What makes this woman so noble?
She was his secondary consort, yet she was seen with another man. Was she not ashamed?
Why did she hold her head so high, entering the Imperial Hospital with neither subservience nor arrogance?
Was this not trampling his dignity underfoot?
Did she not know what people were saying outside? They all called him a cuckold, a bastard!
Truly hateful.
The carriage traveled to the night market. It was close to dawn, and there were few people on the street. The only places lit were the brothels and pleasure houses.
A drunkard passed by, staggering towards them.
"I don't want to repeat myself. As the secondary consort of the Prince of Jiangbei, I expect you to know your place. Look at the kind of women who are out on the streets at this hour. Do you want to be dragged into an alley?"
Qu Linglong stopped, her thoughts drifting for a moment.
*Heh! I'm not stupid. If he sincerely invites me, why should I bother walking? I'm tired too, you know.*
"Then thank you, Your Highness."
Qu Linglong waited for the carriage to stop and was about to get on when the drunkard suddenly quickened his steps, pulling a knife from his sleeve. "Hal—halt..."
*Halt*—he only managed half the word before he and the knife were kicked flying. Feng Shihao caught Qu Linglong and spun her around before stopping.
In the moonlight, he was clad in a moon-white brocade robe, his posture tall and imposing, his face stern, as noble and elegant as an immortal.
It reminded her of when she was twelve, and he had rescued her from being dragged into an alley by Lu Yanqing. He had been just as righteous and proud, like a deity descended upon the mortal world.
The drunkard's attempt had failed, encountering a tough opponent. Like a clever monkey, he rolled and scurried away.
Qu Linglong broke free and said coldly, "Thank you." Then, lifting the hem of her clothes, she got onto the carriage.
*He's quite adapted to being a man, showing no feminine traits at all.*
A hint of a mocking smile flickered in Feng Shihao's narrow phoenix eyes.
He stepped on something and looked down, picking it up.
It was a book.
Thanks to the moonlight, the large characters on the cover were clearly visible—
*The Two Women in the Life of the Divine Martial General*.
His brow twitched.
*Two?*
*Is she looking for death?*
After getting into the carriage, Qu Linglong sat properly. Feng Shihao got in, and she heard him let out a cold snort from his nose.
His gaze swept over her before he sat down opposite her.
She could feel him starting his sarcastic remarks again.
Indeed, that earlier moment was an illusion.
This man had long since lost his heart.
"I didn't expect Consort Qu to still have a maiden's heart," Feng Shihao said, his emotions unreadable.
Qu Linglong didn't understand his meaning for a moment and looked at him. Only one lamp hung in the carriage. He lowered his eyes, and the warm yellow light cast a shadow beneath his nose, softening his thin lips.
She had tasted these lips; they were soft and hot.
She feared his eyes, for they always held a look of disgust. She liked his lips, which had once been stained with the most beautiful crimson and had uttered passionate songs.
*Oh, thinking too much again, Qu Linglong.*
She turned her head away, listening to the clip-clop of the horses' hooves, trying to calm her mind.
"Consort Qu, remember your status. Don't do anything that causes embarrassment. Think more about the child."
She knew it. This man was simply crazy.
Fortunately, her heart had been tempered into iron.
"I will heed Your Highness's teachings."
Her voice was neither warm nor cold, as if she didn't care.
The atmosphere opposite her grew heavier. They didn't speak again for the rest of the journey. Upon arriving at the prince's mansion, Qu Linglong took out a piece of silver and threw it onto the carriage.
"For the carriage."
She strode into the mansion with a rather dashing air.
Feng Shihao stared at the silver on the ground, unable to recover for a long time.
Back in Tingyu Garden, Sumian hadn't slept. She was waiting while sewing clothes for the child.
Qu Linglong's heart warmed.
"Sumian, don't wait for me if it gets too late from now on."
Sumian put down her work, rubbed her eyes, "Miss, why are you so late? If it weren't for the prince's guards telling me the situation, I would have gone to the palace gates to look for you."
"Is that so?" Qu Linglong replied casually, then changed the subject, "How was Nanxing today?"
"He ate well and played well. Miss, you don't need to worry. Sumian and the wet nurse are watching him carefully! Are you hungry? I've kept your supper warm."
"I'm not hungry. Go to sleep quickly! I'm not on duty tomorrow, so let's go out on the street for a bit."
She urged Sumian to sleep. It was too late today, so she wouldn't go to see Nanxing.
"That would be wonderful! Little Miss will surely be overjoyed. Let's go eat that lotus-root noodles again; she likes that taste."
Feng Shihao listened to the mistress and servant talking. It was very ordinary, yet very warm.
She seemed to be adapting well and content with this life.
Suddenly, he felt a pang of discontent.
He returned to Jinglan Yuan listlessly. In the dark, a shadow approached to report.
"Madam Jin came looking for you several times today and is still waiting in the room."
Feng Shihao's eyes were filled with disgust. He felt as if this life was as nauseating as if it were infested with maggots.
He was truly weary.
"Let Jin Yi go in."
The shadow disappeared. Feng Shihao thought of Qu Linglong again, becoming more and more agitated. The gloom in his eyes could not be suppressed.
He was a...
Someone who could never be redeemed.
This body, even he himself found it disgusting.
Let Qu Linglong find that Mr. Du, or fall for someone else. After their divorce, let her go far away. It would have nothing to do with him!
To hell with love!
Who believes in it!
As Qu Linglong was undressing, two books fell from her. She then remembered that she had hidden the storybooks given to her by Princess Lingxi in her embrace.
Weren't there three? Why was one missing?
Did she lose it in the princess's room?
No, she had checked everything when she left. Where could it have fallen?
Never mind, it wasn't important. She would buy another one tomorrow to return to Princess Lingxi.
She never imagined that Feng Shihao would pick up that book and read it with his usual sarcasm.
The next day, it was being performed at Huashang Tower, with a full house.
Afterward, various versions were staged.
The Divine Martial General became a sensation.
Unlike his divine might in battle, repelling the Turks, this time his fame came from his romantic entanglements, completely shattering his image of being tough, ruthless, and earth-shattering.
His image in people's minds instantly dropped from that of a god to a mortal.
It turned out the Divine Martial General was also human.
"The Divine Martial General is just like me. I've also peeked at widows bathing."
"The Divine Martial General's mother is like mine. When unhappy, she spanks his bottom."
"The Divine Maiden is so powerful. The General's formidable skills couldn't last a single round against her."
"Did the General really spend a night with the courtesan that night?"
...
The author was also a clever one, fawning over the Divine Maiden and subtly teasing the General, mixing truth and falsehood to create a captivating narrative.
It wasn't just the common folk who couldn't distinguish the truth; many court officials couldn't either!
This fellow must have someone in the court!
The balance was handled perfectly. It wasn't worth arguing with a writer over this matter; it would only diminish his magnanimity as a great general!
If he didn't pursue it, Xiao Shan was indeed quite curious.
Such talent, it would be a shame to let it go to waste.