The Ming Dynasty's henchmen, working from nine to five

Chapter 31 Pei Gongfeng

Princess Jing'an was furious, and the maids begged for mercy.

"Your Highness, please calm down! We truly did not tell Lord Shen!"

"Yes, Your Highness, Lord Shen didn't even ask, so how could we inform on him..."

"Master Qingtang... Your Highness, please understand! This servant is innocent!"

"Your Highness...cough cough cough!"

He was so engrossed in the task that he choked on his own saliva and suddenly coughed violently.

In an instant, the small side hall became extremely noisy, with chickens flying and dogs barking, creating complete chaos.

Shen Lang found it amusing. Although they all tried their best to keep their heads down, their voices were louder and stronger than the last.

They were exchanging glances behind each other's backs, showing no sign of fear whatsoever.

Princess Jing'an, her head throbbing from the noise, slammed her hand on the table and snapped:

"Shut up, all of you! No more noise!"

The maids immediately fell silent and said nothing more.

"You're all putting on an act. Do you really think I won't punish you?!"

Princess Jing'an grew angrier the more she thought about it. She grabbed the nearest maid and gave her a few hard slaps on the bottom, saying as she did so:

"It was you, you little hussy, who was shouting so loudly just now. I'll teach you to shout, I'll teach you to shout..."

"This servant knows her mistake, Your Highness, please don't be angry. Don't let this servant harm your health!"

Seeing that things were not going well, the remaining maids exchanged glances and quietly moved closer to Shen Lang.

Shen Lang smiled gently and asked, "Why is Your Highness acting this way?"

"Since I am on duty at the Prince's residence, I am considered a member of the Prince's household."

"Since we're all on the same side, why should we hide anything?"

"Besides, accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms is not a shameful thing. Your Highness need not worry too much about it. Taking care of your health is the most important thing."

Princess Jing'an was soothed by his words "one of our own" that she instantly forgot her anger.

The corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and even her complexion improved a lot.

She nodded vigorously and said, "You're right, there's really no need to hide anything from our own people!"

"My nightmare hasn't healed yet, so I didn't think things through. Please don't take it to heart."

"This subordinate wouldn't dare," Shen Lang said with a smile, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. "Then this doctor..."

Princess Jing'an waved her hand: "Please, please summon the doctor now. I will obey your orders!"

Shen Lang chuckled to himself. He now understood why the servants in the manor were all so audacious and unafraid of the princess.

This princess may seem to have a bad temper, but she is actually very gentle and can be easily coaxed.

It was absolutely hilarious.

Shen Lang said, "In that case, I am relieved."

"May I ask, Your Highness, is the Princess still at the other residence?"

"I wish to visit her; I wonder if Your Highness would grant me permission?"

Princess Jing'an said, "There was a great commotion last night. The villa was in a remote place, and I was worried about her safety, so I lifted her confinement and allowed her to return to her boudoir."

As she spoke, Princess Jing'an yawned, "He Xiang, take Lord Shen to Changning!"

"I am tired and will go back to rest. All of you, behave yourselves and don't bother me unless necessary."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The maid who had just been spanked was He Xiang. Upon hearing this, she felt as if she had been granted a pardon and curtsied.

Shen Lang cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your trouble, Miss He Xiang."

He Xiang was flattered and said, "Not at all, it's all what this servant should do. Please come with me, sir!"

Just as the two were about to set off, a voice came from afar:

"Lord Shen, please wait!"

The next moment, Li Zhong ran over, covered in sweat.

Shen Lang stopped and looked at him.

Li Zhong bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness, and Lord Shen!"

Princess Jing'an tilted her head, asking curiously, "What is it you want?"

Li Zhong wiped his sweat and said, "Just now, Minister Pei said that there are some problems with the defense arrangements in our manor, and some adjustments need to be made."

"This matter is of great importance, and this old servant dares not make a decision on his own. Hearing that Lord Shen is here, I came to ask for Lord Shen's opinion."

Princess Jing'an was taken aback, then said angrily, "I think you've lost your mind!"

"Who gives him the right to dictate the rules set by Shen Lang?!"

Li Zhong bowed and chuckled awkwardly, not daring to respond.

Shen Lang asked curiously, "Who is Minister Pei?"

Princess Jing'an snorted and said, "A guest retainer of the Marquis of Yong'an's household!"

"Shu'er heard that things have been unsettled at the Prince's residence recently, so she invited Pei Ci to stay at the residence for a while to protect me and Changning."

Li Zhong added from the side, "Pei Gongfeng is a high-ranking military officer with extremely high martial arts skills. Among the nearly one hundred guest advisors in the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, he ranks among the top ten."

If Steward Li hadn't said those words, things would have been better; after he did, Princess Jing'an became even angrier:

"So what if he's a rank-one martial artist? Isn't Shen Lang one too?"

"What's so great about you? How dare you be so arrogant and presumptuous in front of me!"

A guest advisor in the Yong'an Marquis's household, a military officer of the rank?

Shen Lang raised an eyebrow. Judging from the tone of Princess Jing'an's voice, she seemed to harbor considerable resentment towards this person.

Based on his understanding of the princess, he would not have acted this way unless he was truly angered.

So he asked curiously, "What did this Guest Minister Pei do to anger the Princess so much?"

Princess Jing'an raised her eyebrows and said angrily, "After he returned from the outer city with Changning and Shuer yesterday, he moved into the palace."

"I kindly invited him to dine with me, but he replied that he couldn't get used to the food from the countryside!"

At this point, Princess Jing'an clutched her chest, angrily saying:

"I can eat it, but he can't? Is he more noble than me?!"

Shen Lang chuckled to himself. No wonder Princess Jing'an was so angry; it turned out she wasn't giving him face.

This is tantamount to hitting the princess's sore spot precisely!

Princess Jing'an looked excited and continued, "He also said that he needs to practice his martial arts and eat a bowl of snow pheasant tongue soup every day, so he asked the household to prepare it in advance."

"So arrogant and self-important, he even looks down on the food served in the Prince's residence. Where does he intend to place me?"

Li Zhong advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. Pei Gongfeng is just eccentric and somewhat unreasonable, but he is not a bad person at heart."

"He didn't sleep a wink last night, and led his guards to patrol the palace several times..."

Princess Jing'an raised her eyebrows: "You're even speaking up for him now? Are you planning a rebellion too?"

"This old servant dares not!" Li Zhong quickly bowed and stepped aside.

Shen Lang then asked, "What is Snow Pheasant Tongue Soup?"

The maid He Xiang said, "Take the tender meat from the tip of the tongue of a snow pheasant from Kunlun Mountain, add ginseng, bird's nest, lingzhi and other precious medicinal materials, and simmer it over low heat for six hours to make snow pheasant tongue soup."

boom!

Princess Jing'an slammed her hand on the table: "Even I, this princess, never eat these things every day. What right does he have to deserve this?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly turned her head, glared fiercely at Shen Lang, and said angrily, "It's all your fault!"

"If you hadn't refused to stay in the Prince's residence and gone home as soon as it was dusk, I wouldn't have had to put up with this kind of treatment from him!"

Shen Lang chuckled and shook his head: "If the Princess Consort doesn't like him, she can simply send him away."

"Since I have promised to protect you, I will never break my word."

"Whether I am here or not, it is the same."