Those words cut to the heart. Feng Qingyin tightened her fist.

But she did not lose her temper. She even curved her lips slightly.

“At the very least, a piece of my flesh is what my Crown Prince brother treasures most — that is enough.”

Feng Qingyin’s words seemed to have little effect on Zhan Yuheng.

He furrowed his brow and asked in a low voice, “Speak, then. What did you come to find this prince for?”

Feng Qingyin picked up the bird’s nest soup, leisurely scooped a spoonful, and put it in her mouth, letting out a shallow sigh.

“How wonderful it must be to be the Crown Princess. Even in a military camp, one still gets to eat the finest ingredients. Tsk, tsk… not bad at all.”

Her heart was deeply uncomfortable, but at the very least, since her Crown Prince brother had put it that way, it also meant he was not in a hurry to deal with her.

In which case — the matter of Lingling hadn’t been uncovered yet, had it?

Having grown accustomed to being cast aside and ignored, Feng Qingyin felt that if she didn’t change her outlook on life, she would truly end up making herself ill.

She drank her bird’s nest soup spoonful by spoonful, occasionally musing aloud, as though she were entirely alone in the room.

Only after finishing every last drop did she set down the bowl and pick up her handkerchief to dab at her lips.

“Crown Prince brother.” She looked at Zhan Yuheng and called out softly.

Yet Zhan Yuheng did not look at her. His gaze was fixed on the volume in his hand, his entire bearing exuding cold indifference.

“Crown Prince brother.” Feng Qingyin called again. “Are you asking me to come to you?”

“Speak from where you are.” Zhan Yuheng reminded her in a low voice.

Feng Qingyin curved her lips slightly. She was perfectly clear that her Crown Prince brother could not possibly ignore her entirely.

His anger was because he had already determined those thousand surrendered soldiers were her doing — and yet he had no evidence to prove it?

“Very well. I am with child, and the imperial physician said I must rest more and move less.” Feng Qingyin replied with a smile. “Crown Prince brother, then I shall speak from where I sit.”

Getting no response from Zhan Yuheng was well within Feng Qingyin’s expectations.

She raised an eyebrow, her voice carrying on. “Crown Prince brother, since the person you love is still Feng Jiu’er, go and find her. I won’t object.”

“And I won’t shamelessly linger either. The position of Crown Princess may be desirable, but what isn’t mine — no matter how desperately I grasp for it, it will be of no use.”

Seeing the man before her finally willing to lift his gaze and look at her, the corners of Feng Qingyin’s mouth rose in a bitter smile.

Only when she brought up that vile woman did her Crown Prince brother pay any attention to what she said. How utterly contemptible.

“Crown Prince brother, I mean what I say. Isn’t the Ninth Prince still in Phoenix City right now? You could seize this opportunity to take Feng Jiu’er for yourself.”

“As a woman myself, I understand women best of all. Only by making her yours will she give her whole heart to you.”

“Perhaps by the time the Ninth Prince comes looking for her, Feng Jiu’er will already be with child — just as I am.”

“By then, never mind whether the Ninth Prince still wants her — she herself won’t be able to leave.”

Zhan Yuheng furrowed his brow slightly and said in a flat tone, “In your eyes, is this prince that sort of man?”

“In my eyes?” The smile at Feng Qingyin’s lips deepened — bitterer than ever.

“In my eyes, my Crown Prince brother is the most perfect man there is. Qingyin has aspired to marry him since she was small.”

“Yet after finally being together with my Crown Prince brother — after even carrying your child — you say you wouldn’t spare me a second glance.”

“Crown Prince brother, what do you suppose my feelings are?”

Zhan Yuheng made no reply and quite naturally withdrew his gaze.

Feng Qingyin let out a bitter laugh and continued. “Since I cannot make my Crown Prince brother happy, I can only hope that Feng Jiu’er accomplishes that in my stead.”

“As for me — heh… I don’t even know what to do with myself anymore. Perhaps when Feng Jiu’er truly comes, I shall leave.”

“Leave with my beloved man’s child — that would still be better than spending my days alone and forlorn.”

“I did not say you could leave.” Zhan Yuheng’s voice softened somewhat at last — though he still did not raise his eyes.

Feng Qingyin exhaled softly and lowered her head to rub her rounded belly.

“Even if you want me to stay now, I no longer wish to — not that I don’t want to, but that I don’t dare.”

“Crown Prince brother, you are the Crown Prince, the Highness. Yet even knowing this battle is all but won, you can order your men to withdraw at a single word from a woman.”

“If you continue acting against all counsel, your position as Crown Prince may well pass to someone else’s hands.”

“When that day comes, if you cannot even protect yourself — how will you protect our child?”

“Rather than lose both our lives, I would be better off leaving first, so that at least I can preserve your bloodline.”

Seeing no reaction from Zhan Yuheng, Feng Qingyin rose to her feet.

“Crown Prince brother, please return Lingling to me. She alone is truly loyal to me, and she alone can truly protect me.”

“She has committed a capital offense and may not leave.” Zhan Yuheng stopped what he was doing and said calmly.

“A capital offense?” Feng Qingyin furrowed her brow and stepped closer to Zhan Yuheng.

Yet she did not press herself against him as she had in times past. She stopped two steps short of his table.

“Does my Crown Prince brother truly believe that those thousand surrendered soldiers — that Lingling was behind it? Why would she do such a thing? It’s absolutely impossible!”

Harming one’s own comrades was a capital offense, and Lingling still had her uses to Feng Qingyin for the time being. She could not afford to abandon her.

“The evidence is conclusive. This prince has already ordered men to bring her back to the Imperial City. If you wish to return, this prince can make arrangements for that as well.”

“However, Lingling is your person — you cannot be untangled from this matter. Whether you go or stay is entirely at your own discretion.”

With those cold words, Zhan Yuheng rose and began walking toward the exit.

Feng Qingyin had not expected her Crown Prince brother to be so ruthless. She had already lowered herself, had been so utterly humble — and he was still not satisfied?

“Crown Prince brother.” As Zhan Yuheng passed by her side, Feng Qingyin suddenly threw her arms around his leg and sank to her knees.

“Crown Prince brother, don’t be angry! I truly didn’t know about any of this — truly had no idea. But there’s no reason it should be Lingling’s doing!”

She looked up at him, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“Has the matter truly been investigated thoroughly? Why would Lingling do such a thing? It’s impossible — those were our own people. How could she have done this?”

“Could it be… how could she do this? Just to make you advance the troops sooner, just so you wouldn’t be manipulated by Feng Jiu’er — she harmed her own comrades?”

“Crown Prince brother, what exactly did Lingling say? Can I go and see her? She has dedicated herself to serving me, and I don’t want her to die without anyone knowing the truth.”

The moment those words fell, Feng Qingyin clung to Zhan Yuheng’s leg and burst into tears.

“She swore she would protect me for the rest of her life — and protect my child with my Crown Prince brother as well. She could not have done this. Absolutely could not. She… she wouldn’t.”

“Crown Prince brother, could you please investigate further? I don’t want to lose such a capable and devoted subordinate.”

“I absolutely refuse to believe that Lingling would kill her own people. She wouldn’t. She definitely wouldn’t. She… wouldn’t.”

The grip of her arms around Zhan Yuheng’s legs gradually loosened, and Feng Qingyin collapsed in a faint to the ground.