Feng Jiu’er was kept in the palace.

This was certainly not Jiu’er’s own intention. In fact, even before they had passed through the palace gates, she had already wanted to step down from the carriage.

The Imperial Physicians had come out to meet them before they even reached the palace gates. The Crown Prince had been stabbed — a matter of grave importance. Who would dare be negligent?

With the Imperial Physicians present, and since she had already staunched Zhan Yuheng’s bleeding and stitched the wound closed, so long as the wound was not torn open again later, and he rested in bed for several days, Zhan Yuheng’s life would at least not be in serious danger.

Yet, who could have predicted that when she tried to leave, Zhan Yuheng — already drifting in and out of consciousness — kept his grip locked tightly around her wrist, absolutely refusing to let go.

If she struggled carelessly, it might very well pull at his wound and damage the vital channels near his heart.

This situation was relayed to Emperor Qiwen, who immediately came out in person to receive them, personally escorting them into Zhan Yuheng’s Yuyang Palace.

And so, just like that, Jiu’er stayed behind.

The Emperor had personally issued an imperial decree, commanding her to tend to His Highness the Crown Prince until he fully recovered. This truly made things difficult for one small girl.

Still, a physician always carries a parent’s heart. Looking at the state Zhan Yuheng was in right now, even though she had wanted to leave, she could not rest entirely at ease.

The wound had been stitched with genuine silk thread; the sutures would eventually need to be removed. This method was unknown to the Imperial Physicians — if they were left to fumble about on their own, Jiu’er would only feel unsettled.

All things considered, she ended up staying.

Once it was confirmed that Zhan Yuheng was in no immediate danger to his life, the Ninth Prince and the Emperor returned to the main hall. It was unclear what they were deliberating about.

The discussions had begun early that morning. Then the Ninth Prince had left for a time, and now the deliberations had resumed once more. Everyone’s expressions looked rather grave — there was no telling what great matter was about to unfold.

The Empress had spent over an hour in Yuyang Palace, and had done little more than watch Feng Jiu’er keep vigil at Zhan Yuheng’s bedside.

Most likely because of her own presence, Feng Jiu’er had made no improper moves. Yet after standing watch for more than an hour, the Empress was beginning to grow impatient.

Most importantly, Feng Jiu’er had said that Zhan Yuheng would wake at the earliest the following morning. For the Empress to wait until the next morning seemed like too much to ask of herself.

And so, after a little more than an hour, the Empress returned to her Xuanhua Palace.

Feng Qingyin, who had received word and had been waiting there early on, waited and waited until at last the Empress returned.

Upon seeing Feng Qingyin, the Empress’s expression turned even more unpleasant than it had been before. She was irritated the moment she laid eyes on this woman.

“What are you here for?” The Empress knitted her brows, offering her not even a trace of a pleasant expression.

Feng Qingyin felt wronged in her heart. Last time, she had not done anything wrong — yet the Empress had driven her out of the palace and sent her back to the Feng Family.

Goodness knows how much mockery and ridicule she had endured from her sisters at home after returning to the Feng Family that time!

After all, when she had entered the palace to live with the Empress, everyone had witnessed it — no one knew how glorious it had seemed. Who could have known that she would be sent packing in less than half a month?

At the time, it had felt exactly like being rejected and sent back to one’s maiden family by a husband’s household — she hadn’t known where to put her face.

In the days that followed, she hardly showed herself in front of others aside from going to the academy, and the only times she did appear were when she was trying to win the Empress’s favour.

Yet the Empress had not been willing to see her at all.

This time, upon hearing that the Crown Prince brother had been injured, she had rushed over immediately.

“Your Ladyship, how is Crown Prince brother right now? Is he alright?”

“This Palace’s imperial son is naturally fine. What do you mean by asking that?” The Empress gave her a sidelong glance.

Right now, she found everything this person did and said irritating — there was no way to be right in her eyes!

This woman bore the title of a Feng daughter, yet for all this time, what had she actually contributed to them?

She could not bring better connections, nor greater benefits. She could not even manage what Feng Jiu’er had done — stepping in to save Heng’er when he was in danger. In that, too, she was useless!

“Whoever wins the heart of a Feng daughter shall win the realm” — what kind of claim was that? This Feng Qingyin, no matter how one looked at her, showed no discernible usefulness whatsoever!

That winning her over could secure the realm? What a joke! Those words were most likely spread by the Feng Family themselves, simply to attach themselves to those in power.

The Empress was now truly beginning to doubt, finding no apparent use she could make of Feng Qingyin at all.

“Your Ladyship, Qingyin is clumsy with words and cannot speak well. Qingyin only has Crown Prince brother at heart, and wishes to go see him.”

It had not been easy for Feng Qingyin to come here today. Getting this information had taken effort. Had she not always kept someone watching the Crown Prince’s every movement, how would she have learned that Crown Prince brother had been attacked and wounded?

“Your Ladyship, please bring Qingyin to see Crown Prince brother, won’t you? Qingyin is truly very worried, very anxious.”

“What good would you going there do? What help could you offer my Heng’er?” The Empress let out a cold scoff, saying dismissively: “Why don’t you take a look at that little sister of yours — she at least knows medicine. What do you know?”

“Little sister?” Feng Qingyin was momentarily startled, then immediately understood. “Your Ladyship, you mean… Jiu’er?”

She was the Eighth Miss — below her was only one younger sister, and that was Feng Jiu’er. Could it be that the news that had come back was true — that it truly had been Feng Jiu’er who rescued Crown Prince brother?

Feng Jiu’er! How could she dare! Why did she always have to appear and steal her limelight! With all her eagerness to show off, did she not feel the least bit of shame?

“Your Ladyship, Jiu’er is now… she is now at Crown Prince brother’s side?” Feng Qingyin’s handkerchief was nearly wrung to shreds in her hands!

“Your Ladyship, I know you are angry with me. But, Your Ladyship — could you truly bear to watch Feng Jiu’er remain at Crown Prince brother’s side?”

Feng Qingyin made an effort to calm herself. Getting angry at this moment would not solve anything.

“Your Ladyship, Qingyin does not mean to speak ill of anyone — but with Feng Jiu’er’s temperament, if she were to become Crown Princess in the future, or even Empress of the realm, she… would she ever be willing to heed Your Ladyship’s words? Your Ladyship, surely you already know what manner of person she is?”

“What if one day Feng Jiu’er were to oppose Your Ladyship at every turn — would Crown Prince brother then listen to Feng Jiu’er, and ultimately turn against Your Ladyship, his very own flesh and blood?”

“He would not dare!” Her own son — if he were to turn against her for the sake of some woman, what was the point of having borne him?

“Yet even now, I can already see that Crown Prince brother’s mind has been bewitched by Feng Jiu’er. Before the two of them are even truly together, Crown Prince brother is already defying Your Ladyship at every turn because of Feng Jiu’er…”

“All right, what exactly are you trying to say?” Empress Rong knew perfectly well what Feng Qingyin had in mind. When all was said and done, she was simply asking her to move against Feng Jiu’er.

Still, there was a degree of truth to what this wretched girl was saying. With Feng Jiu’er’s temperament, there was no way to hold sway over her at all.

In the future, that shameless Feng Jiu’er would never listen to her either. If she were allowed to become Empress, would she herself, as the Empress Dowager, truly be able to hold the reins of power?

“Your Ladyship, Qingyin only cannot bear to see Your Ladyship suffer grievances in the future.”

“If you have a plan, speak it quickly!” She had no patience for this girl’s rambling!

Only then did Feng Qingyin allow herself a faint smile. She leaned in close and said in a soft voice: “Your Ladyship, why don’t we…”