Chapter 153

Chapter 153: So Affectionate

Pei Ling Yuan could not help sneaking a look at Shang Tian Hao not far away.

Pei Ling Yuan leaned in and asked carefully, “Grand General Shang, did you secretly teach Young Master Shang Er military strategy at home?”

Shang Tian Hao glanced at Pei Ling Yuan.

Shang Tian Hao’s eyes were dark and heavy, full of sharp menace.

Fine. Pei Ling Yuan got no answer.

Thinking about it, they were both military officers. Yet Pei Ling Yuan somehow felt more comfortable dealing with Minister Ye than with General Shang.

Inside the main tent, Emperor Chong Sheng also looked suspicious. Emperor Chong Sheng waved a hand, and a figure appeared at Emperor Chong Sheng’s side without a sound.

Emperor Chong Sheng spoke in a low voice and gave two short instructions. Soon, that person vanished as quietly as the person had appeared.

Sheng Yuan Hao acted as if Sheng Yuan Hao did not see anything.

Duke Qi and Meng Yang were still immersed in Qi Shu Xian’s achievement of cutting down two Northern Di soldiers in a row.

Sheng Zhi Wan lowered her lashes.

It seemed that by sunset, this hunt would be almost finished.

Sure enough, over the next hour or so, Northern Di’s two groups acted like they were possessed. One after another, they ran into Sheng Kingdom’s main team.

By early afternoon, out of Northern Di’s twenty-six men, only one team of six and one team of five remained.

On Sheng Kingdom’s side, aside from two young masters who were knocked off their horses in battle and counted as dead, no one else was hurt.

In the dense forest, the Second Prince looked excited. The Second Prince took out the rations he carried and bit into them. “Shu Xian, why were these Northern Di people so stupid? At this rate, we’ll soon go straight for their lair, wrap up, and go back for dinner!”

The others also nodded excitedly.

They did not expect fighting to be this easy.

Only Qi Shu Xian, who had truly been on a battlefield, felt that something was wrong. How did those men keep coming here?

But aside from their own group, who else could have led the enemy over?

No – Qi Shu Xian’s eyes paused.

There were a few others.

Shang Xing Yu and those four dandies.

But how could that be possible?

How could a few dandies do this?

Qi Shu Xian shook his head and threw away that impossible thought.

It was far too ridiculous.

Qi Shu Xian would rather believe that the Northern Di soldiers who came this time were simply too stupid.

Yet inside the main tent, Emperor Chong Sheng looked at the report brought by the Shadow Guard, and Emperor Chong Sheng’s eyes tightened sharply.

“So it really was…” Emperor Chong Sheng drew in a breath, and then suddenly laughed loudly.

Sheng Yuan Hao was stunned. Sheng Yuan Hao rarely saw Imperial Father show emotion so openly.

What had made Imperial Father so happy?

“Ha-ha! Crown Prince, Third Prince, come and look!” Emperor Chong Sheng said. “Everyone said that Shang Xing Yu was a dandy, an idiot… In my view, the people who called Shang Xing Yu a dandy were the real idiots!”

Such cunning.

Such courage.

With a few deadweights who barely knew any martial arts, Shang Xing Yu not only had to avoid savage beasts in the forest, but also had to lay a trap for Northern Di.

Impressive.

Truly impressive.

So impressive that Qi Shu Xian, who was originally Sheng Kingdom’s commander-in-chief, looked dull and dim by comparison.

Sheng Yuan Hao stared at the note for a long time, then sighed.

Qi Shu Xian… at most, Qi Shu Xian could only have Qi Shu Xian’s post restored this time. Qi Shu Xian probably could not rise higher.

But this Young Master Shang Er…

Sheng Yuan Hao’s gaze flickered. Sheng Yuan Hao smiled and handed the note back. “Imperial Father’s words were off. This only showed that Sheng Kingdom was vast and rich, full of talent. That was why even a few dandies could easily win against Northern Di’s commanders.”

Emperor Chong Sheng froze for a moment, then laughed again. “Right! Hao’er was absolutely right! Dandies, complete dandies – but Sheng Kingdom’s dandies still defeated Northern Di’s two famous generals!”

No matter how Qi Shu Xian doubted it, Northern Di’s defeat was already decided.

With only a few dozen left, Northern Di’s team could no longer beat them.

The roles of attack and defense reversed. Qi Shu Xian’s martial arts were indeed strong, and Qi Shu Xian heavily injured two Northern Di commanders in a row.

Northern Di left only two men in their camp to guard the banners.

When the Second Prince saw the Northern Di flag in the distance, the Second Prince could not help shouting.

The others were the same.

Shang Xiu Yuan was especially excited. This time, Shang Xiu Yuan could be considered to have knocked three Northern Di soldiers off their horses.

So what if Shang Xing Yu had been rewarded by His Majesty last time?

This time, Shang Xiu Yuan would get even more rewards than Shang Xing Yu!

With that thought, Shang Xiu Yuan could not wait. Shang Xiu Yuan snapped the reins and whipped the horse.

The group shouted as they charged up to the mountaintop where the banners flew.

Then-

They froze.

Everyone stared in disbelief at four people sitting on the ground and eating with gusto, and at the Northern Di soldiers behind them, bound up like rice dumplings.

“Xing Yu?!” Shang Xiu Yuan felt like a heavy hammer smashed down on Shang Xiu Yuan’s head. “Why were you here?”

Shang Xing Yu raised the wild chicken leg in Shang Xing Yu’s hand. “Elder Brother wanted to try some? The meat was pretty firm, but there were no spices, so it lacked flavor.”

What nonsense about lacking flavor. Who asked Shang Xing Yu that?

“Why were you here?” Qi Shu Xian’s eyes were cold.

Shang Xing Yu looked at Qi Shu Xian, coughed, and put down the chicken leg.

Shang Xing Yu stood up, bowed to the Second Prince, and only then said, “Second Prince and Qi Shi-zi and the others fought and charged in front. We commoner were weak, but we couldn’t just hide behind protection. So we discussed it and came to take the enemy nest and seize the banner.”

“You were stealing credit!” Shang Xiu Yuan’s vision went black with anger. “We fought in front, soaked in blood, and you ran here to take the banner. Second Highness, they were stealing our achievements!”

Qi Shu Xian said nothing.

The Second Prince sat on horseback with a dark expression.

Shang Xing Yu frowned at Shang Xiu Yuan. “Elder Brother, what were you talking about? What would we even do with that credit? We all did this for Sheng Kingdom. Since Elder Brother liked this banner, take it.”

“You…” Shang Xiu Yuan did not believe Shang Xing Yu was that kind.

Shang Xing Yu stepped aside and cleared the space.

The Second Prince rode forward and pulled the banner out of the ground.

When the Second Prince saw that Shang Xing Yu and the others truly did not move at all, the Second Prince’s expression finally improved.

The Second Prince looked at Qi Shu Xian. “Shu Xian, should we head out now?”

They had seized the banner and crushed Northern Di. A hunt that was supposed to last two days had ended in a single day. Imperial Father would definitely praise the Second Prince as brave and unmatched!

“Wait,” Qi Shu Xian said instead.

“Your Highness, I still had one prey I haven’t hunted yet.”

The Second Prince’s group immediately remembered and laughed.

“Qi Shi-zi meant the red fox?”

“Yes!” Qi Shu Xian’s handsome face showed rare embarrassment. “Zhi Wan always wanted a red fox pelt. Since I had this chance, I had to hunt it for Sheng Zhi Wan!”

“Ha-ha!” Second Prince Sheng Yuan Qi could not help laughing teasingly. “I didn’t expect Shu Xian and Qing Ning to be this affectionate. No wonder Qing Ning would rather kneel and refuse food than not marry you!”

“Qi Shi-zi isn’t just skilled in both letters and martial arts. In private, Qi Shi-zi even doted on the princess like this. Where could anyone find a man this good nowadays?” someone else said.

Qi Shu Xian smiled and nodded. “I’m afraid I’ll delay everyone, though. Or you can take the banner out first. I can stay here alone and look for it.”

“How could we do that? Since we came in together, we should leave together,” the Second Prince said. The Second Prince clearly wanted to draw Qi Shu Xian closer. “Even if the Northern Di soldiers were captured, there are still plenty of fierce beasts in this mountain. If anything happened to you over one red fox, wouldn’t Qing Ning blame me as her brother?”