FRGNM -Chapter 20 Pregnant?

Repay it? Ling Ruoxi couldn’t help but find that laughable. Propping her chin on one hand, she smiled calmly. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, aren’t you mistaken about something? I, Ling Ruoxi, always mean what I say. Today, I’ll make it clear to you—I did not assassinate you!”

“Didn’t?” Nangong Mo’s voice grew colder. “Then who was it that I saw last night? Was I mistaken? Were all of my guards mistaken as well?” Thinking of how he had been injured because of Ling Ruoxi filled him with humiliation. Yes—humiliation! He had actually been attracted to her, wounded by her, and nearly lost his life!

He, a Green-ranked Dou Qi cultivator, had made such a mistake—utter humiliation!

Step by step, he approached the laughing woman. A chilling aura spread outward as the longsword in his hand suddenly pressed against Ling Ruoxi’s neck. With just a slight movement, her throat could be slit.

Fang Xu’s face changed drastically. He hurriedly shouted, “Your Highness, Ruoxi was with me the entire night yesterday. She never left the room. Your Highness, you—”

“With you?” Nangong Mo sneered. “Good, a fine pair of shameless lovers. Today I’ll carry out justice on Heaven’s behalf!” A sharp killing intent flashed through his black eyes as the sword in his hand was about to cut down.

But another large hand blocked Nangong Mo’s blade. A low voice said, “Nangong, I think there may be another reason behind this. Don’t be impulsive. She—”

“Ningfeng, even you’re protecting her?!” Nangong Mo flew into a greater rage. He shoved Ye Ningfeng aside and swung the sword toward Ling Ruoxi. “Demonic woman, bewitching my brother—I must kill you today!”

“Had enough?” A cool, indifferent voice rang out. The woman in front casually reached out and caught the blade with her bare hand. Pain surged from her palm, yet she showed not the slightest concern.

Bright red blood dripped down along the icy blade tip. Her expression remained calm, without a hint of panic. The familiar smile was gone, replaced by a maturity that did not belong to her former self.

“If you’re done, then stop. Your wound was just bandaged—be careful not to tear it open again.”  She pushed the blade aside, tore a strip from her skirt, and calmly wrapped her injured right hand.

Everyone behind her froze. Everyone in the room froze. Was this calm woman really the same rough, unruly one who had been snatching things earlier? She… actually had such a mature side?

“Alright. Fang Xu, let’s go.” After finishing up, Ling Ruoxi looked at the person beside her, rubbed her nose, and smiled. “Nangong Mo, you’d better take care of your wound. Don’t let it get wet, and also, don’t eat—”

“Zzz—” An orange streak of light shot forward like lightning. The icy chill that pierced through her body made Ling Ruoxi shudder. The moment she sensed the killing intent, she tried her best to dodge—but she was still too slow compared to the blade behind her.

Ruthless. Cold.

Like a thin sheet of ice piercing deep into her body—so cold it was terrifying. Her face turned deathly pale, devoid of all color. In that instant, it felt as though heaven and earth had collapsed.

“Who told you to strike?!” Nangong Mo, standing behind her, erupted in fury. He flung the longsword to the ground and stared in horror at that slender, fragile figure.

“Your Highness, Ling family produced such an unfilial daughter. I was merely eliminating a scourge for the Ling family! Anyone who dares harm the Crown Prince deserves only death!” Ling Huiru sneered.

Before she could react, a slap landed squarely on her face.

“Get out! Get out!” Nangong Mo was on the verge of losing control. Even he himself didn’t understand what was happening. Those gentle words had been meant for him, his frozen heart had begun to melt—only to be shattered completely by that merciless sword.

Why was it that when he saw the calmness on her face, that ever-unchanging composure, he felt guilt—even a sense of sin? Yes, even though it wasn’t his hand that struck her, that pain felt far sharper than if he had done it himself.

Ye Ningfeng’s expression also changed. There had actually been someone else hiding in the room. Having been pushed aside by Nangong Mo, he never expected this to happen. By the time he reached Ling Ruoxi, it was already too late.

“One strike—is that enough?” The same indifferent voice sounded. The woman simply reached back, grasped the hilt of the sword lodged in her shoulder, and pulled it out without a trace of emotion—almost as if she couldn’t even feel the pain.

Was it enough?

Staring at that fragile figure, Nangong Mo didn’t know what he was feeling anymore. He wanted to say something, but no words came out. Thinking carefully now—she couldn’t even dodge orange-ranked Dou Qi. How could she have calmly escaped after assassinating him, when so many Yellow-ranked cultivators hadn’t been able to stop her?

It was obvious now—this was a frame-up. She couldn’t possibly have shown such tenderness!

“Y-you, you child!” Zuo Mingfeng was also badly startled. He hurriedly treated Ling Ruoxi’s wound, then pressed his fingers to her pulse to assess her condition. His face suddenly changed. He abruptly looked up at her, his aged face twisting in shock.

Ling Ruoxi herself was unconcerned. Holding her wound, she raised an eyebrow and asked, “What, don’t tell me the sword was poisoned too?”

“N-no, that’s not it…” Zuo Mingfeng stammered. He frowned deeply, looked at Ling Ruoxi, then turned his head to glance at Nangong Mo. After a long while, he finally forced out a sentence:

“Y-you’re pregnant…”