Even so, the reputation of the Prince of Southern Pacification's daughter being as beautiful as a celestial being quickly spread throughout the Capital City.
No sooner had the Prince of Southern Pacification settled into his residence in the Capital than matchmakers began flocking to his doorstep—some proposing matches for the sons of minor marquises, others making overtures on behalf of the sons of Ministers. Those of lower status dared not even speak up, while those of higher status came in waves.
All of them were vying for the hand of the Prince’s only legitimate daughter.
Before the Emperor’s birthday celebrations had even begun, the entire Capital was already abuzz with talk of Luo Shu.
Luo Jingfeng had indeed intended to find a good match for his younger sister in the Capital, but he never expected her to instantly become the target of every powerful family in the city.
And the Prince of Southern Pacification was a man who valued profit above all else.
In his eagerness to curry favor with the Capital’s elite, the candidates he selected for Luo Shu were all high-ranking officials or titled nobles—many of them elderly men or widowers seeking a second wife. There was no screening for character whatsoever.
When Luo Jingfeng heard that his sister was being forced to meet such men, he was furious. He threatened to take his father down with him, but the Prince’s guards restrained him and subjected him to a brutal beating of over a hundred strokes, leaving him bedridden.
It was at this moment that Wen Lingyu arrived.
A full year had passed since he had last seen the woman he loved, and to reunite in such a wretched state left Luo Jingfeng too ashamed to even lift his head.
"Jingfeng, are you alright?" Wen Lingyu sat by his bedside and asked softly, "Father told me you were beaten. What did you do to anger His Highness this time?"
Luo Jingfeng glared at her indignantly. "He’s the one being unreasonable, forcing my sister to marry those wretched old men. Don’t you think that’s outrageous?"
Wen Lingyu frowned. "But Father said those men are either from ducal families or rising stars in the court, all of them powerful and influential..."
Luo Jingfeng’s temper flared instantly. "Just because they’re powerful means she should marry them? What kind of scum dares to covet my sister? Are they even worthy?!"
Seeing his anger, Wen Lingyu quickly tried to soothe him. "Alright, alright, let’s not talk about Shu’er. Let’s talk about you instead. If you keep causing trouble like this, even my father might reconsider letting me marry you."
Luo Jingfeng lowered his head, his brow furrowed. "I’m not causing trouble. My sister is my bottom line. After Mother passed, only my elder brother and I can protect her. No one is allowed to lay a finger on Shu’er."
Wen Lingyu’s eyes darkened slightly as she murmured in agreement, "Yes, no one is allowed to touch Shu’er..."
Unaware of her strange reaction, Luo Jingfeng lifted his slightly flushed face and said, "Once I recover, I’ll send a matchmaker to your house. After the Emperor’s birthday celebrations, I’ll take you back to Yunnan with me. We... we’ll be together forever."
"Alright," Wen Lingyu replied with a smile.
Young love always arrives abruptly, with overwhelming intensity.
As Luo Jingfeng gazed at the girl he adored, the pain of his injuries seemed to fade. As long as he could ensure his sister married well, he could take his wife and leave the Prince of Southern Pacification's Mansion to start a new life.
The future was something to look forward to.
The young are always so confident and optimistic.
Until the next day, when the Prince of Southern Pacification was impeached by Minister Wen Qi, who declared: "His second son, Luo Jingfeng, is arrogant and insolent, claiming that all the nobles in the Capital are shameless old men and lecherous scoundrels who dare to covet his sister without even looking in the mirror."
The moment these words were spoken, the entire court erupted in fury.
Every man who had proposed or even entertained the thought felt personally insulted, their pride wounded beyond repair.
Even the Emperor on his throne was incensed. He roared, "How dare you, Prince of Southern Pacification! By your son’s logic, anyone who fails to wed your daughter is a shameless old man and a lecherous scoundrel?"
Terrified, the Prince of Southern Pacification dropped to his knees. "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! I knew nothing of this!"
"Oh, of course you knew nothing," the Emperor sneered, rising from his throne and hurling a memorial from Eunuch Huang’s hands at him. "Get out! Return to Yunnan at once!"
The Prince trembled in fear.
As the ruler of a distant fief in Yunnan, he had already struggled to gain favor with the Capital’s elite. Now, not only was he barred from the Emperor’s birthday celebrations, but he had also offended every powerful family in the city.
And all of it was because of Luo Jingfeng and Luo Shu!
That unfilial son!
The moment the Prince returned to his mansion, he stormed off in search of a cane before barging into Luo Jingfeng’s quarters. Luo Shu was in the middle of feeding her brother medicine when the bowl was kicked away.
His sudden outburst startled Luo Shu, who cried out, "Father! What are you doing?!"
Luo Jingyun rushed in from outside, desperately trying to hold the Prince back from attacking his younger brother.
Eyes bloodshot with rage, the Prince glared at Luo Jingfeng and demanded, "You worthless fool! Who told you to spout such insolent words to Wen Qi?!"
Luo Jingfeng was bewildered. "What insolent words?"
When the Prince recounted the events in court, Luo Jingfeng shook his head in disbelief. "No, I never said that! I would never!"
"You didn’t?" The Prince broke free from Luo Jingyun’s grip and seized Luo Jingfeng by the collar. "Aren’t you the one who’s been desperate to marry that Wen family wench? Didn’t you tell her? If she hadn’t passed on your words, how would Wen Qi know what you said? Luo Jingfeng, you imbecile, you’ve doomed our entire house!"
Luo Jingfeng was stunned into silence. He kept shaking his head, muttering, "No... no... Shu’er, it can’t be true?"
He turned to Luo Shu, only to see her in tears.
Her voice trembling, Luo Shu whispered, "Second Brother, Father is telling the truth. Minister Wen really did impeach him. The whole Capital knows. It was Sister Lingyu... she visited you just yesterday..."
Luo Jingfeng’s mind went blank.
He could hear nothing, see nothing.
It was Wen Lingyu. Wen Lingyu.
The woman who had brought him medicine and comforted him after his father’s punishment—the one he had thought intelligent, dignified, and gentle, the perfect wife he had vowed to cherish alone for the rest of his life.
Yet this very flower was poisonous.
So poisonous it burned his very soul.
It was the Prince’s voice that finally snapped him back to reality. "Guards! Lock the Third Miss away! Tomorrow, she will accompany me to the palace!"
"Father!" Luo Shu struggled as guards seized her. She didn’t understand what was happening, but her instincts screamed that it would be terrible.
"Stop!" Luo Jingfeng shouted, rolling off the bed in desperation. But his wounds were still unhealed, and the pain left him unable to rise.
Luo Jingyun shoved aside the guards restraining Luo Shu and shielded his sister, demanding, "Father, what are you doing? Shu’er has done nothing wrong! Why must you lock her up?"
The Prince’s eyes were red with fury as he pointed at Luo Jingfeng, who lay sprawled on the floor. "This disgrace has ruined us! Because of him, I can’t even stay in the Capital, and now I’ve offended the Emperor himself! Our entire family is at risk! And you ask why I’m locking her up? I’m sending Luo Shu to the palace! If none of the Capital’s nobles are worthy of her, then she will be offered to the Emperor!"
