Doctor Lou simply nodded and resumed his finger-palm scribbling while the Emperor silently observed him as he considered everything that had happened.

With the presence of the old man, the Emperor was no longer certain if this was simply just a dream. He glanced about the cave room and his eyes settled back on the old man and he could not help inquiring, "You still haven't told me what exactly is this place and who was that person you were talking to earlier, the one you say I "piggybacked" on and how does he know my Xing er' -"

"Your Xing er'..." Doctor Lou interrupted with a snort followed by a giggle, struggling to contain his laughter.

The Emperor glared at him and stated, "She is mine." And then continued his questioning, "Why were Xing er' and my brother here...together? More importantly, where did they go?" He finished with a frown, the thought of the two of them together, even in a dream was upsetting, "Is this really all just a dream?"

"How should I know?" Doctor Lou responded with a shrug.

"Stop it." The Emperor flatly said, tired of the old man's antics.

"Stop what?" Doctor Lou asked, innocently blinking at him.

"You know, so tell me." The Emperor said, narrowing his eyes at the old man in irritation.

Doctor Lou quietly looked at him for a few seconds before sighing and asking, "Do you want to go home to "Your" Xing Xing, or do you want to go see that one?" He asked, nodding towards the passageway.

The Emperor knit his brows, "I'm not asking to stay here, I just want to know what this is and they were here...when they were here." He added, recalling that they looked younger here. He could not help recalling the rumors of them having something together before his return to the capital. He knew they were rumors started by Chen You to besmirch Lei Xing's reputation...but seeing this, he could not help thinking that perhaps there was some truth in those words.

He had looked into it and they had no meetings, but there was still a chance that their encounters had escaped detection, a slim chance but still a chance. Lei Xing would not know, but Prince Yi would know, would remember what they had...and he would not tell him. The Emperor clenched his fists in anger, considering whether torture could work.

"Didn't you say this was a dream?" Doctor Lou's voice cut through the Emperor's thoughts and he looked up to see the old man looking at him quizzically. Doctor Lou smiled at him, "Can't trade a dream for reality, now can we?"

The Emperor stared at him, feeling his ruffled feathers settling, he opened his mouth to speak but then suddenly g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain as his hand clutched his c.h.e.s.t. It felt as if something had just rammed into his ribs, knocking the air out of him. While he was still struggling to catch his breath from the first blow, another blow came and then another, and another...

The Emperor was suddenly feeling like he was being submerged underwater, struggling for breath. Doctor Lou chuckled, "Best send you home before someone else makes that choice for you hehehe~"

The Emperor raised his head with difficulty, "Wha -" Before he could finish his words, he fell over, and his gaze, and the world, went dark.

{...What in heaven's name is happening to me?...}

***

"I said pour it!." Lei Xing barked at Xiao Ruo who was holding a basin of water by the bed, hesitating.

Xiao Ruo glanced at the bed, where Lei Xing was pounding on the Emperor's c.h.e.s.t with her fists, occasionally pausing to "kiss" him. Xiao Ruo knit her brows, not quite understanding what was happening, "But your majesty -"

"Right now!" Lei Xing ordered, glaring at her as she sat back up from one of her "kisses". Xiao Ruo flinched and promptly emptied the bowl on the Emperor's face and to her surprise, he did not even flinch. Of course, he had not. If Lei Xing's pounding did not wake him, how would ordinary water do the trick?

"Where's the stupid doctor?" Lei Xing said with irritation as she continued using all her might to pound the Emperor's c.h.e.s.t, one fist after another in swift decisive, painful moves. Xiao Ruo quickly looked at two of the maids and they ran off to go check on what was keeping the Imperial doctors before Lei Xing turned her anger on them.

"...It's not working." Lei Xing panickedly said, before slapping the Emperor hard across the face, causing Xiao Ruo and the maids in the room to jump, "Wake up!"

"Your majesty, be caref -"

"Shut up!" Lei Xing barked out and then went to "kiss" him again, longer this time before she straightened up and resumed her pounding on his c.h.e.s.t.

{...Wake up! You have to wake up!...}

The Emperor felt before he could see, felt the assault on his c.h.e.s.t, and then he felt warm lips on his, which he quickly knew were Lei Xing's. His lips instinctively wanted to move to kiss her lips, but they were gone too soon. He could feel his body but could not move or open his eyes. Next came the influx of pain again, he was very confused now, still submerged in the darkness.

He felt her lips again and instinctively his moved to grab onto hers. Her lips moved against his for a split second, before they were gone again. In pain and a tad irritated, he willed his eyes and body to move and this time, they responded. His eyes sprung open as his body sat up in bed and his hand moved to clutch his c.h.e.s.t. The sudden movement had caused a ripple of pain to go through his c.h.e.s.t.

The Emperor glanced at the shocked faces of the maids who were looking at him with shocked faces before they quickly averted their gazes. The Emperor then promptly turned to look at Lei Xing, who was blankly staring at him. She was sweaty and completely disheveled, not in a good way, "Xing er', what's wrong?" he asked, completely forgetting his own pain as the hand that was clutching his c.h.e.s.t went to hold her pale face.

Lei Xing finally reacted and let out the breath she had no idea she had been holding, before she jumped on him, arms wrapping around his neck and burying her face in the crook of his neck, "You're awake...and warm" She quietly said in a breathless voice, followed by a little sniffle.

The Emperor nodded. He did not quite understand what was happening, but he held and comforted his rattled Lei Xing, who he suspected was crying. She was hiding her face and he could feel her shaking. He was just about to send the servants away so he could properly talk to her when the doors flew open and he turned his head to see a bunch of Imperial physicians and servants rushing towards the bed in a frenzy.

Before he could ask what was happening, Lei Xing swiftly straightened up and looked at the head physician as she said, "Come check him, he wasn't breathing an - Just check him." She irritatedly finished, not wanting to sound even more foolish. He was awake now, clearly breathing and warm. Still, she could shake the agitation from earlier away, she released him but still held onto one of his arms, her fingers on his pulse, soothing her frantic heart with each heartbeat she felt.

The Emperor turned to look at Lei Xing and curled his fingers up to hold her hand and she looked up at him. The worry in her eyes caused his heart to ache. She looked terrified, an expression he had not seen before on her face. He smiled reassuringly and said, "I'm alright."

"Still, check him." Lei Xing ordered with a frown at the head physician who had just been standing there obviously confused by her saying he was not breathing when he was sitting up looking at them.

The head physician came over and checked his pulse and then knit his brows, he let go of the Emperor's wrist and then scrutinized him and then asked, "Are you in pain anywhere?"

The Emperor turned to him and began, "Well, my che -" He stopped and Lei Xing lowered her head, he slightly smirked and said, "I'm fine..." Lei Xing worriedly looked up at him, but before she could say anything, the Emperor patted her head and smiled at her, "I'm really fine..."

The Emperor then turned to the head physician and said, "You can leave..." The head physician glanced at Lei Xing and then bowed with knit eyebrows, it seemed again this royal couple disturbed his sleep for no reason. He let out a sigh and then left with his retinue.

The Emperor then looked at Xiao Ruo and ordered, "Change the sheets." She bopped and quickly fled the room with the other maids, leaving the Emperor and Lei Xing alone.

"I woke up and you weren't breathing...your body was also cold." Lei Xing said with a frown as she put her hands to his neck, happy to feel the warmth on his skin and movement as he held her hands. She smiled at him and then looked at his wet hair and said, "You should get changed..." She said and then climbed over him and held his arm to help him up.

The Emperor lightly grimaced as he stood up and Lei Xing worriedly asked, "Are you sure you won't get something for that? Do you think I broke a rib?" She said as she opened his shirt and was shocked at the sight of the reddening bruise on his c.h.e.s.t. Her administrations had been very focused on a particular spot, "Sorry..." She mumbled with a pout.

She had no clue she was using that much power...but she could not be blamed. The terror of waking up and finding your spouse cold and not breathing would naturally drive anyone mad. At least she had the breath of mind to immediately perform CPR.

Lei Xing nodded and gave herself a pat on the back.