Chapter 137: Taking Responsibility for You-Queen of the Blind(Let innocence remain untainted by deceit.)

There were only two people in the tent. The dim, flickering candlelight cast a warm glow upon them.

"Xue'er, I am so tired," he murmured, gently stroking her long hair before resting his head weakly on her shoulder, as if seeking solace.

Xue Xue felt slightly awkward sitting on his lap. She reached out and placed a hand on his forehead. "Eat something quickly; stop clinging to me," she said coolly, her tone tinged with a hint of disdain.

"I just want to hold you for a while," Ji Wuchen replied, unbothered. He looked up, smiled, and reached out to pull at the ribbon binding her hair.

Her silky, ink-black hair cascaded down like satin, spilling across her back. The culprit was satisfied, stroking her long hair while letting out a sigh that carried a playful, teasing undertone.

Sitting in his embrace, she gradually relaxed, no longer feeling as uneasy as if she were sitting on pins and needles. She leaned her head against his shoulder, breathing softly through his clothing.

Even through the fabric, she caught a faint, peculiar scent—a subtle whiff of blood mingled with the smell of medicinal ointment. It was faint, yet unmistakably there. Should his shoulder wound not have healed by now?

She tilted her head in suspicion but ultimately said nothing.

Ji Wuchen held her for a little longer. "Alright, Xue'er, don't keep clinging to me. I'm famished. How about you let me eat, and then I'll hold you again?" The King shifted the blame, speaking as if it were Xue Xue who had been the one clinging to him.

"No holding," Xue Xue said, stepping down from his lap.

"…Then you hold me instead," the King replied, finding amusement in the slight annoyance hidden beneath her calm expression.

Ignoring him, Xue Xue went behind the screen to tidy her hair. She took a hair crown and tied her long hair up; they were in an army camp, and it was better for a woman to maintain a low profile to avoid unnecessary trouble. After adjusting her clothes, she walked back out, feeling satisfied.

Ji Wuchen was already sitting at the table, eating honestly. He seemed to have realized he hadn't eaten since lunch and was now truly hungry.

After the meal, Ji Wuchen had the energy to pull her out for a stroll around the camp. The night air was chilly, so he pulled her into his arms, wrapping them both in his cloak.

"Someone will see us," Xue Xue said, trying to pull away.

"What if they do? Besides, who would dare look?" the King replied, holding her tight.

"I don't want to be called a sodomite," Xue Xue retorted.

At this, the King chuckled. In the next moment, he scooped her up and leapt into a large tree. He sat down with her, continuing to wrap them both in the cloak.

"Will this do?" the King asked with a doting tone.

The sturdy tree, though not overly lush, was sprouting fresh buds. The tangled branches provided perfect cover for them. This feeling reminded Xue Xue of their wedding night, which they had spent in much the same way. Yet, it was different; that night, he had deceived her, and when she woke the next day, she was already at Wanghe Villa, and he was nowhere to be found.

"It’s not good," she thought, shaking her head. "What if you aren't by my side tomorrow?" Where would she go to find him?

Ji Wuchen hugged her tighter in response. "What silly things are you saying? It seems Xue'er really is quite attached to me, which is a good thing." He rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice teasing.

"What is so good about that?" Xue Xue pouted.

"Because you have fallen madly in love with me," the King said shamelessly.

Though his words were brazen, she did not want to deny them. Perhaps she truly had fallen deeply in love with him. She had not expected him to hold such an important place in her heart. Love could be such a heavy burden, could it not?

They both fell silent. She leaned into him, reaching out to wrap her arms around his waist, just as she had on their wedding night.

"What's wrong? Cough, cough—did my words just now strike a chord, and now you don't know how to defend yourself?" Ji Wuchen misunderstood, thinking his words had plunged her into deep thought.

After a long while, the person in his arms shook her head and said, with utmost sincerity, "No, you weren't wrong. Why would I need to defend myself?"

Leaning in his arms, her mind was crystal clear.

The brief silence between them was broken as his lips brushed gently against her eyelids through the white veil. She could feel the warmth of his touch. "Remember, you must be responsible for what you say, because I will be responsible for you," he said solemnly, as if sealing a promise upon her eyes.

Xue Xue couldn't help but look up, and his lips moved slowly from her eyes, lingering until they reached her own...

Her moist lips parted slightly, and he captured them with ease.

From then on, she remained in the camp. Though she wanted to present herself in men's clothing, Ji Wuchen insisted that his wife was not someone to be hidden, so there was no need for such disguises. His words were a roundabout way of scolding her—if she disguised herself, wasn't she implying she was something to be ashamed of?

However, for a Queen to be in an army camp was indeed a shock to the generals. Yet, it also proved a point: their King clearly held the Queen in high regard, allowing her to stay in such a critical military location.

The Queen's arrival sparked much gossip in the camp, though it was done in whispers; no one dared to openly offend the King and Queen.

"I heard this war with the Wu Kingdom started because of the Queen. I didn't think she'd have the nerve to show her face here."

"Who's to say? If it weren't for her, our Ji Kingdom would be peaceful. I don't know what our wise and mighty King is thinking..."

"If you ask me, we should just hand her over, and the trouble would end..."

Two soldiers, taking a moment to slack off, couldn't stop their tongues from wagging.

"Using a woman to stop a war—are you cowards?" A cold voice suddenly cut through the air.

The two soldiers, startled, scrambled to their feet from the wall, trembling as they looked toward the source of the voice. Their souls nearly left their bodies when they saw who it was.

"Who... who are you?" They hadn't seen the Queen before, but this woman had to be her—she was accompanied by Lord Qinghe.

"This Palace asks you: are you cowards?" Xue Xue took two steps toward them, her presence so oppressive that they couldn't even catch their breath.

"Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy... we were just talking nonsense, it meant nothing!" They knelt immediately, kowtowing in terror, their earlier bravado gone.

"How bold," Xue Xue said with a touch of disappointment. She turned to Qinghe. "Qinghe, take them away and punish them according to military law. Do not do it in secret; I want everyone to see."

She knew her arrival had stirred up those who liked to cause trouble, and she intended to make them submit.

The two soldiers were whipped in public until their skin was torn and bloody. They screamed and wailed, showing none of the dignity of soldiers. Xue Xue stood by, refusing to leave. Her slender figure stood tall, radiating a cold, haughty spirit that seemed even sharper than snow.

"Your Majesty, have mercy... Your Majesty..."

"We will never dare to speak ill of you again..."

According to military law, they were to receive one hundred lashes. They would likely not survive the punishment. Even if they did, they would have no place in the army, and their future would be bleak.

The other soldiers watched, but no one dared to intervene. However, their expressions betrayed their disapproval.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, what crime did these two commit?" A young officer, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward and bowed.

"They were secretly gossiping about the Queen, using insolent language, and inciting unrest within the ranks," Qinghe answered for her. "These two are not fit to be soldiers of the Ji Kingdom. They claimed the Queen could be traded for peace, a crime that is unforgivable."

The crowd gasped. Those words were indeed treasonous; executing them would not have been an overreaction.

"Lord Qinghe, we are in the middle of a war, and we need every man we have. Is this really..." someone ventured cautiously.

"The Ji Kingdom does not need soldiers like them!" Xue Xue interrupted, her tone calm yet possessing an overwhelming authority that made it impossible to argue. "This is a time to defend our country. If a single woman could stop a war, who would that be insulting? Is it insulting me, or is it insulting the King?"

"Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger! We would not dare!"

The generals and soldiers knelt in succession. This was no small matter; it was indeed damaging to morale. Regardless of who stood there—even if it were the King himself—he would have been furious.

"If anyone else attempts to disrupt the morale of the army, they shall be executed without mercy!"

She stood there, her words ringing out with iron force, striking the ears of everyone present. Even the two soldiers being punished stopped their wailing, terrified that the Queen might indeed order their execution.