Chapter 24: When It Comes to Frightening Others, If Delicate Takes Second, No One Dares Claim First Thank you all for your support—here is an extra chapter.

“Your Highness, please don’t call me Miss Linglong. Though Qin Daofei and I have weathered countless hardships and trials, no matter what, we are husband and wife. If you do not mind my humble origins, please address me as Madam Qin.” A breeze swept by, stirring Linglong’s dark hair. She reached out to tuck the stray strands behind her ear, her tone gentle yet tinged with sorrow.

Princess Xiang was a clever woman, and she knew that Linglong was making a gesture of goodwill. Yet, precisely because of her intelligence, the princess understood all too well the place Linglong held in the heart of Lord Xiang. Linglong was like a quiet rose—usually unobtrusive, but once she bloomed, her fragrance would seep everywhere.

She had always known that Lord Xiang saw every other woman as merely a substitute for Linglong. He never hid it; even in their most intimate moments, the name he whispered with passion belonged to this woman.

Though Princess Xiang did not find Linglong particularly beautiful, she knew that with just a crook of her finger, Lord Xiang would unhesitatingly dethrone her from her position and elevate Feng Linglong in her stead.

Therefore, she would never allow Linglong the opportunity. After all, everything she had now had not come easily.

Jealousy often leads people astray!

“Madam Qin…” Princess Xiang rolled the words on her tongue, then suddenly smiled.

Linglong pretended not to notice the sarcasm in the princess’s tone. She walked over to the swing built into the flower trellis, sat down, and gazed up at the star-filled sky.

Because of this, she missed the calculating glint in the princess’s eyes.

Princess Xiang smiled as sweetly as a blossom, watching Linglong. “Don’t you think the flowers here are especially lovely?”

“To me, all flowers are beautiful,” Linglong replied, her smile gentle and harmless.

Princess Xiang walked over and lightly stroked one of the blooms on the swing. In a soft voice, she said, “The lord never allows anyone to sit on this trellis. Last year, when the trellis first bloomed, a maid couldn’t resist temptation and sat here for just a moment. Just a moment—and the lord hacked her into mince and scattered her remains beneath the trellis. The ground was awash in crimson, so the flowers here are particularly vibrant, as red as the maid’s blood.”

“Is that so?” Linglong regarded the princess with a calm smile. “Compared to when I was starving on the frontier and drank human blood directly, this seems rather mild. You wouldn’t know, but corpses of animals and people litter the wilds out there. To survive, I often had to cut flesh from bodies to cook and eat. Your Highness probably doesn’t know—the tastiest part of the human body is this section of the arm…”

Suddenly, Linglong grabbed the princess’s arm. The princess’s face turned pale with terror, and her scream was more piercing than a frightened pig’s. She struggled desperately, but Linglong’s grip was so strong that she couldn’t break free.

“This section of the arm has just the right balance of fat and lean meat—roasted over the fire, it sizzles as oil seeps out. The only downside to human flesh is that it’s a bit sour,” Linglong said, as if discussing a delicacy.

As soon as she finished, Linglong let go. The princess shoved Linglong away and turned to the white jade railing, retching violently.

Linglong grinned—did she really think she could scare her? When she was facing storms out in the wilds, this princess was just a pampered child.

The princess’s attendant also followed suit, vomiting alongside her mistress.

Linglong watched them, as if it had nothing to do with her, until she was satisfied, her anger appeased…

“Would you two like…” Linglong kindly offered them a handkerchief, but the pair fled as though they’d seen a ghost, supporting each other as they escaped.

Linglong waved the handkerchief in her hand, murmuring, “How dull. They ran off already?”