"What, you don't know?"
Seeing the genuine surprise on Lin Qingge's face, Leng Shuang let out a scoff.
"Hmph, all crows in the world are black!
Aren't you, young man, just like Shangguan Hong, flocking to her and trying to curry favor because you know she's the Prime Minister's daughter?"
Upon hearing this, Leng Ningyue frowned displeasantly and stepped in front of Lin Qingge, blocking him.
Her beautiful eyes, visible beyond her veil, stared at Lin Qingge for a long time before she let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry, I never had the chance to tell you before, or rather, I never felt it was necessary.
The mother of this body is named Leng Shu Ying, and my father is the current Prime Minister, Shangguan Hong."
What did she mean by 'this body'?
Lin Qingge felt a strong sense of dissonance at these words but was quickly captivated by Leng Ningyue's subsequent statement.
"So, I also have another name, Shangguan Wan'er."
"Shangguan Wan'er—?!!!"
Lin Qingge, not unfamiliar with this name, his mind raced, searching for all relevant information. Finally, only one thing came to mind:
"Didn't you marry the Crown Prince?"
Besides being the Prime Minister's daughter and one of the Four Great Beauties of the capital, this was the only piece of information Lin Qingge could recall, having incidentally heard it from someone.
"That wasn't me."
After speaking, Leng Ningyue added, "None of that has anything to do with me. Now, I am, and only am, Leng Ningyue."
"No, why am I getting so confused?
Let me sort this out. If Madam, you are the true Shangguan Wan'er, then that guy is actually..."
"What, someone impersonated you and married the Crown Prince?!"
Leng Shuang, reacting a beat late, was also astonished. After her mother personally learned of her sister's death, she lost interest in sect affairs, and all the burdens fell solely on her shoulders, leaving her no time for anything else.
Perhaps out of guilt, she subconsciously avoided anything related to her sister, and thus, apart from knowing her sister had a daughter, she knew nothing else.
Now, thinking back, she wished she could slap herself a few times.
How could a child without a mother possibly have a good life?
"Although I don't know the reason, it must be the work of that damned Shangguan Hong!
No, I must kill him!"
With that, Leng Shuang, filled with rage, started to walk out but was pulled back by Leng Ningyue. "It's fine, what's past is past. I'm living well now.
Of course, if they truly provoke me or my family, I will deal with them myself."
Her killing intent instantly dampened by half, Leng Shuang let out a sigh of helplessness. "Ah, as you wish.
I really don't know what's so good about that Shangguan Hong. Both you and your mother are protective of that despicable villain!"
As she spoke, she cast her gaze upon the unusually quiet Lin Qingge and threatened him fiercely.
"You brat, I'm warning you!
If you dare abandon the women of the Leng family after trifling with them, I'll be the first to not let you off!"
This time, Leng Ningyue did not hold back. She directly pushed her nominal aunt outside the room and slammed the door shut with a 'bang'.
???
Feeling that her elder niece was even more emotional than her mother, Leng Shuang took several deep breaths before suppressing the urge to kick the door down.
At this moment, Qin Ming eagerly leaned over. "How was it, are you done talking? I have freshly baked pastries here with your favorite red bean filling. Do you want to try one?"
"Scram—"
"...Alright, alright. I'll leave the pastries here. Help yourself if you want to eat them."
With that, Qin Ming, having been rebuffed, sheepishly retreated.
Inside the room.
Lin Qingge and Leng Ningyue looked at each other in silence.
After a long while, Lin Qingge was the first to break the suffocating silence.
"Um, Sister Ning Yue, do you have something else to tell me?"
"Yes, but not now."
"Oh..."
Lin Qingge responded weakly, his head hanging. He didn't notice the fleeting struggle and unprecedented hesitation in Leng Ningyue's eyes.
Lin Qingge, who had been restless from morning till noon, fell asleep after lunch due to menstrual cramps.
Leng Ningyue appeared in the room like a ghost, gazing at the sleeping figure on the bed, and let out a sigh, as if speaking to herself or the person before her.
"Wait a little longer. Once I find that person and eliminate them, I will tell you the whole truth, whether you resent me or not."
...
Lin Qingge slept until dark. He propped up his groggy head and looked around in confusion, only to find that Hua Jinrong that scoundrel sitting by the table, calmly drinking tea?!
"Sir, you are finally awake. Would you like me to pour you a cup of water~"
"Where is Madam?
No, why are you here?"
"I'm not sure either. When I returned, besides Xiao Cao and Officer Murong who was teaching the young master his lessons, I didn't see anyone else."
"Since you have something to tell this official, why didn't you say something!
Don't you know that startling people can kill them?
Also, is it appropriate for a grown man like you to casually step into the room of a married man?"
"I was just being considerate, Sir, afraid of disturbing your rest~"
Suddenly feeling that Yan Hanhan's 'Oh no, oh no' was actually quite good, Lin Qingge rolled his eyes to the sky. "If you have something to say, say it quickly and then get lost!"
"It's like this, Sir, didn't you ask me to follow that疯癫 (feng dian - mad/eccentric) man?
I followed him all the way. Do you know where that疯癫 man went, Sir?"
Lin Qingge shot him a glare. Hua Jinrong stopped playing coy and habitually took out his folding fan from his sleeve, fanning himself.
"That man ran all the way into the forbidden area of Wolong Mountain Villa!
However, rather than a forbidden area, it seemed more like a prison.
Because both the man and the person imprisoned possessed considerable martial arts skills, I didn't dare to get too close.
Although I didn't hear the content of their conversation clearly, judging by their panicked expressions, they likely know something about Master Hui Chong's cause of death, or why he died.
Furthermore, according to my investigations from various sources, that疯癫 man is named Liu Jinxiang, nicknamed Golden Saber Hero.
And the man imprisoned in the forbidden area is named Feng Wuying, nicknamed Grass on Wings.
In their youth, they, along with the deceased Master Hui Chong, the Villa Master of Wolong Mountain Villa, Long Xiaotian, and the late Sword Fiend Lan Junrong, swore a blood oath and were known as the 'Five Tigers of Lancang'.
By the way, Lancang is a place name, located in the Ying Tian Prefecture area. It's likely that these few men originated from Lancang County."
"Five Tigers of Lancang?"
As Lin Qingge murmured, Yan Tinghao's distinctive loud voice echoed in the courtyard, "Sir, oh no, oh no!"