Viewed as Pitiful

Xi Feng heard the soft sniffles from within the carriage as he was driving the carriage from outside. Her cries were so soft as if she was trying to hide her tears. Only one with great hearing would be able to make out those sniffles.

The moment her heard her cries, a part of his heart pained. A part he never knew existed. Somewhere deep down he felt a shred of pity for her.

"Da Ying Gongzhu, are you okay?" He gently asked while slightly turning his head her direction. The only thing blocking them was the thin pink curtain of the door. He could barely make out her shadow but even then, he was able to tell that she was wiping her tears away.

Inside the carriage Da Ying put on a wickedly satisfied smirk the moment she heard him speak. "Lord Xi Feng does not need to worry about me. I am use to this." She added to her already pitiful state. All she needed now was for Xi Feng to buy her pitiful act.

He softly sighed. Everyone knew that Da Ying was not favored due to her mother's crime but to go as far as to spurn and ignore her like this...he truly felt it was too much. She was after all a princess. No matter what, he would not treat her as an outcast, he told himself.

"Da Ying Gongzhu, I may be too bold in saying this but know that as your future brother-in-law, you can always come to me when you are distressed. I may not know you well enough but I dare not judge you based on the crime of the past empress." He assured her.

When Da Ying heard this, she grit her teeth. He too was one of those foolish people who believed her mother was guilty. With all her strength, she was able to hold back from lashing out at him. Instead she sniffled a few more times before replying. "I dare not bother the man my mei'mei is in fated to marry. If rumors spread and ruin your reputation..."She paused as if she was being considerate of him. "I'm afraid I will be scorned by my mei'mei for eternity."

When Xi Feng heard her accuse his beloved Wen Wan of being a hotheaded person, he too almost couldn't hold back. Wen Wan was the woman he fancied and to hear another woman speak unkind of her, he was not too pleased. His woman holding this against her? He did not believe Wen Wan would be such a narrow-minded person.

If he didn't see Da Ying as pitiful, he would not have held back. "Da Ying Gongzhu is thinking too much. Wen Wan Gongzhu is kind and benevolent. She will understand your situation. She knows that we will marry in the future. And if she really does scorn you, I will talk to her. Now are you willing to come to me with your problems with ease?" He tried to compromise with her.

"Thank you." Da Ying 'sincerely' thanked him.

When they arrived at the palace, everyone was in the main hall. Wen Wan was the first to get up from her seat and rush towards Xi Feng. "Feng ge'ge." She called out. "I was so worried about you."

She then looked at Da Ying. "Jie'jie, I am so glad you are alright." She pretended as she hurriedly made her way over and held onto Da Ying's hand.

"It is my luck that Lord Xi Feng came to my rescue. Or else who knows what fate I would have suffered." Her eyes went to the Duke of Lan who was standing in the back with the rest. When their eyes met, he couldn't help but give her a look as if apologizing. Da Ying on the other hand gave him that sarcastic look she was so fond of giving him. The look as if she knew he would not come to her rescue.

If he knew deep down how much disappointment she felt the moment it was Xi Feng and not him, he would regret it for a lifetime.

"It's a good thing you are okay. We didn't mean to leave you all alone but Yue Li fainted from shock." Wen Wan pat the back of her hand as if consoling her older sister. "I hope you understand and don't find fault with Yue Li."

"I dare not. Yue Li is still young and her body is weak, how can I be so selfish as to blame her." Da Ying responded back sweetly.

After making sure that she played the perfect princess, Wen Wan turned her attention back to Xi Feng. "Feng ge'ge! I must treat you to lunch after saving my precious sister."

"I…" He wanted to decline but Wen Wan beat him to it.

"Feng ge'ge, you can't decline me. I am doing this to thank you on behalf of my jie'jie. Surely you won't turn me down, right?" Her eyes widened as if she would cry if he rejected her. At the end, he could not resist the beautiful woman in front of him. The woman he planned on making his wife soon.

With the excuse of being tired, Da Ying stayed behind. Qin Xie De used the excuse of escorting her back in case she fainted to also stay back. No one thought anything of the two as they all merrily rushed out to have some snacks while waiting for their meal.

When it was just the two of them, Da Ying turned away and started heading towards the exit. "Da Ying…listen to me." Xie De quickly rushed over to her and gently grabbed her arm. Da Ying stopped and turned to face him.

"What would the Duke of Lan like to say to this lowly princess?" She sarcastically asked. There was nothing but sheer annoyance in her face. Or at least what she wanted him to see. As if she would disappear any minute, he impulsively held both her arms and stared intently at her cold face. "You know I had no choice but to save Wen Wan. She is after all my niece." He desperately explained himself, afraid she would get the wrong idea that he didn't care about her.

Again, no change in her cold demeanor.

"I understand. The Duke of Lan has made it clear that family comes first. Besides, I am nothing more than an enemy of yours. I did not expect you to save me. Therefore, I don't understand your need to explain your situation to me."

Her words hit his heart with a thousand cuts.

"You know that is not true. I stopped seeing you as an enemy a long time ago. I've already said it once and I'll keep saying it until you believe me but I will continue to pursue you until you accept me. I want to be the one to melt the ice in your heart." He once again declared his feelings for her.

Instead of reciprocating his feelings, she reached out for his hand and pushed it away from her arm. "Fine! As long as you are willing to never see Wen Wan and the empress ever again, I can accept you. Until then, I will never love you."

She had said the one thing he could not do. And that was to let go of the familial ties he had with Wen Wan. The woman he grew up watching as a little girl. She was putting him in a difficult position on purpose and he knew it.

This time it was him who released her entirely. "One day I will be the one to make you forget this revenge. Da Ying...there is more to life than revenge."

Da Ying arched a brow as if challenging him. "I've lived the last 5 years waiting for the moment I triumph over those who ruined my mother's reputation." Her eyes began to turn crazily as if possessed. "I am but a living corpse only ever knowing revenge. You and anyone else who dares to intervene, I promise to destroy." She vowed before taking her leave; leaving Xie De to helplessly watch.

"Da Ying, what can I do to make you happy..."