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

The outcome was decided. Wang Xuanyu struggled to his feet, his face pale, but his eyes held no resentment. He looked at Xiao Jinyan and said sternly, "A bet's a bet. You want my life, don't you? Then do it."

After saying that, he closed his eyes and stretched out his neck, with a detached indifference that transcended life and death.

Seeing this, Xiao Jinyan did not rush to make a move. Instead, he put away his previous fierce aura, walked slowly to Wang Xuanyu, reached out to help him up, and said in a deep and calm tone, "Wang Xuanyu, I only said I wanted your life. Did I say I wanted to kill you? What use is a corpse to me, Xiao Jinyan?"

Wang Xuanyu was momentarily stunned, then smiled knowingly, understanding Xiao Jinyan's words perfectly. He immediately knelt down and said resolutely, "This humble general, Wang Xuanyu, from this day forward, is willing to serve the general wholeheartedly, even unto death!"

Xiao Jinyan patted Wang Xuanyu on the shoulder, a playful smile playing on his lips, and slowly said, "Wang Xuanyu, remember this: from now on, your life belongs to me!"

Ever since Xiao Jinyan swiftly subdued the unruly Wang Xuanyu during the martial arts competition, the two have formed an inseparable bond. Wang Xuanyu, this former troublesome subordinate, now not only admires Xiao Jinyan wholeheartedly but also considers him a confidant, vowing to fight alongside him through thick and thin.

One day, the setting sun cast a blood-red glow over every corner of the Tiger Warrior Camp. Although the soldiers continued their training, the light in their eyes lacked its former sharpness and passion. Xiao Jinyan keenly noticed this subtle change. He slowly entered the camp, his gaze finally settling on Wang Xuanyu. The two exchanged a glance; no words were needed, and they understood each other perfectly.

"Xuan Yu, why is the morale of the soldiers in the Tiger Warrior Camp somewhat low?"

Xiao Jinyan's voice was deep and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

Wang Xuanyu frowned, his expression grave: "General, the soldiers are aggrieved. Their pay has been overdue for more than a year."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Jinyan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Has the imperial court ever encountered such a situation before?"

"General, this is not the norm. It's just that in recent years, the court seems to be increasingly strapped for cash, so the issue of military pay has been delayed again and again."

Wang Xuanyu's answer revealed a sense of helplessness and worry.

Xiao Jinyan pondered to himself that there must be something fishy about this matter; it was definitely not as simple as it seemed on the surface. A strong sense of responsibility welled up within him, and he vowed to find out the truth and seek justice for his soldiers.

As night deepened, the candlelight flickered inside the central command tent, illuminating Xiao Jinyan's resolute face, with Huan Rongzu and Luo Chuan standing on either side of him behind him.

At Xiao Jinyan's command, quartermaster Yu Yan hurried over, his steps trembling with apprehension.

"You're Yu Yan, the quartermaster of the Tiger Legion?"

Xiao Jinyan's voice was calm and authoritative, as if it could see into people's hearts.

"It is indeed your humble servant who is in charge of distributing the Tiger Warriors' rations and wages and purchasing all military supplies."

Yu Yan bowed deeply, his forehead already beaded with sweat, clearly apprehensive about the impending interrogation.

Xiao Jinyan's gaze was piercing as he stared directly at Yu Yan: "Who is Yu Jin, the Chamberlain?"

Yu Yan's expression immediately changed, and he smiled slightly, saying with a mix of pride and joy, "I am the cousin of the Grand Councilor."

Xiao Jinyan sneered and said, "Do you have an explanation for the arrears in military pay?"

Yu Yan's body trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke: "General, this matter is complicated and cannot be explained in a few words. In recent years, the imperial treasury has been strained, coupled with frequent border wars, resulting in enormous military expenditures, therefore..."

Xiao Jinyan interrupted him, her tone firm and unwavering: "Stop putting on airs, where are the ledgers? Give them to me!"

At this moment, Xiao Jinyan had already secretly discovered that the military pay owed to the Tiger Legion soldiers had been embezzled by Yu Yan. He relied on his kinship with the current prime minister to exploit the Tiger Legion soldiers.

"General, I left in a hurry and didn't bring the account book with me. How about I bring it to you another day?"

Yu Yan looked troubled, but seeing Xiao Jinyan's piercing gaze, he broke out in a cold sweat.

Hehe... Another day? According to Huan Rongzu, as long as we find a few experts in accounting and financial management, we can create a fake account book in one night.

"No need. I have already sent soldiers to search your house for those account books."

Xiao Jinyan interrupted Yu Yan's excuses, her tone revealing an unquestionable determination.

Upon hearing this, Yu Yan's face turned ashen, his eyes widened, and he roared furiously, "What? Xiao Jinyan, you dare to search my house?"

Xiao Jinyan's face was cold and stern, a smile that left no room for doubt curling at the corners of his lips. His voice was deep and firm: "What is there to be afraid of? I even dared to search the mansion of that old fox Yu Jin. What are you, Yu Yan, compared to mere mortals?"

His gaze pierced the night like a sharp sword, striking straight into Yu Yan's heart, causing the other to involuntarily shiver.

Fear and helplessness mingled in Yu Yan's heart, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He knew that he was likely doomed tonight. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, with only the occasional distant drumbeats sounding particularly jarring in the silent night.

Just then, heavy footsteps broke the silence, and two armored soldiers carried in a heavy wooden box, their steps faltering. The box lid was half-open, revealing neatly stacked account books inside, as if concealing countless secrets and sins.

"These are the account books found at Yu Yan's residence."

The soldier's voice was deep and powerful, drawing everyone's attention to the box.

Xiao Jinyan nodded slightly, signaling Huan Rongzu, who was standing to the side, to step forward and check the accounts.

Huan Rongzu, a strategist skilled in arithmetic, had a lean face and sharp eyes. He took out the account book and carefully flipped through it page by page in the candlelight, his fingers flying across the abacus, making a crisp sound.

Yu Yan stood to one side, his eyes darting around, his heart pounding like a drum. Every subtle movement he made revealed his extreme panic and fear. The flickering candlelight distorted and grotesquely contorted his usually greedy face.

After a short while, Huan Rongzu stopped what he was doing, raised his head, and looked at Xiao Jinyan with a cold gaze: "Your Highness, according to precise calculations, Yu Yan has embezzled at least two million taels of silver in military pay from the Tiger Guard in the past three years."

Xiao Jinyan said sternly, "Yu Yan, what do you have to say now?"

Yu Yan's face turned deathly pale instantly, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground. His voice trembled as he pleaded, "General, spare me! I promise I won't do it again! Please give me a chance to reform..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan showed no pity or sympathy whatsoever, and resolutely declared, "Military law is as firm as a mountain, not to be trifled with. Drag him out and execute him!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Yan turned ashen-faced, his eyes filled with disbelief and despair. His voice trembled as he made a final plea: "General, you can't kill me! I'm the Attendant's cousin, and I'm related to your wife; we're family!"