Feng Linyuan smiled and said calmly.
Looking at the person in front of her, Bai Zheng suddenly felt her eyes turn red.
The warm summer sun finally shone on her thin and cold body again. Her black hair clung to her face, blurring her features. Her eyes trembled, and the tip of her nose tingled slightly.
"Madam."
Feng Linyuan's gaze fell on her, and his eyes instantly softened. He reached out his hand to her from afar, palm up. "Come here."
He said to her softly.
Bai Zheng nodded with a smile. Like a flying swallow, she dashed through the crowd and threw herself into his arms.
Everyone involuntarily made way, watching as Bai Zheng threw herself into Feng Linyuan's embrace.
"You're here," Bai Zheng said in a muffled voice.
"Yes," Feng Linyuan gently patted her on the back. His broad palm gave her an unprecedented sense of peace. "I'm here."
Feng Linyuan's appearance instantly quieted the chaotic scene.
After a brief moment of stupefaction, Feng Jingye quickly regained his composure. He coldly looked at Feng Linyuan and said sarcastically, "Your Lordship sure has come at a good time. It seems that this shop of our Marquis's wife might not be entirely her doing. It must have something to do with Marquis Dingyuan, too?"
Feng Jingye's words instantly dragged Feng Linyuan into the water. Everyone's faces showed suspicion, and they all looked at Feng Linyuan.
Feng Linyuan was gently comforting Bai Zheng. Hearing this, he slowly raised his head, and his gentle and handsome face instantly turned cold.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is right," he said with a cold smile on his lips. "My wife and I are one. Naturally, everything she does has something to do with me."
"So, you admit it?" Feng Jingye's eyes were as sharp as a sword.
Everyone was in an uproar.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Feng Linyuan tilted his head, a look of confusion flashing across his face. "What exactly did this marquis admit?"
"My Lord, they said that the things sold in Madam's shop are poisonous and have killed several people! They said that Madam is a greedy merchant, selling things at high prices but using sub - standard materials. Some of them have even been bitten by rats and insects!" Zhu Ling couldn't help but explain loudly.
Feng Linyuan frowned slightly. Apparently, this was the first time he had heard such a statement.
He wasn't angry. After a moment of thought, he shook his head with a smile. "This statement is quite novel."
At this time, Bai Zheng finally calmed down. She raised her head from Feng Linyuan's embrace and smiled sheepishly at him. "I've caused you trouble again."
"You haven't," Feng Linyuan calmly shook his head. "It's the trouble that has come to you without my permission."
Bai Zheng couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Their affectionate banter as if there was no one else around made Feng Jingye's face as cold as frost.
His dark and cold gaze fell on the two of them, and he sighed faintly. "I really didn't expect that the great Marquis Dingyuan would do such a thing. I used to think that the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, with its century - old reputation, was one of the few noble families in the Great Zhou. I didn't expect that after the old marquis passed away, his descendants would be so morally corrupt..."
These words were really harsh. Qingzhi and Qingshao were instantly angry.
"Your Highness, what do you mean? A few hooligans suddenly appeared and splashed some dirty water on our shop. And Your Highness doesn't even bother to investigate the ins and outs of the case before deciding the marquis's guilt?"
Qingzhi retorted unceremoniously.
Feng Jingye was caught off guard that a little maid dared to speak to him so boldly. His face instantly turned ashen with anger, and he shouted sharply, "You little maid, do you think this Crown Prince is blind or deaf! There are both witnesses and physical evidence in this case. What else needs to be investigated?"
Feng Linyuan glanced at Qingzhi lightly. "Qingzhi, don't be rude."
Qingzhi quickly lowered her head and heard Feng Linyuan continue.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is neither deaf nor blind. Naturally, investigating a case is no problem for you. However, this marquis just arrived and hasn't figured out what happened. Now, being convicted by Your Highness out of the blue, I really feel quite wronged.
I believe that Your Highness has always been just and law - abiding. You shouldn't mind letting this marquis take a look at the so - called witnesses and physical evidence so that I can die in peace, right?"
These words made Feng Jingye suddenly look up. He stared at Feng Linyuan in disbelief, and the arrogant and sarcastic expression on his face instantly shattered.
What did it mean that he was neither deaf nor blind and that investigating a case was no problem for him? Was this an insult or a compliment?
But Feng Linyuan's second half of the sentence was impeccable. He even praised Feng Jingye for being just and law - abiding, leaving him with nowhere to vent his anger.
He frowned but could only nod and say "Okay".
Everyone's attention was drawn to Feng Linyuan and Feng Jingye. No one noticed that behind Feng Linyuan, several figures flashed by. They took Mo Tong and the others away and replaced them with a group of people to guard the kitchen.
"Witnesses?" Feng Linyuan looked around at everyone.
At this time, the crowd quieted down, and several troublemakers who had been shouting for Bai Zheng to pay with her life stepped forward.
Some of them had messy hair, and some were sweating profusely. Apparently, they were the main forces in the shop - smashing battle just now.
Feng Linyuan stepped forward and scanned them one by one with a probing look in his eyes.
"All of your family members got sick after eating the food from my shop?"
They had all been looking at Feng Linyuan unfriendly. Hearing this, they all nodded.
Feng Linyuan nodded slightly. "Could you please tell me in detail when you entered my shop, when you ate the food, what you ate from my shop, and what happened to the person?"
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing where to start.
Finally, the old woman who had started the trouble first stepped forward and replied briskly, "My daughter came to the shop at noon today. She bought some kind of yellow pastry. After taking half a bite, she fell to the ground. We carried her to the medical clinic, and the doctor said there was no hope. She could only go home and wait to die."
At the end, the old woman even managed to choke up her voice quite professionally.
Feng Linyuan nodded. "Where is your daughter now?"
The old woman pointed behind Feng Jingye. The chaos in Anren Alley just now hadn't affected the place where Feng Jingye was standing. And that was exactly where the girl was lying.
Feng Linyuan took a step forward and walked out of the shop through the front hall.
As he walked through the front hall, he finally saw the full view of the shop. A hint of surprise flashed through his eyes and disappeared in an instant.
Although Feng Linyuan's surprise was only momentary, it was very meaningful in the eyes of everyone.
They were not familiar with Bai Zheng in the first place. Moreover, Bai Zheng's reputation had been severely damaged by Bai Di. Now, when they smashed her shop, they hardly felt any guilt.
But Feng Linyuan was different.
He was the Marquis Dingyuan, the protector of the Great Zhou.
Six years ago, for the sake of the Great Zhou, even though he was seriously injured, he still managed to fight back in a desperate situation, thus bringing ten years of peace to the border of the Great Zhou.