Chapter 5 Childhood Sweethearts
The tall man approached Meng Lingge, carefully examining her delicate, almond-shaped face. Suddenly, he pouted, his face full of grievance, and burst into tears.
"Little Ling'er, how could you marry someone else? You promised to marry me, you broke your promise, you lied to me, you lied to me, waaaaah..."
He was handsome, but tall and slender, a full head taller than Meng Lingge. For such a tall man to cry like a child in front of her, while secretly glancing at her, was quite an odd sight.
The guard's earlier address, and the phrase "Little Ling'er," quickly reminded Meng Lingge of the man's identity.
Wen Zhiming, the eldest son of the Prince of Anshun, is the heir of the Prince of Anshun's mansion.
Prince Wen Muchuan of Anshun and Prime Minister Meng Xingyuan were close friends. When Meng Lingge was young, Wen Muchuan often brought Wen Zhiming to the Prime Minister's residence. While the adults drank and discussed business, Wen Zhiming would often seek out Meng Lingge to play together.
Meng Lingge is the eldest daughter of the Meng family. Her two half-sisters are only one or two years younger than her, but Wen Zhiming never pays attention to Meng Huanyan and Meng Xiyao. Every time he comes, he only plays with Meng Lingge.
He often brought strange and unusual trinkets and always protected Meng Lingge. The adorable little girl was happy to follow him around the Prime Minister's mansion.
I seem to recall that there was indeed one time when Wen Zhiming cupped her little face and asked her earnestly.
"Little Ling'er, will you marry me when you grow up?"
What are the benefits of marrying Brother Zhimo?
"I will protect you and not let anyone bully you. Your father, your mother, my father, my mother, and I won't be allowed to, and neither will I. When Xiaoling marries me, I can rightfully treat you well and give you the best things in the world."
“Then… I am willing to marry Brother Zhimo.”
"It's settled then, let's pinky swear. Whoever goes back on their word becomes a little fool."
"Okay, pinky promise. If you don't keep your word, you'll become a little fool."
However, after the Jin Yue Kingdom and the Lan Yu Kingdom went to war, and the King of Anshun led his troops to fight, Wen Zhiming never came to the Meng residence again.
Within a year, Meng Lingge learned from her parents that Wen Zhiming had been frightened at the temple and had become a mentally challenged idiot, sometimes so confused that he didn't even recognize his own family members.
Meng Lingge was extremely worried, thinking that Wen Zhiming's failure to marry her in time had brought him real retribution. She nervously explained the situation to her parents and insisted on marrying him immediately.
As a result, her parents said that Wen Zhiming was harmed by a villain and had nothing to do with her. They added that since the young master didn't even know her, going there would be useless. They also said that she was a young lady from a respectable family and shouldn't casually meet other men, thus brushing the matter off.
Nearly ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and even she had almost forgotten this beautiful memory, but Wen Zhiming still remembered it and could recognize her as soon as they met.
That one word, "Little Ling'er," transcended ten years, giving Meng Lingge a sense of destiny amidst the vicissitudes of life.
The guards below had caught up and were carefully coaxing Wen Zhiming.
"Young Master, let's go down quickly. I saw some people fighting crickets over there. It's so much fun!"
"Please, Your Highness, if the Princess sees you here, I'm doomed."
These guards had always been by Wen Zhiming's side and knew that cricket fighting was Wen Zhiming's favorite activity. Usually, when they mentioned it, Wen Zhiming would happily leave with them.
However, it didn't work today. Wen Zhiming stood there stubbornly, still looking at Meng Lingge with a wronged expression, muttering that breaking one's word would make one a fool.
He looked thin, but he had a lot of strength. The guards were afraid of hurting him, so they didn't dare to use too much force and couldn't do anything to him for a while.
The stage was in complete chaos, leaving the audience speechless.
Seeing his struggle, Meng Lingge felt a pang of sympathy for him, even though she knew he hadn't suffered any loss.
Wen Zhiming was such a gifted and handsome man back then, but now every move he makes is restricted by the guards.
"Let him go." Meng Lingge took two steps forward and said sternly, "This is the Meng residence, this is where I choose my husband. Since Prince Wen has come up on the stage, it means he intends to form a marriage alliance with the Meng family. You all step back first, let me say a few words to Prince Wen."
The girl's face was ashen, and her voice was cold. Yet her gaze was extremely intimidating, causing the guards to unconsciously loosen their grip and slowly retreat.
Seeing the guards retreat, Wen Zhiming smiled happily and moved even closer to Meng Lingge.
"Little Ling'er is really amazing."
Meng Lingge's tense face softened a bit after most of the day. When she was little, Wen Zhiming would praise her for running fast, reciting a poem, or eating an extra piece of pastry.
Little Ling'er is really amazing.
In Wen Zhiming's eyes, she was the best no matter what.
Some people cherish her like a treasure, while others discard her like worn-out shoes.
Guan Yi'an cheated on her with her half-sister on their wedding day, humiliating her. Wen Zhiming, though mentally impaired, would still run to her when she was isolated and helpless.
Meng Lingge glanced at the sizing-up or amused looks from the audience below, then her gaze returned to the smiling Wen Zhiming in front of her.
His features were so exquisite that even now, with his mental disability, he remained handsome and dashing. His looks even surpassed those of Guan Yi'an.
However, the Prince of Anshun's mansion is wealthy and powerful, yet they have failed to cure him after so many years, which shows that his condition is indeed serious.
However, his kind and generous nature, his attitude towards her, and their childhood friendship make him a good choice.
Meng Lingge was filled with many thoughts, but she quickly made up her mind.
"Young Master Wen, I have broken off my engagement with someone else. Would you marry me?"
Wen Zhiming was taken aback for a moment, then nodded seriously: "Of course I'm willing. I made a pinky promise with you, or I'll become an idiot if I don't marry you."
A blush crept onto Meng Lingge's fair face. "Then what are the benefits of me marrying you?"
Wen Zhiming's eyes brightened. "I will protect you and not let anyone bully you. Neither your father nor my father nor my mother can do it, and neither can I. When Xiaoling marries me, I will treat you well rightfully and give you the best things in the world."
He remembered everything.
Meng Lingge's eyes reddened, her gaze shining: "Then go back and prepare now. I'll wait for you here to come and fetch me. When you arrive, I will marry you."
Wen Zhiming waved his hands excitedly, "Little Ling'er is going to marry me! I need to go prepare a grand bridal sedan chair carried by sixteen people."
He skipped down the steps and called to the group of guards, "Come back to the manor with me, hurry up, don't keep my little Ling'er waiting."
Everyone was dumbfounded, never expecting that Meng Lingge's grand husband selection would end so quickly, and that she would even choose the heir of the Prince of Anshun's mansion.
Before he became mentally impaired, this young master was indeed an outstanding individual. However, after the shock he suffered more than ten years ago, he only had the mental capacity of a seven or eight-year-old child. Under such circumstances, it would not be easy for him to marry a noble lady from a prominent family.
Before her engagement, Meng Lingge was a model of a noble lady. But now that she has married and then broken off the engagement, coupled with the hasty choice of husband, it will be difficult for her to marry a man of high status who is not afraid of offending Guan Yi'an.
Upon reflection, although this marriage is bizarre in many ways, it's hard to say who is unworthy of whom; they seem quite suitable.
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