Feng Jiu’er lowered her raised hand and gently stroked Di Fei Mu’s back.

Without knowing exactly where he was injured, she hardly dared touch him at all.

“I will not conceal this from you—my people are nearly here. As long as the Longwu Army can hold out one more day, my people will arrive.”

“Mu Mu, we are now on the same front—do you understand? Ye Xue Ning’s enemies include not only the Di family but also the Long family.”

“The Long family’s enmity is one of blood and bones—I can never forget the sword Ye Xue Ning sent through my mother.”

“This debt of vengeance, I will settle it no matter what!”

“Once my people arrive, we will join forces and strike inward. As long as we do not give up, we will certainly succeed.”

Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and gently nudged Di Fei Mu’s shoulder again.

“Mu Mu, let me take a look first—where exactly are you hurt? All right?”

Di Fei Mu still made no response—but very shortly, the sound of footsteps came from outside, and he had no choice but to release Feng Jiu’er.

“Mu Mu, how are you? Mu Mu!” Ye Luosha rushed in, her face tight with anxiety.

Di Fei Mu released Feng Jiu’er, and Feng Jiu’er slipped free from his embrace.

She stepped forward and supported Di Fei Mu by the arm: “Come—lie down over there and let me take a look.”

Di Fei Mu did not refuse. He let himself be guided by Feng Jiu’er to the low bed not far away and lay down.

Feng Jiu’er sat beside him and lowered her gaze to Di Fei Mu’s abdomen.

“Jiu’er, he took a sword to the abdomen—look at him quickly.” Ye Luosha came to stand beside the low bed, deeply anxious.

“We walked into an ambush. If it were not for me, Mu Mu would not have been wounded. Jiu’er, look at him quickly.”

Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and carefully unfastened Di Fei Mu’s silver armor and robe.

The binding around Di Fei Mu’s waist had long since been dyed red.

Feng Jiu’er drew another deep breath and immediately turned to retrieve the medicine chest.

She had also found it strange earlier—Mu Mu had a sword wound on his arm, yet there was very little blood on his silver armor. He must have changed into a fresh set of armor before coming.

The new silver armor had concealed the wound at his waist.

Now that the blood-soaked binding was in plain sight, how could Feng Jiu’er afford to delay?

She knelt down and carefully unwound the bandage.

The wound was deep. Someone had hastily smeared some golden sore medicine on it, but when the bandage was peeled away, it was still seeping blood.

After cleaning Di Fei Mu’s wound, Feng Jiu’er drew out silk thread, sutured the wound closed, then applied medicinal salve.

By the time the new bandage was bound in place, the wound’s condition had improved considerably—the bleeding had nearly stopped altogether.

Ye Luosha, standing to one side, watched everything unfold without saying a single word.

Feng Jiu’er finished dressing Di Fei Mu’s wound, stood up, and went to fetch a set of Di Wu Ya’s clothes.

“Can you sit up?” She returned to the low bedside and sat down.

Di Fei Mu gave a slight nod and propped himself up on the elbow of his uninjured arm.

Feng Jiu’er hooked her arm through his and helped him upright.

She stood, placed the clothes in her hands beside Di Fei Mu.

“Change your garments—at a time like this, it is especially easy to contract wind-chill. I will go prepare the medicine prescription.”

“I will help.” Ye Luosha stepped forward and picked up the clothes Feng Jiu’er had set down.

Feng Jiu’er gave a slight nod, said nothing further, and turned to go sit at the table.

Very shortly, she had the written prescription ready and headed toward the chamber door.

Feng Jiu’er handed the prescription to the person waiting outside, then turned and went back into the room.

She deliberately avoided glancing toward Di Fei Mu’s side—the principle of not looking at what was improper applied here. She’d had no choice while treating him, but now that there was an elder present, it was better she keep her distance.

Feng Jiu’er had barely settled into the chair beside Di Wu Ya when she sensed someone approaching.

She furrowed her brows and turned to look.

It was Ye Luosha who had just come up before her—and she knelt down.

“Jiu’er, I have an imposition I wish to make.”

Feng Jiu’er stood, started to step forward, but in the end remained where she was and gave a wave of her hand.

“Speak.”

Ye Luosha gave a nod, but did not rise.

“Jiu’er, you should also know by now that the current military situation is far from favorable.”

“Wu Ya remains unconscious, Mu Mu has suffered grave injuries, and I have consulted with the Second Prince—we hope that you will take command and lead our brothers into battle.”

“No!” Di Fei Mu rose to his feet from the low bed.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at him and immediately went over: “You must not exert yourself.”

She hurried to the bedside and took hold of his arm.

“Lie down. At least until tomorrow morning—if there is no fever tonight, you may get up and move about tomorrow, but absolutely no going back onto the battlefield.”

Di Fei Mu, not wishing to cause Feng Jiu’er anxiety, had no choice but to obediently lie back down.

But when Feng Jiu’er turned to leave, he reached out and grasped her arm.

“You cannot go on campaign. Big Brother cannot do without you.”

Still not fully risen, Feng Jiu’er was pulled by Di Fei Mu and had no choice but to sit back down.

“His Highness the Crown Prince’s condition has stabilized. When he wakes is not something I can control much.”

“No!” Just as Feng Jiu’er was about to pull her hand back, Di Fei Mu tightened his grip on her slender arm.

“Mu Mu, I know you do not want to let Jiu’er go—but aside from her, there is truly no better candidate.” Ye Luosha turned, still kneeling.

“Jiu’er, in the past I was blind—and all of it was my fault, every last wrong of it.”

“To be frank, I never imagined there would come a day when I would beg you—or even beg you to save the Di family.”

Ye Luosha composed herself and drew a slow breath: “Jiu’er, what is your answer?”

Feng Jiu’er stood up and went to help Ye Luosha.

She had long since noticed that Ye Luosha had sustained internal injuries, and they were no minor matter.

However she felt about this woman, Ye Luosha was still an elder. Having her kneel like this was not right—but Feng Jiu’er had never had any physical contact with Ye Luosha before, and seeing her kneel, she had at first not known what to do.

“No.” Di Fei Mu’s voice rose again.

Feng Jiu’er raised her eyes and shot a glare at Di Fei Mu: “If you will not behave, there is no need to come looking for me in future.”

Di Fei Mu lightly knit his brows and lay flat on the bed once more.

Feng Jiu’er helped Ye Luosha and settled her into a chair.

“Elder Ye, it is not that I am unwilling to help—but this is the Longwu Army, not my Long family army, and I cannot guarantee…”

“Everything about you—we are all aware. I believe that right now, you alone have the ability.” Ye Luosha gently cut off Feng Jiu’er’s words.

“But going into battle is no child’s game—you could lose your life at any moment. If the situation were not desperate, I would not want to force you.”

Ye Luosha reached to her waist and produced a token, setting it before Feng Jiu’er.

“This token—I think you are not unfamiliar with it. I wonder: this time, are you still willing to fight for Wu Ya?”

Feng Jiu’er composed herself and took the Ninth Prince’s Command Token from Ye Luosha’s hand.

At that time, she had taken command with only a smattering of skills—how could she possibly be afraid now?

The Long family troops under Jian Yi’s command, and the Zhao family troops under Zhao Yusheng’s command, would be arriving before long.

She was always going to have to go out to battle sooner or later—this was simply a day or two earlier than expected.

“All right.” Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and gave a nod. “I will set out at dawn tomorrow. Have Mo Bai come to tend to the two brothers.”