FID – Chapter 583

Chapter 583: Anyone who approaches within three steps, kill!

“Get back this instant—!” Cold sweat broke out on Kang Shiming’s forehead as he shouted, trying to send the people away.

But it was too late.

The man’s voice, cold and unwavering, rang out.

“The disaster is not yet over, and the cries of the people can be heard everywhere in Yunzhou. As the daughter of an official family, you hold a gathering at home for entertainment.” 

His frosty gaze swept over the crowd, and the chill in his eyes made everyone lower their heads, not daring to make eye contact. Their faces turned pale, and their hands and feet trembled. 

“Lord Kang, you have failed to teach your daughter. I hereby deduct three months of your salary as punishment. Since this is your first offense, I will be lenient, but if it happens again, severe punishment will follow!”

“This servant accepts the punishment, Your Highness!” 

The situation had changed drastically. The noble ladies, who had been so fascinated just moments ago, were now all burying their heads low, not daring to look at the man any longer.

They feared that, with him remembering the people’s suffering, they, too, might be implicated as part of the gathering, thus dragging their entire families into disgrace.

At the same time, they felt contempt and resentment toward Kang Ziyu.

If it weren’t for her revealing in her words that His Highness valued her father and that showing up here would give them a chance to appear before him, none of them would have bothered to associate with a woman rumored to bring misfortune to her husband.

Kang Ziyu’s expression was especially grim, as if she had been slapped hard in the face.

Feng Qingbei, the King of Nanling, had publicly said that her father had failed in educating her!

It was the same as publicly accusing her of having no manners!

For her already ruined reputation, this was adding insult to injury. No one would want to associate with her from now on.

Her identity as the daughter of an official family would now just be a decoration!

“Your Highness…” Seeing the man turn to leave, Kang Ziyu’s emotions surged. She was unwilling and angry, lifting the hem of her dress, ready to chase after him.

The man did not turn back.

“Wei Zi, listen up. Anyone who approaches within three steps of this king, kill!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Kang Ziyu stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the man’s retreating figure, feeling as though her entire body had fallen into an icy abyss.

‘Anyone who approaches within three steps, kill!’

The words were stern and cold, showing no mercy!

This statement was entirely directed at her!

The entire small garden was deathly silent, so quiet that even breathing could be heard clearly.

The noble ladies stood silently, respectfully watching the King leave, not daring to lift their heads for a long while.

“Slap!” A loud slap echoed in the stillness, striking Kang Ziyu’s ears like thunder.

Kang Shiming’s face turned ashen, pointing at his daughter. “Rebellious daughter! You will marry next month, and once you’re married, don’t ever come back! I, Kang Shiming, do not have a foolish, idiotic daughter like you!”

Kang Shiming walked off, leaving behind the stunned crowd.

The noble ladies no longer had the mood for any more light-hearted chatter. They no longer pretended to flatter or be courteous to Kang Ziyu and quickly left the scene.

As they passed by Kang Ziyu, they couldn’t help but sneer.

“She’s really something, isn’t she? Talking about how His Highness values her and how he treats her family well, making it sound like she has a close relationship with him. Turns out, she was just taking a chicken feather for a warrant to issue orders.”

“That’s right. What did His Highness say earlier? If she dares to approach within three steps, she’ll be killed. If it weren’t for this incident, we’d still be in the dark, probably getting set up. Turns out she’s just a bystander.”

“What kind of person is His Highness? A favored son of heaven! Meanwhile someone who’s husband-dooming thinks she could climb into His Highness’s favor? It’s laughable. I came here today to watch a great show.”

“A great show? More like being scared to death. Who knows if we’ll get dragged into this mess, and our family might suffer too. Let’s leave quickly, we should stay away from people like her in the future.”

Mocking voices came one after another, piercing through her ears and heart.

The sting on her face was unbearable, but Kang Ziyu remained motionless, lost in her thoughts. She couldn’t snap out of it, not even when the surrounding area grew completely silent, and she had suffered blow after blow.

At one gathering, the King publicly punished her father, then issued the order to kill, and then her father slapped her and disowned her! Not to mention the noble ladies’ sneers and mockery.

It was over.

Completely over!

She had nothing left.

On the other side of the small garden, Mrs. Kang suppressed her extremely unpleasant expression and forced a smile at the young man beside her. “My daughter always acts so recklessly, offending people without realizing it. I’ll have a good talk with her later. Mingze, don’t take it to heart. Soon you and Ziyu will be married, and she’ll learn to behave properly.”

Jiang Mingze quickly bowed and said respectfully, “Madam, you’re too kind. I truly love Ziyu with all my heart and would never think anything bad. Once we’re married, I will cherish and protect her like a precious gem.”

“If you can do that, then I can rest easy. There are matters at the residence today, so it’s not convenient to entertain you. Please head back.”

“Understood, I shall take my leave.” After bowing, Jiang Mingze took a few steps back, and once he turned around, the honest and fearful expression on his face instantly disappeared. His eyes turned cold and sharp.

Meanwhile, on the other side, as Feng Qingbai walked past the small garden toward the guest house, he saw a few small heads peeking out.

Among them was his little lady.

Caught peeking, the little girl stuck out her tongue at him, her apricot eyes narrowing into a smile.

“Enjoying the view?” He stopped in front of her, smiling as he asked.

“Your Highness was so impressive. That ‘kill’ just now was so cool!”

Feng Qingbai’s eyes gleamed with a deep, amused smile.

‘Cool’ means ‘awesome.’

Hmm. 

“Greetings Your Highness.” Behind the two of them, the four noble ladies curtsied in respect.

Earlier, when Gu Yiling heard the sudden silence outside, she sensed something was off. She dragged the others out to see what was going on, and they ended up witnessing the whole scene.

However, they didn’t expect to get caught by the king on the spot, and they were all intimidated by his aura.

Get close and you’ll lose your head!

So ruthless… and… and… so handsome!

It was only then that Liu Yusheng remembered she hadn’t introduced them yet. Taking the opportunity as they walked back, she introduced Ding Wenxuan and the others to Feng Qingbai.

“Ding, Gu, Zhao, and Guo—the four great families of Yunzhou,” she said. 

Once they returned to the guest room and sat down, Feng Qingbai raised an eyebrow and looked at the others. He nodded slightly toward them and said, “This time, Yunzhou’s Mrs. Liu initiated the fundraiser. Your four families helped greatly, and on behalf of the people of Yunzhou, I thank you.”

Ding Wenxuan and the others blushed slightly and smiled politely. “Your Highness, you overestimate us. Yunzhou is in trouble, so of course, if we can offer help, we will do our part.”

“A fundraiser? Was it Sister-in-law who initiated it?” Liu Yusheng blinked and looked at the four of them. “We chatted for so long, and none of you mentioned it.”

Ding Wenxuan covered her mouth. “It was just our duty, not worth mentioning. If Mrs. Liu hadn’t organized it, we wouldn’t have thought to contribute. Honestly, we feel a bit ashamed.”

It wasn’t intentional concealment. They had just contributed money, and receiving the King’s thanks was already enough. Their families would also gain a good reputation. The real effort came from Fu Yuzheng.

A heavily pregnant woman still scuttled around for Yunzhou. Although they were also weak women, they should also give their best for it.

When Yunzhou is better, the four great families will truly be the four great families.

“Later, the imperial court will issue commendations. Anyone who contributed to disaster relief efforts for the people will be among those rewarded. This will be recorded in the government archives, and I will make sure the four great families are included,” Feng Qingbai said.

The four women exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy. “Thank you, Your Highness!”

Having their families recorded in the government archives was a tremendous honor. Though it might seem like just a title, in the future, no matter who became the governor of Yunzhou, they would always regard the four great families with greater importance.