in the morning. The sound instantly startled Yu Zhen awake. He shot up from bed, holding back her hair before calling for a maidservant to fetch the Imperial Physician.

"No!" she protested whilst sharply turning to the maidservant. "I'm fine, just clean up this mess."

The maidservant worriedly glanced at the Crown Prince, uncertain of who she should obey. His Highness had always instructed every single servant that the Crown Princess's orders were the final…but now that they had contradicting orders, who should she follow?

"Go," the Crown Princess demanded. 

Since the Crown Prince had been silent, the maidservant hurriedly ran out to grab the cleaning supplies and inform the other servants.

Yu Zhen narrowed his eyes at his wife. The contents of her stomach were literally a step away from their bed. And she didn't want to see a doctor?

"I just ate too much yesterday night, that's all," Li Xueyue whispered. She tightly gripped his sleeves and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

"And after eating so much, we made love for half of midnight, s-so it must've been that," Li Xueyue explained. 

"Exercising on a full-stomach would make anyone sick," she added on in a low, urgent voice. 

Yu Zhen ground his teeth. She just loved to neglect herself didn't she? His Wangfei was made of glass, but she acted like she was forged from metal.

"How can you be so damn stubborn?" he growled, irritated that she was behaving like this. His eyes flashed with sadness when her lips trembled a bit and she frowned at the bed. Suddenly, she was upset. What happened?

"The Round Table Discussion will start soon," she muttered. "We shouldn't be arguing like this."

Yu Zhen didn't know what to do with her. She was always concerned about other things but not herself. Why was she like this? It was a trait he despised in her. She was compassionate towards everyone but herself.

"You shouldn't neglect your health like this," he coldly told her. "Or else you will get a fever again."

"I only got it because you tired me out!" she protested, her head shooting up. Accusation burned in her eyes, bright like the sun.

Yu Zhen let out a small sigh. "My stubborn Little Hamster…" he bit out whilst pulling her to him. She was effortlessly lifted and placed on his lap. She leaned and rested the side of her head on his shoulder.

Yu Zhen could not argue against her words. He had always overworked her in bed, but it was for a good reason. 

He had noticed that she didn't experience a nightmare the night after they consummated their marriage. So he decided to confirm his theory by tiring her out in bed a few nights in a row and he noticed the pattern right away.

"You'll have to swear you'll see the Imperial Physician shortly after the Round Table Discussion, is that clear?" he firmly ordered.

Li Xueyue wrapped her arms around him, wounding one around his neck and the other around his shoulder. She rested on him, her legs straddling either side of him.

"Sunshine." 

"I just love you so, so much Yu Zhen…" she whispered whilst nudging her face into the crook of his neck. "Thank you for caring about me when I forget to…"

Yu Zhen's heart clenched at her words, his chest warming up. He let out a small sigh. What exactly was she doing to him? He never thought this feeling was possible. 

Even so, he couldn't help but find the humor in her words. He cared for no one but her, to the point of where he neglected himself. But she was right there to pick him up, and care for him. The irony was simply too evident to ignore.

"You can't just say things like this and expect me not to love you even more," Yu Zhen muttered. He stroked the back of her head, his other arm resting on her upper back.

When she didn't respond, and simply hugged him tighter, his gaze softened. And without warning, he stood up with her in his arms, earning a sharp gasp from her. She was forced to wrap her legs around him, holding on for dear life.

"Yu Zhen—"

"You've yet to swear to me, Sunshine," he mused whilst carrying her out of the room. The maidservants had entered to clean up the mess she made, and he'd prefer for her to be elsewhere.

"I'll call for the Imperial Physician immediately afterwards," she told him. 

Yu Zhen slowly nodded his head. He approached a polished wooden bench in the other room, with a firm cushion topping the seat. 

"I don't see why you can't see him now," he said whilst settling down onto the new chair. 

Yu Zhen made sure she was comfortable by adjusting her position on his lap. She was no longer straddling him, which was a relief. 

He had been tortured by her previously, when she accidentally rubbed against a tender spot that hardened instantly from her touch. Even though they both wore a layer of silk robes, it still felt as if he was naked. 

"I just don't want the Imperial Physician's diagnosis to linger on my mind and distract me later, that's all," Li Xueyue explained to him. She lifted her head from his shoulder and frowned a bit. Even though she was comfortably seated on his lap, he was still half a head taller than her. 

"You're frowning again," he pointed out. His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth, curious about what's on her mind.

"Why is that?" he asked.

Li Xueyue rested her palm on his face, only to angrily pull at his cheeks. She was aggravated when her fingers were met with skin, and no meat or fat to yank.

"Why are you still taller than me?" she demanded.

Yu Zhen's eyebrows shot up in surprise, before he burst out laughing. She groaned in irritation, as he hoisted her closer to him, hugging her even more. She was so endearing that he could not help but want to squeeze the life out of her.

"What am I supposed to say to that?" he retorted with a roll of his eyes, despite the large smile resting on his lips. He could not wipe it away, no matter how hard he tried.

"Our children better inherit your height," she huffed out whilst crossing her arms.

Yu Zhen's smile widened at this, his eyes crinkling with joy. She had thought about his children? Even at a time like this? He could not help but lean forward and cup her face.

"I would not mind if they come out miniature-sized like you," Yu Zhen teased.

She gaped up at him, highly offended and astonished. "You bully!" 

"There, there," Yu Zhen chuckled whilst kissing her forehead. "I'm sure our little Princesses will come out just fine."

"Princesses?" she repeated. "What about Princes?"

Yu Zhen's lips twitched. He had just confirmed she wanted more than one child… He was elated by the news, his heart racing a bit. 

"Princes and Princesses," he corrected himself. "They'll all come out perfectly fine, so don't fret so much, Sunshine."

Yu Zhen noticed her skepticism and smirked. "But if not, I'll just blame you." He laughed when she angrily smacked him on the shoulder before grumbling under her breath about his bullying. 

"You're mean," she snapped.

"Gladly," he teased.

Li Xueyue scoffed at his words. She crossed her arm and jutted her chin to the side, refusing to talk to him anymore. 

"And I'll also pray they do not come out as stubborn and childish," he added in a playful voice.

"Hah, that might be hard when you're also stubborn and childish!" she scoffed in an irked voice.

Yu Zhen's smirk deepened. "Hopefully, they'll also know bigger vocabulary words so they don't steal comebacks."

Li Xueyue narrowed her eyes. "And hopefully, they have enough manners to not taunt their partners."

"Taunt?" he repeated, his thumb caressing the side of her face. "I am merely stating the facts, Sunshine."

"Your facts are wrong."

"Perhaps you think that, but I beg to differ," he mused.

"I'm done arguing with you," Li Xueyue huffed out. She climbed off of his lap, but her feet barely grazed the ground before his arms slithered around her waist. Her back was pulled to his chest as he rested his chin upon her shoulders.

"Such a grouchy Wangfei I have…" he teased with a slight smile before kissing the side of her face. "But I love her regardless, don't you think so?"

Li Xueyue laughed in response and reluctantly nodded her head, knowing it was the truth. He loved her despite all of her faults, just as she loved him with her entire heart and soul.