"You..."
"Young Master Meng, my Feng Wei went too far with her jokes. Feng Wu, apologize to Young Master Meng."
Feng Wu glanced at Meng Jiangming, her face as cold as winter. "Feng Wu apologizes to the Young Master."
Meng Jiangming twitched the corner of his mouth. This was not an apology; it was as if she wanted to swallow him whole.
"Lady Feng Wu is too polite," he gritted out.
"Thank you, Young Master Meng."
Meng Jiangming secretly looked up at Xue Xingyue, nothing but shock filling him. This Princess Xingyue was quite beautiful.
"Young Master Meng, I agree to the two conditions you just mentioned."
Meng Jiangming froze, "Your Highness, you..."
"Just as Young Master Meng said, I cannot defy the imperial decree. Therefore, from now on, whatever Young Master Meng wishes to do, including who he brings into the household, I have no objections. However..."
Meng Jiangming heard this and asked, "Does Your Highness have any other questions?"
He thought, who wouldn't care about their husband taking concubines?
With this thought, he felt a surge of happiness.
"You may do as you please within the manor. But outside, in front of my imperial brother, you must act as if we are deeply in love," Xue Xingyue said.
Meng Jiangming stared, and it took him a long time to react. "That's all?"
Xue Xingyue nodded. "That's all. Does Young Master have any difficulties?"
Meng Jiangming shook his head. It shouldn't be like this. Shouldn't she be furious? After all, this was an outrageous matter for her.
"Since that is the case, then I have reached an understanding with Young Master Meng. If Young Master has nothing else, please return. Feng Wu, see our guest out." Feng Wu approached Meng Jiangming and said, "Young Master Meng, allow me to escort you."
Meng Jiangming looked at Feng Wu, suddenly stood up, and waved his hand, "No... no need, I can walk myself."
Meng Jiangming left in a hurry.
Seeing this, Feng Wu sneered in her heart. How could such a person be worthy of such an excellent Highness?
"Your Highness, why did you..."
"Feng Wu, Feng Jiu, let today's matter go. From now on, do not tease Young Master Meng like this again." Xue Xingyue looked at the remaining tea in the teacup and said coldly.
Feng Wu and Feng Jiu were startled. "Yes, your subordinate will remember this."
"You may both withdraw," she waved her hand, and Feng Wu and Feng Jiu retreated.
She gazed into the distance and sighed softly.
Soon, the news of Meng Jiangming meeting Princess Xingyue that night reached the ears of Consort An.
Consort An simply let out a cold laugh. "I thought she would be unwilling. I didn't expect her to be so eager for a man."
"Your Highness, Princess Xingyue stayed at the border for five years, I'm afraid she has already..."
Consort An frowned and looked at the maid beside her, asking, "What do you mean by that?"
The maid whispered, "Your Highness, this servant heard from the soldiers returning from Zhenguan that Princess Xingyue had already lost her virginity while at Zhenguan."
"Lost her virginity?"
The maid nodded. "Yes."
"Is the news reliable?"
"It is said that many people at Zhenguan know about it?"
Consort An's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness. "What do you think will happen if the news of Princess Xingyue losing her virginity is revealed on the wedding day?"
"It will surely shock the court," the maid replied.
A shadow passed through Consort An's eyes. "Then this time, I want to see how she will control the hundred thousand troops after such an incident."
"Your Highness is wise!"
"If the news is true, I will reward you generously," Consort An said.
The maid quickly knelt and thanked her. "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Even if it were false, she would still make Xue Xingyue relinquish her military power.
Duke Ning's Manor
"You ungrateful wretch, you still know how to come back..."
The sudden voice caused Meng Jiangming, who had just stepped into the manor, to twist his foot and collapse onto the ground.
Facing his utterly useless eldest son, Meng Lian was filled with indignation. How could he have such a stupid son?
He walked up to Meng Jiangming, looked down at him, and angrily asked, "Where have you been?"
"I... I was out," Meng Jiangming stammered.
Meng Lian looked at Meng Jiangming with a furious expression. "Where exactly have you been?"
Seeing Meng Lian's ashen face, Meng Jiangming felt a little panicked. Did his father know he had entered the palace without permission?
"You ungrateful wretch, I'm asking you..." Meng Lian was so angry he wished he had a sword to strike down this unfilial son.
"I..."
"My lord, what are you doing again?" Hearing Meng Lian scold Meng Jiangming, Lady Jiang, who was worried about her son and couldn't rest despite her illness, rushed over. Seeing Meng Lian angrily questioning their son, she quickly stepped forward to shield Meng Jiangming.
Seeing Lady Jiang, Meng Lian's anger intensified. He pointed at Meng Jiangming, his face burning with rage. "Tell me, what use are you? You only know how to hide behind your mother and act like an infant. How could I, Meng Lian, have such a useless son?"
Meng Jiangming, who was already frustrated by Princess Xingyue's attendants, also got angry upon hearing Meng Lian's words. He stiffened his neck and said, "What I'm like is because of you and mother. Now you find me displeasing? Why didn't you strangle me to death back then? So that I wouldn't be an eyesore here."
"You... you beast, I'll beat you to death today." Meng Lian's veins bulged on the back of his hand, his face filled with rage.
"Come on, beat me to death..." Meng Jiangming was equally defiant.
"Guards, bring the family discipline!" Meng Lian roared.
Lady Jiang quickly tried to placate him. "My lord, Ming'er didn't mean to anger you. Ming'er, quickly apologize to your father."
Lady Jiang winked at Meng Jiangming, but at this moment, Meng Jiangming couldn't hear anything. All he could think about was Meng Lian wanting to beat him to death.
Meng Lian was merely venting his anger. Lady Jiang's words had somewhat dissipated his rage. He never expected Meng Jiangming to fail to understand Lady Jiang's good intentions.
He puffed out his chest and said, "Apologize? Impossible. I did nothing wrong. I don't like Princess Xingyue, and it's true that I don't want to marry her, but..."
Unfortunately, before Meng Jiangming could finish speaking, Meng Lian kicked him in the chest. "You beast, I'll beat you to death first."
Meng Lian picked up his whip and began to lash Meng Jiangming.
"My lord, please don't." Lady Jiang quickly stepped in front of Meng Jiangming.
"Mother, move aside. I want to see how you're going to beat this beast to death," Meng Jiangming was no longer afraid of Meng Lian and looked up at him.
Meng Lian, furious, his hands holding the whip bulging with veins, said, "Then I'll beat you to death first, and then I'll ask the Emperor for forgiveness." Saying this, Meng Lian pushed Lady Jiang aside and lashed out at Meng Jiangming with the whip.
Meng Jiangming closed his eyes, waiting for the pain, but after a long time, he felt no pain. Instead, he heard Meng Lian's astonished voice, "Lady Jiang, you..."
Meng Jiangming quickly opened his eyes and saw his mother lying on the ground, the bloody marks on her body indicating she had taken Meng Lian's whipping.
"You..." Meng Lian stuttered several times but ultimately could not continue.
"Mother..." Meng Jiangming rushed to help Lady Jiang.
"Meng Lian, Ming'er is your child, not your enemy. If you want to beat him to death, you might as well beat me first," Lady Jiang said, clenching her teeth, word by word.