Once Zhan Yuheng woke and could give his testimony, he might perhaps be able to clear Feng Jiu’er’s name — only if Zhan Yuheng was willing to believe her.

But right now, so many people, so many pairs of eyes — everyone had witnessed with their own eyes Feng Jiu’er wounding the Empress. That was an ironclad charge with no room for dispute.

Jiu’er shot him a sideways glance and pursed her small lips in a mutter: “I didn’t kill her on the spot — that’s already a great deal of restraint on my part. If I’d done nothing at all, I’d have regretted it for the rest of my life!”

That vicious woman had indirectly caused the death of her own mother, and had also ruined the entire Long family!

Feng Jiu’er’s words were not in the least exaggerated — she truly had desperately wanted to kill her with her own hands!

Just now, she really had been holding herself back the entire time. If she had not maintained that last shred of reason, how could Nanmen Rong possibly still be alive right now?

Mu Mu said nothing, only watched her — quietly watching.

Jiu’er let out a breath, shot him another sideways glance, and said nothing more. Her mood right now was complicated and unsettled, and she had no patience for sparring with him.

“I know you held yourself back with great effort.” He suddenly gave a faint smile, and the look in his eyes as they rested on her was indescribably gentle. “But endure a little longer. That woman will certainly not come to a good end.”

“What I’m most worried about right now is the Seventh Princess.” Fallen into Empress Rong’s hands, that vicious woman wouldn’t care whether you were a princess or a prince!

Anyone she disapproved of, she would make sure to destroy. Were not those two princes who had died for no apparent reason the best proof of that?

What was happening to the Seventh Princess right now? She may have been a formidable martial artist, but no matter how powerful your martial skill, two fists can never match four hands.

The Imperial Guards had already been alarmed. A large contingent of palace troops would certainly arrive very soon, and ultimately the Emperor would be alerted. The Seventh Princess would never dare raise her hand against her own Imperial Father.

If the Emperor proved as spineless as ever, and under the Empress’s pressure and inducements handed the Seventh Princess over to the Empress to deal with — then the Seventh Princess’s fate would be all too easy to imagine.

“Do you want to go back and rescue her?” Mu Mu asked.

“If I go back now, it will accomplish nothing — going back would be walking straight into death.” Feng Jiu’er did not look at him, only turned to gaze back at the road leading toward the imperial palace.

“Then what do you plan to do?” There was a faint light in Mu Mu’s eyes — a trace of expectation he himself hadn’t even noticed.

Suddenly, he simply felt an unusual desire to hear this girl speak her plan aloud, to find out what her plan contained, to know whether it matched what was already in his own mind.

Jiu’er had no idea what accounted for that brightness in his eyes — it was like a grown, composed adult watching their child, curious to hear whether the child had anything interesting to say.

But was she a child? Would what she said be so naive?

“What’s that look for?” Mu Mu couldn’t help a faint laugh. “Don’t measure others by the worst possible interpretation. I simply genuinely want to hear what your plan is.”

“I’m going back to find Zhan Yuheng.” Right now, before the Ninth Imperial Uncle returned, this was the only option.

“The imperial palace is vast and its defenses formidable. How would you get back inside?”

“I have a detailed map of the palace layout.” And all thanks to those Black and White Impermanence figures from that day — those two maps were now in her possession.

Mu Mu said nothing, only gave a nod.

Feng Jiu’er went on: “The map also has the approximate times for the guard rotation. As long as we avoid those, reaching Yuyang Hall is not as difficult as it sounds.”

“Most importantly, I have someone highly skilled at my side.”

“Are you so certain I will definitely go with you to walk into the jaws of death?” Mu Mu raised an eyebrow, eyeing her with a cool, unhurried gaze.

“I’m not walking into the jaws of death. I’m going to rescue someone.”

“Why not wait for the Ninth Prince to return? He will certainly have a way to resolve all of this.” he said.

Feng Jiu’er didn’t even know what she was thinking — it simply slipped out of her mouth: “His way of resolving things would probably just be to use brute force.”

Though, thinking about it again, why did she seem to understand the Ninth Imperial Uncle so well?

Mu Mu’s gaze settled on her again. Every time he looked at her like that, Feng Jiu’er had the inexplicable feeling that something was off.

“That… uh…”

“Weren’t you going back? Let’s go.” He strode forward, taking the lead.

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes brightened, and she immediately fell into step. “I thought you’d suggest we wait and go at night.”

“Most people wouldn’t have the nerve to force their way into the imperial palace in broad daylight — especially not someone who just escaped as a grave criminal. Going back at this moment is the last thing anyone would expect.”

Mu Mu glanced back at her, a faint smile on his lips. “Isn’t that exactly what you were thinking?”

“It is!” That feeling of someone seeing through you with a single glance, where you understand each other perfectly — there was something truly wonderful about it. No need for any extra explanation at all!

“Mu Mu, I think we’re better suited to be sworn brothers.” She said it casually, by way of comment.

Mu Mu glanced at her with a trace of exasperation. “I’m not pressuring you to marry me right now. Why bring it up at every turn?”

“I’m worried you’ll read too much into things.” In any case, she would repay the debt she owed him — but not everything had to be repaid by giving herself to him in marriage.

It wasn’t that she was selfish, but a person only had one self. How many people could she give herself to?

Today Zhan Luori had risked everything to save them as well. If Zhan Luori had been a man, would that mean she would have had to give herself to her in marriage too?

Feelings were the most unreliable thing of all, far less steadfast than kinship and the bond of those who are like siblings. So being like brothers and sisters was nothing bad.

Brothers and sisters in arms — they face hardship together and guard each other through life and death. To her, that bond was far more important than any romantic love.

Mu Mu perhaps understood what was going through this girl’s mind. In truth, not reading too much into things was fine — after all, his own motives at the start had not been entirely pure.

“Let’s go.”

“Let’s hurry!”

Those two, seemingly of one mind, exchanged a glance. She broke into a light laugh, and he could not help the corners of his lips curving ever so slightly upward.

At the same moment they lightly tapped off the ground and leapt into the air, sweeping swiftly in the direction of the imperial palace…

The Empress’s face was truly ruined this time. It had only been a silver needle, yet the wound was still rather deep.

What mattered most was that this wound was on her face. Even after it healed, there would be a scar.

That wretched Feng Jiu’er, how could she actually dare! What was she to do now? How would she ever face people again?

“Your Ladyship, legend has it that on Snow Lotus Mountain there are two Snow Lotus Beasts — spiritual beasts, and the blood of a spiritual beast is naturally rare and precious.”

Nanny Qin, who had served by her side for many years, gently took the mirror away from the Empress’s hands and soothed her: “Though legends may not be true, it is worth trying.”

“Are you saying this consort should send someone up Snow Lotus Mountain to find a Snow Lotus Beast and take its blood?” Right now, the Empress truly felt on the verge of despair.

A wound anywhere else would have been one thing — but it had to fall on her face of all places!

“Your Ladyship, that is only one option. Beyond that, there is also the blood of a Feng woman.”

“The blood of Feng Qingyin?” The Empress considered for a moment, and a glimmer of light suddenly entered her eyes. “How could this consort forget — the blood of a Feng woman can heal all ailments!”

“Indeed. Though the wound on Your Ladyship’s face is an injury and not an illness, the blood of a Feng woman is something easily obtained regardless — there’s no reason not to use it.”

After all, that girl Feng Qingyin had never been of any use. Using a little of her blood now — what did that amount to?