Chapter 32

32 Teasing Leng Yufeng

As the sun set in the west, in a small rural town’s forest outside Fengzhou City, where a famine had struck in the south, a group of several thousand people and numerous horse-drawn carts loaded with grain were resting.

Thousands were resting there, but the man standing on the high ground showed no sign of sleep. Dressed in black, he stood atop the hill with a troubled mind, his sword-like brows tightly furrowed, and the aura around him remained cold, untouched by the warm sunset.

Leng Yufeng had been waiting here for two days but had yet to see the prince and his entourage. He had never been this anxious before, feeling as if something was scratching and clawing at his heart, making him deeply uncomfortable. He kept imagining worst-case scenarios: what if the prince was injured by bandits, or what if the prince was taken hostage by them…

The more he thought, the tighter Leng Yufeng’s brows knitted together, and his chiseled face was filled with worry.

That day, although he reluctantly led the soldiers away, he felt more relief in his heart because the crown prince was like a poison that, once touched, could never be wiped away. He wanted to escape and even more, he wanted to reject this overwhelming feeling.

But when he truly left the prince’s side as he wished, taking the soldiers to do what he was supposed to do, Leng Yufeng realized he was absent-minded. He couldn’t stop worrying, couldn’t stop regretting. In just a few days, he experienced emotions he hadn’t felt in all twenty-four years.

Leng Yufeng felt that no matter what feelings he held towards the Crown Prince, he was never one to back down. Since the Crown Prince gave him such a different feeling, why not face it bravely? He had fought his way out from the bones time and time again; now, was he really afraid of a Crown Prince who was still not yet an adult?

Leng Yufeng thought for a long time and finally made up his mind to go find the Crown Prince! Since he can’t let go of that young man, then he will protect the Crown Prince. After all, the Crown Prince is the ruler and he is the subject; it is only right for him to protect the Crown Prince. More importantly, he doesn’t want to leave, so he won’t leave.

Shang Wuxin did not know that Leng Yufeng had become resolute in his feelings after being apart for a few days, even though he himself was unaware of his emotions.

“Lan Jin!” Leng Yufeng shouted to He Lan Jin not far away. He Lan Jin immediately came to the general’s side. He had originally thought that the general’s odd behavior in the past few days by the crown prince’s side was strange, but now that the general was not by the crown prince’s side, it was even stranger. He Lan Jin wondered if he had guessed wrong—whether the general’s mood had nothing to do with the crown prince.

“Arrange these people properly, and make sure the food supplies are secure!” Leng Yufeng instructed, then was about to leave but was stopped by He Lan Jin. Leng Yufeng looked at He Lan Jin angrily, but then heard He Lan Jin pointing into the distance, “The crown prince and the others are coming!”

Leng Yufeng’s entire body stiffened as if someone had struck an acupuncture point, remaining motionless. After a long moment, Leng Yufeng turned his head with a “click.” His starry eyes first caught sight of a crescent-white figure riding a tall horse. Beside him was a blue figure. The elegant, cool white contrasted sharply with the warm hues of the sunset, yet there was no sense of discord; instead, they complemented each other perfectly, exuding unparalleled grace. At that moment, Leng Yufeng could hear his own heartbeat, which quickened as the youth drew closer and closer.

Shang Wuxin came before Leng Yufeng, and everyone saluted, “Your Highness!” Shang Wuxin nodded, allowing everyone to go about their own business, then looked at Leng Yufeng, who had remained motionless since his arrival. Shang Wuxin even suspected that there might be something wrong with General Leng, wondering why he kept having these episodes from time to time.

“Yu Feng, what’s wrong?” Huan Mo Che nudged his friend. His friend was clearly not himself; he had never seen him like this before.

Leng Yu Feng suddenly came back to his senses, but the image of the Crown Prince’s figure had just been etched into his mind, becoming an obsession he could never let go of in his life.

“Crown Prince!” Leng Yu Feng’s wheat-colored skin flushed slightly. He immediately lowered his head awkwardly, afraid the Crown Prince would notice his unusual behavior. However, this oddity was noticed by Huan Mo Che beside him, whose hand resting at his side clenched slightly.

This uneasy Leng Yu Feng sparked a teasing impulse in Shang Wuxin. Although he was a cold and tough man, at this moment Shang Wuxin felt he was just a cute big boy. Shang Wuxin glanced at Leng Yu Feng a few times, his eyes filled with inexplicable amusement. Even though Leng Yu Feng did not look up, he could still feel the Crown Prince’s overly playful gaze, making him even more afraid to move.

“I wonder what’s wrong with General Leng?” Shang Wuxin suppressed a smile and approached Leng Yufeng. As expected, he saw Leng Yufeng’s flushed cheeks. Shang Wuxin asked with some concern, “General Leng, are you feeling unwell? Do you need me to find a doctor to take a look at you?”

“No!” Leng Yufeng immediately stepped back a few paces and said in panic, “I, I’m fine!” Just now, he had actually smelled that faint fragrance on the Crown Prince. He had smelled it more than once; every night when he rested by the Crown Prince’s side under the pretext of protecting him, he would catch that scent, which subtly fascinated him.

“Oh?” Shang Wuxin looked at the flustered and confused Leng Yufeng, a full smile rising in her heart. Instead of retreating, she stepped forward. “General Leng, you must not force yourself. Although I am not very skilled in medicine, I have learned a bit from long experience with illness. Do you need me to take a look for you?”

Shang Wuxin had originally expected to continue seeing this seemingly cold man become even more flustered, but unexpectedly, Leng Yufeng suddenly lifted his head. His face was still faintly flushed, but his eyes no longer showed panic. Those eyes were filled with the urgency of a wolf, which stunned Shang Wuxin for a moment.

“Is the Crown Prince’s health not good?” Leng Yufeng asked, but in an instant, his previously flushed cheeks returned to their original wheat color, and his eyes held a hint of worry that made his expression hard to read.

Leng Yufeng looked at the Crown Prince’s overly pale face and suddenly believed what the Crown Prince had just said. If his health were not poor, how could his complexion be so pale? Recalling the rumors once circulating in the capital that the Crown Prince was a sickly person, it now seemed those rumors were not baseless.

Huan Mo Che, who had originally been feeling somewhat uneasy, also looked at the Crown Prince with concern. Although he did not ask, the worry hidden in his eyes was genuine.

Shang Wuxin was momentarily stunned by the sudden aura displayed by Leng Yufeng, but in an instant, he withdrew his body that had been leaning slightly to tease Leng Yufeng. The playful expression on his face quickly disappeared, returning to that cold and aloof Crown Prince.

Leng Yufeng looked at the Crown Prince, who had turned into a stranger again, feeling guilty and wanting to punch himself. Just now, he clearly liked the Crown Prince getting close, clearly liked the Crown Prince’s mischievous teasing, so how did it end up like this?

“General Leng, you and your men are to enter Fengzhou City now, spread the news that the court will send food supplies tomorrow, and ensure the city’s security is under control!” Shang Wuxin ordered, as if the mischievous and evil teasing version of himself just now never existed.

“Yes!” Leng Yufeng nodded and went to arrange for people to handle it. Leng Yufeng was well aware that there were too many starving people in the city now. If such a large amount of grain suddenly appeared in Fengzhou City, a riot would definitely break out. The people would surely rush to seize the food, and not only would the grain delivery fail, but many deaths would also occur.

Shang Wuxin was still lost in thought. Huan Mo Che looked at the crown prince, who was bowing his head in contemplation, and after opening his mouth a few times, he finally spoke, “If there is anything the crown prince needs me to do…” He did not want to be excluded by the crown prince, and even if it was just these official matters, he hoped to be of help to him.

“Then please, Young Master Huan, take some men into the city and gather a few doctors. They will be useful when I enter the city tomorrow!” Shang Wuxin instructed. Although she did not have much goodwill toward Huan Mo Che, this was not the time to be petty. If there was free manpower, of course she would use it, especially since Huan Mo Che was a great help to her.

Huan Mo Che had already guessed what the Crown Prince intended to do, nodded, and then left with his people.

Shang Wuxin looked at the vast sunset sky. She had been here for a month or two, and this was her first step taken here. From now on, she would continue to move forward. Power, she wanted it! Wealth, she wanted it! Status, she wanted that too!