Qiao Mu did not do anything harmful to Xiao Yingtao — she simply fixed her gaze on the girl’s eyes and watched her in silence.

Xiao Yingtao, who had been somewhat flustered at first, gradually had the light fade from her eyes as time passed.

“She…” Huo Yan stepped forward, but was stopped by Feng Jiu’er.

Qiao Mu kept her eyes on Xiao Yingtao, the corners of her lips curving upward. “Little girl, is there anyone in this army whom you have feelings for?”

Xiao Yingtao did not want to answer, but it was as though something kept tugging at her nerves, making her inexplicably want to respond.

She struggled briefly, and then at last, a barely audible word slipped from her lips: “…Yes.”

“Where is he?” Qiao Mu pressed.

Xiao Yingtao continued to resist with all her might, but in the end was still forced to say: “…The carriage.”

So it was yet another person who harbored feelings for the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince was incomparably handsome and so perfect — the number of women in this world who admired him was simply beyond counting.

If one wanted to be angry about it, one could not even finish being angry.

Qiao Mu was about to ask something further, but Feng Jiu’er suddenly called out sharply: “She is just a young girl — why force her to say such things? Let her go!”

Qiao Mu finally released Xiao Yingtao. Xiao Yingtao blanked for a moment, then looked at Qiao Mu — and immediately reacted as though she had seen a ghost.

Frightened pale, she hurried back behind Feng Jiu’er, not daring to raise her head and look at anyone — she could not bring herself to look at anyone at all.

Heavens! She had no idea what had come over her just now, to have actually said something so shameless.

Thank goodness that wretched woman had not continued asking. If she had kept going, would she have even had the person’s name dragged out of her?

As for Feng Jiu’er, what concerned her most was not that Xiao Yingtao’s feelings for Mu Mu had been exposed. What she was truly afraid of was Xiao Yingtao blurting out that the person in the carriage was the man she liked — Mu Mu.

If that happened, she would truly go mad.

Qiao Mu exhaled softly. After employing the hypnosis technique, she seemed to have suffered a slight backlash from the technique’s own power.

“It would seem that you used this hypnosis technique to get Shan Yidao to reveal my arrangement with him.”

Feng Jiu’er let out a quiet breath, turned to look at Shan Yidao who stood nearby, and smiled. “Now you can set your mind at ease. You did not betray your brothers. There is no need to seek death anymore, is there?”

An odd look crossed Shan Yidao’s face. Looking at Qiao Mu again, he also appeared to be seeing a ghost, and immediately averted his gaze.

“What is there to fear? Chieftain Qiao’s hypnosis technique is only half-learned — it is ineffective against those with deep inner power.”

“And even on someone with ordinary inner strength, using it once costs her a measure of her vital energy. I imagine Chieftain Qiao would not use it just to toy with your brothers for nothing.”

Qiao Mu glanced at her. “Is General Feng hinting that I must not use the hypnosis technique to harm your brothers again?”

Feng Jiu’er said nothing, only clasped her hands in a slight bow.

Now that everyone was gathered, after a brief silence Feng Jiu’er spoke immediately: “The frontline is in a state of extreme urgency. Chieftain, you are a person of genuine character. If you truly have feelings for the Prince, then do not stand in the way of the Prince going to the border city to save the nation and its people.”

“Chieftain Qiao, let us first make haste to Phoenix City. In time, I, Feng Jiu’er, will personally come to call upon you. Does the Chieftain find that agreeable?”

Qiao Mu said nothing. With her silence, everyone’s nerves began to subtly tighten once more.

Although the Prince’s display just now had let everyone know that Qiao Mu was no match for him —

But ahead lay the mountain gorge, and on both sides of the gorge stood the people of Qingfeng Stronghold in their entirety.

If Qiao Mu hardened her heart and refused to let them pass, getting through would truly not be so easy. And most importantly, the people of the border city could not afford to wait.