This Young Lord Xu — just moments ago he’d been so respectful, but the instant he mounted his horse, he left immediately, without the slightest courtesy!
She glanced again at the figure behind the carriage curtain — Her Highness sat quietly inside, seemingly unconcerned by Nanmeng Xu’s rude behavior.
Well, it really was strange that aunt and nephew had suddenly grown so close, but since he’d already left, there was nothing more to think about.
From now on, when she saw Young Lord Xu, she’d have to show him a bit more respect — who knew, with Her Highness’s favor backing him, he might really turn his fortunes around one day.
“Your Highness, shall we set off?” Qinxue stared at the carriage curtain and asked respectfully.
There was no response at all from inside, as though the person within was resting with eyes closed.
Qinxue wanted to say more but feared Her Highness would find her too bothersome, so she simply ordered the driver to set the horses moving.
The group arrived properly and in good order outside the Nanmeng estate. Hearing that his daughter had come home, Nanmeng Ye was a little puzzled as to why she’d returned so suddenly, but a daughter’s homecoming was, after all, a good thing.
Given Consort Rong’s status and standing, her return to her parents’ home could hardly be a quiet affair.
Nanmeng Ye personally led his people out to receive her, but Consort Rong remained in the carriage the whole time, without the slightest movement.
“Rong’er?” A trace of doubt crept into Nanmeng Ye’s eyes, his gaze falling on Qinxue.
Startled by his stern look, a chill ran down Qinxue’s spine. She hurried to say, “Your Highness… she might have fallen asleep. This servant will go and wake her right away.”
Nanmeng Ye made no objection, and Qinxue hurried aboard the carriage, lifting the curtain. “Your Highness, we’ve arrived. Your High—ah! Young Lord Xu?!”
What was going on? Why was the person sitting in the carriage Nanmeng Xu? And dressed in Her Highness’s clothes, no less?
Where was Her Highness? Where had Consort Rong gone?
Hearing the commotion, Nanmeng Ye strode over at once. Seeing Nanmeng Xu asleep in the carriage with no sign of his daughter, he flew into a rage and yanked Nanmeng Xu out of the carriage.
There was a loud smack — anyone could imagine how hard Nanmeng Xu hit the ground.
But he seemed to have been drugged; even after being thrown down like that, he showed no sign whatsoever of waking.
“What is the meaning of this? Someone, wake this fellow up for me!”
Several people immediately dragged Nanmeng Xu away. Nanmeng Ye’s gaze landed on Qinxue, who, trembling, hurriedly recounted the key points of what had happened that day.
Hearing this, Nanmeng Ye’s face darkened, and he grew anxious at once. “Quick — to the Imperial Academy!”
…
A swift horse left the street corner, racing toward the back hills of the Imperial Academy.
This horse was clearly one that had been carefully chosen — even on the rugged mountain road, it ran with remarkable speed.
But she didn’t let it accompany her all the way; after crossing several hills, she leapt down at the foot of the mountain.
“If you still remember your master, go back to his side on your own.” She stroked the horse’s mane, and that soft sigh carried a hint of helplessness.
A breeze passed by, tousling her robes and blowing her disheveled hair loose. A small face gradually emerged under the deepening dusk — who else could it be but Feng Jiu’er?
Watching the horse gradually disappear into the distance, Feng Jiu’er’s gaze grew thoughtful. She hoped the horse would make it back to Nanmeng Xu’s side — such a fine horse was truly hard to come by.
After letting the horse go, Jiu’er immediately took a deep breath and strode toward the top of Black Wind Cliff, not pausing once along the way.
All the way to the top of the cliff, and then down from it, she paid close attention to any movement around her, even stopping partway down to check behind her.
Fortunately, after all the twists and turns this time, no one was following her.
From switching identities with Nanmeng Rong back at the Imperial Academy, to switching with Nanmeng Xu on the road — after two such exchanges, anyone still able to keep up with her would have to be superhuman.
Taking another deep breath, this time she went straight down without stopping.
Only when she landed steadily at the foot of the mountain, seeing the familiar scene before her, did Feng Jiu’er finally let out a breath of relief.
She’d finally made it back! She hadn’t expected that just when things seemed nearly hopeless, a turn of events would occur — Nanmeng Rong coming to find her had become her greatest ray of hope.
If Nanmeng Rong hadn’t come to her on her own, Jiu’er still wouldn’t have known how to escape the dozen or so highly skilled guards outside, not to mention whatever forces might be hiding behind them, waiting for her to lead them somewhere.
She simply hadn’t expected that Nanmeng Xu would actually come back to help her complete the second step.
At the time, her plan had been not to return to the palace but to go to the Nanmeng estate instead, since the journey was somewhat long and she might find a way to slip free along the way.
But she hadn’t expected Nanmeng Xu to come.
His words — “You said you trusted me” — had made everything suddenly clear to Feng Jiu’er.
Nanmeng Xu had known all along that she would use Nanmeng Rong’s identity to leave, and had even taken the initiative to send the horse to her.
She truly felt she owed this man. Not only had she humiliated him by breaking off their engagement in public, but now she was using him again to escape.
Even though he’d done it willingly, even deliberately arranged it himself, in the end, she had still wronged him.
She hadn’t expected that a man who once held such a grudge against her would, after being hurt by her, never once doubt her sincerity from beginning to end.
Nanmeng Xu — was it really just because of an imperial decree that he’d come to trust her so completely?
She tore off the human-skin mask from her face, and only then did Jiu’er reveal her true features.
It was remarkable that Nanmeng Xu had managed to recognize her at a glance — although the mask had been made hastily, the materials used were truly excellent.
Back at the academy dormitory, she had gotten close to Nanmeng Rong and drugged her when she wasn’t paying attention.
Once Nanmeng Rong had passed out, she’d taken out the ointment and applied it to Nanmeng Rong’s face, and a mask resembling Nanmeng Rong perfectly had taken shape just like that.
This ointment had been given to her by the cook who’d added her an extra chicken leg back then — it had been hidden inside the chicken leg. Thinking back on it now, that person seemed to have been Long Shiyi in disguise, though she hadn’t paid much attention at the time and failed to recognize him.
She’d keep this ointment safe — it could absolutely prove useful in the future. If she could also learn the method for refining it, it would be an absolute weapon to have while moving about in the martial world!
She had no idea where Long Shiyi had gotten hold of such a marvelous thing, but now that the ointment was in her hands, with careful study and her own sharp sense for medicinal materials, she was certain she could eventually refine it herself.
Setting the mask aside, Feng Jiu’er suddenly remembered something and pulled the note out of her pocket.
It was the note Nanmeng Xu had slipped to her in the carriage earlier. There hadn’t been time to read it then, but now she finally remembered to see what message he’d left her.
The note was small, and the words inside were brief: I have already arranged a route. If you need to leave the city, have someone tie a red cord to the big banyan tree at the academy’s back gate.
Feng Jiu’er knew exactly where that big banyan tree by the academy’s back gate was — there were usually plenty of people around, with students often gathered there, so an unfamiliar face appearing now and then wouldn’t draw much attention.
Looking at the note, Jiu’er felt a warmth in her heart, filled with boundless gratitude.
This debt of kindness — she would absolutely repay it one day.