In another tent, an imperial physician was examining Feng Qingyin while Zhan Yuheng sat not far away with Qing Yun standing guard beside him.

As the imperial physician was about to rise, Feng Qingyin opened her eyes and swept a glance at him.

The imperial physician gave a slight nod of his head, turned to face Zhan Yuheng, and bowed with cupped fists.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Miss Qingyin is showing signs of a miscarriage.”

Hearing the word “miscarriage,” Zhan Yuheng set down his brush. His thick brows drew together slightly.

“How serious is the situation?”

The imperial physician furrowed his brow and shook his head. “In reply to Your Highness, it can be said that Miss Qingyin’s current condition is rather serious.”

“The prolonged life of the military camp has done nothing but harm to her constitution.”

“Over these past few days, her fetus has been consistently unstable. There have even been several instances where the fetal energy was disturbed. I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what?” Zhan Yuheng gave a cold snort and stood. “This prince brought you all out here, and you cannot even properly look after a single person?”

Seeing Zhan Yuheng rise, the imperial physician immediately dropped to his knees.

“Your Highness, please calm your anger! What this servant means is not that Miss Qingyin’s situation is without hope — but conditions here in the camp are limited.”

“Now that Miss Qingyin is already showing signs of a miscarriage, she is also unfit for a long journey back to the Imperial City.”

“This servant suggests — could Your Highness first bring Miss Qingyin into the city to recuperate?”

“It is said there is a secluded mountain courtyard in Mo City. If Miss Qingyin could go there to rest in peace, her health would surely improve before long.”

“Your Highness, this is the only method this servant can think of at present. Whether the troops within the city can grant us this convenience is something this servant does not know.”

After the imperial physician finished speaking, a silence settled over the tent.

Qing Yun stepped out from behind Zhan Yuheng and bowed with cupped fists.

“Your Highness, if this is the only viable course of action at present, this subordinate is willing to enter the city and explain the situation to General Feng.”

Zhan Yuheng composed himself and said in an even tone, “This prince will personally escort her into the city.”

“Release Lingling — Crown Prince brother, release Lingling, release her…” Feng Qingyin struggled to sit up.

The two palace maids stationed at the bedside saw this at once and hurried over to support her.

“Miss Qingyin, you mustn’t get up. The imperial physician said you must lie flat and rest.” the maid reminded her.

“No! I want Lingling — I want Lingling. I don’t want any of you!” Feng Qingyin’s voice was weak, yet she continued to struggle.

The maid didn’t know what to do. She turned around and dropped to her knees.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, could Lingling please be allowed to return? Miss Qingyin has been calling for her the entire night, and it has upset the fetal energy. Please…”

“Let her come.” Zhan Yuheng’s voice cut off the maid’s words. “Make preparations — we enter the city at once.”

“Yes.” Qing Yun gave a nod and turned to leave.

“Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness.” the maid’s voice continued to echo through the tent.

Having spent the entire night organizing war records, Feng Jiu’er had rested for two hours before waking — only to be informed that a certain Noble Consort intended to enter the city to recuperate during her pregnancy.

Looking at the female guard who had come in to report, Feng Jiu’er opened her mouth, and the meatball she had been picking up with her chopsticks slipped back down into her bowl.

“Jiu’er, this could very well be one of Feng Qingyin’s schemes.” Xue Gu at the same table said in a calm voice.

A Noble Consort entering the city to recuperate during her pregnancy at a time like this — there could be no one else but Feng Qingyin.

“Mm.” Xiao Yingtao set down her chopsticks and nodded. “I think so too. It must be one of Feng Qingyin’s schemes.”

The others had gone off to their tasks, and in Qiao Mu’s wing, only the three of them were eating.

Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow and picked the meatball back up from her bowl.

“Even so, there’s nothing we can do to refuse, is there?”

“The Crown Prince has given my army seven days. I certainly cannot openly reject his demand.”

“So — whether it’s an open scheme or a hidden one, all we can do is meet every challenge as it comes.”

Feng Jiu’er shook her head and put the meatball in her mouth, savoring it slowly.

“Jiu’er, why don’t I go and keep watch over Feng Qingyin, so she can’t pull any tricks?” Xiao Yingtao suggested softly.

But Feng Jiu’er shook her head again and exhaled softly.

After swallowing the meatball, she said quietly, “Her tricks will be endless — we can never guard against all of them.”

“If I send people to watch her, that might even give her an excuse to push the Crown Prince into attacking.”

“This dear sister of mine couldn’t even wait out seven days — she can’t settle down even with a child in her belly. She really is something.”

“Feng Qingyin is truly despicable, and her schemes are countless. Jiu’er, I’m really a little worried.” Xiao Yingtao pressed her lips together and stared at the meatball, her appetite gone.

“Eat.” Feng Jiu’er looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. “If you don’t eat, Feng Qingyin might come charging in with her people any moment now.”

“By then you won’t even have time to eat — leaving such delicious meatballs untouched while you sigh and fret? What a shame that would be.”

She picked up another meatball and looked up as a female guard came in.

“Tell the envoy that in one hour, I will receive the Crown Prince and the Noble Consort at the city gates.”

“Yes, Miss Jiu’er.” The female guard dipped her head and turned to leave.

“Eat quickly, and come with me when you’re done.” Feng Jiu’er waved her hand. “Now that Feng Qingyin is entering the city, we truly cannot afford to be careless.”

Everyone has their own plans. When goals do not align, there is no point in expecting anything of anyone.

Even so, at this moment, Feng Jiu’er truly did not dare place her full trust in Zhan Yuheng — even if he had made that seven-day promise in front of so many witnesses.

And there was Feng Qingyin as well — someone who wished, at every moment, that she were dead.

“Mm.” Xiao Yingtao nodded and picked up her bowl and chopsticks once more. “Jiu’er is right. The meatballs are so delicious — we can’t let them go to waste.”

An hour later, Feng Jiu’er, Xiao Yingtao, Xing Zizhou, and Huo Baixue arrived at the city gates.

The gates slowly swung open, and Zhan Yuheng’s figure appeared before everyone present.

Following his own wishes, Zhan Yuheng had brought only Qing Yun behind him, along with one carriage, four attendants, and two imperial physicians.

Feng Jiu’er led the way, riding up to meet Zhan Yuheng and bowing with cupped fists.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please come in.”

Zhan Yuheng’s gaze lingered on Feng Jiu’er for a brief moment. He gave a nod and rode his horse into the city.

The soldiers guarding the gates did not bow to Zhan Yuheng — yet Zhan Yuheng walked on without any change in expression.

Behind him came Qing Yun, followed by a grand and luxurious carriage, and finally four attendants on horseback, along with the two imperial physicians.

Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao led the way at the front. Xing Zizhou and Huo Baixue, with ten guards, brought up the rear.

Once they reached the wide main road, Qing Yun moved ahead to take the lead.

Feng Jiu’er turned back and, once Zhan Yuheng drew closer, looked at him and bowed with cupped fists.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, do you have a place already selected for recuperating, or would you like us to arrange one?”

He had only said he was coming — nothing more. She was not a worm living in his stomach; how was she to know where he intended to go?