Has anyone ever seen someone so shameless? Huh? Fighting over trinkets with a courtesan? Feng Yue’s eyes reddened as she hugged herself, looking at him pitifully. “Is there no third option?”

Yin Gezhi turned to leave.

“Hey, hey!” Feng Yue resigned herself, honestly taking out the jade hairpin from her bosom, catching up to stuff it into his hand. “This servant truly can’t walk anymore!”

Stopping his steps, Yin Gezhi looked at her.

The woman before him reached out coquettishly: “I gave you the pin, now give me a hug!”

Her body swayed back and forth like a little fox, swishing its big tail while batting its eyes at him. Secretly amused, he pocketed the pin and scooped her up in one motion.

Finally, she didn’t have to walk anymore! Feng Yue was so moved that she almost cried, clutching his clothes and pitifully wiping her nose. “My feet hurt so much!”

“Shut up.”

He’d never met someone so noisy—that little mouth was constantly talking, truly annoying.

“Don’t be like that! There’s still such a long way to go. If we don’t talk, won’t it be boring?” Feng Yue pouted, persisting: “When this servant was running here earlier, I met many people on the way. They all stared at me like I was a fairy who’d fallen from heaven, haha!”

Giving her a sidelong glance, Yin Gezhi said: “Perhaps they just thought you looked like a wild pheasant.”

“Pah pah pah! What wild pheasant could be as beautiful and charming as this servant?” Feng Yue snorted. “That scene was clearly like… how did it go? ‘Travelers see Luofu, put down eggs and stroke their beards?'”

Yin Gezhi: “…”

Not just a pheasant, but an illiterate one at that.

Sighing lightly, he carried her while reciting with a stern face: “Travelers see Luofu, set down their loads, and stroke their beards. Young men see Luofu, remove their caps, and straighten their hair. The plowman forgets his plow, the hoer forgets his hoe. They return home angry with themselves, having sat only to gaze at Luofu.”

His voice was deep and quiet, like turning the pages of an old fragrant book, carrying an air of refinement.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Nodding repeatedly, Feng Yue smiled sweetly. “I’m just like that Luofu!”

Unable to hold back anymore, Yin Gezhi stopped his steps and frowned at her. “Where exactly does your confidence come from?”

Luofu indeed! With makeup that thick on her face, she might as well be wearing a mask!

Pouting, Feng Yue swung her legs and said: “Don’t look down on this servant so! At least someone just asked for this servant’s name. His face was red to the ears, tsk tsk. Ah, that young man wearing soldier’s clothes just ahead!”

As she spoke, she caught sight of someone and struggled to wave, but Yin Gezhi tightened his grip on her, saying displeased: “Move around again and you can walk by yourself!”

Her body instantly stiffened, and Feng Yue immediately behaved, hugging his neck and playing dead in his arms.

Glancing at the soldier patrolling nearby, Yin Gezhi’s face remained expressionless, completely unconcerned.

After dropping her back at Menghuai Tower, Yin Gezhi frowned while flexing his arms, his eyes full of displeasure.

Feng Yue smiled apologetically while massaging his arms: “Young Master truly has godlike strength, carrying this servant so far!”

Completely uninterested in her flattery, Yin Gezhi said: “I have matters to attend to these next few days, so I may not come here often.”

“This servant understands.” Smiling sweetly in response, Feng Yue said charmingly: “Young Master can come back after finishing your business. This servant will be waiting.”

On the road out of the city, someone had told her that the Crown Prince had ordered the Commissioner to investigate the theft at the General’s Manor, though, despite the order, the Commissioner hadn’t made any major moves yet. Yin Gezhi being busy at this time was very likely related to this matter.

Would the once-mighty Prince of Wei truly be content to remain a hostage in Wu?

She was quite curious to see what the great Prince Yin, who had been dormant for a year, was planning.

Seeing her docile manner, Yin Gezhi said nothing more, resting for a moment before returning to his residence to change clothes.

“Master.” Just as he stepped into the envoy’s residence, someone spoke from the shadows: “Someone delivered two boxes. We inspected them—something’s suspicious, but… we couldn’t catch the person.”

Boxes? Yin Gezhi nodded and walked into the main room to look.

Two boxes made of yellow pear wood. Since they’d already been inspected, he felt safe opening them directly, taking out the stack of items inside to examine.

When he saw what the items were, Yin Gezhi’s pupils contracted, and he immediately turned to berate: “How could you not catch them!”

“This servant has failed!” The person in the shadows said helplessly: “We really don’t know who threw them over the wall. When we chased out, there were too many people on the street, we couldn’t tell…”

Maps of General Yi’s mansion show the placement of mechanisms, along with confidential letters stolen from the mansion—how could someone bring these things to him?

On the surface, his relationship with General Yi was that of one hero admiring another. No one would think he would move against Yi Guoru, so what was the intention of the person who sent these items?

Suddenly tense, Yin Gezhi’s eyes filled with killing intent. After reading through the pile of letters, he burned them all.

They weren’t particularly important military secrets—only two imperial edicts were useful. Though skilled, the thief hadn’t found that old man’s most crucial secrets.

However, even these few items in his hands could have a significant impact.

Who was helping him from behind the scenes? Or rather, who was trying to use him?

After pondering the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the great Prince Yin sneered and waved his sleeve, scattering the ashes of the burned papers to the wind.

Who cared who it was or what they wanted to do? He would do what he needed to do. No matter who tried to interfere, he wouldn’t stop!

As the sky darkened, Yin Gezhi returned to the training ground where his two disciples were already eagerly waiting.

“Master, we just need to touch you, right?” Xu Huaizu asked. “By any means?”

“Yes, as long as you use the footwork I taught you, any other methods are fine.” Yin Gezhi nodded, his silver-embroidered black clothes fluttering in the wind.

Many people had gathered around to watch. An Shichong and Xu Huaizu exchanged glances, one attacking from the left, one from the right, their moves extremely quick and their coordination quite good.

The great Prince Yin stood impressively with his hands behind his back, dodging left and right, his robes billowing. After ten moves, they still hadn’t managed to touch even the edge of his clothes.

Xu Huaizu grew unhappy. He had coveted the Changhhen Blade for a long time, thinking he’d never get to touch it, yet now it was within reach. Even if it was their master, they had to fight! However, their master’s movements were too agile and tricky. Without using underhanded methods, it would be impossible to touch him.

“Ah, isn’t that Miss Feng Yue?” a watching soldier suddenly called out.

Yin Gezhi was startled, instinctively turning to look, just as two sharp currents of air swept past him from both sides.

Clever boys, playing tricks? Yin Gezhi laughed inwardly, but his body didn’t move, allowing them to strike his arms from both sides.

“Wow!” Not expecting the trick to work, Xu Huaizu shouted excitedly, picking up An Shichong and spinning him around. “We touched him!”

An Shichong was also happy, but being held—and by another man no less—even if it was his childhood friend, he didn’t hesitate to throw a punch, making the other retreat two steps with a bloody nose.

“Master!” Xu Huaizu complained pitifully. “He hit me!”

“You have the nerve to complain?” An Shichong frowned. “Have some dignity!”

Seeing how happy the two children were, Yin Gezhi’s expression softened as he waved for Guanzhi to bring out the sword and blade he had prepared earlier and present them.

“These were forged by your master at the age of twenty, from premium cold iron.” Yin Gezhi said calmly. “They’ve been sealed away for many years. Now they have new masters—may you treat them well.”

Xu Huaizu’s jaw nearly hit the ground as he looked at the frost-emanating Changhhen Blade in his hands, shocked: “These were forged by Master?”

No wonder everyone knew this pair of swords and blades could cut through iron like mud and were treasured by the royal family, yet no one knew who forged them or where they were. Anything in their master’s possession must be divine weaponry. But… to forge divine weapons at just twenty years old—what kind of upbringing did their master have?

An Shichong’s eyes were full of joy as he caressed the Buhui Sword and made a deep bow to Yin Gezhi: “Thank you, Master!”

Yin Gezhi nodded, lifting his head to scan the amazed crowd, when his gaze suddenly fixed on a point.

The watching soldiers all startled, looking at each other.

Withdrawing his gaze, Yin Gezhi turned to General Song behind him: “The Song army has always been known for its fierceness, so your martial arts must be excellent. I want to demonstrate new techniques to my two disciples shortly—could the General lend me someone?”

General Song replied generously: “Your Highness may choose anyone you like.”

Though it would be an honor to be chosen as Yin Gezhi’s target, it would certainly be painful. The soldiers stood stiffly as the man in black walked over, his steps unwavering, directly to one person, pointing at him: “You’ll do.”

The chosen soldier looked completely bewildered—he had just returned from patrol, how had he suddenly become someone’s human target?