FID – Chapter 679

Chapter 679: You’ve Suffered

Duan Ting half-covered his face and smirked.

He was curious to see how Feng Qingbai would respond.

The customs in Nanling were more conservative, so a bold woman like this was something Feng Qingbai had probably never encountered.

Moreover, even his father had given his approval, so how could Feng Qingbai refuse? Refusing would not only mean rejecting a royal princess, but it would also be an outright disrespect to the Emperor himself.

It wasn’t just Duan Ting and the other officials of Beicang waiting to see how Feng Qingbai would handle it; even the Nanling delegation had their eyes fixed on the man.

However, unlike the passive observers from Beicang, the Nanling delegation had their hearts in their throats.

What kind of temperament did the Prince have? He was the type who would show his displeasure outright if he wasn’t happy.

However, this was Beicang, not Nanling. A poor response could lead to diplomatic issues.

For a moment, all eyes were on Feng Qingbai, both from within the hall and outside. Everyone was waiting to see how he would answer.

The Seventeenth Princess had already taken the clean wine cup handed to her by a maid and approached with a smile.

Feng Qingbai stood up and poured himself a cup of wine. “I am truly honored by the Seventeenth Princess’s kindness, but I must decline. There is no need for you to offer me a toast. I will drink three cups to apologize to you.”

The Seventeenth Princess paused in her steps. “Your Highness, what do you mean by this?”

“As everyone knows, I am already betrothed. Before I left, my fiancée reminded me not to act in ways that may cause misunderstandings. The people of Nanling value loyalty and keeping promises. I have made a promise to her, and I must keep it. Therefore, I cannot accept this toast from Your Highness, lest rumors arise. I hope Your Majesty and Your Highness understand.”

With that, he drank the wine in his cup in one go, followed by two more cups.

The Seventeenth Princess’s eyes flickered with a strange light, but she did not step back. She smiled and said, “Your Highness, your fiancée is not here. Even if I offer this toast on her behalf, it should be fine. The officials here are all from the court, surely they wouldn’t go gossiping in front of your fiancée, would they?”

Feng Qingbai smiled faintly. “To keep one’s word is to master oneself, not to put on a show for others. If I cannot keep a small promise to my own woman, how can I talk about big matters?”

In his purple robes, with eyes like the stars, he exuded a noble and elegant demeanor. His calm and composed manner, coupled with the three cups of wine, showcased the man’s grace and stature. Even just standing there, he effortlessly captured everyone’s attention.

The Seventeenth Princess’s eyes sparkled, and her gaze toward Feng Qingbai grew more blatant.

As for the people in the hall, they were more focused on Feng Qingbai’s words.

If one cannot keep a small promise, how can they handle big matters?

Had this been anywhere else, the Nanling envoys would have cheered right there and then.

Not only did His Highness reject the offer without offending anyone, but he also indirectly praised the people of Nanling.

The citizens of Nanling were known for their loyalty and keeping promises!

Just this sentence alone made people want to give him a thumbs up.

On the other side, the Emperor laughed loudly, “Well said! Seventeenth, you may step down.”

The Seventeenth Princess regained her composure, bowed respectfully to both the Emperor and Feng Qingbai, and then stepped back. As she turned, she cast a deep glance at Feng Qingbai.

“My daughter, the Seventeenth Princess, has been favored since she was young. She has been spoiled and accustomed to acting boldly and recklessly. Please do not take offense, Your Highness.”

“Not at all, Her Highness is sincere and straightforward.” Feng Qingbai smiled and nodded toward the higher seat before sitting down.

Duan Ting was impressed.

He had effortlessly solved a difficult problem.

“In our Beicang royal family, Seventeenth is the most difficult to handle. You dealt with her so easily. Feng Qingbai, you really have earned my respect.”

“Is that so? I’m not particularly concerned about your respect.”

“Don’t be too arrogant; you still need my help.”

Feng Qingbai glanced sideways. “Has your spine stopped hurting?”

“I was wrong.”

Duan Ting immediately lowered his voice and apologized.

Among the Beicang royals, he was known for his sharp tongue, but he couldn’t compare to Feng Qingbai. He was not only sharp-tongued, even his breath seemed poisonous.

Meanwhile, after the Seventeenth Princess left, she gathered with her sisters, hid behind the flowers, and continued to secretly observe the banquet, not leaving just yet.

“Seventeen sister, now that you’ve seen the King of Nanling up close, what do you think? Is he even more of a noble and dignified figure than you imagined?” someone asked playfully, probing for information.

Since the news that the King of Nanling would be sent as an envoy to their Beicang, the royal princesses and even the young ladies from the noble circles of the capital had been eagerly anticipating his arrival.

The truth was, the King’s reputation was too overwhelming.

He was made a king at the age of twelve and served as regent. Over eleven years, he helped the young emperor firmly sit on the dragon throne.

In the whirlwind of imperial power, he must have been an extraordinary person with exceptional abilities to achieve this.

Furthermore, rumors had circulated that he was as handsome as a painting and had martial arts skills unmatched by anyone. This intrigued the noble young ladies, who had been raised in seclusion.

“You all saw him too, don’t you think it’s true to his reputation?” The Seventeenth Princess asked in return, her beautiful eyes fixed on the man in the purple attire at the banquet, not blinking.

The other princesses and noblewomen covered their mouths and smiled. “Who else could captivate Seventeenth if not someone extraordinary?”

“Since you all have already noticed, I’ll be straightforward—this man is mine, no one else can compete with me!” The Seventeenth Princess withdrew her gaze and looked at the other beautiful women around her, her lips curling up in a confident and radiant smile.

“Seventeen, the King of Nanling already has a fiancée…”

“So what? In the end, we’ll only know who wins after a fight.”

The resolute determination in her words silenced the other women, each one hiding their own thoughts, which only they knew.

At the banquet, wine cups were passed around, and no one brought up any sensitive topics again. The reception banquet was just for welcoming and cleansing the dust.

As for other matters, they could be discussed later.

Feng Qingbai wasn’t in a rush. The Beicang Emperor was deep in thought, and when he had the advantage, he would never bring it up carelessly, not wanting to rush things.

As the banquet ended, the envoy group was slightly tipsy and went to the envoy’s resting place to settle in.

In the spirit of reciprocation, Feng Qingbai truly moved into Duan Ting’s residence, located not far from the imperial palace in an inner alley.

The front door had no threshold, making it easy for the wheelchair to enter and exit. The interior decoration and furnishings reflected the impression Duan Ting gave—gentle and refined.

Of course, once one became more familiar, they would realize it was far from what it seemed.

“The guest room is in the far north. If you don’t like the setup inside, you can stay in the Xiangfei Garden next to mine. And if you think it’s too lonely to sleep alone, you can sleep with me instead.” Turning his wheelchair, Duan Ting made it clear that he had no intention of letting the servants lead Feng Qingbai anywhere. He kept talking non-stop.

If Feng Qingbai wanted to sleep somewhere, he could go find it himself.

In response to his last comment, Feng Qingbai gave him a simple “Get lost.”

“Are you not sleeping with me? You want to sleep with a woman instead? That won’t do. Miss Liu is after all my savior, and for her sake, I have to keep an eye on your chastity.”

Turning his gaze to the man, Feng Qingbai slightly leaned forward. “If you want me to sleep with you, are you trying to take the opportunity to study a man’s normal functions? Paralyzed for over ten years, you might never need them again. You’ve got it tough.”

Duan Ting immediately turned pale, his face a mix of anger and frustration, gritting his teeth, “…Scram!”

Feng Qingbai straightened up, completely calm and composed, and rolled away toward the northern courtyard.

He was decisive and straightforward.

Duan Ting was so angry that he almost ground his molars to dust.

Why did he have to provoke Feng Qingbai with his sharp tongue, only to be struck by a thousand arrows in return?