As soon as Prince Xie Lingxi dismounted, he was unexpectedly collided into by a young girl dressed in white, her fragrance enveloping him.

"Dear husband, I'm afraid!" Jiang Rong's soft voice sounded weak and fearful as if she were trembling with fright, clinging tightly to him.

Prince Xie Lingxi's entire body stiffened. After the Empress Dowager arranged their marriage, Jiang Rong, this young lady, had someone send

him a "threatening" letter.

The letter contained only one sentence: "If you dare to marry me, I will dare to become a widow. Either you die, or I die."

How much she hated him, he knew in his heart. How noble her character was, he understood even better.

Even if she ran towards bandits, he wouldn't find it strange. She actually called him dear husband?

Prince Xie Lingxi was extremely surprised, his mind somewhat

dazed by this endearment.

Regaining his senses, Prince Xie Lingxi suppressed his chaotic thoughts and briefly paused his gaze on the blood-soaked Shen Wenyuan.

With Jiang Rong's leg techniques, dealing with a mere group of

bandits was nothing.

Was she afraid? It should be these bandits who were afraid. But Prince Xie Lingxi didn't expose her. Instead, he just slightly tilted his head and ordered the guards behind him, "Kill them."

"Yes!"

The guards of the Northern Prince's Mansion were elite warriors, charging into the bandits like cutting vegetables, swiftly dispatching them.

Only Shen Wenyuan, lying on the ground with serious injuries, frantically shouted, "My father is the Grand Tutor, don't come near me!"

"Jiang Rong, you eloped with him, why cause such a commotion?" Prince Xie Lingxi raised an eyebrow, his expression ambiguous, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Jiang Rong immediately lifted her tear-streaked face buried in his chest, her eyes red, "How can my dear husband tarnish my innocence? I didn't elope with him!"

"Miss Jiang, you've already been caught in the act with him. Do you still want to deny it?" the leader of the guards interjected.

That's right, she still had a cousin, Jiang Wan, who was married in her place. Jiang Rong's mother died early, and she grew up under her uncle's care, treating him like her own father. She had a deep bond with her cousin, Jiang Wan.

After the Empress Dowager arranged their marriage, her uncle and Jiang Wan came to find her.

"Rong'er, we all know you and Wenyuan share deep affection, but that dandy ruined the lives of both of you. Your uncle really can't bear it. After discussing with Wanwan, we decided to have her marry in your place. You and Wenyuan can leave!" her uncle persuaded.

Jiang Rong was deeply moved, "But, that dandy is not a good person. If Wanwan marries him, wouldn't it ruin her entire life? I can't let Wanwan suffer for me!"

"Sister, don't worry, I have my own way to deal with that dandy. If I marry him, I will definitely become the prince's consort. If you marry him, you'll only be bullied by him. This is a win-win situation for both of us. Sister, hurry and escape with your husband!" Jiang Wan comforted.

That day, Jiang Rong, who had eloped, thought she had the closest sister and the most beloved lover, believing herself to be the happiest person in the world.

As a result, she was just a pawn from beginning to end. They used her throughout her life, and in the end, they even used her to harm Xie Lingxi.

She wouldn't let any of these people off the hook! "Dear husband, I don't know anything. After I fell asleep last night, I woke up here. My dear husband, you are as handsome as a celestial being. Shen Wenyuan can't even compare to a single finger of yours. How could I possibly elope with him?" Jiang Rong firmly denied it, pushing all the blame away.

"He abducted me, and I was desperately struggling. Fortunately, my dear husband, you arrived in time. I was so scared..."

Prince Xie Lingxi's gaze shifted downward, glancing at the half-dead Shen Wenyuan.

Who was desperately struggling? Huh?

"So you're saying that today's marriage substitution has nothing to do with you?" Prince Xie Lingxi looked at her.

Jiang Rong nodded obediently, "Of course not! With such a dear husband like you, how could I bear to give myself to someone else? It's all your fault for being so charming, valiant, and outstanding, making my sister momentarily confused and commit such a mistake..."

The leader of the guards and others couldn't bear to listen anymore.

Who didn't know that the Northern Prince, the capital's top dandy, had never done anything improper? How could Miss Jiang Rong praise him so sincerely?

Prince Xie Lingxi raised an eyebrow, his ink-black eyes fixed on Jiang Rong as if he were looking at a stranger. The Jiang Rong in his intelligence network wasn't like this.

Were all the people under his command fools, or was this young lady hiding too deep? But that assessing gaze flickered away, replaced by an indifferent demeanor, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

"Please spare the Jiang family, don't hold them accountable. Please send me back first, and we can discuss the marriage later, okay?" With that, the young girl lightly tugged on his sleeve. Acting spoiled.