Feng Qingyin was still very pleased, and the more she looked at Jian Yi, the more favorable an impression he made on her.

Thinking back to that time, she still did not quite know how it had happened — she had simply picked up such a priceless treasure.

This man was cold, yes — but he was a person who was deeply grateful and knew how to repay a kindness. He honored his promises, and having pledged to repay her, he had truly remained by her side ever since, allowing her to deploy him as she pleased.

Of course, credit was also due to her own beauty, blooming like flowers. Without it, she believed Jian Yi would not have devoted himself so completely to her.

Men — were they not all like this? It was nothing more than being moved by a pretty face.

Feng Qingyin studied Jian Yi, and once she had calmed herself, she asked with a smile: “Now — what is the situation over at Nanmeng Rong’s side?”

“She has been sent to the dungeon.” Jian Yi had not yet changed out of his guard’s uniform, and still wore that unremarkable human-skin mask over his face.

Tonight’s infiltration of Noble Consort Rong’s Xuanhua Hall had been a coincidence at first — it had not been a deliberate scheme to frame her.

Jian Yi, though his swordsmanship was formidable, was not a person skilled in scheming and intrigue.

He had simply not anticipated that Noble Consort Rong and Emperor Qiwen would clash so violently. Recalling how Noble Consort Rong had previously bullied Feng Qingyin, he had decided to turn the situation to his advantage — exploiting the chaos to blend into the guards and wound Noble Consort Rong.

“So Emperor Qiwen actually laid hands on Nanmeng Rong himself. It seems he too has reached the end of his patience with the Nanmeng clan.”

Feng Qingyin lowered her gaze, concealing the sharp gleam in her eyes. Before Jian Yi, she did not want to show too dark a side of herself.

Still, at this moment, with Noble Consort Rong perhaps truly having fallen — should she put on a performance?

Turning her thoughts over in her mind, Feng Qingyin kept her eyes on Jian Yi and maintained that image of a delicate willow in the breeze: “And the Li Yuan courtyard — was there any gain from tonight’s visit?”

“A formidable expert resides in the Li Yuan courtyard. Their martial arts surpass mine.” The mere thought of those fragments of shattered cup porcelain set a pulse of hot blood stirring faintly in Jian Yi’s chest.

That had truly been a formidable expert — one even he was unable to match!

Encountering such an expert brought not dread, but genuine and true excitement! He even looked forward to the next meeting, to properly experiencing their technique firsthand.

Although, now, that would likely no longer be possible.

Jian Yi gave a light cough; there was still some faint churning of blood in his chest.

In that moment, he had been without guard, and had still been injured by that expert’s inner energy. Had he not been wearing the human-skin mask right now, Feng Qingyin would surely have seen the pallor of his complexion.

But Feng Qingyin was not paying attention to any of this at the moment; she merely narrowed her eyes in deep thought.

“A formidable expert?” A formidable expert residing in the rear palace — who could that be? “A man, or a woman?”

“Most likely a woman.” Though even Jian Yi was not entirely certain. The person’s presence had been very faint; he could only sense it through the sharp instincts he had honed as an assassin.

If judging by aura alone, there was truly no way to sense anything at all — the other party was far too powerful.

“A woman of formidable martial arts?” The crease between Feng Qingyin’s brows deepened further. Who could this person be, who would actually be willing to live in the Li Yuan courtyard — so dilapidated a place?

And what manner of woman was it, who could cultivate such an extraordinary set of abilities — one that even Jian Yi freely admitted could not match?

In Feng Qingyin’s eyes, Jian Yi’s martial arts could already be considered absolutely first-rate. As for people like Feng Jiu’er — standing before Jian Yi, even carrying his shoes would be beneath them.

Then who exactly was the person in the Li Yuan courtyard?

“Jian Yi — with all the upheaval of tonight, they should have let their guard down. Why not make another trip to see clearly who it is?”

“Tonight, I fear, will not work.” Jian Yi had always complied with her requests — yet tonight, there was truly a real difficulty.

He gave a light cough; there was a faint hoarseness to the sound.

Feng Qingyin blinked, and only then saw it clearly: “Jian Yi — you are injured?”

“Only a minor wound. It is nothing.”

“How can I not tend to it? I will have an imperial physician come to examine you right away.” Feng Qingyin rose to her feet and started toward the door with quick little steps.

Jian Yi’s figure shifted; he stepped into her path: “That will not do. If an imperial physician comes here, will they not all know I am in your quarters?”

How could Feng Qingyin have failed to think of this? Yet men were sometimes just this foolish — you play dumb before them, and they really do become foolish.

So in an instant, a misty softness crept into Feng Qingyin’s eyes, her face filled with distress: “But… but you are wounded. How can I stand by and do nothing?”

“I am fine — truly, it is only a minor wound.” Seeing the glimmer of tears in her eyes, warmth stirred in Jian Yi’s heart, and his mood immediately lifted.

He had been an orphan from childhood, and never had anyone cared for him so. So what did this small injury matter?

“No one can know I am here. A rear-palace consort privately harboring a man — this is a crime punishable by beheading.”

“But you——”

“I truly am fine. I will go rest for a while and I will be well. Do not worry about me.” Just having her concern — this small injury truly was nothing.

Feng Qingyin still wore a look of worry. After a good while, she finally nodded: “Then go and rest properly. I will have someone send nourishing medicine to you.”

Jian Yi had originally wanted to say it was unnecessary, but to keep her from worrying, he nodded in the end, lifted the curtain behind him, and left.

Only once she was certain he had gone far did Feng Qingyin call in Lingling, who had been waiting outside: “Over at Xuanhua Hall — was anything learned?”

Lingling had long since sent someone to gather information, and had been standing guard outside just now — whatever Jian Yi and Feng Qingyin had said inside, she had of course heard clearly.

“My Lady, that side’s main gate is tightly shut, and no maids or eunuchs have come out. Nothing could be learned. However……”

Lingling paused before continuing: “Noble Consort Rong was indeed escorted out. When she was brought out she was unconscious. From the direction they went, it was indeed toward the dungeon.”

Their people had not dared to draw near — only watching from afar.

Tonight was bound to see something happen. So before Jian Yi had infiltrated the Li Yuan courtyard under cover of night, Feng Qingyin had already had Lingling arrange for a few little eunuchs and little maids to keep watch on the rear palace’s movements at all times.

Now that Feng Qingyin held the honored position of Noble Consort Qing, she had naturally already cultivated her own power base within the rear palace.

Emperor Qiwen had no wish to disturb the Crown Prince — but this matter was unlikely to stay hidden for very long.

After a moment of contemplation, Feng Qingyin said: “Help this consort change her clothes. This consort is going to attend to His Majesty.”

……

Feng Jiu had only just stepped out of her room when she found a carrier pigeon in the cage had a new addition.

It was one of Xing Zizhou’s personally raised pigeons — reared specifically to carry messages between them.

Feng Jiu immediately went over, and sure enough, found a small strip of paper tied to the pigeon’s leg.

“Jiu’er — has any news come back?” Xue Gu walked over.

Feng Jiu was still reading the strip of paper, yet the space between her brows had already taken on a trace of significant news: “Heaven is on my side.”

“What has happened?” It had been a long time since Xue Gu had seen her smile like this. It seemed something truly good had come along.

Feng Jiu looked back at her, eyes curving into a smile: “I hear that last night the palace was thrown into chaos by an assassin. When the assassin fled, they stormed into Noble Consort Rong’s Xuanhua Hall.”