Princess, something terrible has happened! The prince consort has attempted suicide again!

The man in black robes was prepared. Before Marquis Yongwu could get close, he leaped back and disappeared like a ghost.

A slip of paper floated slowly down from mid-air, accompanied by a faint, ethereal voice: "Your Excellency is a wise man; I await your good news."

Marquis Yongwu raised his hand to catch the note, and upon seeing the plan written on it, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The other party wanted him to intercept the delegation halfway and capture Zhang Xiaomeng alive.

They then fabricated evidence to frame the prince consort as a spy for the Nanzhao Kingdom, completely alienating the two countries and triggering a major war.

After the deed is done, the Marquis's mansion will be cleared of its disgrace and regain its power.

Such tempting offers are undoubtedly a huge temptation for him, who is now disgraced and ruined.

But the man in black robes dared to reveal the whole plan. Was he really not afraid that the emperor would expose him when he entered the palace?

The Marquis of Yongwu quickly grasped the key to the matter.

His Majesty is utterly disappointed in him, and the trust between the ruler and his subject has completely vanished.

Even if he reports the truth, His Majesty will most likely not believe him.

Moreover, this person must have planted spies to monitor his movements at all times.

If word gets out, they will be silenced before they can even meet the emperor.

Even if they refuse, they still cannot escape being poisoned.

From the moment the other party approached him, they had already laid a dead end, leaving him with no way out.

Marquis Yongwu gripped the note tightly with his fingertips, his heart churning with endless struggle.

On one hand, there is the task of revitalizing the Marquis's mansion and restoring its glory.

On one hand, there is blood ties and the greater good of the nation.

Faced with a dead end, what should we do?

After a long while, he forcibly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, destroyed the note himself, erased all traces, and quickly walked out of the dark alley.

A resolute and determined glint flashed deep in his eyes.

No way out?

not necessarily.

I, Your Excellency, will choose the third path.

……

Meanwhile, on the official road outside the city.

The Dongling delegation set off for Nanzhao in a grand procession, with magnificent ceremonies and fluttering banners.

Zhang Xiaomeng sat upright in the gilded carriage, enjoying immense prestige and attracting the attention of everyone, yet he felt no joy whatsoever.

The reason was that a cold and aloof figure sat upright in this spacious and luxurious carriage.

Feng Yi held his sword with both hands, his posture upright, his clear and cold eyes fixed on him without blinking, never leaving him for a moment.

It's comparable to 24/7 surveillance with no blind spots, leaving no room for complacency.

Zhang Xiaomeng felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze. Unable to bear it any longer, he said helplessly, "Feng Yi, I admit that I am good-looking, but could you please stop staring at me all the time? I am a married man. Your constant staring is likely to cause gossip and ruin my reputation."

Feng remained expressionless, as if she hadn't heard a thing.

She felt deeply guilty and remorseful for her momentary lapse in attention that nearly caused the prince consort's death.

The princess's decision to entrust her with the crucial task of guarding the prince consort once again demonstrates her utmost trust and presents her with her only chance to redeem herself.

She had already sworn that no matter how cleverly the prince consort argued, she would never waver and would never allow him to leave her sight for even a moment.

The team trekked through mountains and rivers for a full half-month.

Feng Yi stayed by her side at all times.

Zhang Xiaomeng rested, while she sat quietly keeping watch.

Zhang Xiaojing was taking a bath, and she stood guard at the door.

Even when Zhang Xiaomeng needed to use the restroom, she stayed within three meters of him, not retreating an inch.

"What a tragedy!"

Zhang Xiaomeng completely lost it and protested vehemently, "You're watching me even when I'm taking a dump! How am I supposed to do that?"

Feng Yi's gaze was icy cold, unmoved.

Whether the prince consort can be brought out is none of her business.

Her only task was to keep a close watch on the prince consort and never allow him to misbehave.

Zhang Xiaomeng wanted to cry but had no tears.

He had thought that going on a mission to Nanzhao was a godsend opportunity to escape from prison and regain his freedom.

Who would have thought that being trapped in the princess's residence would be even more devoid of human rights!

On this day, the group arrived at the border between the two countries. Two more days later, they would be able to enter the territory of Nanzhao.

As night fell and there were no post stations in the desolate wilderness, the mission had no choice but to set up camp and rest on the spot.

The main tent was brightly lit and somewhat noisy.

After days of tedious and stifling travel, Zhang Xiaomeng was so bored that he decided to gather a group of guards around to play dice to relieve his boredom.

As always, Feng stood quietly at the corner of the tent, her posture aloof and out of place amidst the bustling camp.

"Three sixes, a leopard (three of a kind), a clean sweep!"

Zhang Xiaomeng raised his hand and dropped the dice, his eyebrows arched, his face full of smugness: "A bet is a bet. The loser takes his clothes off."

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.

This bet doesn't involve money; it's all about taking off clothes—it's incredibly bizarre.

Wang Dongjian, the leader, was now the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He had been promoted by the Prince Consort and held Zhang Xiaomeng in great awe. Upon seeing this, he immediately sternly reprimanded the guards:

"What are you standing there for? The prince consort has said so, just do as he says!"

A young guard looked troubled and said hesitantly, "Your Highness, Commander, there is also Lord Feng in the tent... I'm afraid this is not appropriate."

All eyes turned to Feng Yi, who stood aloof to the side.

After enduring half a month of frustration, Zhang Xiaomeng finally found a way to vent his frustrations and decided to play a trick on this stubborn and inflexible female guard.

He immediately replied with a half-smile, "Lady Feng is a heroine of the battlefield, with a broad and open mind. How could she be bothered by such trivial matters? Right, Feng Yi?"

Feng Yi remained silent throughout.

The guards who lost the bet had no choice but to bite the bullet and start taking off their clothes.

A dozen rough-looking men removed their outer robes in public, and the atmosphere inside the tent instantly became strange.

Feng Yi's body stiffened slightly.

She fought for many years, fearless of swords and bloodshed, and her heart was as hard as steel.

But she was, after all, just a woman, and had never seen such an absurd scene before.

She tried her best to remain calm and composed, but her hands, hanging at her sides, were clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Seeing her feigned composure but actually embarrassed and awkward appearance, Zhang Xiaomeng's annoyance dissipated considerably. He found it amusing and deliberately continued to tease her: "Fengyi, what do you think of these brothers' physiques? Any of them pleasing to the eye?"

Feng Yi lowered her eyes and remained silent, but her ears quietly blushed.

Seeing that she remained silent, Zhang Xiaomeng's playful mood intensified, and he laughed loudly, "Gentlemen, since you've lost, show some spirit! Show off your figures, and whoever catches Lady Feng's eye will be richly rewarded by this prince consort!"

Having received the reward and promise, the guards were no longer reserved and straightened their backs, striking various poses.

The scene inside the tent became increasingly outrageous.

Feng Yi's body stiffened, her pretty face burned, and a wave of shame surged through her heart.

She was on duty and dared not leave for even a moment, so she could only stand there and endure this embarrassing scene.

The Black Phoenix Guard, with his unyielding spirit, trembled slightly, his body tense, and a layer of moisture slowly welled up in his eyes.

She never blinked when killing the enemy, and never shed a tear when wounded.

But this public, speechless humiliation was an embarrassment she had never experienced before.

Seeing her reddened eyes and her desperate attempt to hold back her tears, Zhang Xiaomeng's mocking smile suddenly froze.

It seems they've gone too far.

He was just feeling too stifled by being watched the whole time, and wanted to get a little revenge and tease her to vent his anger. He never intended to make her so embarrassed and tearful.

From beginning to end, Feng Yi simply performed his duties and followed orders.

She watched over him tirelessly for half a month, never leaving his side, fearing that something might happen to him again.

Such loyalty and dedication are truly rare.

Zhang Xiaomeng instantly lost all interest in playing around, feeling only guilt and embarrassment.

He quickly raised his hand, coughed lightly, and called out, "Alright, alright, put them on! This is enough nonsense, get out of here."

The commotion abruptly stopped, leaving the guards bewildered. They hurriedly dressed and took their leave.

Soon, only the two of them remained in the tent.

Zhang Xiaomeng scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, wondering how to ease the tension and comfort the wronged Feng Yi.

At this moment, a guard suddenly entered the tent to report, "Your Highness, the envoy from Nanzhao has arrived and is requesting an audience outside."