Awakening in a Honey Pot

The Qin family's cavalry failed to directly enter the core area of ​​Jinxi Town, let alone the Jiang residence.

They were politely but firmly stopped at a newly built outpost outside the town, which served as both a post station and a defensive post.

The news reached Jiang Manyan immediately; she heard that it was a group sent by the Qin family main branch to "assist" Qin Lingfeng.

Jiang Manyan's heart sank suddenly.

Almost simultaneously, I recalled that Song Guansui was also closely following news about "Jiang Shanren".

The double pressure was like ice water poured over his head, instantly snapping him out of his somewhat hesitant state.

Those cold and cruel images from the depths of my memory surged up uncontrollably—

Outside the magnificent hall, the wailing of servants being dragged away and beaten to death;

The sneer of noblemen who took pleasure in whipping their servants;

The desperate and humble eyes of the family of the abducted girl... those arrogant faces who treat human life as worthless.

Qin Lingfeng's gentleness and protectiveness at this moment suddenly became light and uncertain in the face of these heavy realities and shadows of the past.

Is Qin Lingfeng different? Perhaps!

But can his "difference" withstand the greed and pressure of the entire Qin family? Can it overcome the covetousness of the three major families in the central district for Jinxi Town?

Jiang Manyan made a crystal-clear judgment: No. Qin Lingfeng's kindness might be genuine, but it was too fragile.

Its existence depends entirely on the duration of his "liking" and his influence in the internal struggles within the family.

Both of these are full of variables.

What will happen to the three towns once this affection fades, or when the family pressure becomes too much for him to bear?

Will today's mild measures pave the way for tomorrow's more brutal plunder?

A shift in mindset leads to alienation in actions.

When Qin Lingfeng finished dealing with matters outside the town and returned to the Jiang residence, he keenly sensed that something was amiss.

Jiang Manyan remained polite and considerate, instructing the servants to prepare tea and snacks for him and inquiring about the smooth progress of his affairs.

But that genuine intimacy and dependence has disappeared.

His smile remained gentle, yet it seemed to be separated by a thin layer of ice, carrying a businesslike politeness.

Her gaze no longer lingered on him; if it occasionally met, it would quickly and naturally shift away, as if it were just a fleeting glance.

Qin Lingfeng felt a sudden emptiness in his heart. He wanted to hold Jiang Manyan's hand and ask her what was wrong, but she subtly avoided him.

"Young Master Qin must be tired from your journey, please rest first."

There are still some matters at the city wall construction site that require my attention.

Jiang Manyan made an excuse to leave, leaving Qin Lingfeng alone in the hall. Looking at her obviously distant back, Qin Lingfeng frowned, filled with confusion and unease.

Before he could figure out the reason for this sudden coldness, Qin Zhao and Qin Rui had already found their way to the Jiang residence and demanded to see their "cousin" in a forceful manner. They then used the excuse that "the clan elders ordered him to discuss important matters with his cousin" to almost force Qin Lingfeng to move to the Qin family's villa outside the town.

The reasons were perfectly plausible: they couldn't keep bothering "Young Master Jiang," and the separate residence was more convenient for handling "family affairs."

Jiang Manyan did not stop him, nor did she even step in. She only had Jiang Zhong relay the message: "Young Master Qin, please do as you please. If needed, Jinxi Town will do its best to cooperate." Her tone was calm and even, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Qin Lingfeng looked at the tightly closed study door, and a feeling of indescribable suffocation and pain welled up in his heart.

He didn't understand why, suddenly, an invisible wall had been erected between them.

The arrival of his clansmen was like a bucket of cold water, not only extinguishing any potential warmth but also seemingly pushing him away from Jiang Manyan's world.

He had to leave the Jiang residence temporarily and return to that cold and calculating villa.

In the following days, Qin Lingfeng found himself in a predicament both internally and externally.

Inside the villa, Qin Zhao and Qin Rui pressed closer, subtly probing the strength and weakness of Jinxi Town and urging him to carry out the "seizure" plan. Their words were filled with contempt and greed for Jiang Manyan and the three towns.

"Cousin, why bother dealing with that merchant's son surnamed Jiang? Just take him down!"

"What waves can a mere township stir up? The clan elders are all waiting to see how it goes!"

Qin Lingfeng had to forcefully suppress these two restless clansmen while feigning compliance with them, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted from dealing with them.

On the other hand, he was constantly thinking about Jiang Manyan's inexplicable estrangement.

He tried to find an opportunity to see Jiang Manyan, but he was always held back by various "coincidental" matters or received the reply that "Mr. Jiang is busy".

The snacks and small gifts he sent were all politely returned with a note saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Qin. We appreciate it."

Tormented by anxiety and longing, Qin Lingfeng devised a plan: using the Qin family's resources and influence, he secretly provided Jiang Manyan with a large amount of urgently needed materials and craftsmen under the guise of "investment and construction, mutual benefit" to expedite the city wall project.

Batch after batch of high-quality stone and timber were transported to the construction site through "legal" channels; several old craftsmen under the control of the Qin family, who were skilled in defensive fortifications, were also sent over under the guise of "hiring".

He did all this rather clumsily and eagerly, hoping that Jiang Manyan would see his intentions and understand that he was still fulfilling his promise of "cooperation" rather than "seizing" her.

However, these actions took on a different meaning in the eyes of Jiang Manyan, who was on high alert and still traumatized by her childhood.

As he looked at the endless stream of supplies that far exceeded what an ordinary family could provide, and at the artisans who were clearly from the military system, his sense of crisis only intensified.

What is Qin Lingfeng doing? Is he trying to lull him into a false sense of security with gentle methods? Is he using these small favors to erode the autonomy of the three towns?

Or do they want to figure out the entire defensive layout of Jinxi Town through these craftsmen?

Suspicion entwined Jiang Manyan's heart like vines.

He accepted the supplies without hesitation to speed up construction—because this was the most urgent need at the moment.

On the other hand, he ordered that the craftsmen be closely monitored and that all the core defense design blueprints be retrieved and never shown to anyone again.

Between the two, one tries hard to get closer and prove himself, but his actions are distorted because of his family identity;

One person has closed their heart due to past traumas and current pressures, interpreting all kindness as having ulterior motives.

That invisible barrier not only failed to disappear, but instead grew thicker and thicker due to Qin Lingfeng's efforts and Jiang Manyan's suspicions.

The ties of love remain unbroken, yet they are already tinged with the bitter taste of anxiety, misunderstanding, and struggle.

---

That time, when Jiang Manyan shielded him from a cold arrow, her clothes were torn. In his panic and heartache, Qin Lingfeng noticed not only the hideous wound, but also a very faint, bird-like blue mark below her shoulder blade.

The situation was critical at the time, and he didn't think too much about it, but the unique pattern left a vague impression on his mind.

Afterwards, he secretly instructed his trusted confidants to go to the central area to investigate the origin of the mark.

He had a vague feeling that this might be the key to unlocking many mysteries surrounding Jiang Manyan.

Today, the trusted confidant sent out has finally returned, weary from his journey, bringing back a secret report obtained through special channels.

Qin Lingfeng dismissed his attendants and unfolded the thin scroll of paper in his study.

When the words above came into view, even he, who was used to seeing all kinds of storms, couldn't help but be stunned and his fingertips tightened slightly.

Jiang Manyan, whose real name is Song Manyan, is the illegitimate son of the Song family, one of the three great families in the central urban area.

His mother was of low status, and both he and his mother held a lowly position in the Song family, akin to servants. From a young age, they suffered endless bullying and torment from his stepmother, Liu, and his elder brother, Song Guansui.

The report even detailed those abusive acts:

He was constantly in trouble, and being whipped and forced to kneel was a daily occurrence. His mother, Jiang, often took the punishment for him, and was frail and sickly...

What alarmed Qin Lingfeng even more was that the report mentioned Song Guansui, the son of the Song family known for his talent and tyranny, who often brought his half-brother along to "broaden his horizons." In reality, he allowed Song Guansui to witness firsthand the filth and evil of the aristocratic class—disregard for human life, bullying men and women, and power struggles...

The maggots hidden beneath the brocade of extravagance have likely been deeply imprinted on his young heart.

About five years ago, Song Manyan staged an accident, faked her death, and disappeared from the Song family's sight completely.

He changed his surname to "Jiang" and returned to his hometown, Jinxi Town, a desolate place in the southeast that his mother had mentioned.

Qin Lingfeng vaguely remembered this mark because five years ago, when his subordinates were joking with him while reporting interesting stories from the central district.

It is said that Song Guansui, for some unknown reason, seemed to have gone mad, using a large amount of the Song family's power to secretly search for a handsome "runaway servant" with a bird mark on his shoulder, causing quite a stir.

A few days later, the tide turned again, and his mother, Liu, offered a large reward for the capture of a "rebel son who stole family property," which caused a lot of gossip in the aristocratic circles, all saying that there was no peace in the Song family's inner quarters.

At the time, he just took it as a joke from others and let it go. He never expected that the "runaway servant" and "traitorous illegitimate son" who caused Song Guansui to make such a big fuss and brought shame to the Song family's inner quarters was actually... the person he cherished most!

Qin Lingfeng held the seemingly light yet incredibly heavy piece of paper, speechless for a long time. Memories of his time with Jiang Manyan flashed through his mind—

His heartfelt smile as he stood on the edge of the field, beloved by all.

He mentioned the anecdotes in the central area: the occasional fleeting moments of absentmindedness and silence when things happened; his decisiveness and ruthlessness beyond his years when facing crises.

And in the depths of those honey-brown eyes, there occasionally flashes a desolation and insight that contrasts sharply with their bright exterior...

Everything now has an explanation.

His extraordinary perseverance and wisdom, his instinctive wariness and alienation from aristocratic power, and his almost obsessive determination to firmly grasp his own destiny when building the three towns...

It turns out that behind all of this lies such a heavy and painful past.

He was no ordinary township leader; he was a survivor who had crawled out of hell, burdened with a blood feud, and carefully concealing his identity.

Build your own safe haven in a desolate place.

Shock, heartache, pity, sudden realization...

A flood of emotions surged through Qin Lingfeng's heart.

He could almost imagine how that frail boy struggled to survive in the mansion surrounded by wolves, how he endured humiliation and hardship, and how he finally seized a sliver of hope to escape his cage.

And Song Guansui... that insane search and reward offer!

A chill instantly settled in Qin Lingfeng's eyes.

He almost immediately connected Jiang Manyan's recent inexplicable estrangement and pressure with the Song family's movements.

Did you push yourself away because you sensed danger approaching?