Mo Bai simply washed himself briefly, changed into a clean set of clothes, and came out from behind the screen, even managing to eat a few large buns first.

After that, he rushed without stopping to Mingyue Garden.

There was still nearly two incense-sticks’ worth of time before the joint training session, and Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao and the others were already preparing to head out.

Mo Bai went straight up and blocked Feng Jiu’er at the doorway. “Miss Jiu’er, there is something I need to say to you.”

Xiao Yingtao didn’t recognize Mo Bai, and could only glance at Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er was somewhat surprised at Mo Bai’s return — but then, since the Ninth Prince himself had already come back, it made sense that Mo Bai had rushed back too.

She looked at Xiao Yingtao and said, “You go ahead to the training grounds. I’ll catch up in a bit.”

Xiao Yingtao nodded and left with another girl from their dormitory.

“Mister Mo Bai, please, come in and sit.” Feng Jiu’er opened her door — after all, with just the two of them, an unmarried man and woman, shutting the door might give people something to gossip about. She didn’t particularly care about idle talk, but it was best avoided when possible.

Mo Bai walked in, then turned and shut the door behind himself.

“Mister Mo Bai?” She was a little startled — wasn’t this an era where people cared even more about reputation?

Mo Bai walked straight up to her and took hold of her hand.

The Prince had given him only one day. If he didn’t act quickly, he was afraid it would be too late, and he would fail the trust the Prince had placed in him.

It turned out he wanted to check her pulse. Though Feng Jiu’er didn’t feel anything was wrong with her body, she didn’t stop him either.

But looking at the heavy fatigue and gloom hanging between Mo Bai’s brows, she couldn’t help frowning. “Mister Mo Bai, how long has it been since you last rested?”

His complexion really did look terrible — like a man who might collapse at any moment.

Mo Bai said nothing, his entire focus fixed on her pulse.

Yet Feng Jiu’er’s pulse showed nothing wrong at all. Before, when the gu insect had burrowed into her heart, he had thought she was certain to die.

He hadn’t expected that now, here she stood before him, alive and well, her pulse so even and steady, her body in remarkably good health.

Suddenly, he gripped her wrist and pressed his fingertips toward the Tiger’s Mouth point on her hand.

Once that point was sealed, the entire body would essentially fall under another’s control — and for anyone trained in martial arts, the instinct to resist was automatic.

Before Feng Jiu’er’s own mind even reacted, the true energy within her body had already moved on instinct to protect its master.

Her subconscious drove her body to act — she pushed back with her hand, and with a sharp crack, Mo Bai was thrown backward by her true energy, slamming hard into the wall.

He then slid down to the floor, and this time, utterly drained, he truly couldn’t get back up.

“Mister Mo Bai, you—” Feng Jiu’er froze for a moment, then seeing blood trickling at the corner of his mouth, hurried over and helped him up.

“So it’s true… true energy guarding your body. Where does this true energy come from?” Mo Bai had only meant to test her — the true energy within her body was clearly something very different.

He hadn’t expected her true energy to be so much more formidable than he’d imagined, to the point that one careless move had left him injured by it.

“Mister Mo Bai, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Feng Jiu’er helped him up and got him seated in a chair.

“Why did you suddenly come to check my pulse? Is it because—”

“That day, when Madam Butterfly took you away, she used a tamed medicinal gu to burrow into your chest, as a way to save the Prince’s life.”

Mo Bai exhaled, finally managing to calm his disordered breathing.

He raised a hand, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said, “I was there at the time. I’m sorry — I couldn’t save you. I didn’t even know whether I should save you.”

“I know.” Even though she had been unconscious at the time, she had still been able to sense what was happening around her.

Whether or not he should have saved her, Mo Bai simply hadn’t had the ability to at that point — by his own skill, he couldn’t even beat Hu Shuang, let alone Madam Butterfly.

Besides, he had served at the Ninth Prince’s side for so many years, utterly loyal to him.

Any method that could save the Ninth Prince, he would naturally have wanted to try — so at the time, his heart must have been torn.

“I understand. I don’t blame you.” In truth, if it meant saving the Ninth Prince, Feng Jiu’er always felt she had no regrets.

She didn’t know where this conviction came from, but she simply knew — no regrets!

“Mister Mo Bai, you don’t look well at all. Let me take a look at you.” Feng Jiu’er’s fingers were just about to reach his wrist.

But Mo Bai’s heart lurched, and he immediately pulled his hand back.

“Mister Mo Bai?” Jiu’er paused, then suddenly smiled faintly. “Are you afraid I still resent you, and might try to hurt you?”

Mo Bai shook his head. “I couldn’t save you that day — I already owe you a debt. Even if you wanted to hurt me, that would be only fair.”

“Then—” why couldn’t she even touch his wrist to check his pulse?

A healer cannot treat himself — everyone understood that principle. So while Feng Jiu’er didn’t know what condition her own body was in, Mo Bai, in his current state, also needed someone to work his points and circulate his blood.

Why was he so resistant to letting her check his pulse?

Something flickered in Mo Bai’s eyes, but in the end he only shook his head and said evenly, “Miss Jiu’er, have you felt that something’s been off with you lately?”

“Off?” Feng Jiu’er looked utterly blank. What could possibly be off? She could eat, drink, and sleep just fine. Though her body had been a bit weak before, hadn’t it been slowly getting better these past two days?

“Will you let me continue checking your pulse?” Mo Bai asked again.

Feng Jiu’er found herself half-laughing, half-exasperated — this man refused to let anyone check his own pulse, yet he was so eager to examine others.

She said nothing, sat down near him, and held out her hand.

Mo Bai’s fingertips settled once more on her pulse point, this time even more careful and thorough than before.

Her pulse truly showed nothing wrong, yet somehow he still felt something was off.

He didn’t withdraw his fingers, nor did he look at her — his eyes fixed on some unknown point — as he asked calmly, “Miss Jiu’er, to save the Prince, they nearly took your life. Do you hold any resentment toward the Prince in your heart?”

“I’m sorry, I just want to better understand your condition, after all—” he paused, then added, “If you’d rather not answer, you don’t have to force yourself.”

“No hatred, and no resentment.” Feng Jiu’er’s gaze darkened. There were some things even she herself couldn’t quite understand.

“I think, at the time, I must have been willing to give my life for the Prince. The moment the gu insect entered my body, I could have used my true energy to block it — but it seems I didn’t even have the slightest urge to struggle.”

That’s right, exactly that feeling — even now, it still left her utterly baffled.

No one wants to die. Everyone wants to live. So why had she been so decisive back then, giving up the chance to survive?

Could it be that her loyalty to her country had grown so fierce? Was she really that selfless?

“Mister Mo Bai, it really does seem… there’s something wrong with me. I want to know why too.” But Mo Bai had noticed something else entirely: “You… you call him ‘Prince’?”