“So, the two of you are saying…” Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow.

The elderly Madam Wang raised her eyes to look at Feng Jiu’er, then turned to look at her husband, and lowered her head.

Supported by Madam Wang, Wang Tangzhuang stood up.

The two of them knelt down right there.

Even the Wang family’s eldest grandson, standing to the side, knelt down as well.

“Night Prince, Princess, what I mean is — if our entire Wang family submits to the Night Prince, would the Night Prince be willing to spare our family’s lives?”

“Night Prince, I beg you!”

Wang Tangzhuang kowtowed three times forcefully toward the ground.

Madam Wang and the eldest grandson of the Wang family also kowtowed three times along with him.

“Night Prince, please save the Wang family.” Mother and son spoke in unison.

“General Wang, this prince remembers.” Feng Li waved his hand.

“Yang Sheng, quickly help General Wang up.”

“Yes.” Yang Sheng went over, helped Wang Tangzhuang up, and had him sit back down in his chair.

“Madam Wang, young master of the Wang family, you may rise as well.”

“Whatever decision the Night Prince makes will not be changed by your kneeling and kowtowing.”

“The Night Prince and the Princess already gave you a chance, and it was you who failed to treasure it. What’s more, you’ve come now to beg for rescue, not out of true submission.”

Feng Jiu’er raised her thumb, wanting to give Yang Sheng full marks.

Although the Wang family’s current predicament was not entirely unrelated to her.

But no matter who it had been, in that situation, no one would have let intelligence leak out to their own enemy.

No sooner had Wang Tangzhuang sat down than he tried to stand again.

Feng Li composed himself and said quietly, “General Wang, I have a general understanding of your situation.”

“But that cannot be a reason for me to agree to the Wang family’s submission. My apologies!”

“That won’t do!” Wang Tangzhuang stood up, shaking his head fiercely.

“Night Prince, please show mercy and help our Wang family.”

“If nothing else works, please take in my three grandchildren.”

Wang Tangzhuang grasped the hand of the Wang family’s eldest young master and looked toward Feng Li.

“Night Prince, this is my eldest grandson, he’s only thirteen — there are younger ones at home too.”

“Please have mercy and keep them by your side. As for Feng Qiongcang, we will give him a response.”

Feng Jiu’er’s gaze fell on the Wang family’s eldest young master, and she shook her head. “That’s even more out of the question.”

“Taking in three children isn’t a big problem for us, nor are we worried about defying Feng Qiongcang’s wishes.”

“The problem is, we can’t be certain whether this is a scheme between you and Feng Qiongcang. At this moment, anything could affect our plans.”

“General Wang, I hope you can understand.”

“It’s not that.” The elderly Madam Wang, kneeling in the hall, bent forward and pressed her head to the ground.

“Princess, this is no scheme, all of this is real.”

The elderly madam raised herself up and reached to remove the hairpin from her hair.

She pressed the silver hairpin’s tip against her own neck.

“Night Prince.” She turned to look at Feng Li, then turned back to look at Feng Jiu’er. “Princess.”

“All of this is true, it’s true!”

“If my death can earn the Wang family one chance, then right now I will…”

Gripping the hairpin, the elderly madam thrust it forcefully toward her own neck.

In the instant it took Feng Jiu’er to frown, she had already reached the elderly madam’s side and seized her hand.

With a “clang,” the hairpin flew from the elderly madam’s hand as Feng Jiu’er flicked her wrist, and it clattered to the ground.

“Old madam, I don’t care for your self-inflicted theatrics!” Feng Jiu’er scoffed coldly and stepped back toward the main seat.

“All of you, go home. If you want to take your own lives, do it at home.”

“If you truly wish to submit, then show us your sincerity!”

Feng Jiu’er came to sit beside Feng Li, and together they watched the people in the hall.

The Wang family exchanged glances before all gathering around the elderly madam in the hall.

“Night Prince, Princess.” Madam Wang knelt again. “My mother didn’t mean it that way.”

“You’re right, we shouldn’t have come so rashly.”

She kowtowed three times heavily toward the people in the main seat, then helped up the elderly madam.

“Mother, let’s go home first and think of a proper solution — let’s go home.”

“Even the Night Prince won’t help us, there’s no way there’s still a solution.” The elderly madam’s body and voice trembled.

“It’s not that the Night Prince won’t help us — let’s go home and think it over, we still have a chance.” Madam Wang offered a word of comfort, then looked toward Feng Li and bowed.

“Night Prince, Princess, we’ve intruded on you today, we…”

“Something’s wrong! Madam, something’s wrong!” A voice from outside cut off Madam Wang’s words.

A guard strode in.

“Night Prince, Princess, there’s someone outside claiming to be the steward of City Lord Wang’s household, requesting an audience,” the guard said, cupping his hands.

“What’s happened?” Madam Wang turned around, her face filled with fear.

“Let him in,” Feng Li said quietly.

“Yes.” The guard turned and went out.

By the time he brought the Wang family’s steward through the door, Madam Wang had already rushed out to meet him.

“Madam, the master has swallowed a deadly poison, I’m afraid…”

“Ah—” The elderly Madam Wang’s eyes went wide, her body stiffened, and she collapsed.

“Mother, are you alright?” Madam Wang hurried back at the sound.

“Grandmother.” The Wang family’s eldest young master caught the elderly madam, keeping her from falling.

But beside them, Wang Tangzhuang’s cane slipped from his grip, and he began to fall.

Yang Sheng, quick of hand and eye, caught Wang Tangzhuang in time.

The scene instantly dissolved into chaos.

Madam Wang quickly composed herself, stepped past her family, came into the hall, and knelt down.

“Princess, I’ve heard your medical skill is exceptional — please, go and examine my husband.”

“He is the pillar of this family. If he dies, our family will fall apart — the children are innocent!”

Madam Wang kowtowed forcefully against the floor, until the only sound left in the great hall was that of her forehead striking the ground.

The Wang family’s eldest young master, holding the elderly madam, knelt down as well.

“Night Prince, Princess, please save my family — from now on, this life of mine belongs to you!”

“Alright.” Feng Jiu’er stood up. “I believe you.”

She stepped forward, walking into the hall.

“However, I cannot promise I can save your father’s life. There’s no time to lose — let’s go see the situation first.”

“Alright.” The Wang family’s eldest young master nodded. “Thank you, Princess, for your trust.”

An hour later, at the Wang residence, two physicians emerged from Wang Yutang’s chamber, both shaking their heads repeatedly.

“Madam, how is our master?” a maid asked.

“The city lord has been poisoned with a deadly toxin — there’s nothing we can do.” One physician let out a light sigh.

“Who would have thought the city lord would end up like this.” The other physician shook his head again.

“Best to prepare for the funeral arrangements. Where are the city lord’s three children? Bring them out to see their father one last time.”

With a sharp “smack,” the Wang family’s eldest young master, who had just come through the door, gripped the doorframe hard.

“What do you mean, prepare for the funeral? What are you saying?” He strode inside and grabbed one of the physicians by the collar.

“Prepare for whose funeral? Whose funeral are you talking about? Explain yourselves clearly!”

“Y-young master.” The physician trembled with fright. “This lowly one is incapable, this lowly one…”