Smash Them and Carry the Coffins Inside

As soon as Reid Yale made his move, the servants of Feng Manor rushed to the back courtyard to find Serena Feng. Despite her haste, Serena was still a step too late, and the commotion outside reached the ears of those in the front courtyard.

"Serena, go back for now. I'll handle this," William Wang Jinling swept a glance at the situation outside, his expression changing slightly as he hurried to stop Serena from coming over. But how could Serena agree? She shook her head at William and said, "Reid Yale came for me."

The servants had already told her what Reid Yale had brought. Although she was angry, she didn’t lose her composure. If Reid dared to deliver such a gift to her door, she dared to face him and accept it. She wasn’t one to be bound by taboos.

"I’m here to present my gift, so of course I’m looking for you. Serena Feng, I came in person to deliver this generous gift and congratulate you on moving into Feng Manor, yet your people blocked me at the gate—is this how Feng Manor treats its guests?" With Serena’s arrival, Reid Yale lost his anger, looking proud as he pointed to the gift he brought. He showed no sign of being upset—only smug satisfaction.

He had every reason to be proud—because the gift Reid Yale brought was anything but ordinary. No one in their right mind would bring such a thing today.

Reid Yale had two coffins carried to the door, borne by sturdy men who now stood at the foot of Feng Manor’s steps. That was precisely why the Crown Prince’s guards refused to let Reid’s "gift" enter the manor.

No one brings coffins as a housewarming gift—it was an obvious curse, wishing Serena Feng dead.

"Young City Lord Reid, you’re exaggerating. It’s not that Feng Manor doesn’t know how to treat guests—it’s just that your gift is far too unusual. My servants were only following protocol and didn’t dare act on their own." Serena stood beside William Wang Jinling and gave him a reassuring smile, showing she didn’t mind at all.

Just two coffins—what was there to fear? It’s not as if those coffins could really hold her.

"So, Serena Feng, are you refusing to accept the gift I brought?" Reid Yale, looking every inch the arrogant young lord, spun around and barked at the coffin bearers, "If that’s the case, smash them—"

"Stop! Don’t smash them!" Serena Feng didn’t know what Reid Yale meant by this, but she knew those two coffins must not be destroyed. She immediately shouted to halt the coffin bearers.

For some reason, the moment she heard Reid say to smash the coffins, a heavy dread pressed on her heart. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

What was inside those coffins?

Serena stared unblinkingly at the coffins, certain something was hidden inside. Reid Yale wouldn’t bother bringing two empty coffins—he was not one for cheap tricks.

Serena’s intervention was perfectly timed. Reid Yale, playing along, gestured for the coffin bearers to stand still, then turned to Serena with a half-smile, provoking her: "So, Serena Feng, you really mean to accept my grand gift?"

Anyone with a shred of sense wouldn’t accept two coffins as a gift. Reid Yale had banked on this—he’d hidden his "gift" inside the coffins, knowing Serena wouldn’t accept them. That way, he could destroy the "gift" in front of her, maybe even feed it to the dogs.

But not yet—he was waiting for Prince Terrence and Prince Damien to stir up the crowd. The more witnesses, the better for him. Then he could claim he meant well and that Serena wrongly accused him; only his momentary anger led him to destroy the "gift."

"Of course I’ll accept it. Why wouldn’t I? The Young City Lord brought it himself; I have to accept. Just two coffins—if Reid Yale dares to send them, I, Serena Feng, dare to take them." Serena grew more convinced that whatever was inside the coffins was crucial. She knew it was a trap, but she chose to jump in anyway.

She was betting on her sixth sense being right. Even if she was wrong, she’d accept the consequences.

Just two coffins—what did it matter if she accepted them?

"Serena!" William Wang Jinling tried to persuade her, but Serena waved him off, "I know what I’m doing, William. Please go inside and inform the Crown Prince, so we don’t offend His Highness."

"You really mean to accept them?" No one would ever bring two coffins into a manor on such an auspicious day.

"Yes!" Serena replied firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. William could only give a wry smile, "Alright, I’ll go explain to the Crown Prince."

He turned and walked away—he needed to clean up the mess for Serena.

Letting coffins through the door would displease not only the Crown Prince, but everyone present. Still, since Serena insisted, William could only do his best to minimize the fallout.

"Serena Feng is truly Serena Feng—fearless as ever." Reid Yale raised his eyebrows, surprised by her audacity. In front of so many nobles, she still dared to let him bring the coffins inside.

He had underestimated Serena Feng.

But it didn’t matter. He’d just change tactics—Serena didn’t know what was inside, so he’d dig a trap and wait for her to fall in.

Reid Yale was patient—he waited for William Wang Jinling to return. With William handling the negotiations, convincing the others inside to let the coffins into Feng Manor wouldn’t be a problem.

With Prince Damien and Prince Terrence present, Reid Yale was confident he could walk away unscathed—even if it meant Serena Feng gained the upper hand.

Reid Yale gave a mysterious smile, which sent a chill down Serena Feng’s spine and made her even more uneasy. All the more reason to keep the coffins and whatever was inside.

When William Wang Jinling entered, he overheard Prince Damien provoking the Crown Prince to bring the officials outside. The Crown Prince, though displeased, kept his composure for the sake of diplomacy and simply smiled.

William didn’t care for any of it and bluntly interrupted Prince Damien’s cutting remarks: "Prince Damien, your concern is noted, but kindly remember your place. This is Eastlyn, not Southlyn. In my capital, you don’t get to call the shots."

No wonder William was so angry—Prince Damien and Reid Yale were being far too obvious. Serena Feng letting Reid bring the coffins inside was actually a good thing; better to cause a scene behind closed doors than out front.

"Lord Jinling has returned? Looks like the commotion outside has been dealt with—perhaps I was meddling unnecessarily." Prince Damien’s eyes flashed cold, but he had no choice but to rein in his temper.

"As long as His Highness knows he was meddling, that’s fine." William replied gently, his words sounding more like a statement of fact than a rebuke, leaving no room for argument.

"Ahem..." Prince Terrence knew Prince Damien was wary of William Wang Jinling’s status as head of the Wang family, so he quickly interjected, "Lord Jinling, Prince Damien was only worried about Serena Feng. Since things are fine, let’s get back to our drinks."

Prince Terrence was confident that, with Reid Yale’s skill and the weight of his "grand gift," Serena Feng would be defeated—so he wasn’t worried at all.

William’s quick return might have unexpected results—and sure enough...

He didn’t disappoint Prince Terrence—William announced Reid Yale’s gift and said Reid insisted on bringing it inside. He then apologized to the Crown Prince, asking His Highness to forgive the Young City Lord’s ignorance and, if there was any offense, to pardon it.

Pfft... Prince Damien nearly coughed up blood in rage.

William was blatantly lying—Reid Yale would never insist on bringing two coffins inside. It was Serena Feng who was bold to the extreme, yet William shifted all the blame onto Reid. Ruthless.

But no one would doubt William’s words. After all, Reid Yale bringing two coffins to the manor was already ignorant and disrespectful.