Chapter 30
Inside Xi Yimin's tent, Qi Ziyue said, "This battle was a great victory, which has boosted morale." Xi Yimin, however, was not happy at all. As long as Xue Ran had not been rescued, she could not sleep peacefully. "In that case, Ziyue, we must be extremely careful when launching a night raid tonight. The rebels will definitely be more vigilant."
In Fengcheng, at the Third Prince's villa, he angrily cursed, "What a bunch of useless fools! Eight thousand soldiers couldn't withstand five thousand enemy troops, and ninety percent of them were killed or wounded. Who is this so capable warrior?" The general standing before the desk bowed and reported, "Among the enemy soldiers, there was a highly skilled warrior who instantly killed the gatekeeper. That person is too mysterious, unpredictable, and impossible to pinpoint." Hearing this, the Third Prince looked at Leng Shouqing sitting to his left and asked, "General, do you know who he is?" Leng Shouqing replied expressionlessly, "This humble subject does not know." The Third Prince smiled, "According to scouts, there are twenty thousand enemy troops outside Fengcheng. These twenty thousand enemy troops suddenly appeared and encamped outside Fengcheng. I will not investigate further, but the General should know their origins better than I do. Surely the General knows who the leader is?" Leng Shouqing was startled, remained silent for a long time, and then said in a deep voice, "That man is called Xi Yimin, my deputy general. This time..." "I have joined the Third Prince's ranks, and thus severed ties with him." The Third Prince laughed loudly, "Oh~~ Yi Min, is that Xue Ran's husband?" Hearing this, Leng Shouqing stared wide-eyed at the Third Prince, "How did the Third Prince know about this?" The Third Prince slowly said, "Right here in Fengcheng, I had some disagreements with her. But this brother-in-law is truly stunningly handsome. I suppose my sister likes him too. However, I'd like to know whether he cares about his wife. I think he does, but I still need to test how much he cares." Hearing this, Leng Shouqing stood up in shock and angrily said, "What does the Third Prince want?" The Third Prince smiled and said, "I just want to see if love in this world is truly as unwavering and devoted as described in books." Seeing that Leng Shouqing still wanted to say something, the Third Prince stopped her, "Alright, I still need to think about how to deal with the enemy troops outside the city. All of you, leave!" Hearing this, Leng Shouqing knew that saying anything was useless, so she turned and left.
In the residence of the Third Prince of Fengcheng, Leng Xue Ran rarely went out after learning she was pregnant. She spent most of her time in her bedroom reading or lost in thought. This day, Leng Ying came to her room to keep her company. "Sister, why are you so unhappy? A pregnant woman should be happier; it's good for both herself and the baby." Leng Xue Ran replied worriedly, "We're trapped here, controlled by others; how can we be happy?" Leng Ying smiled and said, "Since we can't change the situation, why not accept it? I believe Yi Min will rescue us. All we can do is protect ourselves." Indeed, what good would it do to worry herself sick? Thinking this, Leng Xue Ran smiled and said, "Sister is absolutely right. I hadn't understood this principle. Would you please accompany me for a walk?" Leng Ying happily replied, "Of course I'd be happy to."
Arriving in the garden, Leng Ying smiled at Leng Xue Ran, "Sister, what kind of person is Yi Min in your heart?" Hearing this, a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on Leng Xue Ran's lips. "He's a rascal, always playing pranks, but also a warm person, always thinking so much about others." Looking at her sister like this, perhaps she really should let go, because she had never seen any of the aspects her sister described about Yi Min. This must be what it means to not love someone! It truly cannot be forced. "Sister is so lucky, I should grant your wish." Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran felt a little awkward, but smiled and said, "Your younger sister will surely have her own happiness too."
“Perhaps, but let’s not talk about that anymore. Sister, I overheard a servant saying that Fengcheng has been occupied by Guan Haoshan. A few days ago, the imperial army outside the city attacked, and Guan Haoshan suffered a crushing defeat. That night, he was attacked again, and about five thousand rebels were killed. That’s why the Third Prince hasn’t returned these past few days; he’s probably thinking of a counterattack.” Hearing Leng Ying say this, Leng Xue Ran was a little worried. “Isn’t Yi Min in even more danger?” Seeing her sister so worried, Leng Ying comforted her, “Sister, don’t worry. You and I both know that man’s martial arts are unfathomable.”
“I’m worried that the Third Prince will use us as leverage. What should we do?” Hearing this, Leng Ying remained silent for a long time, then looked at Leng Xue Ran with a worried expression and said in a trembling voice, “Sister, what should we do?” Leng Xue Ran frowned, somewhat at a loss for words. Seeing this, Leng Ying called out again, “Sister, how can we help Yi Min? We can try any method. Why hide it from him?” Leng Xue Ran sighed and said guiltily, “This will make Father suffer.” Leng Ying asked with a puzzled look, “Why?” Leng Xue Ran looked at the fallen leaves outside the pavilion and said worriedly, “Tell Father that I am pregnant. Father knows that Yi Min is a woman, and he will definitely not believe that the child is Yi Min’s. How can I threaten Yi Min then? But Father may be questioned by the Third Prince. If the Third Prince does not believe Father, I will have to tell the Third Prince myself that Yi Min is a woman.” Hearing this, Leng Ying stood up angrily and denied it, “No, what will happen to you and Yi Min? Wouldn’t that ruin your reputation? This is absolutely unacceptable!”
"But it's still better than Yimin having to compromise because of me, and possibly losing his life."
Leng Ying shook her head. "Sister, there will be a way. It's not time yet, is it? We can think of other ways. We can escape." If they could escape, they would have already done so. Why worry so much? Leng Xue Ran looked at the woman who was worried about her and smiled. "Sister, don't worry. That's just the worst-case scenario. It might not happen." But as she spoke, she herself was filled with anxiety. Perhaps this worst-case scenario was about to come.
The next day, the Third Prince returned to his residence and immediately summoned Leng Xue Ran to the main hall. Inside, the Third Prince sat in the main seat, smiling at Leng Xue Ran. "Xue Ran, how have you been? I haven't seen you for several days, and I've noticed you've become quite plump. The food in my residence is truly to your liking." Leng Xue Ran remained silent, not intending to engage in his nonsense. Seeing this, the Third Prince wasn't angry. "Xue Ran, I've come today to discuss something with you. Isn't Xi Yi Min your fiancé? That man is truly formidable. A few days ago, I..." "I understand now. Tell me, what's your fiancé's background? I believed him when he said he was a merchant from Fengcheng, but now he's actually your father's deputy general, currently commanding the Fengcheng imperial army." He then looked leisurely at Leng Xue Ran, stood up, walked to the woman, and smiled, "Xue Ran, could you enlighten me?" Leng Xue Ran was about to speak when a wave of nausea washed over her, and she began to gag. Seeing this, the Third Prince frowned and angrily said, "Does he dislike me so much?" Leng Xue Ran, seeing that he had misunderstood, didn't bother to explain, "Xi Yimin and I..." "We're not even acquainted. How could I know everything about her? Her marriage proposal was one-sided. My father was unwilling to agree, so I certainly wasn't." The Third Prince frowned as he looked at the woman uttering such heartless words, and sneered, "So cold-hearted! I think Xi Yimin's feelings for you are genuine." Leng Xue Ran said calmly, "It's just a forced marriage. I never wanted this marriage." The Third Prince smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, as long as Xi Yimin has feelings for you." Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran's heart trembled, and she felt a deep pain. However, he still sneered, "The Third Prince's plan may be in vain. How could Xi Yimin accept a woman who is pregnant with another man's child?" Hearing this, the Third Prince looked at Leng Xue Ran's stomach in surprise, disbelievingly saying, "How could it not be Xi Yimin's?" Leng Xue Ran smiled brightly, "Why not tell Xi Yimin that I'm pregnant? Just look at his expression and you'll know whether the child is his or not." The Third Prince looked at Leng Xue Ran in silence for a long time before calling out, "Someone come here!" A servant entered, and the Third Prince angrily said, "Summon a doctor immediately."
Although Xi Yimin had won a battle recently, she was still not happy. She knew that the faster she won, the closer it would be for the Third Prince to use Xue Ran as a hostage. She had to come up with a plan that would satisfy both sides. Otherwise, she would have no choice but to abandon the court. Originally, what did the survival of the court have to do with her, Xi Yimin? But what kind of infamy would Xue Ran have to bear?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com