The brothers were stunned.
Leng Ji himself was dumbfounded, doubting if his ears had malfunctioned.
Han Zhan's brows furrowed. Initially, he felt a touch of unwillingness, speaking up for someone.
But soon, he seemed to understand.
His anger suppressed, he turned and sat in a corner, closing his eyes to rest.
Qing Ming glanced at Chu Qianli, a hint of disdain in his eyes, wearing an expression of "as expected."
The legends were all false; how could a frail woman understand warfare?
He wondered what method she had used to bewitch the brothers, making them speak so highly of her in the Xuanwu Army!
Although he didn't agree with Leng Ji's combat abilities, if he had to choose between Chu Qianli and Leng Ji, he would naturally choose Leng Ji!
"Your Highness, it wasn't me..." Leng Ji tried to explain.
Feng Yexuan's cold gaze swept over him: "Are you questioning my words?"
Leng Ji was stunned.
After that, he was too frightened to say another word.
He merely stole a glance at Chu Qianli.
Expecting the Princess Consort to be angry, he was surprised to see her smiling as she looked at her bracelet, lost in thought.
Finally, she even laughed, "You brothers have worked hard in battle! Tonight, I'll treat you to drinks!"
...Half an hour later, Chu Qianli directed Leng Ji and a few brothers to carry more than a dozen jars of wine back from the other side of the mountain base.
No one knew how the wine had appeared on the other side of the mountain.
The Princess Consort said she would go and check, then let them follow.
When they arrived, they saw more than a dozen jars of wine they had never seen before, lying quietly in the grass.
It was said that someone had told the Princess Consort that the wine had been buried there a long time ago.
In any case, she insisted, and they could only believe her.
How could drinking be complete without meat?
Everyone went to the surrounding mountains to hunt, roast meat, and drink this sweet, red-purple wine. The atmosphere quickly became lively.
Leng Ji drank a few more cups. While the Prince and Qing Ming were discussing something, he quietly slipped to Chu Qianli's side.
"Princess Consort, you... you have to believe me, I absolutely didn't try to take credit in front of His Highness. It must have been... it must have been those ungrateful brothers speaking nonsense, it must... uh!"
He had indeed drunk quite a bit.
He had thought the wine was sweet and had no kick, but he didn't expect its potency to be so strong! He was already feeling a bit tipsy.
But Leng Ji was still full of guilt: "Princess Consort, I really didn't mean to take your credit, it's just... it's just that I don't know why..."
"Your Prince decides things, you just obey. What's with all the nonsense!"
Chu Qianli was eating meat.
The meat roasted by the brothers, with a bit of honey she had bought, was incredibly delicious.
"Princess Consort..." Leng Ji was still uncomfortable. "Princess Consort, please don't be angry..."
"I'm really not angry. Do you want me to swear?" Seeing his genuine remorse, Chu Qianli could only offer him a reassuring smile.
"Really, I swear!"
"Princess Consort, you're so good... you're such a good person... a good girl... uh!"
Leng Ji hiccuped again, his voice hoarse. "To save His Highness, you were willing to risk your life. To complete His Highness's mission, you even ventured alone to deal with Black Boss..."
"Princess Consort, you really like our Prince so much. I... I like him too..."
"Does my woman's affection for me need you to say it?"
Feng Yexuan, who had arrived at some unknown time, kicked Leng Ji away.
He sat down beside Chu Qianli and snorted, "From now on, no more taking such risks. Even if you like me this much, you're not allowed to!"