Whether to sleep alongside the Ninth Imperial Uncle — Feng Jiu did not even need to think about it. She shot back without missing a beat: “Shameless.”

“Since Jiu’er is a man, and two men sleeping together — why does that make anyone shameless?” Was it not simply so she could sleep more comfortably?

Zhan Qingcheng’s words were, in fact, not without logic: “Unless, of course, Jiu’er is a young woman.”

Feng Jiu realized she had dug herself a hole — and then leapt into it without the slightest hesitation.

Most perplexing of all was that the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s ability to follow a setup had suddenly made a tremendous leap forward. When had that happened?

She closed her eyes again, and again resolved: ignore him. What the eyes do not see, the heart does not grieve over. What the ears do not hear causes no vexation. Ignore him, ignore him, simply ignore him!

Zhan Qingcheng, for his part, only watched her back. When she did not wish to acknowledge him, he did not disturb her. But simply watching her like this was enough to settle his heart.

The anxiety faded. The unease dissolved. Even without being able to touch her, being able to see her brought him peace.

He did not know how much time passed before he too closed his eyes, breathing in her presence. Tonight, he would certainly sleep soundly again.

And at the very moment Zhan Qingcheng closed his eyes, a faint stirring of movement rippled through the air outside.

Those deep eyes opened. Feng Jiu too, moments later, caught the unusual sound carried on the wind. She sat up from the long chair and looked toward the window.

Before long, footsteps halted outside the window — the visitor had not even had time to conceal their aura, which spoke to how urgent the matter was.

“Your Highness, something urgent.” Yu Jingfeng’s voice came out slightly hoarse. If it were not urgent, he would never disturb the Prince at such an hour of the night.

The person inside made no response. Yu Jingfeng hesitated briefly, then immediately continued: “The Empress Dowager… the Empress Dowager has taken poison to end her life. Right now… the situation is grave…”

With a sharp sound, the window shutter was thrown open. Zhan Qingcheng’s cold, still face appeared in his line of sight: “Where is Mo Bai?”

“Mo Bai is treating her now, but… her aura is far too faint. Your Highness, please hurry—”

The dark figure before his eyes flickered, and where the Prince had stood, there was no longer anyone to be seen.

The Empress Dowager had taken poison to end her life — of course the Prince would be more anxious than anyone. Yu Jingfeng did not dare delay either and turned to leave at once.

Behind him, Feng Jiu’s voice stopped him in his tracks: “What is the Empress Dowager’s current condition?”

“She ingested a lethal poison. Mo Bai is now fighting to save her, but because the Empress Dowager’s constitution is so frail, she… the situation is extremely critical.”

Yu Jingfeng was in a hurry to get back, but since Feng Jiu had asked, he could not simply not answer.

He was just about to take his leave when Feng Jiu said: “I am going with you.”

This manor — she had told herself she would never come back to it.

Yet tonight, the Empress Dowager had been so frightened by her that she could not catch her breath. Had her vision not been blinded by the fire at that moment, she would certainly have stayed to make sure the Empress Dowager was unharmed before leaving.

It was only that she had been truly furious then — deeply disappointed too — and Mo Bai had already arrived, so she had gone.

But even having left, she still felt a measure of guilt toward the Empress Dowager, whose health was already so fragile.

By the time Yu Jingfeng and Feng Jiu arrived, Mo Bai was still working to expel the poison from the Empress Dowager.

More than half the poison had already been drawn out. With an ordinary person, rescue would likely have been possible at this stage.

But the Empress Dowager was not an ordinary person. Her constitution was simply far too weak. Even with most of the poison removed, she remained unconscious — and even Mo Bai had no way of knowing when she might wake.

“I have an effective antidote here. Allow me to go in and take a look.” She did not spare a glance for Emperor Ji or Leng Yue at the door — she only looked at Yu Jingfeng.

Leng Yue, upon seeing Feng Jiu arrive, had been ready to flare up, but Emperor Ji pulled her back behind him. The message was clear: he would not allow her to provoke Feng Jiu again.

Tonight, with the Empress Dowager in this state, he was… ill at ease in his heart. Perhaps he had already guessed why the Empress Dowager had taken poison. All of it was because he had been far too impatient.

Though Emperor Ji was also displeased with Feng Jiu’s actions tonight, he had absolute faith in Feng Jiu’s medical skill.

If Feng Jiu said she had an effective medicine, then it was certain to be effective — and it might truly be what saved the Empress Dowager.

“Mister Feng Jiu, the Empress Dowager is inside. Please go in.” Emperor Ji said, taking the initiative in showing goodwill.

Regrettably, Feng Jiu did not even glance in his direction. Having said what she needed to say to Yu Jingfeng, she pushed the door open directly and went inside.

Within the room, Zhan Qingcheng kept watch at the side. Mo Bai was still applying needles to the Empress Dowager, drawing blood to draw out the poison.

Bloodletting was meant to expel the toxin, but the Empress Dowager’s condition now — her constitution had already deteriorated to such a state — losing more blood now would leave her too weakened, and she might not even be able to regain consciousness.

“Her constitution is too weak. She is already blood-deficient. If you continue to let blood, even if the poison is cleared, she may not survive it.” Feng Jiu pointed this out the moment she stepped through the door.

Mo Bai felt genuinely ashamed, yet at present, aside from this method, he could think of no other way to expel the poison from the Empress Dowager.

The antidote had already been administered, and while it had taken effect, it could not be used in excess.

Feng Jiu asked: “The antidote given to her just before — may I see it?”

Mo Bai immediately retrieved the antidote vial from earlier and tipped out one tablet, placing it in Feng Jiu’s hand.

It was a standard antidote — one effective against most common poisons.

Feng Jiu weighed it carefully in her hand for a moment. After returning it to Mo Bai, she reached into the medical case she always carried with her and produced a small, exquisite vial.

She had just tipped the pills into her palm when she remembered — she was Feng Jiu now, not the Feng Jiu’er of before who could do as she pleased in the Ninth Prince’s Manor.

She turned to look at Zhan Qingcheng. Before she could open her mouth, Zhan Qingcheng had already said: “This Prince trusts you.”

Feng Jiu said nothing more. She had Mo Bai support the Empress Dowager upright. Then she ground the pill between her fingers herself and placed it in the Empress Dowager’s mouth.

Zhan Qingcheng brought a cup of warm water of his own accord. Feng Jiu helped the Empress Dowager drink it down. Seeing that Mo Bai was about to lay the Empress Dowager back down, she said: “Mister Mo Bai, please keep supporting the Empress Dowager. I need to perform a medicinal massage to draw out the poison.”

The Empress Dowager was indeed blood-deficient — further bloodletting was no longer an option. There was one other method: medicated steaming to release the toxin.

Using the steaming herbs at this point would take too long — even preparing the burner required time — and so Feng Jiu used a medicated liquid instead, applying it directly.

She unfastened the Empress Dowager’s garment. Mo Bai and Zhan Qingcheng could only avert their faces.

Of course, in Feng Jiu’s view, saving a life took precedence over everything — she would not concern herself with the notion of men and women keeping their distance.

Besides, she and the Empress Dowager were both women. What was there to fear?

With the Empress Dowager’s outer garment opened, Feng Jiu poured the medicinal liquid onto her chest and began the massage from the chest outward toward the palms.

The Empress Dowager’s garment had been fully parted. Mo Bai and Zhan Qingcheng had no choice but to keep their faces turned away — yet neither dared to leave, in case Feng Jiu needed anything at a moment’s notice.

The medicine she used was not as effective as proper steaming, yet it could achieve at least half the result.

Combined with her distinctive massage technique — driving the poison to the very tips of the fingers, then piercing the fingertips with a silver needle — what she pressed out was unmistakably black blood.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, have someone prepare a tub of bath water. I need to give the Empress Dowager a medicinal bath.”

The man behind her — upon hearing that one word of address — his tall frame went instantly rigid…