Pei Ji couldn’t bear to look straight at the Chu Emperor’s face and could only pretend to be sincerely terrified as he knelt down:
“Your Majesty, absolutely not. This minister sleeping on the couch will do.”
The Chu Emperor looked utterly disappointed: “Pei Ji, why have you changed your demeanor tonight too? Previously, you were straightforward in nature, unrestrained and elegant with boundless heroic spirit, completely unlike those rigid ministers. You don’t know how delighted We were to meet you, but now you have changed as well.”
Pei Ji: “……”
If he had known it would come to this, he would have stayed rigid from the start—even pretending to be a thousand-year-old zombie.
“Your Majesty, this minister is terrified! Previously, this minister was ignorant and will never do so again. Please rest, Your Majesty. This minister will stand guard outside.”
The Chu Emperor stared fixedly at Pei Ji, his gaze drifting downward bit by bit, something flashing in the depths of his eyes. But when his sight fell upon the black jade dragon scale pendant symbolizing Pei Ji’s identity, he quickly reined himself in.
The Chu Emperor straightened up, looking as if he meant to leave: “That is Our sin. We have disturbed the Little Marquis. We will take our leave now.”
It was impossible to send the emperor away in the dead of night, so in the end Pei Ji could only lie down beside the Chu Emperor.
He lay there rigidly straight, straight as a sculpture, his face brimming with righteous indignation, utterly inviolable…
And indeed inviolable. Pei Ji circulated the internal force of the Infinite Divine Art, citing the need to protect His Majesty’s safety. At that moment, anyone who drew near or touched him would be wounded by his internal force.
Lightly injured, they would spit blood; severely, they would perish.
The Chu Emperor had turned his head, intending to exchange a few words with Pei Ji, only to find Pei Ji’s eyes already closed.
He fell asleep in one second. Once asleep, his body remained board-straight as steel, perfectly exemplifying the straight steel man.
“Pei Ji, are you asleep?”
No response.
The Chu Emperor chuckled, skeptical, and kept staring at Pei Ji. But even until he himself drifted off to sleep from the staring, Pei Ji made no sound and did not stir.
His breathing was exceedingly shallow, like that of a corpse.
—
The next day, Chu Yunge awoke, admired herself in the mirror, and completed her daily ritual of appreciating her own beauty. Once she confirmed her attire was impeccably lovely, she began inquiring after Yan Feng.
She had barely spoken when Yan Feng appeared before her.
“Your Highness.” Yan Feng saluted. He seemed no different from usual, but Chu Yunge felt he was a bit wilted.
“Were you too tired yesterday? Perfect—accompany this princess for breakfast then. The Princess Mansion’s chefs are all imperial chefs, and their culinary skills are excellent.”
“Thank you, Princess.” Accompanying Chu Yunge, Yan Feng did not refuse. One bite, and his eyes lit up.
His usual fare was decent enough, but it lacked the personal touch of imperial chefs, falling short of Chu Yunge’s.
Yan Feng could not stop after the first taste, his eyes lighting up over and over. He held back at first, but once Chu Yunge urged him to eat his fill, he let go.
He ate quickly yet gracefully, like a little hamster.
Chu Yunge watched him devour it so eagerly, savoring the joy of feeding, her own appetite whetted considerably.
In the end, Yan Feng cleared every scrap of breakfast—enough to sate five or six people.
The maid helping serve the dishes gaped in shock, unable to resist glancing at Yan Feng’s belly.
It protruded round and full, blissfully stuffed.
Only then did Yan Feng notice her gaze and suddenly realize his mistake. He probably shouldn’t have eaten like that. In the princess’s eyes, did he now seem like a bottomless pit?
“Your Highness, forgive this subordinate. It was simply too delicious, so this subordinate overindulged… Normally, this subordinate eats far less.”
Please don’t misunderstand, Your Highness—he could eat less.
“What sin? You finished it without waste, and your relish even improved this princess’s appetite. Far from atoning, you deserve a reward.”
Rewarded for eating his fill—this was a first for Yan Feng. The princess truly loved bestowing rewards.
“No need, Your Highness.”
“It’s necessary. Your punishment, then: accompany this princess for meals regularly hereafter.”
Would this little chub grow more?
Savoring the joy of feeding, Chu Yunge happily resolved to do just that—feed Yan Feng.
“Tell the kitchen to note Guard Yan’s favorite dishes and prepare them for our Guard Yan every few days.”
No wonder some loved playing nurturing games; raising a little brother was pure delight.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Yan Feng was stunned by the favor, yet her gaze upon him brimmed with indulgence—so indulgent it bordered on maternal affection.
Maternal affection… no, surely not. He had misread it.
But this fondness differed from how she regarded Li Guangi or Young Master Li…
“The way Your Highness looks at this subordinate…” Was it because he had eaten too much?
“What about my gaze?” Chu Yunge asked, puzzled. She had no lecherous glint in her eyes.
“Nothing.” Unable to articulate it, Yan Feng shook his head.
“Actually, this princess has a matter to ask you today.” Bellies full, time for business: “Yan Feng, do you know many Yan people?”
“Quite a few, Your Highness. What are your orders?”
“Nothing serious. This princess simply wants to know where most of them are—she plans to snatch some back as face servants.”
Yan Feng felt he had misheard: “What?”
Stunned for a moment, he pressed: “…Why does Your Highness wish to snatch them?”
Summoning courage: “This subordinate is a Yan person too. Whatever you want them for, this subordinate can do likewise.”
He was already at her side; no need for others.
Indeed, he could.
Wasn’t it just smiling and kissing? Li Guangi and Young Master Li had done it—he could too.
No one else could treat him so, but the princess could. He could accept it.
That way, wouldn’t she treat him the same as Li Guangi? No distinctions.
He refused differential treatment. Wasn’t it just massaging for the princess, kissing her, being kissed by her? He could handle it.
With diligent practice, he could excel.
Unwittingly, Yan Feng’s gaze flicked to Chu Yunge’s lips. His heart pounded, as he tensely awaited her reply.
Now Chu Yunge was the surprised one: “This princess said, snatch them back as face servants. Did you not hear clearly? And you claim you can too—what exactly can you do?”
Yan Feng’s hand tightened. He had heard right; he truly could…
He opened his mouth to respond, only for Chu Yunge to continue:
“As for the reason—if this princess claimed it was merely her old habit flaring up, a craving to forcibly claim handsome commoners, you might not believe it. You saved this princess once, so the truth it is.”
“Truth is, danger struck last night, and this princess offended Zhao Zeng again. Fearing retaliation, and though she has you, it’s insufficient. Thus, more protectors are needed for this princess.”
“Your reliability convinced this princess that Yan people make fine guardians, so she plans to snatch more back for the same purpose.”
“But discretion is key, lest Zhao Zeng grow wary. Covert action, publicly framed as ravishing men—that strikes unexpectedly, bolstering protection.”
This was Chu Yunge’s scheme from the night before. Zhao Zeng’s intrusion, the Chu Emperor’s free access to the Princess Mansion—treating it as his dalliance den, brazenly cavorting with men in her courtyard.
If unchecked, would he claim the Princess Mansion as another harem, visiting openly to tryst with lovers?
His tastes mattered not to her, nor did she begrudge Pei Ji and others as her face servants. But such wantonness on her domain chafed.
She refused to host their provocations. The Chu Emperor repulsed her viscerally.
Even an uncle could tolerate it, but an aunt could not.
Worse, her vow to shield her men rang hollow moments later. When the Chu Emperor arrived, to spare Li Guangi, she yielded precedence.
Face lost catastrophically.
She craved only a salted-fish existence of leisure, yet princesshood demanded effort.
Yan Feng got it: “…Your Highness reasons soundly.”
So she masked protection with face servants; he had misunderstood.