Chapter 18: Embracing

  "Alright, I'll let her off." Her red lips moved slightly, the corners of her mouth curled up lightly, and her soft voice was like gentle dripping water.

  Xuanyuan Ye's hand holding the cup hesitated for a moment, and the water in his arms rippled slightly, stirring up a few waves of faintly visible ripples.

  Bai Yichen's eyes gleamed with a hint of light, she had done so much, all for him in the end.

  Satisfied, he secretly let out a sigh of relief. His heart also flashed with a few strands of unprecedented joy.

  Such an answer, as if it had been expected by everyone, the civil and military officials all wanted to stand up and congratulate Meng Yuntian on his double happiness. After all, there were only a few men in the world like Bai Yichen who was so excellent.

  Besides, Miss Meng has been pursuing for so many years and finally got a result, how can she not be congratulated.

  However, Meng Fuying's eyes suddenly turned to Bai Yichen, the gentleness on her face instantly disappeared, and her red lips slowly said, "But I want to cancel the engagement."

  Now, Feng Yulang no longer poses a threat to her, and once the conspiracy behind her disguise is exposed, she has nothing left to bargain with. She herself won't be foolish enough to use such tactics again in the future, let alone that this time's mastermind wasn't even her. This much, she knows clearly in her heart. At Feng Yulang's most desperate moment, she didn't betray that person; it was Feng Yulang's cleverness, but also somewhat admirable.

  But she would absolutely not let him off so easily, only that before having absolute control, she wouldn't make any rash moves.

  As Bai Yichen said, Feng Yulan is just a pitiful person.

  A windy storm, exchanged for her freedom, worth it, too worth it.

  Last time at Shouhe Palace, she realized that this engagement was not so easy to dissolve. The Meng family's power is strong, but the Bai family is also not inferior in any way. So if White Yichen does not agree, I'm afraid...

  Today, since Bai Yichen promised to marry her, let her spare Feng Yulang, she might as well go with the flow and use this reason to make him agree to a divorce.

  Xuanyuan Ye held the teacup in his hand again, bringing it closer to his lips, slowly savoring it, and the slightly warm water rippled in his mouth, as if still stirring up faint ripples.

  Everyone was shocked, and the hall was filled with a subtle atmosphere. They all stared at Meng Cuiying in disbelief, never expecting that she would actually propose to cancel the engagement.

  Bai Yichen's body suddenly stiffened, and the satisfied smile in his eyes also froze. His eyes stared straight at her, filled with incredulous shock, but also hiding a hint of anger. This woman, was actually going to...

  "I humbly request that Your Majesty dissolve this engagement, allowing Bai Gongzi and Feng Xiaojie to be together, as well as... Meng Cuiying gazed up at the Emperor, bowing slightly, and spoke in a serious tone, word by word."

  After all, it was her father's birthday banquet, so she didn't want things to become too awkward, and tried her best to save him some face.

  "I... don't want this kindness." Bai Yichen's eyes suddenly sank, his teeth clenched in anger.

  He Bai Yichen, when does he need others' accomplishment?

  Anger-filled refusal, firm and direct, without even considering her own feelings. She wanted to call off the wedding, but he disagreed.

  He, Bai Yichen, the number one young master in the world, was publicly dumped by a woman, but he bluntly said no. This kind of reckless rejection is not something everyone can do.

  Meng Fu's eyes widened in shock, she hadn't expected him to have such a fierce attitude. Hadn't he always wanted to divorce? Hadn't he already written the divorce papers? Why was he so strongly opposed now?

  Isn't he supposed to save Feng Yuxuan? Didn't he say he would marry Feng Yuxuan?

  Her eyes gazed slightly at Feng Yu Lan, with a hint of intimidating implication in her gaze, for he had begged for mercy from Feng Yu Lan before.

  However, Bai Yichen directly ignored him, as if he had completely forgotten his own plea just now.

  Heartless man... how cruel.

  Feng Yulang's body trembled, and in her desperate eyes, a heavy pain emerged. She had thought that she had some place in his heart, but it turned out to be worthless.

  She has been struggling for so many years, fighting for so many years, it's really pathetic. She laughs at Meng Fu Ying's foolishness, but she herself is probably even more foolish than Meng Fu Ying.

  "Alright, today's commotion has delayed the birthday celebration. Let's take Feng Lingyun and Feng Yulan down first, and then come to congratulate Master Hou on his birthday." The emperor looked at the two people who were confronting each other and said in a deep voice.

  A low voice, yet with an irresistible majesty. And Feng Yulang's plea was also in vain.

  Bai Yichen respectfully responded and quickly glanced at Meng Cuiying again before retreating to the side.

  Meng Fu Ying's heart sank slightly, and the emperor's attitude made her realize that this marriage was more troublesome than she had imagined.

  If Bai Yichen continues to disagree, I'm afraid the Emperor will not issue an edict to dissolve the engagement.

  The Bai family, ranked first among the four major families, is far beyond comparison with the others. Under Bai Yichen's management, the Bai family's business has spread all over the world and can be called the richest in the world. With such wealth, it is impossible not to have other powers, so while the emperor values Bai Yichen, he also has his considerations.

  After all, Bai Yichen is not an official in the court, and there is no direct command to restrain him, which is also where Bai Yichen's cleverness lies.

  Compared to the Meng family, the Bai family might be even more of a headache for the Emperor. After all, Meng Yun Tian is just a subject.

  So many years, Bai Yichen has not retired from marriage, what about her now?

  What a pity! That day, Bai Yichen's letter of divorce was not in hand. If that letter of divorce had been in hand...

  She can't afford to make a scene in front of the emperor at her father's birthday banquet, which would be detrimental to her own interests. Moreover, she wouldn't be foolish enough to contradict the emperor at this time.

  So, for now, I can only hold back.

  But don't worry, she will make sure that what she wants to do gets done, and she will get Bai Yichen to agree to the divorce.

  Since he wanted to play without defense, she would accompany him to the end. Anyway, now she had the most time, and her lip corners slightly curled up with a cold smile.

  She wouldn't sacrifice her own happiness for a man she doesn't love.

  The emperor has given an order, who dares to have a different opinion.

  Everyone rushed forward to wish Meng Yuntian a happy birthday.

  After Meng Fu Ying finished paying her respects, she chose a secluded corner that was the most out of the way and unnoticed by anyone. After all, she wasn't the main character today, so no one would pay attention to where she went.

  This situation seems familiar, because in the past, when she went to attend a friend's banquet, she was also used to sitting alone in the corner. She didn't like those hypocritical and insincere pleasantries.

  There were too many guests and the maid was overwhelmed with work, in such a corner. No one came to serve her, she picked up the wine cup on the table by herself, filled it up by herself, and drank it all in one gulp.

  She likes this kind of carefree and uninhibited feeling.

  She felt a gaze piercing through her body, still carrying some anger, no need to look, she knew it was Bai Yichen's.

  Isn't it ridiculous?

  At first, she chased after him like a shadow, but he never looked back. Now, she hides in this corner, and he...

  And what right does he have to be angry?

  She refilled her glass again and downed it in one gulp, drinking was nothing new to her. As an orphan, loneliness was the most familiar thing in her life, and drinking had become a habit.

  That kind of carefree, that kind of freedom, made her, hidden in the corner, even more strangely attractive.

  Suddenly, she felt another gaze on her, Meng Fu Ying slightly furrowed her brow, subconsciously raised her eyes to look over, and once again met that deep and unfathomable gaze, momentarily stunned.

  However, when she wanted to explore the emotions in his eyes, he averted his gaze, as if the previous glance was just her illusion.

  Meng Ruxue sat beside him with a gentle face, pouring wine for him, whispering something in his ear, her face filled with soft smiles.

  The banquet lasted until late at night. When Meng Fuying left the hall, she felt a slight dizziness, possibly due to her current body's lower alcohol tolerance compared to her past self.

  However, after a gust of night wind, she felt much more comfortable, and she walked alone towards her own pavilion.

  Just then, as she was walking alone through the backyard, her wrist was suddenly grasped and before she could react, she was pulled into a spacious embrace.

  Slightly hard chest, masculine breath...