Long Xu Le frowned. The prince's excited voice grated her ears.

When Su Chen saw this, he backhandedly knocked Long Sangyu's chest. "Can you tone it down?"

Junwang's ears grew red both from annoyance and embarrassment. However, he couldn't help but to be gleeful upon hearing his sister's words.

"All mei ren can request to leave the royal family at the age of 23. Of course, Feng Yanyan can do that at that time." Long Xu Le was nonchalant.

"How old is that guy now?" The prince asked Cheng Li.

"22, your Highness."

Long Sangyu muttered that there was still a year to go.

"Sangyu. Leave." Faced with his sister's heavy eyes, he knew that he was too noisy.

He was reluctant but he also couldn't disobey. Leaving one last glare to Su Chen and Xiao Bao who could stay, the loud extroverted prince went back to his courtyard after seeing that his sister was fine.

He also knew that even though he wanted to cling to her, she wouldn't allow it.

The moment Sangyu was out of earshot, Governor-General Su Chen took a quick glance at Xiao Bao which puzzled the latter.

Su Chen sighed and opened his mouth.

"Commander, Feng Yanyan is valuable."

Even though she was sick, the King's eyes grew razor-sharp as she glared at the soldier. The fact that she didn't utter a word made Su Chen wipe the sweat above his lips.

It was said that he was the guy with the largest guts in Danwan but it was false to say that he was unafraid.

"I-it's just that..." He exhaled. "Young master Feng being here is more beneficial."

Wan Li Wang closed her eyes and didn't open them for a long time. It was true, the Feng family would be more willing to work with her when Feng Yanyan was here. But Long Xu Le also had her reasons.

Su Chen was about to give up trying to make a point.

Beside him, Xiao Bao was only listening. But he felt that he was getting closer to the answer he had been looking for these past few days.

The reason Wangye treated Feng Yanyan differently was because he was valuable?

How?

"You know a bit of how politics run. But that is only one side of it. You're saying that ben dian should take Feng Yanyan, correct?"

Su Chen nodded. Take, yes. Concubine, Consort or whatever. No matter what position, having Feng Yanyan close was better.

"Ben dian should remind you that..." Long Xu Le fluttered her lids open and looked him straight in the eye. "In everybody's eyes, Feng Yanyan is most likely a mole planted here by Yao Ducheng. Tell me, is it still beneficial?"

Xiao Bao's eyes widened in surprise. This meant Feng mei ren wasn't related to the Empress at all?

He tried looking at Eunuch Cheng Li to see if he had any idea about what was happening. But the latter was only looking down at the ground, pretending not to hear anything.

So there was a secret only Su Chen knew?

Who was Feng Yanyan?

"The benefits Feng Yanyan will bring against losing the loyalty and confidence of ben dian's subordinates. What do you think will ben dian choose?" There was a small devilish arc on the King's lips as if taunting Su Chen to rebutt.

Until they left, the young general didn't know what to reply.

As they stepped out of wangye's room, Su Chen didn't need to warn the eunuch and Xiao Bao to keep their mouths shut about today's matter. One glance was enough.

During these rare moments when the Governor-General was serious, no one could deny his intimidating aura. He might be young and crazy but he was one of the best advisers of Wangye.

So even if Xiao Bao was full of questions, he decided not to ask anymore.

Soon, another guest arrived.

"Adrina."

"Did I rouse you from your rest?" The distinct hoarse voice and accent was none other than the foreigner who was one of King Wan Li's advisers.

However, compared to when meeting Wangye during official hours, tonight the man shed off all formalities and talked intimately.

Long Xu Le shook her head. Her hair gently flowing this way and that. Her pale skin illuminated by the orange light of the lamps.

This sight took Adrina's breath away. Although it was cruel, he wanted to pray for moments like this to stay forever.

"I'm just wondering why everyone is visiting at this hour." Long Xu Le also dropped the honorifics.

The foreigner took a seat beside the bed.

"Well, I got here as soon as I heard of the news."

The King nodded in understanding. It was expected that shifu would belatedly announce her illness to let her rest.

"Do you feel alright now?" That voice was laced with concern and a deeper emotion that couldn't be deciphered.

That question came with a touch to her cheeks and forehead. Her Highness tried pulling her head away but there was no more space to maneuver.

"Don't cross the line, Adrina." Even her warning didn't pack a punch like it would have been if she wasn't sick.

"Line? What line?" The man with olive skin smiled. His blue eyes were tantalizing. "Xu Le, we're not getting any younger. Why do you keep hurting yourself?"

Ignoring their identities, the two looked just like lovers having a small quarrel about something. The woman turned her head to ignore the man. But the man didn't stop placating her.

Adrina touched Long Xu Le's hand on top of the sheets and bent down to kiss it as if in worship.

"You know how I feel. Why can't you just let me take care of you?" By the end of it, his voice broke in desperation. "That General has long gone. You still can't look at me?"

The King felt hot tears drop on the back of her hand. Adrina had always been professional in front of the other council members.

But all his emotions laid bare whenever they were alone. That was why she always found every excuse not to spend time with this man.

She sighed.

"You also know how I feel." Her answer came out stiff.

They had established it in the past. He felt for her and she felt nothing.

There was nothing else to discuss.

"At this point, I don't care anymore. No matter what you feel, even if it's just pity. Staying beside you is enough."

"Are you hearing yourself?! Stand up."

"Xu Le..."

The man rose but the next thing he did was even more flabbergasting. Adrina held the King by the waist and his face hovering too close to hers.

Long Xu Le stopped his advance with two hands but found her strength lacking.

"Sto-" Anger swelled from her chest. The smell of alcohol on the foreigner's breath answered several questions in her head.

But his lips were now upon hers. A hot tongue snaked its way within her mouth and wreaked havoc.

This was a time when no shadow guards were inside her room to give privacy to the King and her family and friends. Who would have thought the upright Adrina would do such a thing?

Breathless, she slapped the man multiple times but he acted like a rabid dog. From the looks of it, he still retained some sanity in him because his hands never moved from her waist even though she was already kicking him.

Long Xu Le even tried biting his lips and tongue but the man just laughed from his chest, clearly enjoying it.

She was already seeing black and white spots in her vision when the dog on top of her was yanked away.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" It was closer to a roar.

As Long Xu Le regained some form of stability, she witnessed an angered fairy.

His eyes were red. His hair and clothes that were always so precious to him were messy. And his fair knuckles now had blood on them.

Curses flew from his mouth as he crudely beat the inebriated Adrina black and blue.

"Feng Yanyan." She couldn't yell due to the lack of energy.

But to her surprise, the man heard him and almost flew to her.

What baffled Long Xu Le the most were the tears pooling in his eyes. Why was he crying?

"Are you alright?" He held out a hand but remembered that he touched the filthy bastard with it so he pulled back.

But the King clearly saw that his fingers were quaking.

"Shit, I hate this." He wiped his eyes with his sleeves.

The commotion was obviously heard from the outside. Cheng Li's audible gasp was heard but Feng Yanyan covered the King.

He could see that some people wearing black also entered the room along with Xiao Bao. They looked like they were about to murder someone.

But the thing that happened next threw everyone off guard.

"CHENG LI! HOW COULD A RANDOM DRUNK MAN ENTER THIS ROOM? WHAT ARE YOU ALL EVEN DOING?!"

Feng Yanyan exploded and it was the start of the barrage of his anger.

"Kick that man out! I don't care what you do to him. Heck, if I see him again, I might cut his manhood."

Adrina with a bloody face was groaning on the floor, unable to get up.

Xiao Bao was dumbfounded. Feng Yanyan's appearance right now...

If nothing happened within a few seconds, he might really cut Gentleman Adrina's ...

The young Xiao signaled the shadow guards to do as told. Even now, he didn't know what happened and he hadn't seen her Highness either. But this level of rage wasn't something that could be made up on the spot.

Beauty Feng's eyes were looking like they were burning Gentleman Adrina alive. And Xiao Bao also heard that the man was drunk.

Could it be?

Just as he was putting the pieces together, he had no idea that the flames of fury would incinerate him next.

---
Hihihaha Yanyan is angwy, run away!

Edited: Feb. 17, 2023