Inside the tent, Di Wuya’s gaze remained fixed unwaveringly on Zhan Liyue. The chill in his bearing grew colder with every passing moment.

“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, she…” Worried that Di Wuya might do something irreversible, Yu Jingfeng immediately stepped forward and positioned himself before Di Wuya.

“The Di Imperial Dynasty cannot cease to exist. Everything Her Imperial Majesty the Empress has done, she did for the Di family. Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, please think carefully!”

Yu Jingfeng perhaps understood Zhan Liyue’s reasoning, yet he also felt a deep pity for Di Wuya and Feng Jiu’er.

“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, now that things have come to this, you ought to set aside… personal feelings.” Yu Jingfeng’s voice rang out once more in the tent.

“Restoring the Di Imperial Dynasty is an absolute imperative. We have sacrificed so many brothers to this cause — we absolutely cannot give up at this moment.”

Yu Jingfeng watched Di Wuya’s expression grow colder by the second. His own heart was beating at least twice its normal rate.

“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, we ventured north, and in doing so we sacrificed brothers, and sacrificed the happiness of the common people — all for one single purpose.”

“If you give up now, Young Miss Jiu’er would know, and she would not be pleased either. Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, please think carefully!”

Di Wuya’s fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked with a sharp sound, over and over — yet in the end, he did not raise his hand.

At the moment he turned to leave, Zhan Liyue spoke in a low voice. “Wuya, do you not wish to know who the person sleeping here is?”

“He is your Third Younger Brother — Di Wuyou.”

“When that great fire broke out, he was barely two months old. Now, he is already in his twenties, and yet he does not even know who his own birth mother is.”

“Who caused all of this? It was the Zhan family. The Zhan family destroyed our family and left us with nothing. We came back for no other reason than to reclaim everything that should have been ours by right.”

“Is there any wrong in that?”

Zhan Liyue looked back at Di Wuyou and curled the corners of her lips in a bitter, aching smile.

“His name is Wuyou — ‘free of sorrow.’ Yet before he even had the chance to call out for his mother and father, he had already lost every member of his family.”

“You grew up in the palace from a young age. Feimu had his younger aunt watching over him. But Wuyou — what did he have?”

“I was told he became a servant at Feng Manor. He was a mute. His face had been disfigured.”

“I want to express gratitude to whoever saved him. And I want even more to know — how did he manage to endure all these years?”

Di Wuya drew a slow, deep breath and looked back at the person lying on the bed.

“He is… Wuyou?”

“Yes. I can say so with certainty — he is Wuyou.” Zhan Liyue replied in a quiet voice. “The birthmark on Wuyou’s neck — I could not mistake it.”

Di Wuya looked once more at Yanu, then turned, lifted the curtain, and walked out.

Yu Jingfeng turned back and looked at Zhan Liyue, calling out softly, “Your Imperial Majesty the Empress, this…”

“Go keep an eye on the Crown Prince.” Zhan Liyue waved her hand.

“Yes.” Yu Jingfeng nodded, turned, and was gone from the tent.

That night was destined to be a night without calm.

Di Wuya led several thousand elite soldiers and launched a sudden strike against the enemy forces still fiercely resisting at Yi City.

Within the space of just a few hours, Yi City fell. The remaining troops all retreated back to the imperial capital.

Within the imperial capital, the people’s hearts were in turmoil. The common folk were each consumed by restless unease, yet were utterly powerless to do anything.

Near the imperial palace, inside an inn, small groups of people sat together sharing a meal.

“Did any of you see the announcement?” said a man dressed in white robes from a corner of the inn.

“Saw it. Every city gate within the imperial capital — from today onward, all of them are sealed shut. No one is permitted to enter or leave,” another man replied in a low voice.

“Word is that the Di family’s army has arrived at the gates of the imperial capital — how could the city gates not be sealed?” said a man in blue-green robes, letting out a quiet sigh.

“What is the point of saying all this? Why must it always come to war and killing? And in the end, is it not always us common folk who suffer the most?”

“What is there to be said about any of it?” A man in dark red robes raised his cup. “As they say — drink today’s wine today while it is here.”

“Come, drink! Who can say whether tomorrow we will still be able to sit down peacefully together and share a good cup of wine?”

“Drink, drink!”

“Drink.”

The several common folk raised their cups and poured the wine down in great gulps.

On the other side of the inn, two women wearing human-skin masks sat together over a meal.

“The city is sealed?” Qiao Mu looked at the person across from her, raising an eyebrow.

“It was only a matter of time.” Feng Jiu’er set down her chopsticks and picked up her teacup.

She gazed at the tea within the cup for a moment, lifted it, and drained it in a single swallow.

Every day, the day of their reunion drew one step closer. Having accepted all that lay ahead, Feng Jiu’er no longer felt any fear.

Like a raging storm — it does not change direction because of human fear.

“What time did the two of you agree on?” Qiao Mu’s voice sounded again.

The “two of you” she referred to were Feng Jiu’er and Long Feiyan.

Since it had been agreed that no names would be spoken aloud, Qiao Mu would not be so careless as to let any name slip from her lips.

“Just wait a little longer. But it should be very soon.” Feng Jiu’er looked out toward the outside, composing herself.

Outside the inn, a horse came to a stop. The moment the rider dismounted, he strode straight in at a brisk pace.

Feng Jiu’er spotted Feng Yandong coming through the door and felt a measure of urgency.

Yet she remained in her seat, waiting in calm silence.

Feng Yandong walked into the inn, swept a glance around all four sides, then headed straight toward Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu.

“News has come.” He sat down beside the two of them and handed Feng Jiu’er a sealed letter.

Feng Jiu’er took the letter and rose to her feet.

“I am full. Take your time eating.”

She dropped those words, then turned and left at an unhurried pace.

Qiao Mu savored one more sip of tea, then also rose.

“Come find us when you have finished eating.”

“Understood.” Feng Yandong gave a nod and turned to wave over the inn attendant.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu returned to their guest room. Once inside, they shut the door behind them.

“Let us see quickly — what could it be?” Qiao Mu came and sat down beside Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er tore open the seal on the letter, tipped the half-jade archer’s ring inside onto the tabletop, and drew out the paper within, spreading it open.

The matter was of critical importance, so she could not rely on messenger birds. Instead, she had personally arranged for the jade archer’s ring to be sent to where her brothers were located.

To avoid drawing attention, the one she sent to bring the item back was changed to Feng Yandong.

“Is this something from the inner palace?” Feng Jiu’er set down the letter and picked up the jade archer’s ring from the tabletop.

“It is something from the inner palace — that is not surprising; it was said to be a fine piece of jade.” Qiao Mu frowned slightly.

“Could it be that what happened back then was connected to the inner palace?” Feng Jiu’er’s voice continued.

“Could it be Nanmen Rong?” Qiao Mu asked in a quiet voice.

“The timing does not align.” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together. “According to what is written in the letter, this jade archer’s ring is an artifact from the previous dynasty.”

“I remember Grandfather Feng mentioned that when the Long family was exterminated, Nanmen Rong fell ill with a strange illness and lay unconscious for an entire month.”

“Was it not Zhan Liyue who exterminated the Long family?” Qiao Mu frowned slightly.

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er gave a nod. “That is what my mother said. But whether or not the death of my wet nurse was also Zhan Liyue’s doing — I cannot be certain of that.”

“Wait — there is something else, a detail I nearly overlooked. At the fire site, there was a fragrance even richer and denser than that of moonflower.”

“This fragrance — other than on Nanmen Rong and within the inner palace, there is one other person on whom it can be found.”