Xing Zizhou took the command token and examined it carefully for a moment, then gave a firm nod.

“Jiu’er, this is truly the Crown Prince’s command token. It is genuine.”

“Good that it is genuine. All that effort was not wasted after all.” Feng Jiu’er took the command token back and returned to her seat.

“This was obtained from one of Feng Qingyin’s lackeys. During this time, she must have been using the Crown Prince’s command token to do as she pleased.”

“It is fortunate I did not simply toss it away after taking it. It also comes in handy for using the messenger bird.”

“And moreover — if we truly cannot stop the Crown Prince’s reinforcements, this token could serve a useful purpose there as well.”

Xiao Yingtao stood up, came to sit close beside Feng Jiu’er, and took the command token from her hand.

“When the time comes, we will use the Crown Prince’s command token to issue orders to his own reinforcements. That really is quite a clever approach.”

“Even if it is not a long-term solution, if it can buy us some time, that alone is good news for us.”

Feng Jiu’er looked at Xiao Yingtao and curved the corner of her lips.

“Let things be arranged that way for now. I will see what the Crown Prince’s intentions are. If he does not place any value on his surrendered soldiers, then we will take the initiative and strike.”

“At the very least, over these next few days, we should give them a taste of what we are capable of — so no one goes on thinking that we are simply here to take blows.”

“Exactly! Take the initiative and strike. We are no pushovers. Why should we sit and wait for a beating?” Xiao Yingtao said with a smile.

“Jiu’er, yesterday I took the brothers into the forest and gathered many medicinal herbs. Come and take a look once you have a moment.”

“Once you have prepared the medicinal powder, Xing Zizhou and I will also pay a visit to the enemy’s camp and catch them completely off guard.”

“You cannot.” The moment Xiao Yingtao’s words fell, two different voices rang out at once.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at Xing Zizhou, with whom she had reached the same understanding without a word exchanged, and curved her lips as she turned her gaze back.

“Can your lightness skill compare to Xue Gu’s or Keyan’s? It cannot — so do not even think about it. Your job is to properly prepare the medicinal herbs. That is quite enough.”

Xiao Yingtao pursed her lips and gave Xing Zizhou a sidelong glance.

She certainly knew her own abilities were not quite up to the task — but she still hoped to do something for everyone.

Knowing the little one was unhappy at heart, Feng Jiu’er gave the person beside her a light nudge.

“Medicinal herbs — in this entire camp, you are most familiar with them.”

“Without good medicinal herbs, everything else is empty talk. So your role is weighty and important. Is that understood?”

Hearing Feng Jiu’er say this, Xiao Yingtao’s mood improved somewhat.

“Yes, I understand.” She nodded and stood up. “I will go right now and get things ready with the brothers.”

“Good. Be careful in everything!” Feng Jiu’er waved her hand.

Xiao Yingtao stood and left. Xing Zizhou also rose to his feet.

“Jiu’er, I am going to rest for a while.”

“Yes.” Feng Jiu’er gave another nod and stood up as well. “Zhao Yusheng, I need to write a letter to the Crown Prince. Come and discuss it with me.”

“Xue Gu and Jian Yi, both of you go and rest for a while. Today I will keep watch. If anything comes up, I will have word sent to everyone.”

“Jian Yi, rest in my tent — that way it will be convenient for me to check on your condition.”

Just as Feng Jiu’er was moving to help Jian Yi up, Jian Yi stood and followed behind her.

The group set off together and left the tent.

On the other side of the mountain, out on the open ground, a writing table had been set up.

Zhan Yuheng sat before the table, a letter in hand, with several military strategy texts spread across the surface before him.

Feng Qingyin sat at a low table beside him, carefully preparing tea.

Qing Yun kept watch at a distance. No one else dared to come and disturb them.

“The imperial physician said I should come out and get some sun. It is fortunate Crown Prince Brother is here to keep me company — otherwise I would have died of boredom!”

Glancing sideways at Zhan Yuheng, Feng Qingyin smiled all the more pleasantly.

“Being able to be with Crown Prince Brother makes me truly very happy.”

She lifted the freshly brewed tea and leaned gently toward him, holding the cup out before Zhan Yuheng.

“Crown Prince Brother, these are freshly picked tea leaves I had gathered — brewed with morning dew. Please try some.”

Zhan Yuheng reached out and took the teacup without thought, his gaze never once lifting from the letter.

Seeing him drink the tea, Feng Qingyin immediately took his cup back.

“Crown Prince Brother, how is it?”

“Hmm.” Zhan Yuheng gave a nod of acknowledgment, still not raising his eyes.

Looking at him this way, the smile that had been layered on Feng Qingyin’s face could no longer be maintained.

She stood up and came to stand before Zhan Yuheng.

Just as Feng Qingyin was about to draw nearer, Zhan Yuheng’s low voice rang out: “The proper distance is not to be forgotten.”

With an army of tens of thousands, not even a Crown Prince could seal the mouths of everyone.

Feng Qingyin was a Noble Consort, and Zhan Yuheng was the Crown Prince — no matter what, such open conduct would not be fitting.

Feng Qingyin pouted and could only step back and sit back down in her original chair.

Insufferable! His tent was a place she could not enter. She could only use the imperial physician as a pretext to trick him out here.

And yet out here in the open, she was not even permitted to touch him.

“Crown Prince Brother, when will we attack? Are we simply going to keep holding our ground here like this?”

“Feng Jiu’er has cost us thousands of troops. I do not know what you are still waiting for.”

With a soft sigh, she lowered her head and rubbed her gently swelling belly, her voice low and heavy.

“For your sake, I have been enduring wind and rough meals day after day with you, and our child with me through all of it — and yet…”

She pressed her lips together, even her voice beginning to grow hoarse.

“You are always thinking of a woman whose heart is set on another. You have placed no importance at all on me and our child.”

“It does not matter if I suffer — but what is to become of our child in the future?”

She looked up at Zhan Yuheng, blinking her dewy, glistening eyes.

“Crown Prince Brother, you surely know how important this battle is to us.”

“If we are defeated, the entire realm will belong to the Ninth Prince. Will there even be a place left for us to stand?”

“If you will not think for your own sake, you should at least think for the sake of your child.”

Watching Zhan Yuheng set down the letter in his hand, the sounds of Feng Qingyin’s weeping grew louder.

“Do you think that once the Ninth Prince has become Emperor and Feng Jiu’er has become Empress, they will still allow our child to be born?”

“Crown Prince Brother, you understand all of this perfectly clearly, and yet you still cannot let go of Jiu’er — is that not so?”

“Why? Why is heaven so unfair?”

“You are the Crown Prince. Your son is the true heaven’s favored son. The Ninth Prince and Feng Jiu’er’s child is not!”

With a sharp crack, the brush in Zhan Yuheng’s hand snapped clean in two.

“The Ninth Imperial Uncle and Jiu’er’s child?” His brow furrowed, and his voice dropped so low it was nearly inaudible.

Looking at the man beside her, Feng Qingyin could no longer care about all the rest. She stood up and went to grab hold of his robe.

“Crown Prince Brother, yes — it is the Ninth Prince’s and Jiu’er’s child. They have long been together. Wake up — please.”

“I am the one who is truly your wife. It is my belly that carries your child. Stop thinking of Jiu’er.”

“Your hesitation and indecision will be the death of all three of us. Our child is innocent.”

“Crown Prince Brother — give the order to attack. Do not wait any longer.”

Zhan Yuheng’s scattered gaze slowly drew back into focus, settling on the woman standing before him.

His gaze fell upon the slight curve of her belly. He reached out and gently, briefly, laid his palm against it.

“This prince’s child — is the true heaven’s favored son. No one else’s is.”