Feng Jiu’er’s concern was not unfounded. Both men’s eyes remained fixed on her hands at all times. Even if she so much as moved a finger, they would detect it immediately.

That Empress Rong could send these three — which meant these three were no ordinary figures either. The boss being struck down earlier had simply been a matter of excessive carelessness.

Now, the two men closed in step by step. Though Feng Jiu’er’s expression remained calm on the surface, her palms had already broken into a sweat.

“She has something in her hand!” The short, stout man suddenly hissed under his breath.

In the instant of that hiss, the silver needle in Jiu’er’s hand flew outward.

The stout man urgently stepped sideways to dodge, narrowly evading it. But the next needle had already arrived before his face.

“Ah…”

The stout man collapsed, clutching himself and rolling on the ground just as the boss had done before him.

Yet Jiu’er’s own body was violently shoved, and she was pressed flat against the ground. The tall man had pinned her down, and with a sweep of his large hand, a piece of her clothing was ripped away.

“So this is how you harmed my two brothers?” The tall man paid no attention to the stout man’s wails, and in the most direct manner possible, he locked both of Jiu’er’s hands above her head, forcing her whole body face-down against the ground, unable to move.

“Let go!” Feng Jiu’er struggled with all her strength, earning a heavy slap from the tall man in return.

The impact nearly knocked her unconscious on the spot.

Her hands were shackled and pinned above her head, and that man sat astride her. Then came the sound of tearing, and another large section of her clothing was ripped away.

Her eyes went suddenly dead grey in hue. Knowing she could not escape, she could only bite down hard on her teeth, close her eyes, and steel herself to endure all of it.

Only when another tearing sound reached her ears, a single crystalline tear escaped from the corner of her eye, unable to be held back any longer.

She was not truly this strong. It turned out even she had moments of fear.

This was a humiliation worse than death. She had never thought that such a day would come for her.

Every means of self-rescue had been exhausted, and still it was not enough?

Nanmen Rong, you ruthless, vicious woman! Even in death, she would not let her go as a ghost!

Despair spread through Jiu’er entirely — yet in the most hopeless moment of all, a figure drifted into her mind, soundless as a whisper.

So graceful and beautiful, so noble and transcendent… Ninth Imperial Uncle…

“Mmph!” Someone let out a muffled grunt, and the weight pressing on Feng Jiu’er vanished in an instant.

She snapped her eyes open and looked back — the dungeon had returned to a darkness in which she could not see her hand before her face. She could sense that someone was standing beside her, yet could not make out their appearance at all.

That person bent down, seemingly intending to touch her.

Startled as she had been, Feng Jiu’er reacted instinctively — both legs kicking out hard at the person’s lower half.

Yet her legs had barely risen, without even grazing a corner of their clothing, before they were caught by a large hand and gently set back down.

“Are you frightened?” The newcomer’s voice was deep and low — astonishingly familiar!

“Seventh Princess!” Feng Jiu’er was flooded with excitement, very nearly about to burst into tears.

Such a tall, imposing figure — she had thought it was a man. To think it was actually the Seventh Princess!

Though her acquaintance with the Seventh Princess was not particularly deep, at this moment, seeing the Seventh Princess was like seeing a family member. She was moved almost to tears.

“It seems you really were frightened.” Zhan Luori crouched down, helped her into a sitting position, and took something out. She set it on the ground, and the entire dungeon was instantly bright as daylight.

A luminescent night pearl! Of the finest variety, at that — its brightness was astonishing, more effective than a lantern.

Once she had sat up, Zhan Luori’s outer robe fell around her shoulders.

Jiu’er raised her eyes and looked. The three large men from before had all collapsed on the ground. Two had been incapacitated by the silver needles striking them below, fainting from the pain. The last had been knocked unconscious by a single palm from Zhan Luori, and lay to one side, completely unresponsive.

Jiu’er clutched the robe tightly around herself and finally became aware — she was safe now.

“You infiltrated this place just like that — are you not afraid the Emperor will hold you in contempt?”

This time, the Empress had deliberately targeted her. And though Zhan Luori was a princess of the nation, she was ultimately only a princess.

Before the Empress, her influence was nearly negligible.

“I say this not to belittle you, Seventh Princess. I merely wish to remind you — if Empress Rong were to learn that you came here tonight, your days within the palace would become very difficult hereafter.”

Though, looking at Zhan Luori from every angle, she did not seem like a person who would care about such things.

Still, having been born within the palace, even if she herself did not care, Feng Jiu’er could not help but consider things on her behalf.

Even Emperor Qiwen was afraid of the Empress — one could well imagine how the Empress ruled the inner palace with an iron hand.

She had even dared to make a move against the Empress Dowager in order to deal with Jiu’er herself.

With so many guards present on that occasion, it would have been impossible for everyone not to see through her intentions — yet the Empress had still acted without the slightest qualm. That alone spoke to how vast her power was.

In a deep palace such as this, one who offended her would come to no good end.

She herself did not mind. But dragging a friend down with her — that was not right.

“Go back quickly. While no one yet knows you were here, those men — consider them dealt with by my own hand.”

Two of them had been struck by her silver needles. Even when they woke, they would be capable of no evil — they would likely be ruined for the rest of their lives.

As for the remaining one, now that he was unconscious, she had a method to keep him sleeping until dawn. By then, the guards would come to take her away for the execution.

In that moment, a genuine pang of desolation swept over her. Staying here alone like this, without any sense of safety — she almost wished the guards would come sooner.

Yet once they came, what awaited her was the executioner’s blade. Could it be that she truly felt no fear?

“There is no need to fear. I have already sent a messenger bird to the Ninth Imperial Uncle — he will return very soon.” Zhan Luori sat down beside her, drew a wrapped parcel from her sleeve, and opened it before her.

“I was only delayed because I had to go back to fetch a few things. Forgive me for arriving late.”

If she had not arrived in time just now, the consequences would have been truly unthinkable.

She had never anticipated that the Empress’s boldness could reach such a degree.

Feng Jiu’er was to be executed tomorrow morning, yet the Empress could not even wait through a single night — or perhaps she felt that a single blade was too merciful a death for her.

Seeing that Jiu’er still intended to persuade her to leave, Zhan Luori said lightly, “There is no need to worry about me. If the Empress dislikes the sight of me, my days will not be easy whether I came tonight or not.”

That much was true — she had not, for the most part, given the Empress reason to dislike her up until now.

By coming tonight, that petty, vicious woman would certainly harbour a grudge.

Yet seeing that Zhan Luori had absolutely no intention of leaving, Jiu’er did not know why, but somehow she felt that no matter how much she urged her, it would only be wasted effort.

She let out a quiet breath and looked at the roasted chicken in her hand. After all the terror and the brush with death, she was truly famished.

“I won’t stand on ceremony, then.” She lowered her head and bit in, and indeed — not a shred of ceremony about her.

This girl… Zhan Luori’s eyes flickered slightly. She looked at Feng Jiu’er, who had foregone using her hands entirely and was just gnawing away directly, and could not help but let out a soft sigh.

Ninth Imperial Uncle — when on earth would he make it back in time?