Empress, please have some self-respect. I am not your husband.

"What a joke!"

Lu Feng was shocked.

Ye Bingyun frowned: "Why such a big reaction?"

"Why don't you just say she should live in the palace!" Lu Feng laughed angrily. Live in my mansion? That's ridiculous!

Ye Bingyun raised an eyebrow: "It wouldn't sound good if word got out that a princess from another country was living in my harem."

Lu Feng was speechless: "Does staying at my house sound good? Your Majesty, what are you thinking!"

He had absolutely no respect for the emperor in front of him. If it weren't for the agreement he made with Bingyun to get medical treatment, he would have run away long ago.

Ye Bingyun sighed softly, "I have thought this through carefully. This time, Yu Ningyan was lucky to have met you and survived. But what if the other party has other plans? What if they try to assassinate her again?"

Lu Feng said nonchalantly, "Wouldn't it be enough to just send a few more people to protect her closely?"

“That’s right, that’s what I think too!” Ye Bingyun said with a look of agreement.

Lu Feng understood, and couldn't help but laugh and cry: "So you sent me to protect her personally, right?"

“That’s right, Minister Lu. Looking at the entire court, no, I should say the entire Qian Kingdom, I think it’s impossible to find someone stronger than you. Only with you protecting Yu Ningyan can I feel at ease.”

Hearing the praise, Lu Feng chuckled: "Your Majesty, please don't flatter me. That woman is troublesome, and I don't want to have any more dealings with her."

This bastard is completely impervious to both soft and hard approaches!

Cursing inwardly, Ye Bingyun advised, "Lu Feng, you obviously intervened last night because you didn't want her to die in our Qian Kingdom and cause even more trouble, right? As the saying goes, if you're going to help someone, help them all the way through."

"You saved her once and then you just leave her alone? What if something really happens to Yu Ningyan later? Wouldn't all your efforts last night have been for nothing?"

Lu Feng fell silent. Seeing that his attitude seemed to have softened, Ye Bingyun continued, "Furthermore, I know that Yu Ningyan is a troublesome person, but we just need to wait for the people from Xichu to come and pick her up."

"During this period, all you need to do is protect her safety. It should be a piece of cake for you. Just think of it as doing this for the stability of the Qian Kingdom, how about it?"

Lu Feng sighed helplessly, "Well, since His Majesty has put it this way, it would be rather unreasonable of me to refuse again."

Ye Bingyun then smiled, but the smile turned bitter: "I had no choice. If I had more powerful people under my command, I wouldn't have bothered you with this. In the end, it's because our Qian Kingdom has been weak for too long."

"Becoming stronger is not something that can be achieved overnight."

Seeing the young emperor's worried expression, Lu Feng could only offer this perfunctory reply.

With his consent, Ye Bingyun immediately led him to a side hall where Princess Yu Ningyan had been waiting.

"His Majesty."

Upon seeing the two arrive, Yu Ningyan rose and bowed.

"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities."

Ye Bingyun said softly, "I know the truth. For the sake of your safety, Princess, I plan to have Lu Feng protect you. What do you think?"

Yu Ningyan's eyes lit up: "That would be wonderful!"

Seeing her reaction, Lu Feng curled his lip.

Ye Bingyun smiled and said, "Alright, since the princess doesn't object, then please go with Lu Feng. Lu Feng, you don't need to worry about the affairs of the Imperial Household Department for the time being. Anyway, you don't have much to do. Just be the princess's personal bodyguard."

The way you're saying this makes it sound like I've been just wasting my days!

Lu Feng replied listlessly, "I know."

Looking at him, Yu Ningyan chuckled inwardly, feeling even more at ease.

Suddenly promoted from Junior Chamberlain to bodyguard, Lu Feng led Yu Ningyan out of the palace and all the way to the state guesthouse to pack up Yu Ningyan's belongings.

At this moment, the Western Chu delegation at the State Guesthouse had received Ye Bingyun's imperial decree, ordering them to leave the capital today.

Upon seeing Yu Ningyan appear, some people felt relieved and came forward to express their concern for the goddess.

Her beautiful eyes swept over everyone, but Yu Ningyan didn't know who the traitor was among them. She said, "I am fine. You should all follow His Majesty the Emperor's decree and return to Western Chu. Also, please deliver this letter to my father."

Yu Ningyan took out a letter she had written.

One of them took the document and said worriedly, "Your Highness, what will happen to you? You were just assassinated yesterday. If you don't leave with us, you'll be in grave danger in Qian Kingdom!"

Yu Ningyan raised her eyebrows and chuckled, pointing to Lu Feng, who was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed: "His Majesty the Emperor has already assigned new guards to protect my safety. Guard Lu will do his best to protect me, right?"

"Hehe." Lu Feng chuckled twice as a response.

Only then did the others notice Lu Feng's presence, each one more surprised than the last. They tried to persuade Yu Ningyan again, but were interrupted.

"Alright, that's enough. The sooner you return to Western Chu, the sooner I will be safe. Guard Lu, come and pack my luggage."

Hey, this unlucky guy, he really thinks he can be my bodyguard, huh?

Upon entering the house, after unpacking two large boxes of clothes and jewelry, even Lu Feng was shocked: "Holy crap, why are you bringing so much stuff on your mission?"

Yu Ningyan rolled her eyes and said, "I am, after all, the eldest princess of Western Chu. When I go on a diplomatic mission to a country, my clothes and attire cannot be simple. Otherwise, wouldn't that be a disgrace to Western Chu? There are rules about what to wear when meeting officials and what to wear when meeting the emperor."

"Being too proud is a recipe for suffering," Lu Feng muttered as he picked up the two large boxes.

Yu Ningyan covered her mouth and chuckled, then quickly followed. A carriage was already prepared outside the state guesthouse. Lu Feng tossed the two boxes into the carriage, and only after Yu Ningyan entered did he drive towards his residence, wondering as he drove if he should also buy a few servants or maids.

Passing by the post station, Lu Feng sent out the letter he had written the night before as an express delivery.

When he arrived at the mansion in his carriage and saw the two beautiful figures standing in front of the gate, he immediately felt a headache coming on.

"Lu Feng!"

The two forms of address differed greatly; one contained endless longing, while the other sounded cold and displeased.

Chu Hongyan and Qin Xinyi.

"Why are you here?"

After jumping off the carriage, Lu Feng knocked on the door and said irritably, "We've arrived. You can get off now."

"Who is Lu Feng?"

Chu Hongyan walked forward with a smile, her peach blossom eyes asking a question, which annoyed Miss Qin.

The carriage door opened.

Yu Ningyan peeked out, and Qin Xinyi was immediately stunned and exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, what are you doing here?"

"So it's General Qin!"

Yu Ningyan smiled knowingly: "I'm staying with Lord Lu for a while. General Qin won't be angry, will he?"