Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Hard Restraint Ye Yiheng sat down on the chair next to her, slowly straightening his robe, without speaking. He knew how beautiful she was, and he understood even more that her appearance must have stirred the souls and haunted the dreams of many. After a while, Leng Yu Yan looked up and saw that he had been with her all along; she was slightly startled, then promptly brightened up with a smile. “Your Highness, I’ve made things clear with Ji Qingyu, and such incidents won’t happen again in the future.” Ye Yiheng extended his hand to caress her cheek, his gaze tender and loving: “In my presence, you don’t have to pretend to be strong; you can tell me directly what’s on your mind.” His words seemed carefree, but only he knew how afraid he was that she would say it was because of the arranged marriage or a transaction that she chose him. Leng Yu Yan tugged at the corner of her mouth, trying to smile but unable to do so, as her beautiful eyes quickly filled with tears. “I didn’t know his cold disease acted up; I struck him with my palm, and he coughed up blood twice. Your Highness, I only think of him as a friend, not an enemy.” Xiaoshan had only told Ye Yiheng about Ji Qingyu waking up and questioning Leng Yu Yan why she didn’t choose him; he had no idea about the events that unfolded earlier. Hearing what Leng Yu Yan said, Ye Yiheng’s handsome brows knitted tightly: “What happened?” Leng Yu Yan looked up, forcing back the tears in her eyes and sniffled: “I’ve handled it; it’s all right now.” Saying so, she stood up and went to pull his hand, “Let’s go have a meal, shall we? I’m hungry.” “Okay.” Ye Yiheng turned his hand to grasp hers and led her out of the courtyard. The stars and moon were hidden behind clouds, and the night sky was dark. After having dinner at Prince Zhenbei Mansion, he first accompanied Prince Zhenbei in tasting tea and then joined Old Prince Zhenbei in a game of chess until late into the night, after which Ye Yiheng finally rose to leave. “Yanyan, it’s getting late; you should rest early. I’ll head back to the Eastern Palace.” Leng Yu Yan, seeing him quite relaxed and leisurely, thought he wouldn’t inquire about the events that had happened earlier that day at Xingning Palace. Her relationship with Ji Qingyu had already become such… She knew many of Ye Yiheng’s own brothers wished for his early demise, yet although Ji Qingyu and he weren’t on friendly terms, at least they had a close relationship in their youth. Thus, she didn’t want them to become enemies because of her. Seeing that he was going back to the Eastern Palace, Leng Yu Yan nodded and whispered softly: “Alright, Your Highness, please be careful on your journey!” Saying this, she prepared to see him off. Ye Yiheng raised his hand to hold her shoulder: “You go back to your room to rest; it’s been a busy couple of days. Get a good night’s sleep.” Soon after, Ye Yiheng bade farewell to the elders of the Leng Family and left with Song Guo, Mo Chen, and Ruofeng. As soon as the Eastern Palace Carriage left Prince Zhenbei Mansion, it changed direction. The night was deep and silent, the streets deserted, and the horse carriage smoothly made its way to Marquis Jiangyang Mansion. Earlier in the evening, Ye Jiu had already sent someone to bring Ji Qingyu back to his mansion. When Ye Yiheng arrived, Ji Qingyu was in his study, caressing his own wrist. The area he was rubbing was precisely where Leng Yu Yan had felt his pulse. Hearing footsteps, Ji Qingyu looked up and withdrew his hand, unsurprised to see Ye Yiheng approaching. “Only Ah Yan and I were present when it happened; are you here to ask what occurred?” Ye Yiheng sat down, lifting his robe, his voice clear and cool: “I’m here to tell you that my affection for Yanyan far exceeds yours; spare me your hypocritical façade.” Ji Qingyu smiled as he took out the Jade Pendant he always carried close to his body and slowly played with it, “Ah Yan and I have known each other for a long time. This Jade Pendant has kept her company for me for quite a while, Ye Yiheng, are you jealous?” “Yanyan once borrowed five hundred taels from you, using the Jade Pendant as collateral, why should I be jealous?” Ye Yiheng’s voice was very cold, and his face was even more stern. Ji Qingyu’s smile faded as his playing with the Jade Pendant halted, “So you had already investigated thoroughly? I’m curious, what would Ah Yan think if she knew you were investigating her ?” “These things are not important, nor is how you met each other,” Ye Yiheng slowly adjusted his sleeve cuffs, “What’s important is that Yanyan is my woman.” He spoke slowly, but the pressure emanating from his body made it feel as if one were standing in the ice cellar of the cold wintery December. Suddenly, Ji Qingyu scoffed coldly, “Is that tactic of yours – to use force and to kiss by compulsion – did you ever ask Ah Yan if she was willing?” “I am not you. Today, in Xingning Palace, if I had been just a bit crueller, I would have already kissed her, how could I have given her the chance to strike out with her palm?” “Ye Yiheng, I told Ah Yan that reluctance is a sign of true fondness, and I believe she will ponder this statement over and over.” “I am even more convinced that before long, Ah Yan will understand that for her, your so-called interest is nothing but a manifestation of possessiveness.” Hearing this, Ye Yiheng finally understood why Leng Yu Yan had struck him that day—it was because Ji Qingyu had tried to force a kiss on her. Ye Yiheng clenched his fist, then suddenly, like a spectral shadow, he instantly teleported in front of Ji Qingyu, seizing the other man’s collar with a powerful grasp, “If it wasn’t for your cold disease acting up, I would have crippled you!” Ji Qingyu knew that since his family had once provided Ye Yiheng with half an antidote, no matter what, he wouldn’t deal him a lethal blow, so he laughed brazenly, “Ye Yiheng, are you wishing for me to be incapacitated just like you?” Ye Yiheng pushed forcefully, and Ji Qingyu toppled backward onto the ground along with the chair with a bang. “Reluctance is a sign of true fondness…” Ye Yiheng coldly lifted his foot and stepped onto Ji Qingyu’s chest, his chilled voice resounding, “but possession is an even clearer display of deeper fondness!” It was precisely because he couldn’t bear to, that he did not claim her before the wedding. Every moment he restrained himself, God knows how much he suffered. He looked down at Ji Qingyu from above, his gaze like icy blades, seemingly coated with a layer of frost. Ji Qingyu growled in response to his words, “Possession is absolutely not the same as fondness.” “You’re right,” Ye Yiheng casually interrupted, “My possessiveness for Yanyan is not as simple as fondness. It is probably love.” Ji Qingyu shoved off the foot that Ye Yiheng had on him and staggered to his feet, only to erupt into a fit of coughing, quickly coughing up blood. How could such a cold-hearted person easily fall in love with someone? “There is nothing impossible,” Ye Yiheng lifted his eyelids slightly, “The only real possibility is that you, Ji Qingyu, do not truly care for Yanyan. You are simply contending with me because of the deceased Hu Sisi.” Hearing Hu Sisi mentioned, the words that Ji Qingyu was about to speak suddenly choked off. Ye Yiheng continued, “Yanyan has a pure heart. Today, you vomited blood twice, and she thought she had struck too hard, blaming herself, falling into tears.” “You know how beautiful she looks when she smiles, but do you realize how heart-wrenching she appears when she cries?” “Ji Qingyu, she truly regards you as a friend, but what about you? You purposely oppose me because of Hu Sisi’s death.” Ye Yiheng scoffed again, then said, “Ask yourself this, when the Prince Zhenbei Mansion faced peril last year and Yanyan needed help the most, where were you?” Ji Qingyu shook his head, agitated, “No, I truly like Ah Yan!” Indeed, he had been cowardly when the Prince Zhenbei Mansion faced its crisis. But that should not invalidate his fondness for Ah Yan! “The reason you coughed up blood today has nothing to do with Yanyan’s palm strike, but rather the palm force I hit you with last year—both of us are clear about that.” “The palm force from last year left me with lingering health issues, Ye Yiheng, do you have the nerve to mention that?” Ye Yiheng’s eyebrows rose slightly, “It’s your own weak constitution to blame. Even after taking the Ningqing Pill, you still ended up sick. Whose fault is that?”