Chapter 10: Chapter 41

The originally spacious carriage suddenly felt a bit cramped; the entire space seemed filled with his unique scent, making her feel stifled and breathless.

His eyes stared straight at her lips—those lips she made no effort to hide, carrying an extreme sense of temptation. At this moment, his gaze was no longer cold, but contained far, far too much.

Those eyes of his, which seemed to make all things in the world lose their luster, appeared as if they were going to suck her right in.

Her heartbeat seemed to lose its rhythm, as if it had suddenly quickened, or perhaps had stopped beating altogether.

For a moment, she forgot all reactions.

She had never been in love, so, she did not know...

Seeing her rare compliance, the corners of his lips curled into a slight, satisfied smirk, and his sexy lips moved with the intent to press down...

"Seventh Brother."

However, precisely at this moment, an tactless voice suddenly rang out, crudely interrupting all the ambiguity.

Xuan Yuanye's body stiffened, and his eyes darkened abruptly; deep within his gaze, a hint of anger clearly flashed by.

Meng Fuying, however, woke up quickly. Her body instinctively retreated, escaping his embrace as she let out a soft breath. She didn't know if it was because she had suddenly felt relieved, or...

Xuan Yuanye's expression darkened slightly, the anger in his eyes becoming even more obvious. Did she need to dodge so quickly? Was he some kind of venomous snake or ferocious beast?

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Qing Yuanmo's head poked in. Seeing Meng Fuying, a clear trace of mockery flooded his eyes. "Seventh Brother, do you really intend to send this ugly freak back? Imperial Grandmother only told you to send her away, she didn't say you must send her home. Just send her out of the palace; let the servants take her back."

Xuan Yuanye's eyes narrowed slightly, shooting a gaze as cold as stagnant blood directly at Xuan Yuanmo.

Xuan Yuanmo trembled slightly, yet he did not understand what he had done wrong. Although he feared Xuan Yuanye's terrifying gaze, thinking of the purpose of his visit, he climbed into the carriage and leaned close to Xuan Yuanye's ear to whisper a few words.

Xuan Yuanye's face suddenly darkened, and his hand hidden beneath his sleeve seemed to tighten slightly. After casting a glance at Meng Fuying, he followed Xuan Yuanmo out of the carriage.

After stepping down, he ordered the servants to send her back and quickly departed with Xuan Yuanmo.

A faint smile curled at the corners of Meng Fuying's lips, light and devoid of much emotion. What had she been nervous about just now?

Was she worried he would kiss her? Just as Xuan Yuanmo said, with this "ugly freak" face of hers, could he even bring himself to kiss it?

He was only sending her back because he was following the Empress Dowager's orders.

And what, exactly, was she thinking?

Ridiculous, wasn't it?

"Mistress, are we going back?" Qing Zhu asked cautiously as she climbed into the carriage.

"Going back." Her red lips moved slightly, her voice calm and light, without a hint of abnormality.

However, once they reached the main street, Meng Fuying suddenly felt a surge of interest. She had been in this ancient era for so long and had never properly strolled through the streets. The weather was nice today; she might as well have a good wander.

She dismissed the carriage and began strolling with Qing Zhu. Qing Zhu went from initial shock and worry to eventually blending in and relaxing. The two of them strolled until the sun went down and the shops had closed before returning to the Marquis of Hou's Manor.

"I really gathered quite a lot today." Meng Fuying held the things she had scavenged, her face full of excitement. These things could absolutely never be seen in the modern world.

"Mistress, let me carry them, let me do it." Qing Zhu followed behind, wanting to take the items from Meng Fuying's arms, but unfortunately, her own hands were also full, and she couldn't take anything more.

Looking at the items in her own arms, Qing Zhu sighed inwardly. When others followed their masters out, they bought precious things; why was it that when it was her, she only picked up these cheap things, yet her mistress treated them like treasures?

"Alright, I can carry them myself." Seeing that Qing Zhu's arms were also full, Meng Fuying couldn't help but let out a light laugh.

"What, preparing a dowry so early? Don't you think you're being too hasty? An eldest young lady, going out to procure her own dowry by herself. Don't you think it's embarrassing?" A voice full of cold sarcasm suddenly drifted over, causing both Meng Fuying and Qing Zhu to stop in their tracks.

With a cold sweep of her eyes at the man blocking her path, Meng Fuying's expression instantly darkened. This man had actually broken into her courtyard again.

And his face full of fury, his eyes seemingly spitting fire, made him look just like a man who had caught his wife having an affair.

Did she still have anything to do with him?

Did he not realize how redundant his expression was?

Sneering inwardly, she ignored him completely, walking around him and heading straight forward, treating him as nothing more than air.

Ever since she discovered his and Meng Ruxue's conspiracy in the Imperial Palace that day, she had completely despisied him.

She couldn't even be bothered to speak to him; there was no need to lower her own status, was there?

"Meng Fuying..."

Her reaction only served to further infuriate him. Bai Yichen let out a low, angry roar, and one hand reached out quickly to grab Meng Fuying's wrist.

However, Meng Fuying dodged quickly, narrowly avoiding him.

Qing Zhu also quickly stepped in front of Bai Yichen. "Young Master Bai, please leave."

The fury in Bai Yichen's eyes surged even higher, and his empty hand clenched with even more force; if he had caught Meng Fuying's wrist just now, he likely would have crushed it.

"Qing Zhu, for those who are truly tactless, just let the snow sweep them away." Meng Fuying didn't even spare him another glance. She took light steps, slowly walking toward her room, her faint voice slowly drifting into Bai Yichen's ears.

This made Bai Yichen's expression look even more unsightly.

"Meng Fuying, do you think he truly intends to marry you? He is merely using you!" Bai Yichen stared at her back, growling through gritted teeth.

The "he" in his mouth naturally referred to Xuan Yuanye.

Meng Fuying's footsteps continued to move forward slowly, her face remaining calm. She had never been so sentimental as to think that Xuan Yuanye truly wanted to marry her.

"He only wants to protect Meng Ruxue. If he had chosen Meng Ruxue that day, the Crown Prince certainly wouldn't have let her go. That is why he chose you. You are nothing more than a scapegoat for Meng Ruxue. Are you still going to deceive yourself?" Seeing that she remained unmoved, Bai Yichen roared again in a heavy voice.

"Very well." Meng Fuying's red lips moved slightly, her light and casual voice slowly spreading out. For what reason Xuan Yuanye married her made no difference to her at all. However, having his purpose clarified was actually a good thing.

Bai Yichen was completely stunned. He never expected that she would react this way upon hearing such words.

And her reaction made Bai Yichen mistakenly believe that she was willing to be used by Xuan Yuanye. The fury in his eyes surged even more as he stared intensely at her back, as if he wanted to burn her to ashes.

"By doing this, there are only two consequences for you. One, you become Meng Ruxue's scapegoat and are killed by the Crown Prince. Two, if the eldest son does nothing and he marries Meng Ruxue again, he will cast you out at that time. No matter which path it is, he intends to push you into the eighteenth level of hell." Bai Yichen's voice seemed to carry a hint of heaviness; or perhaps, from his perspective, that was indeed how he thought.

His words paused slightly, and his face softened a little. "And I can..."

"I would rather descend into that eighteenth level of hell than look back once at a piece of grass like you that has been trampled by horses."

The corners of Meng Fuying's lips moved in a faint smile. Her low voice abruptly cut off Bai Yichen's words, causing his handsome face to change several times in an instant—from pale to green, then from green back to pale. It was quite a spectacle.

Qing Zhu's lips twitched violently. Her mistress's words were far too poisonous. Seeing Bai Yichen's expression, she really wanted to laugh, but she ultimately forced herself to endure it. She had to maintain some decorum, after all.

"Hahaha..." However, a burst of unrestrained laughter came from atop the wall. "Good! As expected of my woman, you've got character!"