"Princess Five, your words are rather unreasonable. The Grand National Master is my third senior brother. We've grown up together since childhood, like childhood sweethearts. Why can't I stay in his mansion? Should I stay with you instead?"
Feng Yunshu raised her eyebrows and gave a teasing smile. She stood up from the chair and walked up to Princess Five, her expression half - smiling.
"Princess Five, take my advice. Stop pestering my third senior brother. He'll never like you."
"Why? Isn't this princess good enough for him?!"
Dongfang Mengling was so angry that her face turned red. She stamped her foot.
Feng Yunshu put away the teasing look on her face and looked at her seriously. "Princess Five, do you really think you're still a five - year - old child? You're so willful in pestering my senior brother without considering others' feelings at all."
"What... what do you mean by that?" Dongfang Mengling frowned, looking puzzled.
"Don't forget your identity. You're the honorable Fifth Princess of the Dan Kingdom. Do you think the Emperor will agree to let you be with my senior brother? If you keep pestering, the Emperor may not do anything to you, but do you think the Emperor will just let it go?"
Feng Yunshu paused for a moment and then加重 her tone. "You always think your love is so special and unique, but have you ever thought that your love might kill my third senior brother? If he's really implicated because of this, what can you do to save him?"
As Feng Yunshu fired off these questions one after another, Dongfang Mengling's expression gradually froze. She stood there stunned for a long time to digest what Feng Yunshu had said.
"No, it's impossible... How could this princess possibly kill the National Master? This princess is a noble princess of a country. As long as I plead with Father, he'll definitely agree. He will..."
Although she said so, the princess's pale face betrayed her inner panic at the moment.
Feng Yunshu didn't say anything more and gave the princess some time to think.
"Princess Five, you might as well go back and think about these questions carefully. It's not too late to make a decision after you've thought it through."
Dongfang Mengling seemed not to have recovered yet. Her eyes were a bit dull, but she didn't continue to pester. Instead, she turned around and left the National Master's mansion.
"Princess, are you okay?" The maid beside her looked worried. She reached out her hand to support the princess, but Dongfang Mengling waved her hand away.
"This princess is fine. Let's go back to the palace."
Feng Yunshu watched the back of the princess leaving and thought her words just now were a bit cruel. However, Dongfang Mengling had to know these things. It was better to have a short pain than a long one.
"Little junior sister, you're really amazing! I didn't notice when you became so eloquent. You talk in such an organized way, just like Master used to teach us!"
Feng Yunshu looked at Kong Ze, who was in high spirits, and couldn't help but complain. "Anyway, third senior brother, since you've become the Grand National Master, you have to handle the original owner's emotional problems properly. I can only help you for a while, not for a lifetime. You're the one who caused this mess, so you should solve it."
Kong Ze looked a bit distressed but knew Feng Yunshu was right. "Alas, Master always said not to get involved in love affairs. Now it seems really troublesome."
"Alright, third senior brother. There's something I need you to cooperate with."
"What is it?"
As she spoke, Feng Yunshu casually glanced at a big tree outside the mansion. Then she used her spiritual power to secretly transmit a message to Kong Ze. "Third senior brother, find a puppet and transform it into my appearance. Pretend that I'm still living in the National Master's mansion. Everything should go on as usual. Don't let others find out that I've left the mansion..."
Kong Ze's expression froze slightly after hearing this. He looked up at Feng Yunshu. "Little junior sister, where are you going? Why are you being so mysterious?"
Feng Yunshu looked at him meaningfully. "I'm going to find a big liar. This liar has deceived me badly. When I find him, I won't be lenient!"
Kong Ze quickly understood and silently thought to himself, Prince Helan, you're on your own. My little junior sister is not easy to deal with.
At the same time, in a military tent in the barracks.
"Achoo!"
Helan Yanting was bending over to study the battle plan on the sand table when he suddenly sneezed loudly.
Yan Qi beside him looked worried. "Your Highness, you'd better put on your cloak. You've been working hard day and night these days and haven't had much rest. You may catch a cold."
"It's okay. I just suddenly felt as if someone was talking about me."
Helan Yanting frowned slightly and turned to look at Yan Qi. "Have you found out the results of the things I asked you to investigate?"
Yan Qi quickly nodded. "We've found out. The man the princess brought back from the Qing Pavilion is named Qing Zhu. He's the person in charge of that pavilion. But it's a bit strange. Besides the information that he opened a Qing Pavilion in the imperial city, we can't find out any other information about him."
Helan Yanting frowned slightly. "Can't you find out where his family is or who he is?"
Yan Qi nodded, looking equally confused. "Yes. This man and that Qing Pavilion seem to have appeared out of nowhere. Besides, there's another piece of news. After Qing Zhu went to the Grand National Master's mansion, he disbanded the people in the Qing Pavilion and closed it down."
"Have you found out why the princess brought this man back to the mansion?"
"This..." Yan Qi was momentarily at a loss for words. "It seems that the princess had no other purpose. She just brought him back to amuse herself..."
Putting it nicely, it was to amuse herself. In other words, he was a male concubine.
With a "crack", another cup on the table was smashed.
"Has this man had any improper behavior with the princess?" Helan Yanting's voice was filled with a cold chill.
Yan Qi quickly shook his head. "According to the report from Yan Liu, the princess and this man had no improper behavior! Except..."
"Except what?"
Helan Yanting glanced at Yan Qi. "When did you pick up this habit of speaking half - way? It's not a good habit. Change it for me."
Yan Qi quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, yes! Yan Qi will definitely correct it!"
"So, except what?"
"The princess and that man played gobang together. I don't know if this counts as an intimate act. It should not, right..."
Helan Yanting's face turned as black as ink. He clenched his fists and remained silent for a long time.
"Your Highness, in my opinion, maybe we should tell the princess about this matter a little bit. At least, the princess should know that you're safe. After all, the princess has been worried about your matter—"
"Yan Qi, you go out first. I want to be alone for a while."
Helan Yanting interrupted Yan Qi in a deep voice. He put his hands behind his back and continued to look down at the sand table.
Yan Qi looked at his master like this, opened his mouth but didn't say anything. Finally, he could only obediently leave the tent.
...
In the Dan Kingdom.
After Feng Yunshu gave instructions to Kong Ze, she went back to her room to pack her things. Ziyuan followed behind, looking puzzled. "Miss, where are we going?"
"Ziyuan, this journey of mine is a long one, and there may be all sorts of problems on the way. You've just recovered from your illness and are still a bit weak. Stay here and have a good rest. You don't need to go on this long - distance trip with me."
"Miss, Ziyuan's body has fully recovered. Let Ziyuan go with you. No matter where you go, Ziyuan will follow to take care of you."
Feng Yunshu always regarded Ziyuan as her own younger sister. Unable to resist her plea, she finally softened and nodded. "Alright, go back and pack your things too."