MCSCPM -Chapter 259 Forced Marriage

“So it’s very clear. That person is almost certainly Leng Feng.”

“Are we going to the Yan household?”

“Yin Qingyue, why are you in such a hurry? Some things require patience. Think about it—if she’s getting married, what does that mean?”

Yin Qingyue’s eyes lit up with realization. “It means Leng Feng is safe. I guess the Yan young lady has healed his injuries.”

“Smart.”

“Who asked you to compliment me?” Yin Qingyue shot him a glance. Thinking further, she realized she had to tell Ding Ying this news quickly so she wouldn’t worry. She stood up and said, “Let’s go. We should tell Ding Ying first.”

“Wait. We haven’t seen the person yet. What if we’re wrong? Wouldn’t that disappoint her?”

“So what should we do?”

“Let me think of a clever plan first.”

Although Yin Qingyue wanted to find Leng Feng quickly for Ding Ying’s sake, Chu Jingcheng was right—if they made a mistake, it could hurt Ding Ying even more. She decided to wait for his plan.

Meanwhile, at the Yan household…

Cui’er brought the boiled medicine from the kitchen to the room.

As she opened the door, an argument could be heard.

“I saved you! You belong to me! If you don’t appreciate it, I’ll make you regret it!”

Yin Qingyue looked and saw Yan Ling, the young lady of the Yan household, furious as she threatened the man sitting on the bed.

Yan Ling was striking in appearance but had a fiery temper.

The man on the bed was Leng Feng. He looked well, though a bandage still wrapped around his forehead, and seemed mostly recovered.

Leng Feng got up and tried to leave, but Yan Ling blocked him. “How many times have I told you? I won’t let you go.”

“Miss Yan, what did I do in my past life to deserve this? Why are you forcing me to stay? I don’t work for you, I don’t flatter you, so why not let me go?” Leng Feng said helplessly.

“I don’t want you to work or flatter me. I want to marry you,” Yan Ling declared.

“Are you crazy? How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t like you. I won’t marry you. Don’t you understand?”

“I don’t understand! What’s wrong with me? I have wealth beyond measure, I’m healthy, perfect in every way! What makes me unworthy of you?” Yan Ling refused to yield, standing in front of him stubbornly.

Leng Feng held his forehead in exasperation. “You’re not lacking in anything. But I can’t stay—I have my own matters to attend to, and I already like someone else. Miss Yan, can’t you let me go?”

“No!” she shouted fiercely.

Seeing the tension, Cui’er stepped forward. “Miss, Master Leng is still injured!” She brought the medicine over. “Miss, he should take his medicine now.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need it,” Leng Feng said.

Yan Ling grabbed the medicine with a commanding tone. “No. The doctor said you must continue taking this medicine daily.”

“I said no,” Leng Feng said, sweeping the bowl of medicine to the floor.

Yan Ling nearly exploded with rage. “Leng Feng! I’ve treated you so well, risked so much to save your life! Without me, you’d be dead! And yet you push away my kindness at every turn? Fine, I’ll see if I can break that stubbornness of yours.”

“Guards! Lock him in the woodshed. If he doesn’t speak or agree to marry me, he stays there for life—no food, no water,” she commanded.

Several servants dragged Leng Feng away.

Due to his internal injuries, Leng Feng could hardly resist. Every attempt to escape ended in failure.

This time, he gave up struggling, accepting his fate. He said calmly, “It’s luck I’m alive. Since you saved my life, you can have it back if you want.”

Yan Ling’s heart ached. She had finally fallen for someone, yet she couldn’t win him over. She considered herself wealthy and beautiful—what was missing?

She approached Leng Feng, eyes brimming with tears, and asked again, “I’m asking—if I force you, even to death, you still won’t marry me?”

“Miss Yan, I’m not a man of power. I can’t give you what you want. I’ve told you many times, I like someone else, and she’s waiting for me.”

“Enough! Don’t speak. I understand. I won’t force you… for now. I want you to willingly marry me.”

She swung her sleeve violently. “Take him away. Don’t give him food or water without my order, even if he dies!”

“Yes, Miss,” the servants obeyed.

Leng Feng was dragged out, unresisting. He would rather starve than marry Yan Ling.

Yan Ling, furious, smashed all the vases in the room.

Cui’er comforted her. “Miss, he may not understand your kindness yet. Once he realizes it, he will agree.”

“He’s too stubborn. I’ve taken care of him so long, but his thoughts are never about me—they’re about that Ding Ying. Who is she that he can’t forget her?” Yan Ling murmured.

“She must be an ordinary girl. How could she compare to you?” Cui’er replied.

“But… what should I do to make him like me?” Yan Ling wondered.

Cui’er, not very clever herself, had no answer.

Yan Ling slammed the table. “I don’t believe that locking him up without food or drink won’t make him yield. I, Yan Ling, have never failed to conquer anyone. Leng Feng, even if I tie you up, I will drag you into the bridal chamber.”

Her eyes blazed with determination. No one could change her mind about marrying him.

Leng Feng, locked in the woodshed, was actually relieved. At least he didn’t have to face Yan Ling every day.

The two servants locking him up noticed his calm demeanor and said, “You’re really ungrateful. Miss Yan is famous for beauty and wealth in Tuoshui County. If you marry her, you’ll never want for food or clothes again.”

Leng Feng smirked. “Come, sit. I have a question for you.”

“What?”

“Sit down,” he insisted.

The two servants shook their heads. “We can’t. We’re responsible for locking you up. If Miss finds out we’re chatting with you, she won’t forgive us.”

“Don’t you want to know why I won’t marry her?” Leng Feng teased, drawing them in.

The servants hesitated, then reluctantly sat down.

“Don’t worry. She won’t come here. Besides, I’m too weak to escape anyway!”

That was true. They finally sat and asked, “Now tell us. Why won’t you marry Miss Yan?”

Leng Feng grabbed a straw, put it in his mouth like a storyteller, and leaned forward mysteriously. “Tell me, what do you think of Miss Yan?”

“Ah! She’s… of course she’s good. We said that already,” the servants answered nervously.

“You’re not telling the truth,” he pressed.

“We are! Really!” they protested.

“Fine, fine. I’ll tell you. Miss Yan is rich, yes. But her temper… if you married her, it would be a real burden.”

The servants nodded in agreement.

“So I ask, if one of you had to marry her, would you?”

They shook their heads, then hesitated, nodding and shaking repeatedly.

Leng Feng smacked them on the head. “Do you want to or not?”

One servant rubbed his head. “Master Leng, if Miss really wanted us to marry her, it’d be our fortune! But you just said she has a terrible temper. So, honestly, I wouldn’t dare marry her. But it’s Miss Yan you’re supposed to marry, not one of us.”

“I was just making an example. You’re taking it too seriously,” Leng Feng said, chuckling at them.

If Yin Qingyue were here, she’d have rolled her eyes and muttered, “Three blockheads.”

The servants left, locking the woodshed to prevent escape.

Leng Feng lay back on the straw, spitting out the straw from his mouth. Usually joking around, now he was trapped by Yan Ling.

If he weren’t injured, this small Yan household could never confine him.

What worried him now was Prince Chu—he had no idea how he was. During the emergency, they got separated, and he fell off a cliff. Luckily, there was a river below, so he survived. He wanted to leave immediately to find the prince.

He also thought of Ding Ying. She must be worried about his disappearance. He had promised her he’d return, and she was the one he would marry.

He would never marry Yan Ling. Never. Ding Ying, don’t worry. Once I recover, I’ll leave. I’ll never betray you.

Chu Jingcheng and Yin Qingyue returned to the magistrate’s residence. Cold Yi (Leng Feng’s companion) noticed they had gone out and hurriedly asked, “Your Highness, Miss Yin, where did you go?”

Chu Jingcheng waved his hand. “We just went for a walk.”

“Your Highness, I advise you not to leave the residence. The assassins are still unknown. What if something happens…”

“No need to worry. I know my limits. What about Leng Feng?”