After Huang Ling woke up, he discovered that he was naked, with a woman lying beside him. He immediately understood what had happened.
He grabbed a pillow and began raining blows down on the woman.
As he struck her, he held back his tears and cursed her furiously.
After being hit several times on the head and taking quite a few blows to the body, Li Ruo, whose injuries had not yet healed, suffered even more.
Still, she had no need to lose her temper.
She hurriedly hugged Huang Ling tightly, pillow and all. "No, no, no! Cousin, it's me! It's me, your cousin Li Ruo!"
"Cousin... Cousin?"
Huang Ling froze, then abruptly looked up. "How could it be you?"
"You... you..."
Huang Ling pointed at her, then at himself, unable to say a word for a moment.
Li Ruo hurriedly took his hand and comforted him softly. "I felt a little stifled today, so I thought I'd come out onto the river for some fresh air. I didn't expect to get drunk after just two cups of wine and end up doing something like this."
"Cousin, this is all my fault. Although I don't even know what happened—perhaps someone drugged me—but no matter what, I defiled you. I deserve to die!"
"Cousin, I'll go to the palace right now and plead guilty to Uncle and Your Majesty. I'll ask them to have me executed by a thousand cuts!"
As Li Ruo spoke, she began pulling on her clothes, looking as though she had already resolved to die and was about to go to the palace to turn herself in.
Huang Ling hesitated, but still grabbed her. "Wait."
"Cousin, I... I was only saying that in the heat of the moment. Don't go yet."
After saying that, Huang Ling's face