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

Five days later, at the Duke of Qi's residence.

Xiao Jinyan, clad in dark green battle armor, rode a magnificent warhorse, galloping from the Imperial Guard's camp. Huan Rongzu and Luo Chuan followed closely behind, their mounts equally robust, their gait steady and their imposing presence overwhelming.

Upon arriving at the mansion, the three of them tacitly reined in their horses in front of the gate, gracefully dismounted, handed the reins to a servant, and entered the mansion.

As Xiao Jinyan walked, he turned his head, his eyes sharp, and said to Huan Rongzu, "Rongzu, how is the matter I asked you to do progress? The bulletproof vests and crossbows provided to all the soldiers must not be neglected in the slightest."

Upon hearing this, Huan Rongzu smiled confidently and said, "Don't worry, Commander, everything is almost ready."

Xiao Jinyan nodded slightly: "How much silver do you have left in the manor? Is the money enough?"

Huan Rongzu said casually, "There is no need to worry about the military. The mansion still has more than 20 million taels of silver, which is enough to support our current expenses."

Xiao Jinyan revealed a hint of joy, thinking to himself, "Looks like I have plenty of money. Robbing Yu Jin once is enough to live on for three years. When will I fatten this guy up and then pull off another heist?"

He turned to look at Luo Chuan, his eyes filled with expectation and trust: "Luo Chuan, how is the matter of me ordering you to select capable and intelligent men from the entire army to expand your secret intelligence battalion progressing?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Chuan's expression hardened, and he replied, "Commander, this humble general is working diligently on it. Currently, a group of loyal, reliable, and exceptionally intelligent soldiers have been selected, and it is expected that the secret intelligence battalion can be expanded to five hundred men within a month."

A glint of appreciation flashed in Xiao Jinyan's eyes. He patted Luo Chuan on the shoulder and said, "Very good. When selecting personnel, remember to do a good job of political vetting. Once they are selected, they will receive triple the military pay."

Luo Chuan was taken aback and asked with some confusion, "Guardian, what is 'political vetting'?"

Xiao Jinyan explained, "It's political censorship."

Luo Chuan was stunned again. He shook his head, indicating that he still didn't understand.

Xiao Jinyan was both amused and exasperated. She continued, "To put it simply, we need to investigate these people's past experiences, religious beliefs, and family history, including their extended family and relatives, to prevent any shady characters from getting mixed in."

After listening, Luo Chuan nodded and said, "This subordinate understands, please rest assured, Commander."

Now that Xiao Jinyan has more troops under his command, he urgently needs manpower to expand the secret intelligence battalion. In addition to using generous treatment to win people's hearts, the most important thing for him is to ensure the purity of the troops. The secret intelligence battalion is like a spy network, spread throughout the entire army, which can help Xiao Jinyan keep abreast of the movements of the mid-to-high-ranking generals in the entire army, so as to select confidants, eliminate dissidents, and completely integrate these 50,000 imperial guards.

During this period, Xiao Jinyan first promoted all his trusted generals of the Tiger Guard Battalion, including Wu Qi, Xie Dun, and Wang Xuanyu. He then removed Huang Hui, the disloyal commander of the Left Guard Battalion, and put Wang Xuanyu in charge of the Left Guard Battalion. Next, he recommended Chen Boda, a former subordinate of He Jian, as the commander of the Cloud Cavalry Battalion, and put Wu Qi in charge of the Cloud Cavalry Battalion. Zhang Jing was transferred from the Right Guard Battalion to Xiao Jinyan's trusted Tiger Guard Battalion as its commander, Xie Dun took over the Right Guard Battalion, and Zhang Bao remained in charge of the Valiant Cavalry Battalion.

After these maneuvers, Xiao Jinyan's control over the 50,000 Imperial Guards rose to a new level.

As night fell, silver light bathed the ancient courtyard. Xiao Jinyan stepped steadily into Yu Xin'er's boudoir, bathed in moonlight. Inside, candlelight flickered, illuminating Yu Xin'er's gentle face. She waited quietly by her side, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and tenderness.

Upon seeing Xiao Jinyan enter, she gracefully stepped forward to greet him, her skillful hands deftly removing his battle armor. As the armor fell to the ground, Yu Xin'er carefully helped him change into a soft, exquisitely embroidered brocade robe, which seemed to add a touch of gentle elegance to his appearance.

"My lord, please stay in my room tonight."

Yu Xin'er hoped to use these gentle words to keep Xiao Jinyan's heart.

However, Xiao Jinyan hesitated slightly. He sighed softly and slowly said, "Madam, I want to go to Xuan'er's place tonight."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xin'er's smile froze instantly, and a hint of disappointment and confusion flashed in her eyes: "Husband, why have you been going to Guan Lingxuan's place so often these past few days, neglecting me for quite some time now?"

Xiao Jinyan explained, "Xuan'er hasn't been feeling well these past few days, and I'm really worried about her. Madam, please bear with her a little longer."

As she spoke, she thought to herself, "Guan Lingxuan has a man with her, so I'll just have to make do with this for now..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xin'er gave a bitter smile, her eyes slightly reddening: "Hmph, my husband only knows how to favor that Guan Lingxuan, he doesn't love me at all, I'm ignoring you!"

Before she could finish speaking, she abruptly turned around, not wanting Xiao Jinyan to see the tears that were about to fall from her eyes.

Just then, Xiao Jinyan gently wrapped his arms around Yu Xin'er's waist from behind, his large hand lightly kneading her soft breasts, as if soothing a wounded heart. Then, Xiao Jinyan pressed his ear against Yu Xin'er's hip, gently kissing her hair, his warm breath brushing against her ear: "Alright, my wife, I love you both, you are both my precious darlings. It's just that Xuan'er really needs someone to take care of her right now. You two sisters sharing one husband will inevitably have your share of trivial matters in the future, so please be understanding."

Feeling the warmth of Xiao Jinyan's embrace, Yu Xin'er's resentment seemed to dissipate somewhat, but she still stubbornly turned her head away, unwilling to forgive easily.

Seeing this, Xiao Jinyan's lips curled into a doting smile. He pulled Yu Xin'er into his arms, a gesture that was both gentle and domineering, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones. His lips fell like a storm, carrying an irresistible force, and Yu Xin'er instantly succumbed to this deep affection. She slowly wrapped her arms around Xiao Jinyan's neck, responding with the same passion.

The kiss gradually became tender and passionate, filling the air with a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere.

Finally, Yu Xin'er gently pushed Xiao Jinyan away, her breath tinged with shyness and reluctance: "Alright, husband, go find that little vixen. I won't want you to leave later."

Xiao Jinyan chuckled, his fingers running through Yu Xin'er's soft hair, his eyes full of doting: "My wife is so understanding, truly my virtuous helper."

"Be careful not to ruin your health at such a young age."

Yu Xin'er whispered her advice, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan's eyes softened even more: "Don't worry, Madam, I know what I'm doing."

After saying that, he kissed Yu Xin'er on the forehead, turned around and left, leaving behind a room full of warmth and reluctance.

Walking through the winding corridor, Xiao Jinyan quickened his pace, feeling both guilty towards Yu Xin'er and excited to see Guan Lingxuan. Pushing open Guan Lingxuan's door, a fresh and elegant fragrance wafted towards him, and Guan Lingxuan, that gentle and considerate woman, had been waiting for him for a long time.

Upon seeing Xiao Jinyan, she rushed into his arms like a freed pony, her legs unconsciously wrapping around his waist, her face beaming with a smile of happiness and longing: "Husband, Xuan'er has missed you so much!"