“My lady, Qing Ye received a message via carrier pigeon and hurried over to report.”

Long Feiyan sat in her chair, a military treatise in hand; her usually composed face showed a flicker of surprise.

“He’s actually at ease letting that girl go to the Feng clan alone?”

“According to Ye Feixue, the night they left the city gates, it was Mu Mu and the young mistress who shared a room. If the Ninth Prince had been there, he would never have allowed Mu Mu to do such a thing.”

Qing Ye didn’t know much about the Ninth Prince, but Xue Gu had some understanding of him.

The Ninth Prince was domineering, even willful at times, and when it came to matters concerning Jiu’er, he was stubborn and uncompromising — he would never allow Jiu’er to sleep in the same room as another man.

Xue Gu had also observed within the group; Mu Mu had brought along several skilled martial artists, all with formidable abilities, but none of them looked like they could possibly be the Ninth Prince.

If it really were the Ninth Prince, there was no way he could avoid all contact with Jiu’er — unless he was even hiding his identity from Jiu’er herself.

Xue Gu didn’t know the Ninth Prince well, but she knew Jiu’er — if the Ninth Prince were truly among them, Jiu’er would never have kept it from her.

Even if Feng Jiu’er were hiding it from Xue Gu too, given how well Xue Gu knew her, she would surely notice if anything was off.

So the Ninth Prince probably really wasn’t among the group — this time, the mistress’s calculations had truly gone wrong.

“My lady, I also sent someone to inquire at the Ninth Prince’s manor. He’s still there — though he still doesn’t like seeing people, some of the servants have spotted him within the manor.”

Qing Zhi reported the information she’d gathered about the Ninth Prince to Long Feiyan.

A cold glint flashed in Long Feiyan’s eyes. She set down the treatise, her fingertips turning faintly pale.

“It seems the men of the Di family are all the same — the empire is their only true choice.”

Heh. Like father, like son. If his imperial father only cared for the throne, how could he be any different?

The men of the Di family were all the same!

Though Long Feiyan’s expression showed nothing, Qing Ye, who had served by her side for so many years, knew the mistress was thinking of the past again.

“My lady, if the Ninth Prince truly didn’t follow her, what should our next move be?”

Long Feiyan lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows. Though she was already past thirty, in this moment she looked just like a girl of seventeen or eighteen.

She was silent for a moment before speaking. “Three days from now, if he still shows no movement, then leak word that Feng Jiu’er is still alive, and reveal their whereabouts as well.”

“My lady, doing this will put the young mistress in danger!” Qing Ye’s heart jolted; she felt a pang of reluctance.

How many people coveted the Ninth Prince’s position with predatory eyes? And how many were intensely interested in capturing Feng Jiu’er?

Who didn’t know that Feng Jiu’er was the Ninth Prince’s most treasured one? Capture Feng Jiu’er, and the Ninth Prince could be held in check.

Heh, when that happens, the entire martial world would surely be plunged into bloodshed.

She refused to believe the Ninth Prince could remain unmoved — unless he was as coldhearted as his imperial father.

But at least for now, his concern for Feng Jiu’er had genuinely exceeded Long Feiyan’s expectations.

Back then, to save Feng Jiu’er, he had been willing to even give up his own life.

Yet this time, with Feng Jiu’er having lost all her martial arts and leaving the capital for the perilous Feng clan, he hadn’t personally accompanied her.

The empire or the beauty — in the end, had he truly chosen the empire?

“My lady, Emperor Qiwen wishes to see you.” Qing Zhi, who had only just stepped out, came back in to report.

“I won’t see him.” Long Feiyan picked the treatise back up.

“My lady, since we intend to make use of Emperor Qiwen, why not show him a little more warmth?” Qing Ye couldn’t quite fathom her mistress’s thinking.

Still, the mistress’s temperament had remained unchanged for over a decade; her refusal to see him wasn’t really surprising.

Still, given the current situation, if they could directly control Emperor Qiwen, it would be entirely beneficial to their plans, with no drawbacks at all.

“Three thousand beauties in the harem, all obedient to his every whim — and what did that ever get him in the end?”

Long Feiyan sneered coldly. Men could be so contemptible at times — the more docile a woman was toward them, the less they cared.

Besides, she truly had no wish to see that man. In all her years in the palace, she had never once put on a pleasant face for him.

Theirs was merely a relationship of mutual use; whenever Emperor Qiwen couldn’t work something out, he would come to consult her.

Long Feiyan didn’t believe she needed to rely on her looks to accomplish anything.

Qing Ye was, after all, older than Long Feiyan, and naturally considered matters with a bit more care.

Still, if the mistress didn’t wish to see him, then so be it — she never wanted to see her mistress forced into anything against her will.

If she compromised herself, she wouldn’t be the mistress anymore.

“Yes, I’ll go give him a reply.”

Qing Zhi nodded once and turned to leave.

Qing Ye still felt somewhat uneasy in her heart. She looked at Long Feiyan, yet didn’t know how to bring it up.

The mistress was no longer who she once was. After all these years of hardship and trials, compared to the young girl she’d been in her teens, she had indeed grown far more calculating.

It seemed she was no longer as full of passion and fervor as before.

But then again, after being framed, after being falsely blamed, after her entire army was wiped out and her family destroyed, and after being maimed and crippled by it all — if she could still be the same as before, she wouldn’t be human; that would be nothing but pretense.

Anyone would be the same.

“Were you about to say that I’m too cruel to my own daughter?” Though Long Feiyan wasn’t looking at her, she could guess what Qing Ye wanted to say.

Qing Ye didn’t dare speak, only lowering her head.

Long Feiyan said calmly, “She’s my only daughter. Before, when she was simple-minded, I couldn’t rely on her, and I couldn’t bring misfortune down on her either. But now, she’s recovered.”

Qing Ye still didn’t dare say anything, only listening quietly.

Though Long Feiyan’s eyes were on the treatise, what filled her vision now was Feng Jiu’er’s wise, composed gaze.

She smiled. “When heaven is about to place a great burden on someone, it first tests their body and resolve. If she can’t even endure a little hardship and setback, what right does she have to be my, Long Feiyan’s, daughter?”

“My lady…” Qing Ye’s brow furrowed slightly. After a long moment, she said softly, “I’m only afraid that after going through all this, it will wound the young mistress’s heart.”

“If she’s hurt, and grows despairing of feelings in this world, only then will she become truly strong.”

Whether it was romantic love, family bonds, or even friendship — only by giving up everything could one become a true power.

Just as she herself, in her youth, had valued feelings too much, and that was precisely what had driven her into desperate straits.

Her daughter ought to sever all ties of love and loyalty!

Even the bond between mother and daughter was no exception!

She would eventually understand that in this world, only oneself was worthy of trust, and only oneself would never betray oneself.

And as for everyone else in this world — even parents, a husband, even one’s own children — none could be trusted completely.

Everyone had their own schemes; no one could be the lifelong anchor for another.

Only by severing love and loyalty could one grow stronger, withstand any trial, and never again fall into despair over anyone’s betrayal.

Her, Long Feiyan’s, daughter would, in the end, become the most extraordinary among the extraordinary!