Di Wu Ya laid the woman in his arms down on the bed, turned, and lowered his eyes to look at her.

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and opened one bright, glistening eye to steal a glance.

Di Wu Ya curved the corner of his mouth slightly and lowered his head closer.

The man’s hot breath came over her like a wave, and Feng Jiu’er squeezed her eyes shut, a faint smile touching her face.

Just as the tips of their noses were about to meet, a voice from outside the tent broke the tense atmosphere within.

“Jiu’er, get out here right now! If you don’t come out, I’m going to set the tent on fire.”

Hearing the voice, Feng Jiu’er abruptly shoved the man on top of her away.

Fortunately, she’d grown used to pushing his right shoulder during this time, and just now she’d used her left hand instead.

Otherwise, with the force she’d just used, she might well have actually hurt him.

“Without His Highness’s order, no one is permitted near here,” came another man’s voice from outside the tent.

Immediately after, an argument seemed to break out outside — not quite a fight yet, but the situation looked far from good.

“Jiu’er, hurry up and get out here,” the man holding the torch called out again.

That voice wasn’t Jian Yi’s — who else could it be?

Feng Jiu’er sat up on the bed, glanced at the man she’d just pushed away, then turned her gaze toward the back of the tent.

The tent fabric was thick; all she could make out outside were the torches, and what seemed like the shadows of two or three people.

And the shadows of her and Ninth Imperial Uncle had also fallen onto the tent wall.

Which meant — whatever she and Ninth Imperial Uncle had just been doing, the people outside had seen it, hadn’t they?

Feng Jiu’er swallowed audibly, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

So it turned out their interaction had been visible to the people outside, and quite clearly at that.

Outside the tent, two brothers had blocked Jian Yi’s path.

One of the men suggested, “General Jian Yi, if you’re looking for His Highness, why don’t I go announce you first?”

“What business do I have looking for that guy?”

Jian Yi glanced at the man speaking, his gaze falling back onto the small shadow cast on the tent.

“Jiu’er, if you don’t come out now, I really will set this tent on fire — I mean what I say!”

Yu Jingfeng, who had been guarding the front of the tent, got word and rushed over immediately.

“Jian Yi, if you’re looking for Miss Jiu’er, I—”

“Jiu’er!”

Jian Yi called out again, paying no attention whatsoever to the man in front of him.

Jian Yi’s voice pulled Feng Jiu’er’s mind back.

She immediately got off the bed and ran out without looking back.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, see you tomorrow.”

“Jiu’er…”

Di Wu Ya had just reached out his large hand, but by then Feng Jiu’er was already gone from the tent.

The moment Feng Jiu’er stepped out, she turned toward the back of the tent.

Jian Yi, held back by his brothers, saw Feng Jiu’er approaching and immediately strode toward her.

He pushed forward with the torch in hand, and the men blocking him could only yield a little ground.

“Jian Yi.”

Feng Jiu’er strode toward the man coming her way.

“What are you doing? Making such a racket in the middle of the night.”

Until she came out, Feng Jiu’er hadn’t realized just how many people Jian Yi’s commotion had alarmed.

“Jiu’er.”

Jian Yi came right up to Feng Jiu’er in a few large strides.

“I’m here to take you back.”

Feng Jiu’er glared at Jian Yi, her gaze landing on the torch.

“If you wanted me, you could’ve just told Yu Jingfeng. What are you doing carrying this thing around?”

“Did that guy bully you?”

Jian Yi looked at her, frowning slightly.

Feng Jiu’er was nearly scared to death by him and immediately stood on her toes, clapping a hand over his mouth.

She glanced left and right, then withdrew her hand from Jian Yi and glared at him fiercely once more.

“Come on, walk back with me!”

With that, Feng Jiu’er turned and walked away.

Jian Yi followed with the torch in hand.

“Jiu’er, did that guy bully you or not?”

The torchlight flickered before Feng Jiu’er’s eyes, and she was reminded of what had just happened, her heart growing somewhat irritated.

How could she have forgotten they were inside the tent?

It was utterly mortifying!

“Jian Yi.”

Feng Jiu’er turned her head to glare at the man following her.

“Can you please put that torch out?”

“Fine.”

Jian Yi nodded and stopped walking.

He glanced around, saw no water source nearby, and simply flipped the torch over and stuck it upside down into the grass.

By the time Jian Yi looked up, Feng Jiu’er had already leapt up onto the back of Zhuiyue.

“Jiu’er, wait for me.”

He called out and whistled over his shoulder.

A horse came galloping up behind him.

Jian Yi grabbed the reins, leapt onto the horse’s back, and chased after Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, wait! Did that guy bully you or not?”

Jian Yi’s voice carried far enough that at least the nearby brothers could hear every word clearly.

Feng Jiu’er really wanted to press her palm to her forehead — was he determined to make sure absolutely everyone knew about this before he’d stop?

She gripped the reins and gave the horse’s flank a kick, speeding up.

Getting no response, Jian Yi rode his horse and quickly caught up.

“Jiu’er.”

Feng Jiu’er had no choice but to slow down.

She glanced sideways, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“I wasn’t taken advantage of, all right?”

“Please, you’ve been shouting it the whole way — are you afraid someone might not have heard?”

“Fine.”

Jian Yi met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze and nodded seriously.

“But you have to promise me — from now on, you’re not allowed to go over there at night.”

Feng Jiu’er took a deep breath and looked away.

“I…”

“If you won’t agree, I’ll burn down his tent!”

Jian Yi didn’t give Feng Jiu’er a chance to speak, cutting her off.

“Jiu’er, you’re a woman — no matter what, you have to know how to protect yourself.”

“Di Wu Ya is a beast. If he ever makes you go over there at night again, bring me along — I’ll protect you.”

Feng Jiu’er looked straight ahead and gave a light cough.

The “beast” just now had been her — should she explain that to Jian Yi?

Then again, the great hero Jian Yi probably wouldn’t believe her.

In his eyes, the “beasts” were always other people, never her.

Under the moonlight, walking across the grassland, a gentle breeze drifted by, carrying the fragrance of grass — quite a pleasant feeling.

After being blown by the cool breeze for a while, Feng Jiu’er’s mood gradually settled.

She and Ninth Imperial Uncle sharing a room together had long stopped being anything new, and the brothers of the Longwu Army had long since gotten used to it — so why had she suddenly become so flustered about it now?

Feng Jiu’er frowned slightly, glanced sideways at Jian Yi, and asked softly, “Jian Yi, if I marry someone someday, what will you do?”

Jian Yi met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze and fell into thought.

At last, he pressed his lips together and said flatly, “You don’t want to marry me anymore?”

Feng Jiu’er frowned slightly, the smile at the corners of her mouth a bit forced.

“Jian Yi, when did I ever say I’d marry you?”

Jian Yi raised a thick eyebrow, looked away toward the road ahead.

“Didn’t you? I remember you did.”

“I didn’t.”

Feng Jiu’er shook her head firmly.

“Don’t try to trick me!”

“Then when you marry, will you bring me along?”

Jian Yi turned to look at Feng Jiu’er again.

Feng Jiu’er stared at him and shook her head again.

“No!”