The bad value system is measuring values.

Chapter 74 Reconciliation

Not long after Qiao Xiao stepped out of the room, she was surrounded by a group of servants and maids who rushed over, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

A maid cried out anxiously, "Something terrible has happened! His Highness has fainted! Come quickly and help!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiao's heart tightened, and her face instantly turned pale. Almost instinctively, she turned around and rushed towards Prince Schertz's palace, weaving through the crowd and anxiously asking, "What happened to him?"

At this moment, a minister squeezed out of the crowd and solemnly reported, "Your Majesty, His Highness the Prince has suddenly fainted."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiao was extremely anxious and immediately ordered, "Quickly! Send the prince to the royal physician's office for treatment immediately, without delay!"

Immediately, dozens of attendants sprang into action, carefully lifting Prince Scherz and escorting him swiftly toward the palace's medical ward.

Qiao Xiao stood there, her gaze following the departing group, her heart filled with mixed emotions that she could not calm down.

Daisy jogged over and learned what had happened along the way. She was relieved to find that the Queen was alright and immediately reassured her, "Your Majesty, please don't worry. His Highness is just overworked. I'm sure the royal physicians will be able to get him out of danger."

Qiao Xiao held Daisy's hand tightly, her eyes full of worry: "Daisy, I'm really worried about you going with them, Shi Bozi."

Daisy nodded in agreement and hurriedly left, carrying Qiao Xiao's instructions.

The dormitory returned to silence, with only Qiao Xiao remaining.

Qiao Xiao slowly walked into the dark room, and the mirror that had been dormant for a long time was awakened once again by her.

"Magic mirror, magic mirror..." Qiao Xiao called softly.

Magic Mirror: "Oh my god, it's Your Highness the Queen. You've really put the prince in a terrible situation this time."

Qiao Xiao was slightly taken aback: "You knew?"

Magic Mirror: "I am the all-knowing and all-powerful Magic Mirror. Don't worry, Your Majesty, you are the prince's favorite person. How could I possibly hurt you?"

Qiao Xiao: "But I still hurt the prince."

Magic Mirror: "Yes, my Queen, you have indeed done something so cruel, but only you can save him. If you start caring for him again, he will surely get better."

Qiao Xiao: "I can meet your needs, but I have one request."

Magic Mirror: "What are your requirements?"

Qiao Xiao: "Every now and then, I will come here to ask you a question, and you must answer me truthfully."

Magic Mirror: "Of course, that's no problem at all, my queen."

Qiao Xiao left, completely satisfied.

The magic mirror muttered to itself, "My Queen, as long as you take care of the Prince again, he will grant you any request. Then I will have a continuous supply of blood."

Inside the royal physician's office, several physicians anxiously surrounded the prince, frantically conducting various examinations and treatments. Sweat dripped from their brows, and the entire room was filled with a tense atmosphere.

After a flurry of activity, the prince finally opened his eyes. Seeing this, the royal physicians breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with satisfaction.

Spoelstra slowly opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat dazed, as if he hadn't fully recovered from his unconsciousness. He murmured to himself, "What...what happened to me? What happened?"

He felt his consciousness was still somewhat hazy, as if he had just experienced a dream, but he couldn't remember the specific details.

Schertz tried to recall the moment before he lost consciousness; he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, and then he was plunged into darkness.

"Where is Mother?" Spoelstra asked softly. He looked around, trying to find Qiao Xiao, but he couldn't find her. In the end, all that was left in his eyes was endless disappointment.

Daisy was blocked outside the door. Everyone cared about Spartz, the only prince in the kingdom, but due to the king's pressure, they never dared to express their concern.

The royal physicians exclaimed excitedly, "You're awake, Your Highness!"

Spoelstra's voice was too soft and was completely ignored.

They rushed forward, all genuinely concerned for the prince's safety.

Spoelstra smiled and didn't react. Since his mother passed away when he was five, he, as a prince, had never been treated well.

He had grown accustomed to a life of silence and indifference, and to a world devoid of care.

When a person travels for too long and too far, no matter how beautiful the scenery along the way may be, they have no heart to appreciate it, because they have already built another landscape in their mind.

If concern is silent and invisible, then it is not concern.

Now, although their voices of concern are loud, they are more like the chill of iced liquor, radiating coldness, and Spohr feels no warmth at all.

This superficial concern and enthusiasm could not truly touch his heart; in his eyes, it was merely a formality, and could not fill the loneliness and loss deep within him.

Why didn't you come, Mother?

Qiao Xiao returned to her dormitory exhausted, gently stroking Marigold lying on her lap, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Qiao Xiao asked softly, "Do you think there might be something wrong with Spoelstra?"

Marigold reassured her, "No, Your Majesty."

Qiao Xiao continued, "I found the magic mirror."

Marigold responded excitedly, "That's wonderful! Have you seen your father?"

Qiao Xiao nodded and said gratefully, "Yes, thank you so much."

Marigold said with a proud look, "You have to thank me, my queen."

Qiao Xiao smiled and agreed, "Of course, you deserve a lot of credit."

However, despite successfully finding the magic mirror and meeting her father, Qiao Xiao's face showed no joy, but rather was filled with worry and contemplation as she quietly gazed out the window.

Marigold keenly noticed Qiao Xiao's change in mood and said with concern, "Do you know, my queen, whenever you stare at something for a long time, it's a sign that you're expressing melancholy."

Qiao Xiao asked doubtfully, "Really?"

“Saboz has been busy with political affairs lately and has no time to attend to the selection of knights? I am very worried about that.”

Marigold: "Oh, my Queen, Spitz is an extremely talented man, he can do it well. That's not what you're really worried about."

Qiao Xiao was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice with helplessness, "The king will be back in less than a month, but I don't love him."

Marigold seemed to understand Qiao Xiao's worries and gently comforted her, "So that's what you're worried about."

It lowered its head and nuzzled Qiao Xiao's palm with its soft fur. Then, it raised its head, looked at Qiao Xiao firmly, and said, "Don't worry, Queen, I will help you solve this problem."

Upon hearing Marigold's words, Qiao Xiao's face lit up with surprise, her eyes sparkling with hope. She asked eagerly, "Really?"

Marigold nodded firmly, then lightly leaped to the ground and gracefully departed.

Just then, Daisy returned, and Marigold leaped into Daisy's arms, enjoying her embrace and caresses.

Qiao Xiao immediately stood up and asked, "How is Shi Bozi?"

Daisy: "He's awake, Your Majesty, but I was pushed outside, and I don't know exactly what happened."

"However, Your Majesty, would it be better if you did not visit the prince?"

Qiao Xiao asked, puzzled, "Why?"

Daisy said with a worried look, "His Highness is so heartbroken that he has developed a high fever and keeps calling your name. I'm afraid you might be implicated."

Qiao Xiao frowned slightly: "Your intentions are good, but no matter what, I am still his mother. How can it be appropriate for me not to visit him when he is critically ill?"

After saying that, she lifted her long, trailing dress without hesitation and hurried toward the Imperial Hospital.

Before long, Qiao Xiao arrived at the Imperial Physician's Office, where a bustling scene greeted her:

Some of the maids held medicine bowls, some gently wiped away sweat, some carefully fed the medicine, and some gently massaged the patient.

A senior royal physician sat upright beside the couch, his hand on his reading glasses, giving detailed instructions. The other royal physicians stood in orderly rows behind him, each holding their medical tools and medicines, fully prepared.

Everyone bowed to Qiao Xiao upon seeing her.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Qiao Xiao asked anxiously, "How is he?"

The chief physician respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the prince's fever has subsided, but he still needs to rest and recuperate."

Qiao Xiao nodded and instructed, "Okay, I'll come to visit him again later. You all focus on treating him first, and report to me immediately if anything happens."

The crowd responded in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty."

However, at that moment, Spartz suddenly raised his hand and pressed it to his forehead, breaking the surrounding tranquility. He slowly said, "Mother, could you please wait a moment? I have a few words I would like to say to you."

Qiao Xiao: "Let's talk about it after you've fully recovered."

Her attitude was completely different from the worry and urgency she had shown before; at this moment, she appeared exceptionally resolute and ruthless.

Spoelstra gave a helpless bitter smile, as if he had already expected this outcome. He said softly, "If Mother does not agree, then I'm afraid I will have a hard time drinking this bitter medicine."

As he spoke, he gently pushed away the medicine spoon offered by the maid, turned his face slightly to the side, and looked stubborn.

The atmosphere became tense. The imperial physicians looked at each other, trembling, and none of them dared to take a deep breath.

Qiao Xiao said in a low voice, "You can all go down now."

A group of people left the scene quickly and in an orderly manner.

Qiao Xiao asked with displeasure, "What's wrong with you, Shi Bozi?"

With tears welling in his eyes and his eyes reddening, a crimson blood moon rose in his seemingly calm and undisturbed eyes. His gaze was empty, fixed intently on Qiao Xiao's figure.

"Mother, have you finally come to see me?"

Qiao Xiao immediately retorted, "I'm not coming anytime soon..."

Sherber immediately interrupted, questioning, "Why wasn't it you I saw first?"

His tone was both arrogant and aggrieved.

Qiao Xiao sat down beside him helplessly, muttering to herself: Why did you ask? Of course she didn't want to come, but she couldn't lie.

Qiao Xiao remained silent in the face of Shi Bozi's questioning.

A cold smile flashed across Spoelstra's face as he stared intently at Qiao Xiao, as if trying to see right through her. "I think you're just tired of pretending, that's why you didn't come to see me." His tone was full of sarcasm and suspicion.

He pressed on, "I think you approached me because of the Magic Mirror. The knight training was just an excuse, wasn't it?"

Although Shi Bozi didn't have any solid evidence and was only relying on his own speculation, he roughly understood everything when he saw Qiao Xiao staring at him silently.

He guessed right. Qiao Xiao did indeed approach him because of the Magic Mirror; the so-called knight training was just a pretext.

Spoelstra's face grew increasingly grim, his eyes flashing with anger. "Now that you've achieved your goal, why bother caring about me? Don't bother looking at me anymore, or you'll have to pretend."

Schertz's voice was low and cold, each word sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

Qiao Xiao silently picked up the soup beside her, stirred it gently with a spoon, then scooped up a spoonful, blew on it lightly, and said indifferently, "Drink it." Her voice was flat and emotionless.

She looked at each frame one by one. Every movement of hers was gentle, so why was her tone so cold?

Schubert obediently took a sip, and the bitter taste of the medicine hit the tip of his tongue, causing him to cough a few times involuntarily.

Qiao Xiao's voice immediately softened, "What's wrong?" She put down the soup bowl and gently patted his back. His frame was almost adult-sized, and he was covered in sweat.

"You're sweating too much; you should change your clothes."

Sherpas sensed the concern in her words and felt a warmth in his heart, but he still stubbornly said, "You've finally decided to care about me, Mother?"

What kind of childish and unreasonable statement is this?

Qiao Xiao shook her head helplessly, "You really know how to act cute, my dear Shi Bozi. How could I not care about you? I am your mother."

Spohr's face froze for a moment, but this time he quickly regained his composure and replied calmly, "Yes, Mother, you will always be my... Mother."

Qiao Xiao: "But I'm serious about canceling the Cavaliers matchup."

Spohr's eyes sharpened instantly, as if flames were dancing in them. He struggled to suppress his emotions, his voice seeming to be forced from his throat, "The reason, Mother?"

Qiao Xiao: "Your father is coming back, and the kingdom's security forces will be conducting even more thorough surveillance. It would be too unwise for us to continue the knightly duel."

Spoelstra lowered his eyes. Was it because time had passed too quickly, or because he had been too relaxed, that he had almost forgotten that his father was coming back.

He glanced at Qiao Xiao and said casually, "Mother, don't worry, I will definitely be the best in the knight selection. Then I will become one of your knights. After that, I will protect you."

Qiao Xiao smiled slightly, "That's wonderful, Spitz, you will definitely protect me."

Sporz's eyes sparkled with a bright light. His relationship with Fali seemed to have returned to its previous intimate state, and he felt overjoyed.

Beneath Qiao Xiao's smile lay a turbulent undercurrent. Poor Snow White, my selection process will take place before the knight selection. No matter what, you can never become my knight.

What awaits you is only a destitute side hall.