# Chapter 520: The Means
"Your Highness Wuyuan, I, Yue Qingshan, only ask for one sentence — this ancestral agreement, will you break it, or will you fulfill it?"
Yue Qingshan pressed aggressively, as if demanding that Duan Wuyuan give an explanation.
A bitter smile appeared on Duan Wuyuan's face as he said to Yue Qingshan: "Family Head Yue is a senior whom Wuyuan deeply respects, and the genius of the Yue Clan, Yue Tianming, ranks second among the Eight Young Masters, which Wuyuan also greatly admires. However, this matter concerns my most beloved imperial sister, so I must speak cautiously. How about this — Family Head Yue, please take a seat first, allow me to ponder for a moment, discuss it with my imperial sister, and seek her opinion before giving you an answer. What do you think?"
"No need. Since Your Highness Wuyuan speaks this way, then I, Yue, will stand here and wait for your reply. I only ask that Your Highness Wuyuan remember the ancestral agreement."
Seeing that even this could not make Duan Wuyuan speak, Yue Qingshan knew it was impossible to get a definite answer from him right now. Of course, Yue Qingshan also believed that Duan Wuyuan would not dare to say no — the ancestral agreement between the Imperial Duan Clan and the Yue Clan was not something Duan Wuyuan had the courage to deny. The implications were too great.
So Yue Qingshan was not anxious. He had only been putting some pressure on Duan Wuyuan earlier. Now, he wanted to see how Duan Wuyuan would discuss this with Duan Xinye, and what answer he would prepare to give!
Duan Wuyuan's lips curled into a smile as his gaze fell upon Duan Xinye.
"Imperial Sister, you must have heard Family Head Yue's words clearly. Brother Tianming, as the eldest grandson of the Yue Clan, possesses strong talent and strength, and ranks second among the Eight Young Masters. What is your view on this marriage?"
Duan Wuyuan asked Duan Xinye, leaving the crowd somewhat speechless. At this moment, Duan Xinye was still sitting together with Lin Feng. Duan Wuyuan's question clearly carried some teasing intent — how could Duan Xinye possibly agree?
Duan Xinye's red lips moved, about to speak, but Duan Wuyuan interrupted her.
"Lin Feng, I can actually understand my sister's meaning even without her speaking. Let me ask you instead — what is your view on this matter?"
The crowd's gazes focused, all falling upon Lin Feng.
Lin Feng was the most crucial person in this matter. After all, Duan Xinye was with him, and Yue Qingshan himself was Lin Feng's maternal grandfather. Both sides were connected to Lin Feng.
At this moment, not only the crowd looked at Lin Feng, but Duan Xinye's gaze also fell upon him. She wanted to hear how Lin Feng would answer Duan Wuyuan.
Lin Feng was silent for a moment, staring at Duan Wuyuan, then glanced at Yue Qingshan.
"Xinye is my woman."
A voice emerged from Lin Feng's mouth, carrying a hint of coldness, but also that unique toughness and determination. He was never an indecisive person. Since he had decided to accept Duan Xinye, he should give her everything he could. Now, someone had come to claim his woman — how could he possibly agree?
No need for many words. One sentence had already expressed Lin Feng's position clearly. Duan Xinye was his woman, so of course he could not acknowledge the marriage between Yue Tianming and Duan Xinye.
Lin Feng's firm tone stirred some ripples in the crowd's hearts. This Lin Feng was indeed bold and domineering — standing before Second Prince Duan Wuyuan and Yue Qingshan, denying the marriage contract and declaring that Princess Duan Xinye was his woman. The courage contained in that single sentence was not as simple as it sounded. The pressure Lin Feng would face could well be imagined.
Hearing Lin Feng's simple yet resolute words, Duan Xinye's eyes held a happy smile. She leaned her body closer to Lin Feng, nestling against his arm in front of the crowd.
Since Lin Feng could disregard so much, she could disregard everything too. The pressure should not be borne by Lin Feng alone.
Seeing their intimacy, many people showed envy, especially Yue Tianchen, whose jealousy was particularly naked. Yue Tianming's expression was somewhat ugly. After all, he and Duan Xinye had a marriage contract, yet Duan Xinye was so intimate with Lin Feng, and in front of everyone — where was he supposed to put his face?
Yue Qingshan stared at Lin Feng, his grandson, sighing inwardly. This was his own doing — fighting for his grandson by snatching his grandson's woman. But for the sake of the Yue Clan, he had no other choice.
Everyone was silent. No one spoke, not even Duan Wuyuan.
After a long silence, Duan Wuyuan finally broke the stillness and spoke: "Xinye, are you feeling unwell?"
The crowd was stunned, their gazes falling on Duan Xinye. They saw that Duan Xinye's face was gradually turning red, and her forehead was flushed, as if she was in great discomfort.
"Hmm? What's going on?" Many people were bewildered. Duan Xinye had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago, with no signs of abnormality. Now, suddenly showing these symptoms, which resembled poisoning, was very unusual.
"Xinye, what's wrong with you?"
Lin Feng also noticed Duan Xinye's abnormality, and his heart jolted with alarm.
For martial artists, after cleansing the impurities within their bodies and refining their physical essence, their bodies were extremely strong. Once one crossed into the Spirit Martial Realm, physical discomfort or illness was extremely rare. Duan Xinye, though not particularly obsessed with martial arts, had long since entered the Spirit Martial Realm. There was no reason for her to suddenly become like this without cause. Only if she had been secretly attacked or poisoned would such symptoms appear.
This was precisely why Lin Feng showed such concern.
"It's nothing. I just feel a bit hot and restless. Maybe I'll feel better after resting for a while."
Duan Xinye forced a smile, trying to appear normal, but her face grew redder and redder, even becoming hot to the touch.
Lin Feng placed his hand on Duan Xinye's forehead to feel it, and his heart trembled. So hot! Duan Xinye's forehead was like a flame, burning fiercely.
"No, Xinye, what's really wrong with you? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
Lin Feng's face showed anxiety. Martial cultivators generally didn't have problems, but when they did, it was never a small issue.
Duan Xinye was silent for a moment, then looked at Lin Feng and said softly: "Lin Feng, my body feels so hot."
"So hot?"
Lin Feng's gaze focused. At this moment, Duan Wuyuan also came to Duan Xinye's side, took her hand, and felt the flow of blood and qi in her meridians. His expression stiffened.
"Lin Feng, what did you do to Xinye?"
Duan Wuyuan suddenly shouted at Lin Feng, causing Lin Feng's expression to freeze. What did he do to Duan Xinye? How could he possibly have done anything to Duan Xinye?
The crowd was also stunned, clearly not expecting Duan Wuyuan to suddenly rebuke Lin Feng. Everyone knew the relationship between Duan Wuyuan and Lin Feng had always been very good. In the past, when Lin Feng's cultivation was still weak, Duan Wuyuan had secretly looked after him, enfeoffing Lin Feng as a Crimson Blood Marquis with Yangzhou City as his fiefdom.
"Speak clearly. What's wrong with Xinye? Why is she showing these symptoms?"
Lin Feng's tone also carried a hint of coldness, his gaze unfriendly.
"Xinye... she..." Duan Wuyuan couldn't continue his words, saying coldly: "She was perfectly fine just now, and she's been with you the whole time. After Family Head Yue arrived and mentioned the marriage contract, Xinye suddenly showed signs of being drugged. Lin Feng, don't tell me you know nothing about this."
"Drugged?"
The crowd's eyes froze. They looked at Duan Xinye again. They saw Duan Xinye tightly gripping Lin Feng, her face flushed — even a kind of rosy flush — and her eyes slightly dazed, captivatingly so.
This scene made the crowd feel incredibly hot and restless. Just one look at Duan Xinye's current state, and they couldn't help but have improper thoughts.
Drugged? And Duan Wuyuan couldn't even say it outright!
The crowd's hearts trembled violently, suddenly thinking of a possibility, shocked beyond measure.
Someone had actually dared to drug Princess Duan Xinye at the imperial palace's night banquet — and with such a vicious, evil drug. Such audacity!
Moreover, the timing was so sensitive. Right when Yue Qingshan had brought Yue Tianming to discuss the marriage contract, Duan Xinye was drugged. No wonder Duan Wuyuan's first reaction was to suspect Lin Feng.
"Lin Feng, my body feels so hot."
Duan Xinye was now completely lying on Lin Feng, her voice somewhat slurred. Hearing Duan Wuyuan's questioning, how could Lin Feng not understand what had happened? His expression turned extremely cold. Someone had actually done such a thing to Xinye!