Volume 1, Chapter 10: Princess Fukang

The palace maid named Cui Zhu, standing nearby, had just raised her eyebrows to speak when she was abruptly interrupted.

“I pay my respects to Her Highness the Princess. My fox has a wild and untamable nature and can easily cause harm. I humbly request that Her Highness entrust the fox to me.”

Princess Fukang lifted her head and saw Yan Nanfly, who had come in search of the fox.

General Yan, usually as still as a mountain, unusually showed a trace of nervousness on his face as he looked for his cherished pet fox.

Just moments ago, palace maids had delivered a message that the emperor had summoned Yan Nanfly to discuss matters in the palace.

She had thought that Yan Nanfly had finally come to his senses and agreed to the marriage proposal. Excitedly, she had rushed over.

But to her surprise, she overheard Yan Nanfly declare he wished to spend the rest of his life only with Shen Xingdu.

What a joke. If he weren’t tall, handsome, and exuding masculine charm—and if marrying into the Yan family didn’t mean avoiding the risks of political marriages—she wouldn’t have spared him a second glance.

Wounded in pride, Princess Fukang now held a vengeful thought while clutching Shen Xingdu.

“General Yan, long time no see. I’ve heard you rejected the emperor’s arranged marriage and insisted on marrying the Shen family’s legitimate daughter.

I am not one to force matters. This fox of yours is quite something; why don’t you give it to me instead?

I shall consider it compensation for your refusal. You can’t possibly be so attached to it, can you?”

Shen Xingdu stammered, pleading to Yan Nanfly, “General Yan, save me! Princess Fukang wants to kill me… She’s going to skin me alive for the palace maids’ collars!”

Yan Nanfly’s gaze was unwavering as he looked straight at Shen Xingdu, but he spoke to Princess Fukang:

“As I have just said, my fox is wild and untamable. Today, it even bit the Second Miss of the Shen family at the Shen residence. I beg the princess to protect her health and return the fox to me.”

When he said “wild and untamable,” he emphasized each word while looking at Shen Xingdu.

At once, Shen Xingdu understood.

She bit Princess Fukang’s hand, seizing the chance to escape.

Unexpectedly, Princess Fukang was a tough opponent; even with blood flowing from the bite, she refused to let go.

She gripped the back of Shen Xingdu’s neck tightly, preventing any chance of escape.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she praised, “Truly wild and untamable~

But I grew up hunting alongside my father; one fox is no match for me.”

Her hand bleeding, Princess Fukang held Shen Xingdu firmly and smiled as she challenged Yan Nanfly.

“Why do I feel this fox bit me on your orders, General Yan? Your fox seems to understand human intentions very well.

Now I want it even more. What should I do?”

Yan Nanfly’s expression darkened instantly; his handsome eyes slowly narrowed.

It was the first time Shen Xingdu had seen such a look on his face.

Even Princess Fukang hesitated.

“Fukang! Enough with the disrespect!”

At this tense moment, the Crown Prince, returning from the Southern Study and passing by, spoke up just in time to intervene.

Approaching and noticing the blood on Fukang’s hand, he ordered the attendants nearby:

“Go quickly and fetch the imperial physician to treat Princess Fukang!”

Then, with a look of helplessness, he admonished the princess who still clung to the fox:

“Why haven’t you returned the fox to General Yan yet?!

A gentleman does not take what belongs to another. Don’t you understand such a simple principle?”

The Crown Prince’s words carried a subtle implication.

Princess Fukang was his half-sister from the same wet nurse.

He intended to warn her not to lose royal dignity by quarreling over a man, as losing the favor of the monarch was the gravest mistake.

Yan Nanfly restrained his expression and soon regained a calm demeanor, bowing to the Crown Prince.

“I pay my respects to Your Highness, and thank you for the timely intervention.”

Princess Fukang, humiliated and resentful, suddenly seized Shen Xingdu and flung her toward the ground when no one was paying attention.

If Shen Xingdu had been uninjured, her body could have withstood the throw.

But with the injury on her leg, she would likely be crippled, if not killed, upon impact.

Yan Nanfly acted swiftly, flashing forward to catch Shen Xingdu firmly, absorbing the force into his arms.

Shen Xingdu, limping, crashed solidly into Yan Nanfly’s embrace.

“General Yan, chicken! Chicken! Chicken!” Shen Xingdu pointed with her injured leg at the chicken rolling on the ground.

Yan Nanfly frowned.

“Fukang! You are far too reckless and willful! Is there no trace of a princess in you?

Apologize to General Yan at once!”

The Crown Prince knew how dearly Yan Nanfly loved this mysterious fox and sought to build a closer bond with him.

He had even helped arrange the Fourth Princess’s marriage to Yan Nanfly.

But things had backfired, and now she had to maintain her composure all the more.

The Crown Prince’s heart ached. Fukang had been spoiled by her mother.

Born into royalty without subtlety, she would suffer wherever she married.

Princess Fukang refused to heed the advice.

“He's just a mere military officer. Why should I apologize to him?

Besides, his fox bit me first! I’m still bleeding!

Brother Crown Prince always sides with outsiders!

If even a beast dares to bully me, who would want to be a princess? I don’t want to be one anymore!”

The more Fukang spoke, the angrier she grew, her eyes clouded with tears as she sobbed in grievance.

The Crown Prince was not soothing but instead grew furious.

“Rascal! Apologize!”

Frightened, Princess Fukang trembled and glanced furtively at the Crown Prince.

Seeing the usually gentle and indulgent Crown Prince had lost his temper and set aside all warmth, she immediately fell silent.

Turning to Yan Nanfly, tearful and expressionless, she apologized:

“Today I’ve made a fool of General Yan. It’s my fault.

My health is poor; I will return to the palace to rest.”

With that, she turned away with her attendant maids, as if nothing had happened.

The Crown Prince exchanged a few polite words and left with his retinue.

“Chicken, General Yan, look—the chicken leg here didn’t touch the ground and is still edible. Why do you want the chicken?”

Yan Nanfly picked up the hibiscus chicken from the ground, selected an uncontaminated piece of chicken leg meat, tore off a small portion.

He then took out a medicine bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill, and wrapped it in the chicken meat.

Turning back to the courtyard where Shen Xingdu was seated on a stone stool, Yan Nanfly approached her.

Taking advantage of the palace maids’ inattentiveness, he fed the pill-wrapped chicken into Shen Xingdu’s mouth.

Shen Xingdu chewed contentedly, a look of satisfaction spreading across her face.

Only then did she realize the chicken meat on the ground had been intended for her.

Had she known, she would have gone back to steal a clean piece.

“General Yan, what did you give Fukang… no, me to eat? What is that pill for?”

“It’s to save you!”

Before he could finish, a palace attendant arrived with a message.

“Greetings, General Yan. His Majesty is waiting anxiously and asks why Miss Shen has not yet gone to pay respects. He sent me to invite Miss Shen.”

Yan Nanfly explained to the attendant:

“I was just speaking briefly with Princess Fukang and the Crown Prince, which caused the delay.”

Turning to Shen Xingdu, he said:

“Xingdu, His Majesty wishes to see you. I will wait here for your return.”

Watching Fukang follow the palace attendant with frequent glances back, Shen Xingdu couldn’t help but ask:

“General Yan, is it really okay for Fukang to face His Majesty alone?

She won’t utter a word. Isn’t that just sending her to her doom?”

Growing anxious, Shen Xingdu babbled on.

She noticed Yan Nanfly seemed confident but refused to reveal anything.

Limping on one leg, she circled Yan Nanfly, questioning him in every direction, desperate to know the truth.

Yan Nanfly only stared steadfastly toward the palace gate and firmly replied:

“Do not worry. It will be no more than a quarter of an hour before Fukang returns.”