Seeing the brothers in such an endearing state of distress, Feng Jiu’er’s mood finally lifted a little.

Perhaps a temporary separation truly was the best arrangement for her father.

“That look in your eyes — are you trying to intimidate my father?” She swept her gaze over them, her eyes full of warning.

“Intimidate Lord Night Prince? Cough…” Yu Jingfeng nearly fell off his horse in fright. “Miss Jiu’er, we truly would not dare.”

“Lord Night Prince’s wish to leave was an understanding reached between him and His Highness. We are merely following orders.”

“Yu Jingfeng.” Feng Jiu’er cut him off. “You mean to say the responsibility lies with the Ninth Imperial Uncle, then?”

“No!” Yu Jingfeng shook his head vigorously. “Miss Jiu’er, that is not what I meant — truly it is not.”

“Jiu’er.” Feng Li turned to look back at her. “Leaving truly was my own decision. It has nothing to do with any of them.”

At Feng Li’s words, Yu Jingfeng and the more than ten others present could not help but let out a collective breath of relief.

Feng Jiu’er, however, pressed her lips together and raised her brows. “I said as much — my father would certainly not speak carelessly.”

Lifting her gaze to meet Feng Li’s eyes, Feng Jiu’er’s voice continued: “Father, you are far too good-natured!”

“Very well — let us go. Zhao Yusheng says he knows a shortcut; it should take roughly two hours to reach the place Yu Jingfeng specified. The sooner we board, the better.”

“Very well.” Feng Li curved his lips in a slight smile, gave a nod, and gave a gentle press of his knees to the horse’s flanks.

Zhao Yusheng and Xiao Yingtao said nothing. They pressed their heels to their horses and followed along.

Watching Lord Night Prince and Miss Jiu’er ride away, Yu Jingfeng and the brothers felt their hearts remain tightly clenched.

After a while, a brother asked in a low voice: “Lord Yu, given how Miss Jiu’er has been — do you think she… will she go back and report us to His Highness?”

Everyone knew that if Miss Jiu’er truly said something to His Highness, His Highness would not need to think twice — he would hold them accountable without hesitation.

Yu Jingfeng watched Miss Jiu’er’s small retreating figure and swallowed hard.

He had been about to reassure the brothers that Miss Jiu’er was not that sort of person.

But — he did not understand the minds of women.

Seeing how serious Miss Jiu’er had looked just now, who would dare think she was joking?

In the end, Yu Jingfeng gave a light cough and did not dare say a single word. He urged his horse forward.

The brothers exchanged glances — all of them still a little shaken.

But since everyone was leaving, they absolutely had to provide a proper escort.

More than a few of them let out soft sighs, mounted up, and followed in Yu Jingfeng’s wake.

“It is just as well — this time escorting Lord Night Prince away, we may not know when we will return. By then, His Highness’s anger should have cooled, should it not?”

“Right, right — by the time we return, it should have cooled.”

From somewhere behind, two brothers whispered to each other. Yu Jingfeng gave a tug on his reins; his horse let out a whinny and came to a stop.

The brothers ahead swerved around him and passed one by one.

“Lord Yu, we shall leave this matter entirely in your capable hands.” One brother clasped his fists toward Yu Jingfeng and urged his horse onward.

The remaining brothers followed, and the color in their faces seemed somewhat better than before.

Left behind, Yu Jingfeng had his long dark hair tossed into a bit of disarray by the cold wind.

Why was it that he suddenly had the urge to personally escort Lord Night Prince out of the country himself?

Miss Jiu’er must have been joking, surely? Yes! Surely she was joking…

Zhao Yusheng and Xiao Yingtao rode at the front to lead the way. Feng Li and Feng Jiu’er rode together on the same horse behind them, with Zhuiyue following at their side.

The hour was still early. Knowing that the two people behind him still had much to say to each other, Zhao Yusheng kept his pace unhurried.

“Jiu’er, why did you want to frighten them?” Feng Li’s gentle voice drifted over.

“I did not.” Feng Jiu’er nestled against his broad back and shook her head. “It really is because they treated you poorly.”

“They treated me very well. The wish to leave was entirely my own.” Feng Li said softly.

Feng Jiu’er held Feng Li tightly and lifted her gaze to watch the sun just beginning to rise at the edge of the sky.

“Father, do you think the three of us will ever be able to live together like an ordinary family — to lead an ordinary life?”

“Mother still has not come looking for me. I wonder how things stand with her.”

“Little one.” Feng Li reached back once more and held Feng Jiu’er’s small hands clasped around him, his voice carrying the faintest tremor.

“It is Father who is at fault — for not being able to remain at your side, and for causing you to worry.”

“Father.” Feng Jiu’er withdrew her gaze and lifted her eyes to the back of Feng Li’s head.

“You know perfectly well I do not think that way. If not for you, how could I have achieved what I have today? Right now I have a heart full of fire and passion — I could not exhaust it no matter how hard I tried.”

“But a person’s greatest pursuit in life ought to be living happily together with one’s family, should it not? Do not worry — that day will not be far off.”

Feng Li faced the first light of morning and let out a soft sigh.

Feeling the strength of the little girl’s embrace tighten around him, he lifted his gaze to the orange-red rays of dawn and curved his lips in a slight smile.

It seemed he, too, was quietly longing for that day to come.

“No matter what happens, be sure to protect yourself — and to keep your mother safe as well. That is Father’s only request of you.”

“Father, are you certain that is not two requests?” Feng Jiu’er arched her brow and asked softly.

“You are right — it is two.” Feng Li smiled and gave a nod. “Keep both in mind; you may not let either of them slip.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together, let out a soft sigh. “All right, I will remember.”

After a while, her voice rose again. “Father, I must admit I am sometimes quite curious — what exactly is the situation between you and Mother?”

“She hates you so deeply, and yet you love her with your very life. It truly baffles me.”

“Some things you will come to know in time. There is no need to be curious.” Feng Li’s fond, indulgent voice came in reply.

“You mean you are not going to let slip even the tiniest detail?” Feng Jiu’er leaned out from behind Feng Li and looked up at his profile.

Feng Li smiled faintly and said nothing in return.

“Is it truly so mysterious?” Feng Jiu’er looked at his handsome profile and furrowed her brow slightly.

Her father really was very handsome. If she were asked to choose between the Ninth Imperial Uncle and her father, she could not be certain who was more handsome.

It should be her father — after all, he was her own flesh and blood.

But if the Ninth Imperial Uncle were ever to know she had thought that, he would certainly be furious.

Better to avoid such things whenever possible. Besides, who would ever be so bored as to ask her whether she found the Ninth Imperial Uncle or her father more handsome?

Receiving no answer, Feng Jiu’er blinked and withdrew her gaze.

“Father, is Qiangu Prefecture truly as wonderful as they say? With you going there this time — has the Ninth Imperial Uncle made all the proper arrangements? Without me and Mother beside you, will you even be able to settle in? It really does make one worry!”

Feng Li very much wanted to say that he had been on his own for all these years, had he not? But he only smiled faintly and said nothing.

Feng Jiu’er held her father and talked on and on without pause, as though she would never run out of things to say.

Even if she spoke ten sentences for every one of his, she never felt the least bit bored.