His Majesty And I ✔️

Blood Spoon

Chapter 9

Li Lian
Princess Le-anne
Dragon Palace Wellness Chamber

The Dragon Palace Wellness chambers was the emperor's designated place of recovery. He couldn't be treated in his own bed chambers because it was considered disrespectful that the treating Royal Physicians and assistants, alongside members of the royal family would be going in and out of his private space. He was also suffering from infection and this room was there for inhibiting uncleanliness. It was also made in a way that temperature could easily be controlled. The walls of the room were heat absorbent and when it got too cold, a fire was burnt against the walls.

Li Lian drew back the gold curtains. The chamber was themed white and gold. White was for easily spot dirt while gold honored his position. White was a plain color to be used alone on His Majesty.

She was at a loss for words. Yuwen Hong was not what she last saw him as. He lay still, radiating heat from his blood as his body was boiling in perspiration. Currently the windows were open, wind blowing in but it was like he lay under the scathing sun. His usual tanned skin was brimming red.

A wet cotton cloth rested on his forehead. Touching it, it was hot, so Li Lian rinsed it in the gold dish by his mattress. All of his bedding was white just like the loose robe he had on. His robe was untied to allow in air to cool him. Placing the cloth back on his forehead, she lifted the garment, exposing his torso.

She winced at the sight of his chest. On his heart there was skin engulfed, the appearance of tree roots knitted into each other. Then below was an old recovered wound, this was what she treated years ago.

If she still had any doubts, she was all the more convinced now. Yuwen Hong was her Luo Meng. And twice in this love had she been the cause of two marks on his body.

Padded herbs were mounted on his wound. She could smell their pungent scent, properties of drugs to alleviate pain, harbor against infection and scabbing the skin.

His hands were fisted, body violently shaking and breath quivering. He was a born fighter and seeing him there was enough reason to declare this without evidence of watching him on the battlefield.

She closed his garment, covering the exposed skin. Li Lian had a conundrum. She was to help him by cutting herself for blood, yet she could not be with the emperor as a scarred woman.

Reluctantly, she opened her mouth wide and stretched her tongue out to its extent. Her tongue rolled over to bare its base to her knife. No one would be able to tell she had a scar on the bottom of her tongue. Who examined that?

A white porcelain bowl with a spoon was next to the golden dish. It was empty of medicine that Yuwen Hong was maybe fed earlier. Bracing herself, she slashed the bottom of her tongue. It was excruciating but the pain was a small magnitude compared to the guilt that was demonizing her soul. Using her thumb and index finger, she pressed on her tongue to draw blood into the bowl.

Not much blood dripped, so she slit her wound deeper. More blood gushed into the bowl as she squeezed her tongue for as much blood as she could get. When a considerable amount was drawn, staining the bottom of the bowl red, she loosened.

A full spoon of scarlet was what she put into his lips. He was shaking like a leaf with his lips slightly open. Li Lian fed the blood into his mouth.

She didn't expect Yuwen Hong to spit it out.

Red oozed from the corner of his lips, trickling down his cheeks. Staining his clothes would draw suspicion. She wiped the blood by her hand, washed herself in the dish. He was unconscious yet not swallowing what was given to him?