"Duan Muyan! If you want to die, just die alone, but don't drag the entire Xiao Estate with you!" Not bothering to say anything else, Xiao Jinfeng rushed into the guestroom with Duan Zitong in his arms! "Someone! Quick, ask for the physician…!"
Duan Muyan seemed to have awaken from her trance at once and fiercely retreated from Xiao Yuxuan's embrace!
"Just now… Forgive me... Let's hurry up and see the seventh princess! She must not get hurt, otherwise… the consequences would be unbearable...!" After recovering from panicking, Duan Muyan's teary eyes moved from Xiao Yuxuan to Xiao Jinfeng who left in a hurry!
Seeing Duan Muyan's frantic gaze, Xiao Yuxuan suddenly felt a heartache! Had she forgotten? She was also a princess, a gem that needed to be protected too! Why did she have to act like this?!
Inside the bedroom, Duan Zitong's face was deathly pale and was still unconscious. The physician had given her an emergency treatment and was currently reading her pulse!
"Doctor... How was the Seventh Princess…?" Duan Muyan walked in quickly. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, she was grabbed by Xiao Jinfeng dragging her out of the room!
"Duan Muyan! You did a good deed! Are you now satisfied?! If the Emperor knew about this, what would be the consequences!" At this moment, a frightening killing intent exploded from Xiao Jinfeng's body. His eyes were bright red!
"I will explain to imperial father… there is no way the Xiao Manor will be implicated…" Her hoarsed voice trembled slightly. Duan Muyan took a deep breath, but her tears couldn't stop from flowing! She was frightened, too frightened!
"You're to explained?! Who do you think you are?! You may be a princess, but you know for a fact that you both are different in the eyes of the Emperor! How could you not know of your own limit?! If anything is to happen to the Seventh Princess, you and that useless brother of yours will be the first to die!" The veins on Xiao Jinfeng's forehead were bulging, ready to explode!
Duan Muyan stared at Xiao Jinfeng, her face full of resentment, her heart hurting. It turned out, in the heart of this prince whom she was forced to marry, his impression to his imperial brother was not good, even contemptuous! She could accept him treating her like some worthless person, but why must her brother, who got nothing to do with his hatred, needed to be disrespected like this?
"Xiao Jinfeng! You're going too far! The First Prince is not someone you can insult! If anything happens to Seventh Princess, I, Xiao Yuxuan, will use his life to compensate her! This has nothing to do with Mu Yan!" Xiao Yuxuan, who had rushed over from behind, pushed Xiao Jinfeng away. He used his entire body to block Duan Muyan from his brother's menacing gaze. While glaring at his brother, he couldn't fathom how could his brother completely changed to a different person after the death of his wife. It was incomprehensible!
"Tsk tsk! A wanton man and a bitch...!" Xiao Jinfeng coldly said with disdain while disgustingly looking at both Duan Muyan and his brother. He harumph as he flicked his sleeves to leave not waiting for Xiao Yuxuan to retort.
"Stop right there!"
"Yuxuan, please... Enough... It's my fault…" Duan Muyan tightly held onto Xiao Yuxuan's arm as her gaze drifted down. Her chapped lips slowly curved in a sorrowful and desperate manner!
"Mu Yan... How can you be wronged?!" Xiao Yuxuan's heart ached as he held onto Duan Muyan's jade shoulder. He even had the impulse to embrace her!
"Yuxuan… How is my brother...?! Is he still detained inside his residence by imperial father...? It has been one month but it seems imperial father's anger hasn't dissipated yet... How I wish I could see brother... I really miss him… Is he doing fine...?" Duan Muyan suddenly raised her head, looking at Xiao Yuxuan with eyes full of anticipation.
Xiao Yuxuan was at a loss for words! How would he answer this? Could he just say that everything was good, and that she need not to worry when he was well aware of the fact that Duan Jingyang was, at the moment, afflicted by a man-made illness?
"Mu Yan, don't worry. Jing Yang is doing okay… The emperor had already granted him permission to leave his residence, although he was not yet allowed to leave the palace… However—" Just as Xiao Yuxuan was about to say something, Duan Zitong's voice suddenly came from inside the room!
"Yuxuan... Yuxuan, where are you…?" In the bed, Duan Zitong suddenly opened her eyes as she remembered where she was. She couldn't allow Xiao Yuxuan and Duan Muyan to be alone more than necessary. Without her permission, no one could take Xiao Yuxuan away from her! Specially not Duan Muyan!
Xiao Yuxuan wanted to continue what he was about to say, but seeing the renewed agitation in Duan Muyan's face, he knew it would be useless. Thus, he could only usher Duan Muyan inside the room where Duan Zitong was recuperating.
"This humble official is here..." Xiao Yuxuan bowed respectfully, his indifferent expression was too calm, and not a trace of worry or panic could be seen!
"Mu Yan! Still not pouring tea for the Seventh Princess to apologise?!" Seeing Duan Muyan standing beside Xiao Yuxuan without any consciousness, Xiao Jinfeng's heart was filled with an unconcealable sorrow!
"It was Yuxuan who brought the princess out of the palace. Thus, it was all his fault...! This tea… It should be Yuxuan's responsibility...! " Xiao Yuxuan looked coldly at his brother. There was not a trace of warmth on his handsome face!
"Forget it, forget it… It was just a small accident. No one was wrong here... Beside, both Third Sister and I are princesses of the Badlands Court of the Mo Dynasty, so there's no reason for sister to pour me tea… Prince of Qi, you're too harsh on my imperial sister… This is not good!" Duan Zitong frowned. Her words contained the intention to reprimand Xiao Jinfeng. To her side, Xiao Yuxuan's heart trembled. He had never expected Duan Zitong to lighten the scale of the animosity in the room! Furthermore, she didn't expect Duan Zitong to defend Mu Yan!
But Duan Muyan knew of Duan Zitong's intentions! Just like Duan Xingyi, who kept on provoking Xiao Jinfeng to misunderstand her, Duan Zitong was no different. Their schemes in making her life miserable were unfathomable! These two people had already treated her as their enemy! But she… Who has she the right to hate?
"This humble official... confesses his sin..." Although Xiao Jinfeng looked embarrassed, but who would have known that the anxiety he had been holding on into his heart since earlier had immediately calm down?
"Third sister, my clothes are drenched—"
"Seventh Princess… This humble official has long been prepared for it... Xiu'er...!" Before Duan Zitong could finish speaking, Xiao Jinfeng had already called Su Jinxiu over, who had been waiting outside for quite some time.
Outside the door, Xiao Jinfeng looked coldly at Duan Muyan and Xiao Yuxuan standing so close together!
"If you don't want to attract anyone's attention, then come over here! Do you still think that what you did wasn't big enough yet?!" Xiao Jinfeng's deep voice was too cold, as his dark gaze landed on Duan Muyan.
"Mu Yan…" Just as Duan Muyan was about to leave his side obediently, Xiao Yuxuan unrestrainedly grabbed onto her arm! His eyes were pleading, filled with deep emotion!
How could Duan Muyan not know of the dangers when playing with fire? She was already a married woman, so no matter how reluctant she was in her heart, she still had no choice! Perhaps from the day she was born, her fate had already been decided!
The instant she pushed away Xiao Yuxuan's hand, Duan Muyan tried her best not to let her tears fall!
'Yuxuan... In this life, we may not be fated, but I fervently hope that in the next life, we would be together!'
Inside the room, Su Jinxiu carefully helped Duan Zitong change into a set of luxurious clothes.
"Looks like Duan Muyan is living quite comfortably in Xiao Manor huh… This is not what I wanted to see…" Duan Zitong's cherry lips parted and his sharp gaze shot towards Su Jinxiu, who was by her side!
"Princess, please rest assured. Xiu'er's plan is now complete, ready to be carried out. In a while, Mu Yan's days will only become more and more bitter! Please, just wait and see, Princess…" Su Jinxiu answered with certainty!
Duan Zitong was speechless as she smirked sinisterly. She believed that a crazy woman could do anything for love! Especially a woman like Su Jinxiu! After seven years of endurance, even if she had to kill someone, she would be duty-bound to do so just so she could attain the love she had been so longing...
After dinner, Duan Zitong and Xiao Yuxuan left to return to palace. Xiao Yuxuan's heart was unwilling to leave Duan Muyan behind, but the latter seemed to not care. Thus, he left with a heavy heart.
The night was dark, and the light emitted from the candles were bright as the water. Inside the room, Duan Muyan quietly leaning against the edge of the bed, in a stupor!
"Esteemed Wangfei... there is nothing wrong to cry when one feels like crying... They say crying could help in lessening the burden... Besides, there's no one else around to reproach the Wangfei..." Looking at the fog in her master's eyes, Qiu Yue's heart was unease!
"I'm fine… Yue'er, what do you think of the First Prince?" Perhaps, only by changing the topic could the pain in her heart be reduced by half.
"The First Prince … Although I'm not familiar with him, from what others have said, I know that the First Prince is a kind-hearted person. If he becomes the Emperor of our Badlands, then the citizens will be blessed!" Qiu Yue's heartfelt praise!
"Hmm... That's what I thought too…" Duan Muyan lightly caressed Qiu Yue's hair as she absent-mindedly replied! If it wasn't for the emperor's coldness and indifference, her imperial brother would definitely become a good emperor!
Imperial Palace
Duan Zitong had guessed that her younger brother would come looking for her after her visit to the Xiao Manor, but she didn't know that he would be this anxious!
"Qing Lan… Wait outside…" The moment Duan Zitong stepped into her residence, she saw a slender figure standing with his back facing her, his hands clasped behind him! To be honest, her little brother's appearance was absolutely on par with Xiao Yuxuan's. Just that their styles were different from each other: Duan Xingyi, since entering the palace had become indifferently charming, while Xiao Yuxuan was scholarly handsome.
The doors were tightly shut. Duan Zitong walked over to the table with small steps and poured herself a cup of green tea!
"You've been waiting for a long time? Could it be because of Duan Muyan...?!" Duan Zitong coquettishly blew on the tea in her hand while scrutinising her younger brother. Her voice was slightly cold.
"I don't care how big sister treats Duan Muyan! But Duan Jingyang, he must live!" Duan Xingyi's face was grave and his bright peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly. It was difficult to conceal his anger within his expression!
Her hand trembled slightly, but at the same time, it recovered to its original state!
"Xingyi, what are you saying?! What does Duan Jingyang's life or death have to do with your elder sister…" Duan Zitong disapproved and lightly sipped the fragrant tea in his hand. A refreshing fragrance wafted through her nose, making her feel extremely satisfied!
"Did sister really not do anything?" Curly eyelashes cast a shadow across the bottom of his eyes. Duan Xingyi pursed his lips and walked over to stand beside Duan Zitong with a smile that was not a smile.
"Are you questioning your elder sister?!" Duan Zitong raised her eyebrows and looked at Duan Xingyi. There were times since entering the palace that she couldn't help but suspect that this person before her was not her own little brother! The domineering aura that occasionally emitted from his body from time to time was just too terrifying and unfamiliar.
"Not really... But Xing Yi just wanted to remind elder sister that the two of us had not even been in the palace for half a year, and that there are still some officials in the court that questions our identity... If at this time, the First Prince, who had always been safe and sound, suddenly died, and during this period of time when the Imperial Palace was leaning against the wall, those people would naturally suspect us! Duan Jingyang was still a part of the imperial family, so this matter would not be something that can be settled by just saying 'no, it wasn't us'!" Duan Xingyi slightly raised his perfectly curved lower jaw as his deep eyes glanced at Duan Zitong, who was standing to one side!
"Even if Duan Jingyang would really die in his residence, it would be nothing to do with us! It was because he was weak and sick, and also because he had suffered mental shock from the death of his mother! Xing Yi, you are not saying you want him to live a hundred years, do you?!" Duan Zitong said in disapproval!
"Heh... If he really to live to be a hundred years old, it would not be that bad…" Duan Xingyi narrowed his beautiful eyes as he mocked inwardly and sneered in his heart! How could be there such a stupid woman. If it wasn't for her identity, she would have died a long time ago!