When G.Li opened her eyes, she was surrounded by people around her bed. All the maids, servants and madams stared at her like she was the eighth wonder of the world.

"My lady has woken up!" Xiao Hua cried out in happiness. Daifu wen quickly brought a bowl before her mouth,

"My lady, please sip this nutrition."

After she was stable, daifu left with the eunuchs leaving only her maids, the emperor and princess Qiao Tan in the chamber.

Zhu Zhen walked and sat beside her on the bed. When G.Li tried to sit up, he helped her and made her lean against his abdomen for her comfort.

"How do you feel now, Li'er?"

"Good", G.Li replied in a hoarse voice, closing her eyes as she felt Zhu Zhen roll his fingertips on her palm.

Princess Qioa Tan lips formed a sly smile, covering her lips with the hem of her dress.

"Gongsun Li seemed to have a bad appetit for good looking men. This princess heard legend about women bleeding their nose over handsome man, never saw anyone fainting."

Gongsun Li felt Zhu Zhen's body getting rigid hearing the story, and her heart shook with fear.

Xiao Hua hurriedly kneeled before the emperor to save her lady,

"Huangshang, my lady has been weak for lack of food these days. The heat of sun outside is the reason she fainted. It's not my lady's fault. Please punish nubi for her negligence."

Zhu Zhen realized G.Li was shaking and quickly rubbed her palms with his to produce heat mistaking it for cold.

"Leave us alone." he ordered the chamber.

"Allow Tan'er to take your leave." Princess Qiao Tan bowed and left with others.

Now that they were alone, G.Li's fear reached it peak not knowing what to do.

"Now explain, wife." his voice sent shivers down her body as she rambled,

"Hu-huangs-

"Laoye"

"Huh?" G.Li was clearly confused.

Zhu Zhen turned her to face him and lifted her on his lap.

"Zhen leaves you just for a few weeks and my little wife goes to fawn over other man, huh?"

"It's not true, huan-Laoye. It's just- I-"

"Shhhh" Zhu Zhen pressed her lips with a finger and pulled her closer tucking her head on his shoulder.

"Zhen trusts you, my love." he sighed kissing her hair. "You went to the palace of dragon to meet Zhen, didn't you?"

"Hmm", G.Li's voice was ruffled from his shoulder. Zhu Zhen laughed lightly at her attempt and brought her face before his eyes.

His eyes hungrily staring at her face as if he wanted to remember every details. He kissed her nose, her cheeks and lastly on her lips.

"Did you miss me, Li'er?" He asked the question staring intent at her face as if his life dependant on the answer.

G.Li burst out into tears and hid her face on his chest,

"Jianqie missed laoye so much, so much. Laoye has been so cruel to me, so harsh. Jianqie waited for you every night, every moment but Laoye didnot even miss me a bit!"

Zhu Zhen's expression turned pained at her tears. He kissed those tears away and them murmured,

"That's absolutely not true."

"It's true. If it's not then tell me, did laoye miss me a bit?"

Zhu Zhen smiled sadly and kissed her hard. Leaving her lips, he breathed

"More than life itself."

Gongsun Li's tears overflowing tears increased it's flow at his words.

"Laoye lies. If you missed me, you would not go to Princess Qiao Tan." Zhu Zhen was busy kissing her tears but stopped at her words,

"What do you mean?" He looked genuinely confused, his lips glistening wet with her tears.

"Laoye spent his nights with princess Qiao Tan."

The concern in his face changed into a cold glint at once and he asked with a glare,

"Who gave you this false news?!"

Gongsun Li literally felt her heart skip a beat, that bastard Su Jian played her!!!

Now she was officially doomed.

................

Okay, G.Li agreed she had done many stupid things in her life but today, she crossed all the limits.

To save herself from Zhu Zhen's extreme interrogation, she fainted, again!!!! But this time she pretended to faint, and Zhu Zhen being the sly emperor he was, caught her in a second.

So, now she was in trouble, a big trouble.

"Answer the question, Li'er." Zhu Zhen ordered sternly to his wife. What would she say? That a demi god arrived in her chamber and told her the news and she being the fool she is beliebed him?

The emperor would surely think she has mental problem and sent her to the cold palace.

"Huangshang, forgive jianqie."

"Just answer the question, Li'er."

"Nobody- nobody told me. I imagined all these okay? Because princess Qiao Tan is so beautiful and talented and huangshang is so handsome, xiaonu thought Laoye liked her highness. Please pardon xiaonu, Xiaonu was bounded by jealousy."

Silence, a pin drop silence. After her outburst, Zhu Zhen was absolutely quiet, only giving her his signature mind numbing stare. Being really uncomfortable she could not fathom what to say.

So, she stuttered- "hu-huangshang"

However, she was not really prepared for Zhu Zhen's next words,

"You love me."

Erm, Come again?