Chapter 83: The Road to Winning Favor

Without waiting for the Princess to ask, the Mermaid Princess spoke first, confessing without prompting.

"Great‑uncle, I just wanted to help Brother Ye Yuan teach this heartless woman a lesson!"

Neither Su Mo nor Fei Yan spoke.

The Princess shouted angrily, "Nonsense! Ye Ling, you're being willfully reckless! Miss Su came to treat Ye Yuan; how can you be so rude and strike others!"

The Princess Consort's Lady, also furious, added, "We've always spoiled you too much, and now you act lawlessly! Lord Jian Yi, please handle this according to clan law!"

Jiao Li, his eyes steady, looked at Ye Ling and said, "Attacking without asking right or wrong, striking arbitrarily. According to clan law, twenty lashes."

Hearing this, the mermaid Ye Ling's pupils contracted sharply, "Great‑aunt… I was only worried about Brother Ye Yuan, trying to scare this female so she would voluntarily call off the marriage…"

"Unbridled tongue, no memory, plus ten more lashes!" Lord Jian Yi waved his hand, signaling the Attendants to take Ye Ling for execution.

As expected of the living ancestor of the underground palace, His/Her Highness was still fretting over how to keep Miss Su from calling off the marriage, while she hurried to favor Su's other suitors…

The Princess and her husband exchanged a glance, a hint of sympathy flashing in their eyes.

Yet a mistake must be punished; that is the long‑standing rule of the underground palace, and no one may break it.

After dealing with Ye Ling, the Princess Consort's Lady walked to Su Mo, looked at her apologetically and said, "I'm not trying to exonerate Ye Ling, but she acted rashly out of concern for Ye Yuan. After she serves her punishment, I'll personally explain the reasons to her and have her apologize to Miss Su."

Su Mo said coolly, "Madam, you're being too formal; I don't mind. She struck me, and you and the Princess have already ordered her punishment. To me, that settles it. No need to make her grovel and apologize again; I never like being forced into a corner."

Ye Yuan's Mother furrowed her brows, looked at Su Mo again with a faint inquisitive tone.

In silence, Fei Yan frowned and said, "If Madam has finished, please allow me to take Wife Master back to the room to change."

Ye Yuan's Mother nodded slightly and said, "During dinner, I'll have an Attendant summon you both."

"Thank you, madam!"

After speaking, Fei Yan quickly left, carrying Su Mo.

Yue Ying and Mo Xiao followed closely behind.

Ye Yuan's Mother went to Ye Yuan's Father, frowned worriedly and said, "If this lash lands on Ye Ling, I don't know if it will ruin Ye Yuan's good fortune."

Nearby, Lord Sea Doctor examined Su Mo's clothing and found some Poison Powder.

He placed a pinch between his nostrils, inhaled lightly, and his body jolted involuntarily.

Fortunately, nearby Jing Ming caught him, "Lord Sea Doctor, are you all right?"

Lord Sea Doctor's eyes flashed with excitement, "What a powerful medicine!"

Then his vision went black and he fainted…

The Princess, her husband, and Lord Jian Yi looked speechless, "Again and again! Whenever they see a medicine they want to try it!"

Jing Ming looked bewildered at them and asked, "Princess… what should we do now?"

Lord Jian Yi frowned, suddenly feeling a headache.

Lord Sea Doctor's nickname 'Medicine Maniac' is indeed well earned; sometimes he really can't understand how people can be so unafraid of death…

He pressed his forehead and said to Jing Ming, "First give him a Detox Pill that Su Mo gave earlier; later at dinner, go ask Su Mo for the Antidote!"

Princess Consort's Lady was almost furious: "Are there no normal people left in our underground palace? They always cause trouble at the worst moment!"

"Can't they at least save her some face in front of her future daughter‑in‑law!!!"

Originally Su Mo didn't seem like an easy‑to‑please female, and now, with all these messes, when will her eldest son's marriage ever be settled?

Growing angrier, she turned to the Princess and said, "You are not allowed to enter my room for the next ten days!"

"Um… madam, how can you take it out on me? I'm so innocent???"

Princess Consort's Lady said without turning her head, "You are incompetent! Punish him!"

"No, madam… isn't this punishment a bit too harsh?"

After saying that, the Princess staggered forward, scattering small pearls all over the ground.

Jiao Li looked at the pearls flooding the ground, shook his head helplessly: "Indeed, love‑brain is hereditary."

……

At this moment in Su Mo's room, Attendant Xiao Yu delivered fresh clothes and left.

She planned to first apply some medicine to the red marks on her body, then put on the new garments.

But the three Door Gods in the room seemed determined not to leave.

Su Mo was still wrapped in Fei Yan's outer robe, her fair shoulders exposed.

The exposed calf was luminous and smooth; she looked like a jasmine flower drenched by rain—delicate, moving, evoking pity.

The three watched her, their gaze shifting from initial sympathy to a dim, unclear darkness.

Su Mo sensed the odd atmosphere, forced herself to stay calm and said, "Go out, I'm going to change clothes!"

Yue Ying, his fan‑hand paused, eyes shifting, said, "Wife Master is injured, Yue Ying feels great sympathy; let me see if your wound is okay?"

With that, he flashed to Su Mo's bedside, reaching to grab her hand.

Su Mo, frightened, quickly ducked inside, opened her eyes wide and looked at Mo Xiao: "You hurry, take him out!"

Mo Xiao's heavy gaze swept over her face, then he lifted Yue Ying in one motion.

He originally intended to throw the person out, then return to push Fei Yan away.

But… the person just reached the doorway, and a strong palm wind suddenly thrust them outward!

The door that followed was then slammed shut from inside…

Enraged, Yue Ying shouted from outside, "Damn! You ground‑chicken, you dog! How dare you use such a shady move!"

He then glared at Mo Xiao with a sullen face, "It's all your fault! You've trapped Fei Yan, aren't you happy?"

Mo Xiao looked as usual, but his heart was already a raging storm.

He never expected Fei Yan to use that trick; after all, he always seemed unambitious.

Mo Xiao now felt his temples throb, as if about to explode.

In his life, this was the first time he was this angry.

Yue Ying was about to kick the door in a huff, but Mo Xiao grabbed him and stopped him; after all, this is the East Sea, and if a joke spreads, the Wife Master will surely get angry.

Inside the room, Su Mo blinked her watery eyes.

She looked at the composed Fei Yan, frowned in puzzlement and asked, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"

Fei Yan's hand hanging at his side relaxed slightly; he also felt that his recent action was not gentlemanly enough, even a bit petty.

He never expected that one day he would be so petty… but now it seems such days will be the norm. In front of her, he fears he can no longer be a gentleman.

In fact, when he had just lifted her out of the pool, he had already seen everything he needed to see…

At this moment, recalling that scene made his blood boil.

Fei Yan restrained the surging emotions, stepped forward, and gently brushed his hand over her flushed cheek.

With his expression unchanged, he cooed softly, "I'll stay and help the Wife Master apply the medicine, okay?"