"Your Highness, just now there came some news about the princess from the Dan Kingdom..."
Yan Qi tried very hard to keep calm as he spoke, constantly observing Helan Yanting's expression.
"What news about Yun Shu?"
As soon as Helan Yanting heard it was news about her, his expression immediately became serious.
"It's just... Yan Liu said... the princess went to a brothel today..."
"What?"
Helan Yanting's face darkened. "The princess went to a brothel?!"
Yan Qi shivered all over and slowly nodded. His voice also began to tremble. "...And when the princess left, she took a man back to the national teacher's mansion..."
At this moment, Helan Yanting's face was as cold as ice, almost dripping ice. Yan Qi kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, not daring to breathe loudly. He felt like a fish stranded on the shore, desperately short of oxygen.
"Good, very good..."
After a long silence, Helan Yanting suddenly clapped his hands and laughed coldly a few times. He said to himself, "It seems that love can really be transferred. Maybe she's long had the idea of keeping a male concubine!"
Yan Qi stood there, trying hard to turn himself into a wooden man. He didn't know whether to respond to Helan Yanting's words or not. He wished he could dig a hole and hide in it.
Helan Yanting suddenly looked up at Yan Qi and asked a question, "Yan Qi, is her affection for me really so shallow?"
"This... this..."
After much thought, Yan Qi slowly said, "Your Highness, in the subordinate's opinion, there's probably a misunderstanding in this matter. Maybe the princess doesn't intend to keep a male concubine. She may have other plans..."
"Other plans? What plans? She's already brought a man back to the mansion. What other plans could she have!"
Yan Qi was momentarily at a loss for words.
Helan Yanting's face was cold and solemn. He tightened his grip on the cup in his hand slightly, and the cup instantly shattered. It slipped from his palm and scattered.
"Yan Qi, you immediately tell the people in the Dan Kingdom to find out the name of the male concubine the princess brought back. You must find out all the information about his ancestors for eighteen generations! Also, find out for me why the princess brought this man back to the mansion!"
"Yes! The subordinate will go and handle it right away!"
Hearing this, Yan Qi felt as if he had received an amnesty. He turned around and was about to run away like a frightened rabbit, but was stopped by a voice from behind, "Wait."
Yan Qi stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at the gloomy - faced Helan Yanting. "Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?"
"Keep a close eye on the princess and that man's actions for me. If there's any physical contact between them, directly arrest that man for me!"
Yan Qi shivered and quickly nodded. "Yes!"
After saying that, Yan Qi was about to turn around and run away again. Just as he reached the entrance of the tent, he was called again, "Yan Qi."
Yan Qi turned around with a stiff neck. He was really suffering.
He should have proposed to swap tasks with Yan Liu. He would rather stay in the Dan Kingdom to secretly protect the princess. In that way, he could also see Ziyuan.
Now, it's all bad. Staying by the master's side, he has to bear both physical and mental pressure. This job is really not for ordinary people!
"Do you think the princess did this for some other purpose?"
Yan Qi quickly nodded. "Yes, in the subordinate's opinion, the princess has deep affection for Your Highness. Even if the princess thought Your Highness was in trouble, she would never be so fickle - minded and fall in love with someone else."
Helan Yanting thoughtfully twirled the ring on his finger. His eyebrows were almost knitted into a ball.
"Okay, you can go down first."
"Yes, Your Highness!" This time, Yan Qi deliberately slowed down his steps, afraid that Helan Yanting would have something else to say. Fortunately, this time Helan Yanting didn't say anything else.
However, just at this moment, several soldiers rushed to the entrance of the tent in a hurry. "Military advisor, the latest news has come from the front. The crown prince and the third prince of the Dan Kingdom have both come to lead the troops. Not long ago, the crown prince went to the enemy's camp to boost morale. The enemy's camp is in high spirits. They're shouting in front of our city gate, challenging us to a martial - arts contest."
"The crown prince of the Dan Kingdom is here?"
Helan Yanting raised his eyebrows and glanced indifferently outside the tent.
"Yes, General Shi has already gone up to the city gate. He sent us to ask the military advisor to go and check the situation and discuss countermeasures."
"...Okay. You go first. I'll be there later."
After the soldiers left, Helan Yanting stood there with a cold expression and said in a deep voice, "Dongfang Qi, since you're determined to seek your own death, I'll give you a ride."
On the city tower.
Helan Yanting walked up leisurely and calmly. General Shi Yuan looked very respectful when he saw him coming. He blurted out, "Second Empe—"
Realizing he had slipped up, General Shi immediately changed his words. "Military advisor, you're here."
At this time, several soldiers nearby accidentally heard it and couldn't help but turn their heads and whisper to each other. "A masked man suddenly came to our military camp. I didn't expect the general to directly make him a military advisor. A person named 'Second Huang'. It doesn't sound like he has any ability... I don't know what the general sees in him..."
"I don't think so. Although the name 'Second Huang' is indeed a bit casual, look at this person deliberately wearing a mask and not showing his true face. He's so mysterious. The more powerful a person is, the more he likes to be mysterious!"
Yan Qi, who had good hearing, accidentally heard these whispers. "Second Huang"…
"Pfft..." Yan Qi couldn't help laughing out loud.
Hearing this, Helan Yanting turned to look at Yan Qi and frowned slightly. "What's the matter?"
Yan Qi shivered all over and quickly shook his head. "No, nothing... The subordinate just suddenly lost control of his expression... Maybe it was the wind."
Helan Yanting didn't say anything else. He walked up to General Shi. "General, how's the situation?"
"Military advisor, look. The troops of the Dan Kingdom below the city gate are provoking us."
Helan Yanting looked in the direction General Shi was pointing. Below the city gate, there stood the well - arranged and imposing troops of the Dan Kingdom. In front of the troops, there were several men on tall horses wearing armor.
Helan Yanting immediately noticed the young man in the middle, wearing armor with a red cloak hanging behind. This man was none other than the crown prince, Dongfang Qi.
In an open space in front, a tall and rugged - faced man in armor was riding on a tall horse, holding a long knife in his hand. He looked up at the city wall and shouted arrogantly, "Are you people of the Yuan Kingdom so timid? Are you afraid to send someone out to fight me? Are all you people of the Yuan Kingdom just a bunch of cowards?!"
After he finished speaking, the soldiers in the troops behind him echoed, "Cowards! Cowards!"
Helan Yanting squinted his eyes and looked at the man who had been shouting. He asked General Shi in a deep voice, "General Shi, do you know who this man below the city is?"
General Shi nodded. "This man is the deputy general Hu who's leading the troops for the Dan Kingdom this time. It's said that this man is very brave in leading troops. He's proficient in all eighteen kinds of weapons and is very skilled in martial arts. He once fought dozens of soldiers alone without any problem. He has amazing brute strength."
After saying that, General Shi paused. "Military advisor, do you think we should send someone out to fight him in a one - on - one battle? This is really a good time to boost our morale. If we really avoid the battle, I'm afraid our morale will be affected."
"Of course, we should accept the challenge."
Helan Yanting said indifferently, "Among our deputy generals in the army, is there anyone willing to accept the challenge?"
As soon as Helan Yanting said this, the deputy generals beside him looked at each other and were silent for a moment. Just then, someone stepped forward and raised their hand. "General, military advisor, this subordinate is willing to accept the challenge!"