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Ji\'er shook her head and opened her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by a sudden retch. Covering her mouth hastily, she pushed him away and dashed off the carriage.

Chu Qi immediately followed her, his face pale.

Ji\'er was crouching at the roadside, dry-heaving intensely.

After her last vomiting spell, she had fallen asleep without eating anything, so there was nothing for her to throw up now.

However, the churning feeling in her stomach made her desperately want to vomit.

At this moment, the man laid his palm on her back and stroked it gently.

When her gagging finally stopped, she was already on the brink of exhaustion.

She tried to stand, but her knees buckled.

Chu Qi scooped her into his arms and said anxiously, "What\'s the matter, Ji\'er? Are you ill?"

Just when Ji\'er was about to answer, she caught sight of a person standing beside the carriage. Her body instantly froze up, then started quaking as unconcealable terror appeared in her eyes.

Sensing her strange reaction, Chu Qi followed her gaze, and his eyes darkened in realization.

"Ji\'er, His Majesty…"

"I don\'t want to hear it. I don\'t want to see him…" Ji\'er started to struggle violently as she screamed hysterically, "Let me go!"

An acute pain seized Chu Qi\'s heart, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Ji\'er, don\'t be like this; he\'s your father…"

"Uwaaah…" Ji\'er wailed.

Long Yang caught himself as he was about to take another step toward her. His entire body felt leaden, and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

Although he knew Ji\'er would not want to see him, it still stung to see how much she resented him.

The sight of his daughter crying bitterly made his heart ache. He was at a loss for what to do.

However, he was solely responsible for all of this.

He let out a long sigh. Eventually, he walked up to Ji\'er, who had completely lost control of herself.

He lifted a hand to stroke her hair, but paused when he saw her hostile stare. In the end, he let his hand fall to his side.

He was silent for a moment as he regarded her tenderly. "Ji\'er, I know you don\'t want to see me now. In that case, I\'ll leave first. Just don\'t hurt yourself."

A hollowness fell over Ji\'er\'s gaze. She was still trembling in Chu Qi\'s firm embrace.

Long Yang\'s eyes dimmed. With a sigh, he turned to Qi Heng and the guards and instructed them to stay behind while he returned to the imperial capital first. 

"Maybe you should wait until daybreak, Your Majesty," Chu Qi hurriedly suggested. 

"It\'s all right." Long Yang shook his head and ordered, "I leave Ji\'er\'s safety to you. Make sure you escort her safely back to the imperial capital—her mother\'s waiting for her return."

"I will. Have a safe journey, Your Majesty!" Knowing the Emperor would not change his mind, Chu Qi replied earnestly.

"You too. Ji\'er looks a little ill. There\'s a town up ahead—take her to one of the inns there and let her rest." With that, Long Yang mounted the horse one of the guards had led to him.

He swayed a little when he was on top, which Chu Qi noted with concern.

While searching for Ji\'er in the past two months, the Emperor had barely slept a wink or gotten any rest; his body had probably reached its limit now.

He turned to Long Yang\'s guards. "Protect His Majesty at all cost."

"Yes, General. Please stay safe with the Princess." After giving their word, the guards swung themselves up onto their horses.

Long Yang left most of the guards behind, save for the mere few escorting him. 

Atop his horse, he cast one more glance over his shoulder at Ji\'er in Chu Qi\'s arms. She never looked at him—a clear sign of her hatred for him.

Despite his crushing sadness, there was nothing he could do. If he stayed, he would only make her uncomfortable. At last, he gave the reins a tug and galloped off.

His group soon disappeared into the night.

Chu Qi shifted his gaze back to Ji\'er. She had quietened down, but her eyes were empty, her face blanched and tear-streaked. It pained and worried him to see her like this.