Wan Qing’s direct inquiry made Sun Fengyu’s expression somewhat awkward. This girl, who had seemed ordinary and unremarkable before, now exuded an increasingly captivating aura the more he interacted with her. Her words, whether intentional or not, had struck a chord with his own thoughts, leaving him momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
Though he knew his initial approach to her had been driven by necessity—for the item she possessed—his gradual understanding of her composed demeanor and the extraordinary impression she left on him had unconsciously drawn his heart toward her.
Moreover, after Mu Wanxia’s actions at the Grand Princess’s birthday celebration a few days prior, his heart had already settled on her, genuinely seeing her as someone he might accompany and care for in the future.
Yet now, the coldness and distance in her clear, watery eyes, which stirred an inexplicable displeasure within him, made Sun Fengyu pause. Still, he raised his head and looked at her with sincere eyes.
“Qing’er, I didn’t understand before. But now I realize—my feelings for you are real. No one in my heart compares to you. Qing’er, I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have judged you by superficial appearances, or worse, overlooked you entirely. Now, you are the one I truly wish to marry. I will—”
As he spoke, his expression brimming with sincerity, Sun Fengyu instinctively reached for the small hand resting on the quilt.
“Enough. Save those words for other women. But in my heart, there’s no place for you—not before, and certainly not now.”
Sun Fengyu’s display of genuine emotion was something Wan Qing hadn’t anticipated. She wasn’t sure how the original owner of this body had felt about him, but since her transmigration, she had never given him a single kind look. Yet the sincerity in his eyes was unmistakable.
Unable to fathom what about her could possibly attract him, she coldly withdrew her hand and met his gaze squarely.
“Me? Qing’er—”
Though Sun Fengyu had repeatedly told himself that her coldness was due to his past neglect and misjudgment, her words now—spoken openly in front of Prince Ning—forced him to confront the truth.
“Let me be honest. I don’t recall how I felt about you before. But from the very beginning, my heart has belonged to someone else—him, His Highness Prince Ning. Now you understand. So I hope you’ll let go. I—”
Despite her disdain for Empress Sun’s schemes and Sun Fengyu’s own fickleness, Wan Qing knew this matter involved the Empress and possibly even the court. Thinking of the betrothal between her and Sun Fengyu, she sighed helplessly. Suddenly, she turned to him, struggling to sit up, and grasped the hand of Prince Ning, who looked startled by her words. She then faced Sun Fengyu with a plea.
“You—no, that’s impossible! How could you love him? He—he—”
Sun Fengyu was utterly disbelieving. In his mind, he compared himself to Prince Ning—a cripple, no less. Yet, based on what he knew, Prince Ning had never hidden his concern for her, while he himself had only sought to manipulate her, to coax her momentarily for his own gain.
Overwhelmed by disbelief, Sun Fengyu stared at their clasped hands and the deep affection in her eyes. Staggering back, he trembled as he asked, “He understands me, cherishes me, protects me, and cares for me. Why shouldn’t I love him? Your Highness, Prince Ning, tell me—will you treat Qing’er well for the rest of your life?”
Wan Qing smiled faintly at Sun Fengyu’s devastated expression. Watching her brother’s quick recovery from his initial shock, she teased lightly, posing the question to him.
“Silly girl, of course I will cherish and love you for a lifetime. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the palace—”
Prince Ning, though uneasy about her outright rejection of Sun Fengyu, knew he had to play along to avoid raising suspicions. With a gentle smile, he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, his eyes filled with tenderness.
“Mm, I’ll listen to you.”
Amused by how quickly her brother had slipped into his role, Wan Qing lowered her head shyly, saying nothing.
“You—you—! Mu Wanqing, mark my words—unless I annul this engagement, you will forever remain my betrothed. Dream all you want about being with someone else, but I—!”
The sight of their mutual affection, flaunted right before his eyes, felt like a dagger twisting in Sun Fengyu’s heart. A metallic taste rose in his throat as he glared at her furiously before turning and stumbling away.
“He’s gone? Brother Ning, what do you think he’ll do next, after such a provocation? Will he fly into a rage and have the Empress force me into marriage? Or will he take some other action?”
As Hong Lian entered the room, Wan Qing smirked mischievously, reflecting on her calculated move and teasingly asking Prince Ning for his thoughts.
“I don’t know. You’re really pushing him, little sister. Even with Hong Lian and the others by your side, I’m still worried. While they can’t overpower you by force, political pressure is another matter. I’ve decided—I’ll go to the palace as soon as possible to see the Empress Dowager and arrange for her to meet you quickly…”
Prince Ning shook his head helplessly at his sister’s boldness, concerned about the repercussions. After a moment of thought, he nodded to her and left.
“Sigh… I need to recover quickly.”
After having Hong Lian escort her brother out, Wan Qing lay back on the bed, sighing as she contemplated ways to hasten her recovery.
“Who’s there?”
Just as she was drifting into sleep, she heard Hong Lian’s sharp cry from the courtyard, followed by the sound of her chasing after someone.
“Chun Lan, what’s going on?”
At that moment, the door creaked open, and Chun Lan entered with a bowl of medicine. Recalling the commotion outside, Wan Qing asked instinctively.
“Someone was spying on us from the courtyard wall. Sister Hong Lian has already gone after them. Sister Hong Lian, did you catch the intruder?”
Chun Lan briefly explained what she had seen upon arriving. As she spoke, Hong Lian returned, and Chun Lan immediately asked about the pursuit.
“He got away. Miss, you should take your medicine and rest. Be careful—there’s a letter inside…”
Hong Lian glanced at Wan Qing as she spoke calmly. Watching Wan Qing sit up and drink the medicine handed to her by Chun Lan, she reassured her. Just as she was tucking her in, a sudden gust of wind alerted her. Before she could react, Chun Lan deftly caught a small dart thrown from outside—a piece of paper pinned to it.
“Careful—the paper is poisoned!”
Wan Qing warned just as Hong Lian reached for the note. Using a pair of iron tweezers, she carefully removed the paper and read its contents, her expression turning icy and profound.
“What is it, Miss?”
Hong Lian and Chun Lan exchanged puzzled glances at Wan Qing’s sudden shift in demeanor, concern evident in their voices.
“Chun Hong… She was a maid who took care of me since childhood. Now she’s fallen into Mu Wanxia’s hands. I—I have to save her.”
Wan Qing had assumed Chun Hong was dead. But faced with this revelation, though she harbored doubts, the thought of all Chun Hong had done for her steeled her resolve. She looked at the two maids firmly.
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