Jiang Chuan scratched his ear, glanced at Lu Xiaoyun's back, and then at Lu Yuyan, who was still leaning against the gate of the courtyard with a straw in his mouth. When he saw him looking over, Lu Yuyan raised his eyebrows at him. Who exactly is this person? Why is the prince so good to him?

That's too good for him, even better than he's been treated.

Jiang Chuan was unhappy; he had been by the prince's side since he was a child.

As Lu Xiaoyun walked, she said, "Have Feng Yan send the things he found about the Fengyue Gang, as well as the murderers that Li Quan and Lian Yongyuan bought, to the Imperial Prison and hand them over to Wang Zhemao. Then go to the other courtyard."

"Yes." Jiang Chuan immediately summoned a servant and asked him to deliver the message to Feng Yan, then followed Lu Xiaoyun out of the Prince An's residence.

Feng Yan, who had just received a message from the Flying Eagle and was about to report to Lu Xiaoyun, turned around and went to the study after hearing what Prince An had instructed him to do.

When Zhang Mama learned that Prince An had left the mansion while Feng Yan was still inside, she immediately came over.

The prince takes Feng Yan with him wherever he goes. If he doesn't seize this opportunity today, who knows when the next one will come?

But Consort Duan was urging her urgently, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and rush over. Fortunately, Feng Yan had not yet left the mansion.

Zhang Mama dared not enter Prince An's study rashly, so she waited outside the study.

After taking the things, Feng Yan turned and left the room. Zhang Mama immediately stepped forward and blocked his way: "Commander Feng, Consort Duan requests your presence."

Feng Yan frowned and said to Zhang Mama, "Please convey that the master has instructed me to take care of an important matter and leave the manor immediately. After I have finished, I will go to apologize to Consort Duan."

As he spoke, Feng Yan walked past Granny Zhang and was about to leave.

Granny Zhang immediately stepped forward to stop him, but the person in front of her was tall and strong, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, and had no expression on his face, which made her feel intimidated.

Feng Yan said calmly, "Please step aside, Granny. The master's instructions cannot be delayed."

Zhang Mama was actually terrified. This commander of the secret guards by Prince An's side had countless lives on his hands, but she couldn't refuse the orders from Consort Duan, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and try to please him.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine will only ask two questions, no, it won't take long. We servants have it tough too, so please, Commander Feng, be understanding."

Feng Yan looked at the sky. After all, Consort Duan was his master's birth mother. He handed the things to another guard beside him and said, "Please lead the way, Granny."

"Very well, this servant thanks Commander Feng for his understanding."

Feng Yan remained silent, so Granny Zhang had no choice but to quicken her pace.

Before a cup of tea could be brewed, Feng Yan had already reached Consort Duan.

"Your subordinate greets Consort Duan. May Your Highness be well." Feng Yan bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

Consort Duan sat upright in the main seat, gently fiddling with the nail guards on her hands, glancing at him indifferently without saying a word.

Feng Yan frowned and raised his voice: "Your subordinate greets Consort Duan. May Your Highness be well. May Your Highness summon me here for any instructions?"

"Heh." Consort Duan sneered, "What, is this how your mistress teaches you to be so ignorant of your place?"

Zhang Mama was so frightened that her heart was pounding, but she had no choice but to bite the bullet and whisper to Feng Yan, "Commander Feng, you should kneel before the Imperial Concubine."

Feng Yan pursed his lips. He was the commander of the Prince An's secret guards, a third-rank official. Apart from the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Prince An, he did not need to kneel before anyone.

Consort Duan waited quietly, without raising her head.

Feng Yan had no choice but to lift his robe and kneel down on one knee: "Your subordinate greets Consort Duan. May Your Highness be well."

Consort Duan picked up a cup of tea, took a small sip, slowly put it down, glanced at Feng Yan kneeling on the ground, and then said indifferently, "It is said that Prince An bestowed a name upon you, something like Feng Yan?"

Feng Yan said, "Yes, that was my former name. Your Majesty is very kind to grant us permission to change back to our original names."

Consort Duan gave a soft snort: "So, Prince An has been quite free lately?"

Feng Yan replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "His Majesty is grateful for the hardships His Highness has endured while fighting on the front lines for many years, and also for the fact that His Highness's injuries have not yet fully healed, so he has had a little more free time recently."

Is the master free? Not necessarily. He didn't sleep a wink last night and rushed off to the other courtyard without even getting some rest.

Although the Northern Army's tiger tally had been handed over, there were still many things to be handed over, waiting for their master to do.

Our master was assassinated yesterday. He didn't say anything, but instead ordered everyone to dispose of all the bodies.

He didn't even tell the Emperor.

As for why, those who were his subordinates knew perfectly well.

That's just how my master is; he shoulders everything himself.

Consort Duan's eyes were like knives: "So, he took you and Lu Xiaoyun to Ganlu Temple!"

Feng Yan knelt down with his head down, without saying a word.

Consort Duan said coldly, "Yu'er is a warrior who would never go to a place like a temple. Tell me, what were you doing there yesterday?"

"Why was Lu Xiaoyun injured and unconscious? How did Yu'er manage to bring her back? What happened during this time? I hope you can tell me everything in detail."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yan pursed his lips and said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I am the master's bodyguard. Without the master's orders, I dare not reveal any of the master's whereabouts."

Consort Duan's icy, venomous gaze swept over them abruptly.

Feng Yan lowered his eyes, but his back remained straight as he knelt.

Consort Duan sneered: "What, you're just a dog of my son? I can't even order you around? Who gave you the guts!"

Feng Yan pursed his lips and did not answer.

Enraged, Consort Duan slammed the teacup on the table to the ground. A shard of porcelain flew and cut Feng Yan's hand, causing blood to gush out.

Feng Yan felt no pain, not even frowning, only glancing lightly at the bleeding back of his hand.

Granny Zhang was so frightened that her body trembled uncontrollably.

Consort Duan slammed her hand on the table, her face ashen: "Are you going to talk or not!"

Feng Yan: "I won't tell!"

Consort Duan shouted, "Guards, drag this good dog away and give him eighty strokes of the cane. Use the military rods of Prince An's mansion to give him a good beating until he tells me everything!"

Feng Yan showed no fear and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor has ordered me to carry out an urgent matter immediately..."

Consort Duan interrupted sharply: "Ha! Without my orders, let's see who dares to let you leave! Guards, drag him away immediately and beat him!"

Zhang Mama shuddered again. Eighty strokes of the military rod—was Her Majesty going to execute Feng Yan?!

Feng Yan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Eighty strokes of the military rod would leave him half-dead, if not dead. His master hadn't punished him so severely. It was Consort Duan who was truly ruthless.

Let alone the mere few dozen palace maids and eunuchs that Consort Duan brought from the palace, even if they were all replaced with the secret guards of Prince An's mansion, these people would still not be able to stop him.

He stood up, bowed to Consort Duan, and turned to leave.

"Stop them for me!" Consort Duan shouted.