Spring was in full bloom, with a gentle breeze lifting the willow branches, easing the tense atmosphere brought by the Black Armored Guards.
Xiao Yan made no effort to hide his protectiveness over Song Tangning.
Not far away, a long blade had pinned a man to the ground, and his blood was flowing. The man, once fierce, now appeared warm and soft. The stark contrast made everyone in the courtyard turn their gaze to the young woman whose face was marred by scars.
This Miss Song seemed to be more valued by Chief Eunuch Xiao than the rumors suggested.
Lu Zhinian watched as Song Tangning walked towards that eunuch, her once dark eyes now filled with nothing but Xiao Yan's figure in the distance. His brow furrowed, and unease crept into his heart. "Tangning!" he called out. Song Tangning paused and turned her head.
Lu Zhinian softened his tone, coaxing her gently, "Come to me."
Tangning hesitated for a moment. Even though he deliberately softened his expression, he still looked down on her, expecting her to come whenever he beckoned. She suddenly turned and started walking back in the direction she had just come from.
Lu Zhinian watched the girl approaching, and the vague unease in his heart dissipated. He knew Song Tangning cared about him. She would never go against his wishes. Given her feelings for him, how could she possibly ignore him? This was a girl who had admired him for years.
What could Xiao Yan do? No matter how powerful he was, Tangning would still choose him in the end.
Lu Zhinian couldn't help but glance at Xiao Yan with a hint of provocation in his eyes. He lifted his foot, ready to walk toward Tangning. But just then, Song Tangning suddenly stopped, turned her foot, and walked over to Princess Cheng and Gu Helian.
"Aunt, Uncle, let's go."
Lu Zhinian's gentle expression instantly cracked.
Gu Helian, seeing the little girl, who was so serious yet mischievously defiant, couldn't help but burst into laughter. That laugh was like a slap to Lu Zhinian's face.
"Tangning!!" Lu Zhinian's face was full of displeasure. "You've sulked enough…"
"Sulked?" Song Tangning turned her head. "Did you forget, Lu Langjun? On Mount Yan, Song Jinxi was ruthless, and you're no different. If I had died that day, half my life would have been taken by Song Jinxi, and the other half by you and Shizi Xie."
She glanced at Xie Yin, who was pale and hiding in the crowd, then fixed her gaze on Lu Zhinian's incredulous face.
"My connection with you was shallow to begin with. Our past entanglements were a mistake. You are noble, and a suitable match will come your way. From now on, it would be better to call me Miss Song, so as not to cause any misunderstandings."
Lu Zhinian's eyes widened abruptly, and everyone around them gasped in shock.
Song Tangning, was she suggesting she wanted to call off the engagement with the Lu family?!
Song Tangning knew full well how much attention her words would draw and how much gossip they would spark. But she no longer wanted to see Lu Zhinian's arrogant assumptions. She had achieved her goal today. Even though breaking off the engagement with the Lu family wouldn't be easy, her words here represented her stance.
She still had to return to the Song family to reclaim what her parents had left her and sever ties with them for good. Song Tangning didn’t care about Lu Zhinian’s shocked and angry face. She took Princess Cheng’s arm and started walking toward Xiao Yan.
Lu Zhinian's face turned ashen, and the surrounding crowd fell silent.
King Cheng saw the fury boiling in the face of the old Lady Lu and felt that Song Tangning was utterly absurd. She actually dared to suggest breaking off the engagement with the Lu family! Did she have any idea who the Lu family was?
"Stop them!" King Cheng bellowed. Immediately, men from the estate stepped forward to block their way. But before Xiao Yan could give any orders, Cang Lang, who had already stepped forward, drew his sword and swung it down. The person blocking their way hadn’t even had time to react before their arm was severed in a single stroke.
As blood splattered, Cang Lang, holding his white jade-edged sword, announced, "Our Lord Chief has said, let Miss Song pass."
The man who had lost his arm screamed in agony, and the other members of King Cheng’s household turned pale.
The severed arm, whether by chance or intention, landed right in front of King Cheng, splattering blood onto his robes. The sight made him panic and step back.
King Cheng had already felt a tightness in his chest when the Black Armored Guards stormed in earlier, and now, seeing how casually they drew blood, he couldn’t help but yell, "Xiao Yan, are you mad? How dare you storm into my estate with the Black Armored Guards and harm people?"
Xiao Yan looked up, his gaze cold. "I received confidential information that there are remnants of the Rebellious Crown Prince in King Cheng’s estate. The Rebellious Crown Prince was brutal and lawless, and all who aided him must be executed. I’ve come to capture these traitors."
"Nonsense! There are no remnants of the Rebellious Crown Prince in my estate..."
"Isn't the Song family one?" Gu Helian's icy words interrupted, and the faces of Madam Song and her son, Song Jinxiu, immediately paled.
King Cheng was also stunned for a moment. Before he could respond, Gu Helian, with a mocking smile, added, "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention to Your Highness that before coming here, I reported everything about Xu Zhen and Song Hong to Chief Xiao. After all, they were traitors sentenced to death by the late emperor, known for their viciousness. As someone as kind as me, revealing this information might result in an untimely death."
The crowd: "..."
If you showed a little less glee, we might actually believe you.
Xiao Yan’s sharp gaze swept across Song Jinxi and his mother, who had turned deathly pale at Gu Helian’s words, as well as the furious King Cheng. His eyes were as cold and sharp as a blade.
"The Rebellious Crown Prince’s treason was long dealt with, and those connected to him were all sentenced to death by imperial decree. No one involved was granted pardon. The Song Duke’s estate defied the late emperor’s edict, secretly rescuing the traitor and harboring the Rebellious Crown Prince's followers. Such disloyalty and rebellion are no different from treason."
"Take the members of the Song Duke’s estate back to the Judicial Office. Anyone who obstructs this will be punished as well."
King Cheng roared in fury, "Xiao Yan, this is my estate, not your Privy Council!"
"Precisely because this is the estate of a prince, I gave you a chance to comply before taking forceful action."
King Cheng looked at the bloodied servants lying on the ground and the nearly destroyed estate gate, barely able to contain his rage.
Forceful action? He had already broken down the gates and stormed in! Where was the courtesy?
"If you want to arrest people, take them outside. This is King Cheng’s estate, not a place for you to act so recklessly!" King Cheng gritted his teeth.
"That won’t do. Since we’ve already come, it wouldn’t be right to leave empty-handed."
"How dare you?!"
"You may test whether I dare or not, Your Highness." Xiao Yan’s eyes were cold as ice as he stared at the furious King Cheng. "As it happens, no member of the royal family has ever been brought to trial in my Judicial Office. If you’re interested, Your Highness, perhaps we should include you. After all, the Song Duke’s estate is harboring traitors, and it seems King Cheng has a part in it as well."
"You!!"
King Cheng’s face turned blue, then white, then purple. He couldn’t believe Xiao Yan would dare to lay hands on him. But the Black Armored Guards were already advancing with their blades drawn.
Just as King Cheng was about to shout in fury, the Dowager Princess grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled him aside. "The matter of the Song Duke’s estate has nothing to do with us!"
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You can read ahead to chapterr 111 here
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