CHAPTER 143: THE TOOTH THAT ENDED A SCHEME
Feng Qingyan's gaze clung to Ye Lanjue with desperate intensity. She waited—almost trembling—for the moment his eyes would fall upon the bite mark she had so carefully crafted upon her shoulder. She longed to see shock, recognition, perhaps even guilt flicker across his face.
But Ye Lanjue did not so much as glance at it.
His expression remained carved from winter stone—cold, remote, utterly unmoved. Not a single ripple of emotion disturbed the icy calm of his features.
Then, without hesitation, he turned away.
Tang Kexin blinked, startled.
No reaction at all? Not even curiosity?
She had already noticed that the bite mark on Feng Qingyan's shoulder was identical to her own—same size, same depth, same shape. It was clearly a deliberate imitation, designed to provoke Ye Lanjue, to test him, to force him into revealing something.
Yet he had given Feng Qingyan nothing.
Feng Qingyan froze, her breath catching. Panic flickered in her eyes. Abandoning all pretence of modesty, she called out sharply:
"Third Prince!"
And then she fell.
Or rather—she performed a fall. Her body tilted at a carefully calculated angle, her exposed shoulder angled perfectly toward him, the fabricated bite mark positioned to be seen the moment he reached out to catch her.
A beauty throwing herself into a man's arms—few men could resist such a sight. Even fewer would allow her to fall.
Tang Kexin's lips twitched.
Such a clumsy performance. Even her 'accidental' fall lacks grace.
And yet, given the circumstances, Tang Kexin fully expected Ye Lanjue to catch her. Even if he felt nothing for Feng Qingyan, he was still a prince. A gentleman. A man of status.
But Ye Lanjue did not extend a hand.
He did not even pause.
He simply continued turning away, allowing Feng Qingyan to topple helplessly toward the ground.
Tang Kexin's eyes widened.
He's really not going to catch her?
Feng Qingyan, having committed fully to her performance, had no way to stop herself. She fell with no reserve, no restraint—utterly unprepared for the reality of the impact.
But then Tang Kexin noticed something else.
Ye Lanjue's foot shifted.
A small stone, previously unnoticed, rolled forward at precisely the right moment, precisely the right angle.
Tang Kexin's breath caught.
He did that on purpose.
The stone slid directly into Feng Qingyan's path.
A heartbeat later—
Thud.
Feng Qingyan's face struck the rock with brutal precision.
The Third Prince's control had been impeccable. He had not merely refused to help her—he had ensured her fall was as humiliating and painful as possible.
Tang Kexin could not decide whether to laugh or sigh.
Truly, the Third Prince is the most underhanded man alive. And yet… if it were me, I might have done the same.
The moment Feng Qingyan hit the ground, Ye Lanjue stepped away from her without a backward glance and came to stand beside Tang Kexin.
The crowd erupted in confusion.
"He saved her earlier—why not now?"
"How could he let a young lady fall like that?"
"What is the Third Prince thinking?"
No one could understand him.
Except Tang Kexin.
She knew perfectly well that his earlier intervention had not been to save Feng Qingyan—it had been to strike the Crown Prince. And since no one recognised the battered man as the heir apparent, Ye Lanjue's blow would never be traced back to him.
Feng Qingyan lay motionless, whether from pain or humiliation no one could tell.
"Quickly—help Miss Feng! Why did the Third Prince not catch her?" Imperial Concubine Ming cried, aghast.
A maid hurried forward and lifted Feng Qingyan.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Her face was covered in blood.
"Her face—!"
"Is she disfigured?"
"Where is the injury?"
The Empress's expression tightened. "Summon the imperial physician at once."
Tang Kexin, unsurprised, simply observed. The blood was mostly from Feng Qingyan's mouth. Her eyes were tightly shut—whether from pain or mortification, no one knew.
Then Tang Kexin noticed something glinting on the ground.
A tooth.
She understood immediately.
Ah. The Third Prince knocked out her front tooth. How unfortunate. Dentistry in this era is… primitive at best.
Feng Qingyan's beauty—her greatest weapon—had suffered a grievous blow.
And she had brought it upon herself.
Tang Kexin's gaze drifted to Ye Lanjue.
He was already looking at her.
Their eyes met.
And in that silent exchange, Tang Kexin realised something with startling clarity:
The Third Prince was far more dangerous—and far more entertaining—than she had ever imagined.
CHAPTER 144: WHEN TRUTH WAS DEMANDED OF HER
Feng Qingyan jolted awake with a piercing scream, the sound slicing through the courtyard like a blade. It seemed she had truly fainted from the pain rather than feigning unconsciousness.
"My face—what's wrong with my face?"
Her voice trembled with raw terror. Her beauty was her pride, her armour, her currency. Without it, she was nothing.
Blood gushed from her mouth in a shocking crimson stream.
"Miss Feng, do not panic," Imperial Concubine Ming stammered, retreating several steps in fright. "Your face is unharmed. The blood is from your mouth."
"My… mouth?"
Feng Qingyan's hand flew to her lips. Her fingers froze.
Her front tooth was gone.
"Ah! My tooth! My tooth has fallen out!"
Her shriek was so shrill that several ladies flinched and covered their ears. Others stepped back in alarm, unable to bear the sight.
"Where is it? Where is my tooth?"
Her words slurred slightly—her missing tooth rendering her speech unclear.
She dropped to her knees, frantically searching the ground. When she finally spotted the small white object, she snatched it up with trembling hands.
"My tooth! I've found it—I've found my tooth!"
The crowd exchanged pitying looks.
What use is it now?
"It was this stone!" Feng Qingyan cried, pointing at the rock. "This stone broke my tooth! But—there was no stone here before. Why is it suddenly here?"
Tang Kexin's lips curved faintly.
She realised it. Too late.
Then Feng Qingyan's gaze snapped to her, eyes blazing.
"It was you! You brought this stone here! You knocked out my tooth!"
Tang Kexin blinked.
How did I become the culprit?
Ye Lanjue remained silent, offering no explanation. He clearly had no intention of defending himself—or of sparing Feng Qingyan's feelings.
"Tang Kexin, you vicious woman!" Feng Qingyan shrieked, storming toward her. "You harmed me out of jealousy! You want to disfigure me because I am more beautiful than you!"
"Miss Feng," Tang Kexin replied softly, her voice steady and cool, "you may eat whatever you like, but you must not speak nonsense. Do not accuse others without proof."
Her calmness struck the crowd like a gust of cold wind.
Even the Northern Prince's eyes flickered with admiration.
Her poise, her quiet authority—there was something hauntingly familiar about it.
"You say I wronged you?" Feng Qingyan spat. "You hate me the most! Who else would do this to me?"
Ye Lanjue's eyes narrowed.
Her hostility toward Tang Kexin was becoming intolerable.
"Miss Feng," Tang Kexin said, her tone still gentle, "your thoughts do not represent mine. I do not waste emotions on you."
Her voice was soft, almost airy—yet it struck like a blade.
"Because," she added, "you are not worthy."
A collective gasp swept through the crowd.
Arrogant.
Audacious.
Unapologetic.
And yet—no one dared refute her.
Even Feng Qingyan was stunned into silence.
Ye Lanjue's lips curved ever so slightly.
This woman—arrogant or not—was utterly captivating.
The Northern Prince stared at her, his expression complicated.
Her aura… her bearing… it was too familiar.
The imperial bodyguard beside him stiffened, his eyes darkening with a protective, murderous glint.
Then Feng Qingyan, trembling with rage, hissed:
"You pretend to be above me, but I know the truth. You hate me because you like the Third Prince! You want to marry him! That's why you oppose me!"
Tang Kexin blinked.
Why does everyone keep saying this?
"You like the Third Prince?" Feng Qingyan demanded.
Ye Lanjue's gaze snapped to Tang Kexin, sharp and intent.
The entire crowd leaned in.
Even the Empress held her breath.
Tang Kexin smiled lightly.
"There is no such thing."
Her tone was so calm, so matter‑of‑fact, that no one doubted her.
Feng Qingyan gaped.
The Empress stared.
Ye Lanjue froze.
Then his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Her answer had been far too quick.
Far too certain.
She really doesn't like me? Not at all?
Tang Kexin, noticing his expression, added hastily:
"Besides, it is impossible for the Third Prince to like me. I am well aware of my own limits. I would never entertain thoughts that are entirely unrealistic."
Ye Lanjue's jaw tightened.
Her attempt to "soften" the blow had somehow made it worse.