“Wuyang is my own cousin. If you took advantage of her, how is that none of my business?”
Qing Mulan stood with her hands on her hips and said angrily.
For a moment, Jin Feng was actually speechless.
“Sister Mulan, we really are innocent…”
The Ninth Princess still wanted to make one last attempt to defend herself, but before she could finish speaking, Qing Mulan interrupted her.
“A man and a woman alone in a small grove for nearly an hour, and you say you are innocent? Who would believe that?”
“Innocent? When you came out, even the ties on your clothes were different from before?”
“Innocent? The way he spoke to you in West River Bay was like that?”
Qing Mulan grew angrier as she spoke. “Jin, I used to think you were a good match. I never expected you to be the same as other men. Before you got what you wanted, you called her ‘Your Highness’ this and ‘Your Highness’ that to coax Wuyang. Once you got it, you started acting like a big man!
Do you think those powerful nobles can be arrested or killed just like that?
Do you know how much pressure Wuyang has endured for your sake?
Do you know how dangerous the struggles in the court are?
One wrong move and she could die!
And you still spoke to her like that!”
As Qing Mulan spoke, she became so angry that she started crying. She even rushed forward and pounded Jin Feng a few times.
Jin Feng did not dodge or lose his temper. He waited until Qing Mulan finished hitting him before he spoke. “Mulan, I cannot promise many things, but I can guarantee you this: as long as I still have one breath left, I will protect Wuyang completely.”
After all this time together, Jin Feng had come to truly recognise the Ninth Princess as a person.
No matter what her original intentions were, at least she was a princess willing to get things done.
For that, she did not hesitate to offend the entire court of powerful nobles, even the Emperor himself.
Even without the incident in the small grove, Jin Feng would still be willing to protect her.
“Do you know how terrifying the combined power of those nobles is?”
Qing Mulan glared at him. “Protect her completely? What will you use to protect her?”
“I will use the thousands of bodyguards from my Zhen Yuan Escort Agency to protect her! I will use the five thousand soldiers of my Zhen Yuan Army to protect her! I will use my own abilities and my life to protect her!”
Jin Feng’s voice rose several degrees. “Is that enough?”
“You…”
Qing Mulan was left speechless.
She had stayed in West River Bay and had witnessed the growth of Zhen Yuan Escort Agency step by step. She knew very well how powerful it was.
This had also been proven during the Battle of Great Python Slope.
Moreover, Qing Mulan vaguely sensed that Jin Feng still had many cards he had not played yet.
So she knew Jin Feng was not boasting. In the Sichuan region, no army from Great Kang could match Zhen Yuan Escort Agency.
Not even her brother’s Weisheng Army or Iron Tiger Camp, nor Qing Huai’s Iron Forest Army.
None of them could defeat Zhen Yuan Escort Agency in Sichuan!
But Qing Mulan had a stubborn temper too. How could she back down so easily?
Seeing that she could not win the argument, she simply started acting shamelessly. “I asked how far you have gone with Wuyang. Stop changing the subject. Tell me honestly!”
By now, Jin Feng had also been provoked a little. He walked over, cupped the Ninth Princess’s face in his hands.
The Ninth Princess immediately guessed what Jin Feng was about to do and instinctively turned her head away.
“Don’t move!”
Jin Feng firmly turned her head back and planted a firm kiss on the corner of her mouth.
Then he looked provocatively at the stunned Qing Mulan. “We have gone this far!”
“You… you two…”
Qing Mulan pointed at Jin Feng, then at the Ninth Princess. Her mouth opened so wide an egg could fit inside.
“Wuyang is mine from now on. You can send word back to the capital. Tell those damn nobles that I am the one who killed them. If they want revenge, they can come to Sichuan and find me. I will take them all on!”
After saying this, Jin Feng unceremoniously wrapped his arm around the Ninth Princess’s shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. “Do you have anything else to ask?”
“Sir…”
The Ninth Princess looked at Jin Feng. Her eyes sparkled with emotion.
Jin Feng was a practical man. Unless absolutely necessary, he always kept a low profile.
From childhood to now, in the environment where the Ninth Princess grew up, almost no one ever spoke to her like this.
Everyone who met her gave her false flattery.
Perhaps people always crave what they lack.
In the Ninth Princess’s eyes, Jin Feng now carried an inexplicable attraction.
For the first time, she felt that a man’s embrace could make her feel so secure.
Qing Mulan had originally wanted to ask Jin Feng what his plans were and when he intended to marry the Ninth Princess.
But the Ninth Princess gave her no chance to speak. She took the initiative to ask, “Sir, did things go smoothly today?”
“It went fairly smoothly. Mr Zhou has already gathered several thousand labourers, men and women. They can start work at any time.”
“And what about Miss Linglong?” the Ninth Princess asked again.
“Linglong is ready too. As soon as the money and grain arrive, she can send people out at any moment.”
…
Qing Mulan saw the two of them start talking about official business directly. She could not get a word in at all. Standing there awkwardly felt so uncomfortable that she could only stamp her foot and storm off angrily.
“Sir, Sister Mulan has left…”
The Ninth Princess gently pushed Jin Feng, signalling that he could let go of her now.
“Even better that she left!”
Instead of letting go, Jin Feng kicked off his shoes, slipped under the covers, and pulled the Ninth Princess fully into his arms. “Go on, keep talking.”
“Rogue!”
The Ninth Princess spat at Jin Feng in annoyance, but she did not struggle. Instead, she nestled her head into the crook of his arm.
The two talked about serious matters for a while, then sweet nothings for a while, until Qin’er coughed at the door as a reminder. Only then did Jin Feng release the Ninth Princess.
“Have you two had enough of being lovey-dovey?” Qing Mulan came in carrying a tray. “It is almost midnight. Sir, shouldn’t you be heading back?”
“Fine then, I will go back first. Rest well and recover. Do not worry about anything. I have got everything outside handled.”
Since Qing Mulan already knew, Jin Feng no longer bothered to hide it from her. He leaned down and kissed the Ninth Princess on the face.
“Sir, Qin’er and I are both watching. Can you restrain yourself a little?”
Qing Mulan clenched her fists again in anger.
Qin’er, standing by the door, also looked displeased.
“I am kissing my own woman. What is there to hide?”
Jin Feng glanced at Qing Mulan and Qin’er, then leaned down and kissed her again.
“You had better leave now!”
The Ninth Princess pushed Jin Feng with a helpless smile on her face.
Jin Feng ruffled the Ninth Princess’s hair before finally leaving.
As he passed the door, he provocatively raised an eyebrow at Qin’er.
Qin’er was just like the Ninth Princess: usually extremely proud and occasionally trying to pick fights.
Jin Feng had long wanted to put her in her place, but unfortunately he could not beat her.
Now he had finally found a way!
The Ninth Princess watched Jin Feng’s departing figure and could not help smiling.
She had never seen this childish side of Jin Feng before.
Her heart felt both amused and somewhat sweet.
“Stop staring. Eat your food quickly!”
Qing Mulan blocked the Ninth Princess’s view and placed the tray on the table.
“Sir rushed straight here as soon as he came back. I do not even know if he has eaten.”
The Ninth Princess patted her head. “I forgot to ask him just now!”
“Done for. Another one has fallen completely…”
Qing Mulan held her forehead, looking utterly speechless.
