“But Qing Yun, he…” Ling Long still seemed uncertain.

There were some things she understood clearly — and things her lady surely understood as well.

Qing Yun did not accept her lady. How could he possibly follow her orders?

“I told you to go, so go. Stop talking so much!” Feng Qingyin waved a dismissive hand, already moving past the curtain.

“Yes.” Ling Long gave a small bow and hurried after her, lifting the curtain aside.

“Tell your people to be sharper. Don’t give me any more trouble.” Feng Qingyin turned her head sideways, giving Ling Long a passing look.

“Yes, my lady.” Ling Long bowed again in response.

Stepping out of the tent, Feng Qingyin shifted back into the poised, delicate bearing of a Noble Consort.

Who could have guessed that a woman of such gentleness could be colder-blooded than even an assassin?

Returning to the entrance of His Highness the Crown Prince’s tent, Feng Qingyin looked to the person standing nearby.

“Where is Qing Yun? Tell him to come see me.”

“Yes, Miss Qingyin.” The guard gave a nod and turned to leave.

Feng Qingyin lifted the curtain and stepped inside the tent, where Zhan Yuheng still lay in unconscious sleep.

Looking at his pale face, she composed herself and walked toward him.

She sat at the bedside, reaching out to brush aside the hair near his ear.

“Crown Prince brother, if you were awake, you would surely agree with my suggestion.”

“Mo City’s defenses are thin. Why not strike directly?”

“If we take Mo City, not only will it fulfil what the old man tasked us with, we can also coordinate with the Eighth Prince from within and without.”

“If we wipe out the Ninth Prince in one decisive move, who would dare contest your position as Crown Prince?”

“By then, you will be the Emperor, and I will be the Empress who holds the world’s dignity — and our child…”

She lowered her head and cradled her faintly swollen belly, her smile settling into something contented.

After a moment, Qing Yun’s voice came from outside.

“Miss Qingyin, you called for me?”

His form of address — “Miss Qingyin” — prompted an involuntary curve of the lips from the woman inside the tent.

“Come in and speak.”

Qing Yun lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

Feng Qingyin remained seated at the bedside, her back still to him.

“The reinforcements — have you found out anything?”

“Mo City has deployed troops to obstruct us, but several thousand soldiers are not sufficient to hold them off for long.” Qing Yun answered. “In approximately two days, the reinforcements should arrive.”

Feng Qingyin brought her handkerchief up to dab the corners of her eyes, then rose and turned to face Qing Yun.

She drew in a slow breath, her eyes reddened, and gave a small shake of her head.

“Qing Yun, if I recall correctly, His Majesty sent Crown Prince brother here to recapture Mo City.”

“Now that Feng Jiu’er’s army is inside Ya Mu City, why should we not strike Mo City directly?”

“Strike Mo City directly?” Qing Yun looked at her, a crease forming in his brow.

“Yes.” Feng Qingyin gave a single nod. “If it weren’t for Feng Jiu’er, Crown Prince brother would never have been so gravely wounded, and we would not have had to sacrifice so many of our brothers.”

“And now, Crown Prince brother…” She turned to glance back at him, and her voice broke with a choked sob once more.

“We don’t know when he’ll wake up. We absolutely cannot simply sit here and wait.”

She drew a slow breath to steady herself before turning to face Qing Yun again.

“Right now, the reinforcements are not far from Mo City’s gates — fifteen thousand men. If we dispatch another ten thousand, breaking into Mo City would be no great difficulty.”

“Mo City sent five thousand soldiers to support Feng Jiu’er from the start, and they’ve now sent more to obstruct our reinforcements.”

“Qing Yun, do you have any estimate of how many remain inside?”

“According to the scouts, roughly ten thousand are guarding the city gates.” Qing Yun answered quietly.

“So twenty-five thousand of our forces still cannot break through?” Feng Qingyin’s voice grew heated, and she gave an involuntary soft cough.

“Miss Qingyin, please, do not agitate yourself!” Qing Yun’s brow furrowed as he cautioned her.

With the Crown Prince’s fate still uncertain, he at least had to protect the Crown Prince’s only child.

Feng Qingyin waved the hand holding the handkerchief, then went and sat down in the chair at the bedside.

She met Qing Yun’s gaze, her eyes carrying a touch of frailty. “Qing Yun.”

“I know you harbor strong reservations about me. But, considering that we are both of one mind in our devotion to the Crown Prince — could you set aside your prejudice against me, at least for now?”

“This subordinate would not dare!” Qing Yun cupped his hands and lowered his head.

Feng Qingyin let out a quiet sigh and gave another small wave of her hand.

“Forget it. I know my own situation well enough.”

“Even so, I still advocate sending ten thousand soldiers to reinforce the incoming troops so they can strike Mo City immediately. This is genuinely a good opportunity.”

“Should this not wait for His Highness the Crown Prince to wake before it is deliberated?” Qing Yun pressed his lips together and asked carefully.

Feng Qingyin looked back once more, then dabbed at her eyes again.

“Crown Prince brother is in this state, and there is no telling when he will wake. We absolutely cannot keep sitting idle. Since you also feel my suggestion has merit, I will give the order personally.”

“Should anything truly go wrong, I will bear the full responsibility.”

“Crown Prince brother suffered such grave injuries. As his wife, it falls on me to share his burdens. For his sake, what does it matter if I lay down this life of mine?”

Qing Yun looked at Feng Qingyin and composed himself.

After a moment, he replied evenly, “We take orders only from His Highness the Crown Prince — or from whoever holds his command token.”

“Miss Qingyin, this subordinate is not in a position to offer an opinion on this matter. If there is nothing else, this subordinate will take his leave.”

As Qing Yun lowered his head and bowed, the corner of Feng Qingyin’s mouth curved up just barely.

“Very well. Go and wait outside for orders.”

“Yes.” Qing Yun bowed once more, stepped back several paces, and then turned to leave.

Satisfied with a full meal, Feng Jiu’er gathered with everyone in the inn’s largest side room.

Several of them sat around the low table on a rug drinking tea, while others settled into chairs placed around the room.

Xiao Yingtao was kneeling at the low table brewing tea. Qiao Mu was reporting on the situation.

“We have driven the Crown Prince’s forces out of the city, but we did not inflict substantial casualties on their ranks.”

“Zhao Yusheng, do you have any news of the Crown Prince?” Feng Jiu’er glanced over at Zhao Yusheng and asked.

“I don’t know the specifics, but the Crown Prince’s injuries must be severe.” Zhao Yusheng answered quietly.

“For now, the other side is a body without a leader. Jiu’er, should we not press straight out and strike?”

Feng Jiu’er accepted the tea Xiao Yingtao passed her, took a light sip, and nodded.

“That is precisely my intention.”

“Right now, Ya Mu City’s people are almost all in the south. Staying here is only giving the enemy time to catch their breath.”

Her gaze shifted, landing on Nanmen Rong.

“Nanmen Rong, what is your view on this?”

Nanmen Rong composed himself and met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, giving a single nod.

“There is indeed little reason to keep holding our position. How about this, Jiu’er — I will leave some of my own troops behind to hold the city gates. What do you think?”

“Someone does need to stay behind.” Feng Jiu’er’s voice carried clearly.

“We have fought this long, and whether it is Ya Mu City or Mo City, both are our cities. Neither can be allowed to fall.”

“Staying here suits you best. You know Ya Mu City better than anyone.”