A piece of Japanese incense

Chapter 243 Getting married?

Feng Zhiyan was tall and strong-looking, but at this moment, his face was unusually pale, with dark circles under his eyes and his lips bloodless. He was wearing a tight suit stained with dust and dark stains (like dried blood). His steps were unsteady, and he seemed to have difficulty standing, requiring the support of others to barely walk.

"Royal brother!" Feng Yan rushed over with tears in her eyes, burying her face in his chest, her shoulders twitching violently, "You're finally here! The city is in chaos, with no leader, it scared me to death! These days, I can't eat or sleep, I'm afraid... we orphans and widows..."

Feng Zhiyan hugged her back and said, "Okay, don't cry. The emperor is here! Don't be afraid."

Zhi Yihe, who was hiding in the shadow behind the window, keenly caught the moment when Feng Yan threw himself into Feng Zhiyan's arms, and exchanged an extremely brief but tacit glance with Lei Bao who was standing behind him!

Then, Feng Yan raised her head and stroked Feng Zhiyan's pale face with tears in her eyes. Her voice was filled with heartache: "Royal brother, why do you look so bad? The journey was rough. Come on! Let's go back to Guanhai Pavilion and rest!"

As she spoke, she winked at Lei Bao. Lei Bao immediately stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Madam is right. The prince encountered a storm at sea and fought a group of reckless fishermen. He suffered some minor injuries and needs absolute rest!" His voice was so loud that almost everyone on the dock could hear it.

"Right, right, right! Rest! You must rest!" Feng Yan echoed repeatedly, "Royal brother's health is the most important. Now that Brother Lei is here, brother should just rest and recuperate, and don't worry about anything else!"

Feng Zhiyan wanted to say something, but a violent cough interrupted him. He bent over due to coughing, and his face became even more pale.

Feng Yan and Lei Bao's men immediately half-supported, half-carried Feng Zhiyan, and quickly left the dock and headed towards Guanhai Pavilion. The scene was more like... escorting than escorting.

Zhi Yihe's heart sank to the bottom. She watched Feng Yan perform in front of everyone, Feng Zhiyan's clearly unwell state, and Lei Bao's expression of control over everything. Then she thought of the look Feng Yan and Lei Bao exchanged...

Wangchao City and Chisha City, home to the Sand Bandits, are separated by vast expanses of land and complex river channels. Sailing at full speed to the nearest landing point and then galloping to Chisha City would take at least a week one way. However, news of Chu He and Chu Hai, father and son, killing each other, had only just occurred five days ago...

Feng Yan not only used poison to control her and Yu Tuan, but also colluded with the second-in-command Lei Bao to fabricate the death of the city lord to lure Feng Zhiyan to Wangchao City...

What on earth is she planning...

In the evening, when Zhi Yihe was escorted to Feng Yan, Lei Bao was sitting on the armchair holding the child, and Feng Yan was standing beside him teasing him. The three of them were laughing and playing, looking like a happy family of three.

Seeing Zhi Yihe, Feng Yan put away her sweet smile: "Sister He, I wonder if you remember anything?"

Zhi Yihe's face maintained the same confusion and helplessness as before: "Madam, it's not that Yihe is delaying intentionally. The whereabouts of this national treasure are secret and involve many people. I..."

Feng Yan held a jeweled dagger in her hand and slashed it across her fingertips, leaving a tiny white mark. "Zhi Yihe! The patience of Second Master Lei and his men... is limited."

As they were talking, Tingzhu and Yutuan were pushed to Zhiyihe's side.

"Put away your silly tricks! Every moment you delay, they will suffer more because of you!"

Zhi Yihe supported Yu Tuan and sighed helplessly: "It's really unfair..."

"Oh! That's right!" Lei Bao suddenly laughed grimly and pointed at the corner of his mouth: "Ayuan! There's something you must promise me."

"What's the matter?"

"Still not a tail snake! He's still not married at his age! Ever since he met that young lady, he's been so crazy! He said that if he can't marry her, he might as well jump into the sea and feed the sharks, hahaha!"

As he spoke, Feng Yan looked at the man with a face full of flesh and lustful eyes.

The tail snake rubbed his hands and grinned foolishly at Tingzhu.

"No!" Zhi Yihe's pupils suddenly shrank and he shouted sternly.

Feng Yan forced a smile, walked over to Lei Bao's feet and lay down, touching his hand in a charming manner: "That's because he has never seen the world! When we take back the imperial city, we can choose any stunning beauty we want~"

Lei Bao pinched Feng Yan's chin, leaned forward, and whispered in her ear: "What? Are you heartbroken? Yes, your good sister is famous for her purity and pity. Even I feel heartbroken when I see her."

Feng Yan turned around, his tone suddenly becoming harsh: "What sister?! I think it's you who's causing all this trouble!"

Lei Bao laughed wantonly, waving his hand, a sickly excited smile on his face, his voice carrying an unquestionable command: "What are you still standing there for? Take her away! Enjoy her! Remember, this is the honorable Princess Tingzhu! Serve her well! Hahaha!"

"Understood! Thank you for the reward, big brother!" The tail snake was overjoyed. It rubbed its hands and walked towards Tingzhu, and couldn't wait to pull it up.

Ting Zhu struggled desperately, but was easily restrained. The rope was tied around her slender wrists, and she looked at Feng Yan in despair.

Feng Yan's face turned pale. "How dare she think about my sister! She is like a slave to me or she lets others trample on her. I have the final say!"

The tail snake was frightened by her eyes, and subconsciously shrank its neck and looked at Lei Bao for help.

Lei Bao grinned and let out a low laugh: "Madam, why are you angry? My brothers have been following me through thick and thin. It's a rare opportunity for us to have some fun. Why not give it to you to play with?" His tone was frivolous. He didn't take Feng Yan's words seriously at all. His eyes swept across Feng Yan's violently heaving chest.

"Lei Bao!" Feng Yan's voice rose, filled with offended anger. "I repeat, Ting Zhu is my sister! It's none of your business to dictate what happens to her! Take her away! Lock her up!"

However, the few trusted men that Lei Bao brought with him seemed not to have heard Feng Yan's words. Lei Bao crossed his arms and watched leisurely.

"How bold!" Feng Yan stood up suddenly.

"Ah--Wuwu!" Tingzhu let out a shrill cry and struggled desperately to retreat, but was bound tightly by the ropes.

Zhi Yihe caught the immense hatred in Feng Yan's eyes, and an extremely bold idea flashed through Zhi Yihe's mind!

"Wait!" Zhi Yihe said sharply. Everyone stopped moving and looked at her in surprise.

"Madam! Second Commander! You can't treat Princess Tingzhu like this! The princess is a precious girl, how can you be so careless? Isn't this an insult to Madam's status? It also makes Second Command's men seem too... unruly!"

Lei Bao's men glared at Zhi Yihe fiercely: "Little bitch, you've got the guts to do this, haven't you?!"

"Madam, Second Command! Since this brother is so... devoted to Princess Tingzhu, why not make it a 'good story'? Instead of this... why not hold a grand ceremony! Give Princess Tingzhu some respect! Three days! Just three days to prepare, and we can have a grand wedding! Then, Madam, as the eldest sister, you will officiate the wedding, and Second Command, you will be the matchmaker and witness. This is true 'grace', and it will also show that our Wangchao City... uh, it will show that Madam, you are magnanimous, and Second Command, you are a good ruler!"

"Wedding?!" Feng Yan was stunned. She had never expected Zhi Yihe to come up with such an incredible suggestion. But when she saw the eager, suggestive look in Zhi Yihe's eyes, she instantly understood!

Lei Bao also narrowed his eyes, obviously weighing the pros and cons.

He didn't care about the life or death of the princess, let alone his dignity. But Zhi Yihe's words reminded him that Feng Yan was the prince's sister after all, and her reputation was related to his future.

Furthermore, the word "status"... if Weishe really allowed it to be so forcibly seized, it would be disastrous. It would make Lei Bao's subordinates appear to be a bunch of unruly beasts, which would also damage his prestige as the future emperor. Holding a formal wedding to silence Youyou seemed... not impossible, right?

Besides, it would be a great honor for his subordinates to marry such a princess. After all, he had the girl, so how he wanted to spend his time after the marriage was up to him, right?

Feng Yan was incredibly astute, seeing through Zhi Yihe's intentions and Lei Bao's wavering. The fury on her face receded like a tide, replaced by a complex expression—an exasperation at having her thoughts read through by Zhi Yihe, a deep hatred for Lei Bao, but more than that, a desperate grasping at straws and... a hint of fear about Ting Zhu's current situation, something she wasn't willing to admit.

She couldn't just watch Ting Zhu being dragged away like that! That would be more painful than killing her!