Chapter 166 “You Don’t Love Me?”

Chapter 166: "You Don't Love Me?"...

With the new year underway, work started piling up, and the two could no longer enjoy the leisure they had in the previous month or two. Most days, they were busy with their own tasks in the front courtyard.

At the moment, both were in the study, discussing how much of this year’s iron output would go toward weapons and armor.

When A Long came to report, Tuo Baxiao simply said, "Enter."

A Long entered and noticed Khatun was also present. He instinctively averted his eyes and lowered his head.

"Speak," Tuo Baxiao said casually.

"You might need to see this yourself, Your Majesty, before deciding."

"Hmm?"

"Is it serious?" Jiang Congyan asked.

A Long bowed his head even lower. "N-no, not serious. It's just... I’m not good with words, so I can’t explain it well. You’ll have to come take a look."

Though he said this, Jiang Congyan noticed he was acting off but wasn’t overly concerned. If it were truly important, Tuo Baxiao wouldn’t hide it from her.

Tuo Baxiao stood up and said to her, "It’s chilly out. Stay here. I’ll go take a look and return shortly."

Jiang Congyan glanced at the sky outside the glazed window—it was almost evening. "Alright, wrap it up and come back for dinner."

"Mm."

Tuo Baxiao followed A Long out, only to find him leading the way to a small courtyard nearby.

It was the Imperial Guards’ post. Aside from training and official business, there were also two rooms for interrogations.

A Long had locked the two men in one of the interrogation rooms and posted two trusted men at the door, barring everyone else.

When Tuo Baxiao entered, the two were still unconscious. He gave A Long a questioning look.

Explain.

A Long dismissed everyone else, shut the door, and ensured no third party was present before reporting what he’d heard to Tuo Baxiao.

"...They said Zhang Fu was making... birth control medicine for Khatun. Your Majesty, they must be deliberately slandering Khatun. They can’t get away with this." A Long added this last part, though his heart was uneasy.

The words "birth control medicine" hit Tuo Baxiao like a lightning strike, and fragments of past memories surfaced in his mind.

But he didn’t erupt in rage. Instead, he coldly ordered, "Rouse them."

Unsure whether the king’s calm was a good or bad sign, A Long obeyed. He scooped a ladle of icy water from a nearby bucket and mercilessly splashed it onto the two men’s faces.

The shock of the cold jolted them awake. When they took in their surroundings and saw Tuo Baxiao’s towering figure standing there, his expression unreadable, their faces twisted in terror.

"Confess honestly—were you spreading rumors to harm Khatun?" A Long stepped forward, pressing them harshly.

"N-no! I know nothing! It was Hasha who told me! I really know nothing!" One of the youths pointed at the other, quick to shift blame.

Hasha looked just as scared, trembling uncontrollably. "I wasn’t spreading rumors! I just... discovered this and didn’t know whether to tell Your Majesty."

"Zhang Fu treats so many people. How did you know it was for Khatun?" A Long continued the interrogation.

"Once, while organizing the medicine room for the master, I saw his prescription. Then I noticed he was preparing this medicine alone, forbidding anyone to approach. He even muttered to himself, 'The young mistress shouldn’t keep taking this.' That’s how I figured..."

"You’re making baseless claims—where’s your proof?"

Hasha took out a small porcelain bottle from his medicine pouch and poured out the single pill inside.

"Here’s your proof."

——

Zhang Fu had nearly finished organizing his medical records and prescriptions. His casebook was exhaustive, categorized into major sections with subcategories listing common and special conditions. He even differentiated between symptoms that appeared similar but had entirely different pathologies—truly comprehensive, making it a rare practical guide for novice medical apprentices.

But he wasn’t rushing to publish it. He planned to send it to his father the next time the lady dispatched someone to Liangzhou, for his father to vet first.

In medical theory, he still paled next to his father.

After a long bout of work, Zhang Fu finally found a rare moment of leisure. He made himself tea and had just lifted it to his lips to blow away the steam when a medicine apprentice rushed in.

"Master, the King has arrived."

Zhang Fu quickly set down the teacup and was about to go out to greet him when Tuo Baxiao stormed into the courtyard, heading straight for him.

Tuo Baxiao had rarely ever come to his clinic. This sudden appearance... was so unusual. Coupled with the look on his face, a foreboding rising in him.

"My King," he said, bowing hastily.

Tuo Baxiao stopped before him, his imposing frame blocking the last remnants of daylight, casting a vast shadow over Zhang Fu.

The other apprentices bowed, but A Long quickly shooed them all away.

This only deepened his dread.

"What brings you here yourself, my King?" Zhang Fu heard his own voice tremble slightly, though he tried his best to sound composed.

"I have a medicine here. Do you know what it is?"

Tuo Baxiao opened his palm, revealing the small porcelain bottle.

Zhang Fu went ghostly pale, barely able to bring himself to touch it.

But Tuo Baxiao’s piercing gaze left him no room for refusal.

Hands shaking, Zhang Fu took it, clinging to the faintest hope that it wasn’t what he feared.

Yet fate was determined to disappoint him.

The familiar scent hit him, and his legs gave out, collapsing to the ground as the pill rolled from his grasp.

"You’re the expert. Name this medicine."

His face said it all—it was contraceptive medicine. Still, Tuo Baxiao asked.

Zhang Fu didn’t dare raise his head, his vacant eyes fixed on the floor as he mechanically replied, "Contraceptive medicine."

"You made this for her?" Tuo Baxiao asked.

Zhang Fu: "...Yes."

A long silence followed. Just as Zhang Fu wondered if he would be killed in a fit of rage, Tuo Baxiao spoke again, "Is this medicine harmful?"

Zhang Fu froze, then suddenly mustered a shred of courage. "It is. My King, the lady’s constitution suffers from dual deficiency of qi and blood. It truly wasn’t advisable for her to conceive too soon. But back then, we had just arrived in Xianbei, and I didn’t dare bring up the matter of heirs... Later, after discussing it with you, she stopped taking it. Moreover, I’ve been working to regulate her health—she’s much better now. If you wish for an heir, it’s entirely possible..." The words spilled out of him, blurting everything that came to mind.

Tuo Baxiao stood motionless after listening to him, allowing the cold wind to lash against his body until the last light of sunset disappeared beyond the horizon. Then, he abruptly turned and strode out of the apothecary, just as he had entered.

Everything made sense now. The scattered pieces of the past fell into place at this moment—why she had never conceived during those years they weren’t preventing pregnancy, why her health had only worsened instead of improving, that bottle of pills hidden in her jewelry box, the sudden illness during her menstruation, Zhang Fu’s dodgy behavior. He had harbored doubts at the time, but because she had dismissed them, he’d dropped it. He had trusted her so completely…

——

Jiang Congyan finished her tasks and rubbed her stiff shoulders, glancing outside. Night had fully fallen.

Tuo Baxiao had been gone for over an hour. A Long had said it wasn’t anything serious, but why hadn’t he returned yet? She had even planned to wait for him to have dinner together.

A moment later, A Fei came to ask, “My lady, dinner is ready. Shall we serve it?”

Jiang Congyan thought for a moment. “Hold off for now. Keep it heated.”

Since he hadn’t returned, she busied herself with a few minor tasks.

After waiting another hour, it was getting quite late, and A Fei pressed her to go ahead and eat.

Jiang Congyan was indeed hungry, so she went to the rear courtyard and had just a few of her favorites brought out, instructing the kitchen to keep Tuo Baxiao’s food warm so it’d be ready when he got back.

Most of the time, he would come back for meals unless it was very late. But recently, nothing big had come up—surely he couldn’t be that busy?

She sent someone to inquire about Tuo Baxiao’s whereabouts, wondering what was keeping him.

Yet even the Imperial Guard she dispatched couldn’t find any concrete information. It was like he’d disappeared off the face of the earth.

Jiang Congyan was equal parts confused and concerned. It was so dark outside…

After dinner and washing up, she grabbed a book to kill time. She was nodding off over her book, but Tuo Baxiao still hadn’t returned. When she asked A Fei for the time, it was almost Hai hour (9–11 PM).

“My lady, you ought to get some rest,” A Fei advised.

“Just a little longer.”

Just as Jiang Congyan yawned and was about to give in to exhaustion, a sudden stir came from outside.

“The King is back,” Yun Duo announced immediately.

She knew the lady had been asking after the King and had been waiting for him.

At the news, Jiang Congyan’s drowsiness faded. She pulled on her shoes and stepped closer, intending to greet him when, before she could even put them on properly, the man’s figure appeared in the bedroom.

Their eyes met, and the air grew still.

A Fei and the maids discreetly withdrew.

“You’re back,” Jiang Congyan said, scanning him quickly—no injuries, thank goodness—and let out a breath, though the cold rolling off him and the gust of cold wind that had swept in with him made her reluctant to get too close.

“Have you eaten? If not, I’ll have the kitchen send up your food. It’s still warm. I already ate earlier, so I won’t join you. It’s late, so I’ll go to bed first… Ah!”

As she turned toward the bed, the man suddenly yanked her back.

She stumbled into his icy embrace.

The room was warm, so she was dressed lightly. The sudden contact with his cold body made her shiver.

Annoyed, she shoved at him. “You’re covered in dust from outside, and you’re freezing…”

Tuo Baxiao watched her pink lips part as she scolded him in her usual manner, her fine features bathed in the candlelight’s golden glow. Everything was so perfect and tender, like a beautiful dream.

"Yan Yan, let's start a family," he suddenly said, gazing at her.

Jiang Congyan's remaining drowsiness vanished completely. She lifted her long lashes, looking at him with confusion. Hadn't they just talked about this recently? Why bring it up again?

Gradually, she noticed something off about the man's state. His expression seemed normal, but his entire body was tense, as if suppressing something.

"What's wrong? Did something happen again?" she asked softly, a sudden unease settling in her chest.

"I know all about it now."

"Know what?" Jiang Congyan's throat tightened.

"Zhang Fu gave you birth control medicine." His voice was eerily calm.

Jiang Congyan's eyes widened abruptly, her pupils shrinking as if in sudden pain, her entire body frozen in place.

Before she could explain, he continued, "I know you've had poor health since childhood and aren't ready for pregnancy. Back when we first married, you were afraid I'd be upset, so you didn't tell me. I don't blame you. Haven't we found other ways these past months? No more medicine from now on. Zhang Fu also said it harms your body if taken too much."

"But you must never hide anything from me again, or I'll truly be angry."

He spoke almost to himself, his big hands clamped on her shoulders with crushing force, yet he seemed oblivious, even trembling.

Jiang Congyan hadn’t expected this reaction—he'd even made excuses for her. Given his fiery and straightforward temper, how hard must this have been for him to say?

At this moment, all she had to do was nod and agree, and the crisis might blow over. But meeting his gaze, she found herself unable to move, her eyes burning, her body frozen.

Tuo Baxiao waited, but received no reply—only the sight of her sorrowful, tear-filled eyes. His heart sank, his blood running cold.

Her unbroken silence made him face the truth: she didn’t love him.

"Yan Yan, do you love me?" His voice trembled violently, the question thick with desperate hope and despair.

His gaze wrapped around her so tightly she could hardly breathe.

Beneath his imposing exterior, his heart was hanging by a thread.

Had he asked this question earlier, she might have lied to keep their relationship intact. But after all they'd been through—his childhood wounds laid bare before her, raising armies for her, surrendering cities, showing again and again he'd always choose her—she couldn’t bring herself to deceive him again.

Even if she knew a simple embrace could bridge the rift between them, she couldn’t do it.

"Yan Yan, tell me you love me!" Tuo Baxiao's eyes were bloodshot, his demand edged with madness.

Jiang Congyan only looked at him with tears in her eyes.

His face went rigid, as reality finally hit him, his grip on her shoulders slackening.

"You don’t love me?"

Her thoughts were spinning. She hadn’t expected the pills to be exposed so suddenly, nor how he'd react.

If he'd raged at her, accused her, or grown disgusted, she could have borne it. Instead, he'd made excuses for her, yet sharply uncovered a deeper, more cutting truth—one far worse than the pills.

Her unbroken silence made him face the truth: she didn’t love him.

He had always believed she loved him, maybe not as deeply as he loved her, but still loved him. Now he saw it had all been in his head.

No wonder she'd shied away from his affection. No wonder she had evaded the question before. She simply didn’t love him.

Tuo Baxiao gave a hollow, bitter laugh. "Now you can't even be bothered to lie to me?"

Suddenly recalling something, his expression twisted into one of anguish and humiliation. "Have you long grown tired of faking pleasantries with me every day, until now when you can't bear it anymore? That time I wanted you to help me eat, did you find it completely revolting, thinking I was no different from those who humiliated Mother?"

Jiang Congyan's eyelashes fluttered violently as she stared at him in disbelief—he had compared himself to those people.

She parted her lips, about to deny it, but Tuo Baxiao no longer wished to listen. He stormed out of the bedroom.

"Tuo Baxiao..."

She paused for a moment before hastily chasing after him, but his steps were long and swift. In mere moments, his figure had completely vanished from the courtyard.

She stood frozen at the doorway, the razor-sharp winter wind slicing through her. Still wearing only her thin nightclothes, she had no defense against the chill. Her whole body numb as if submerged in ice, she almost lost all feeling.

A Fei had been waiting in the side chamber for orders when she suddenly heard raised voices from the main room. Though she couldn’t make out the words, the fury in their voices made it clear they were in conflict.

The king and the lady often squabbled, but they had never argued so fiercely before. The king had left in good spirits earlier, and the lady had been waiting for his return as usual tonight—nothing had seemed amiss. What could have happened?

Anxious but not daring to intrude, she could only listen intently. Before long, she saw the king storm out of the bedroom, his aura radiating terrifying coldness. Then the lady rushed out after him. A Fei’s heart sank—something serious had indeed happened between them.

"My lady!" A Fei hurried over to support Jiang Congyan, only to find her hands cold as death. "It's freezing out here, and you're dressed so lightly. You'll catch your death—please come inside."

Jiang Congyan seemed not to hear, unmoving.

A Fei had no choice but to take firm hold of her shoulders and guide her back inside, quickly draping a cloak over her and fetching a hand warmer.

Once Jiang Congyan had warmed up somewhat, A Fei cautiously asked, "My lady, what happened? Why did the king suddenly—?"

Jiang Congyan blinked, but a single tear escaped. She turned her face away, instinctively avoiding A Fei's gaze, unwilling to be seen in such a disheveled state.

This day had finally come.

A Fei dared not press further and instead instructed Lu Zhu to have the kitchen prepare a bowl of ginger soup.

The lady had been exposed to the cold—she mustn’t fall ill again.

——

After leaving, Tuo Baxiao felt as though his entire body was being devoured by flames, as if he were being consumed alive. If he didn’t find a way to vent, he feared he would be reduced to ashes.

He mounted the Li Eagle and spurred it forward with a sharp kick. Man and horse tore forward like a loosed arrow.

A Long had initially hoped the Khatun would explain things properly to the king, and the matter might be resolved. But judging by the king's state, it seemed things had taken the worst possible turn.

A Long hastily gathered a squad of Imperial Guards and gave chase, hoping against hope the king wouldn’t act rashly.

Tuo Baxiao's clothing wasn’t thick, and now, deep into the coldest hour of the night, the freezing wind relentlessly stabbed through his collar and sleeves. Yet he felt no cold—on the contrary, only this numbness kept him clutching at the last tatters of his reason.

He rode through the entire night, aimless and directionless, until dawn broke and the Li Eagle was left heaving and spent. Finally, he stopped—but instead of returning home, he headed straight for the military camp.

...

The king and the Khatun had a falling out. The servants gradually became aware of the issue.