Chapter 25: Changing Clothes

Was she truly this difficult to care for?

The lantern in the carriage niche cast a bright glow. Xuan Rui’s gaze fell upon her slightly trembling form, and he couldn’t help but frown.

The temperature difference between day and night in the north was extreme. In early winter, it was cold enough to freeze water, though the dry chill wasn’t as unbearable as southern winters.

The moment Xuan Rui sat down, he noticed her shifting away from him.

It seemed he had pushed her too hard before—she now saw him as nothing less than a predatory beast.

Suppressing the possessiveness in his eyes, he softened his tone. “We still have a long journey ahead. Change your clothes first.”

“Mm.” She nodded but made no further movement.

The carriage was moving rapidly, and Li Youqing felt dizzy. Hugging her knees, she rested her sharp chin upon them.

Her listless appearance only tightened the frustration in his chest.

Had she caught a chill during the horseback ride—

The northwest climate was harsh, and she was like a delicate orchid, unlikely to take root in such coarse soil.

Seeing his mood return to normal, Li Youqing relaxed slightly.

But with past incidents as cautionary tales, she couldn’t guarantee when he might flare up again and decided it was better to keep her distance.

Her body was cold as an ice cellar, while his presence beside her radiated warmth, tempting her to draw closer.

Li Youqing knew well how warm that body was—at night, placing her hands and feet against him brought such comfort she could sleep soundly till dawn.

Perhaps the poison had truly been mostly cleared, for tonight she didn’t feel the usual intense urge to cling to him. Maintaining this distance was bearable.

Just then, a waterskin was offered to her. His tone was indifferent as he said, “Drink some water first.”

Li Youqing took it and sipped, surprised to find it warm. She gulped down several large mouthfuls.

The hot water spread through her, gradually warming her body.

When she looked at him again, her wariness and caution had lessened.

She even subtly shifted a little closer to him.

She truly longed to draw warmth from him, especially from his lower abdomen—firm and scorching, a perfect comfort for her feet.

As a child, she had shared a bed with the Crown Prince in the East Palace, but constrained by his status, she had to play the role of a well-behaved imperial younger sister, never daring to act so boldly.

Compared to the gentle, refined Crown Prince, this man was like a fierce bandit, which oddly made her feel less restrained.

Noticing her slight movement, Xuan Rui pressed his thin lips together. He retrieved a woolen blanket from a nearby cabinet, shook it open, and draped it over her. “Once you’re warmer, remember to change your clothes.”

The blanket was thick and warm, carrying a scent of sunlight mingled with pine.

Seeing him turn as if to leave, Li Youqing hurriedly said, “Wait.”

Xuan Rui halted and turned to meet her gaze, somewhat taken aback.

Those clear, pure eyes held a trace of concern… or perhaps he was mistaken.

Li Youqing removed the heavy cloak she wore and handed it back to him. “It’s cold outside, General. Please wear this.”

Still feeling somewhat awkward, she avoided his eyes, her brows slightly furrowed.

Xuan Rui took the cloak, catching the sweet fragrance she had left on it, and wordlessly draped it over his shoulders.

At that moment, the lantern in the niche suddenly went out, likely having run out of oil.

“General—” Li Youqing called out to him again urgently, reaching out to grasp a corner of his robe.

“I’m here.” He hastily stopped and turned to look at her.

In the darkness, the young girl’s eyes were wide open, tinged with traces of fear as if searching everywhere for his presence.

So besides being afraid of the cold, she was also afraid of the dark.

At this moment, an intense emotion surged within him—a desire to hold her close.

He wanted to properly embrace the person before him and earnestly ask if she would wait for him through half a lifetime of military campaigns, until they could eventually retire together to a pastoral life.

Would such a delicate young girl personally say she was willing?

In the end, for reasons unknown even to himself, he silently suppressed these words, merely opening the wall niche to relight the wick with a flint.

The lamp oil was nearly depleted, the flickering light wavering between brightness and dimness as if it might extinguish at any moment.

Li Youqing, afraid of the cold, clung to the hem of his garment unwilling to let go. “Could the General stay a little longer?”

“Don’t be afraid,” he comforted her gently while clasping her hand in return.

In the fluctuating light, his sharp jawline seemed to soften slightly, the emotions in his eyes perhaps too complex for even him to decipher.

He had always taken whatever he wanted by force, yet just now he had hesitated over whether he should seize this.

Deceived by his calm facade, Li Youqing remained unaware that she was like a lamb approaching a tiger’s den. She nestled closer to the man, pressing against him for warmth.

Xuan Rui suddenly smiled, the light in his eyes obscure and unreadable. “I’ll go find you a heating stove and fetch some lamp oil. I’ll be back soon.”

Li Youqing took a deep breath and reluctantly released his clothing.

Alone in the carriage, she suddenly felt as if she had lost her source of warmth, leaving her feeling isolated and chilled.

Truthfully, she would have preferred him to stay with her.

Despite his terrible behavior tonight, he had after all provided her with a sense of security in this desolate land.

Li Youqing lost herself in thought for a moment but soon regained some clarity.

Xuan Rui wasn’t protecting her—he was protecting the thirteenth daughter of the Prime Minister’s household, Yang Zhi.

Although Bai Yao’er hadn’t exposed her identity that day, once the scouts sent to the capital returned with portraits, the truth would be revealed.

In his eyes, she would ultimately be nothing but a laughingstock.

She recalled their first meeting, when he had kicked her brutally—the memory still haunted her.

Had she not fabricated that false identity that day, she would likely have been thrown into the desert to feed the wolves.

Given his ruthless nature, he would never show her any mercy, nor would he patiently detoxify her time and again after learning she was afflicted with the Love Gu.

She had heard rumors about him—every night, women carried out from his mansion were covered in wounds, with little chance of survival…

Remembering his crazy actions tonight, Li Youqing’s face paled, her shoulders and chest aching faintly.

Perhaps tonight had revealed his true nature.

Although the carriage was tightly sealed and she was covered with a woolen blanket, she only felt colder.

Thinking back now, Hua Ping hadn’t been entirely truthful with her either.

If there really were no women in the General’s Mansion, how could there be those ready-made clothes and jewelry?

Could it be that they were all left behind by women he had favored before—

She shook her head, dismissing the chaotic thoughts.

By the faint lamplight, Li Youqing intended to change her clothes, but as soon as she undid the first button, the oil lamp went out completely.

It had taken her great effort to put on this long dress in the morning; now, immersed in complete darkness, it was even harder to remove.

After struggling with the waistband for a while, she grew impatient, her fingers clumsily twisting it into a tangled mess.

A few forceful tugs only made the clothing wrap tighter around her, becoming even harder to remove.

Back in the palace, maids and eunuchs had always attended to her dressing—she never had to do such tasks herself.

Li Youqing leaned defeated against the carriage wall, trying to maintain a positive mindset and avoid dwelling on her current miserable situation.

Having no one to rely on made her less afraid of the dark.

Her weary body gradually slid down, and she closed her eyes, letting her consciousness sink into darkness.

After a while, the carriage curtain was lifted again, letting in a gust of cold wind that jolted her awake.

A wave of warmth followed, and the carriage suddenly brightened.

She saw the man’s stern face close to hers as he placed some food on the small table before leaning over to refill the lamp oil in the wall niche.

Li Youqing pretended not to see him, continuing to hug the woolen blanket as if asleep.

Xuan Rui picked up the clothes scattered near her feet and reached out to feel her forehead, confirming her temperature was normal.

Li Youqing jerked her head back, opening her eyes resentfully to meet his gaze.

“Why haven’t you changed yet?” He sat at the foot of the couch, watching the small figure curled under the blanket, and said patiently, “That dress is too thin. Change into this cotton garment.”

Seeing his concern, Li Youqing thought about how furious he would be once he discovered her identity and muttered gloomily, “I’m too tired. I don’t want to change.”

Not wanting to look at him, she even buried her head inside the soft cashmere blanket.

The rocking carriage lulled her to sleep, and as she closed her eyes, she felt herself drifting away from the world.

In the darkness, she imagined that Father Emperor hadn’t fallen suddenly ill, her mother hadn’t showered all her affection on Li Yuan, and the Crown Prince hadn’t sold her to Zhenbei Wang.

She was still Daliang’s most beloved little princess, carefree every day, with endless amusements, delicacies, and luxurious silks…

Suddenly, a large hand pulled her out of the blanket, shattering her unrealistic fantasies.

“What are you doing? It’s so cold!” Li Youqing was annoyed, clutching her arms tightly to keep warm.

But then, a small hand warmer was thrust into her embrace, and warmth instantly spread through her body.

Only then did Xuan Rui notice that her upper garment was half-removed, tangled awkwardly around her, with the waistband twisted into tight knots.

The long skirt was crumpled around her hips and legs, a complete mess.

So she couldn’t get it off.

He shook his head inwardly, thinking she was even less capable than a three-year-old. How had she managed all these years?

Unable to stand it any longer, he asked, “Do you still want this skirt?”

“O-of course not.” Though confused, Li Youqing nodded in agreement.

A skirt worn once naturally shouldn’t be worn again, especially since it was dirty.

Xuan Rui glanced at the knotted waistband and tore it open.

The sharp sound of tearing fabric pierced the quiet night, abrupt and jarring.

It sounded as if someone were ripping her clothes off—easily misunderstood.

They exchanged a glance, both frozen for a moment.

“Don’t—don’t tear it—” Li Youqing’s face flushed crimson, her words stumbling.

She pointed at the thick carriage curtain and whispered, “The coachman can hear.”

Even with the thick curtains blocking the view and the rumble of the carriage wheels muffling their voices, the coachman must have noticed the strange sounds from earlier.

Their relationship was already peculiar enough, and now there was no telling how it would be misinterpreted.

“Try again, it should come off now.” Xuan Rui seemed entirely unbothered by this. Catching a glimpse of the snow-white satin innermost layer, he silently averted his gaze.

Li Youqing struggled to pull the skirt off and tossed it directly onto the floor, leaving her clad only in a set of snow-white undergarments.

But the top was also stained with blood and unwearable.

The thin, snow-colored silk, illuminated by the lamplight, was nearly translucent, revealing every contour and the hue of her skin beneath.

Faintly, a subtle mark on her shoulder was visible.

Recognizing what it was, Xuan Rui’s eyes darkened. He picked up the discarded skirt, balled it up, and set it aside before handing her a fresh set of undergarments. “Change into these before you sleep.”

Seeing that he had already tactfully turned his back, Li Youqing began to change her clothes.

Unbeknownst to her, the lamplight cast a slender, graceful shadow on the opposite wall of the carriage.

The silhouette revealed every curve—the fullness and slenderness, the softness and elegance—with unmistakable clarity.

Xuan Rui closed his eyes, listening to the rustle of fabric behind him, his fists clenching and unclenching.

In truth, what did it matter if the coachman had overheard?

They had been together every night these past few days, and his subordinates in the army had long regarded her as his woman.

How could he possibly relinquish what he had already claimed?

He restrained himself from letting even a trace of emotion show, though his mind raced, calculating what to do with her.

Li Youqing finally managed to change her clothes, albeit clumsily. Glancing at the food on the table, she frowned and said, “General, please take the food away. I can’t eat it.”

Having forced down a few bites of roasted rabbit by the campfire during their break was already her limit.

This kind of hard, dry rations was simply unbearable.

Since leaving the palace, she had not had a single proper meal.

Seeing her picky expression, Xuan Rui had never felt so utterly helpless before.

Was this delicate flower from the capital truly so difficult to care for—