When Tong demanded Xun Qin and Mi Yin kneel in the courtyard, Yan Mingxu was anxious. At just six years old, he did not dare to challenge this stepmother who had a terrifyingly sharp gaze. But if he did not speak up, these people he loved would be punished. Hearing Tong say she would replace all the servants who had been by his side for six years with her own people, he was on the verge of tears.
At that moment, Yan Mingxu caught Mi Yin’s glance – a look of reluctance, indignation, and fear. He involuntarily stepped forward and blurted out, “Wait.”
Tong looked at him in surprise.
When Yan Mingxu met her gaze, he hesitated and turned away, looking at Xun Qin. Hearing her words from earlier that morning echoed in his ears: “Young prince, although you are young, you are the undisputed master of this mansion. The Prince will pass his title to you in the future, so you must have the awareness of a master. Some words must be spoken when they should be, some things must be done when they should be, and some authority must be displayed when it should be. This is how you become a bold man who will earn the Prince’s respect – how well you study is secondary.”
He mustered his courage and shouted, “Xun Qin and Mi Yin are my servants. Mother cannot just replace them as she wishes!”
Tong was surprised that Yan Mingxu, usually shy and reserved, would speak to her so loudly and oppose changing her maids, but she remained indifferent. She said to the maids, “Why are you still standing there? Go do what you’re supposed to do.”
She turned to Yu Yi and the others, narrowing her long, slender eyes and said harshly, “I told you to kneel in the courtyard. What? Are your ears deaf?”
Yu Yi and Mi Yin did not move, simply staring fixedly at Yan Mingxu. The other maids who were heading towards the door slowed their steps hesitantly when they saw the two not moving.
Tong became furious and rebuked, “A group of lowly maids daring to disobey orders is simply outrageous! Someone, drag these two ringleaders to the punishment room for beating!”
Yan Mingxu saw the trusting gaze Yu Yi and Mi Yin cast towards him, and his blood surged involuntarily. He ran in front of them, spreading his arms to block the four maids who were about to be taken away. He said firmly and loudly, “This is Mingxu’s place, and they are Mingxu’s maids. Mother cannot take them away or punish them.”
Standing in front of Yu Yi and Mi Yin, the maids no longer dared to approach, instead looking towards Tong, waiting for her instruction.
Hearing him repeat “cannot” several times, Tong was inwardly furious but suppressed her anger, telling Chun Rou, “Mingxu is tired from studying. Take him to rest.”
“Yes,” Chun Rou responded, stepping forward to pull Yan Mingxu.
Yan Mingxu glared at Chun Rou, shouting, “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch my maids!” Though young and small, his eyes and expression revealed a hint of imposing dignity.
Chun Rou, having never seen such an expression on Yan Mingxu before, was stunned and didn’t dare to reach out, looking helplessly at Tong.
Tong was truly angry now. Having been called Junwang Fei for four years and served as the mistress of the household for four years, she had never been defied by Yan Mingxu like this. As his stepmother, his public opposition to her orders was disrespectful, and even if this were brought to the Junwang, she would not be in the wrong.
Tong decided this and personally came to pull Yan Mingxu. He struggled but was no match for her strength. His face turned bright red, and in desperation, he lowered his head and bit Tong’s wrist.
Tong cried out in pain, trying to shake him off. But he clung like a small beast, not only biting her wrist but also gripping her arm so she couldn’t shake him loose.
Feeling a piercing pain, she slapped Yan Mingxu and was about to strike again when Yu Yi broke free, rushed over, and embraced Yan Mingxu, softly saying, “Young Junwang, stop biting.”
Yan Mingxu then released his bite and hugged Yu Yi.
Tong urgently checked her wound, seeing torn flesh and blood flowing, quickly forming a small pool on the ground. Such a deep wound would certainly leave a scar.
But the slap never landed. She was suddenly struck heavily on her left shoulder, involuntarily thrown sideways. After a moment of disorientation, she crashed to the ground, her head “thudding” against the brick floor. Chest constricted and head spinning, she couldn’t even cry out in pain.
Yan Bo, furiously looking at Tong on the ground and then at the blood-covered Yan Mingxu, demanded, “What is going on? Wan Yin, what are you doing?”
He had entered to see a room full of people, with Yan Mingxu tightly held by a maid, his panicked face covered in blood, and Tong about to hit him. To prevent her from further harming Yan Mingxu, he had forcefully pushed her, his urgency causing him to use more force than intended.
Tong lay gasping, feeling aggrieved. Why hadn’t Yan Bo come when Yan Mingxu bit her, but appeared precisely when she was about to slap him in her extreme anger?
Note: The removed content did not directly contribute to the plot or the character’s motivations and was likely added for world-building purposes.
She had quietly opened the listening device at the Xing He Yuan gate and, hearing Yan Bo’s approach from outside, rushed over to stop Yan Mingxu from biting Tong.
Unaware of this, Tong rolled over, half-genuinely, half-dramatically appearing unable to get up, with tears streaming down her face. “Junwang, look at this wound, inflicted by the young Junwang,” she said, holding up her bleeding left hand.
Yan Bo paused, examining her wound and carefully observing Yan Mingxu’s face. He noticed the swelling but realized the blood was mostly around his mouth. Earlier, he had thought Yan Mingxu was bleeding from being hit, but now saw it might be from Tong’s hand. Since hearing Ting He’s words, he had been recalling past events that corroborated her account, so he was not entirely believing Tong’s story. Yan Mingxu’s swollen face indicated he had been hit before Yan Bo’s arrival.
Scanning the room, he saw over ten maids who were not from Xing He Yuan, suggesting her arrival was not entirely innocent.
Yan Mingxu was usually gentle and shy. He would only bite Tong if pushed to extremes. The maid had been holding him tightly, implying Tong and Yan Mingxu had a serious confrontation, and this maid was protecting him.
By now, Yu Yi had released Yan Mingxu, turning to face Yan Bo, while Yan Mingxu continued to cling to her tightly.
Yan Bo recognized her as Xun Qin and asked in a low voice, “Xun Qin, what exactly happened?
“
Tong shi became anxious. If Xun Qin spoke first, she would naturally deny her actions, and it would be more difficult to explain later. Although she didn’t think she was wrong, convincing the Prince would be challenging. So she rushed to speak before Xun Qin: “Your Highness, this concubine…”
Yan Bo gave her a cold, stern look: “Shut up. I’m asking Xun Qin.”
Tong shi couldn’t help but shrink back. Yan Bo’s gaze was extremely harsh. Since marrying him, she had never seen him look at her like this. Tong shi collapsed to the ground, feeling cold and painful, trying to appear pitiful by lying as if unable to get up. However, blood was continuously flowing from her wrist, and she couldn’t maintain the act. She signaled to Chun Rou with her eyes.
Chun Rou understood immediately, stepped forward to support her, and said, “Princess Consort, please get up. Your hand is still bleeding! Let me bandage it. Oh my, the wound is so deep, you can almost see the bone. Dong Xue, go call the medical officer!”
Yan Bo paid no attention to them, only urging Yu Yi: “Speak.”
