Amid the chaos, many palace servants and guards who had heard the commotion jumped into the water one after another, scrambling to swim toward the Emperor, afraid of missing such a perfect opportunity to save him and earn merit.
In the pool, Guo Yichen watched the crowd surging toward him like hungry wolves. Then he looked at Lin Anran, who had already carried Luo Li ashore, and suddenly felt a bitter ache in his heart.
She just left him in the water like that?
In truth, Lin Anran’s entire focus was on Luo Li. She had not even noticed Guo Yichen swimming over from the opposite bank.
By the time she did notice him, she had already brought Luo Li ashore.
And seeing the water practically boiling with people swarming toward Guo Yichen like dumplings dropped into a pot, she figured it would be impossible for him to drown even if he wanted to. So she simply carried Luo Li and hurried toward Fengyi Palace.
Luo Li had swallowed water and suffered a terrible fright. Curled up in Lin Anran’s arms, she trembled weakly, dazed and miserable like a pitiful little orange kitten.
Night had fallen, and the autumn wind howled coldly.
Even while running, Lin Anran could feel the icy wind cutting through her soaked clothes, making her shiver uncontrollably. If even she could barely endure it, how much worse must it be for three-year-old Luo Li?
As she ran, Lin Anran ordered, “Chunhua, hurry and summon the imperial physician.”
Following closely behind, Chunhua replied, “Your Majesty, this servant already sent someone.”
“I also had Xia Mo run ahead to Fengyi Palace to prepare hot water.”
Lin Anran nodded.
Chunhua had always been reliable.
Very quickly, the group returned to Fengyi Palace.
The bedroom closest to the entrance was Fengqi Hall, so Lin Anran kicked open the doors and carefully laid the trembling Luo Li onto the bed.
With the help of Chunhua and Nanny Jian, Lin Anran finally managed to remove Luo Li’s wet clothes and tuck her beneath a clean cotton blanket to keep warm.
At that moment, the imperial physician arrived.
Seeing that Lin Anran was still wearing drenched clothing, Chunhua hurriedly urged, “Your Majesty, now that the physician is here, Xia Mo and Nanny Jian can stay to watch over the princess. Please come change into dry clothes first.”
Lin Anran nodded and tried to release Luo Li’s hand.
But though Luo Li had already fallen into a half-conscious state, she seemed to sense Lin Anran’s intention to leave. Suddenly, she clutched tightly onto her hand and murmured weakly:
“Mother Empress… don’t go… don’t leave your daughter… your daughter will behave… I’ll listen to you… please don’t abandon me… Mother Empress… Mother Empress…”
Each pleading word, humble almost to the point of desperation, shattered Lin Anran’s heart.
How could she possibly bear to leave now?
She immediately gripped Luo Li’s hand tightly in return and comforted her softly, “Little Ah Li, don’t be afraid. Mother Empress is here. I’ll stay with you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Your Majesty,” the imperial physician advised, “the night air is cold and the autumn wind cuts to the bone. You also fell into the water. It would be best to bathe in hot water and change into dry clothing soon, lest you catch a chill and harm your royal health.”
Luo Li’s eyelids fluttered slightly, as though she had heard the physician’s words. Quietly, she loosened her grip on Lin Anran’s hand.
Even unconscious, Luo Li’s greatest concern was still her mother.
This daughter was more than just a thoughtful little sweetheart—she was practically an angel.
But just as Luo Li worried about Lin Anran, Lin Anran also could not stop worrying about Luo Li and had no intention of leaving.
At that moment, a tall figure, equally soaked from head to toe, entered the room. His deep, authoritative voice allowed no refusal.
“The Empress should go wash and change first. I will stay here with Luo Li.”
As he spoke, he strode to Lin Anran’s side and, without waiting for agreement, took her place by grasping Luo Li’s hand.
Then he turned to look at Lin Anran.
“If the Empress still wishes to continue caring for Luo Li, then you must first take care of your own health. Do not fall ill yourself.”
His gaze was calm, and his words sounded caring, yet Lin Anran felt that the chill radiating from this man was colder than the autumn wind itself.
This man was Guo Yichen—her current husband, the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, and the same bastard who had brutally tormented her the very first night after she transmigrated into this world.