Not a Disgrace Part 2

The young lady looked over in Ling Qiyan's direction, then quickly averted her gaze in a fluster and ran away. After a few steps, she couldn't help but look back at him one more time before running far off.

Ling Qiyan raised an eyebrow. Jiang Lin, ever observant, reminded him, "Your Highness, that is the future princess consort the Empress Dowager intends to betroth to you."

Ling Qiyan found this somewhat novel. Recalling the young lady's appearance, she was indeed beautiful, and her shy and timid demeanor was also interesting. He gave Jiang Lin a sidelong glance. "How do you know?"

Jiang Lin explained with a smile, "After we came in earlier, this servant made inquiries for Your Highness."

"You're quite perceptive."

Ling Qiyan joked a little more, then walked into a pavilion on a nearby rockery and sat down.

Wen Ying followed him in and silently poured him tea.

Ling Qiyan glanced up inadvertently and only then noticed that Wen Ying's expression was a little off. He had been fine during the pitch-pot game, but now his face seemed inexplicably veiled by something, cold and icy, which made Ling Qiyan feel particularly uncomfortable looking at him.

Ling Qiyan couldn't help but frown. 'What's wrong with this boy now?'

Wen Ying handed him the teacup and said faintly, "Your Highness, please have some tea."

Ling Qiyan slammed the cup down. "If you have something to say, say it directly. Stop giving this prince that coffin face when there's nothing wrong. It's displeasing to look at."

Wen Ying remained silent.

Ling Qiyan snapped, "Kneel."

Wen Ying knelt, his face taut.

Jiang Lin tactfully withdrew with several servants, going to stand guard at the foot of the rockery.

"Speak."

"This student has nothing to say," Wen Ying's tone was stiff. "Even if I said it, Your Highness wouldn't understand."

Ling Qiyan grew angry. "Who gave you the nerve to speak to this prince like this? To put on airs before me time and time again?"

Wen Ying shut his mouth and didn't respond.

The more he acted like this, the more infuriated Ling Qiyan became. "Is it because this prince has been too good to you that you've gotten ambitious and completely forgotten your place? This prince allowed you into my bed, allowed you to take advantage of me, allowed you to do those things to me, but that doesn't mean you can do as you please, disregard me, and even repeatedly defy me and give me attitude. What do you think you are?"

Wen Ying looked up and asked him calmly, "This student is nothing. Why must Your Highness get angry over this student, this thing that is nothing?"

"You—!"

Furious, Ling Qiyan raised his hand. Before the slap could land, his eyes met Wen Ying's frigid gaze. His movement faltered, and his wrist was grabbed by Wen Ying.

"Let go of me!" Ling Qiyan gritted out through his teeth.

Wen Ying's grip made his wrist ache. A fleeting ruthlessness passed through the man's eyes, but he finally released his hand.

"This student overstepped. May Your Highness quell your anger."

Ling Qiyan was incandescent with rage. He kicked him, stood up, and left. But as he turned, he saw that dog Ling Qiyu standing outside the pavilion, his face dark and sullen, staring at them. He didn't know how long he had been listening.

Jiang Lin and the other servants were kneeling behind, their heads lowered. Presumably, they had been unable to stop Ling Qiyu from coming up and could only kneel to beg for forgiveness.

Seeing this, Ling Qiyan's expression grew even uglier. "What are you doing here?"

"What advantage did he take of you?"

Ling Qiyu had clearly heard what Ling Qiyan said earlier and questioned him directly in a cold voice.

"None of your business," Ling Qiyan said angrily. "Get lost!"

"You let him into your bed? You let him top you? You, a dignified prince, actually gave yourself to a low-life?!"

With every word Ling Qiyu spoke, his voice grew colder, and his eyes, fixed on Ling Qiyan, seemed to be tempered with poison and soaked in ice.

Ling Qiyan's face was already frosty, but his answer was the same: "None of your business."

The anger and hatred in Ling Qiyu's eyes burned hotter. Ling Qiyan ignored him and started to walk away.

Wen Ying, who was kneeling on the ground, stood up. Ignoring Ling Qiyu's bloodthirsty, murderous gaze on him, he gave chase.

For the rest of the day, Ling Qiyan didn't speak to anyone. He wore a foul expression for everyone he saw and went straight back to the manor after the birthday banquet.

Wen Ying was left behind by him and had to walk back to the manor himself.

Ling Qiyan went berserk in his room again, throwing things. Wen Ying knelt outside the door.

After Ling Qiyan finished venting, he flung open the door and directed a single word at Wen Ying outside: "Scram."

Wen Ying did not get up. He asked in a deep voice, "Is Your Highness so angry just because the Crown Prince heard those words?"

"Shouldn't I be angry?!" Ling Qiyan kicked him in the chest.

Wen Ying took the full force of the kick without moving, staring into his eyes. "Does Your Highness think this is a disgrace? Are you that afraid of people finding out? If you feel it's a disgrace, then why do you pester this student to do those things every day?"

"You still dare to speak!"

"Was this student wrong?"

"You... get... the... hell... out!"

Ling Qiyan was at the peak of his fury, squeezing these words through his gritted teeth.

Wen Ying stood up, undisguised disappointment in his dark eyes. "This student has never felt this was a disgrace. Whether being Your Highness's intimate guest, or being accused of serving with my looks and being a fawning favorite, this student has never considered it a disgrace. Because all of this... this student did willingly."

Ling Qiyan froze.

By the time he came to his senses, Wen Ying was already gone.

He deliberately ignored the strange feeling that flashed through his heart at that moment, and an inexplicable, even more irrepressible anger suddenly surged up.

Ling Qiyan's face was ashen. He kicked the door panel beside him with all his might.