“This — I’ll keep trying to persuade the Estate Master, as long as you’re still willing to come back, sir…”

“As long as the Estate Master is willing, I’ll come again.” Feng Jiu said with a smile toward Long Yan.

Long Yan let out a breath of relief, having feared that Feng Jiu had been wronged enough that she’d never want to come back again.

“Then, let me see you out.” Long Yan inclined slightly, his manner still respectful.

Feng Jiu nodded and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, from not far behind them, an elderly man who looked at least in his sixties emerged from behind two servants amid the flower bushes, muttering something under his breath, and charged straight toward Feng Jiu.

“My lord?” Long Yan was startled, terrified the old man might trip or hurt himself, and rushed to support him.

But the old man shoved him aside and continued charging toward Feng Jiu.

Feng Jiu didn’t dodge — the most important thing was that she didn’t sense any danger; the old man held no ill intent toward her.

“My lord, you…” Long Yan wanted to stop him but feared hurting the old man, finding himself powerless to act.

The old man had already come to stand right in front of Feng Jiu. He looked at her, looked again, a flicker of confusion in his expression, staring at her face, shaking his head — but then looking at her figure, his eyes suddenly turned red.

“Old… sir, do you… need something?” Feng Jiu asked, forcing her voice to stay low.

The old man kept staring at her face, shaking his head once more, but when he looked at her figure again, his eyes grew even redder, even the tip of his nose flushing.

This appearance — it looked as if he were struggling with something, torn between believing she was, and believing she wasn’t?

Feng Jiu couldn’t grasp what the old man was thinking, and neither could Long Yan, but Long Yan didn’t dare be careless, saying cautiously, “My lord, let me take you back to rest, shall we?”

So this was the old Estate Master of the Number One Estate Under Heaven, the master of this camellia courtyard. But why did the old Estate Master seem somewhat off?

That gaze… so clear it didn’t seem like someone with any guile at all — more like a child?

Feng Jiu was a healer, especially sensitive to others’ expressions and gaze. After just two glances, she could tell something was not quite right with the old Estate Master’s mind.

Suddenly, the old man threw his arms around her, holding her so tightly, so urgently — the sudden action startling not just Feng Jiu but Long Yan as well.

“My lord, you mustn’t do this, my lord, he is a guest!” Long Yan hurried to pull him away.

“Long’er, Long’er, my Long’er has come back!” The old Estate Master held Feng Jiu in a death grip, refusing to let go no matter how Long Yan tugged at him.

“You are Long’er, you are my Long’er, my Long’er has come home!”

The old Estate Master’s eyes glistened with tears, both excited and anxious. “Long’er, you’re dressed like this again, are you going off to battle again? Don’t go, Long’er, don’t go, they all want to hurt you, they all want to hurt you!”

Something stirred in Feng Jiu’s heart. Seeing the genuine panic and worry in his eyes, she inexplicably felt a pang of sorrow.

She was dressed like this… what did he mean? Her clothing today was perfectly ordinary, just plain white robes.

“Long’er, don’t wear men’s clothes anymore, don’t go to battle anymore, let’s go home. Father has prepared so many lovely dresses for you. Long’er, won’t you wear them to show Father?”

“My lord, you’ve mistaken him for someone else, he really is a man!” Long Yan’s expression shifted slightly, his tone growing firmer. “My lord, stop talking nonsense, the Estate Master will be upset.”

“Is Qu’er upset again? Right, right, Qu’er doesn’t like Long’er going to battle either, Qu’er said he wants to protect his sister…”

“My lord!” Long Yan’s face darkened, his tone now carrying a hint of real severity. “My lord, let me take you back to rest, quickly… quickly let go of Sir Feng Jiu.”

“What Sir Feng Jiu? She’s my Long’er!” The old Estate Master paid his stern tone no mind at all — having said he wouldn’t let go, he simply wouldn’t, no matter what Long Yan said.

Feng Jiu felt rather awkward being held like this. If it weren’t for the man’s advanced age, she certainly would have pushed him away.

Still, this old gentleman seemed like a child in some ways — his mind… clearly not quite right.

Feng Jiu looked toward Long Yan, who seemed helpless, tugging at the old Estate Master again without success, not daring to use force, though clearly fond of the old man despite his stern words.

Seeing Feng Jiu’s questioning glance, he had no choice but to explain. “Our lord here… “

He pointed to his own head, somewhat helplessly. “Up here, it’s a little… a little not quite right…”

If the other party weren’t a divine physician, this would have been too embarrassing for Long Yan to admit at all.

Feng Jiu could clearly see his discomfort — who would want to air their family’s misfortunes to outsiders?

Still, this old Estate Master looked robust and full of vigor — clearly someone who’d practiced martial arts in his youth. Such a fine man, reduced to this confused state — truly pitiable.

“My lord, shall I take you back?” With no time to spare for Feng Jiu, Long Yan said gently to the old Estate Master, “Your room has already been prepared with food — your favorite camellia cake is there. Let me take you back to enjoy it properly, all right?”

“Camellia cake?” Even though he ate it every single day, the old Estate Master seemed to have a special fondness for it — his eyes lit up at the mere mention.

He was about to release Feng Jiu and follow Long Yan back to eat the camellia cake, but then something seemed to occur to him. He thought it over, glanced at Feng Jiu once more, and suddenly held her even more tightly.

“Long’er, I’ll take you to eat camellia cake, your favorite camellia cake, quick! I’ll take you there!”

The old Estate Master grabbed Feng Jiu’s hand and immediately tried to head inside to enjoy the camellia cake.

Sweat beaded at Long Yan’s temples in his anxiety. “My lord, he isn’t… isn’t the Second Miss, my lord, please let go of him, he really isn’t…”

“She is!” The old Estate Master was nothing if not stubborn, gripping Feng Jiu’s hand tightly, utterly unwilling to loosen even slightly.

“I know, of course I know — her face has changed, she’s used some disguise, but this body, this is Long’er’s body, she is my Long’er!”

The old Estate Master, fearing Long Yan meant to take his precious daughter away, glared furiously at him. “You’re all bad people, all trying to hurt my Long’er, go away, go away! Get away from my place at once, or else… or else I’ll beat you to death!”

“All right, all right, I’m not a bad person, I’m part of this family, my lord, I don’t mean to harm anyone, I…”

Long Yan truly didn’t know how to explain himself, looking from the old Estate Master to Feng Jiu, utterly helpless and anxious.

“Sir, truly, I’m so sorry, our lord here, he… he… I’m truly sorry.”

“It’s nothing, just don’t startle the old gentleman.” Feng Jiu thought it over, then turned her head to look at the old Estate Master. “Camellia cake… all right, I haven’t had camellia cake before. Could I have some too? Let me try it, won’t you?”