Ziyan firmly bit her lip. After a moment, she raised her head. There was a dreary smile on her elegant face.

"Qing Yuan, I understand. My father and my brother were wrong in this matter. They"ve had it coming. As much as I couldn"t leave them behind, how could I trouble you?" She left the young man"s embrace as she gave a bitter smile. "Don"t worry, I"ll think of something on my own."

Qing Yuan felt a slight pain in his heart. He was filled with guilt.

If… if only Fengyun Manor were his. He would do anything for the girl he loved.

However…

Sometime in the future, the lady of the manor and her daughter would surely return to Fengyun Manor.

He could not drag Fengyun Manor down with him, let alone ruin the lady"s years of hard work in an instant!

The Fengyun Manor could not afford to upset a powerful existence such as Young Master Nan Xian!

"Ziyan, though I cannot let Fengyun Manor fend for you, but I will still keep your safe. Even if I have to throw my life away, I would not let any harm come to you!"

As Qing Yuan gently consoled her, he had an adamant look on his face. He then tightly held Ziyan in his embrace. 

The female servant in white had been standing by Ziyan"s side throughout the whole thing. Her eyes were fixated on Qing Yuan. A dash of pain flickered in her eyes.

He had forgotten about her after all…

"Qing Yuan." Ziyan did not escape from Qing Yuan"s embrace. She rested her head on Qing Yuan"s chest. "I"ve said before, I love you. I would not put you in a difficult position. Moreover, my father and brother were in the wrong in the first place. I, Ziyan, am not an unreasonable person, but I can"t just abandon them. So I will think of another way."

Qing Yuan felt even more guilty, but he was rather impressed by Ziyan.

If she were a normal girl, she would have followed the usual three-step process of first crying, then tantrum-throwing and finally, threatening him with suicide just to force Fengyun Manor to fend for her. 

But only Ziyan was always so reasonable. How could he leave her on her own?

"Ziyan…" Qing Yuan"s voice faltered. He tightly hugged her. "Promise me that you won"t get involved in this matter. The person that your father and brother have offended, we can"t afford to offend him either!"

Ziyan raised her head in surprise. She had a puzzled look on her face.

Didn"t father and brother merely acted against Liu Yun Kingdom?

The world is such; the winner takes it all, only the victorious will be king!

She didn"t feel that her father had committed any mistakes. He had merely lost because his opponent was stronger.

But why was Fengyun Manor, a faction in the reclusive world, so fearful of Liu Yun Kingdom?

Ziyan looked downward. At first, she wanted to prod Qing Yuan into action. With Qing Yuan"s affection for her, he could never overlook her plights.

However, if Qing Yuan was so afraid of the enemy, then her prodding tactics would not work.

It was true that Qing Yuan loved her, but he loved Fengyun Manor more! He would not let the manor descent into trouble for her sake!

Moreover, she too would not risk her own life for her father and brother!

"Qing Yuan, I know you are doing what"s best for me." Ziyan raised her head as she painfully smiled. "But my father had given me life, I cannot forsake him. I promise you, I will not put my life at risk, okay?"

Qing Yuan shook his head and smiled bitterly.

Yan"er was such a kind-hearted person, or else she would not have risked herself to save him! It was impossible for her to give up on her father and brother! She could not do that as well.

And he had developed his admiration for Ziyan due to that personality of hers in the first place.

"I know that I can"t ask you to give up. In the future, whatever you do, you must let me know. I can"t ask for Fengyun Manor"s help, but as long as I, Qing Yuan, am still living, I won"t let you die!"