After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

I'm afraid my senior uncle is no longer among the top ranks.

She picked up her glass and drank it all in one gulp.

This wine is a bit bitter.

……

Having been frightened by what had just happened, Su Zhenzhen huddled in Yang Yuxian's arms. Only now did she peek out and whisper:

"Mother, that saintess... is so amazing."

Yang Yuxian gently stroked her hair and whispered:

"So, you should be nicer to Young Master Lin from now on, and stop bullying him all the time."

Su Zhenzhen pouted:

"Who bullied him? He's the one who bullied me..."

Yang Yuxian shook her head helplessly.

Yan Yiyi, however, remained carefree, still smiling and holding Lin Fengmian's arm.

"Brother Fengmian, you were so brave just now! You weren't afraid at all!"

Lin Fengmian smiled bitterly:

"What am I afraid of? I haven't done anything wrong."

Yan Yiyi blinked:

"Then spend more time with me from now on, and I'll protect you!"

Lin Fengmian couldn't help but smile at her serious expression.

This girl...

……

The banquet continued.

But the atmosphere was completely different.

Each faction harbored its own thoughts and whispered among themselves.

The elders of the Heavenly Sword Sect had grim expressions, and Jian Tianyi gritted his teeth, wishing he could devour Lin Fengmian alive.

The monk Guangzhi of Jingang Temple put his hands together, chanted a Buddhist mantra, but a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes.

Li Wuhun of the Heavenly Demon Sect sneered, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Fengmian and Chu Qingyi.

On the high platform, Yan Tianqing sat calmly on the dragon throne, his face serene, as if nothing had happened.

But his slightly narrowed eyes betrayed his thoughts.

This Lin Fengmian...

And that Chu Qingyi...

Hehuan Sect...

interesting.

He picked up his glass and took a small sip.

This game is getting more and more interesting.

Lin Fengmian did feel relieved, but he felt more frustrated, thinking, "What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

He held his wine glass, his gaze fixed on the water stains on the rim. He appeared calm and collected, but inside, his mind was in turmoil.

"Nangong Li...a person from the spirit realm?"

"Chu Qingyi...the Supreme Elder of the Hehuan Sect? A Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Why are all my cultivation partners so powerful?

And Chu Qingyi... the woman who was sometimes aloof and sometimes clueless in front of him, and even threw a tantrum at him, was actually the Supreme Elder of the Hehuan Sect.

In order to get close to him, a Nascent Soul stage expert was willing to disguise herself as a Foundation Establishment stage saintess.

Lin Fengmian suddenly felt his mouth and tongue dry.

Didn't you say you wouldn't go back to an ex?

It's not a question of whether he's willing or not, it's a question of whether the other party is willing to let him go!

A person from the spirit realm, a Nascent Soul stage monster, and a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator caught in the middle—it was more thrilling than walking a tightrope.

He secretly rejoiced that he hadn't gone too far with Chu Qingyi before, otherwise, if she had slapped him, he probably wouldn't have been left with nothing but ashes.

However, this time, it was thanks to her intervention that we were able to get help.

If she hadn't taken decisive action and displayed her cultivation to intimidate everyone, he would probably have been in deep trouble on the Crown Prince's territory today.

Thinking of this, Lin Fengmian felt a mix of emotions.

This woman, though she kept it a secret from him for a long time, still stood by his side in the crucial moment.

And that Crown Princess

He subconsciously looked in the direction Yan Qingluan had left, but her figure had already disappeared at the end of the brightly lit palace road, leaving only a faint, lingering fragrance.

"This Crown Princess... is truly a femme fatale."

Lin Fengmian silently defined Yan Qingluan in his heart.

You, the Crown Princess, shouldn't be staying by the Crown Prince's side. Instead, you come here to flirt with me, an innocent passerby, and you even have to do it in front of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Isn't that just courting death?

Fortunately, the Supreme Elder seemed to be in a good mood today and gave the Crown Prince a lecture; otherwise, I might have been arrested on the spot for "seducing the Crown Princess."

After this incident, the atmosphere in the main hall became somewhat heavy.

The lively scene that had just been filled with clinking glasses was now as if doused with ice water. Even the ministers and sect elders around them all lowered their heads, keeping their eyes down and not daring to speak up and provoke trouble.

The emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty, who was able to hold onto this position, was naturally no ordinary person.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, he knew that if this matter could not be resolved, the banquet would be completely ruined, and the royal family would lose face if word got out.

He cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping across the room with an air of authority, and slowly began to speak:

"Alright, both the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are at fault in this matter."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Crown Prince Yan Wenhan, as the heir apparent, has acted inappropriately and improperly. He is hereby confined to the Eastern Palace, effective immediately, and is not permitted to leave without imperial decree for one month!"

"Crown Princess Yan Qingluan, as a member of the royal family, has behaved improperly and disgraced the nation. From this day forward, she is confined to Qingluan Palace and is not permitted to step outside the palace gates without orders for one month!"

This punishment seems fair enough, punishing both sides equally with a one-month house arrest.

But the emperor had already calculated everything perfectly in his heart.

At this critical juncture where various forces in Qingzhou converge, he must both uphold the dignity of the royal family and avoid truly driving the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to the brink of despair.

To publicly rebuke the Crown Prince is to slap the royal family in the face; to force the Crown Princess to her death would make the royal family a laughing stock in the entire Qingzhou.

Therefore, imposing a one-month penalty on each party is the safest compromise.

The officials in the hall knew perfectly well that this was merely a way out given by the emperor, but none of them dared to point it out.

Upon hearing this, the prince's face turned ashen, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

He was filled with boundless hatred. He hated Chu Qingyi for making him lose face in front of everyone, hated that bitch Yan Qingluan for daring to make him wear a green hat in public, and hated that pretty boy Lin Fengmian even more for attracting so much help!

But he ultimately dared not refute it.

The father's authority was one aspect, but the subtle yet palpable pressure emanating from the Supreme Elder who had just revealed his Nascent Soul cultivation was like a sword hanging over his head.

He could only suppress his raging anger, bowed respectfully, and his voice was slightly stiff:

"Yes... Your subject accepts the punishment."

After speaking, he straightened up and glanced at Lin Fengmian with a sinister look, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.

Meanwhile, Crown Princess Yan Qingluan breathed a heavy sigh of relief upon hearing this.

She knew that the emperor's actions were merely to save face for the royal family, and did not mean that the matter was truly over.

She knew better than anyone what kind of person the Crown Prince was.

He will not rest until he avenges this grudge.

But all she could do was step back and wait for the right opportunity.

Supported by her maid, she cast a meaningful glance in Lin Fengmian's direction, then left the main hall with unsteady steps.

"Come on, everyone, it was just a little incident, it's nothing. Let's continue!"