The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 196 - 194: Please Let This Servant Go

Chapter 196: Chapter 194: Please Let This Servant Go

"This matter will have to trouble you, elder sister, to personally take action. During these days of staying in the Capital, bring me to as many banquets as possible to create opportunities for me to interact with Xue Ling. I’m different from other women—I’m straightforward, sincere, and have a blunt personality. When the time comes, I can get along with him like a brother, or even spar with him. Sister, that little concubine’s maid doesn’t have the ability to spar with him. He will surely find me very special!"

The two sisters were discussing this when Xue Ling had already walked away, holding Xue Mianmian in his arms.

The path through the garden was deep and secluded, with only palace lanterns hanging on both sides.

Xue Ling furrowed his brow.

The little girl in his arms was still crying, her sobs soft and fragile, like the helpless mewling of a kitten, which left him irritable and restless.

He set Xue Mianmian down on the ground and commanded, "Stop crying."

Xue Mianmian lowered her damp lashes, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

She didn’t want to cry every time something happened, but her inherent condition of uncontrollable tears was something she couldn’t change.

Luo Wanxiang despised her so much—if, in the future, she really married Xue Ling, how would she survive?!

Sensing her fear, Xue Ling frowned and said, "I won’t marry her."

Xue Mianmian raised her tear-filled eyes, her small face still showing a hesitant expression. "You don’t like her?"

Xue Ling turned his face away. "Right now, I don’t want to marry anyone. Not her, nor the daughter of the National Academy Sacrificial Officer either."

The night wind was slightly cool, and the air carried faint floral fragrances.

Xue Mianmian suddenly stepped forward and tugged at his wide sleeve, signaling him to look at her.

Their eyes met.

Xue Mianmian tilted her head up, her voice raspy from crying: "But one day, you will have to marry someone. Even if it’s not Miss Luo or the National Academy Sacrificial Officer’s daughter, it will be someone else. If it’s a kind and tolerant wife, that’s fine. But if she’s ruthless, she may not tolerate a servant like me. I’m willing to atone for my sins, but I’m not willing to lose my life over this. Young Master, four years is enough. Please, let me go!"

She lifted her skirt and knelt straight down.

Her knees struck the marble floor, making Xue Ling’s heart jolt violently.

He looked down at her delicate figure, a shadow covering his face. "You are already mine—where else do you think you can go? Becoming my concubine in the future—isn’t that good? Why do you insist on leaving?!"

A concubine...

Xue Mianmian bit her lip.

The Xue Family was known for their upright conduct. She grew up as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Xue Family, studying the Four Books and Five Classics, and practicing the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In this life, she had never learned how to be someone’s concubine.

Recalling the teachings of Madam Xue, she straightened her spine and spoke word by word: "’I would rather be a wife in a humble household than a concubine in a noble mansion.’ My mother taught me and Qingqing from an early age to value self-respect, self-love, and self-dignity, and never to use beauty to serve others. Though I am no longer a daughter of the Xue Family, my mother’s teachings are ingrained in me for life. You want me to be your concubine? I would rather die than comply!"

In all the years she had followed Xue Ling, she had clung to the hope that she could be freed one day, and that hope had helped her endure.

If now, she was told she would spend her entire life as his concubine, she would rather dash her head against a wall and die!

Xue Ling stared at her.

As expected, she truly was the daughter personally taught by the Xue Chief of Staff and his wife. Like them, she was stiff, stubborn, and utterly unreasonable!

A girl born to a servant—becoming his concubine... was that not already too good for her?!

Suppressing his temper, he crouched before her on one knee, cupping her soft, round face with one large hand. "I know you’re afraid. I promise, whoever becomes the future Young Madam of the Xue Family will have a gentle and kind nature and will not mistreat you."

Xue Mianmian resolutely shook her head. "No. I would rather die than be a concubine."

Xue Ling’s strikingly beautiful face suddenly darkened with anger. "You think I’m being too lenient with you?! Are you thinking of going back to sorting beans?!"

His expression was fierce and intimidating, his shadow cast by the palace lanterns enveloping Xue Mianmian completely, like a monstrous ghost ready to swallow her whole.

Xue Mianmian lowered her head in fear.

Her thin shoulders trembled lightly, and tears began to fall again, drop by drop onto the ground like broken pearls.

Xue Ling hated nothing more than seeing her cry.

But this little girl seemed to be made of tears—just a slight scolding would make her sob. He couldn’t understand how she could cry so much!

His head throbbed, and he stood up abruptly. "Go home!"

Xue Mianmian didn’t want to go home and simply knelt there, crying.

Xue Ling took a few steps away, but when he saw she wasn’t following, he stormed back in anger. "I’m not dead! Are you crying over my grave?! Are you leaving or not?!"

"Not leaving..."

Xue Ling raised an eyebrow. Ignoring her screams and struggles, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

Elsewhere...

Shen Yinning had left the bustling crowd, intending to leave the palace and return home. Unexpectedly, as night fell, she hadn’t noticed a thin layer of ice on the cobblestone path. As soon as she stepped on it, she slipped and fell, twisting her ankle.

She winced at the pain and sat on a nearby stone, looking around. "Is anyone there?"

After calling out several times and seeing no palace attendants appear, she was instead approached by an unexpected figure.

Lu Ying.

He had been walking along the path to return to the Eastern Palace when he saw Shen Yinning.

His gaze swept over her ankle, and he said, "Twisted your ankle?"

Shen Yinning lowered her eyes. "It’s nothing serious, but I must trouble Your Highness to summon a palace maid to assist me out of the palace."

"I don’t wish for others to know I met you in private. If word reaches the Crown Princess Consort’s ears, it would cause unnecessary misunderstandings."

Shen Yinning held her ankle, her radiant face hidden in the dim night, now frosty and cold.

Recalling the scene of Lu Ying and Shen Yunxi leaning close while watching the molten iron flowers earlier, a strange emotion surged within her chest, making her heart pound faster and leaving her feeling stifled.

She said softly, "Then I won’t trouble Your Highness."

Lu Ying responded with a simple "Hmm."

As the atmosphere between the two turned increasingly awkward, Gui Quan, who had been walking behind Lu Ying, suddenly coughed and said, "Your Highness, I remembered that I have red flower oil on me. Shall I apply it to relieve Lady Shen’s injury?"

Before Lu Ying could speak, Shen Yinning politely replied, "Thank you, Gui Quan."

She wasn’t foolish.

Just because she had fallen out with Lu Ying didn’t mean she couldn’t take advantage of the situation. After all, she had long been accustomed to being shameless.

Her body was her own, and she wouldn’t neglect it.

She lifted the hem of her skirt, pulling down half of her silk stockings.

"Oh!" Gui Quan exclaimed in surprise. "The injury is severe!"

Lu Ying glanced out of the corner of his eye.

Her slender, pale ankle was visibly bruised and swollen—it was even worse than the last time she sprained it while jumping out of the window at Shen Guogong Mansion.

"We must quickly apply the red flower oil and massage it," Gui Quan said as he approached to help.

Lu Ying coldly ordered, "Don’t treat her injury."

From his prior review of medical books following Shen Yinning’s earlier ankle sprain, he learned that a twisted ankle should not be immediately treated with medicinal oil or massaged. Typically, one should first apply cold compression to reduce swelling and pain before applying any ointments after a few days of rest.

Shen Yinning, confused and annoyed, questioned him with a hint of anger, "Even if His Highness and I no longer associate, am I not entitled to a little red flower oil? Would using some of it insult Your Highness?"

As she spoke, the pain in her ankle caused her beautifully slanted Dan Feng eyes to well up with tears of grievance.