In a big manor close to the capital city, a woman in a red hanfu kneeled before a stern old man sitting in an armchair. The old man stroked his long beard with a dissatisfied look. He flicked his robes, "You know I've always disagreed with this matter!"

"But you promised me years ago. You said you'll help me if I am one to the top three candidates in this competition…" She rebuked the old man.

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"Feng Ran!" The old man shouted with impatience.

The woman in the red hanfu was Xiang Feng Ran and the old man was her father, the leader of the Ming Hua Sect. She was reminding her father to fulfill the promise he gave her years ago.

"He's never been fond of you…" Xiang Wu Yang sighed deeply. He didn't understand why his daughter was stubborn on this matter.

"That… that's not true. He just doesn't want to implicate me," Xiang Feng Ran insisted.

"If he liked you, he would have found a way to reach you or at least talk kindly to you," Xiang Wu Yang helplessly shook his head. He felt his daughter was a fool as it was clear the man didn't have feelings for her. Xiang Wu Yang slammed his fist on the armrest as he was reminded of another matter, "He won't even allow you inside his manor yet you still say he likes you. You think I don't know that you tried to barge into his manor only to get beaten by his gatekeeper!"

"That..." Words failed her. Xiang Feng Ran was stunned to know her father knew about her humiliation.

"You are the lady of the Ming Hua Sect. How can you degrade yourself for a useless prince? He is weak and useless and unflavored by the emperor. There is no honor in marrying someone like that!" Xiang Wu Ci gestured at her furiously. The idea of his precious daughter marrying the Sixth Prince irritated him. His daughter was a precious bargaining chip for him. He wanted her marriage to bring benefits to him and his sect.

In order to persuade her to leave Nan Jing city during their last visit, he promised to make the Emperor to decree her marriage to Zhao Li Xin if she clinched one of the top three positions in the next competition. At the time, he thought her feelings would fade after a few years apart. Who knew her feelings would only become stronger over the years? Xiang Wu Yang still didn't like the idea of his daughter marrying Zhao Li Xin.

"Please father… I'll never ask you for anything else. Please grant me this wish this time," Xiang Feng Ran cried pitifully. Zhao Li Xin was her dream husband. She also didn't understand why she couldn't let him go after many years, not adding that he was always cold treatment towards her.

Xiang Wu Yang rubbed his temples. His daughter wouldn't listen to him. He played with the idea of marrying her off to another man but quickly dismissed it. His daughter may go crazy and run away from home if he proposed such an idea. He knew his daughter was temperamental. However, if he married her to Zhao Li Xin...

The information he had claimed Zhao Li Xin was terribly ill and didn't have long to live. There was a possibility the prince may not live long enough to wed his daughter if he got them engaged now. There was also the option of poisoning the prince if he lived past the wedding. His fatal illness could easily be a cover-up for the poison.

With Zhao Li Xin dead, he could dismiss the engagement and have her marry someone else. After a few minutes of contemplation, Xiang Wu Yang felt his solution was great. If Xiang Feng Ran made it to one of the top three positions, she would be famous throughout the country.

She would even attract more suitors as many would want to be associated with her. He could pretend he was fine with her marrying the scum for now. He would kill the prince after a few months, annul the engagement and choose the best suitor for his daughter. He hoped the new suitor would be Long Ming.

Xiang Wu Yang stroked his beard and smiled. He was satisfied with his idea. "Very well. I will allow it because you are persistent. However, this will only happen if you are among the top three participants."

"Really?" Xiang Feng Ran's eyes lit up as she smiled brightly. "Yes, I Will. I will make it… Thank you, father. Thank you!"

Xiang Feng Ran couldn't stop smiling as she imagined her future life with Zhao Li Xin. She imagined them happy with the children. Honestly, it was not wrong for someone like Xiang Feng Ran to have feelings for Zhao Li Xin.

What was wrong was the fact that she wanted to force her feeling on him using the Imperial Decree. It was crazy to force him to accept her as no one could refuse an imperial decree. Refusing one was a death sentence to the person and their family. It was possible that Xiang Feng Ran, in the deepest part of her heart, knew Zhao Li Xin didn't have feelings for her, and she felt the decree was the only way to make him accept her.

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The temperatures in the grey study room inside Ninjing Manor drastically dropped. Mong Yi was kneeling on the floor. He hanged his head low while his back was drenched with cold sweat. He hated that he lost to Mong Ki in the rock-paper-scissors game and he was now the one reporting the bad news.

Zhao Li Xin sat in the big black wooden armchair behind the big desk. He was in his usual lazy position with his head on his fist. His expression and eyes remained cold and distant. His finger tapped the table repeatedly in monotony. It was his habit when thinking. Nothing good usually came from it. His finger stopped and after a few minutes and everything became quiet.

"Let it be…" He eventually said.

"Eh…Yes, Milord," Mong Yi was stunned but he quickly collected himself. He left the study room in confusion and relief. However, it wasn't his job to question his lord's order.

Seeing his brother safe and sound, Mong Ki rose his eyebrows and asked with a disappointed voice, "You look... fine?"

"I am," Mong Yi was upset at his big brother's response. He could be cruel at times.

"I thought our lord would be angry enough to make you cough blood once he heard the news," Mong Ki smiled without guilt.

"..." Mong Yi wondered if Mong Ki was really his blood brother.

Zhao Li Xin still didn't move his position once Mong Yi left. It seemed he had underestimated Xiang Feng Ran's perseverance. Zhao Li Xin sneered at how shameless could the woman be. His father, the Emperor, might approve of the engagement as it would give the kingdom many benefits. His mother, on the other hand, always favored Zhao Qin Feng more.

His mother might hate the idea of him having the Ming Hua Sect as a backer. His mother might hold a private meeting with Xiang Wu Yang to learn more about his plans. His mother won't want him to be cured as it would give her beloved son another obstacle to obtaining the dragon throne.

The throne didn't matter to Zhao Li Xin as he could easily get it if he wanted. But he found it to be a small useless dream. Xiang Feng Ran's actions, however, could easily release him from the shackles of the Sixth Prince.

This meant there would be no more pretense. He would no longer need to hold himself back, to bow or kowtow on the floor. It was time to show them who he really was. He was eager to see the looks on his father, 'dearest' mother, and Xiang Feng Ran's faces when they discovered who he really was.

Zhao Li Xin's mouth curved upwards. His eyes glinted with murderous intent. The temperatures in the room dropped lower. It was fortunate that there was no one there but him. It was like Mong Yi thought. Nothing good happened when his lord smiled like he was doing at that moment.