Chapter 10: Volume 1 Chapter 10 This Is the King Bomb

"Miss Rong, I hope you have been well."

That voice…

Rong Luoge's eyes flickered slightly, then she said, "Is that you?"

"It is indeed me; thank you, Miss Rong, for the kindness of lodging me that day."

Rong Luoge did not expect that he was the man who had been convalescing in the old house that night; it was a great surprise, and this shared encounter made her even more cautious.

Clearly he knows her well, while she knows nothing of his background; after a moment she said, "It seems the young master's wound has healed, but I still wonder why you were eavesdropping on our conversation."

"I wasn't deliberately eavesdropping; I just happened to be having tea next door today," the man chuckled lightly. "Miss Rong has saved me; how could I commit such ingratitude?"

Rong Luoge didn't know his true intention; after all, he clearly knew she was Princess Consort Qi, yet still called her Miss Rong. Though this made her happy, she grew even more wary.

Seeing Rong Luoge's doubtful look, the man fell silent for a moment, then said, "To show my sincerity, let me introduce myself: I am Han Xinglan."

Rong Luoge was momentarily stunned—Han Xinglan? Such a familiar name. After a brief mental whirl, her expression shifted; she lifted her gaze, stared at him, then rose respectfully and said, "So you are His Highness the Crown Prince; I, the young lady, have erred; please forgive me."

"Miss Rong, no need for formalities; feel free to be casual in private," Han Xinglan said gently.

Rong Luoge never imagined her luck was so good, that she had run into the charismatic Crown Prince, the mortal enemy of Prince Qi!

"How could this young lady be impolite," Rong Luoge said solemnly. "What happened that day was merely a trivial effort; His Highness need not dwell on it."

Not at all!

He occupied her house to convalesce, was discovered by her but not driven away; if he truly took it lightly, Rong Luoge would naturally keep as far away as possible. The ungrateful cannot be associated with.

If this person still harbors even a hint of gratitude, cooperation might be possible.

Others cannot control Prince Qi, but the Crown Prince can.

Suppression by innate status—this is the king bomb!

"The life‑saving favor cannot be regarded as nothing; Miss Rong, I will forever keep this debt in my heart," Han Xinglan's expression grew even gentler. "Forgive my bluntness; I previously heard only fragments… please excuse my presumption, Miss Rong."

Here it comes, here it comes, the test arrives!

Upon hearing this, Rong Luoge's face immediately showed a helpless and sorrowful expression, "Since the Crown Prince has heard, I have nothing to hide; the matter is exactly as you heard. I just want to live, that's all."

Han Xinglan didn't believe a single word; today he certainly hadn't come rashly, having already investigated Rong Luoge's matters thoroughly, especially the events surrounding that night when she encountered him.

He couldn't quite understand; if it were an act, she performed it too perfectly—the years before marriage were truly a flawless disguise.

He harbored doubt in his heart, yet showed none on his face, only letting out a faint sigh, "I feel deep regret for your plight, Miss Rong; I truly did not expect you to suffer such hardship. However, the marriage is already arranged; if you wish to enlist the elder sister's help to dissolve the engagement, it will be difficult."

Listen to how he speaks: first he offers obvious sympathy and compassion, then he turns the conversation to his own prowess, enticing her to seek his aid.

But Rong Luoge is not the naive original protagonist who can be easily fooled; she showed a hint of sadness and said softly, "This is an unavoidable matter; I can only take it one step at a time. If the engagement can be dissolved, that's best; if not… I can only accept my fate."

Come on, let's all test each other's wounds.

Han Xinglan was momentarily taken aback, and his usually cold visage rarely revealed a flash of astonishment.

Rong Luoge felt smug, thinking, "You little brat, trying to outwit me; if I were so easy to fool, I'd have died a hundred times by now."

"I didn't expect Miss Rong to be one who accepts fate; I misread you, I thought you… never mind. If you have no such intention, then consider that I never brought it up."

Rong Luoge's smile tightened slightly, damn, he turned the tables; Han Xinglan is ruthless.

The two clashed for one round, each landing a strike, resulting in a stalemate.

Han Xinglan rose, his sleeves hanging, standing aside. His posture was relaxed, tall and straight; his long sleeves lightly brushed the hem and draped on the floor. The wind entering through the window brushed his cuffs, causing a gentle sway like the clear radiance of falling snow. His handsome features were like a bright moon over a thousand mountains—clearly close to the eye, yet evoking a dreamlike detachment that stirred a desire to explore.

Rong Luoge lowered her head slightly; this male beauty was overwhelming, and she feared she might lose control and surrender to the enemy.

"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness, but these are family matters and mundane affairs; how could I dare…" Rong Luoge almost bit her teeth as she refused; she truly is difficult.

She was convinced of suspicion, the Crown Prince deliberately used his beauty to tempt her.

Han Xinglan, upon hearing this, gazed deeply at Miss Rong; his smiling eyes were briefly cloaked in a layer of ice, which melted in an instant. "If it were someone else, I would naturally not trouble myself, but you owe me a life‑saving favor. Still, I will not force you; accept this token, and should you ever be in peril, present the token and you will find me."

A white jade token appeared on the table; its jade was warm, clear, and unmistakably a premium piece.

Rong Luoge thought it over and did not refuse; today's clash was not to settle a grudge, merely a mutual test, and since the Crown Prince had given her a way out she gladly went along, saying, "Thus, this young lady thanks Your Highness for your protection."

Han Xinglan gave a faint smile, said nothing more, and turned away.

The wall quickly returned to normal; Rong Luoge tucked the jade token into her bosom, unwilling to linger, and rose immediately to leave.

She had a premonition that she would soon intersect with the Crown Prince again.

Therefore, no need to rush; a hunter's duel is about who has more patience.

In the next room, when everyone saw the Crown Prince return, a tall, thin man immediately said, "Your Highness, I think this Princess Consort Qi may not be a suitable partner for cooperation."

"Hu Xi, you're being too one‑sided; I know you have a bias against Prince Qi, but since the Prince Qi couple are at odds, seeking an alliance with Princess Consort Qi is the best choice," a slightly plump man said.

"Zhen Yun, you must know that Princess Consort Qi met Your Highness on her wedding night; although we haven't clarified what exactly happened that night, the fact that the Prince Qi couple both appeared at Moon Fragrance Tower is suspicious—aren't you afraid that the Prince Qi couple might be setting a trap for Your Highness?" Hu Xi retorted.

Prince Qi is cunning and unscrupulous; of course we must be extra vigilant and avoid any slip.

The other silent person, also a Crown Prince aide, Yu Yu Yan, said, "I sensed a spark of life from the Princess Consort Qi."

Hu Xi and Zhen Yun were both stunned; Yu Yu Yan was born with an astonishing intuition, having helped the Crown Prince avoid deadly crises many times; his words must be true.

Seeing the Crown Prince's life force in the Princess Consort Qi—what kind of joke is this?

But they also clearly understood that Yu Yu Yan never jokes.