Why? Why did Su Ling'er approach him using such methods, and now she was using the same method to approach the Prince? Or was she originally going to approach the Prince, and he was merely a stepping stone for her?
That made sense! He sounded good as a副将 (fùjiàng - vice-general), but in the end, he was nothing more than a subordinate. The Prince was destined by heaven and was an object of envy for all under heaven. Was it strange that Su Ling'er admired him?
Forget it!
Leng Feng felt a deep ache in his heart. The closer his thoughts got to the truth, the more pain he felt. After the pain came endless rage.
Why use him as a stepping stone!!!
This was the first time in his thirties that he had fallen for a girl. He had always thought that he, like Old Third, had met a woman who truly loved him.
But in the end, when it was all torn apart, it was just a joke. Everything was just his own wishful thinking.
Although Leng Feng had figured everything out, he couldn't say it. He dared not say it. The thought that Su Ling'er might pay with her life if this matter was exposed made his heart ache as if being twisted, making it difficult to breathe.
He had truly fallen for her.
Leng Feng closed his eyes and silently said many apologies in his heart. Sorry for the Prince's cultivation, sorry for Leng Ren, sorry for Leng Nuo… I betrayed you all for a woman.
"Subordinate… subordinate was possessed by qi deviation during cultivation and lost my mind for a moment. I beg the Prince for forgiveness…" Leng Feng took the pill. Although he still had no internal energy, he wasn't as strained as before after speaking.
Huo Qiyuan narrowed his eyes and stared at the back of Leng Feng's head, tentatively saying, "Could it be related to that woman…"
"It has nothing to do with her. She's just an ordinary little maid. Last time she almost offended the Prince, and it was I who helped her a few times. Later, I slowly fell for her, and it was always I who pestered her. This time, she thought I was injured, so she secretly sneaked in to take care of me."
"No matter what, it was I who broke the Prince's rules. I am willing to bear all the consequences and only ask for the Prince's punishment." Leng Feng kowtowed heavily.
"Good! We'll talk about everything after Leng Ren and the others are stable." Huo Qiyuan looked at him deeply, then sighed and said. After speaking, he stood up and walked out.
The heat in his body intensified. Huo Qiyuan found a private room, then sat cross-legged on the bed and began to regulate his agitated qi.
Unlike others who suppressed the heat, Huo Qiyuan constantly pushed the heat, allowing it to dissipate quickly. Soon, large beads of sweat began to appear on Huo Qiyuan's forehead, and even smoke began to rise from the top of his head.
After nearly an hour, Huo Qiyuan walked out of the room, his clothes soaked with sweat. He knew very well that something was wrong with him, likely due to being drugged, but when was he drugged?
If it was just now, then why were Leng Ao and the others fine? His internal energy was the deepest of them all. Logically, he should have been able to withstand it better than others. There was no reason for them to be fine, but for him to be affected!
Could it be that jade pendant?
Huo Qiyuan took out the jade pendant again to examine it. There was nothing unusual about it. And that woman named Su had also touched this jade pendant earlier. If she was also affected…
Leng Heng saw Huo Qiyuan emerge, drenched, and quickly stepped forward. "Your Highness, how are you? Are you alright now?"
Huo Qiyuan shook his head, his eyes icy. "Leng Ao, go observe that woman and see if there's anything unusual about her."
Leng Heng received the order and left. Huo Qiyuan returned to his room, quickly changed into clean clothes, and then walked through the corridor to where Leng Ren was recuperating.
Leng Ao and Leng Si were still guarding the entrance. Along the corridor, a person stood bowing, it was the butler of the別院 (biéyuàn - separate courtyard), Xu Chengfu.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Xu Chengfu's voice trembled. Thinking of the look Leng Si gave him when he brought Su Ling'er to him earlier, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
He had merely seen that Su Ling'er and Leng Feng seemed to have something going on, so he thought he would do them a favor, hoping to use this opportunity to get close to these副将 (fùjiàng - vice-generals) in the future, and have some support if anything happened.
Now it seemed there would be no support, only retribution. He was truly unlucky! If he had known Su Ling'er would cause so much trouble, he wouldn't have agreed to let her join the team.
Xu Chengfu regretted it immensely. He had only been a third-rank manager before and had finally stood out from over a hundred people to be chosen as the chief butler for the泗安府 (Sì'ān Fǔ - Si'an Prefecture)別院 (biéyuàn - separate courtyard). If there was a medicine for regret in this world, Xu Chengfu would probably have spent all his fortune to buy a dose.
Huo Qiyuan glanced at the trembling, sweating butler, his eyes inscrutable. "Tell me everything about that woman who was sent back just now."
The butler handed over a piece of paper with both hands. "Your Highness, forgive me! The maid originally selected was not her, but before departure, that woman suddenly died of illness. Then, 正义巷 (Zhèngyì Xiàng - Justice Alley) recommended Su Ling'er to replace her. I checked all her household registration information, and she is indeed a fellow townsman of His Majesty. I did not dare to refuse and agreed…"
Huo Qiyuan took the document from his hand. It was Su Ling'er's household registration proof. She was indeed a resident of 正义巷 (Zhèngyì Xiàng - Justice Alley), and her information was mostly in order.
Could it be that she was really only after Leng Feng? "So, you were the one who told her that清雅阁 (Qīngyǎ Gé - Pure Elegance Pavilion) had an accident and asked her to deliver the medicine?"
"I… I just saw that she had spoken a few more words with Deputy General Leng Feng before, and I thought… I thought they had… Later, when the kitchen finished making the medicine, she found me and said she wanted to deliver it. I really didn't know she would be so bold as to stay behind privately. I beg for Your Highness's forgiveness!" Xu Chengfu regretted it once again. This woman was truly troublesome and immodest. If she had just delivered the medicine and left, none of this would have happened!
Huo Qiyuan looked at the man in his forties kneeling before him, knowing what he was thinking. He let Su Ling'er in, likely because he thought he could get close to people from 正义巷 (Zhèngyì Xiàng - Justice Alley). Asking her to deliver medicine was probably to get close to Leng Feng and the others.
It was fine to scheme for himself, but it was unacceptable to break his rules, especially for a steward managing the entire別院 (biéyuàn - separate courtyard). The most important thing was absolute obedience!
"From the first day you all arrived, I instructed you, especially you! No one is allowed to spread anything about the affairs in 清雅阁 (Qīngyǎ Gé - Pure Elegance Pavilion). Since your mouth is so unreliable, there is no need for you to stay here any longer."
"Your Highness, please give me another chance!" Xu Chengfu crawled on his knees towards Huo Qiyuan's feet, trying to plead for leniency, but was grabbed by Leng Si behind him.