Chapter Sixteen: The Prince Shows His Might!

How did this come back to him again?

Prince Chun was at a loss for words and could only give an awkward smile. Feng Xiaoli nodded in satisfaction; if you're not going to help me, then you'd best not take sides at all. Yue Wanqing pursed her lips—Prince Chun was an elder whom she was bound to respect. Unlike Feng Xiaoli, who cared nothing for seniority, she still wanted to spare the prince's dignity.

Gritting her teeth, Yue Wanqing steeled herself and swept her leg in a low arc, tripping Feng Xiaoli, who was half-crouched on the ground. Caught off guard, Feng Xiaoli had not expected such a sneak attack; she fell, quite spectacularly. A searing pain flared at her ankle—Yue Wanqing was a highly skilled martial artist, and even a simple sweep of her leg carried tremendous force. If one were to pull down her sock, they would see Feng Xiaoli's ankle bruised and blackened.

Feng Xiaoli bit her lower lip hard, so much so that, in a moment, blood began to seep through. Yue Wanqing, who had been delighted just a moment ago, now exclaimed in alarm—she hadn't actually struck that hard, had she? Prince Chun, hearing Yue Wanqing's cry, could no longer ignore his daughter's distress.

"Ali, are you all right?" Yue Wanqing asked, her voice small.

"Ali, where are you hurt?" Prince Chun asked with concern.

Are you kidding me? It hurts like hell! Feng Xiaoli was in such pain that she couldn't utter a word; it felt as if her ankle had been wrenched clean off. Yue Wanqing suddenly felt she'd gone too far and dared not speak again. She'd used barely any force at all—how could she have hurt her? It really was the gentlest touch!

Prince Chun saw the agony written plainly on Feng Xiaoli's face. No matter that it was just a bit of girls' roughhousing, he strode forward and placed himself between Feng Xiaoli and Yue Wanqing, towering over the latter with a cold, imperious gaze. Yue Wanqing dared not speak further; gone was the prince's earlier affable demeanor—now he was simply furious.

"Miss Wanqing, you are always welcome in my residence, and I do not object to your friendship with my daughter. In court, I have the greatest respect for the Left Prime Minister—he is upright and principled, never showing favoritism, whether in matters of state or in personal affairs. That is why I trust you to be with my Ali. However, Miss Wanqing, Ali is my daughter. No matter what mistakes she makes, I will always protect her. But I will never tolerate anyone bullying her. Should anyone dare to harm her in my presence, I swear they will leave here on a stretcher!" Prince Chun's words were sharp and resolute, leaving both Feng Xiaoli and Yue Wanqing stunned.

Feng Xiaoli was surprised—she hadn't realized the old man cared for her so deeply. His words showed his fondness and his resolve to let no harm befall her. A shadow flickered in Yue Wanqing's eyes; she had not expected things to turn out this way. Prince Chun had previously held back to spare her dignity—after all, battles between women should be settled among themselves. But now, having gone this far, it would be unseemly for him to remain silent.

Yet she truly hadn't used much force!

Ali, are you pretending to be hurt?

So it's fine for you to put on an act, but not for me?

Yue Wanqing sighed—so Feng Xiaoli was feigning it after all. She had just been wondering whether she herself had grown stronger or if Feng Xiaoli had become weaker.

So, to you, my martial prowess matters more than whether I've actually hurt myself?

Well, all right then!

Prince Chun, of course, was unaware of the silent exchange between the two girls. To him, Yue Wanqing seemed to be trembling, while Feng Xiaoli looked terrified. Had he been too harsh?

He coughed, a little embarrassed. "Luoyu, help Miss Wanqing up. Jinning, quickly help Ali. You two, no matter how close you are, shouldn't be playing around on the floor—catching a chill will only bring you suffering!"

Yue Wanqing recognized that Prince Chun was giving her a way out, and she gratefully took it. "You are quite right, Your Highness!" But in no time, her true nature resurfaced. "No more playing! Luoyu, help me up. Ali is so fragile—what a disappointment!"

"If you have the nerve, try again! I refuse to believe I can't withstand a single move from you!" Feng Xiaoli protested.

Yue Wanqing burst out laughing. "Don't make me laugh! You'll have to wait for your next life to beat me—it's never happening in this one!" She dared not raise her voice in Prince Chun's presence and could only mutter under her breath.

Jinning helped Feng Xiaoli up slowly, careful not to rush, for she could see clearly that Feng Xiaoli was truly hurt. She shot Yue Wanqing a disapproving look, as if to say: how shameful, for someone with martial skills to bully someone who has none!

If Yue Wanqing could have heard Jinning's thoughts, she would have coughed up blood, then corrected her—Ali wasn't unskilled, simply too clumsy, which is why she couldn't take a blow!

As soon as Feng Xiaoli sat down, a servant arrived to report that someone was at the door.

Prince Chun asked who it was. The servant replied that it was a stranger who claimed to be the future son-in-law of the prince's daughter. Prince Chun frowned but still ordered the visitor shown in. If it were Yu Wenhao, the servant would have recognized him, but it wasn't—so who could it be?

Feng Xiaoli, her head bowed as she checked her injury, was startled by the servant's words. The first name that came to her mind was not the seemingly cold and ruthless Yu Wenhao, but rather Zi Lin, who had planned to propose to her at the prince's residence. Hadn't he stormed off in anger—why had he returned?

Yue Wanqing had been about to take her leave, but upon hearing this, her eyes sparkled with interest, as though sensing some amusement. She settled herself firmly, determined not to miss the show.

Feng Xiaoli, seeing Yue Wanqing's expression, felt a sense of impending doom. How could so much happen in one day?

Soon, the servant led in Zi Lin, dressed all in purple. Both Prince Chun and Yue Wanqing were stunned by his appearance—clad in regal purple, resplendent and majestic, he radiated an aura of royalty. His ethereal features and bearing were like that of a celestial being, and he wore the same gentle smile as when they first met, unruffled by anything that came his way.

Feng Xiaoli had only seen him three times before. The first was in her courtyard, when men in black had swarmed in, thwarting her escape—she had hated him ever since. The second was in the Phoenix Pavilion, where he had opened a window to invite her in, but she had refused. The third was just earlier, by the lake, when she was again pursued by men in black, and he had come to her rescue.

This time, Feng Xiaoli truly saw his face clearly. Zi Lin's gaze also fell upon her, and their eyes met.

In the end, Yue Wanqing came to a conclusion: Oh, so you two have something going on, don't you?

Wanqing, could you please not let your imagination run quite so wild!