Chapter 143: Don’t Move, or I’ll Drop You

"Stop! I told you to stop!"

Wang Wanqing fled for her life, and for a moment, He Chengfeng actually couldn’t catch up. Fortunately, she was still aware of the potential shame and didn’t run toward the crowded areas. Instead, she headed for the separate staircase at the back.

There were people there today, but not many. At that moment, everyone was watching the Lamp King, with no time to notice what was happening behind them.

He Chengfeng and his men gave chase. The lanterns in the rear courtyard weren’t bright enough, and in her panic, Wang Wanqing kicked the corner of a flowerbed. She went flying, landing hard on the ground, so stunned by the fall that she couldn’t get back up.

He Chengfeng gloated, "Go on, run. Where do you think you can run to?"

"Wouldn’t it have been better to just obey me? You had to give me that attitude. Are you satisfied now, making a spectacle of yourself out here?"

He Chengfeng had a handsome, rakish face that would make any woman look twice. He had just the right touch of rogue and bad boy, the kind that was best at stirring a woman’s heart.

And while he was a rake, he was adept at playing the part of a well-behaved boy in front of his elders. With a few sweet words, he could coax them into thinking he was utterly charming.

Someone should have seen the look on his face right now—arrogant and smug, a vicious sneer spreading across his features. He was truly despicable.

When he finished speaking, Wang Wanqing didn’t even turn to look at him. She just struggled to her feet, trying to escape again.

He Chengfeng’s expression twisted completely, his true nature exposed. "Have you no sense of shame? You’re practically naked, so where the hell do you think you’re going? If you want to disgrace yourself, don’t drag me down with you! I’m the unluckiest bastard alive to be engaged to you!"

He strode over in a rage. Showing no hint of tenderness, he shoved her back to the ground and raised his hand to strike her.

Wang Wanqing grabbed his hand and, with a heart full of hatred, bit down hard.

Her resentful eyes held no tears, only bloodlust.

’It was all this man’s fault she’d ended up like this. And now he dared to call her shameless? She was filled with hatred—hatred for her own powerlessness. If she could, she would kill him.’

"AH!"

He Chengfeng cried out in pain and tried to shake her off. When he couldn’t, he delivered a vicious kick that sent Wang Wanqing rolling a great distance away.

Wang Wanqing’s foot was already swollen, and now, after another heavy blow, the pain left her completely immobilized. She wanted to flee but couldn’t even stand.

Seeing the savage look on He Chengfeng’s face as he approached, Wang Wanqing was filled with despair. She braced herself and tried to crawl away.

He Chengfeng grabbed her leg, his voice like that of a man-eating demon from the depths of hell. "I was trying to show you some respect, but you threw it back in my face. You even dared to hurt me. Today, I’ll teach you the rules of my He Family!"

Wang Wanqing’s face was pale with pain. She struggled with all her might, but the difference in their strength was too great. It was useless.

Just as she was about to be dragged away, a sharp female voice suddenly rang out. "Rong Qing!"

A fierce gust of wind whistled past, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

The grip on her leg was gone. Wang Wanqing whipped her head around to see He Chengfeng being pinned to the ground and beaten. She immediately turned toward the source of the voice and saw Princess Xuanyang, clad in red, standing on the corridor thirty feet away.

"Prin... Princess..."

She couldn’t believe it. She never imagined she would run into Xiao Li at a moment like this.

Before she could recover from the shock, Xiao Li strode toward her, stopping a step away. She looked down at her, then raised her arms and spread her cloak open. "Are you coming or not?"

Wang Wanqing didn’t know how she crossed that single step. It felt like it took her an eternity, and also like it took only an instant.

She scrambled under it, half-kneeling, her body pressed tightly against the side of Xiao Li’s thigh. The floor-length cloak enveloped her completely, its warmth wrapping around her in an instant and shutting out the biting wind.

She couldn’t see a thing, and no one could see her either.

"AHHH... I’m the Heir of Xuanping Marquis! How dare you hit me! Stop it..."

"Ah, ah... Help... Somebody help..."

That was the sound of He Chengfeng being beaten.

"THUMP THUMP THUMP!" That was the sound of her own heart, about to leap out of her throat.

"Stop! Who are you to dare strike someone here?"

"That’s the Heir of Xuanping Marquis! You’re completely lawless!"

The commotion was so great that a crowd gathered around, including He Chengfeng’s degenerate friends and some confused passersby.

There was no shortage of noble scions present today, and soon someone recognized Xiao Li. "Princess Xuanyang! What is she doing here?"

"She’s actually having someone beat up the He Heir. How vicious."

"When has she ever not been vicious?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, and Wang Wanqing heard it all clearly. She desperately wanted to go out and explain, but there were so many people, and her clothes were in disarray.

Her sense of shame kept her from facing anyone, but her conscience wouldn’t allow the Princess to be slandered because of her.

Just as she summoned the courage to throw back the cloak and expose He Chengfeng’s vile actions, a hand pressed down on her head, and a cold voice commanded, "Stay put."

A choked, whimpering sound escaped her.

She hadn’t cried during the terrifying ordeal, but now she broke down completely, weeping uncontrollably.

Xiao Li kicked her lightly in disgust. "Don’t get your tears and snot on my clothes."

Yang Jun and the surrounding guards formed a protective circle around Xiao Li. Rong Qing single-handedly pummeled He Chengfeng, each punch landing with brutal force, showing no mercy. By the time he dragged the man over, He Chengfeng was as limp as a pile of mud. However, his face had been deliberately left untouched, making him appear unharmed at a glance.

Xiao Li ignored the crowd’s chatter, her face cold as she gave an order. "Send him to the Xuanping Marquis Mansion."

Rong Qing immediately handed the man to two guards beside him and took back his greatsword.

Rong Qing’s physique and his greatsword were both highly recognizable. He had just beaten a man so viciously, and now he was holding a blade. The sight was beyond terrifying.

Xiao Li couldn’t be bothered to waste words. She unfastened the cloak that was sheltering Wang Wanqing and wrapped it snugly around her. The hood covered her head entirely, hiding her from view.

Hong Yue was already waiting nearby with another cloak and immediately draped it over Xiao Li.

"Let’s go."

Hong Yue went to help Wang Wanqing up from the ground, needing to use some effort to get her to her feet.

Seeing Wang Wanqing limp along, Xiao Li finally noticed that she had lost her shoes and socks. Her bare feet were on the cold ground, her right foot was swollen like a steamed bun, and blood was trickling from the tip of her big toe.

"Rong Qing, you..."

Xiao Li was about to tell Rong Qing to carry her, but the words died on her lips as she suddenly remembered the strict separation of the sexes in this world.

She didn’t care, and Rong Qing wouldn’t care, but a noble lady like Wang Wanqing would likely find it unacceptable.

"How annoying!"

Seeing Wang Wanqing leave a bloody footprint with every step, Xiao Li irritably unfastened her new cloak, shoved it into Hong Yue’s arms, and then swept Wang Wanqing into a bridal carry.

"Ah!"

Wang Wanqing yelped in surprise and reflexively began to struggle.

"Don’t move, or I’ll drop you."

Hearing Xiao Li’s voice, even though her tone was annoyed and disdainful, Wang Wanqing immediately went still and obedient.

Even though she was a woman, Xiao Li held her steadily, her arms powerful and her breathing even. It gave Wang Wanqing a sense of security she had never felt before.

"Princess..." Wang Wanqing started crying again, but this time, mingled with her feelings of being wronged was an ineffable shyness.

A flame ignited in her chest, and a warm current spread through her entire body.

Xiao Li shifted her up a bit. "Hold the hood yourself."

Wang Wanqing quickly grabbed the hood with one hand, while her other hand hesitated before lightly hooking around Xiao Li’s neck. Her body was pressed against the princess, and she breathed in her unique scent.

The stabbing pain in her side and the bleeding from her foot were all forgotten in that moment.

’The Princess is so wonderful,’ she thought. ’She smells so nice, and she’s so warm.’

Feng Yin, who had followed Xiao Li down, was a step too slow. He watched as Rong Qing made his move, watched as the guards blocked everyone else—including him—from getting closer, and watched as the Princess carried that unidentified person away.

He knew the Princess was a good person, but... for the Princess to hold someone else in that manner...