His husband, lying half dead on the ground, with no medicine to eat, let alone recuperate properly, why was this so?
Princess Regent Zande reflected on these thoughts, a hint of self-mockery rising in her eyes.
Wasn't it all because she had raised such a good daughter?
"Jiang Hong, what's wrong?"
Princess Regent Zande approached Baili Hao and first saw Jiang Hong, trembling and muttering to himself.
Jiang Hong was momentarily startled when he heard his name called, and then saw the face of Princess Regent Zande.
As if seeing a savior, he knelt down beside Princess Regent Zande with a thud and cried, "Master, Master, I want to leave, there are ghosts here..."
A grown man, seven feet tall, knelt before everyone, and he was not young.
He knelt to his master, which was somewhat understandable, but to cry so uncontrollably, repeatedly saying he was scared, that there were ghosts, this was simply unbearable.
Princess Regent Zande frowned and reprimanded, "It's broad daylight, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"Master, I'm not talking nonsense. Just now, a black cat suddenly darted out. It landed on my sword, and after it jumped off, my sword broke."
As Jiang Hong spoke, he took out his broken sword for Princess Regent Zande to see.
Princess Regent Zande examined it carefully and finally said, "You're seeing things. What kind of cat can break a sword like this, as you say?"
Jiang Hong's sword was a good one. Not to mention a cat, even Princess Regent Zande couldn't easily break it in half so cleanly.
"That must be a cat spirit, Master. This is really too abnormal. Let's go..."
Jiang Hong tightly grabbed the hem of Princess Regent Zande's robe and pleaded, as if he would die if they didn't leave soon.
"Shut up! What kind of man cries like this?" Princess Regent Zande said, kicking Jiang Hong aside.
Then, regardless of Jiang Hong's pleas, Princess Regent Zande pretended not to hear. She gently called out to Baili Hao, wanting to feed him something.
Baili Hao slowly opened his eyes, somewhat confused as to why the light was so strong.
When he adjusted to the bright light and finally saw Princess Regent Zande before him, he showed a very surprised expression.
"You... why are you like this?"
Although Princess Regent Zande was in her thirties, due to good maintenance and dressing, she looked no older than twenty.
Now, she had suddenly changed into different clothes, without any grooming, and coupled with digging soil all morning, her face was dusty and grimy, truly making her look more than ten years older than before.
"Does it still hurt? Eat something."
Princess Regent Zande did not answer Baili Hao's question, but instead cared about his injuries and appetite.
Women dress up for those who admire them; this saying holds true for any woman.
If she could, Princess Regent Zande naturally didn't want Baili Hao to see her in this state.
However, things don't always go as planned.
She could only try her best to make herself and Baili Hao ignore this fact.
"Hiss!"
Baili Hao tried to prop himself up to sit, but he moved his wound.
He instantly broke out in a cold sweat and weakly lay back down.
The pain from his body gradually cleared his mind, making him remember what had happened before.
"Where are we now?"
Baili Hao closed his eyes and gasped.
In his heart, he was raging. The wound wasn't that deep, nor was it in a vital spot, so why did it hurt so much?
The most difficult part was that he couldn't show it, because everyone knew it wasn't a very deep wound.
If he acted as if he was in excruciating pain, what would others think of him?
Therefore, Baili Hao could only try his best to speak in a calm tone and say less.
"At our home," Shen Xiaoyan answered for Princess Regent Zande.
A look of confusion instantly appeared on Baili Hao's face. Why at Shen Xiaoyan's home?
Although Baili Hao didn't ask, Princess Regent Zande could see his confusion and could only briefly explain the situation.
After hearing the reason, Baili Hao helplessly closed his eyes. He had no strength in his body now; anyone could deliver a fatal blow.
"Eat something."
Princess Regent Zande's heart ached seeing Baili Hao's appearance.
"I won't eat. You go."
Baili Hao shook his head and slowly closed his eyes again.
The black cloth on his face hadn't been removed yet, so Shen Xiaoyan still hadn't seen his face.
However, Shen Xiaoyan wasn't very curious.
After all, she had plenty of time in the future, and she didn't believe Baili Hao could hold out for several days without eating.
Although Princess Regent Zande wanted to persuade him, she knew Baili Hao's personality and that persuasion would be useless, so she didn't try again.
After finishing the half bowl of porridge, Princess Regent Zande returned to the construction site and continued to dig soil with her shovel.
Baili Ziyun had been standing there motionless. She had thought that Princess Regent Zande, who always doted on her, would not bear to see her go hungry if she didn't eat.
She would surely find a way to have Shen Xiaoyan make some food for her separately. But to her surprise, Princess Regent Zande acted as if she had forgotten her existence and went to dig soil on her own.
Her mother had pampered her for so many years, holding her in her hands for fear she would break and in her mouth for fear she would melt. When had she ever treated her like this?
"Are you eating?"
Shen Xiaoyan tapped the bucket of porridge with a wooden ladle and impatiently asked Baili Ziyun.
"No."
Baili Ziyun said angrily and turned back to dig soil.
She had the backbone not to eat, but not the backbone not to dig.
She could go hungry, but she was unwilling to be beaten, especially not a group beating.
Princess Regent Zande glanced at Baili Ziyun when she approached, but only gave her a faint look, without any extra words or suspicious expressions.
Seeing this, Baili Ziyun felt extremely wronged. Her nose stung, and she was about to cry.
But luckily, she held back her tears and picked up the only shovel that no one was using, and began to dig.
Shen Xiaoyan watched with interest as she and Princess Regent Zande dug a basket of soil without any interaction. Then, she left hand in hand with Zheng Wei.
Baili Ziyun watched Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei leave, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions, unable to describe it.
If she hadn't come to cause trouble for Shen Xiaoyan, hadn't pestered Zheng Wei, would things be different today?
Unfortunately, life has no "ifs."
Baili Ziyun worked all afternoon on an empty stomach, feeling dizzy and her stomach occasionally cramping.
When Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei came again to deliver dinner, they saw that Baili Ziyun's expression had changed from indignant dissatisfaction to a look of utter despair.
Huo Fen rang the gong again. The guards who were working heard the sound and once again put down their tools and came to line up to receive their meals.
Baili Ziyun also changed her sluggishness from noon and quickly walked forward, joining the queue.
Princess Regent Zande, as before, remained at the very end of the line.
When it was Baili Ziyun's turn, she bowed her head, only watching Huo Fen ladle the porridge, daring not to look at Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei standing nearby.
Shen Xiaoyan was somewhat surprised that Baili Ziyun could so quickly accept reality and come to eat the food she disdained.
But then she understood.
Baili Ziyun's surrender was not due to her understanding of forbearance, but because she couldn't stand the suffering.