Chapter 107: For You, I Would Give Up the Whole World

"Not quite. I just feel he must have discovered something within those case files. He has always been a prudent man. Unless it were a matter of extreme urgency, he would not have left without a word or a trace. Since the people at Xiaoyao Manor cannot trace his whereabouts, it means he simply does not wish for anyone to find him. You needn't waste your energy looking for him; he will turn up in a few days."

Hearing Qin Daofei's words, Linglong recalled what Hua'er had said. "That's true. I imagine Hua'er knows something, otherwise she wouldn't be completely unconcerned. Since both of you say so, I won't worry either... Uncle Kang has arrived at Suiye City, but judging by his demeanor, he seems intent on going to the Wuji Ice Plain. Should we try to stop him?"

"Old Zhu is dead, and with him, Uncle Kang's heart has died as well. If he wants to go to the ice plain, let him go. Remaining in Hanshi, no matter which inch of land he stood on, would bring him grief. Better to let him leave, so that at least he remains alive," Qin Daofei said softly.

Linglong glanced at Qin Daofei and asked, "Do you think staying alive is the most important thing?"

"For him, living is a torment. For me, as long as he lives, I have a glimmer of hope in my heart. Over the years, he has been both a mentor and a father to me. If not for his constant support, how could I have built Xiaoyao Manor to the scale it is today?" Qin Daofei never uttered words of gratitude to Kang Juncai, but deep down, he truly respected him.

Yet, he never expected that Old Zhu would choose death, leaving Old Kang in such profound agony.

"I hope this matter can finally come to a temporary close," Linglong sighed.

Qin Daofei said coldly, "Do not forget about Hu Hanzhi. To us, he remains a massive hazard!"

"Don't speak to me of this; it weighs too heavily on my heart. I am going out for a walk!" Unwilling to discuss Hu Hanzhi any further, Linglong rose and departed without a hint of hesitation.

After Linglong left, Jifeng clutched his wound and came over to Qin Daofei. "Master, I heard you discussing Hu Hanzhi with the First Madam just now. I have always found it strange. Previously, we were all convinced that Hu Hanzhi was setting himself against us, but now it seems he has little to do with it."

"Why do you say he has little to do with it?" Qin Daofei asked. Jifeng looked at him in astonishment and muttered, "Even if he were merely acting, there would be no reason for him to risk his own life. As Yeli Shang said, the force of a single palm strike from Xiaoyu, controlled by the gu insect, is enough to shatter a person's heart vessels. Hu Hanzhi came within a hair's breadth of dying."

Qin Daofei furrowed his brow and sighed. "What you say is true. Even if he could manipulate the timing for himself and Aifei, he had no way of knowing when I would arrive. Furthermore, while he was severely injured, Xiaoyu was snatched away and burned to death. When we questioned Yeli Shang afterward, there was nothing suspicious near his medicine hut. Strictly speaking, it probably wasn't him. However, he is far too clever; we must not lower our guard."

"I will go to Suiye City and keep watch!" Jifeng declared, making to leave.

Qin Daofei called him back. "What good would your going do right now? I fear you would be buried by the wind and snow before you even reached Suiye City. Be a good boy and tend to your wounds here in the capital. As for Hu Hanzhi, I have already made arrangements; you needn't worry. Get well quickly—assisting Linglong is the priority."

"Master... your wounds are healing much faster than mine!" Jifeng looked at Qin Daofei knowingly, unable to suppress a trace of contempt.

Qin Daofei cast a sidelong glance at Jifeng and said coolly, "Did you not also fake death to win the meticulous care of a fair maiden?"

Hush!

Jifeng made a silencing gesture. The two men shared a tacit understanding and spoke no more of it.

You two stubborn mules!

After Linglong had taken a stroll outside, she felt her mood lift from the gloom. Upon returning, she saw Jifeng clutching his chest while pouring tea for Qin Daofei. Seeing this scene, Linglong could not help but laugh.

"You two star-crossed lovers are truly pitiful!"

Jifeng glared in anger. "First Madam, if you have nothing pleasant to say, could you perhaps simply sit in silence?"

Fine, fine, fine!

Linglong moved her lips, found a corner for herself, and sat down quietly, not daring to disturb them.

"This is disastrous, utterly disastrous! Feng Linglong, this is catastrophic!"

Hearing this flustered voice, Linglong knew immediately that Yeli Shang had arrived.

She placed the case files on the desk and said impatiently, "Yeli Shang, I truly wonder why I've known you for so many years. Otherwise, I'd genuinely take you for a woman—the older you get, the more feminine you become!"

"What in the world are you blabbering about? How on earth do I look like a sissy?" Whenever anyone accused Yeli Shang of looking like a woman, every other matter vanished from his mind. He would remember only this single slight and the absolute necessity of fighting you to the finish.

Qin Daofei sat up with some difficulty and asked mildly, "Aren't you in a ten-thousand-emergency rush? Just how urgent is it?"

"I'm telling you, it couldn't be more urgent!" Yeli Shang hurried over, grabbing Qin Daofei's sleeve in an agitated manner to convey his excitement.

Qin Daofei glanced at Yeli Shang, signaling for him to remove his claws. Before he could speak, however, a series of urgent thuds echoed from outside, followed by Steward Zhang's hurried cry: "Master, Master! An imperial edict has arrived from the palace!"

Yeli Shang spread his hands. "Look at that, didn't I tell you?"

"I have no dealings with the imperial palace at present, do I?" Qin Daofei leaned against the head of the bed, entirely unhurried.

Steward Zhang said anxiously, "Master, you'd better go out and receive the edict first!"

"Regarding what matter?" Qin Daofei asked Yeli Shang.

Yeli Shang shrugged. "I don't feel like telling you now anyway. Besides, it's too late for you to do anything about it. We might as well all be surprised together and experience the shock as one!"

That expression on Yeli Shang's face was truly... punchable!

Linglong had no idea what so-called surprise Yeli Shang was referring to, but judging by his wretched grin, she knew it could hardly be anything good. What she did not anticipate, however, was that this would come like a bolt from the blue.

Yes, a bolt from the blue.

When Linglong supported Qin Daofei as they walked out, she saw a long line of the imperial honor guard standing amid the wind and snow, completely surrounding Xiaoyao Manor. At the head of the procession, a woman lifted the carriage curtain and gazed with delighted eyes at the three characters on the manor's plaque. Who could she be if not Princess Nuangexier of the Great Demon City?

Had she actually come to the capital?

Linglong was caught completely off guard, while Qin Daofei frowned as he stared at Princess Nuangexier. Nuangexier had left the Great Demon City and traveled to the Central Plains, yet Xiaoyao Manor had not received the slightest hint of intelligence regarding her journey!

Seeing Qin Daofei, Nuangexier hurriedly dropped the curtain and awkwardly climbed down from the carriage.

Yes, she climbed down awkwardly from the carriage, because Nuangexier was... pregnant!

"Qin Daofei, did you get this woman pregnant?" Linglong looked at Qin Daofei with a gloomy gaze, the atmosphere thick with the impending storm.

Qin Daofei grasped Linglong's hand eagerly. "You must believe me, I did nothing of the sort!"

Yet, how was Nuangexier's belly to be explained?

Just as Linglong was about to press the matter further, the Prince's Consort Xiangyu—who had been summoned to come out and receive the edict—heard Linglong declare that Nuangexier's pregnancy was Qin Daofei's doing, and instantly grew agitated. Disregarding all propriety, she stepped forward, affectionately took Nuangexier's hand, and asked, "Child, are you carrying my Daofei's baby?"

"Yes, Mother-in-law. Big Brother Qin and I were wed back in the Great Demon City. Afterward... afterward I found myself with child, but he suddenly vanished without a trace. It took me a great deal of trouble to reach the capital of Hanshi. You must seek justice for me!" Seeing that the Prince's Consort Xiangyu favored her, Nuangexier quickly drew her in to serve as her backer.

The Prince's Consort Xiangyu nodded. "Rest assured, as long as you are carrying Daofei's child, Mother-in-law will see that justice is done for you!"

"Mother, nothing whatsoever happened between her and me! This child has appeared out of thin air, and I refuse to be made a scapegoat!" Qin Daofei glared darkly at Nuangexier.

Hearing Qin Daofei's words, Nuangexier instantly burst into tears. Covering her belly with her hands, she said with desolate grief, "Baby, your father simply... simply does not know of your existence; he is merely unable to accept it for the moment. You must not listen to your father's words."

"Nuangexier, back then you and King Xiang colluded to frame me. In consideration of the fact that you spared my life, I chose not to hold you accountable for today's events. However, the child you carry is certainly not mine, and I expect you not to spout baseless falsehoods!" Qin Daofei cast a cold, bleak look at Nuangexier.

Nuangexier, however, merely smiled—a smile that was both shy and blissful.

"Big Brother Qin, do you remember the day you drank with Muji? You were drunk at the time. When you woke up the next morning, you were in the loft of Muji's house, wearing Muji's clothes. Do you remember that day?" Nuangexier's bashful smile deeply pierced Linglong's heart.

She wrenched her hand from Qin Daofei's grasp, looked coldly at him, and then turned her gaze to Nuangexier.

When Linglong's eyes met Nuangexier's, Nuangexier felt as though a woman from a painting had stepped right out of the canvas. Previously, she had assumed that Linglong was merely Qin Daofei's legal wife, but clearly, any woman capable of lodging herself so deeply in Qin Daofei's heart was no ordinary person.

Tan Xiyin, who had been hiding behind the crowd, could not help but smile upon seeing Linglong's wounded expression.

She had said it before: no one at Xiaoyao Manor could ever hold Qin Daofei to themselves forever. Now, Linglong's curtain was falling, and a new contender for the prize had appeared.

The imperial eunuch accompanying the emperor stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Qin Daofei, and proclaimed in a loud voice, "Master Qin, Princess Nuangexier of the Cangmo Kingdom has petitioned the imperial court, stating that she and Master Qin formed a union of hundred-year harmony in the Great Demon City. Now that she has traveled thousands of li to seek him out, she hopes to renew ties with Master Qin. His Majesty has commanded this humble servant to deliver the imperial edict. Master Qin Daofei of Xiaoyao Manor, receive the edict."

After the eunuch finished his formal proclamation, all the members of Xiaoyao Manor knelt down, save for Qin Daofei, who stood straight as an arrow in the snow, gazing coldly at Nuangexier standing opposite him not far away.

Nuangexier smiled with triumphant complacency, then walked over to Qin Daofei, took his hand, and said, "Big Brother Qin, receive the edict?"

With that, she tried to pull Qin Daofei's hand down to make him kneel.

"Let go of him! He is heavily wounded and must not be jarred!" Linglong endured and endured, but finally spoke up.

Nuangexier deliberately pretended not to recognize Linglong, pointing at her belly and asking, "Who is this?"

...

Silence descended upon everyone present!

"She is my legal wife, Feng Linglong. It's not as though Princess Nuangexier has never seen her portrait," Qin Daofei said coldly, remaining firmly on his feet.

Linglong glanced at the eunuch and, seeing the impatience gathering in his eyes, said coldly, "Are you going to kneel, or do you intend to have everyone here buried along with your stubbornness?"

"Very well, I will kneel!" Qin Daofei obeyed Linglong implicitly, a simple action that left Nuangexier's heart burning with bitter hatred.

Once Qin Daofei knelt, the eunuch began to read the edict: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Cangmo Kingdom and our Hanshi are friendly nations, and its bright pearl, Princess Nuangexier, by a twist of fate formed a bond of a hundred years with Qin Daofei in years past. Due to affairs of state and family, the two were forced apart. Now that Princess Nuangexier has come seeking her husband, We, moved by her steadfast devotion, hereby decree the marriage of Princess Nuangexier and Qin Daofei. Their engagement is restored as before. To preserve the dignity of the Cangmo Kingdom, Feng Linglong is hereby demoted to the status of concubine, and Princess Nuangexier is elevated to the position of legal wife. All members of Xiaoyao Manor shall treat Princess Nuangexier with the etiquette and protocol due to a princess of Hanshi, and shall show her no disrespect. Respect this!"

When the eunuch finished reading the edict, he said to Qin Daofei, "Master Qin, please receive the edict."

"I must ask the eunuch to forgive this humble commoner for refusing the edict!" Qin Daofei's words caused everyone present to draw in a sharp breath.

No one had expected him to openly defy an imperial decree.

"Audacious Qin Daofei! Do not imagine that because your Xiaoyao Manor is the foremost martial arts sect under heaven, it stands outside the sovereign's control. Every inch of land beneath the vast heaven belongs to the king, and every subject is a servant of the realm! If you dare defy the edict, His Majesty has the power to erase Xiaoyao Manor in an instant." The moment the eunuch finished speaking, the Imperial Guards trailing behind him raised their long spears, aiming them directly at Xiaoyao Manor.

The tension between the two sides was poised on a hair-trigger.

"Eunuch, pray do not lose your temper. Since Master Qin and Princess Nuangexier..." Linglong did not get to finish her sentence before Qin Daofei seized her arm. Grasping her tightly, he gritted his teeth and said, "Must you willfully misinterpret me so? I would sooner defy the entire world than give you up!"

Hearing Qin Daofei's words, the three women each felt a different mixture of emotions.

Linglong closed her eyes briefly and said, "This matter has gone beyond the point where you can afford to be willful. Have you not noticed that everything is directed straight at you? If you defy the edict, Xiaoyao Manor will be leveled to the ground in a heartbeat. Is that what you want?"

"For you, I would forsake the entire world, and I am not certain to lose!" The murderous intent radiating from Qin Daofei's eyes caused the eunuch to recoil several steps.

Hiding behind the soldiers, the eunuch mustered his courage and shouted, "Qin Daofei, are you attempting treason?"

"What meaning does the eunuch imply by casting such malicious slander upon my Xiaoyao Manor?" Linglong coldly took over the eunuch's words, casting a bleak gaze at him.

The eunuch looked at Linglong with undisguised contempt and said coolly, "It is true that your name, Feng Linglong, is renowned throughout the capital, but that is confined entirely outside the imperial household. Before the royalty, you are nothing at all! How dare you speak to this humble servant in such a manner?"

"Very well then! Drag me off to see your Emperor! I should like to ask him why he insists on tearing apart a happily married couple. Even if Princess Nuangexier marries Qin Daofei, I remain his primary wife! By a single word from His Majesty, I am demoted to a concubine—have I failed to bear Qin Daofei children, or have I committed some moral transgression? Can the eunuch answer on His Majesty's behalf?" Linglong demanded coldly.

The eunuch sneered, "And yet, as far as I am aware, you, Feng Linglong, hold absolute sway within Xiaoyao Manor, turning it upside down and leaving the household in perpetual turmoil!"

"Yes, this humble woman can bear witness!" The Prince's Consort Xiangyu stepped forward, pointing at Feng Linglong as she declared, "This woman shows no filial piety toward her mother-in-law, and she has attempted to usurp the family property of Xiaoyao Manor. Furthermore, not long ago, she committed adultery with another man. When their illicit affair could no longer be covered up, that man's attendant even committed murder right here in Xiaoyao Manor! Such a woman deserves to be cast aside and divorced outright!"

Cough! Cough!

Hearing the Prince's Consort Xiangyu's words, Qin Daofei was seized by such agitation that he failed to catch his breath and broke into a violent fit of coughing.

His coughs shook the courtyard, and moments later, blood began to seep through the back of his garments.

A trickle of crimson also overflowed from the corners of his mouth.

Linglong closed her heavy eyes. Reaching out, she grasped Qin Daofei's hand and asked, "Do you trust me?"

"What are you planning to do?" Qin Daofei dared not answer her question directly.

Linglong offered a desolate, bitter smile. "I cannot allow you to lose everything because of me, and you must not remain kneeling any longer."

"You are my everything! Without you, even if I were given the entire world, I would not want it!" Qin Daofei said with intense emotion.

Linglong smiled. "If you trust me, submit to the Emperor's unreasonable demand. After all, only when Nuangexier is married into our household can I have the righteous standing to deal with her properly."

Hearing this, Qin Daofei gripped Linglong's hand tightly. "I do not want to wrong you!"

"You gifted the entire Xiaoyao Manor to me back then; naturally, I cannot let it become the target of the Emperor's greed. He calculated that we would refuse, purely to find an excuse to avenge King Xiang. Why should we let him have his way?" Linglong stated the Emperor's motives right in front of the eunuch, causing the man to shift uneasily.

"But this will bring you immense hardship, and I cannot bear for you to suffer. At worst, I shall fight my way through..." Linglong stopped Qin Daofei from speaking further. She cast a cool glance at Nuangexier, who was kneeling to the side, and said, "You traveled thousands of li from the Cangmo Kingdom all the way to Hanshi—surely you didn't come merely to watch Qin Daofei's family ruined and destroyed?"

"Naturally not, I came to live a proper life with him!" Nuangexier replied righteously.

Linglong gave her a cold, sidelong look. "Since you came to live a proper life, then agree to become co-wives of equal status. You are forbidden to demand that I be reduced to a concubine. If you agree to that, Qin Daofei might consent to your marriage into the family!"

"Big Brother Qin, if I agree to that, will you accept me?" Nuangexier tilted her head, looking at Qin Daofei with a picture of innocent inquiry.

Qin Daofei gazed bleakly at Linglong. Seeing her resolute expression, he closed his eyes and collapsed backward.

The servants rushed forward in a panic to catch him as he fell. Linglong looked coldly at the eunuch and declared, "This humble commoner, Qin-Feng Linglong, receives the edict on behalf of Qin Daofei. Long live the Emperor, long, long live the Emperor!"

"That is more like it. However, Princess Nuangexier is, after all, a princess. You speak of making her a co-wife of equal status—how is our nation to explain this to the Cangmo Kingdom?" The eunuch seemed reluctant to let Linglong have her way.

Linglong stared deeply at Nuangexier. Nuangexier hurried forward and said, "I beg the eunuch to return and speak with His Majesty; I am perfectly willing to share equal status as a co-wife with Feng Linglong!"

Bitch!

The eunuch cursed inwardly, but found himself with no further grounds to argue!

"This... this humble servant must return and seek instruction from His Majesty first!" He still attempted to reject Linglong's terms.

Linglong sneered. "Do you truly believe that if you make a trip back to the palace, our Xiaoyao Manor will simply sit by and await our fate?"

Linglong's domineering aura left everyone stunned, particularly Nuangexier. Fearing that Qin Daofei and the Emperor might come to blows and ruin her chances forever, Nuangexier quickly stepped forward and said, "I will go and explain things to His Imperial Majesty myself! The eunuch need only return and make your report!"

"In that case, this humble servant takes his leave!" The imperial honor guard rumbled away in a grand, imposing procession.

Linglong cast a cold, bleak look at the Prince's Consort Xiangyu and said quietly, "One day, you will reap what you have sown!"

In all the years Linglong had been married into the Qin family, though she had engaged in wits' battles, ruthlessness, and temper tantrums with the Prince's Consort Xiangyu, she had never cursed her with such icy malignancy. The Prince's Consort Xiangyu stepped back a pace in sudden terror, not daring to meet Linglong's eyes.

Seeing this, Nuangexier hurried forward to shield the Prince's Consort Xiangyu, saying coldly, "Feng Linglong, though we may be co-wives of equal status, I am nonetheless a princess. Do you intend to bully my mother-in-law right in front of me?"

"Heh!" Linglong gave a cold laugh. "Then I wish you happiness!"

With that, Linglong walked over, snatched Feng Yixiao from Xiahe's arms, cradled the child against her chest, and said coldly to Hua'er, "From this day forth, no one from the Pine and Cypress Residence is ever to hold my Yixiao again!"

"Someone come, carry the Master back to the front courtyard, and have Princess Nuangexier quarters arranged there with him!" The Prince's Consort Xiangyu, instantly regaining her backing, looked at Linglong with smug triumph.

Linglong cast a chilling glance at her, then watched as the Prince's Consort Xiangyu led the bearers carrying Qin Daofei, followed by Princess Nuangexier, parading in a grand procession toward Qin Daofei's chambers in the front courtyard.

Heh!

Tan Xiyin sneered from behind. "Feng Linglong, I never expected that you would suffer the very same fate I did, and so soon, too!"

"No, we are not the same. Qin Daofei has not grown cold toward me; he still loves me. Therefore, I am the winner!" Linglong swept a peerless, contemptuous glance over Tan Xiyin and strode away.

Tan Xiyin gripped the armrests of her wheelchair tightly, hissing in venomous hatred, "What are you putting on such a brave, triumphant front for? The exact way you stole my Daofei-gege away back then is the exact way this princess is stealing him from you now."

Whether Linglong heard her or not, she continued on her unhurried path away.

Upon returning to her room, Hua'er, fearing that Linglong was in low spirits, took Feng Yixiao away.

Linglong sat alone in the room, gazing quietly at the slightly rumpled bedclothes where Qin Daofei had rested before leaving. She had no idea what this decision would bring upon her, but at this moment, Xiaoyao Manor could no longer endure another storm.

"Regretting it?" Aifei walked in from outside, looking calmly at Linglong.

Linglong smiled faintly. "A path of one's own choosing must be walked to the end, even if one has to crawl!"

"Nuangexier is an interesting character. I've been secretly observing her. Whenever she speaks of her ties with Qin Daofei, she grows tense, and her personal maidservant is even more high-strung. I'll find an opportunity to size up that little maid; you needn't worry!"

"I'm in no rush, take your time. If you manage to put that little wretch in her place, I'll be forever grateful!" Linglong flashed a toothy grin.

Aifei poked Linglong on the forehead. "The two of you were already at loggerheads, and now you have all these people meddling in your relationship. Your path together is truly destined for tribulation!"

"Is that so? Well, I've waited all these years anyway; I certainly don't mind waiting another year or two. As long as Qin Daofei has me in his heart, I can endure no matter how many hardships come our way!" As Linglong spoke, she even managed to move herself. Looking at Aifei, she asked, "Aren't you deeply moved? I suddenly feel like I'm a virtuous wife and a good mother myself!"

Aifei rolled her eyes and said frostily, "You wretched girl, so utterly affected!"

Hmph!

Linglong gave Aifei a shove. "You scoundrel, I'm going to finish you!"

The two of them began tussling and laughing. In the next room, Hua'er, holding Feng Yixiao, heard the sounds of their laughter and let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Yixiao, your mother is fine. As long as she's fine, Auntie can rest easy!"

"Longlong, great!" Feng Yixiao proved quite cooperative.

That night, just as Linglong had tidied up and was preparing for sleep, she heard a commotion at the door. Before she could react, the heavy door was pushed open.

Qin Daofei walked in with a dark, gloomy expression, carrying his garments in his arms. Seeing that Linglong was still combing her hair, he pulled a chair up beside the desk, sat down, and grumbled with resentment, "You simply sat by and let my mother banish me to the front courtyard, without a shred of worry that Nuangexier might take liberties with me?"

"Oh? Did you get the short end of the stick?" Linglong sneered as she looked at him.

Qin Daofei glared gloomily at Linglong. "I couldn't sleep a wink over there; the wound on my back is burning with pain. I miss you, and I miss Yixiao. The next time anyone tries to cart me off, you are forbidden to let them!"

"Your mother practically wants to nail the label of a loose woman to my forehead, and here in Xiaoyao Manor I am completely isolated without support—how am I supposed to stand against her? Besides, you were the one who fainted at a crucial moment; who else are you going to blame?" Linglong reeled off a string of specious logic.

Qin Daofei looked at her, torn between laughter and tears. "You little sprite, you little troublemaker, you little scoundrel!"

"You stinky fellow, stinky creature, stinky scoundrel! You accumulated this debt of rotten peach blossoms back when you had amnesia, and now I'm the one forced to clean up the mess for you. Tell me, exactly how did you manage to get Princess Nuangexier pregnant?" Linglong deliberately misinterpreted the situation to tease him.

Qin Daofei rolled his eyes and said flatly, "Presumably, she went mad with longing and used her own imagination to get herself pregnant!"

"That belly of hers doesn't look fake to me!" Linglong gave Qin Daofei a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Qin Daofei looked up at the ceiling in utter helplessness. "We'll just have to ship her away before she gives birth, lest she ruin my reputation!"

"As if you had any reputation left to ruin! Talented maidens of the capital infatuated with you, fierce shrews of the capital infatuated with you, and now even a nomadic princess from beyond the northern frontier loves you to distraction!" By the end of her sentence, Linglong was practically grinding her teeth.

Qin Daofei walked over, leaned his entire weight against Linglong, and smiled. "I want only you!"

A grown man acting coquettishly—it was simply... too much to bear!

"All right, stop being so sickening. I am exhausted to the bone and need to rest!" Just as Linglong finished speaking, she let out a piercing shriek and scolded angrily, "Qin Daofei, have you lost your mind? Put me down this instant!"

Qin Daofei was truly incorrigible...

Disregarding his severe injuries entirely, he swept Linglong up into his arms and carried her straight to the bed.

"I just love carrying you to bed like this. If I could manage to do a little something extra on top of that, I truly would die without a single regret," Qin Daofei said with utter shamelessness.

Linglong rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming!"

Qin Daofei didn't argue further. He behaved himself, settled down beside Linglong, and lay facing her.

Fearing that his wounds might burst open, Linglong asked, "How are your injuries?"

"They're fine. Yeli Shang's medicines are quite effective!" Qin Daofei naturally draped an arm across Linglong's waist. Linglong slapped his hand away, glaring fiercely as she hissed, "Get lost! If you're healing so quickly, it's hardly thanks to Yeli Shang—it must be because your darling wife Nuangexier has warmed your lonely soul!"

Hah!

"Why are you acting so jealous all of a sudden?" Qin Daofei asked with helpless amusement.

Hearing those words, Linglong instantly bristled. "You scoundrel! You're the one who's jealous! You're jealous, your entire family is jealous!"

"Oh, is that so? Well, since you've been running around so close with Hu Hanzhi, I suppose I am jealous!" Qin Daofei struck straight at Linglong's soft spot with that single remark.

Linglong squirmed guiltily for a few moments, then squeezed her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

Qin Daofei reached out, gently massaged Linglong's temples, and spoke in a soft, soothing tone, "You've had a hard few days. Rest now; we have a great deal of things to attend to tomorrow."

"What things?" Linglong opened her eyes, curiosity piqued.

Qin Daofei smiled. "Such as playing with Yixiao, helping me with matters around the manor, and... I was thinking of taking you up the mountain to stay for a couple of days!"

"To Old Man Ye's place?" Linglong was already growing drowsy, but at the mention of it, she did feel a yearning to spend a few days at Old Man Ye's Carefree Pavilion. "However, your Tan Concubine and your Princess Nuangexier are both holding down the fort at home. If you run off to the mountains, aren't you afraid they'll tear your household to pieces?"

"Hmm, it's fine. You rest first. If there are no unexpected hitops tomorrow, we'll head up the mountain for a few days!" Qin Daofei gently patted Linglong's back.

Overcome by exhaustion, Linglong drifted off to sleep with her eyes closed.

The night passed in peace, and Linglong enjoyed a sound, undisturbed slumber.

When Linglong woke the next morning, Qin Daofei was already seated at his desk attending to official documents. Seeing him hunched over his work, all her lingering resentment evaporated completely. She got up to drape a cloak over his shoulders, and Qin Daofei took advantage of the motion to pull her hand, drawing her down onto his lap.

"Have you lost your mind? What if your wounds rip open again?" Linglong's greatest fear was Qin Daofei's reckless antics bursting his stitches.

In truth, every time Qin Daofei lifted Linglong or made a sudden movement, his wounds throbbed with excruciating pain. Yet it was only at moments like this that Linglong would docilely allow him to hold her. Thus, Qin Daofei was more than willing to endure the agony, just to keep holding Linglong in his arms.

"It's fine, I can bear it!" Qin Daofei said, tightening his embrace around her waist and forbidding her to move. "Though you'd best not thrash about—I am a man who has broken three ribs, after all!"

Right, Linglong rolled her eyes. "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have completely forgotten that you're a man with three broken ribs!"

Hiss!

As Linglong shifted carelessly, the pain caused Qin Daofei's features to contort, and he let out a low groan through gritted teeth.

Seeing his face turn pale from the agony, Linglong did not dare move another muscle. She sat obediently in his lap, keeping him company as he reviewed the case files.

Qin Daofei thoroughly enjoyed this sweet torture, his work efficiency doubling as a result.

Knock, knock, knock!

"First Madam, are you awake?" Hua'er called from outside the door, while Feng Yixiao curiously copied Hua'er's movements, patting the door frame and imitating in a milky voice, "Longlong, up!"

"Come in!" Linglong slipped off Qin Daofei's lap and hastily found a seat. Qin Daofei flashed a wicked, roguish grin, causing Linglong's face to flush uncooperatively.

When Hua'er entered with Feng Yixiao and saw Linglong sitting opposite Qin Daofei with a blushing face, while Qin Daofei wore a look of triumphant self-satisfaction—completely unbothered by the blood seeping through the back of his garments—she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh dear, Master, how did your wounds burst open again?" Though Hua'er's words were addressed to Qin Daofei, her eyes remained fixed on Linglong, brimming with unmistakable amusement and probing curiosity.

Linglong felt a prickling sensation under Hua'er's gaze and waved her hands frantically. "No, it's not like that, it's nothing like that! We didn't do anything! I didn't do *that* to him—he insisted on holding me, I told him not to, I really told him not to, Hua'er, you have to believe me!"

Pfft!

Qin Daofei muffled a laugh. A glare from Linglong forced him to swallow it back, leaving him shaking with suppressed mirth.

"I see the Madam is simply fond of making a fuss. The Master is so heavily injured, no matter how deeply attached you two are, you really ought to... well, you know. I'll go fetch the Ghost Doctor!" Perceiving that Linglong was on the verge of exploding, Hua'er prudently changed the subject.

She dumped Feng Yixiao into Linglong's lap and hurried out to track down Yeli Shang.

"It was clearly you acting like a lunatic, why is Hua'er blaming me?" Linglong had no outlet for her frustration, so she transferred her anger onto the innocent Qin Daofei.

Qin Daofei offered an unconvincing smile. "Perhaps it's because I am far too proper!"

Ugh!

Furious, Linglong scooped up Feng Yixiao and made as if to strike Qin Daofei. Qin Daofei pointed straight at his back and declared, "It hurts, you know!"

"It's miles away from your bones!" Though she said this, Linglong still shifted around behind him, only to see that the blood had indeed soaked right through his outer garments.

Seeing him like this, her eyes reddened. She said resentfully, "If you truly want to die, go crawl off somewhere out of sight and die on your own; don't drag me down with you!"

"If it weren't for your ironclad rules restraining me, I wouldn't even dare hold you for a moment. Now that you've finally stopped fighting me off, how could I possibly care about anything else?" Qin Daofei made himself sound deeply wronged and entirely reasonable!

Linglong stared at him in utter astonishment, before finally letting out an exasperated roar, "If you wanted to hold me, would you ever be at a loss for a way? Even if I forbade it, wouldn't you have just schemed your way around it anyway, dragging me back to Xiaoyao Manor just like you did? If I didn't still harbor a tiny shred of interest in you, do you think I'd come back here just to swallow your family's insults and grievances? Hmph!"

"Are you saying that even if I insist on holding you, you won't actually refuse?" Qin Daofei seized upon the core meaning buried within her rant.

Ugh!

"Did I say that? I said no such thing! You're hallucinating from the pain, pay it no mind!" Acting as though she had seen a ghost, Linglong scooped up Feng Yixiao and fled.

Not long after Linglong departed, Yeli Shang arrived, accompanied by the Second Prince who had come to pay a visit.

Yeli Shang's face was dark as thunder. The moment he stepped through the door, he snapped, "Strip!"

"My apologies, I am not interested in men!" Qin Daofei deadpanned with a straight face.

The Second Prince, trailing behind Yeli Shang, was in high spirits. "Master Qin is in such high spirits bright and early in the morning, engaging in such strenuous exercise. It seems my worry was entirely unfounded."

"The Second Prince's intelligence network inside the imperial palace may be sluggish, but when it comes to prying into the affairs of my Xiaoyao Manor, you are remarkably swift, aren't you?" Qin Daofei was thoroughly displeased. Because of Old Zhu's betrayal, he had been forced to reshuffle his informants within the palace, which was why he hadn't received immediate word of Nuangexier's marriage proposal. What annoyed him even more, however, was that the Second Prince—who had received word from inside the palace—had only passed the news along to the unreliable Yeli Shang at the eleventh hour.

Ah...

On this point, the Second Prince had no choice but to shield the individual who loved watching the world burn. If Qin Daofei ever found out he had done it on purpose, who knew...

With a whirl of thoughts, the Second Prince cast a knowing, half-smiling glance at Yeli Shang standing behind Qin Daofei, his eyes twinkling with calculating craftiness.

Fearing that Qin Daofei would figure out he had gotten distracted and missed the optimal window to warn them about Nuangexier, Yeli Shang quickly clasped his hands together behind Qin Daofei's back in a frantic, pleading gesture.

Catching the signal, the Second Prince spread his hands and sighed helplessly. "To be honest, I had no choice. Ever since Chengxiang died, His Majesty has grown increasingly cold toward me!"

Qin Daofei unceremoniously stripped off his outer garments, exposing his wounds. Yeli Shang untied the gauze bandages to take a look, then poked Qin Daofei in exasperation. "Qin Daofei, a dog never sheds its old habits! You're at death's door, yet you were still in such a frantic rush to sleep with Feng Linglong?"

The Second Prince leaned in with an expression full of gossip to inspect Qin Daofei's wounds, drawling, "Master Qin's romantic vigor certainly hasn't diminished over the years."

"What are you two singing in harmony for?" Qin Daofei lay prone across the desk, enduring Yeli Shang's heavy-handed ministrations.

The Second Prince smiled. "I have no ulterior motives. I'm simply pleased to see Master Qin in such robust spirits."

"A pair of beasts!" With that, Yeli Shang stripped the blood-soaked bandages from Qin Daofei's back and tossed them straight into the Second Prince's lap. Since the blood had not entirely dried, some of it smeared onto the Second Prince's robes. The prince, however, paid it no mind, merely looking at Yeli Shang with a smile.

When Yeli Shang set about cleaning Qin Daofei's wounds, his hands were about as brutal as they could possibly be.

"Yeli Shang, if you hurt me one more time, you two won't live to regret it!" Driven past endurance by the pain, Qin Daofei finally let loose a string of curses.

The Second Prince rubbed his nose. "What does this have to do with me?"

Linglong, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, felt a pang of heartache the moment she heard Qin Daofei cry out in pain. She pushed the door open with a kick, holding Feng Yixiao, and unceremoniously dumped the child into the Second Prince's arms. Feng Yixiao, having a weakness for handsome faces, found no fault with him whatsoever; she immediately grabbed the Second Prince's face and began trying to scratch his cheeks.

Linglong shoved Yeli Shang aside and said coldly, "Don't think I don't know that you deliberately dragged your feet regarding Nuangexier's affairs just so you could watch us burn in the fire!"

"Who? Who me? Absolutely not!" When Yeli Shang denied it, his lack of conviction was glaringly obvious.

Qin Daofei narrowed his eyes at Yeli Shang, then turned his gaze to the Second Prince. Both men instinctively averted their gaze, looking thoroughly unnatural.

Ha!

Qin Daofei let out a bloodthirsty sneer. "I'll remember this pair of you!"

"Move aside, let me do it!" Snatching the jar of healing ointment from Yeli Shang's hands, Linglong took over dressing Qin Daofei's wounds herself. Meanwhile, Yeli Shang sidled over to tease Feng Yixiao. "Yixiao, your mother is a monster!"

"Longlong, man, man!" Feng Yixiao could only manage simple vocabulary, her speech delightfully milky and sweet. Yet she possessed a sharp discernment for malicious intent; waving her tiny fists, she delivered a crisp *slap* right across Yeli Shang's cheek.

Yeli Shang flew into a rage. "You little wretch! If I hadn't saved your life, you'd be dead by now, and yet you still hit me?"

"You saved her?" The Second Prince glanced sideways at Yeli Shang.

Uh...

At a loss for words, Yeli Shang cast a pleading look toward Linglong and Qin Daofei.

"That's right. Back when Tan Xiyin's maid attempted to poison Feng Yixiao, if not for Yeli Shang, our Yixiao might well have been killed by the poison. It's terrifying just to think about it!" Linglong smoothly picked up the thread.

The Second Prince glanced at Yeli Shang once more, saying nothing further.

When the time came for them to take their leave, Yeli Shang couldn't resist making one final, malicious parting remark to Linglong: "Feng Linglong, you'd best exercise some restraint. Although Qin Daofei's martial arts are formidable and he can endure more than most, he *did* break three ribs, after all. For the time being, don't be in such a frantic rush; once his wounds heal, you can do whatever you please!"

"Yeli Shang, you'll be lucky if you survive the night!" Linglong bared her teeth, casting a wicked, meaningful glance at the Second Prince.

The Second Prince didn't even bat an eyelid; he simply grabbed Yeli Shang by the wrist and dragged him away.

"The Second Prince has figured out Yixiao's true identity, hasn't he? What do we do now?" Linglong turned back, sudden worry gripping her.

Qin Daofei leisurely straightened his robes and said indifferently, "Discovered it or not, what does it matter? Though I must admit, I am quite curious to see how Chengxiang plans to deal with Yeli Shang."

"Is someone hiding in his household?" Linglong's water-clear eyes filled with instant calculation.