“Noble Consort, recapturing a man’s heart should be no difficult matter for you.”

Lingling leaned in and whispered, “A man like Jian Yi has likely never tasted the pleasures of a woman. As long as Noble Consort were to… afterward, he would never be able to leave you.”

“That is something we have already tried. He simply will not — will not dare to touch us!” This matter made Feng Qingyin want to spit blood.

That man was beyond saving. He had no understanding of such things whatsoever.

She had stripped herself bare to entice him, and yet he had managed to remain unmoved every single time, insisting on the proper formalities — claiming she must have his assurance, that only after marriage could he touch her.

Utterly, hopelessly obstinate.

“Noble Consort, the medicine this servant brought for you before — is there not still some of it left?”

“You mean…” Feng Qingyin looked at her, considering.

“Noble Consort, everyone knows he is devoted to you heart and soul.” A well-placed compliment was always necessary — a skilled person like Jian Yi walking away would truly be a loss.

A great many things would be far easier with him around.

Lingling said, “Noble Consort, this servant suspects that he is simply too rigid in his thinking — he does not dare go beyond proper conduct with you. Since that is the case, Noble Consort, you can simply help him along.”

“We need only put the medicine in his tea, have him drink it, and he will naturally open himself to Noble Consort and be with you…”

Lingling, of course, did not dare say more — but Feng Qingyin understood perfectly.

The medicine was indeed effective. She had tasted only the tiniest amount, and it had nearly driven her out of her mind with agony.

If it were put into Jian Yi’s tea…

Feng Qingyin curved her lips into a smile. “Very well — when he brings Feng Jiu’er’s hand to us, we shall bestow upon him a cup of fine tea.”

After sleeping for half a day, Feng Jiu’er awoke brimming with energy, vibrant and full of spirit.

“Young Master, the people from Tianxia First Manor sent over some medicines.” Xiao Yingtao was beaming with excitement. “And also — the Ninth Prince’s Manor sent over several large chests of things. We don’t know what’s in them yet — they specifically say you must open them yourself.”

“All of them sending gifts, are they — how perfectly fitting now.” Feng Jiu’er gave a yawn.

The bridge at Temple Street had collapsed, injuring a great number of common people, and Tianji Hall had rendered tremendous service. Even the Emperor and the Noble Consort had sent gifts.

As for Tianxia First Manor — a sect of the martial world sending gifts was nothing anyone could object to, especially since it was widely known that the owner of Tianji Hall, Feng Jiu, had formed a kinship bond with the head of Tianxia First Manor. Sending gifts now was all the more natural.

As for the gifts from the Ninth Prince’s Manor — those had now become entirely above reproach as well.

Even so, they had to be opened by her in person — what was that about?

“Have them brought in.” Since it was Ninth Imperial Uncle who had sent the things, there was nothing strange about her opening them herself.

Feng Jiu’er yawned again. After washing up, she felt thoroughly herself again.

After Xiao Yingtao had the five large chests carried in, she sent the servants away — though she herself stayed and sat to one side, watching Feng Jiu’er with barely contained excitement.

“What is it? Nothing better to do?” Jiu’er glanced at her — such an incurably nosy girl. Where had she come from?

“I’m not idle. It’s just that these five chests are really very large — I’m afraid you might have trouble managing on your own, so I’ll stay and help you.”

Feng Jiu’er could not be bothered with her. Nosy was nosy — and presenting nosiness with such a straight face took a certain talent.

She took the keys Xiao Yingtao had handed her and opened the first wooden chest.

Gold!

Heavens — a full chest of pure gold. No wonder it had been so heavy to carry in.

Xiao Yingtao’s eyes went wide. The Ninth Prince truly was… truly was… direct. Blunt. Extravagant. Enormously wealthy.

“Apparently all the others are just as heavy — surely they can’t all be gold?”

Xiao Yingtao could not wait any longer. She grabbed the keys and opened the second, third, fourth, and fifth chests in quick succession.

So it was not medicines after all! At a time like this, was that not what everyone usually sent?

But the Ninth Prince — gold! Gold! Gold! Gold! Still gold!

All five chests, every single one — gold.

“It’s as though he somehow knew we were short of funds.” Xiao Yingtao had heard Xing Zizhou mention before that certain matters would soon need to be set in motion.

Though Xing Zizhou had not been explicit, the business of building one’s own power base was something all of them understood — they had long been anticipating it.

And at a time like this, what was needed most was money.

These five large chests of gold from the Ninth Prince amounted to at least one hundred thousand taels — a vivid contrast to the ten thousand taels of gold the Emperor had sent as a gift.

Mindlessly, recklessly wealthy.

“A wealthy man is simply so attractive — I could just take him for myself!” Xiao Yingtao’s admiration for the Ninth Prince surged like an endless river.

She was also thoroughly captivated by the Ninth Prince’s shrewdness.

Under ordinary circumstances, sending gold to Jiu’er without reason would be another matter — on one hand, it was unclear whether Jiu’er would even be willing to accept it.

Though everyone in Tianji Hall’s back courtyard knew that Jiu’er was rather tight-fisted with money, she would not accept money with no clear purpose behind it.

On the other hand, sending money to Tianji Hall for no apparent reason — what would people say? What would they think?

There were so many spying eyes fixed on this place.

The Ninth Prince probably cared nothing for the opinions of others, but there was every chance it would bring unwanted consequences to Tianji Hall — or worse.

Now, though, it was perfectly arranged. With everyone sending gifts because Tianji Hall had saved so many lives, one after another, the Ninth Prince — as a war-god prince beloved by the common people — sending a gift was only natural.

No one would know that his gift would turn out to be quite this staggering.

“Would you like to hug them and sleep for a bit?” Compared to Xiao Yingtao’s excitement, Feng Jiu’er had a slight furrow between her brows — her mood was nowhere near as cheerful.

The Ninth Prince’s debt of goodwill was no ordinary thing to repay.

One hundred thousand taels of gold — was he simply buying her outright?

Sigh. What a headache.

“Hug them and sleep? What for — you can’t eat gold and you can’t use it as a blanket. Though I could help you find somewhere to hide it all and have Zizhou spend it for you.”

Xing Zizhou was undoubtedly out there recruiting soldiers and assembling forces at this very moment — a prime time to spend money.

“When did you start thinking about him so much? Shall I officiate a wedding ceremony for the two of you?”

Feng Jiu’er waved her hand — she was not going to concern herself with this gold any further. There was always Xiao Yingtao.

She turned to leave.

Xiao Yingtao called after her hastily: “Hey! Young Master, you’re just going like that?”

An entire room full of gold, and you will not stay to look at it a little longer?

“What else? Actually hug it and sleep?” Feng Jiu’er gave her a glance. “There are still many injured patients outside waiting to be seen. Tidy everything up quickly and come out to help.”

“Understood.”

If she could, Xiao Yingtao would have loved to sleep cuddled up with all this gold. Ha! But sadly, it was not the Ninth Prince’s gift to her.

How was it that Jiu’er was so remarkable? Every person she was acquainted with was a towering figure — the head of Tianxia First Manor, the Ninth Prince — which of them was not a person of consequence?

Not to mention Mu Mu, who had just returned… just the one Jiu’er — how were they all supposed to share her?