The carefree sixth prince, my father respectfully invites me to ascend the throne.

"Are you so afraid I'll run away?" Yang Ling grumbled twice. "I don't care. I'll go with you if we discuss it for a year. If it doesn't work out, I won't bother you."

"Alright, one year it is." The man patted the boy's head and smiled gently. "If you don't want to marry me, you can leave anytime."

“I promised Fengxiang I would wait for him to come back,” Yang Ling said, raising her watery eyes. “But you’re not allowed to lie to me.”

"I kid you not."

The man smiled and leaned down to kiss the boy's pink lips, then turned and walked out of the house: "Ah Ling, I'll come to see you later. Don't forget our promise."

Watching the man's departing figure, Yang Ling stared blankly out the window, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart.

He was already used to loneliness, so why would he want to share his parents with another person?

Unfortunately, none of this was something he could choose...

……

Night falls.

Yang Ling slowly stepped into a luxurious mansion. He paused for a moment before stepping in, his steps firm and unwavering.

"Young Prince, what brings you here so suddenly?" The old steward asked Yang Ling in surprise.

Yang Ling remained calm, his gaze falling on the peach tree in the courtyard, its blossoms dazzling and exceptionally beautiful.

"Uncle Wang, who planted this peach tree?"

“This peach tree was specially ordered to be planted by my master,” the old steward sighed. “Back then, when my master was driven out of Fengdu, he brought this peach tree back with him, hoping that one day he could meet the young prince.”

Yang Ling was stunned. Feng Xiang had not been able to find him for so many years, so why did he immediately send people to plant this peach tree after learning that he had come to Fengdu?

He doesn’t understand…

"Uncle Wang, where is Fengxiang?"

A complex expression flashed across the old steward's face. He shook his head with a wry smile: "The master does not allow anyone to approach the peach blossom grove, so young prince, you should give up, lest the master be saddened."

A flicker of pain crossed Yang Ling's eyes.

"I see."

The peach trees in this peach grove were specially planted by Fengxiang; he truly...couldn't bear to damage them.

Unfortunately, Fengxiang will never know that this peach tree... was waiting for his return.

……

In Fengxiang's study, a man dressed in red reclined on the bed, holding a book in his hand, but his gaze was not on the pages. Instead, he looked through the window towards the courtyard gate.

He was handsome and wicked, languid and alluring, like a demon, with unparalleled charm.

"The young prince has arrived," a guard's respectful voice came from outside the door. "My lord, what should I do?"

Feng Xiang lowered his eyes, his tone somber: "Let him in."

The guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.

A moment later, the door opened, and a young man in brocade robes walked in slowly.

The boy had exquisite features, with skin as smooth as porcelain, hair as black as ink, and eyebrows as beautiful as a painting. He wore a brocade robe, exuding nobility and elegance, like a beautiful boy who had stepped out of a comic book.

“Fengxiang…” He stood in front of Fengxiang, clenching his fists, suppressing the emotions surging in his heart, “Why haven’t you come looking for me all these years?”

Feng Xiang chuckled softly: "If you don't want to see me, why should I force you? You don't know how I've been unable to eat or sleep these past few years, afraid of losing you again."

The boy closed his eyes. After a long while, the moment he opened them, his face was pale and bloodless, filled with grief: "Since you knew all this, why did you leave me here?"

“Because I can’t bear to let go,” Feng Xiang smiled. “If you hadn’t come to Fengdu, perhaps we would still have a chance. But if you have come back…”

Feng Xiang's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, ruthless, and domineering demeanor: "I would rather kill you than let you marry the emperor of Fengqi Kingdom. A-Ling, you are mine."

"hehe."

Yang Ling laughed sarcastically: "You said you wouldn't kill me, but what happened? You still want to kill me? Feng Xiang, you are my father. We've depended on each other for so many years. Why don't you believe me?"

“You are not my daughter,” Feng Xiang’s gaze gradually turned icy. “That child from back then is dead. You are nothing but a bastard child who was picked up. What right do you have to possess this honor?”

Yang Ling froze, standing there stiffly.

He never imagined that one day Fengxiang would use such vicious words to curse him.

Over the years, he has never looked down on him; on the contrary, he has treated him like a brother.

Why would the person he trusted most so cruelly insult him?

"Hahaha," Yang Ling laughed wildly twice, his expression filled with misery, "Feng Xiang, you actually recognized a thief as your son! The person you raised for more than 20 years is actually the enemy's daughter!"

"The enemy's daughter?" Feng Xiang narrowed his eyes and chuckled. "She's just my sister, not an enemy. Remember that, you're the child I raised! She isn't!"

Yang Ling took a deep breath and turned to leave, but then heard Feng Xiang's cold and ruthless voice behind her.

"Ah Ling, I need your help with something. If you do it for me, I'll tell you a secret about the royal family of Fengqi Kingdom. That secret... is enough to destroy Fengqi."

Yang Ling suddenly stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, and looked at the man sitting on the bed.

"What do you want from me?"

"All you need to do is steal a jade pendant for me," Feng Xiang said with a faint smile, pursing his thin lips. "That thing is very precious. Do your best to steal it back. As for whether you can steal it back, that depends on your fate."

“Fengxiang,” Yang Ling frowned, “the palace of Fengqi Kingdom is heavily guarded and has many guards. It’s difficult for me to even get close, let alone steal from it.”

“Ah Ling, don’t forget, you are a direct descendant of the Yang family. You are my son. The princess and the consort of Fengqi Kingdom are siblings. It would be very easy for you to steal a jade pendant.” Feng Xiang smiled and continued, “If you can’t steal it back, I will send you to the military camp on the border of Fengdu to train for the rest of your life until you have made outstanding military achievements, and then let you return to the capital to inherit the Feng family.”

Yang Ling's expression changed: "If I go to the border town, how am I supposed to return to the capital? You know perfectly well that the border town is what I hate the most!"

Feng Xiang sneered, said no more, and looked away, never looking at Yang Ling again.

Yang Ling clenched her fists angrily: "Feng Xiang, don't you think you're being too despicable?"

"How could I use the word 'despicable' to describe a thief who wants to seize power?" Feng Xiang raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly. "Don't worry, I only want you to steal a jade pendant. As long as you can steal the jade pendant back for me, I promise I won't make things difficult for you!"

Yang Ling gave him a deep look: "You won't lie to me?"

“Of course,” Feng Xiang’s lips curled into a smile, “I promise you, as long as you give me the jade pendant, I will let you return to Fengdu and will not even pursue your crime.”

Yang Ling lowered her eyes and fell into deep thought.