Chapter 100

Hearing his sister's call, Min Ruo Ying's eyes twitched slightly, and he looked up at Qin Feng, who was walking towards him. Though not strikingly handsome, Qin Feng exuded a vibrant and resolute aura that was a refreshing change from the frivolous young nobles in the capital. His sharp features and piercing eyes, along with the decisive demeanor that came from his military background, made a strong impression even before he spoke.

"Qin Feng of the Death Corps, I pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!" Qin Feng clasped his hands and bowed to Min Ruo Ying.

After a moment of distraction, Min Ruo Ying quickly regained his composure and also clasped his hands, returning the bow formally: "Commander Qin, I owe you a great deal for your assistance on this journey. I am truly grateful."

These two siblings were indeed cut from the same cloth. Seeing Min Ruo Ying's manner, Qin Feng immediately thought, "Just like in the Death Corps, Min Ruo Xi used an apology and a few drops of blood to rouse the entire corps into a frenzy." As the Crown Prince, to bow to a mere commander was a significant gesture, and though Qin Feng knew it was partly for show, he still felt a surge of excitement.

"I dare not accept such a gesture from His Highness the Crown Prince. As an officer of the Great Chu, protecting the safety of the Princess is my duty." Qin Feng took a step to the side, declining the bow.

Min Ruo Ying smiled and said, "This bow is not as the heir to the throne, but as Xi'er's brother, which you deserve. And as the current Regent Prince of Great Chu, I will not neglect those who have served with merit."

"Second Brother, how will you reward him? I must tell you, if it weren't for Qin Feng, I would never have returned alive." Min Ruo Xi approached with a smile, thinking that if her brother asked how to reward Qin Feng, she could immediately seize the opportunity to reveal her relationship with him.

Catching him off guard and forcing him to declare himself publicly, she could secure her brother's approval first, and then approach the Emperor, thus gaining an ally and no longer fighting alone.

Who was Min Ruo Ying? Seeing Min Ruo Xi's expression, he immediately understood her intentions. He smiled at her, saying, "This matter is something your second brother will handle. You don't need to worry about it. Xi'er, go to Mount Shouyang first. I have a lot of matters to attend to in the capital and can't accompany you for long, nor can I go up the mountain with you."

Seeing her second brother easily sidestepping her, Min Ruo Xi's eyes flashed with annoyance. She huffed and turned to Qin Feng, saying, "If you won't come, then fine. Who needs you? Qin Feng, let's go to Mount Shouyang. I'll take you to see the Emperor and ask for a reward. The Emperor is very generous, unlike your second brother, who is so petty."

Min Ruo Ying's face showed a hint of embarrassment. His sister was indeed quite spoiled. He smiled but said nothing, stepping back instead.

As he stepped back, An Ruhai stepped forward.

"Your Highness!" An Ruhai called out to Min Ruo Xi, who was about to leave.

"Uncle An, what is it?" Min Ruo Xi showed much more respect to this old man by the Emperor's side.

An Ruhai looked at Qin Feng and said, "Your Highness, Qin Feng cannot go to Mount Shouyang for now."

Min Ruo Xi's eyebrows arched. "Why can't he go? Is it because of the Emperor's safety? He came with me, so how could there be a problem? Do you need to review him first?"

Min Ruo Ying raised an eyebrow. He suddenly realized that Qin Feng held a significant place in Min Ruo Xi's heart. Whenever anything related to Qin Feng didn't go her way, she would react like a cat with its tail stepped on, whether it was to him or to An Ruhai.

"That's not the case. How could we not trust Commander Qin? There are other matters." An Ruhai smiled.

"What matters?" Min Ruo Xi asked, displeased.

"Your Highness, the Western Border Army has been completely annihilated. According to our information, Commander Qin is the highest-ranking surviving officer of the Western Border Army. Therefore, the Ministry of War wants Commander Qin to provide detailed information about the battle. The information Commander Qin has is first-hand, and there are many things we still only know through hearsay or scattered intelligence from the Inner Guard. The Luoying Mountains are now under Qin control, and our people can't enter. Commander Qin, however, returned from the battlefield. So when the Ministry of War learned that Commander Qin had accompanied the Princess back to the capital, they immediately sent someone to me, asking me to request that Commander Qin visit the Ministry of War." An Ruhai explained.

"Oh, I see!" Min Ruo Xi nodded. This explanation was reasonable. Qin Feng had indeed been on the battlefield, and now, apart from herself, he was the only one left in the capital. The Ministry of War, no matter how bold, would not dare to summon her for questioning. Moreover, due to the incident with the Deputy Minister of War, Liu Zhen, the Ministry of War was now being very cautious.

"Furthermore, the Inner Guard also has matters to discuss with Commander Qin." An Ruhai continued.

"Hmm?" Min Ruo Xi looked at him curiously. "It makes sense for the Ministry of War to need him, as he is a military officer and falls under their jurisdiction. But what does the Inner Guard need him for?"

"Your Highness, Peng Wu mentioned a person in his letter, Shuhui." An Ruhai smiled.

At the mention of this person, Min Ruo Xi immediately clenched her teeth in hatred. "He's a despicable scoundrel who pursued us relentlessly, nearly killing me several times. But in the end, he turned into a general escorting us back to Chu. I had to endure his hateful face and his incessant chatter all the way, which truly infuriated me. I wished I could have killed him with a single strike."

"Your Highness, this person is no ordinary man. He is a key figure in Qi's secret forces, and his master, the Duke of Cao, Cao Chong, not only oversees Qi's secret forces but is also a grandmaster-level expert. Qin Feng has engaged in multiple battles with Shuhui, and the Inner Guard wants to learn more about Shuhui and Cao Chong from Commander Qin. Even the slightest clue could be immensely valuable, as Cao Chong is of noble birth and rarely shows his skills to outsiders. The Inner Guard has no information on him. This is a rare opportunity, and we must seize it."

Hearing this, Min Ruo Xi could no longer insist. Both reasons were matters of national importance, far more significant than her personal feelings. She had to put the public interest first. Fortunately, Mount Shouyang was not far from the capital, and she could go there after the matters were resolved without much delay.

"Uncle An, how long will it take? I'll send someone to bring Qin Feng to the mountain when the time comes." Min Ruo Xi said.

Seeing Min Ruo Xi yield, An Ruhai breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Highness, it's hard to say. The Ministry of War might be quicker, but as you know, we in the Inner Guard will repeatedly ask about the same details to avoid any misjudgment. So the time is uncertain. However, it should take no less than three to five days and no more than seven to eight days. Afterward, there's no need for you to send someone; I will personally escort Commander Qin to Mount Shouyang."

"Will it take that long?"

"Your Highness, I will do my best to expedite the process. I won't keep you waiting long." An Ruhai smiled.

"Uncle An, you must hurry. Qin Feng was severely injured and can't use his internal energy at all. His martial arts skills are currently non-existent. He needs to get to Mount Shouyang quickly, where the Emperor's personal physicians can treat him."

"I see!" An Ruhai relaxed upon hearing this. "Your Highness, the Inner Guard also has medical experts. Rest assured, he won't be overworked."

"Then I'll leave it to you, Uncle An." Min Ruo Xi smiled, turned to Qin Feng, and whispered something to him. Qin Feng nodded continuously with a smile, and at the end, he unconsciously reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Min Ruo Xi's ear, causing Min Ruo Ying and An Ruhai's eyes to twitch.