Wu Qingyang didn’t expect that her genuine concern would be met with such an attitude from him. She recalled how differently he had treated her at her grandmother’s birthday banquet just days ago, but now he had suddenly reverted to his former cold and distant self.
Unable to suppress the frustration and indignation in her heart, she couldn’t help but feel that Leng Mingye was deliberately distancing himself from her, exuding an inexplicable chill. Though she didn’t know how he had gotten injured, she had sincerely cared about his wounds, only to be met with such indifference.
After all, she had silently adored him since childhood, dreaming of one day becoming his bride.
But years of devotion had led to this. Unable to bear the anger any longer, Wu Qingyang stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to turn his head abruptly. Memories of their childhood flashed through her mind, but her grip on his sleeve didn’t loosen in the slightest. With a tone and boldness even she admired, she confronted him.
Thinking of his warmth just days ago and his coldness now, she couldn’t help but voice her dissatisfaction in a low, aggrieved tone. Heaven knew how much suppression and resentment she felt when she asked these questions.
“Cousin, wait! What have I done wrong? Why can’t you see my worth? Is it all because of that girl from the Mu family, the one betrothed to the Sun family?”
“Since you already understand, I won’t hide it anymore. Yes, I’ve been keeping my distance because of her. As for you, I have no romantic feelings—only for her.”
Wu Qingyang pressed further, recalling how this girl had clung to him since childhood and even publicly declared her intention to marry him more than once.
Before, he had dismissed it as childish whims, but now her behavior was becoming increasingly excessive. Though she was like a younger sister he had watched grow up—her grandmother being the Princess Royal, his father’s closest aunt—he couldn’t deny the complicated emotions he held for this royal aunt.
He didn’t want to hurt her, but after days of her relentless pursuit and entanglement, despite his repeated hints and outright rejections, she refused to take them seriously. Though he truly didn’t wish to cause her pain, her questioning now forced him to respond with detached clarity.
“…Then, cousin, don’t you know she’s already betrothed? Is she really worth it? And those wounds—were they from her, weren’t they?”
Leng Mingye’s unusually stern expression made Wu Qingyang’s eyes flicker. Disbelief filled her gaze as her lips trembled, clearly on the verge of tears, but she clenched her jaw and forced the welling tears back.
Blinking her long lashes, she glared at him with resentment, her voice laced with bitterness as she pressed about his injuries.
“That’s none of your concern, cousin. I’ve told you before—I’ll protect you, but only as a sister. If you keep pushing like this, you’ll only bring suffering upon yourself.”
Wu Qingyang’s tearful yet restrained beauty was undeniably captivating, enough to stir pity in anyone. But Leng Mingye remained unmoved by her sorrow, merely watching her coolly as he gently pried her fingers from his sleeve.
“I don’t care! Don’t you realize you’re playing with fire? The Empress has always favored the marriage between Sun Fengyu and her. You’re openly defying the Emperor and Empress—do you not understand the consequences? Even if you don’t love me, the person you love shouldn’t be her, it shouldn’t be her…”
Despite her desperate grip, her slender fingers were gradually forced away from his sleeve.
The thought that she—a noble-born princess, granddaughter of the Emperor’s most respected aunt—could lose to a lowly-born girl from a minor marquis’s household, a girl who had once been considered ugly, filled Wu Qingyang with a sense of injustice. Even now, though the girl had grown somewhat pretty, it was unbearable to think she might lose to her.
Though he had freed himself from her grasp, Wu Qingyang’s eyes burned with defiance as she shouted after him, grabbing his sleeve again as he turned to leave.
“Let go, Qingyang. I don’t want this to become ugly. If you persist, I’ll have no choice but to ask the Emperor to arrange a marriage for you…”
The small figure clinging to his sleeve reminded him of their childhood, when he could act recklessly. But now, Leng Mingye’s handsome face darkened with barely contained fury. His brows furrowed as he glared at her hand on his sleeve, his voice icy with warning.
“I…” His words—threatening to have the Emperor marry her off just to push her away—made Wu Qingyang’s lips part in shock. Slowly, her grip loosened, and she watched helplessly as the fabric of his robe slipped from her fingers, leaving not even a trace behind.
What she lost was not just his presence, but also her youthful heart and all her hopes for love.
Only when he had vanished from sight did she finally lower her gaze.
“Mu Wanqing… it’s all because of you, you wretched girl! You’ve bewitched my cousin, made him act this way despite your betrothal. It’s all your fault!” Blaming the girl for everything, Wu Qingyang’s eyes burned with hatred. Clenching her teeth, she stomped her foot and muttered curses, her lips curling into a bitter, chilling smile before she staggered away, her spirit broken.
Unbeknownst to her, as she stumbled down the street, a pair of shifty eyes followed her every move.
“Boss, see that girl? With looks like that, she’d fetch a high price at Chunxiang Pavilion…”
Two street thugs, their faces leering and demeanor sleazy, trailed the disoriented noblewoman. Though she seemed lost in her thoughts, her luxurious attire, stunning beauty, and graceful figure made her an irresistible target. Grinning, they closed in on her.
“You—what are you doing? Help! Someone, help—!”
Wu Qingyang, lost in her anger, suddenly realized she was cornered. Turning sharply, she saw the two men advancing, their expressions predatory. Panicked, she screamed for help, but one already gripped her wrist. The thought of their intentions sent her trembling in terror.
“What’s going on here? Release her! You scoundrels—how dare you lay hands on the Princess? Seeking death! Men, seize them! My apologies, Princess, for arriving late…”
Just then, a figure stepped forward, effortlessly shoving the two thugs aside. Seeing the frightened girl curled against the wall, the newcomer helped her up, clicking his tongue sympathetically at her tear-streaked face before coldly ordering his subordinates to apprehend the assailants.
“Who… who are you?”
The man was clad in black, appearing to be in his thirties, with an air of elegance and an almost eerie charm. Though he addressed her respectfully as “Princess” and referred to himself as “this old servant,” Wu Qingyang couldn’t recall ever meeting him. He seemed neither fully a eunuch nor a nobleman—his demeanor carried the peculiar, unsettling aura of the palace’s inner circle. Bewildered, she stared at him in question.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage