Five years ago, Lan Tingrong had only met Feng Guang once, and back then, she was still a little girl. So, they weren’t very familiar with each other. However, Gu Yan, he had seen him several times.
He said, “Your Majesty and Prince have traveled a long distance. I’ve already had someone prepare a tent for you both to rest in. As for the doctors and supplies, I’ll arrange those myself.”
“Alright then, we’ll rest first,” Feng Guang said, crossing her arms casually. She pointed to the two soldiers behind Lan Tingrong and added, “But I want these two to serve me.”
The two soldiers lowered their heads, confused.
The Empress was openly requesting two men to serve her right in front of her fiancé. This was really… quite impatient.
The crowd murmured to themselves but dared not speak out loud.
Lan Tingrong said, “Your Majesty, these two are my assistants in drawing the battlefield maps.”
“Assistants? You could have just picked two random people. Listen carefully—it’s you and you. Come with me,” Feng Guang said, pointing, and followed the deputy general into the tent.
Lan Tingrong’s expression stiffened. Among the two soldiers, the smaller one gave him a reassuring look.
Ke Huai watched the Empress’s retreating figure, subconsciously twisting the long flute in his hands.
Gu Yan, as if casually, smiled gently and said, “Master Ke, are you feeling reassured?”
“What does the Prince mean?” Ke Huai replied, looking confused. “Forgive me, I don’t understand.”
“If you want to leave, I can give you some silver and ensure the Ke family doesn’t cause you trouble. If you want to stay by His Majesty’s side…” Gu Yan’s lips curled into a smile like a spring breeze. “Master Ke, I’m sure you’ve noticed, that Her Majesty’s interest in you won’t last.”
With that, Gu Yan didn’t wait to see Ke Huai’s changing expression. He also walked into Feng Guang’s tent.
Ke Huai stood frozen, gripping the flute tightly in his hands for a long time without moving.
Inside the tent, Feng Guang sat in a chair, her hand resting on the table, supporting her chin. When she saw Gu Yan enter, she smiled. “Uncle Wang, I’ve found you some elegance. How will you thank me?”
It turned out the soldier standing by the table with a delicate face was the long-missing Xia Fengya, and the handsome man by her side was, of course, Mu Liang.
Gu Yan had already become used to Feng Guang pairing him with Xia Fengya in her teasing, so he didn’t respond to her mocking look. Instead, he asked, “How did Princess end up in the military camp?”
Xia Fengya glanced at Mu Liang. “After Mu Liang and I finished our business in Dongyang City, we heard the situation at the border was urgent, so we thought we’d come and help…”
Feng Guang clicked her tongue. “What help can you offer? You just don’t want to go back to the palace, right?”
“Your Majesty, you must believe that I have a heart for the country and the people! Ask Mu Liang if you don’t believe me!” Xia Fengya tugged at Mu Liang’s sleeve. “Tell her, am I not telling the truth?”
Mu Liang seemed to come back to his senses. He blankly asked, “Didn’t you ask us to serve you?”
“What? Weren’t you complaining that I’m too frivolous? Now you want to serve me?” Feng Guang’s face broke into a teasing smile.
“Ridiculous!” Mu Liang, finding his composure again, said angrily, “I hadn’t seen you in so long and thought you might have matured a little, but you’re still as frivolous as ever!”
Gu Yan chuckled lightly. “This gentleman, I think you should know you are speaking to the Emperor of Dongyun.”
Gu Yan’s smile was refined and harmless, but Xia Fengya was shaken with fear. She quickly said, “Uncle Wang, please don’t mind him. Mu Liang comes from the common land and doesn’t understand court etiquette. He didn’t mean to offend Her Majesty!”
Lucien On ABRWF Chapter 34.1