Ninth Imperial Uncle…

The long-missed call struck Zhan Qingcheng’s heart like a bolt of lightning.

Yet he was only shaken for a brief moment before he immediately stepped out the door and ordered someone to prepare a medicinal bath.

Lian’er had been waiting outside the door for some time. The moment she heard that a bath needed to be prepared, she personally led the servants and set to work.

By the time the bath was ready, Feng Jiu handed the medicinal powder to Mo Bai. Mo Bai naturally knew how to bring out the full potency of the powder.

He adjusted the water temperature himself and mixed the medicinal bath himself — the result was indeed different from what the servants would have produced.

“Lian’er, come help.” Since all the others present were men, it was naturally inappropriate for them to attend to the Empress Dowager’s bath. Feng Jiu gave a casual wave, and the gauze curtains fell. She said, “Ninth Imperial Uncle, find a few maidservants with good strength and bring them in. As for Leng Yue — all of you, step outside first.”

“…Alright.” Zhan Qingcheng cast one more glance at her before turning and walking out.

Mo Bai, however, could not help but look back at the silhouette behind the gauze curtains. But since the Empress Dowager’s clothing was in disarray, it was not appropriate for him to linger his gaze.

What stayed with him was that call just now — “Ninth Imperial Uncle” from Feng Jiu’s lips. How familiar it had sounded.

His Highness had been visibly shaken as well. Mo Bai had seen it with his own eyes: the Ninth Prince, a man who could stand before a collapsing mountain without so much as a change in expression, had just been… moved.

Mo Bai let out a quiet breath and said softly, “Sir, I will keep watch just outside. Should there be any instructions, you may call upon me at any time.”

“Very well.” At a moment like this, Feng Jiu was in no mood for formalities. Saving the Empress Dowager was what mattered.

The voices inside had not been deliberately lowered, so those standing outside had heard Feng Jiu’s words about Leng Yue quite clearly.

Leng Yue could have torn her apart. It seemed that every time she laid eyes on this woman, the urge to tear her to shreds surged up — and yet she had never once truly done so.

Of course, no matter how much discontent Leng Yue harbored, she dared not show it at a time like this.

His Highness was already anxious and troubled over the Empress Dowager’s condition. If Leng Yue dared to say anything out of turn right now, His Highness might very well have her driven out of the prince’s manor on the spot, so as to spare himself the aggravation.

His Highness’s bottom line was something she absolutely dared not challenge — the only exception being Feng Jiu’er.

Had the relationship between Feng Jiu’er and His Highness reverted to what it once was? His Highness had certainly been at the Hall of Heavenly Secrets tonight — otherwise, why would Yu Jingfeng have gone to find His Highness and returned with Feng Jiu in tow?

These two, outwardly appearing proper and restrained, had in truth long been carrying on in secret.

Leng Yue felt no resentment toward His Highness. His Highness would one day be the ruler of a nation — a little youthful indulgence was nothing to hold against him.

What she truly despised was Feng Jiu’er, who was utterly shameless. Both of them unmarried, and yet she spent night after night in His Highness’s company, reveling without restraint.

A woman like that, with so little self-respect — in the future, she would not even be qualified to enter the imperial harem.

Leng Yue would endure for now and wait to see what kind of miserable end awaited this disgraceful woman.

That night, no one in the prince’s manor slept. Everyone waited — waited for news that the Empress Dowager had recovered, or for news that she had not.

Zhan Qingcheng and Emperor Ji kept vigil outside the door, along with Leng Yue, Yu Jingfeng, and Mo Bai, who remained ready to be summoned at any moment.

Just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Mo Bai was called inside by Feng Jiu. When the door opened again, it was Feng Jiu who emerged.

“The Empress Dowager is out of immediate danger for the time being. However, she needs rest, and furthermore…”

Feng Jiu swept her gaze across the faces before her, her expression unreadable. “For the time being, it would be best not to agitate her any further. We must not allow her emotions to become so turbulent that she becomes despondent again.”

She had been about to leave when her eyes fell on Leng Yue, standing beside Emperor Ji, and she paused. She looked Leng Yue over, her expression hovering between a smile and something colder. “Miss Leng Yue, would you please come with me to the kitchen? I need your help preparing a nourishing broth for the Empress Dowager.”

“Why should I be the one to go?” Leng Yue instinctively took a step back. There was something about the smile in Feng Jiu’s eyes that felt genuinely dangerous.

“Why, Miss Leng Yue — are you not deeply concerned for the Empress Dowager? And yet you resist such a simple request as preparing a broth for her?” Feng Jiu raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with contempt.

“That’s not it at all — I’ll go right now!” Leng Yue turned to leave.

Preparing a nourishing broth for the Empress Dowager was perfectly fine. She also wanted the opportunity to show His Highness her gentle and capable side.

The trouble was that the look in Feng Jiu’s eyes just now had been genuinely unsettling. Going together with Feng Jiu made her feel deeply unsafe.

So she would rather go alone, come back quickly, and do her best to display her warmth and virtue in front of His Highness.

Unfortunately, Feng Jiu’s cool voice drifted over from behind: “Miss Leng Yue, I must ask you to accompany me. There are certain details to note that I need to explain to you in person.”

“I…” Leng Yue wanted to say she did not need that, but Feng Jiu had just saved the Empress Dowager’s life the previous night. If she dared to say it was unnecessary now, would that not make her seem as though she did not wish the Empress Dowager well?

“Let’s go.” Feng Jiu walked toward her, fixing her with a stare that was unmistakably laced with murderous intent. “Why aren’t you moving?”

“I…” Leng Yue reflexively retreated another two steps and looked toward Emperor Ji. “Adoptive Father…”

“If you are unwilling to attend to the Empress Dowager, no one is forcing you.” Emperor Ji was in a foul mood. Besides, from what he could read of the situation, Feng Jiu showed no intention of actually harming Leng Yue.

If the other party had no intention of striking, what was Leng Yue so flustered about?

Everyone present wore expressions that were blank or grave, their moods dark. Her continued fussing would only irritate everyone further.

Left with no other option, Leng Yue did not dare say another word — especially since His Highness had already stepped inside to check on the Empress Dowager. Moreover, this was the Ninth Prince’s manor. His Highness had already stopped Feng Jiu from acting against her once before, so surely this despicable woman would not dare cause trouble here.

After a moment’s thought, she ultimately followed behind Feng Jiu. It was better than being accused of refusing to attend to the Empress Dowager.

The moment they stepped into the kitchen, Feng Jiu said, “I have a few proprietary techniques to teach Miss Leng Yue. The rest of you, step outside for now.”

“Yes!” The servants were well-informed. This Feng Jiu, the Divine Doctor, had saved the Empress Dowager the previous night — who in the entire manor did not know? She was now a benefactor to His Highness and to the whole household. Who would dare disobey her?

Everyone set down what they were doing and moved to leave at once.

But Leng Yue panicked. “What is there to teach? Why does everyone need to leave?”

The intent behind Feng Jiu’s actions was plainly malicious! She snapped, “No one is to leave — there is still the morning meal to prepare. Where do you think you’re going?”

But no one was willing to listen to her.

Everyone in the manor could see exactly what standing Leng Yue held here.

Leng Yue watched helplessly as one by one the servants filed out of the kitchen, her anxiety mounting by the second. She wanted to follow them out, but feared that Feng Jiu would mock her for being afraid.

Besides, what did she have to be afraid of? The last time, Feng Jiu had only narrowly beaten Ye Luosha by sheer luck.

In half a year’s time, how much could Feng Jiu’s martial arts possibly have improved?

Surely she and Ye Luosha had simply been too careless that time, allowing Feng Jiu to win by the slimmest of margins.

These past few days, both Ye Luosha and Mu Mu were absent — she had no idea what had happened. Without Ye Luosha here, she realized she felt far less safe.

In this place, Ye Luosha was the only one who was completely on her side, fully committed to dealing with Feng Jiu’er.

With Ye Luosha gone, she was… alone. And that made her genuinely uneasy.