Xiao Mingyue was brought back to Feng Buji’s residence and placed under house arrest.
Though he had said she was to apologize, they had not seen each other even once since then.
After an unknown amount of time, Wei Lin, Feng Buji’s personal guard, suddenly returned and released her.
“Miss Mingyue, you are free now.”
Xiao Mingyue couldn’t understand what he meant. What kind of scheme was Feng Buji playing now? Confining her for a few days, only to set her free again?
“Wei Lin, you have been by Feng Buji’s side since childhood. I want to know if something has happened outside. Can you tell me?” Xiao Mingyue asked, her heart uneasy and filled with growing anxiety.
Looking at her, Wei Lin ultimately couldn’t bear it and revealed the truth.
“Miss Mingyue… your father has been thrown into prison.”
“What?” Xiao Mingyue’s pupils shrank violently as she grabbed Wei Lin’s sleeve in utter disbelief. “My father is the Grand General Protecting the State, holding command over Great Qi’s two hundred thousand troops! How could he just be thrown into prison!”
“Please don’t worry yet, this is only temporary. Once the investigation is clear, General Xiao will naturally be fine.”
“What on earth are you talking about? What happened? Why was my father imprisoned!”
Wei Lin sighed, his expression grim and solemn as he said, “Letters of correspondence with an enemy nation were discovered hidden in your father’s residence. It has not yet been confirmed whether it was truly your father’s doing, so he has been remanded to the imperial dungeon to await trial.”
Xiao Mingyue felt as though all her strength had been drained from her, rendering her unable to even stand firm. Fortunately, Wei Lin caught her with a supportive arm.
“It was Hua Heng who reported it.”
Wei Lin whispered only this single sentence into her ear. His expression seemed to say: Your father is indeed framed, but she is now Prince Regent’s woman, and he feels indebted to her, so he can only prosecute your father.
All the resentment Xiao Mingyue had bottled up over the past few days erupted at once. She forcefully shoved Wei Lin’s hand away and stumbled out the door.
Feng Buji, I believe I have done nothing to betray you. If nothing had gone wrong, our wedding date would have been approaching soon. Why has it turned out like this today? Is it truly because of that woman?
When she finally found Feng Buji, she saw him embracing Hua Heng by the river, flying kites together—looking entirely cheerful and content.
Without a second thought, Xiao Mingyue rushed over and delivered a resounding slap across Hua Heng’s face.
Slap!
Hua Heng’s delicate face was forced sideways, a bright red handprint emerging instantly on her cheek.
“What are you doing!” Feng Buji barked furiously, stepping forward hastily to shield Hua Heng behind him.
Xiao Mingyue pointed her finger at Feng Buji, her voice trembling: “What did my father do wrong for you to drive him to his death like this?”
“Simply unreasonable!” Feng Buji snapped his sleeve, turning his back to examine Hua Heng’s injury.
Tears cascaded down Xiao Mingyue’s face in an instant. “Tell me! Why? Why!”
She struck out frantically against Feng Buji, pounding on him until the man shoved her forcefully to the ground.
“I think you’ve lost your mind! When did you become such a shrew?”
Beside him, Hua Heng chimed in with feigned gentleness and understanding: “Your Highness, forget it. I believe Miss Mingyue didn’t mean it. After all, anyone who hears that their father is in trouble would be anxious and lose their reason.”
“However, Miss Mingyue… while your father was indeed framed, my child was innocent too. Why did you have to harm me and my child back then?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down Hua Heng’s cheeks without her realizing it.
At this moment, Xiao Mingyue was like a crazy woman who had run over to demand why he treated the Xiao family like this, only to be framed again by Hua Heng. Her emotions broke down completely in a single instant.
“It’s you! You framed my father! You deserve to die!”
Xiao Mingyue wished she could cut the woman before her into a thousand pieces. She actually pulled out a dagger hidden in her sleeve and lunged savagely toward Hua Heng.
She was the legitimate daughter of a general’s family, raised by her father’s own hands, and had naturally favored practicing weapons and martial arts since youth.
Yet how could she possibly be a match for Feng Buji?
Seeing that she seemed completely consumed by hatred, he panicked and, without a second thought, kicked her violently—sending her flying over ten meters away.
Xiao Mingyue slammed heavily onto the ground, vomiting large mouthfuls of blood. As her consciousness blurred, she vaguely saw Hua Heng’s smug, provocative smirk, and Feng Buji’s cold, disgusted gaze.
Her mind drifted back to their first meeting at the royal training grounds. They had been childhood sweethearts who met during a martial arts spar.
Her father had been their master, specifically teaching them martial arts, and Xiao Mingyue had secretly followed behind to learn. Petit in stature, she was constantly mocked by others—and the one who teased her the most was Feng Buji.
Feng Buji possessed extraordinary talent in everything he learned, and on the training grounds, except for her father, he was practically unmatched under the heavens.
Wild and arrogant by nature, he particularly enjoyed teasing her. Yet whenever he made her cry, he would travel to the furthest district just to buy those sweet, delicious jujube paste yam cakes to coax her back.
His mother held the title of the number one beauty in Great Qi, famed for her peerless and matchless looks. Naturally, she had bestowed him with sword-like brows, starlight eyes, and an exceptionally handsome face—so much so that despite his dreadful temper, he still managed to capture the hearts of countless young maidens in the capital.
Xiao Mingyue was not someone who focused on outer appearances. What had truly touched her heart was Feng Buji’s unique indulgence and tender devotion toward her.
Proposing publicly during his capping ceremony, sending countless rare treasures as betrothal gifts that nearly broke down the gates of the Xiao Residence, drawing the envy of everyone around…
She never expected that after three years apart, he and she would become so distant, even regarding each other with such hostility—all because another woman had taken root by his side.
Ah, so be it. She was the one who was blind, unable to see through a human heart, landing herself in such a tragic end. She accepted it.
Only, from this day forth, she and he would be bitter enemies, completely incompatible under the same sky…