The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 76

Though Ning Zheng possessed a handsome countenance, he was a seasoned military officer. Driven by peak indignation, the force behind his blow was considerable.

Zong Si reacted instinctively, leaning back to dodge, yet the fist still connected with the corner of his mouth. Blood surfaced instantly.

“Brother!”

“Third Brother!”

Ning Fu and Zong Ning cried out almost simultaneously.

Ning Fu’s face turned deathly pale in an instant as she rushed to stand between the two men.

“Ah Fu, step aside. This is a matter between him and me,” Ning Zheng said, his face frozen in a mask of cold fury. “A man like him…”

“Brother, do not speak recklessly!” Seeing that he was about to voice his disdain for Zong Si, Ning Fu interrupted him hurriedly. She then turned back to give Zong Si a pleading look.

Physical violence left room for mediation, but if verbal insults were hurled at Zong Si, it would mean a total offense against the Xuan Prince’s Manor. With the Xuan Prince’s power deeply entrenched in the court, if someone were to target her brother at every turn, what would become of his future career?

Ning Zheng fell silent for a moment, locked in a tense standoff with Zong Si.

Though Zong Si’s expression remained unchanged, a palpable chill radiated from him. He was not one to suffer a loss quietly; during their youth, Ning Zheng had initiated several conflicts with him, yet had never emerged as his equal. If he stayed his hand now, it was solely out of respect for Ning Fu.

Ning Fu turned her gaze toward Zong Ning. The latter, stunned for a moment, quickly addressed the young ladies in the academy: “My brother and Master Ning have some private matters to resolve. I must trouble you sisters to head home first.”

Rong Min was more than happy to do Zong Ning this favor. She feigned a relaxed air and said, “Sisters, men always have direct ways of settling their disputes. Let us head back first.”

Ning Fu cast a grateful look toward Rong Min.

Rong Min inwardly rolled her eyes—she wasn’t doing this to help Ning Fu—before glancing back at Ning Zheng. This son of the Duke of Ning was indeed quite dashing.

The young ladies discreetly dispersed.

When Ning Zheng moved to throw a second punch, Zong Si reached out and blocked him. “Master Ning, what madness has possessed you?” Zong Si asked tonelessly.

“Brother, if there is a problem, let us speak reasonably,” Ning Fu said, tugging at Ning Zheng’s arm.

Ning Zheng pulled his arm away and said in a low voice, “Ah Fu, rest assured. Once I have dealt with him, I will go to the Xuan Prince’s Manor to beg for punishment. I will not let this implicate you or our household. A man who uses unscrupulous means to achieve his ends deserves to be taught a lesson.”

Ning Fu’s heart ached for her brother; she was terrified of him suffering any hardship. Her eyes reddened as she cried, “What exactly has the Heir Apparent done to make you disregard everything else? Even if you don’t implicate the Duke’s Manor, what will Mother do if something happens to you?”

“What has he done?” Thinking of Fu Jiahui, Ning Zheng grit his teeth in rage. He stepped forward and grabbed Zong Si by the collar. Zong Si made no further attempt to endure, his right hand tightening into a fist.

However, as Ning Zheng gave the collar a sharp tug, the fabric shifted. The ambiguous scratch marks on Zong Si’s neck were suddenly laid bare for all to see.

“What kind of woman did the Heir Apparent do this with?” Ning Zheng laughed, though his eyes were cold and murderous. If Zong Si intended to take Fu Jiahui as a concubine while dallying with women elsewhere, what kind of husband could he possibly be?

Zong Si’s clenched fist slowly relaxed. He looked past Ning Zheng at Ning Fu, finding himself in a rare moment of being utterly speechless.

Ning Fu was also stunned. She hadn’t expected to confirm that Murong and Zong Si were the same person under these specific circumstances.

Zong Ning, observing the look they exchanged, suddenly understood. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

For a long moment, no one spoke. Their individual thoughts were a tangled mess.

When Ning Zheng struck again, Zong Si offered no resistance.

Ning Fu tried to step forward to stop them, but Zong Si looked at her and said, “It is fine.”

Zong Ning felt a heavy sense of guilt. Since her brother had essentially “bullied” someone else’s sister, it was only logical for Ning Zheng to vent his anger. Thus, despite her concern for her brother, she stood still and did not interfere.

Seeing that Zong Si was not fighting back, Ning Zheng did not feel the slightest sense of relief. He looked down at Zong Si coldly and said, “If the Heir Apparent cannot treat Miss Fu well, then do not even think about her.”

With that, he took Ning Fu’s hand and led her away.

Ning Fu couldn’t help but look back. She saw Zong Si clutching his chest, coughing up a mouthful of bloody water. His brow was furrowed as if his strength had failed him. Zong Ning rushed to support him.

His face wasn’t badly injured, but if he had suffered internal trauma… Ning Fu couldn’t help but feel a lingering spark of worry.

Once Ning Fu had gone, however, Zong Si stood up straight. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression turning thoughtful. The relationship between Fu Jiahui and Ning Zheng was far more intimate than he had imagined.

Still, it was not a good thing for one of his subordinates to be so close to Ning Zheng.

“Return to the manor,” Zong Si said flatly.

When Zong Si returned home injured, the Consort of Xuan was heartbroken. She hurriedly sent word to the palace to summon a royal physician.

“Who on earth injured you like this?” she cried, wishing she could seek justice on his behalf.

Zong Si said nothing, but there were plenty of people outside willing to tell her.

“The Duke of Ning’s Manor again!” The Consort trembled with rage. Was that family simply determined to be at odds with the Xuan Prince’s Manor?

“This is a private matter between Ning Zheng and myself. Mother, there is no need to intervene,” Zong Si said calmly. “My injuries are not severe.” Though he needed to rest for a few days, no bones were broken.

“What private business could you possibly have with him?” she snapped.

However, since he was always decisive in his own affairs, the Consort could only drop the matter.

“The Heir Apparent’s injuries have not touched his vitals. A few days of rest will suffice,” the physician diagnosed, exactly as Zong Si expected.

“I must trouble the physician to write another prescription as well,” Zong Si added.

Zong Ning’s eyes widened. She suddenly realized—her brother taking that beating had been intentional.

When Ning Fu received a letter from Fu Jiahui, her expression changed instantly. Zong Si was “seriously” injured.

Ning Zheng, taking responsibility for his actions, went to the Xuan Prince’s Manor to apologize. Ning Fu, meanwhile, headed to the Qingtian Pavilion.

The moment she saw Zong Si, she knew he had been waiting for her all along.

He had said not long ago that he would wait for her to come to him of her own accord. With a single calculated move, Zong Si had gained the leverage he needed to handle her.