The Marquis doesn't support his beloved wife's ambitions, so I'll take the imperial e

Xiao Qingyan's words, "eye-opening," were like a bucket of ice water poured over Jiang Zhenxue's head.

She wasn't afraid of Xiao Qingyan, but of him going mad and not even sparing Kang Mingyan. Shen Yu's fate was still vividly etched in her mind.

"Mingyan, go back first!" Jiang Zhenxue shoved Kang Mingyan abruptly, her tone more stern than ever before. "This is none of your business! Get out of here!"

Kang Mingyan stumbled from her push, but stubbornly regained his footing and shielded her behind him again.

"I'm not leaving!" He blushed, his neck stiff as he said to Xiao Qingyan, "I don't know your identity, but Xue'er is a weak woman, struggling alone in this place. If you had even a shred of gentlemanly conduct, you wouldn't be so arrogant!"

"Gentlemanly demeanor?" Xiao Qingyan seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He didn't even bother to look at Kang Mingyan. His gaze remained fixed on Jiang Zhenxue's face, full of scrutiny and amusement.

"Jiang Zhenxue, your taste is as bad as ever. First it was that half-dead little beggar, and now it's this poor scholar spouting platitudes. You like this kind of... man who needs your protection?"

Every word he spoke was venomous, not only humiliating Kang Mingyan but also piercing Jiang Zhenxue's heart.

"Shut up!" Jiang Zhenxue trembled with anger. "My affairs are none of your business! And even less of theirs!"

She grew anxious and pushed Kang Mingyan again with all her might: "Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, we can't even be friends anymore!"

Kang Mingyan felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw the anxiety and determination in her eyes. He knew that she was protecting him in this way.

But how could he, a grown man, stand by and watch a woman stand in front of him?

"Xue'er, I..."

"Night Hawk." Xiao Qingyan suddenly spoke calmly, interrupting Kang Mingyan.

"exist."

With a flash of black shadow, Night Hawk appeared in the center of the hall like a ghost, kneeling on one knee, his voice as deep as iron.

"Tell this young master Kang who I am."

Kang Mingyan's mind went blank; he could barely comprehend the meaning behind the words "This Marquis."

Night Hawk raised his head, his emotionless eyes coldly sweeping over Kang Mingyan, his voice carrying absolute authority: "You audacious scoundrel, the man before you is none other than Xiao Qingyan, the Marquis of Ningguo, personally appointed by the current Emperor. How dare you, a mere commoner, be so disrespectful to the Marquis?"

Marquis of Ning...

These three words struck Kang Mingyan like three thunderbolts, hitting him hard on the top of the head.

He froze, staring incredulously at the man before him, who was as handsome as a god yet as dangerous as a demon.

Marquis Ningguo, Xiao Qingyan—he'd heard of that name before! Rumor had it that he wielded immense power in the court, was ruthless and cruel, and was a fearsome figure even the princes in the capital had to be wary of!

He was actually... the very "powerful figure" who made Xue'er flee all the way from the capital to this place?

Kang Mingyan's face instantly turned from red to white, then from white to green. He wasn't stupid; his father was a businessman, and he knew better than anyone what the consequences would be of offending someone like that.

That wasn't just business rivalry; it was a real, devastating catastrophe that could destroy families and even lead to death.

He turned his head sharply to look at Jiang Zhenxue, his eyes filled with shock, confusion, and a hint of fear that he himself was unaware of.

"Xue'er, you...you..."

He wanted to ask, "How did you end up getting involved with someone like that?"

He wanted to ask again, "Since you know such a person, why did you still run away?"

Countless questions choked in his throat, ultimately culminating in a dry, incoherent murmur: "He...he is the Marquis of Ningguo..."

"Now, are you still going to stand up for her?" Xiao Qingyan's lips curled into a cruel smile. He was very satisfied with Kang Mingyan's reaction.

He wanted to make Jiang Zhenxue see clearly how utterly vulnerable her so-called reliance, the men around her, were in the face of his power.

Kang Mingyan's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of implicating his family. The Kang family had some influence in Lizhou Prefecture, but in front of a Marquis who wielded immense power, they were as insignificant as a speck of dust.

Jiang Zhenxue felt a pang of pain in her heart when she saw Kang Mingyan's distraught appearance, but more than that, she felt a sense of relief.

It's good that you're scared.

Only by being afraid can he survive.

"Did you see that?" Jiang Zhenxue ignored Xiao Qingyan, only looking at Kang Mingyan, her voice calm to the point of being cold. "This is none of your business. Now, immediately, get out of here. From this day forward, Qingyun Pavilion and your Kang family will have absolutely no connection whatsoever."

Her words were like knives.

Kang Mingyan's heart clenched. He knew that she was drawing a line and protecting him and the Kang family.

"Xue'er..."

"Get out!" Jiang Zhenxue shouted this word with all her might.

Kang Mingyan's body jolted. He looked at her resolute profile and her eyes that were trying to appear strong, and finally, he slumped his shoulders in despair.

He bowed deeply and humiliatingly to Xiao Qingyan, then turned and staggered out of Qingyun Pavilion.

Every step felt like stepping on his dignity.

He had only one thought in his mind: Xue'er is just too outrageous! She knows such an important person, and she still dares to run away! How difficult will her life be from now on?

Once again, only the two of them remained in the vast Qingyun Pavilion.

Xiao Qingyan enjoyed the feeling of eliminating everyone around her one by one. He slowly walked up to her, looking down at her.

"Now, your 'friends' are all gone." His voice carried a hint of victor's condescension. "No one will bother us anymore."

Jiang Zhenxue slowly raised his head, his face showing not the despair and helplessness he had expected, but rather a cold sarcasm.

"Yes, they're all gone." She smiled. "Xiao Qingyan, do you feel a great sense of accomplishment? Using your power to scare away an unarmed scholar makes you feel incredibly powerful?"

Xiao Qingyan's brows furrowed slightly.

"I'm telling you, you're wrong." Jiang Zhenxue met his gaze without flinching. "You only scared away a friend. But I, Jiang Zhenxue, will have countless friends as long as I live. And what about you?"

Her gaze, like a scalpel, precisely dissected his magnificent exterior, reaching the desolate loneliness within him.

"What do you have besides power and those subordinates who submit to you out of fear? You don't even have a single person who is truly sincere to you."

"You are the most pitiful and loneliest person in this world."

"Shut up!" Xiao Qingyan shouted sharply, as if someone had hit a sore spot.

"You're getting angry because I hit the nail on the head?" Jiang Zhenxue sneered. "I won't go back with you. I won't close Qingyun Pavilion either. Bring it on, whatever you want."

She pointed to her heart and said each word clearly: "I have a worthless life, I've died once, I'm not afraid of anything. But you, Lord Marquis, with your great family and powerful position, you must be careful not to let my worthless life splatter you with blood that can never be washed away."

After saying that, she walked past him and headed straight for the backyard.

As she passed by him, she didn't even bother to glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

It was a complete, utter, heartfelt disregard.

Xiao Qingyan stood still, motionless.

For the first time, he realized that the power he was so proud of had become utterly ridiculous in the face of this woman.

He could kill her, he could destroy everything she had.

But so what?

He couldn't destroy her rebellious nature, nor could he kill her heart, which no longer belonged to him at all.

The night wind blew in through the open door, making his robes flutter.

He suddenly felt that the night in Yunyang County was even colder than the winter in the capital.