Chapter 50

50 Undressed

Everyone only saw Young Master Huan supporting General Leng, while the Crown Prince stood up, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at General Leng.

Under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, Shang Wuxin came to Leng Yufeng’s side and supported him, but the hand on Leng Yufeng’s shoulder felt damp. Shang Wuxin lowered her head to look and saw that her fair palm had already been stained red.

Shang Wuxin glanced at Leng Yufeng, who she actually wasn’t really supporting. Leng Yufeng’s expression remained cold as ever. At this moment, Shang Wuxin found herself confused by this man who was sometimes cold and at other times like a big boy.

Impatient with the dull banquet, Shang Wuxin wanted to leave. But as the Crown Prince, she had no sufficient reason and no bold capital to leave recklessly. So she fixed her gaze on Leng Yufeng. She knew Leng Yufeng’s injury wasn’t serious but could be used as an excuse, and it could help divert some matters… Originally, Shang Wuxin intended for Leng Yufeng to feign discomfort, so she could proceed with her plans. However, she didn’t expect Leng Yufeng to use his internal energy to shatter the wound that hadn’t even scabbed over yet.

Originally, everyone was already focused on the few people above. When they saw the fresh blood on the Crown Prince’s hand, they were all shocked. Even the Emperor Shang, who was seated in the high seat, stood up and asked, “General Leng, what happened? Are you injured?”

Shang Wuxin gently lowered the hand stained with blood, withdrew the hand supporting Leng Yufeng, and said to the reigning Emperor Shang, “Your son was ambushed on the way back to the capital. My health is poor, but fortunately, General Lang and Young Master Huan protected me. However, there were too many bandits, and General Leng was accidentally injured due to a moment of carelessness!”

Shang Wuxin wanted everyone to know about the assassination attempt on her. No matter what, she always held the status of a crown prince. None of those present were fools; who would dare assassinate the crown prince? Everyone just needed to think about it clearly. Moreover, throughout history, fratricide within the palace had been countless.

“I am unharmed!” Leng Yufeng stood up and said, “It’s just unfortunate that the crown prince keeps facing assassination attempts. Protecting the crown prince is my duty!”

Emperor Shang looked at Leng Yufeng below with eyes that glimmered slightly, making Leng Yufeng feel unusually strange. Shang Wuxin nodded to Emperor Shang and said, “General Leng was injured because of me. I will take General Leng away first!”

Saying this, Shang Wuxin took Leng Yufeng and left the main hall, while Huan Mo Che naturally took on the responsibility of supporting the injured. Just like that, the three most important people at the banquet had left.

Watching the three leave the palace, Emperor Shang glanced at his several sons and laughed bitterly in anger, “An assassination attempt?” The princes all felt a chill run through them at the same time, but at this moment, the powerful Duke of Qingguo in the court stepped forward.

“This mountain bandit is far too arrogant, daring to assassinate the crown prince of the current dynasty! It’s as if he doesn’t even regard His Majesty!” The Duke of Qingguo was a man in his fifties, dressed in a dark official robe that made him look somewhat unkempt, but the bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes was overwhelmingly intense.

The eyes of the Mourning Emperor, once filled with anger, instantly turned sharp, but he did not pursue the matter further. Everyone else couldn’t understand why, but the eunuch Xu standing beside the Mourning Emperor understood everything—His Majesty was acting out of deep concern.

Shang Wuxin, Leng Yufeng, and Huan Mochen sat in the carriage leaving the palace, the sound of the wheels turning echoing clearly in the silent carriage.

“Why?” Shang Wuxin took out the wound medicine and some essential items he had placed in the carriage, asking Leng Yufeng, who had remained silent since leaving the palace. But even though the person opposite had been hurt again for his sake, Shang Wuxin felt no guilt, nor any sense of being flattered—his coldness was chilling to the bone.

Leng Yufeng looked at the crown prince sitting across from him, as if transported back to the time when he first met that astonishingly talented youth. Back then, the prince’s eyes were as pale as mist, a pair of clear, watery eyes yet shrouded in a lingering, gentle haze that never faded with the years—noble, mysterious, and distant like a towering mountain, impossible to fully see or understand. Now, he could no longer look at the prince that way, for his heart harbored too many unspeakable secrets.

“The Crown Prince wants to leave the palace banquet, and it’s even more necessary to let everyone know about the princes’ ambitions!” Leng Yufeng explained, as if after meeting the Crown Prince, he had learned to explain things to this young man, even though most of the time he didn’t need to. When he first understood the Crown Prince’s purpose, he deliberately worsened his own wound. He knew that pretending to be unwell was possible but would be ineffective and might even arouse suspicion. This was the best approach.

Shang Wuxin did not say any words of thanks but instead looked at Leng Yufeng’s clothes. Leng Yufeng’s neck flushed red as he recalled the scene when the Crown Prince had bandaged him that day, his heart fluttering. Later, he replayed that moment more than once, but he never expected that today it would happen again…

Huan Mochen looked at the two of them with a bitter feeling in his heart, forcing a smile as he said, “I have something to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first!” Saying this, he lifted the carriage curtain and flew out of the carriage. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he might do something irreversible. He truly didn’t understand—he really didn’t—why the Crown Prince would so completely ignore him.

Shang Wuxin didn’t care at all about Huan Mo Che suddenly losing his temper. For Shang Wuxin, if it weren’t for the fact that Huan Mo Che had always helped her, she would have killed him just based on those eyes alone. Now that she couldn’t kill him, she would simply ignore him.

But Leng Yufeng knew exactly what was going on with his friend—he was simply *nakedly* jealous.

“Take it off!” Shang Wuxin said seriously, holding the wound medicine and bandages in her hands. But in truth, she was just as serious in her heart. Even if she didn’t want to admit Leng Yufeng’s help, the fact was that he had indeed helped her.

Leng Yufeng reddened his neck and then took off his outer robe and shirt. Shang Wuxin had already admired Leng Yufeng’s good figure once, but even now, he couldn’t help but praise male beauty—it was just as misleading. After all, a man like Leng Yufeng was indeed pleasing to the eye.

Shang Wuxin bandaged Leng Yufeng’s wound and applied medicine. Inevitably, the two grew close. Shang Wuxin felt nothing at all, while Leng Yufeng carefully and secretly kept these feelings in his heart.

After bandaging Leng Yufeng, Shang Wuxin glanced at him and said, “General Leng, it’s time to return to the mansion!” She had already left the palace and enjoyed burning bridges behind her.

Despite the crown prince’s shameless behavior, Leng Yufeng, slowly approaching the path of the loyal dog, felt no displeasure. After nodding, he got off the carriage. Once Leng Yufeng left the carriage, Wuyi stepped in and handed over a clean handkerchief. Shang Wuxin wiped her hands and then said, “Return to the mansion!”

－－－－－－Off-topic－－－－－－

Shang Wuxin: Take it off.

Leng Yufeng: Crown Prince, what do you want to do?

Shang Wuxin: Take it off.

Leng Yufeng: I… I’m scared

Shang Wuxin: Forget it, no undressing.

Leng Yufeng: Your Highness. (Already completely undressed)

Shang Wuxin: Get lost.