Chapter 34: What You Promised

Dong Ling replied nothing. She just stood, staring at Dong Feixue and Wu Mengxuan as if they were clowns.

Maybe her sardonic smile stung Dong Feixue and the latter’s face turned green and tortured. No one could tell whether she was really generous or she was just pretending.

Dong Feixue was too angry to bother with Dong Ling. She turned around and asked Wu Mengxuan instead, “What happened, Your Highness? Why did you fall?”

She also looked at Wu Mengxuan’s bleeding knee and sighed, “Oh, Your Highness. You’re a beautiful girl, but what if you have scars on your knee? What a pity!”

Well, well. This annoyed Wu Mengxuan more! She cared for her appearance most! Maids used to be careful even when they combed her hair in case of falling hair.

SCARS?!

That touched Wu Mengxuan’s sore spot! She gave a vicious look and roared, “Dong Ling made me fall! Dong Ling, you know what? If I have any scar, I’ll skin you!”

Wu Mengxuan cursed smoothly as if she used to do that. Even Wu Jiming, who was looking on for fun, frowned.

However, Dong Ling wasn’t scared at all! Come on! She really got sick of this! So many guys tried to kill her, okay? Who did Wu Mengxuan think she was!

Dong Feixue thought about it and blamed Dong Ling, “Ling, come and say sorry! How could you hurt such a noble princess? Luckily, Her Highness is reasonable. As long as you apologize, I guess Her Highness will forgive you! Am I right, Your Highness?”

Wu Mengxuan replied, “Yes. Dong Ling, I don’t like you. But for the sake of your sister Feixue, I’ll forgive you after you kneel and apologize to me!”

“See? How generous Her Highness is! Ling, don’t disgrace our family or we’ll be laughed!” said Dong Feixue.

Dong Feixue chimed in with Wu Mengxuan as if they saw Dong Ling make the latter fall.

Without giving Dong Ling any chance to talk back, Dong Feixue continued, “Well, you shouldn’t have hurt Her Highness. But Her Highness is generous enough to forgive you, you should do more than apologizing! Ling, why don’t you give your emerald headwear to Her Highness as the apology?”

Dong Ling stared at Dong Feixue with a faint smile. The emerald headwear was among the dowry the Dong family prepared for her and it was the most expensive one! When Dong Feixue saw it, she looked calm. Oh, she knew… Dong Feixue must have been trying to get it!

“Otherwise, why did she ask me to give it to Wu Mengxuan?” thought Dong Ling, “She always wants to ruin whatever she fails to own.”

Wu Mengxuan was thrilled! She happened to know the emerald headwear!

Enchased with the most expensive emerald, it was the one and only in the world! And Dong Ling owned it! What a waste!

Such a valuable thing only belonged to a noble girl like her!

Luckily, Dong Ling didn’t know what Wu Mengxuan was thinking. Or it would laugh her head off!

There were many shameless guys! But Wu Mengxuan was the worst of the worst!

Wu Mengxuan looked at her brother Wu Jiming and walked to him with the help of Dong Feixue. She pulled his sleeve with tears in her eyes.

Dong Ling sneered. And Wu Mengxuan cried harder.

“Humph!” Wu Jitian snorted. He said nothing, but Wu Mengxuan still trembled with fear.

Wu Jitian then walked up and stood in front of Dong Ling to protect her.

Wu Mengxuan shrank as if she were scared. She murmured, “Brother Jiming…”

She looked so weak.

Wu Jiming looked at her and the other two. Wu Jitian didn’t seem to compromise while Dong Ling always gave a meaningful smile. It really gave him a headache.

He knew what Wu Mengxuan meant. She wanted him to put pressure on Wu Jitian so that she could punish Dong Ling. But Wu Jitian always defended Dong Ling! And he was never an easy guy to deal with. It wasn’t a perfect timing to offend him openly!

Wu Jitian realized Wu Mengxuan’s plan, too. He then sneered, “What? Your Highness. Are you going to bully a mere girl?”

When he first knew Dong Ling, he asked his subordinates to check up on her. Later, he found something interesting! Dong Ling was engaged to the Crown Prince Jiming! But it looked like Wu Jiming didn’t know about it.

Even so, Wu Jitian still felt angry about the truth.

“How could I? I don’t know what happened. But I don’t think a clever girl like Miss Dong would hurt Mengxuan.” replied Wu Jiming when he shook his hand kindly.

Wu Mengxuan and Dong Feixue were surprised! After all, they thought the crown prince must be on their side and would teach Dong Ling a lesson! They never expected him to trust Dong Ling!

Wu Mengxuan pulled his sleeve again and looked dissatisfied. She yelled, “Brother Jiming!”

Wu Jiming patted on her hand, but said to Dong Ling, “Miss Dong, I really admire what you did in the morning court! You’re young, but so smart! Just like a general! What a great girl from the Dong family!”

Thinking of what she did in the morning court, Wu Jiming praised her honestly. As everybody knew, almost all ministers feared His Majesty. Normally, they pretended nothing happened even if His Majesty made a mistake.

But Dong Ling was different! She dared to argue with His Majesty! That was really unexpected!

Seeing the crown prince praise Dong Ling instead of punishing her, Dong Feixue was pissed off!

“God knows how hard I tried to fawn on the crown prince and create opportunities to meet him!” thought Dong Feixue, “I prepared for months so that I can perform at parities where he was present.”

Even so, the crown prince only said, “Not bad!”

And this could keep her happy for days!

But why? Why could Dong Ling get the praise from the crown prince when she did nothing! He thought she was clever? Like a general?

How come?

Dong Feixue pinched her nails into her palms while she didn’t feel it at all! All she could feel was the anger and jealousy!

Dong Ling noticed that. She sneered, walked up and gave Dong Feixue a ringing slap!

It was so loud that everyone else was astounded!

So was Dong Feixue. She didn’t even realize what had happened. She just covered her face and glared at Dong Ling blankly with disbelief.

“Miss Ling, what do you mean?” asked Wu Jiming. He was completely confused.

“Sorry! I…” replied Dong Ling quickly.

She didn’t even give Dong Feixue any chance to talk before she explained, “I was just too angry. When I saw her eyes, I… I thought of how I left home.”

She sniffed and continued, “I’m the eldest daughter. But my mother is a humble concubine. We’ve been tortured at home. And they even wanted to replace me with Dong Feixue! But His Majesty asked me to marry…”

She suddenly stopped! But everyone understood.

The Crown Prince Wu Jiming didn’t know exact details about the engagement stuff, but he heard some of it.

He didn’t notice that before. But now he realized the Dong family didn’t follow His Majesty’s instruction. Instead, they wanted to disobey it! If Dong Ling was telling the truth, her family would be cheating His Majesty.

“I can’t let Father know it.” thought Wu Jiming.

He knew the Dong family was a rich and powerful family in the capital. If he offended them, he would lose more than he could gain.

But Dong Feixue was anxious! They thought no one knew the exact details about the engagement stuff. Even if someone knew, he didn’t dare to make a fuss. Unexpectedly, Dong Ling dared to talk about this in front of the crown prince and even slapped her!

The more she thought, the more worried she got.

She explained hurriedly, “Ling. I know you hate us! But how could you be so heartless! My family is also yours and they’re your family members, too! Aren’t you letting us down?”

As she spoke, she wiped her tears and looked confused.

Tears rolled down her face when she frowned and bit her lips. She even pretended that Dong Ling was truly disappointing her!

Dong Ling stole a glance at Wu Jitian and saw him remain as calm as usual. He didn’t care for Dong Feixue’s explanation at all.

Yet, Dong Feixue didn’t seem to stop. She wiped her tears again and continued, “Besides, it’s not our fault. But you…”

She bit her lips as if she didn’t want to tell the truth, had to do that. She continued, “Ling, you did that thing. Otherwise, Father wouldn’t asked you to leave! We’re sisters. Father cares for both of us!”

Dong Ling gave an ironic look at Dong Feixue. The words sounded obvious that Dong Ling did something dirty and was expelled. Her family wasn’t wrong at all.

Cared for both of them? Disgusting!

Dong Feixue was really good at shifting the blames!

Immediately, Dong Ling looked grieved and replied, “Feixue. How could you say that? You told me Father wouldn’t blame me. I didn’t want to do that. But you persuaded again and again… I knew you had been nice to me. So, I listened to you! But…”

As she spoke, she covered her face and trembled slightly. Tears dropped through her fingers and fell on the ground along her chin.

Wu Jitian felt his heart aching for her.

“You!” said Dong Feixue, when staring at Dong Ling with astonishment! ‘What did Dong Ling say? Was she just dropping a hint that I persuaded her to do something dirty?’ thought Dong Feixue. ‘And I was blaming Dong Ling just… so I would consequentially become the one who have evil intents?’

Dong Ling gave a secret smile. “My dear sister, do you like what I said?” thought she secretly.

Through her fingers, Dong Ling could see the broken face of Dong Feixue and that made her happy.

But before she could say something else, Wu Jitian grabbed her wrist and took her out of the Imperial Garden!

He said, “Let’s go! Don’t bother yourself to argue against her! Don’t get yourself aggrieved. Remember! Whatever happens, I’ll be on your side.”

Dong Ling didn’t need to take everything to herself.

Wu Jitian grabbed Dong Ling’s wrist and walked out hurriedly. But for Dong Ling’s sake, he somehow slowed down and walked steadily with her.

Dong Ling looked at his profile, feeling kind of amused. It was so great to have someone like him worry about her!

Thinking of this, she lost the interest in arguing against Dong Feixue.

She didn’t fear even if Dong Feixue might disturb her. If she did, she would pay hundreds of times for that!

Wu Jiming enjoyed their argument so much that he didn’t notice it when Wu Jitian left with Dong Ling. When he regained consciousness, they were nowhere to be seen!

Dong Feixue’s face turned livid with rage. But Wu Jiming was still here. She didn’t dare to lose temper.

But wait! She swore she would take revenge!

Dong Ling went back to Wu Jitian’s mansion with him. As they entered the lobby, she paused as if she thought of something.

After a few minutes’ hesitation, she caught up with Wu Jitian, coughed and asked, “Your Highness. Do you remember what you promised me?”