Yu Niang was so frightened she did not dare make another sound.

How could she have forgotten that Feng Jiu’er and Qingyin had always been at odds?

She had thought Feng Jiu’er might at least extend some basic courtesy in light of Qingyin’s current status as an Imperial Noble Consort.

After all, wherever else she went, people gave her face because of Qingyin.

But this Feng Jiu’er — even while doing business inside the imperial city itself — didn’t give even the Imperial Noble Consort the slightest bit of consideration.

She was truly, utterly impossible to deal with.

“Ow, ow — it hurts! Gentler, please, lighter — ow…”

“Say another word and I stop.” Feng Jiu’er gave a cold snort.

Yu Niang bit her own lip so hard she could taste blood, tears and mucus streaming down her face together — a thoroughly wretched sight.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Feng Jiu’er came out from inside and said, “She’s passed out. Have someone escort them both back to the imperial city.”

“Jiu’er!” This was the first time Feng Junzhuo had laid eyes on his daughter since news of Feng Jiu’er’s death had reached the imperial city.

He was not moved right now — he was furious.

“Just now… just now, why didn’t you save me? I am your own father!”

He was truly going to be driven to death by her. He had not dared to make a scene in front of the others just now.

But now his daughter was right here before him, and this pent-up resentment — he absolutely had to let it out.

“You’re standing here perfectly fine right now, aren’t you?” Feng Jiu’er’s manner was not exactly cold, but it held no warmth either.

Was this not the best outcome?

If she had truly gone out just now, the consequences would have been impossible to predict.

“This is how you treat your own father? Just now, Yu Niang nearly died! And I nearly had my head cut off!”

Feng Junzhuo grew angrier the more he thought about it. She was his daughter — he had raised her for sixteen years. And this was how she repaid him?

“If I had come out, you would both have been in far greater danger. It was only when those people decided you had no value as leverage that you became safe.”

“Yu Niang ended up this badly hurt and we still don’t know if she’ll survive — you call that safe?”

Feng Junzhuo was simply furious. His daughter was his own — a father’s right to scold and reprimand his children was his own business, and no one else had any say in it.

Feng Jiu’er found she could not communicate with him at all. Furthermore — she had been “dead” for half a year. And in all that time, had this father of hers ever sent anyone to the border city to search for her?

He had not.

He had other daughters. One more or one fewer made no difference. Why expend so much manpower, resources, and money to search for a daughter whose fate was unknown?

Feng Jiu’er’s cold and distant manner made Feng Junzhuo gnash his teeth even harder with rage.

“I have no wish to argue with you. Right now, you will have someone escort us home immediately.”

As for whether he would sever his ties with her as father and daughter after returning — he no longer cared about that.

This daughter — not only had she brought him not a single benefit while she was home, she had now nearly gotten him hacked to death by those black-clad men.

What use was such a daughter?

“Alright. I’ll have someone take you back.” Feng Jiu’er had no desire to say more to him.

“I want you to personally escort me back!” Feng Junzhuo had by now seen it clearly — only where Feng Jiu’er was would those truly capable fighters be present.

Like the scarred man who had struck Yu Niang just now, and the remarkably handsome and skilled fighter as well.

If he simply had someone escort them back, it would surely be a handful of ordinary fighters with little ability. What if those black-clad men circled back to capture them and use them as leverage again?

He and Yu Niang had no martial arts at all. They would be at the mercy of anyone — fish on a chopping block.

“I apologize, but I cannot return to the imperial city right now. I still have something very important I must do.” Feng Jiu’er said with detachment.

“Feng Jiu’er — are you still my daughter, Feng Junzhuo’s daughter, or not?” Feng Junzhuo erupted.

“If you believe I am, then I am. If you believe I am not, then so be it.”

After all, that home had never offered her very much warmth.

“You… you unfilial child!” Feng Junzhuo had not expected she would dare to speak such utterly disrespectful words.

Did she truly have no fear that he might cast her out of the family?

“I am your own father. Is my peace of mind not more important than anything else?”

Feng Junzhuo was determined to make her yield today. He said in a low, severe tone, “If you do not personally escort me back to the residence, then from this day forward, you are no longer of the Feng Family — and no longer my daughter, Feng Junzhuo’s daughter.”

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together. Her breathing grew slightly uneven for a moment — but she steadied herself quickly.

Before she could speak, however, a tall figure suddenly stepped up in front of Feng Junzhuo.

Then came the sharp sound of a strike — Feng Junzhuo’s eyes rolled back, and he crumpled into unconsciousness.

“My lord!” Yu Niang had just regained consciousness, only to see her husband knocked out. Her heart lurched in panic, and in that instant her own eyes rolled back and she passed out alongside him.

Jiu’er looked at Jiu Qing. Jiu Qing said nothing at all, simply handing the unconscious Feng Junzhuo off to Long Yi beside him.

Long Yi could only say, “I’ll arrange for someone to send them back.”

Those people had been dealt a lesson and would not dare to provoke them again so soon — but when the next wave would appear, no one could say.

Their journey to the Feng Clan could not be delayed, so it was simply impossible for Feng Jiu’er to escort Feng Junzhuo back.

Everyone had perhaps felt some restraint because of Feng Junzhuo’s status as Feng Jiu’er’s father, and so however much they disdained him, none of them had been able to say anything.

Only Jiu Qing acted exactly as he pleased.

Since Feng Junzhuo would not stop his incessant chatter, he simply made him be quiet.

Now like this, everyone could enjoy some peace and quiet. Much better.

Long Yi ordered men to send Feng Junzhuo and Yu Niang away, and the group set out immediately, pressing onward along the main road toward the Southern Wilds.

The road was long. That entire day, the group rode with barely any rest.

As night fell, they finally arrived at the posting station of the next town.

Jiu’er’s foot was more or less fully recovered. After supper and a bath, she came out alone to the rear courtyard and looked up at a sky full of stars.

Mu Mu and Long Shiyi were patrolling the perimeter with their men, and there was no telling when they would return.

Qiao Mu and Xue Gu were busy taking inventory of the supplies everyone had brought for the journey, and Jiu’er alone was left with a rare moment of ease.

In the past, she would have simply tapped her foot lightly against the ground and vaulted up onto the rooftop to look at the stars and let the night breeze wash over her.

But now, with her martial arts completely gone — even her lightness technique lost to her — what was there left to do?

She let out a soft sigh, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Today, her mood had in truth been quite ordinary.

With nothing to fill her time, she was just about to turn back inside when, without warning, a hand braced at her waist. Someone steadied her and, in one swift motion, swept upward from the ground, landing softly and silently on the rooftop.

Feng Jiu’er settled herself. Jiu Qing stood nearby, keeping some distance between them.

He had brought her up here — but now he seemed to intend nothing more than to stand guard over her. There was no sign he had any intention of keeping her company.

Feng Jiu’er, however, lay back on the rooftop and tilted her head to gaze at his silhouette. She smiled and said, “Since you’ve come up anyway, why not come over and keep me company for a bit? Tonight, my mood isn’t very good.”