“I’m fine, don’t worry. I just accidentally ran into a mad dog and got bitten.”
Though his face was swollen and bruised, Leng Mingye smiled gently at the anxious and concerned look in the young woman’s eyes. He reached up to hold her hand, which was touching his face, and reassured her.
“A mad dog? Did Xie Shaojun hit you?”
Despite Leng Mingye’s casual explanation, his injuries clearly weren’t recent. Recalling her uncle’s earlier words, Wanqing realized the bruises must have appeared shortly after he was taken away. Otherwise, the discoloration wouldn’t look like this.
She knew he was trying to spare her worry, and though she felt a flicker of gratitude toward her uncle, her grandfather’s actions still deeply displeased her. Even as he held her hand, she had noticed the momentary stiffness in his expression when she touched his face—undeniable proof of pain.
This man cared for her so deeply. If the Xie family had targeted her, she wouldn’t have minded. But seeing him hurt like this infuriated her.
Though her hand remained in his, she looked up and asked firmly, “Was it him?”
“No, it was just an accident. Don’t overthink it,” Leng Mingye replied with a helpless smile, trying to soothe her rising anger.
“It was him, wasn’t it? Who else would dare strike so ruthlessly? He even hit me—why wouldn’t he hit you? Bai Yu, when you came to find me earlier, was it because of your master’s injuries and the poison? Was it?”
Though Leng Mingye spoke lightly, Wanqing saw through his pretense. Her voice turned icy as she pressed for answers. When he remained silent, merely gazing at her with that soft smile—though the slightest movement made him wince—she turned to Bai Yu instead.
“I…” Bai Yu hesitated, glancing uncertainly at his master.
“My lord, I don’t understand. Why hide the truth? Princess, it *was* Xie Shaojun. He barged in after hearing rumors about you and my master, demanding a duel. Though my master’s skills remain, his internal energy is still recovering. Naturally, the fight…”
Qingfeng, unable to bear their silence, spoke up bluntly, his frustration clear.
“Tch. A mad dog bites, and we’re just supposed to accept it? At least it’s only superficial wounds. Grandfather, you’ve seen it yourself. The Xie family is trampling over us—must we still tolerate it for the sake of past ties? Such a brute has no right to be *my* man. I’d rather die or become a nun than marry him.”
Though annoyed at Leng Mingye’s stubborn pride, Wanqing understood why he’d hidden the truth—to spare her and the Feng family conflict. But his selflessness only made her heart ache more.
Sighing, she rose on her toes to inspect his injuries again, applying medicine as she softened her tone. When he merely smiled, unbothered, her frustration flared. Taking his hand, she turned to the King and Queen of Daqi.
“Shaojun has gone too far, Your Majesty. We can’t overlook the Xie family’s actions any longer. Since it’s come to this, why not issue an edict canceling his betrothal to Qing’er? A grown man striking her—if she married into that family, she’d be bullied to death.”
The Queen, moved by Leng Mingye’s devotion—a man once regarded as untouchable, now humbled for her granddaughter—nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Your Majesty, we mustn’t tolerate this.”
“Very well. But Qing’er, Young Master Leng, the Xie and Feng families share a long history, and Xie owes us a debt. If I abruptly sever ties over youthful disputes, the court will question my judgment. Let the younger generation settle this themselves. Summon the scribe—”
The King had anticipated this outcome. Though pained by his granddaughter’s misunderstanding (and likely Leng Mingye’s as well), he proceeded with his plan, dictating an edict that placed the blame squarely on the young couple’s defiance—Wanqing’s “threat of suicide” forcing his hand.
“Your Majesty! You—” The Queen stared in disbelief as her husband’s decree shifted responsibility onto the lovers, demanding they resolve the matter privately.
“This is for the best. It spares both families and our kingdoms unnecessary strife.”
Wanqing, though puzzled by her grandfather’s maneuvering, accepted it for now. After the envoy departed for the Xie estate, she and Leng Mingye left hand in hand.
Unbeknownst to them, the King sent *another* edict to the Xie family shortly after.
“What? His Majesty claims Shaojun struck the Princess—and even the renowned heir of Daming? That fool! How could he be so reckless? This will only fuel dissent against our family!”
The Xie patriarch, summoning the entire household, stared at the decree in shock. His son was hotheaded, but this?
“Regardless, the King and Queen are furious. The betrothal’s been annulled. Elder Brother, what do we do now?”
The Xie family head, equally disbelieving, could only frown at the scroll in his hands. Years of careful planning—now jeopardized by one impulsive act.
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