He felt like he saw that face somewhere, but he couldn't quite remember.
As if seeing his confusion, the soldier to his right who had followed him. leaned forward and whispered " His young master Ling Feng"
Hearing that his memory instantly jolted. Earlier, this young man and his mother had paid their respects to the royal family. The surname was Ling. Minor nobility. Not important enough to be remembered by the princess, but important enough to cause trouble.
" Do...you know who my family is "Ling Feng demanded.
"I don't care which family you belong to this is the princess's palace," Fan Xinyu said, his voice calm and flat. "Not your Ling families' where you can order everyone."
Fan Xinyu waved his hand "Arrest him, it seems his family didn't discipline him enough as a child"
The guards behind him immediately moved forward ready to arrest this foolish half- drunk young master. When a slightly panicked voice rang from the crowd that had gathered.
" Commander Fan."
Madam Ling stepped forward, her face pale, her hands trembling. Behind her, Madam Yan followed, her expression carefully neutral.
"I am so sorry, Commander." Madam Ling bowed low. "My son is young. He drank too much. He didn't mean any disrespect."
She quickly pulled her son behind her as if she was afraid, they would take him away. Ling Feng's face had reddened he turned and glanced at his mother with unfocused eyes.
As if remembering something he opened his mouth. But his mother quickly covered his mouth before he could utter another word
Fan Xinyu frowned shaking his head, but before he could speak, Madam Ling bowed quickly and straightened.
"Please send my apologies to her highness," she hissed. "Let's go."
Ling Feng's jaw tightened, but he didn't resist and let his mother drag him away, down the corridor, toward the main hall.
Fan Xinyu watched them go.
Behind him, he heard a soft sound—a suppressed laugh. He glanced sideways.
Madam Yan was hiding her smile behind her sleeve, her eyes bright with disdain. She had followed along for the excitement, and it seemed she had found it. Her daughter who appeared next to her lightly pulled at her sleeve.
Other noblewomen nearby exchanged glances. Some smirked. Others looked away.
"It seems the rumors are true Madam Ling really had a tendency of brag about her son," Fan Xinyu thought side glancing around the room "Seeing him humiliated must be satisfying for the other nobles."
Seeing that the show had come to an end everyone dispersed immediately.
Commander Fan turned back to his soldier. "Return to your post. If he comes near the kitchens again, detain him."
"Yes, Commander."
---
Madam Ling did not take her son home.
She dragged him to a quiet corner of the main hall, away from prying eyes. Her face was flushed—not with wine, but with fury.
"You fool," she whispered. "What do you think you're doing dragging our ling family name through the mud?"
"But mother my attendant said he saw Wei Mei in the kitchen" Ling feng said as he completely turned sober
Madam Ling knew her son well enough from and it seemed her guess was right this stupid son of hers had wanted to go catch that commoner girl luckily when he got caught, he was smart enough to pretend that he was drunk, or this would have really turned into a problem.
She stared at him for a long moment. Then sighed
Ling Feng lowered his head though in an angle his mother couldn't see he clenched his hands. He was about to open his mouth to retort when he had his mother say almost helplessly.
"How many times have I told you a noble mustn't dirty their own hands for a commoner?"
Ling Feng glanced up at his mother.
Madam Ling turned to her lady‑in‑waiting, a thin woman with grey hair and no expression. She pulled her close and whispered something in her ear.
The lady‑in‑waiting nodded. Madam Ling pressed a small pouch of silver into her hand, and then a tiny vial—glass, dark liquid inside.
"You know what to do," Madam Ling murmured.
The lady‑in‑waiting tucked the vial and the silver into her sleeve and disappeared into the crowd.
Madam Ling turned back to her son, her lips curling in disgust.
"If you want to win a battle, play smart.... not hard"
Ling Feng's fingers tightened at his sides. Then, slowly, he relaxed.
" Forgive me, Mother"
Madam ling turned to her son then turned away and sighed it really couldn't be helped
"Wei Mei, you will be mine" he breathed now with a visible twitch at the corner of his lip.
---
Across the courtyard, in the warm, noisy kitchen, Wei Mei felt a shiver crawl down her neck.
She paused, a tray of pastries in her hands, and looked around.
"Jie jie?"
Wei Lin appeared at her side, a half‑eaten bun still in his hand. His eyes were wide with concern.
"What's wrong?"
He had long since been observing the moments this side, so he immediately noticed the pause.
She blinked. The shiver was gone. The kitchen was the same—hot, crowded, loud.
"It's nothing," she said, smiling. "It might just be the wind"
Wei Lin felt around but there's no wind.
Finding his antics cute, Wei Mei crouched down to pinch his cheek.
But Wei Lin had already predicted it. He dodged, running off between the stacks of firewood.
She watched his small back disappear, shook her head
"Maybe it was nothing."
She turned back to her work.