Yue Qinchun’s words made the other three women at the table roll their eyes without meaning to.

Feng Jiu’er: Little Qinchun, are you seriously not joking right now?

Xiao Yingtao: Your foot healed ages ago, didn’t it?

Qiao Mu: Didn’t Jiu’er say her own foot could recover within two days?

But no matter how many people were watching her, in Yue Qinchun’s eyes there was only Feng Yinan.

“Miss Yue, there’s no need to stand on ceremony!” Feng Yinan looked at her and curved his lips slightly.

“Brother Feng.” Yue Qinchun returned his smile. “I’ve told you so many times — just call me Qinchun from now on.”

“Oh, right.” Feng Yinan scratched his head, a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I tend to forget things.”

“It’s fine.” Yue Qinchun pressed her lips together and smiled, picking out another piece of meat for Feng Yinan.

One couple, two couples, unmoved by the cold wind — now only the third pairing remained.

If Qinchun and Yinan really did get together, Feng Jiu’er would have an easier time explaining things to Sister Hua, and besides, Yinan, who always kept to himself, would finally have someone too — how wonderful!

Among the eight at the table there were three couples, and Feng Jiu’er, having endured a good deal of secondhand romance, found herself missing her own man even more.

Feng Jiu’er finished a bowl of seafood congee and set down the bowl.

“Jiu’er, not eating anymore?” Jian Yi asked softly.

“I’m full.” Feng Jiu’er rubbed her stomach and stood up. “I ate a bit much tonight.”

Jian Yi finished what was left in his bowl in a few bites and stood up as well.

“I’ll have someone prepare your bath.”

Feng Jiu’er, hands on her hips, turned back and looked at him. “You’re full too?”

“Mm.” Jian Yi nodded and walked off toward the door.

Watching Jian Yi’s solitary figure, Feng Jiu’er felt a pang of melancholy again.

She’d had her fill of secondhand romance — how could Jian Yi not have, too?

And yet, Jian Yi himself seemed largely unaffected.

As for herself, she really was full — though it didn’t seem to be from the secondhand romance after all.

After the hotpot, Feng Jiang, Qiao Mu, Xing Zizhou, and Xiao Yingtao came to Feng Jiu’er’s room.

Yue Qinchun was resting in the room next door, with Feng Yinan keeping watch in the hallway.

Jian Yi stood on the rooftop, beneath the moonlight.

“Jiu’er, this is the current position of our people.” Xing Zizhou set the notebook in his hand down in front of Feng Jiu’er.

“Our people from Dragon Shadow have split into two groups. One part has already infiltrated every corner of the town, and they’ll move once we enter Yongshan City.”

“The other part set out for Yongshan City ahead of time from the two towns neighboring Lishi Town.”

“Dragon Shadow doesn’t have a branch in Yongshan City itself, but there is one in Pingyuan City, northwest of it — Zhao Yusheng has already taken people over there.”

“That said, Jiu’er, our numbers are still a bit lacking for now — we can’t go head-to-head with Lei Shenbao.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er studied the notebook carefully for a moment, then nodded.

She looked up at Feng Jiang and asked quietly, “How are things with Cai Liantang and Qin Anzhuo?”

“Still obedient for now. Once they reach Yongshan City, my people will send word.”

“Good.” Feng Jiu’er picked up her brush, seemingly drawing something.

Often, even those who knew her well still couldn’t fully understand what she was thinking.

The room fell quiet for a while before Feng Jiu’er set down her brush and sighed lightly.

“Whatever happens, if Yongshan City really does have a sulfur mountain, we must seize this place before Feng Qiongcang does.”

“This war between the Duan family and Lei Shenbao is actually helping us quite a bit.”

“But I’m also worried that once this battle breaks out, word will reach Feng Qiongcang’s ears very quickly.”

“True.” Feng Jiang nodded slightly. “The further north we go, the more dangerous it gets.”

“Fortunately, south of the Songjiang river basin, Feng Qiongcang rarely concerns himself with things.”

“How are things on Wu Ya’s end?”

No matter whether she was truly an imperial princess or not, in this life Jiu’er would always be his little sister.

As for Di Wu Ya, this brother-in-law, Feng Jiang was satisfied with him too.

“It won’t be long now.” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together. “Right now what worries me most is the situation in Yongshan City — exactly how much gunpowder does Duan Wucheng have on hand?”

“Jiu’er, why don’t we hold off on entering the city?” Qiao Mu suggested in a low voice.

“After all, the conflict right now is between Lei Shenbao and Duan Wucheng — wasn’t our plan from the start to profit from the sidelines, like the fisherman watching two birds fight?”

“Jiu’er is worried about the safety of the common people in Yongshan City,” Xiao Yingtao said, resting on the table and sighing.

“I heard Duan Wucheng isn’t a bad person either — he’s managed Yongshan City very well, and there are almost no beggars in the city.”

“But if Duan Wucheng is so good, how did Duan Langyu turn out so badly? I just can’t make sense of it!”

“Good is good, bad is bad — who knows, maybe Duan Langyu’s mother wasn’t anything good,” Qiao Mu murmured in agreement.

“This way won’t work, that way won’t work either — we might as well just get into the city before Lei Shenbao does.”

Qiao Mu frowned, turning to look at Feng Jiu’er.

“Lei Shenbao’s troops are already closing in on Yongshan City. Jiu’er, if we want to get in, tonight is our only chance.”

“Take a look — do you think this plan is workable?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Let’s hear what everyone else thinks.” Feng Jiu’er looked around at everyone present.

“The war hasn’t broken out yet, so getting into the city shouldn’t be too hard right now.” Xing Zizhou nodded. “I know a place where we can get in quickly.”

“We aren’t Lei Shenbao’s people, so there’s no point in us staying behind.” Feng Jiang took hold of the hand resting on the table beside him.

He laced his fingers through each of Qiao Mu’s, holding her whole curled hand in his palm.

“I agree with going into the city. Once the war breaks out, Duan Wucheng won’t have the energy to spare for anything else — we’ll be relatively safe inside the city.”

“Besides, we still don’t really know what’s going on with the sulfur mountain.”

“If possible, we could go scout the mountain first.”

“Agreed.” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together and nodded.

The Ninth Imperial Uncle had come, and the Longqi Army had come too — she wasn’t afraid of being unable to handle Lei Shenbao.

But the common people were innocent. Unless absolutely forced to, she didn’t want to harm too many of them.

A thought arose in her — Feng Jiu’er found that she wanted not just the sulfur mountain, or Yongshan City, or even Li City, but more than that.

If she was to remain in the Feng clan, she hoped that with her and the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s combined strength, they could bring all the cities south of the Songjiang river under their control.

She wasn’t worried about Yue City, since Sister Hua was there, but the other places wouldn’t come so easily.

It was just that she still didn’t know whether her father was somewhere nearby.

If her father hadn’t yet crossed the Songjiang river, then once they reclaimed this region, they would have the strength to keep him safe.

“Since everyone agrees, let’s pack up and go.” Qiao Mu stood up.

“Good.” Xiao Yingtao stood as well.

“We regroup back here in three quarters of an hour.” Feng Jiu’er stood up too.

“Mm.”

“Got it!”

Xiao Yingtao and Qiao Mu both nodded and left, each pulling her own man along.

Lei Shenbao sat at the front of the inn, discussing matters with his guards for the entire night.

By the time he had a moment to spare to look for Feng Jiu’er, she and the others had already entered Yongshan City.

Lei Shenbao gripped the note Feng Jiu’er had left behind, clutching it tightly.

A guard ran in from outside and cupped his hands toward him.

“My lord, it seems Miss Long and the others left under cover of night.”