Ling Mohan's words indeed touched Feng Jin, and a trace of guilt unexpectedly arose in her heart.
Had she been too harsh on Ling Mohan? After all, aside from his occasional overbearing nature, Ling Mohan was truly impeccable in other aspects.
But ultimately, his actions stemmed from his concern for her, and were thus forgivable. It was perhaps she who had been too meticulous and gotten stuck in a rut.
After much deliberation, Feng Jin decided to humble herself. She put on a very wronged expression, took Ling Mohan's well-defined hand, and said in the gentlest tone possible, "This was an emergency, and in my haste, I forgot to send word, which made you worry. It's all my fault. I promise there won't be a next time."
Feng Jin's yielding was very pleasing to Ling Mohan, and his expression immediately softened.
Though his gaze towards Feng Jin held a hint of reproach, it was filled with more helplessness and reluctance. Ling Mohan leaned down, meeting Feng Jin's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "This is the only time. You must never again stay out all night by yourself. Do you understand?"
Feng Jin nodded solemnly, as if pounding garlic, and raised two fingers in a promise, "There will absolutely not be a next time. Please don't be angry with me anymore, okay?"
Her soft, boneless voice, like a kitten's purr, gently tickled the man's heart. Ling Mohan's gaze towards Feng Jin gradually changed.
With a sweep of his large hand, he pulled Feng Jin into his embrace, and then his lips descended.
Feng Jin was startled by the sudden kiss and stood frozen, momentarily forgetting even how to breathe.
The man's breath lingered in her nostrils, and Feng Jin's body instantly went weak. She leaned against Ling Mohan, supporting her body's weight.
After the kiss, when she finally had a chance to breathe, Feng Jin greedily inhaled the fresh air in large gulps.
Ling Mohan held Feng Jin tightly in his arms, his deep voice resonating from above her head, "From now on, remember to inform me when you go out."
"Got it," Feng Jin murmured softly.
Upon arriving at the Ling Manor, Feng Jin tumbled directly onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Ling Mohan, having been up all night handling affairs in the military camp, also hadn't slept. He decided to accompany Feng Jin and catch up on sleep.
As the two were sleeping soundly, a world-shattering sound suddenly erupted from the east wing's side room, piercing the heavens.
Feng Jin was startled awake and, still groggy, asked, "What happened?"
Ling Mohan was also jolted awake, shaking his head in bewilderment.
Feng Jin casually put on an outer garment and slipped on her shoes, then went outside. The sight that greeted her nearly made her jaw drop.
Tables, chairs, and benches lay in shattered pieces on the ground. The doors and windows, with parts missing, were hanging precariously. Black smoke was still rising from within the room. The scene was truly a sight of utter devastation.
Feng Jin grabbed a nearby servant, who was already dazed with shock, and asked, "What... what happened here? Is Gu Beichen dead?"
The servant, having lost all composure from the fright, shook his head blankly.
Disappointed, Feng Jin released the servant. Just as she was about to investigate further, a disheveled figure, with an explosion of hair and smoke emanating from them, emerged from the room.
"Who are you? What kind of demon or monster are you?" Feng Jin demanded angrily, her silver needles already prepared.
"You're the demon, you are. I am this Crown Prince."
A familiar and infuriating voice rang out, and Feng Jin immediately recognized it as Gu Beichen.
"Gu Beichen?" Feng Jin exclaimed, raising her voice, "Why do you look like this... ghost?"
"And what happened to my room? Did you do this?"
Gu Beichen coughed lightly and said, "This Crown Prince was conducting research, and through a moment of carelessness, the room exploded."
His flippant tone immediately infuriated Feng Jin.
"You scoundrel! I don't mind you blowing up my room, but I won't hesitate to blow you up again!"
Feng Jin gritted her teeth, feeling her blood pressure soar, and even had the urge to kill.
"This Crown Prince already stated it was merely a moment of carelessness. Why must you be so petty?"
Even in such a situation, Gu Beichen still managed to maintain his composure, but to Feng Jin, he appeared incredibly obnoxious.
"Then I must trouble Your Highness. You still have the leisure to research."
As her words fell, a flash of silver flickered from Feng Jin's hand, and Gu Beichen collapsed straight to the ground, instantly immobilized.
"Guards, wash this Crown Prince thoroughly and throw him out."
Feng Jin rubbed her temples, suppressing the urge to explode.
When Ling Mohan arrived, he didn't even see a soul, only the scene of disarray. After some inquiries, he rushed to retrieve Gu Beichen, who had been discarded at the main gate.
He then humbly pleaded with Feng Jin for a long time before finally unsealing Gu Beichen's acupoints.
After his acupoints were unsealed, Gu Beichen hurriedly moved his stiff limbs. The prolonged immobility and poor circulation caused him to go numb all over the moment the seal was broken.
Gu Beichen's legs trembled uncontrollably, and the numbness spread throughout his body, leaving him without the strength to stand and collapsing onto the ground.
It took a full quarter of an hour before the numbness began to subside slightly.
Gu Beichen managed to support himself and stand up. He picked up a teacup and gulped down several mouthfuls of water, finally feeling some relief in his parched throat.
"Speak. What exactly were you doing in the room?"
Feng Jin asked with a dark expression. As soon as she arrived, she had smelled a strong gunpowder odor, and had also found traces of gunpowder in the room.
She was genuinely curious what Gu Beichen had been researching.
Such a massive explosion could only be caused by gunpowder, and indeed, highly concentrated gunpowder.
"This Crown Prince... this Crown Prince was simply bored and seeking some amusement. Is there anything wrong with that..."
Gu Beichen's words were evasive, dodging Feng Jin's questions and not getting to the point.
"Bang." Feng Jin slammed a large, unrecognizable object onto the table.
"This was found in your room. Crown Prince Gu, please explain, what is this?"
"Perhaps it's just the tables and chairs burned to charcoal."
Feng Jin's patience was wearing thin. She slammed her palm onto the table, "Do you really think I'm an ignorant woman who can't recognize what this is and would fall for your nonsensical excuses?"
"This is clearly the casing for gunpowder. The scent of gunpowder is so strong, how could I not recognize it? And the saltpeter and sulfur on your room's floor tiles are all raw materials for making gunpowder. Don't tell me, Crown Prince Gu, that you were using them to concoct elixirs for eternal life!"
Gu Beichen was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
"Why were you making gunpowder?"
Ling Mohan, who had been silent for a long time, finally asked.
Under their pressure, Gu Beichen finally spoke after a long pause, "I heard from others that saltpeter and sulfur mixed together could make gunpowder, so I just wanted to try it."