The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Xiao Jinyan slowly spoke, saying, "Madam, what great advantage do I, Xiao Jinyan, possess?"

Yu Xin'er smiled knowingly and said softly, "You're rich."

Upon hearing this, the group realized that Xiao Jinyan currently held at least 30 million taels of silver, an astronomical figure.

Luo Chuan frowned, his tone still carrying a hint of doubt: "But how can the loyalty and conviction of those Imperial Guard generals and soldiers be swayed by mere money?"

Yu Xin'er gently shook her head, her smile now tinged with worldly wisdom: "Luo Chuan is right, loyalty and conviction cannot be swayed by money. But please don't forget, everything in this world has its own laws of operation. The thoughts of soldiers are actually much simpler and more direct than we imagine. What they seek on the battlefield is nothing more than fame and fortune. Whoever they follow can provide them with food, pay their wages, and keep their families from hunger and cold, their hearts will naturally belong to that person. This is an unchanging truth since ancient times."

Upon hearing this, Luo Chuan remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, a hint of agreement flashing in his eyes: "Madam is right. Indeed, no matter how skilled a general is in leading troops into battle, if he has no food or pay, he will find it difficult to keep those soldiers who risk their lives in the army in check for long. The hearts and minds of the people often depend on who can provide them with the most tangible livelihood security."

Huan Rongzu smiled slightly and echoed, "What you say is absolutely right, Madam. As the old saying goes, 'Even a clever housewife can't cook without rice.' Without rice in hand, let alone rallying heroes from all over the world, it's difficult to maintain even the closest relationships with people around you for long. In this world, strength is the only true measure of power, and money is the most direct guarantee of strength."

The saying "a penny can bring down a hero" resonated deeply with Huan Rongzu, who had endured years of hardship and displacement. His current unwavering loyalty to the Duke of Qi's mansion stemmed from the fact that Xiao Cheng had once given him a meal and provided him with generous treatment.

So Xiao Jinyan couldn't help but smile slightly and said, "Alright, in that case, I will go and pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince and ask him to recommend me to serve as a general in He Jian's army."

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The following day, at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

At dawn, sunlight, like fine threads, pierced through the thin mist, casting a soft golden glow upon the Eastern Palace. This magnificent mansion, majestic and splendid, resembled a dazzling pearl embedded in the bustling capital. The scenery within was delightful, with artificial hills and flowing water, swaying bamboo, and fragrant flowers—every detail exuding an extraordinary air of elegance and refinement.

Crown Prince Liu Zhan, dressed in a magnificent robe embroidered with gold and dragons, his robes swaying gently in the wind, looked like a noble young master who had stepped out of a painting, pacing anxiously in the main hall. A hint of worry was etched between his brows, as if a major decision was about to be made in his hands.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the hall. A young general with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and a resolute expression, strode in. It was He Jian, a capable general under the Crown Prince. He wore silver sequined armor, a white feathered helmet, and a sword at his waist. He looked as if he had just returned from the battlefield, carrying an aura of lingering killing intent.

"coming?"

Liu Zhan turned around, his gaze sharp as he looked directly at He Jian, his tone filled with anticipation and urgency.

He Jian hurriedly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and respectfully said, "This humble general, He Jian, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. May I ask what urgent matter Your Highness has summoned this humble general for?"

Liu Zhan gently raised his hand, gesturing for He Jian to stand up, and then slowly said, "He Jian, I ask you, do you still have any vacant Imperial Guard general positions?"

Upon hearing this, He Jian was slightly taken aback, but quickly regained his composure and replied, "Your Highness, the Tiger Guard Camp is currently short of a Lieutenant General. I wonder what Your Highness's plans are?"

Liu Zhan's eyes instantly deepened, and he slowly said, "Then let's give the position of Tiger General to Xiao Jinyan."

Upon hearing this, He Jian was greatly surprised, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. He exclaimed, "What? Your Highness, you're going to arrange for that纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat) to be sent to the Tiger Guard Camp?"

Liu Zhan shook his head slightly, a complex emotion in his eyes: "Although Xiao Jinyan is usually unruly, he is not a bad person at heart. Yesterday, he confessed to me personally that he wanted to join your army as a general to protect himself because he was worried about Yu Jin's retaliation after looting the residence of the Chamberlain.

Upon hearing this, He Jian frowned, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He quickly said, "Your Highness, the Tiger Guard Camp is extremely important. If it falls into the hands of that纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled brat) Xiao Jinyan, he'll surely make a mess of things."

Liu Zhan frowned and said disdainfully, "It's not that serious. Don't you still have the Central Protector General above us? No matter how absurd Xiao Jinyan is, he can't turn the world upside down. Let's just leave it at that."

He Jian knew that the Crown Prince's decision was difficult to change, but he couldn't help worrying about the future of the Tiger Warriors. After all, Xiao Jinyan had a reputation, and the addition of such a controversial figure would undoubtedly cause quite a stir in the military camp. However, faced with the Crown Prince's decision, he could only silently accept the order, secretly praying that Xiao Jinyan wouldn't cause him any trouble.

Liu Zhan's sharp eyes saw through He Jian's barely concealed resentment and anger. He slowly spoke, "He Jian, you and I both know that at this moment, Father's health is deteriorating rapidly, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. And that Prince of Guangling is like a wolf in sheep's clothing, constantly coveting the throne and ready to make his move. In this turbulent time, the 300,000 elite troops under the Duke of Qi are undoubtedly my strongest shield, and the key to resisting foreign enemies and stabilizing the court. Therefore, as for Xiao Jinyan's request, as long as we carefully consider it and find it not excessive, we can act expediently and agree to it."

Upon hearing this, He Jian smiled helplessly and sighed softly, saying, "Your Highness is absolutely right. The overall situation is of utmost importance. At worst, we can keep that guy Xiao Jinyan under our noses and monitor him day and night. He won't be able to cause any trouble."

Liu Zhan nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of depth and wisdom: "We must be cautious in dealing with Xiao Jinyan. First, we must ensure his safety, after all, the Duke of Qi holds considerable military power, and he is the only son of the Xiao family. If anything were to happen to him, the consequences would be unimaginable. Second, we must keep a close eye on him to prevent him from doing anything outrageous or causing any major trouble. Do you understand?"

He Jian's expression hardened, and he nodded firmly, "Your Highness, please rest assured, I will personally select several capable and shrewd captains to serve as Xiao Jinyan's deputies in the Tiger Guard Camp. This will ensure that he doesn't feel overly monitored and develop rebellious intentions, while also guaranteeing that his every move is under my control. Under my command, I doubt Xiao Jinyan can pull any tricks!"

Liu Zhan nodded and said, "Alright, in that case, let Xiao Jinyan go to the Tiger Guard Camp to take up his post tomorrow."