Faced with the threat to his title of Duke, Lin Cheng was calm and unperturbed. He gently stroked the cat's back and slowly spoke to remind them: "Have you all forgotten how I obtained this title?"
With Lin Cheng's light words, the faces of everyone present changed slightly, and the Prince showed some shame on his face.
How did Lin Cheng get his title? He was forcibly crowned.
Back then, they had practically coerced the young Lin Cheng into this position, arranging Lin Cheng's fate. Yet now they were talking about stripping away this title that they had forcibly given him.
Wasn't that like slapping their own faces?
It was truly laughable.
They probably also felt embarrassed and fell silent. Either looking down elsewhere or exchanging glances, at a loss for words.
Lin Cheng was good-tempered and didn't embarrass them further. He said to them: "Are you finally willing to let me go?"
"Don't even mention stripping my title, even if I personally committed a grave crime today, who would dare take it away?" Lin Cheng's voice was light and unhurried, but it was like a hammer blow.
Even with a smiling face, he did not lose his majesty.
The Prince realized his mistake and felt ashamed, but stubbornly tried to justify himself: "Duke Lin, let's not confuse matters. We will always be grateful for what Prince Lin has done for C Country, but I believe that if Prince Lin were here today, he would also handle things impartially and give everyone an explanation."
"The world is in turmoil, indeed, even the greatest kindness is easily forgotten." Lin Cheng pulled his mouth, revealing a hint of sarcasm in his smile: "If you all really still remember my uncle's kindness, I, Lin Cheng, would not be sitting here being tried by the three councils today."
"Although you are of Hua Country bloodline, you have already obtained C Country nationality. C Country is your home."
"You grew up in C Country since you were little. Surely your feelings for C Country can't be outweighed by that woman?"
"Are you really going to abandon us for a woman?"
Mentioning Lin Cheng's uncle reawakened the scarce conscience in everyone's hearts. They tried to earnestly appeal to his emotions again.
At this time, the King spoke: "Duke Lin, I can forgive Qiao Yin. You can also marry her."
Everyone looked towards the King.
The King continued: "After marrying Karina."
This was the biggest compromise the King could make.
The scene fell silent. No one raised any objections and all looked towards Lin Cheng, unexpectedly tacitly agreeing to this approach.
Surely Lin Cheng would have no reason to refuse now, everyone thought, and praised the King and Karina for their magnanimity.
Lin Cheng: "I will not marry Karina."
Lin Cheng's public defiance completely angered everyone.
It was clearly they who were ungrateful, yet it became Lin Cheng who was faithless.
The King looked at Lin Cheng and solemnly asked: "Have you made up your mind?"
Lin Cheng: "From beginning to end, I have always had the same answer."
King: "Are you really determined to break with us?"
Lin Cheng: "Does Your Majesty feel that I am completely in the wrong?"
Lin Cheng's calm counter-question made the King seem to come to some decision. He slowly took a deep breath, the amiability on his face completely gone, replaced with the coldness of a monarch.
He said: "Hand Qiao Yin over voluntarily. This is the last bit of face I will give Duke Lin and your uncle."
Lin Cheng looked at the King and slightly shook his head.
Lin Cheng's public defiance angered the King.
The King nodded slightly, as if to say you've got guts.
Then he ruthlessly said: "Come--"
"Since Duke Lin refuses to hand over the perpetrator who hurt Karina, I will personally send people to capture her. Let's see if Duke Lin dares to stop it."
Before Lin Cheng could speak, the butler hurried in at this time and whispered something to the King.
The King first glanced at Lin Cheng, then told the butler: "Bring them in."
Lin Cheng vaguely guessed what was happening.
Sure enough,
The butler brought in Qiao Ying and Qin Hanyue.
Everyone's gaze inevitably turned to Qiao Ying. Except for Lin Cheng, no one looked at her kindly.
Especially the King and Karina's brothers, who wished they could avenge Karina on the spot.
Facing the impending uncontrollable situation, Lin Cheng felt helpless. He thought that if things got out of control later, he should take the initiative to confess Qiao Ying's true identity as Qin Hanyue, otherwise if Qiao Ying caused a scene, it would be difficult for him to bring her away safely.
King: "Mr. Qin, you haven't returned to Hua Country yet?"
Qin Hanyue: "I was going to go back, but it seems Duke Lin has run into some trouble."
Qin Hanyue's words immediately shifted everyone's gaze from Qiao Ying to him.
What was the implication? That he came to back up Lin Cheng?
King: "We have official business to handle. Mr. Qin, why don't you wait in the next room and have some tea?"
Qin Hanyue declined: "Duke Lin asked me to come, and I agreed, so I'll stay here."
Qin Hanyue's words again shifted everyone's gaze from him back to Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng: "???"
Having witnessed how these two liked to frame their teammates, Lin Cheng could only feel speechless now.
The King very much wanted to ask Lin Cheng what he meant by this.
This was the royal family's own matter, yet Lin Cheng had involved someone of Qin Hanyue's status. Was he trying to confront them?
Qiao Ying: "Stop staring. Where's Karina?"
Qiao Ying's voice drew everyone's attention back.
King: "From your tone, you don't seem to have come to confess your crimes."
Qiao Ying had her hands in her coat pockets. "What crimes do I have to confess? With everyone watching, Karina held me at gunpoint and kidnapped me. I've come to settle accounts with her."
Her words successfully aroused public outrage.
She had beaten Karina until she was seriously injured and hospitalized, yet they hadn't settled accounts with her. And she actually wanted to settle accounts with them!
Karina's brother banged the table and stood up: "My sister is lying in the hospital with serious injuries from you beating her, yet you actually have the nerve to settle accounts with us! You've got some nerve."
"You also destroyed Karina's face! You should be condemned to death."
"If you weren't Lin Cheng's woman, I would have crippled both your legs right now to avenge my sister." One by one they revealed their ferocity, filled with righteous indignation.
Qin Hanyue stood behind Qiao Ying. At 1.9 meters tall, he stood behind the 1.65 meters Qiao Ying like a mountain, completely enveloping her within his range.
The invisible protection made Karina's brothers be more cautious, not immediately rushing up to Qiao Ying.
Karina's brothers were formidable.
Qiao Ying was calm and composed. She said: "I only wanted to find Karina originally. But now, I've changed my mind."
Everyone stared at her.
