Feng Jin's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly didn't know how to answer the man.
After a moment's hesitation, she pulled away from his embrace, took two steps back, and said, "Young General, let's part on good terms."
She no longer wanted to be entangled with Ling Mo Han, nor did she want to live in the Ling manor's corrupt environment.
Ling Mo Han's body stiffened slightly. Perhaps due to the alcohol, his mind was in a fog. He sat on the chair and took a long time to recover before he felt a little more sober.
Seeing that his expression had somewhat returned to normal, Feng Jin's worry subsided. After a pause, she asked him to leave, "If you have nothing else, please go back. It's getting late, and I need to rest."
Ling Mo Han's mouth opened, but the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. His face turned slightly pale. He knew that Feng Jin wouldn't listen to anything he said at this moment. It was better to wait until she calmed down.
"I'll go back first. You should rest early."
After he left, Feng Jin hurried to close the door.
With a 'bang!' a loud noise echoed behind Ling Mo Han.
Ling Mo Han hesitated slightly, turned around, and looked at the tightly shut door. A sense of powerless defeat surged in his heart.
Even when he faced an encirclement of thousands of enemy soldiers with no water or food, he had never felt fear or worry.
But today, facing Feng Jin's cold rejection, he couldn't help but feel worried and afraid.
It was as if if he lost his focus for even a moment, Feng Jin would disappear from his side.
Ling Mo Han slumped onto the ground. The cool night wind blew against him, dispelling much of the alcohol on his breath. His mind cleared inexplicably. It wasn't until dawn that he succumbed to drowsiness and fell into a deep sleep.
In the room, Feng Jin lay on the bed, tossing and turning sleeplessly, her mind completely consumed by the events of the past few days.
All her thoughts were about Ling Mo Han.
His good and bad qualities intertwined in her mind, causing her emotions to fluctuate. For a moment, she felt like she was going insane.
The next day, as Cai Qing stepped into the courtyard, she saw an unknown object lying in front of Feng Jin's door. Suppressing the gasp that wanted to escape her lips, she bravely walked to the door.
Only then did she realize what the unknown object was. The Young General was lying there.
Cai Qing gently reached out and shook Ling Mo Han awake, "Young General… Young General…"
Ling Mo Han groggily woke up. The alcohol made his temples throb. He staggered to his feet, the dizziness from the alcohol severe.
"Young General, are you alright? Should I call for a doctor?" Cai Qing stepped forward to support the swaying Ling Mo Han. The Young General was still wearing yesterday's clothes. Had he guarded the Young Madam's door all night?
"I'm fine. Take good care of the Young Madam," Ling Mo Han said with a slightly hoarse voice. He glanced at the closed door, concealed the loneliness in his eyes, and turned to leave.
For some reason, Cai Qing felt a pang of sadness as she watched the Young General's retreating back.
Sigh… If only he had known this would happen, why did he do it in the first place? The Young General was reaping what he sowed.
After a moment, Cai Qing pushed open the door and went inside.
"Young Madam, please wash up first. The small kitchen has made your favorite eight-treasure sweet congee."
Cai Qing handed the warmed towel to Feng Jin. When she looked up, she was so startled that the towel dropped to the floor.
"Young Madam, what happened to you? Why are your eyes bruised?"
Feng Jin coughed lightly and looked at herself in the mirror. She hadn't slept all night and her face looked pale, with dark circles under her eyes, giving her the appearance of a panda.
"It's nothing, I didn't sleep well last night."
She didn't know why, but she had tossed and turned in bed, completely unable to fall asleep. It wasn't until dawn that she managed to close her eyes for a little while.
This resulted in the dark circles. A little makeup would cover them.
"Young Madam, the Second Prince and Miss Lin are having their wedding banquet today. Perhaps you shouldn't go. We can send the congratulatory gift."
Feng Jin's hands paused as she applied makeup. She had been so preoccupied with the matter of separating from Ling Mo Han that she had forgotten it was their wedding day.
"Hurry to the storeroom and count the congratulatory gifts, then put them in the carriage. We'll go to Marquis Pingyang's manor first."
Ling Mo Han would likely be heading to Prince Jing's manor, so she didn't need to worry about that.
Since she wanted to build a good relationship with Lin Yu Wei, a visit to Marquis Pingyang's manor was essential.
After washing up, Feng Jin used makeup to conceal her fatigue, changed into a blue and pink dress, and hurried into the carriage.
Marquis Pingyang's manor was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, exuding an atmosphere of joy.
In her boudoir, Lin Yu Wei had already changed into her wedding gown and applied delicate makeup, which enhanced her beautiful and shy demeanor.
Lady Lin, however, had tear stains on her face, a bitter feeling in her heart.
"Mother, help me comb my hair," Lin Yu Wei said softly as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Lady Lin turned her head away, wiped away her tears, and forced a smile, "Okay."
She picked up the peach wood comb and began to comb Lin Yu Wei's long black hair. The sight made Lady Lin feel even more heartbroken, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
"Mother, today is my wedding day. You should be happy."
"It's all my fault for crying. But I can't bear to part with you. When I think of you marrying Prince Jing, my heart aches. It's my fault for watching you jump into the fire pit without being able to do anything."
Prince Jing had injured his leg, and for the past two years, numerous renowned physicians had all concluded that his legs would never recover.
Her daughter, though not as noble as a princess, was someone she had doted on and cherished since childhood. Now, she was to marry a cripple. How would she live the rest of her life?
The Empress Dowager and His Majesty had personally bestowed the marriage. Marquis Pingyang's manor could not disobey the imperial decree.
"Mother, the imperial decree has been issued. Today is my wedding day. It's already decided, and there's no point in saying more."
Lin Yu Wei's expression was calm. Since it was already a settled matter, she could only accept it with a smile. She couldn't spend her days complaining and lamenting, or her future would be devoid of any joy.
Besides, she had known Prince Jing before. He had a gentle disposition. Consort Yi Jing had long passed away, so she wouldn't have to deal with any mother-in-law conflicts. In that respect, it was a good thing.
"It's best that my sister can think this way." Feng Jin, standing outside the door, had overheard their conversation. A sense of admiration arose in her heart. Lin Yu Wei appeared frail, but her disposition was actually quite strong.
"Sister Feng Jin, you've arrived."
Lin Yu Wei exclaimed with delight. She had thought Feng Jin would go to Prince Jing's manor with Ling Mo Han today and was surprised to see her here.
"Sister, why didn't you go to Prince Jing's manor?"
"After I see you off in the sedan chair, I'll head to Prince Jing's manor."
"You child, how can you address Princess Jia Ning as 'sister' so casually? It's disrespectful and lacks proper decorum," Lady Lin said with a hint of scolding.