Beside the bath, the two embraced tightly. Meng Qingzhou extended his hand, placing three fingers on Dongfang Liuli’s wrist to feel her pulse.
“The pulse is still weak. Is this so-called Emperor Grade divine medicine just this pool of water? It doesn’t seem to be of much use,” Meng Qingzhou said with a frown.
Dongfang Liuli snuggled against Meng Qingzhou’s chest, greedily inhaling his unique fragrance, and replied drowsily, “I already feel much better. The healing process of this pool is gradual and requires time.”
After a long while, the two separated. Dongfang Liuli pushed Meng Qingzhou out of the door.
“Qingzhou, protect Your Majesty well. I… need to go into seclusion for a while. Don’t come looking for me.”
Meng Qingzhou hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. He believed Dongfang Liuli wouldn’t joke about her own life. It seemed the Empress hadn’t lied to him.
“This is a talisman I made myself. It contains a fragment of the river of time. If you encounter danger, crush it, and it will bring you back to me.”
Meng Qingzhou took out a sword-shaped jade pendant and handed it to Dongfang Liuli. This pendant was crafted when he broke through to the Morning Glow Realm. It took a lot of effort and resources to barely make one, reaching a semi-Emperor grade quality.
“You too, don’t overexert yourself. No matter how important Your Majesty’s safety is, it doesn’t compare to your well-being.”
“Yes, I understand.”
…
Dongfang Liuli leaned against the door frame, holding the sword-shaped jade pendant close to her heart, a gentle smile forming on her red lips.
“I have a token of love too.”
She once took out a sword-shaped jade pendant, containing the Dao of Space-Time, said to have been personally given by the Space-Time Sword Saint tens of thousands of years ago, and she regarded it as a token of love.
Dongfang Liuli always remembered it but never dared to tell Meng Qingzhou. After all, it might be something that happened in the future or the past, and he had no recollection of it, having nothing to do with the present.
“If it’s the future, why would you leave me, wandering the river of time, going back thirty thousand years?”
“What did you encounter then, forcing you, with your lazy nature, to take action…”
Dongfang Liuli felt a tightness in her chest, a wave of dizziness.
Pfft!
Her face flushed, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, her breath weak, as if she was on the verge of collapse.
“Three months to sweep through the Wilderness, then break through to the Sky-Reaching Realm…”
“Can I make it in time?”
“In the future, were you searching for my remnant soul in the river of time? No, such a thing must never happen.”
“I promised to spend the years with you, so I will never leave you alone in this world.”
…
…
Leaving Fengming Pavilion, a maid walked gracefully, leading Meng Qingzhou to the deep palace. The maid said nothing, but their direction was towards the Minister’s Office.
“May I ask where the maid who was always by my side is now?” Meng Qingzhou inquired. Since leaving Fengming Pavilion, Su Qingqiu had disappeared, making him somewhat worried.
Out of courtesy, Meng Qingzhou deliberately suppressed his Sword Sense, not releasing it to cover the Capital to search for Su Qingqiu’s location.
The maid respectfully replied, “Miss Su has been arranged by Your Majesty to tour the Capital. Your Majesty said that this national war is extremely dangerous, and Miss Su’s strength is too weak to follow the army, so she arranged for her to stay at the Qin residence in the Capital.”
Qin residence…
Meng Qingzhou was momentarily dazed, recalling the Qin residence where his family lived when he served as a Minister.
“Your Majesty is thoughtful,” Meng Qingzhou said with a smile.
Having resigned from his official post and left the Imperial Capital for a long time, the Empress still kept the Qin residence without confiscating it, clearly with intention.
“Where are we going now?” Meng Qingzhou asked.
As they spoke, their destination was already in sight.
The maid stopped at the door of the Minister’s Office, not answering directly, but respectfully said to the closed red-lacquered door, “Your Majesty, Meng Sword Saint is here.”
“Let him in.”
“Yes.”
The maid smiled and pushed open the door, saying, “Meng Sword Saint, please.”
Meng Qingzhou’s expression was peculiar. He tilted his head and asked, “Does Your Majesty have something to summon me for?”
“Have you forgotten? You are now temporarily serving as Your Majesty’s personal guard, so you naturally need to stay by Her Majesty’s side at all times. It’s your duty,” the maid said.
Meng Qingzhou felt a bit awkward, his expression calm, frowning, “The national war hasn’t started yet. Isn’t it too early to start fulfilling my duties now?”
The maid smiled without speaking, no longer answering. Who knows, anyway, it’s Your Majesty’s order. Your Majesty said you are a personal guard, not just a guard, but personal!
Staying within three meters at all times, that’s personal.
But these words, she, a lowly maid, dared not speak recklessly.
“Fine, you may leave. I’ll go in to see Her Majesty.”
Meng Qingzhou lifted his robe, stepped over the three-foot-high threshold, his ears twitching as he heard the faint sound of a wolf-hair brush writing, and followed the sound.
Gradually, a profound and majestic aura grew closer.
The Empress was lying on a pile of memorials, head down, reviewing documents, not even looking up, “Have you seen your wife?”
“There’s no significant improvement yet, but my wife said her body is gradually recovering. I suppose that pool of Emperor Grade divine water has some effect,” Meng Qingzhou nodded.
The Empress rubbed her temples, her voice tired, “That’s good.”
“Little Meng, I have a headache. Help me review these memorials.”
Meng Qingzhou scratched his head. What the heck, Little Meng? Are we that close?
“Sorry, I don’t know how to review memorials. Besides, I’m only responsible for Your Majesty’s safety. Don’t bother me with other trivial tasks.”
Meng Qingzhou no longer leaned on his cane but lazily leaned against the main pillar, arms crossed, his demeanor extremely aloof and indifferent.
A breeze blew in from the window, ruffling Meng Qingzhou’s flowing black hair, the black ribbon behind his head swaying with the wind. Coupled with Meng Qingzhou’s unique serene temperament and an inexplicable sense of relaxation, it made Dongfang Liuli unable to take her eyes off him.
The Empress, looking at Meng Qingzhou in his black robe, suddenly felt her previous discomfort ease a bit.
“A personal guard not only ensures safety but also takes care of daily life. Even when I sleep, you must sit by the bed to guard. Even when I bathe, you must stand outside the bathhouse. Helping me with some work is only right.”
“Don’t you understand?”
Meng Qingzhou was taken aback, surprised, “Is that so?”
Back then, when reading about the personal guard of the school belle, it only mentioned driving away suitors and fighting occasionally. How come this is different from what I imagined?
“Would I deceive you? If you don’t believe me, ask the court ministers,” the Empress said calmly.
Even if you ask, it won’t matter. At worst, I’ll amend the laws later.
Yes, I am indeed incredibly wise.
…………..
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