Serena Feng understood better than anyone the poison of rumors. But even she hadn’t expected the sheer ferocity this time—a lone woman facing the world’s scorn, arms open to shield herself, shattering gossip with calm, crushing schemes with pride.
The moment Serena Feng stepped out of Feng Manor, a crowd gathered. Lewd, contemptuous, mocking eyes shot toward her, and right in front of her, the whispers began.
“Her eyes are small, but damn if they aren’t seductive.”
Someone chimed in right away: “Yeah, those little eyes are downright bewitching. I can’t look away.”
“Her ass is way too small—she’ll never bear children.”
“Please, would you even want a kid from a woman like her? Bet she wouldn’t even know who the father is.”
“Makes sense.”
“She looks tough, but I wonder what she’s like in bed.”
“Tsk tsk, I wonder how much it’d cost to spend a night with Miss Feng.”
“Money? Maybe Miss Feng wouldn’t even take silver. Maybe she likes it rough.”
Hahaha...
Besides the jeers, matchmakers and servants from notorious households stepped forward, claiming their masters wanted to take Serena Feng as a concubine. Every one of them was infamous.
Even brothel keepers came to ask if Serena Feng planned to sell herself or be listed as a courtesan—they promised a high price.
Serena Feng acted as if she hadn’t heard a word, walking straight ahead, lips curled in a cold smile.
If there wasn’t a hidden hand behind today’s events, Serena Feng wouldn’t believe it for a second.
She insisted on leaving today not only to change Second Madam Hsieh’s dressings, but also to show the person spreading rumors behind the scenes that this method couldn’t bring down Serena Feng. Don’t waste your energy—give up while you can.
Ignoring the chaotic noise around her, Serena Feng simply carried her medicine box, walking with her head held high and back straight.
Amid the noisy, dusty world, I have my own patch of purity.
From a distance, General Warren Yu glanced over, shook his head, and walked toward the city gate.
Such proud bones, such intelligence, yet born a woman—what a pity.
Besides General Warren Yu, Princess Yara and Crown Prince Terrence of Lyndaria also didn’t miss the spectacle.
At this moment, they were seated in a teahouse across the street from Feng Manor, using their second-floor window seat to watch everything outside Feng Manor—while no one could see them.
“Big brother, I underestimated her,” Princess Yara said, surprised that Serena Feng didn’t retreat into Feng Manor for help, but instead faced the storm of rumors with calm composure.
Not all the chaos outside Feng Manor was Yara’s work, but she had certainly helped stir things up—not because she was bored, but because…
She disliked Serena Feng, and Terrence wanted to use the scandal to see if Lance Quinn would show himself, or to uncover even the slightest clue about his identity.
“Anyone Lance Quinn personally saved is no ordinary person,” Terrence said, now looking at Serena Feng with less disdain and more interest.
Maybe taking Serena Feng as a concubine would be a good move. Although today didn’t force Lance Quinn to appear, making her a concubine would be different.
The name Lance Quinn might not be famous in the four empires, but in the martial world he is an idol to the younger generation.
Three years ago, atop Mount Tai, Lance Quinn appeared out of nowhere and defeated the number one martial artist Bu Jingyun, becoming famous overnight.
Yet Lance Quinn was a strange man—after becoming famous, he didn’t found a sect, but instead faded from the martial world, wandering the four nations.
Lance Quinn—aside from his name, no one knows who he really is. He’s a legend in the martial world, but not everyone worships legends; Terrence is one of those people.
Terrence’s luck had been rotten. Traveling under the pretense of bride selection, he’d run into Lance Quinn time and again. Each time, Lance ruined his plans. Now, arriving in Eastlyn, Lance was already watching him before he could act.
So many coincidences made Terrence, who didn’t believe in fate, begin to think Lance Quinn was his fated enemy.
Unfortunately, in every clash, Terrence failed to gain the upper hand. Last time, Yara shot Lance Quinn in the chest with an arrow, but he still escaped.
Hearing her brother’s praise and realizing a hero like Lance Quinn was connected to Serena Feng, Princess Yara frowned, a trace of disdain in her eyes.
“Aside from a bit of lofty, impoverished-lady pride, I don’t see what’s so special about Serena Feng. So she knows some medicine? There are plenty of famous doctors in Eastlyn. She doesn’t even have basic ladylike manners—how could Lance Quinn care about her?”
Terrence shook his head. “Yara, don’t underestimate her. What she has isn’t cheap pride. To stay composed in the face of endless contempt—even most men couldn’t manage it. Yara, if you were in her place, could you do better?”
It wasn’t that Terrence looked down on Yara; he simply knew that without enough resilience and inner strength, Serena Feng would never have dared step out of Feng Manor.
Even Terrence himself, knowing there was trouble brewing, wouldn’t dare show up at such a critical moment. He’d stay hidden until the rumors died down.
But Serena Feng had the courage to step out of Feng Manor right now.
A lone woman facing the world's accusations, protecting herself when no one else would—Serena Feng shattered rumors with calm dignity and crushed those who schemed against her.
Serena Feng came out like this to make it clear to her enemies: she isn’t so easily defeated, and rumors can’t hurt her.
Sure enough, Princess Yara fell silent, her cup trembling, tea spilling over.
She realized she had met her match.
“Should we keep going?” Princess Yara asked, setting aside her pride.
“It’s pointless. What’s the use? It looks like Lance Quinn won’t make a move because of this,” Terrence said, striding away.
...
Terrence now respected Serena Feng, but she still felt pain listening to people treat her like a commodity. Yet, what good is pain?
She had to survive; she had to keep the Eastlyn Dynasty alive; she had to survive in the Nine Provinces. She couldn’t let the rumors continue, and the only way to end them was to show the world she didn’t care.
In this world, her only support was her medical skill. She’d finally made a name for herself through the Hsieh Madam case—she couldn’t give up now.
Besides, a healer’s heart is like a parent’s. Since she dressed and cleaned Second Madam Hsieh’s wounds, Serena Feng had to see it through.
Still, Serena Feng hadn’t expected the rumors to cause so much trouble.
Knowing no one wanted to be linked to her, Serena Feng slipped into the crowd, changed her clothes at a tailor’s, disguised herself, shook off the gawkers, and made sure no one followed before heading to Hsieh Manor.
But before she reached the gate, Second Madam Hsieh’s maid stopped her.
The maid had orders from Second Madam Hsieh and had waited here for four days, just to keep Serena Feng out of Hsieh Manor.