Feng Yinwan felt that it was not right. She was not only protective of her food but also of her offspring!
"What could you possibly have to say to Yuping?"
This guy definitely had no good intentions!
Yuping joined forces with her, united against the outside.
"Let's not talk. There's a difference between men and women, and a disparity in status. This lowly servant's ears are too humble to listen to General Li's noble words."
The two of them formed a united front, with an attitude of "even if the matchmaker tied them with steel bars today, we'd break them," successfully dissuading Li Chengyan.
"Fine, I'm scared of you two."
Qian Guan, uncharacteristically, remained oblivious in the strange atmosphere.
"General Li, we weren't done fighting earlier. Shall we continue?"
In a flash, the two were locked in combat again. Feng Yinwan casually took a piece of Osmanthus cake from the casserole and took a bite, speaking indistinctly.
"Yuping, you watch. With Qian Guan's size, he'll definitely beat him down!"
Yuping followed her gaze, indicating that although she didn't quite understand, she completely believed her mistress's words.
"Mhm mhm!"
While Li Chengyan and Qian Guan were fighting fiercely, the two of them sat on the stone steps nearby, eating Osmanthus cake.
Feng Yinwan clapped her hands and called out "Good." Just as she was about to take another piece, the texture she felt was a bit off.
"Yuping, is there brocade lining your Osmanthus cake?"
As expected of Yuping, she was so meticulous.
However, the next moment, Yuping's denying voice came, "What brocade? Mistress, I just took it from the kitchen and put it directly into the casserole. There was no brocade."
"There isn't? Then what did I feel..."
Before she could investigate further, the soft silk seemed to grow legs and slipped from her hand.
Feng Yinwan turned back in shock, and on Ye Tinglan's dark robe, she saw several clear fingerprints!
"Your Highness?"
Behind her, Ye Tinglan and Qi Xuan stood silently, and she didn't know how long they had been there.
Feng Yinwan patted her little heart and muttered softly, "Like a ghost, you walk without a sound."
Ye Tinglan's ears were sharp.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing. This concubine says that General Li is currently sparring with Commander Qian. Commander Qian is powerful and fierce; General Li might have some trouble fending him off..."
Before the end of her sentence, a loud "bang" sounded from that side. Feng Yinwan's face lit up with joy, and she immediately turned her head.
"This concubine was saying... Qian Guan?! Why did you fly out!"
Qian Guan lay on the ground with a dejected expression, while Li Chengyan on the other side looked refreshed and extremely smug.
Before she could recover from her shock, Ye Tinglan's slightly cold voice came from behind.
"Chengyan's skill is above yours, so it's normal for him to be defeated."
"Yes..."
Qian Guan pouted and bounced up from the ground like a carp, looking as wronged as a little bride who had been bullied.
"Cousin-in-law, Miss Yuping, how was it? Wasn't my move just now handsome?"
The man flirtatiously brushed aside his fringe, the words "praise me" written all over his face.
Feng Yinwan glanced at him subtly, her gaze shifting to Qi Xuan behind him.
"Your Highness, General Li has just recovered from his illness and has abundant energy. In my opinion, why not have Guard Qi spar with him a few rounds?"
The calculation in her eyes was obvious, but Ye Tinglan ignored it and nodded directly, "What the Consort said is exactly what this King has in mind."
With that, he turned his dark eyes to Qi Xuan, who was waiting to take orders.
"You and General Li did not determine a winner last time. Today is a good opportunity to settle the score."
Last time, of course, was during the "twenty-three matters." Ye Tinglan ordered Qi Xuan to escort Li Chengyan to the tent for the severely wounded, but he escaped halfway.
This was a failure for Qi Xuan.
"Your subordinate obeys."
He answered and immediately drew his sword and flew forward. Seeing his swift and agile movements, Feng Yinwan felt assured.
Li Chengyan, however, was not happy.
"Hey... weren't we supposed to fight with our fists? Why are you drawing a sword!"
Qi Xuan bowed to him, his expression calm, "General Li, please enlighten me."
With that, he twisted his long sword, creating a sharp whistling sound in the air. Li Chengyan cursed loudly, hurriedly dodged, and his smug expression vanished.
Feng Yinwan happily clapped her hands from the side.
"Qi Xuan, this child is reliable. He really draws his sword when he has one!"
Before she could laugh a few more times, a figure flashed before her eyes, and Yuping's sharp scream suddenly rang out.
"Ah! Mistress!"
The change happened too quickly. By the time Feng Yinwan saw clearly, Yuping had been caught by Li Chengyan's forearm around her slender neck.
"What do you want?"
Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes turned cold, and her pretty face immediately darkened. "Let her go!"
This stern aura was exactly like Ye Tinglan's.
Li Chengyan curled his lips, glanced at Qi Xuan, who was chasing after him, and used his Qinggong again.
"Cousin-in-law, don't be nervous. I'm just borrowing your maid. I'll return her later."
With that, his figure flew away. Yuping had never experienced Qinggong before. Suddenly being held by the waist, she was both embarrassed and frightened, her little face pale, not knowing what to do.
"Li Chengyan, what kind of man are you? Let go of Yuping immediately!"
Feng Yinwan was so angry that she even forgot to refer to herself properly.
This scoundrel was so cunning! If he couldn't win, he'd target Yuping. Let's see if she wouldn't stab him to death with her silver needles!
The silver needles were naturally no match for Qinggong. Without suspense, all the silver needles she threw fell to the ground.
Feng Yinwan was so angry that her teeth itched. She grabbed Qi Xuan and said, "Bring Yuping back unharmed, and this Consort will immediately move back to the Prince's manor!"
For him to make the Consort move back was the Prince's long-cherished wish!
Qi Xuan's eyes lit up at this, and he immediately nodded solemnly at her.
"Consort, rest assured, your subordinate will not fail in his mission!"
With that, he drew his sword again and chased after them. Feng Yinwan was so anxious that she wanted to watch for a little longer, but a force suddenly gripped her waist.
Ye Tinglan's hot breath was close to her ear.
"What the Consort said just now, does it count?"
Feng Yinwan's body trembled, and she was immediately filled with a shiver.
She had only been focused on motivating Qi Xuan earlier; she hadn't even noticed this person was standing beside her.
What was said could not be taken back. Now that she was questioned so directly, she couldn't say "no."
"Naturally, it counts...!"
"But this concubine sees that General Li's Qinggong seems to be much better than Guard Qi's. It's still unknown whether he can catch him!"
She had seen earlier that this scoundrel was effortlessly using Qinggong while holding Yuping, so he must be a formidable expert.
Ye Tinglan's thin lips curved into a smile. "Chengyan's Qinggong is the best among the army. In this regard, Qi Xuan is indeed inferior to him."
"Then why are you asking, Your Highness?"
Feng Yinwan frowned tightly as she watched the figures flying back and forth above the tent.
Was there still any hope?
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Ye Tinglan flicked his long finger, and a stone he had somehow managed to hold between his fingers suddenly flew out, hitting Li Chengyan precisely on the left leg.
It wasn't until a cry of pain came from afar that Feng Yinwan realized what had just happened. She stared at Ye Tinglan, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief.
"Your Highness... are you... cheating?"