Emperor Ji fixed his eyes on Feng Jiu’er. His feelings toward her now were nothing short of revulsion — a revulsion so deep he could not put it into words.

Jiu’er raised her sleeve and wiped the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. It took some effort before she could bring her breathing back under control.

Emperor Ji glanced sidelong at Long Yi and gave a cold snort. “You still want to help this woman? Or do you not feel she has brought enough harm to A’Jiu?”

“My lord…” Long Yi was somewhat conflicted. He disagreed with much of what Feng Jiu’er had done — and yet Feng Jiu’er was the woman His Highness cared for most of all.

What mattered to His Highness, they all took care of as well. Still, resentment stirred within him, and a sense that this was not right.

Feng Jiu’er steadied herself with great effort, then gave Long Yi’s arm a gentle push to ease him away.

She stepped forward, her footing unsteady, but she managed to hold herself upright.

“My lord, we are caught between enemies on all sides. Internal strife truly serves us ill. I was in the wrong to strike first — I ask your forgiveness.”

She had no time to explain, nor did she wish to waste any more of it here.

The Ninth Imperial Uncle was willing to continue saving Mu Mu only for her sake — yet the situation outside grew more dire with every passing moment. And Emperor Ji and Long Yi were both pressing him to leave.

It was not that she doubted the Ninth Imperial Uncle. But she understood clearly that no one bore a heavier burden than he did right now.

Did the Ninth Imperial Uncle not care about his own brothers? Did he not care about his armies stationed at the border? Did he not care about the lives of the people in the border towns?

What the Ninth Imperial Uncle had done for her was unprecedented — nothing like it had ever come before, and nothing like it would come again. He was, in the end, the war-god Prince of the Bei Mu Kingdom. He was, in the end, the hope of every soul in those border towns.

She had to go out — now, without delay.

“My lord, I ask that you remain calm and grant us two more days of patience. Jiu’er still has matters to attend to — Jiu’er will take her leave.”

She turned and walked toward the door. Leng Yue was of course unwilling to let her go so easily. That blow Adoptive Father had landed earlier had been restrained — had he truly not shown mercy, a single strike would have been enough to kill her outright.

“Adoptive Father, we cannot let her leave like this. What if she goes to His Highness and reports everything to him…”

“My lord, His Highness is not unreasonable. Miss Jiu’er would not do anything so thoughtless.”

Long Yi had no desire to make things harder for Feng Jiu’er any further. A perfectly fine young woman, beaten until she spat blood like this, for no good reason.

If His Highness were to find out, he would be beside himself with grief.

Feng Jiu’er understood, of course, that even as Long Yi stepped in to get her out of this, he was also subtly reminding her — in the current state of affairs, going to the Ninth Imperial Uncle to complain would only bring harm to everyone without exception.

“I am going to change my clothes and then attend to the Ninth Imperial Uncle.” Feng Jiu’er glanced back at Long Yi, and only when she saw him exhale with relief did she step out the door.

This time, whatever else Leng Yue might say, Emperor Ji made no move to stop Feng Jiu’er from leaving.

It had already gone this far, and the anger had already been vented. Now, unless A’Jiu himself was willing to leave, no one could compel him.

If they truly hurt Feng Jiu’er, A’Jiu would only grow to resent them more. And if A’Jiu acted out in anger, the losses would be far greater.

Feng Jiu’er did indeed return to her room. But where she went after changing her clothes — no one knew.

Long Yi gave Emperor Ji a respectful nod. “My lord, the hour grows late. Please rest early. Your subordinate will take his leave.”

Emperor Ji gave a nod. Long Yi stepped out. The room fell silent with only Emperor Ji and Leng Yue remaining.

Leng Yue rubbed her chest where Feng Jiu’er’s blow had landed, seething. “Adoptive Father, are you truly just going to let her go like that?”

“If I do not let her go, shall I grant your wish and kill her here?” Emperor Ji shot her a sharp look.

“A-Adoptive Father, I do not know what you mean. How could I…how could I want her dead? She belongs to the Sovereign.”

“Hmph!” Emperor Ji gave a cold, humorless laugh, and pushed his wheelchair forward, unwilling to spare her another glance.

“You had a needle hidden in your hand — was that not to provoke her into striking first, so that Adoptive Father would move to punish her? The beating has already been given. What more could you want?”

“Adoptive Father…” She had not expected Adoptive Father to see through her little scheme — though given how profound his cultivation was, it was perhaps not so surprising.

Yet knowing, he had still chosen to strike Feng Jiu’er. Clearly, Adoptive Father harbored his own deep dissatisfaction with Feng Jiu’er as well — and had his own desire to put her in her place.

Leng Yue finally smiled. She stepped behind Emperor Ji and began gently kneading his stiff shoulders.

“Adoptive Father, I have no wish to make an enemy of her without cause. But you know as well as I do — this Feng Jiu’er has gone too far. And the most unforgivable part is that no matter what the Sovereign does for her, she continues to hold another man in her heart.”

“A woman with such a fickle heart — even if she were to follow the Sovereign one day, she would surely do something to betray him. Adoptive Father, do you not agree?”

What the future held, Emperor Ji could not say. But here and now, Feng Jiu’er had made him furious.

“Adoptive Father, the Sovereign…”

“Enough.” Emperor Ji’s expression darkened.

Leng Yue immediately bit her lip and said no more. She did not know what was happening outside.

Before long, the faint sound of approaching footsteps reached them. Gradually the sound grew louder — then stopped just outside their door.

Leng Yue glanced at Emperor Ji, then rose and opened the door.

The person outside had not knocked. And when Leng Yue opened the door, the visitor gave no reaction at all.

A pair of cold eyes simply passed over Leng Yue and fixed on Emperor Ji, seated in his wheelchair. The face was entirely without expression.

Emperor Ji had long known she would come looking for him. Perhaps, much as she had, he had been waiting for this meeting throughout the night.

“Leng Yue, go attend to A’Jiu.” Emperor Ji spoke in a measured tone.

Leng Yue did not know what history lay between these two, but it was clear they were acquainted — and equally clear that they had things to say to each other in private.

She gave a nod and said quietly: “Yes.”

She stepped out, and once Ye Luosha had entered the room, she drew the door closed behind them both.

When the sound of Leng Yue’s footsteps had faded into the distance, Ye Luosha’s gaze fell to Emperor Ji’s two legs. Her expression remained as impassive as before — yet deep within her eyes, a flicker of cold frost passed through.

“Is this the end you brought upon yourself? Ha!”

Emperor Ji’s composed facade shattered in an instant: “Zhan Lengxing, you schemed against the Di Imperial Clan for the sake of your cousin — and you still have the face to come to me!”

So Ye Luosha’s true name was Zhan Lengxing — something that likely even most members of Ye Ming Palace did not know. Perhaps only a small handful of people had ever been privy to it.

So he did indeed know who she was.

Ye Luosha’s fury broke through: “Emperor Ji, it was clearly you and Zhan Bufan who conspired to seize the Di family’s throne — yet you dare to play the aggrieved party!”

The catastrophe of those years had descended without warning. The Di Dynasty was overthrown. Zhan Bufan — Prince Shezheng at the time — had led an army into the imperial capital under the banner of protecting the throne. Yet before long, he had become Emperor himself.

The rumors from that time were many and contradictory. Some said the Princess of Star Moon had joined forces with Zhan Bufan to steal the Di family’s empire. Others said a traitor had emerged within the Di family, and that Emperor Ji and Zhan Bufan had conspired together to usurp the throne.

Whatever the truth, the Di Imperial Clan no longer existed. And the Zhan family had held power for twenty years.