“Sincerity? I will surely make you willingly marry me, and absolutely ensure you become the most beautiful and envied bride in the entire Daqi. Any doubts? I’m listening.”
With a confident smile, Leng Mingye looked at her as he spoke. Though she heard his words, her delicate brows remained slightly furrowed, as if troubled. Unsure of the turmoil in her heart, he gazed at her reassuringly.
“I… I want to ask you, back then when you stood up for me at the Marquis’s residence, was it because my appearance resembled the First Concubine’s?”
Considering his deep affection for her, Wanqing wasn’t worried about her wedding being anything less than grand. After all, her status was far from ordinary. Yet, recalling her earlier words and their first meeting, she hesitated before mustering the courage to ask.
“This… At the time, your face was covered in red spots. Do you really think your appearance bore any resemblance to Consort Hui?”
Seeing her determined expression as she asked this, Leng Mingye remembered their first encounter—how she had deliberately altered her face with red spots to avoid being recognized. Though startled by how far her thoughts had wandered, he couldn’t help but chuckle in response.
“I… Was I really that ugly back then? Even if I wasn’t as stunning as the First Concubine or as I am now, my features weren’t that bad, right? In your eyes, was I truly so unattractive? If so, why did you keep seeking me out and even fall for me? Weren’t you afraid of having nightmares?”
His blunt words left Wanqing fuming. Sure, her face had been dotted with red spots, but her bone structure was still there. Aside from her face, her neck and arms had been fair and smooth. What was with his expression? Was she really that unappealing back then? Though even she had cringed at her reflection, she knew her fair skin and graceful figure would have drawn attention in that small Marquis’s household. Yet this man had the audacity to dismiss her so casually.
Despite her usual toughness, she was still a woman in love, and his words stung. Annoyed, she pushed him away, venting her frustration.
“I—I was just joking. Look how worked up you are. True, your appearance back then made people want to turn away. Most young ladies, even if not breathtakingly beautiful, at least dressed elegantly. But you… Yet, it was precisely your unconventional entrance that made me pity you. Seeing how Lady Liu treated you—already insecure about your face—I couldn’t help but step in. Honestly, I’m grateful you hid your looks. Otherwise, I might not have noticed or remembered you so quickly.”
Though puzzled by her sudden grudge, Leng Mingye took her hand and coaxed her gently. As her expression softened, he recounted his feelings when they first met.
“Fine, you know how to sweet-talk. But tell me, when did you actually start liking me? Before you discovered my true identity, my face was always covered in red spots. Weren’t you even a little disappointed?”
His clumsy yet heartfelt explanation pleased her immensely. With a playful glare, she pressed him again.
“When did I start liking you? I can’t say for sure. Maybe it grew gradually as we interacted. Though your looks and circumstances were ordinary—even inferior to other women—your genuine, unpretentious nature and the way you dared to challenge and even outwit me captivated me. But then, when I realized you’d deceived me… Well, you know the rest. As for being ‘disappointed’—it wasn’t until I grew suspicious and you suddenly revealed your clear skin that I saw your true beauty for the first time. And yes, I was stunned. You were like a snow lotus blooming on an icy peak—cold, elegant, ethereal, and radiating an untouchable nobility.”
Seeing her, like any other woman, care so deeply about love and affection, Leng Mingye felt a surge of warmth. Though she had once been so aloof he thought her heart was made of ice, her current demeanor delighted him. He spoke tenderly, reminiscing about the first time he saw her true face.
“You’re awful. Am I not beautiful now? Since you’ve decided to marry me, you’re forbidden from being ambiguous with other women. If you ever betray me, I’ll castrate you before killing myself.”
Though Wanqing knew his initial attraction to her had been mixed with frustration and resentment, his words still filled her with shy happiness. Watching him nod and chuckle, she thought of their current situation—especially Princess Qingyang, who had pursued him relentlessly as they departed. Though she didn’t see the woman as a threat, jealousy prickled her heart. She hadn’t forgotten how he’d once used Qingyang to provoke her.
“You little fool, I’ve already made it clear to her. To me, she’s like a sister—nothing more. If I ever betray you or get involved with another woman, I’ll kill myself before you even lift a finger. This—”
Leng Mingye’s brow twitched at her possessiveness, which rivaled his own. After the agony of chasing her while she ignored him, now that he’d finally won her heart, how could he ever hurt or disappoint her? He cherished her far too much to even glance at another woman. Though he feigned exasperation, he raised his hand to swear an oath—only for her to hastily cover his mouth.
“Don’t jinx it! If you ever fall for someone else or grow disillusioned with me, just tell me honestly. I won’t resent you. I’d only blame myself for being too flawed to keep you…”
Her words trembled as she silenced him. To her, love meant being together wholeheartedly—or parting amicably if feelings faded. But deceit and manipulation were unforgivable.
“Why think like that? No matter what, I’d never betray or hurt you. Even ignoring my own feelings, do you think I’d dare upset your elder brother Prince Ning or your uncle, the Phoenix Night King? Besides, hurting you would only wound me deeper.”
Seeing tears well in her eyes, Leng Mingye recalled how Sun Fengyu had treated her when they first met, and his heart ached. His gaze turned solemn as he spoke—both a comfort and a vow.
“Of course. If this brat ever hurts you, I, as his father, will be the first to punish him. Princess, Mingye—”
Before Wanqing could respond, the carriage halted, and the curtain was drawn aside. A light, teasing voice rang out as a man’s slender, handsome face appeared at the entrance—his features strikingly similar to Leng Mingye’s, though with a gentler, more refined demeanor. One exuded youthful vigor, while the other carried an air of quiet elegance.
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