Wuhen was startled. Forgetting his embarrassment, he stepped forward and stopped Xique: "Miss, please think it over."

"What, scared? When you bullied me back then, why weren't you scared?" Xi Que crossed her arms, tilted her head, and shook her toes, looking arrogant and unwilling to acknowledge Wu Hen.

"No, it's just that I want to settle some accounts with the girl."

Wuhen recalled the teachings of his older brothers who already had families when he was at the border. He forced down his pounding heart and tried his best to appear calm and composed.

"What account?" Xique glanced at Wuhen with great curiosity.

Wuhen took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "If you were to sell me for hard labor, you could get a maximum of thirty taels of silver. My monthly allowance is twenty taels, and I earn at least five thousand taels a year from my business trips. This doesn't even include the prince's holiday rewards or the spoils of war. I have no parents, and I've been fighting alongside the prince on the border all these years. I haven't spent much money, and I've saved all my earnings, which amount to about four hundred thousand taels. If you were to sell me for thirty taels, all of this would go to someone else. Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

"How much did you save?" Xi Que stared wide-eyed at Wu Hen.

"More than 400,000 taels, I haven't even counted how much is left over," Wuhen said awkwardly, scratching his head.

These rough-around-the-edges men have no concept of money management; they just deposit what they don't spend into the bank.

"Holy crap, do you guys make this much money from fighting? It's even more profitable than us robbing!" Xique immediately perked up, dragging Wuhen's hand into the pavilion, excitedly saying, "Why don't you take me, our boss, and our young master with you next time you go to war? Let's pull off a big heist together. You guys are definitely not as good as our boss and young master in this area; even if the enemy buries silver three feet underground, we'll dig it all up! You don't know how cunning those officials who plunder the people are!"

Wuhen: "..." How come this is different from what he expected?

Shouldn't she first hoard his money, and indirectly hoard his person?

How did we jump to the topic of taking them to Vulture Village to rob?

Are fighting a war and looting the same thing?

but……

Wuhen looked down at Xique's hand, which was still holding his wrist, and paused for a moment. "When Your Highness recovers and returns to the Northwest, I will talk to you about it. But the premise is that the young lady hasn't sold me yet, and I'll still be by Your Highness's side at that time."

"Alright, with you saying that, I definitely can't sell to you!" Xi Que waved his hand generously and tucked Wu Hen's body into his arms.

"So, what does the young lady mean?" Wuhen was secretly pleased to hear that she wouldn't sell him anymore.

"Actually, I'm not that petty; if others don't nitpick at me, I'm pretty good at recognizing kindness. So, I'll keep your body here for now, and I'll safeguard it for you. If you behave well and don't go against me in every way, I'll return it to you when I'm in a good mood," the two brothers said generously, patting Wuhen's arm.

"That's easy. As long as I don't disobey the prince's orders, I'll listen to you from now on," Wuhen said, puffing out her chest in assurance.

"I didn't expect you to be so perceptive. Not bad, not bad," Xique patted Wuhen a few more times.

In the dead of night, the two of them talked about murder and arson in the quiet garden, scaring the servants on night duty half to death. They thought a ruthless thief had broken in, and they walked stealthily along the wall.

It was almost dawn.

Hei Xiao looked at Ji Fengming, who was leaning against the soft pillows and had finally passed out drunk, and a glimmer of hope and longing appeared in his eyes.