MCSCPM -Chapter 329 Ordered to Be Whipped

Leng Feng felt helpless, yet he persisted. “Your Highness, don’t you understand? Miss Yin left entirely because of you. She didn’t want to put you in a difficult position. Your relationship with His Majesty has already deteriorated—do you really want to make it even worse?”

Chu Jingcheng’s anger flared instantly. He strode toward Leng Feng, his gaze sharp and ruthless. “Leng Feng, I’ll say this one last time: this matter must be carried out. If I don’t find Yin Qingyue, I will not rest.”

With that, Chu Jingcheng turned to leave, but in the next moment Leng Feng blocked his way. For the first time, his attitude was unyieldingly firm. “Your Highness, I still say the same thing—please think of yourself first. As for Miss Yin, wait until everything has settled before speaking of her.”

The moment Leng Feng finished his sentence, Chu Jingcheng raised his hand and struck him hard across the face. “I’ve kept you by my side for many years, and today you dare say such things. How could I possibly spare you?”

He then turned to the other guards. “Leng Feng has spoken out of turn and defied me. I hereby order—whip him immediately.”

“Your Highness…” The other guards wanted to plead for Leng Feng, but a cold glance from Chu Jingcheng silenced them.

Chu Jingcheng then lifted his foot and left.

Leng Feng was about to chase after him, but several guards stopped him. “The prince is furious right now. Don’t provoke him.”

Leng Feng broke free, his face stubborn. “Fine. If you’re going to beat me, then do it now.”

The guards exchanged uneasy looks. Leng Feng was a first-class guard, and the prince’s order was clearly given in a fit of anger. If they truly whipped him, it would be hard to justify.

Seeing their hesitation, Leng Feng said, “Since the prince ordered it, what are you waiting for? I’m not afraid. As long as His Highness understands my good intentions, even if I’m beaten to death, I’ll accept it.”

The guards had already brought over the whip, their expressions troubled. One of them raised his arm, but it hovered in the air for a long time without falling.

One guard said, “Why don’t you go beg the prince? He doesn’t really want to whip you.”

“I told you to strike—what are you dawdling for? I’m not afraid, so what are you afraid of?”

The guards hesitated again, but disobeying an order would also bring punishment. After some thought, they resolved to do it.

Just as the whip was about to fall, Ding Ying suddenly rushed in. She happened to witness the scene and, without thinking, charged forward and shouted, “Stop!”

Fortunately, the guard’s reflexes were quick. He withdrew the whip in time, striking elsewhere instead. Otherwise, if that lash had landed on Ding Ying, she would have died on the spot.

“Don’t hit him, don’t hit him…” Ding Ying ran over in tears, threw her arms around Leng Feng, and cried, “Leng Feng, are you all right?”

“Ding Ying? Why are you here?”

“I heard you were going to be punished, so I rushed over.” She sounded strained, panting heavily, unable to catch her breath.

Sensing something wrong, Leng Feng asked, “Ding Ying, what’s wrong? Is your illness acting up again?”

“I… I…” Before she could finish, her asthma suddenly flared—clearly brought on by the shock and tension.

Leng Feng was terrified. He quickly held her, took the medicine she always carried from her sleeve, and helped her swallow it as soon as possible. “Don’t panic. It’s all right, it’s all right…”

After taking the medicine, Ding Ying rested for a while and gradually recovered.

Leng Feng was truly frightened—if anything had happened to her, he would never have forgiven himself.

Seeing how anxious he looked, Ding Ying smiled faintly. “I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”

“How could I not worry? Why did you rush in like that? If the whip had struck you just now, do you know what would have happened?”

“But you’ve only just recovered yourself—how could you get hurt?”

“Don’t worry about me for now. You should go back. I still have to be punished.”

Ding Ying immediately became nervous. “What happened? Why is the prince punishing you?”

Leng Feng didn’t really want to explain. Lowering his head, he said only, “You don’t need to worry about this. It’s too complicated to explain. Go back first.” As he spoke, he tried to push her away.

But Ding Ying was unusually stubborn now and refused to listen. “No, I won’t go. I’m going to find Prince Jing and demand an explanation—ask him what you did wrong and why he wants to beat you.”

The next moment, however, Leng Feng grabbed her. In the end, she couldn’t overpower him.

Seeing this, one of the guards hurried off to report to Prince Jing.

Because Leng Feng had blocked him earlier, Chu Jingcheng was still angry. When the guard arrived, he said, “Your Highness, Miss Ding has arrived. She’s outside now—she almost had an asthma attack just now. Should Leng Feng still be whipped?”

Hearing this, Chu Jingcheng felt a pang of reluctance. His order to whip Leng Feng had indeed been spoken in anger. But he couldn’t simply let it go.

“The whipping is canceled,” he said. “But the offense cannot be forgiven. Leng Feng is to reflect on his actions—confined indoors, and he is not to leave without my order. As for Miss Ding, send her back to the Ding residence.”

“Yes.”

The guard carried out the order and announced, “By the prince’s command: Leng Feng, the whipping is canceled, but you are to be confined and reflect on your actions. You may not leave without His Highness’s permission.”

Hearing this, Ding Ying beamed with joy. She grabbed Leng Feng’s hand. “The prince finally isn’t punishing you.”

“The prince was only angry for the moment. He wouldn’t really whip me.”

“But you still have to be confined for some time…”

“Ding Ying, don’t worry about me. Go back home.”

Another guard stepped forward. “Miss Ding, His Highness has ordered that you return home immediately.”

After thinking for a moment, Ding Ying said to the guard, “Could you wait a bit? I still have something to say to Leng Feng.”

The guard nodded—after all, a little time wouldn’t hurt.

Leng Feng was puzzled about what she wanted to ask. As he wondered, Ding Ying pulled him aside and asked in a hushed, mysterious tone, “Leng Feng, were you punished because of Miss Yin? How is she now? Have you found her?”

Leng Feng’s expression changed. He did know Yin Qingyue’s whereabouts, but he didn’t know whether he should tell Ding Ying.

That hesitation was immediately noticed by her. She pressed him directly, “Tell me—do you know? Don’t hide it from me. Say it!”

Leng Feng looked troubled. After a moment’s thought, and glancing at the guards nearby, he said slowly, “Ding Ying, you should go home. This matter is none of your concern—it won’t do you any good.”

“No. You promised me you wouldn’t hide things from me. No matter what happened, you’d tell me. You can’t hide it from me now either. Leng Feng, say it—I want to help.”

“What can a woman possibly help with?”

“So what if I’m a woman? Stop hiding it from me. Tell me already—are you trying to worry me to death?”

Ding Ying was extremely anxious. She clutched Leng Feng’s hand tightly—deep down, she truly wanted to help Yin Qingyue.

Leng Feng took a deep breath. He could never hide anything from Ding Ying, so he finally spoke frankly. “Yes, I know about Miss Yin. She’s still in the city, but I don’t know exactly where. The last time His Highness fell unconscious, it was Miss Yin who delivered the medicine—that’s why he recovered so quickly.”

“Leng Feng, if you know Miss Yin is in the city, why didn’t you tell Prince Jing? Don’t you know how distressed he’s been searching for her?”

“Of course I know,” Leng Feng replied innocently.

Ding Ying clenched her fist and struck his chest hard. “If you knew all along, why didn’t you say anything? What on earth were you doing?”

Leng Feng looked utterly helpless. “Ding Ying, do you know that things aren’t as simple as you think? Think about it—His Majesty wants to kill Miss Yin. If she returns, the prince will definitely stand against the emperor. Miss Yin left precisely because of this. How could she come back now? She did it so she wouldn’t implicate the prince.”

“You mean… Miss Yin left for Prince Jing’s sake?” Ding Ying was stunned. How had she not thought of that?

After the shock, she felt deeply worried. “I misunderstood you. I thought… I thought you were deliberately hiding it from the prince.”

“That’s not your fault. Now you understand why this must never be told to His Highness.”

“I understand.” Ding Ying nodded, then looked at Leng Feng with concern. “But now you’re being confined by the prince. I’m really worried about you.”

Leng Feng forced a smile and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry about me. His Highness won’t do anything to me. Maybe I’ll be released tomorrow. Go home now, be good.”

After everything that had happened, the usually lighthearted Leng Feng seemed to have matured, beginning to think from the bigger picture.

Ding Ying had no choice but to leave, though she was still worried about him. Prince Jing was still angry—who knew whether Leng Feng might suffer further punishment?

Biting her lip, she watched Leng Feng being taken away by the guards, while she herself was escorted back to the Ding residence.

Her injuries hadn’t even healed yet, and she had rushed out recklessly. Ding Heng was extremely worried and had been waiting outside. Seeing his daughter return with a dejected face, he hurried forward. “Ying’er, where did you go? How could you go out alone without telling your father? Don’t you know you’re still injured?”

“Thank you for your concern, Father. I just… I just went to see Leng Feng,” Ding Ying said bitterly.

Hearing this, Ding Heng quickly asked, “Leng Feng? How is he? Why do you look so unwell? Did something happen?”

As soon as he finished asking, Ding Ying burst into tears. “Prince Jing was going to look for Miss Yin. Leng Feng tried to stop him, so the prince ordered him to be whipped. Luckily I arrived in time, and the punishment was avoided—but Leng Feng has been confined.”

“How could this be?” Ding Heng was shocked. “Why would Leng Feng stop Prince Jing?”