Hearing her uncle say such words, although Wanqing was puzzled in her heart, she couldn’t ask too much in front of outsiders. Could there really be changes in her marriage with Leng Mingye? She followed her uncle all the way until they entered the imperial palace’s detached palace.
Stopping in front of a side hall, she gazed at the deep, grand, and magnificent palace before her. Seeing Feng Moli wave away the attendants, leaving only a few of them, Wanqing finally turned to her uncle with a face full of doubt and asked:
“Uncle, what you said earlier—does that mean Grandfather and Grandmother don’t approve of my marriage with Mingye?”
Feng Moli looked at his niece, noting how intimately she referred to Leng Mingye, and saw the confusion and tension on her delicate face. He smiled faintly, though inwardly sighing at how daughters grow up and leave. Remembering what his sister had said when she was pregnant with Wanqing, he couldn’t help but sigh softly as he approached them.
“I’m not sure either. Everything depends on your mother’s opinion once she wakes up. Not to mention that Young Master Leng’s identity hasn’t been confirmed yet. There’s also something your mother did before leaving Daqi while she was pregnant with you. I can’t guarantee anything.”
He sighed lightly and spoke to her.
“What did my mother do while she was pregnant with me? Did she arrange a childhood betrothal for me? That can’t be…”
Wanqing observed her uncle’s reaction and his attitude toward Leng Mingye. Recalling what he had previously told Leng Mingye, she found it hard to believe he would oppose their marriage. But considering what her mother might have done while pregnant, the only thing that could obstruct their relationship was a prearranged marriage.
Though shocked and troubled, she still looked at him in surprise and asked.
“That’s exactly it—though not a childhood betrothal, but a prenatal betrothal. It wasn’t just your mother’s idea, but also your grandfather and grandmother’s. I was young back then and didn’t think much of it, so…”
Faced with Wanqing’s disbelief, Feng Moli sighed helplessly and explained the situation from back then. Seeing everything now, he fell silent with a heavy heart.
“This—I am my own person! How could my mother and the others just casually decide my future like this? Don’t tell me that person is now clamoring to marry me? This…”
Though Wanqing was utterly shocked by her uncle’s words—shocked that such a clichéd plot would happen to her—she thought about her own personality. She belonged to herself, yet others were dictating her future. Despite her confusion, she couldn’t help but ask anxiously, seeing her uncle’s worried expression.
“Indeed, but that person doesn’t yet know that Second Sister’s child is a girl. If he finds out, he’ll likely insist on fulfilling the promise. This was the decision made back then by your mother, grandfather, and grandmother. I believe you’ll meet him sooner or later. Though I have no objections to your relationship with Young Master Leng, canceling the old promise won’t be easy…”
Seeing Wanqing’s stunned expression, Feng Moli spoke with resignation, his face full of concern for her current predicament.
“So this matter is truly troublesome. Is this why you specifically arranged for Mingye to come to Daqi with me?”
Though Wanqing was frustrated by this situation—her mother’s condition was still unclear, and she hadn’t even met the other party—she steeled herself to accept it. Noticing Leng Mingye nodding solemnly beside her, she couldn’t help but ask her uncle in confusion about his earlier decision.
“Yes. I didn’t know before, but after witnessing your bond, I wanted to do what little I could for you. Mingye, I have high hopes for you. I believe you’ll make Qing’er happy. You can focus on fighting for your happiness. As for your identity, I suspect the head of the Nangong family from Boguo will arrive in Daqi soon. I’ve also found a way to restore your internal energy.”
Feng Moli smiled faintly at Wanqing’s belated realization. Initially, he had only sought to rescue his second sister and find her descendants. Upon discovering Wanqing’s existence, he recalled his sister’s words—that the Long family’s heir from Daqi was the one betrothed to Wanqing before birth.
Though his niece was only sixteen, she was mature and steady. The Long family heir was no ordinary man, but compared to Leng Mingye, he was no match. More importantly, Feng Moli had personally witnessed Leng Mingye’s sacrifices for Wanqing in Daming.
He had immediately considered their identities. Upon first meeting Leng Mingye, he felt an inexplicable familiarity, only to realize later that he bore a striking resemblance to the Nangong family head from Boguo. For Wanqing’s happiness and future, he had investigated and discovered that Leng Mingye’s mother was connected to the Nangong family. Though the exact relationship was unclear, he knew Leng Mingye’s mother had been pregnant before arriving in Daming—meaning he couldn’t possibly be Prince Ji’s son.
Seeing Leng Mingye’s love for Wanqing and uncovering these facts, Feng Moli had wanted to bring them together. But Daming’s political situation was unstable. Only after learning that his true brother-in-law had ascended the throne did he rush back—coincidentally arriving during Daming’s reception for Boguo’s prince and heir.
Having just returned from investigating the Nangong family, he had bid farewell to Boguo’s king without hearing of any planned visit to Daming. The only explanation was that the so-called Boguo prince and heir were imposters.
By the time he explained everything to his brother-in-law, it was too late. So he descended from the sky, thwarting the fake Boguo heir’s proposal to Wanqing, stormed into the hall, revealed his identity, and blocked the marriage. Meanwhile, he had the imposters monitored, crushing Ye Mei’s conspiracy and resolving the internal strife in Daming since his brother-in-law’s rise to power.
He had hoped to immediately clarify Leng Mingye’s relationship with Prince Ji and have his brother-in-law officiate their marriage—making it a done deal. Even if the Long family objected, their son couldn’t compare to Leng Mingye, and once married, Wanqing’s parents would surely support them.
But during the chaos, Leng Mingye had lost all his internal energy saving Wanqing, rendering him an ordinary man. This news had spread back to Daqi.
For the sake of the young couple, Feng Moli hurried back to Daqi, using his medical skills to delay his sister’s condition while searching for a way to restore Leng Mingye’s energy. After half a month, he finally found a solution and eagerly awaited their arrival.
“Uncle, thank you—thank you for everything you’ve done for Qing’er. You fool…”
Though Feng Moli spoke lightly, Wanqing realized how much he had silently done for her and Leng Mingye. Noticing his weary appearance, she expressed her gratitude. He merely smiled faintly, nodding reassuringly before she turned to chide the man beside her.
“I… The age gap between us isn’t that big. Calling you ‘uncle’ feels awkward, so like Prince Ning, I’ll call you ‘Uncle King.’ Thank you, Uncle King, for everything you’ve done for Qing’er and me.”
At Wanqing’s prompting, Leng Mingye smiled faintly. Given their small age difference, addressing Feng Moli as “uncle” felt unnatural. With a wry smile, he clasped his hands respectfully, addressing him as “Uncle King” like Prince Ning and thanking him for his efforts.
“Haha, Mingye, don’t thank me. If you want to show gratitude, just treat Qing’er well. Everything I’ve done is for her. Let’s not dwell on this. We should go in and see Father and Mother first.”
Feng Moli chuckled at Leng Mingye’s explanation and formality, then looked at him seriously. Seeing his nod, he turned to Wanqing with a smile, squeezing her hand. With everything settled, it was time to meet her parents.
“Alright.” Leng Mingye’s eyes flickered slightly, but he nodded steadily and followed them inside.
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