Shortly after finishing breakfast, Xiao Yingtao led the Chief Eunuch over.

It seemed the Veiled Consort’s legs had developed a new kind of sensation. After Feng Jiu’er administered the needles and introduced the new medicine — and after enduring a round of pain — the meridians of her legs had grown considerably stronger.

“Consort, in another half a month, your legs should be able to stand. But to fully recover will take a month.”

Feng Jiu’er said it as though offhandedly while packing up her medicine chest, but the words made Qing Zhi and Qing Ye, who were standing guard at the side, nearly drop to their knees before her.

The Consort had been injured for so many years. And she claimed to have spent less than a month bringing her to the point where her legs could soon heal.

Never mind full recovery — if she could simply walk again, that alone would be a tremendous miracle to them.

If she could fully recover… heavens, they dared not even imagine it.

When this news reached Emperor Qiwen’s ears, this time, he actually disregarded the risk of being monitored and personally escorted Feng Jiu’er to the palace gate.

Feng Jiu’er could see his excitement. This sovereign of an empire genuinely cared deeply for the Veiled Consort within those walls.

She could not help but wonder what the Veiled Consort herself felt. She seemed to hold everything at an arm’s length of indifference — even though she clearly had a grudge against Nanmeng Rong, when she had been asked to spare his life, only the barest sliver of hatred had shown through.

And once that flicker of hatred had passed, her expression had settled back into that cloud-light, breeze-gentle calm, as though even an enemy could not stir the faintest ripple in her heart.

Perhaps the grudge against Nanmeng Rong simply did not run deep enough for her — or perhaps the years had worn her down until she had grown accustomed to concealing every emotion behind a face of absolute serenity.

Even her eyes gave nothing away.

When Feng Jiu’er had just said that she might be able to stand in half a month, even the composed Qing Ye had grown red-eyed with emotion, and Qing Zhi had nearly broken into tears.

Yet the Consort had only smiled at her — a smile as light and clear as water, which was, in truth, quite unexpected.

After Feng Jiu’er left the palace and had walked some distance away, that feeling of being followed returned.

As it had been the last time, the person trailing her had exceptional lightness skill and maintained a considerable distance — she had no way of pinpointing their position — but a woman’s sixth sense told her she was being followed.

This time, Emperor Qiwen himself had personally seen her out. Surely the one behind her had noticed that as well.

But the Veiled Consort’s courtyard was filled with formidable experts — even if they were seen, there was nothing to fear. If someone intended to pry, the people over there would have their own ways of handling it.

What was strange was that after she had walked another several dozen paces, the presence behind her suddenly vanished.

Had the person following her decided that continuing to trail her held no further value?

In any case, not being followed was the better outcome. Even though she had no plans to do anything unusual today, the feeling of someone watching her from behind was never comfortable.

The key concern was that if a high-level expert like that one decided to make a move, she might not be able to come out on top.

That, truly, made her feel unsafe.

She glanced back once more, confirmed she could feel no trace of that person’s presence, and then allowed herself a faint smile as she stepped forward.

It had been a long time since she had visited Tianxia First Manor. She wondered how her “grandfather” and “uncle” had been faring these past days.

Since the Master of Lanyue Manor had already sent gifts and given her a place within Tianxia First Manor, it would hardly do to go without visiting her family.

From this point on, Tianxia First Manor was half a home to her as well. The feeling of going home — it was a good one.

“She went to that abandoned courtyard again? And the Emperor personally saw her out?”

Feng Qingyin gripped her handkerchief, utterly unable to understand — just what kind of extraordinary woman was living in that abandoned courtyard?

Last time, Jian Yi had gone to investigate and nearly gave himself away.

Fortunately, they had managed to turn the mistake to their advantage, and by a strange twist of fate, had brought Nanmeng Rong down in the process.

But according to what Jian Yi had said, the person inside was a woman — which displeased Feng Qingyin considerably.

For Emperor Qiwen to go to such lengths of secrecy for a woman, and today to even personally see Feng Jiu out — it was clear the identity of that woman was far from simple.

With so many beauties filling the imperial harem, when had Emperor Qiwen ever made such an elaborate fuss over any single consort?

Even back when Nanmeng Rong had been empress — though Emperor Qiwen had been wary of the Nanmeng clan, he had never truly been attentive to her. All the tolerance and indulgence had simply been because of the Nanmeng clan’s military power. As for genuine concern about someone… Feng Qingyin gave a cold snort. That old woman’s standing in the Emperor’s eyes was not even as high as hers, the Noble Consort’s!

So just what manner of woman was living in the Li Courtyard?

“Should I go and investigate again?” The person in the Li Courtyard was an object of great curiosity for Feng Qingyin — in truth, Jian Yi was even more eager to know the identity of the expert inside.

Last time had been a moment of carelessness. He had not expected the person’s inner strength to be so formidable, and it was only because of that he had been caught off guard and suffered a wound in a single exchange.

If he went again tonight, he would be ten thousand times more careful and would not allow what happened before to repeat itself.

“Since their people have such powerful martial arts, you had best not go stirring things up for now.”

Feng Qingyin waved her hand and shook her head. “Last time, it worked out neatly — we managed to drag Nanmeng Rong into the mess. Now, with no one left in the palace to take the blame in her place, if you go again and your tracks are exposed, you may end up implicating me.”

“Do you think I would betray you?” Jian Yi’s brow furrowed, a thread of displeasure cutting through his expression.

If his tracks were truly exposed — even if he were seized by the palace guards and put to torture — he would not reveal a single word connected to her.

Was that how little she trusted him?

Seeing the faint undercurrent of irritation beneath his brow, Feng Qingyin gave a gentle smile, and her voice became soft as flowing water in an instant. “Of course I trust you. But if you were to fall into the hands of the palace guards, I could hardly stand by and do nothing.”

“I do not need you to save me.” If such a day ever truly came, he was absolutely unwilling to have her come to his rescue.

She was a consort in the back palace — without power or influence. What could she do? To intervene and try to save him would leave her with only a path to ruin.

Feng Qingyin looked at him, a flicker of grievance in the depths of her eyes. “You truly don’t trust me, do you? Could it be that I could watch you suffer — or even face danger — and just do nothing?”

That look of quiet sorrow finally softened Jian Yi’s resolve.

“I did not mean it that way. But you must promise me — if something truly happens to me, you must not step forward.”

He was serious. Feng Qingyin, of course, knew that.

Jian Yi continued, “You need to understand that I will not utter a single word connected to you. So if that day comes, you must steel yourself and deny everything.”

“Jian Yi…” Feng Qingyin bit her lip, and her eyes filled in an instant with tears.

Seeing the tears she shed for him, Jian Yi’s resolve melted entirely. Whatever trace of displeasure he had felt a moment ago dissolved in an instant.

“I know you care about me. But I will not let you fall into danger. Promise me — whatever happens, you must never admit to anything. Even if one day I fall into their hands, you will act as though you do not know me at all.”