Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Sheng Li's eyeballs moved and he gradually opened his eyes. He found himself in his chamber and tilted his head. "Lili," he whispered and a tiny smile formed on his lips.

He tried to sit up but felt severe pain on his chest.

"Don't get up. Stay on the bed," Ying Lili told him. Sheng Li understood that she was upset with him.

"Forgive me. I always make you worry," Sheng Li apologized to her. "Don't be angry with me," he urged her.

"I am not," Ying Lili said and filled the water glass. She placed her arm under his head and lifted him slightly, "Drink it." Sheng Li opened his lips and the silver glass' surface touched his lips. He took the first sip and found it was bitter.

Swiftly he moved his head back and complained about its bitterness. Ying Lili glared at him. "It's medicine. Your body is tired out because of the excessive fatigue. So, drink it without any complain," Ying Lili said with a stern tone. She used her other hand and pinched his nose. She forced the medicine into his mouth and Sheng Li somehow managed to drink it.

"Ahh, my tongue feels dead." Sheng Li whined like a baby. Despite Ying Lili's warning, he sat up on the bed and embraced her tightly. "Forgive me for staying away for such a long time. I missed you every second and our little chibis too. I was so scared when I found that you almost consumed those poisonous sweets," Sheng Li said while caressing Ying Lili's back.

She gently pulled away from him. "And you neglected the deep wound on your body. You could have taken a rest for a night. Do you love to trouble us?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"I would have been deadly sick if I stayed one more night away from you. Indeed, I love to trouble you. I will be healthy soon because I am now with my Lili," Sheng Li said and leaned down to kiss her. Ying Lili put her palm on his lips.

Sheng Li used his hand to put it down. "Don't refuse it," he said.

"Lay down," Ying Lili said and looked at the mattress.

"I am bored of—" he paused as he saw the beam of Ying Lili at him. "I will lay down if you let me kiss you," he asserted.

Ying Lili pushed him down and he cried out in pain. "Liar! You are not healthy at all. If you don't want me to cry, then stay in bed." She put the glass on the table and picked a pill from the wooden box.

"Lili, do you think I am a capable King?" Sheng Li's sudden question bewildered Ying Lili. Their eyes met. "I didn't feel bad when Weng Wei died. I felt not a single bit of remorse. However, Brother Nianzu's mother's death shook me. Because of me your life came into danger too," Sheng Li said. It was clear from his words that Deng Hui's last words troubled Sheng Li.

"But nothing happened to your wife," Ying Lili stated.

"Lili, I was wrong. I thought after I would be the most powerful person in the Kingdom, no one would ever dare to raise his voice against me. I shut my heart for years for a reason. It hurts at this point. Why do I get so much hate?" The edges of his eyes got wet.

"Is my love, the love of other people close to you not enough to replace that hatred?" Ying Lili asked.

"Lili, I do not know. I am unable to understand why I never got love from any of my step-mothers. At this point, I am scared to trust my other three step-mothers. I am nothing without you and they try to harm you. It hurts," Sheng Li said as tears streamed down his cheeks, "badly." His voice choked and he rubbed his eyes while taking a deep breath.

"Maybe some people aren't worthy of Kindness and Love. Sheng Li has told me that not everyone changes with love. If it would have happened, then everything would have been simple and easy," stated Ying Lili.

"Don't be pessimistic. Brother Nianzu saved me by consuming the sweet. He's a good person and many others are," Ying Lili made him understand and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "You are more than capable to be the King or the Emperor. If there would be someone else at your place, he would have chosen rest and enjoyment over his duties," she affirmed.

Sheng Li pulled Ying Lili down and hugged her tightly. "You will be hurt," Ying Lili said, referring to the wound on Sheng Li's chest.

"But I want to embrace you," Sheng Li asserted and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "When the arrow hit me, I remembered you. For a second, it seemed like an end to me," Sheng Li delivered the feelings that he felt at that brief moment.

"Don't say such a thing," Ying Lili said and caressed his arm.

Sheng Li leaned back and studied her face. "I wish we would be commoners. Then, you and I had no worries," he said with a sigh.

"Let's share our current worries." Ying Lili stroked his hair.

Sheng Li smiled and kissed the middle of her forehead. "I need to talk to Brother Nianzu. He earlier was apologizing to me while getting on his knees. Before that I need to take a bath," Sheng Li said.

"Don't let your chest get wet, especially the wound while bathing," Ying Lili advised him.

"I will keep that in mind. We can take a bath together if you want," Sheng Li said with a smug.

"That is not possible today," Ying Lili stated.

"Why?"

"I already bathed," Ying Lili answered and sat up on the bed. She helped Sheng Li in sitting up and called Eunuch Xing-Fu inside.

Sheng Li played with her earrings until Xing-Fu came inside. He was glad to see Sheng Li was awake. Greeting him, he asked about the Emperor's health.

"I am feeling a little better," Sheng Li said. "Is the bathhouse ready?" He asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Xing-Fu kept his head low.

Ying Lili and Sheng Li both got down from the bed.

"Take the Emperor. Don't let the chest get wet else infection may spread in the wound," Ying Lili instructed Xing-Fu, who keenly heard her.

"Don't starve yourself. Eat something before I return," Sheng Li told Ying Lili and left the chamber with Xing-Fu.