“Fort Master.” Feng Jiu’er set down her cup and looked at the man in the head seat. “The truth is, you have not…”

“Ah, Miss Feng, tonight let us not speak of serious matters — let us simply talk of poetry and pleasant things. How does that sound?” The Fort Master cut Feng Jiu’er off.

He waved his hand, and a small servant girl stepped forward to pour Feng Jiu’er a cup of wine.

Before Feng Jiu’er could say a word, the servant girl moved to Qiao Mu’s side and poured her a cup as well.

“Come, Miss Feng, Miss Qiao, tonight let us…” The Fort Master was in the midst of pouring his own wine.

“Fort Master.” Feng Jiu’er rose to her feet, interrupting the Fort Master, and clasped her hands in a bow. “My apologies! We do not drink wine.”

The Fort Master’s gaze settled on Feng Jiu’er, his thick brows furrowing slightly. “Miss Feng, is it truly impossible to honor me with a drink?”

Feng Jiu’er met the Fort Master’s eyes and, without the slightest hint of submission or arrogance, sat back down in her chair.

“Fort Master, if you have something to say, there is no need to beat around the bush. The truth is, it is not appropriate for us to be drinking wine at a time like this, is it?”

The Fort Master fixed his gaze on the young woman to the side, lightly furrowed his brow, then looked away. He picked up the wine flask before him, tilted his head, and poured directly into his mouth.

Feng Jiu’er sat to the side without interrupting.

The Fort Master drained the entire flask in one breath. With a loud thud, he set it back down on the table.

“You two little sisters — do you not realize that I am the Fort Master here? And yet you simply walked in as you pleased, without so much as an explanation. How could I not be concerned?”

“All the clansmen are watching me. I have my own pressures to bear.”

The words had barely fallen when the Fort Master picked up another wine vessel and took a long swig.

Feng Jiu’er had not expected the Fort Master’s manner to shift so quickly.

And yet, this kind of Fort Master seemed more like a real person.

Feng Jiu’er looked at the Fort Master, clasped her hands in a bow, and said: “Fort Master, I am truly sorry! We entered so presumptuously without offering any explanation.”

“But please rest assured, Fort Master — every word I have said holds good. As long as the Fort Master does not lay hands on my people, I promise not to harm a single soul — not even your cattle or horses.”

The Fort Master met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze and shook his head.

“That is precisely why I said a moment ago that we should not speak of serious matters tonight, Miss Feng. You have things you find difficult to say, and I, Jia, have mine as well. Only wine can dispel such worries.”

“Miss Feng, Miss Qiao — will you drink with me?”

The Fort Master was acting unreasonably, and Feng Jiu’er’s head began to ache.

She gave a light cough and said in a low voice: “Fort Master, I am truly sorry, but we really cannot drink wine.”

“However, with such fine food before us, I find myself quite unable to resist. Why not enjoy the food and conversation together? How does that sound?”

“Agreed!” The Fort Master swiftly accepted Feng Jiu’er’s proposal. “Then let us enjoy the food and conversation together. Miss Feng, Miss Qiao, please!”

Feng Jiu’er exchanged a glance with Qiao Mu and picked up her chopsticks.

Qiao Mu inclined her head, her fingertips once again closing around a silver needle.

Having said they would not raise serious matters, the Fort Master truly said nothing more of the sort.

The two young women below savored the fine food; how much wine the Fort Master consumed above at the head seat, no one could say.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu kept quiet as well, occasionally sampling a dish, but spending most of their time listening to the Fort Master talk.

Whether the Fort Master was truly drunk or merely feigning it, no one could tell, but everything he said was rambling nonsense — not a single remark of any substance.

Even so, Feng Jiu’er had not expected to learn anything from this cunning Fort Master. Her mind, for the moment, held only one thought: the treasure.

The better part of an hour was sheer agony for Feng Jiu’er and her two companions, yet for the Fort Master, who continued to hold forth grandly, it passed in the blink of an eye.

Then, suddenly, the sound of a fight erupted outside.

Feng Jiu’er had barely risen to her feet when a man came rushing in and knelt in the center of the hall.

“Trouble, Fort Master, trouble — they have come to blows!”

Without waiting for the Fort Master to speak, Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu rose almost simultaneously and headed for the door together, their strides uncannily similar.

Just as they stepped through the great doors, five or six people collapsed before them.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu looked at each other, then at Long Feiyan and Xue Gu, who had just tripped those figures, and asked in unison: “What happened?”

At that moment, the Fort Master also hurried out.

“What on earth is going on?” came the Fort Master’s somewhat raspy voice.

“Jiu’er, we are missing two brothers — they must have been seized by these people.” Xue Gu replied, her voice cold.

Feng Jiu turned and looked at the Fort Master, her slender brows furrowing slightly.

“Miss Feng, it was not I — I truly know nothing of this matter.” The Fort Master immediately explained.

“Two brothers went out to fetch water and have not returned in over an hour.” Xue Gu fixed her gaze on the Fort Master, her voice low and heavy. “We had agreed that no matter what, no one was to be gone longer than an hour. They must have been seized by your people.”

“Release them at once, or do not blame us for being impolite!”

The Fort Master glared at the person kneeling to the side and said in a firm voice: “Are you not going to find out what exactly happened?”

“Bring all the squad captains here. I will question them myself.”

“Yes.” The person kneeling to the side immediately rose, turned, and left.

The Fort Master turned and looked at Feng Jiu’er, a measure of the wine’s haze already lifting.

“Miss Feng, if it truly is my people who have been causing trouble, I will certainly give you justice.”

“I do not need any justice — I only need my people safe.” Feng Jiu’er swept a glance at the Fort Master and let out a cold scoff.

“Qiao Mu, go and tell Zhao Yusheng to bring two thousand brothers inside. If anyone dares to obstruct them, attack and break through!”

“My brothers — not a single one can be missing!”

Without giving the Fort Master any chance to explain, Feng Jiu’er led her people toward the encampment.

Her figure was slight, yet she carried herself with commanding authority — particularly that declaration, “My brothers, not a single one can be missing,” which warmed the hearts of the brothers who had come along.

If the Southern Barbarian Fort’s people truly dared to lay hands on their comrades, this battle was something none of them had ever thought to avoid.

Qiao Mu swiftly passed the word outside, and two thousand brothers arrived at the call, appearing in great force and sweeping numbers in the valley that was already none too large.

Back at the encampment, Feng Jiu’er gave the Fort Master exactly two quarter-hours — no more time than that could she afford to wait.

Standing on one side of the valley with her assembled brothers, Feng Jiu’er watched the Southern Barbarian Fort’s men blocking the way ahead without blinking.

Seeing that the time was nearly up, she extended her palm, her slender brows furrowing: “Since they still have no intention of releasing our people, we have no choice but to break through!”

Her voice rang out strong and clear, resounding through the entire valley.

The Southern Barbarian Fort brothers blocking their path not far ahead immediately tensed.

“Miss Feng, I wonder if you might give us a little more time?” came the loud, carrying voice of the tall, dark, and burly Nanmen Captain.

“The Fort Master has said that once your people are found, he will send them back to you immediately.”

“Miss Feng, can you not wait just a little longer? If this battle breaks out, it will be to no one’s benefit.”

“No!” Feng Jiu’er cut the Nanmen Captain off, her voice cold. “These two quarter-hours have already been my show of trust in the Fort Master.”

“If it were your brother in someone else’s hands, you likely could not even wait half a quarter-hour. Since the Fort Master has shown no sincerity, this battle is unavoidable!”

“Brothers!” Feng Jiu’er raised her palm high. “Forward — we go to rescue our people!”