Feng Miaojun: “Oh.” This was indeed one of her ideas. How would she know if it worked without trying? Hmm, the premise was that she needed to get rid of the venomous insect she had accidentally swallowed first.

“So, Miao Fengxian likes you, not Princess Hanyue, right?” He propped his chin with his hand, scrutinizing her, his gaze seeming to penetrate her inside and out.

“…” Why had the topic circled back again?

Over the next few days, the entire diplomatic mission had nothing to do but wait for the Yao Dynasty’s royal wedding. Yun Ya generously gave Feng Miaojun several days off, while he was elusive except when entertaining outsiders, disappearing without a trace.

Serving this ancestor was no easy task. Feng Miaojun was surprised but also somewhat worried. This man was full of villain energy; who knew what unspeakable schemes he was plotting in secret? However, what delighted her was that she finally had time to attend to her personal affairs.

After roaming the entire city of Yinzi for two full days, making sure no one was tailing her, including Yun Ya, Feng Miaojun finally headed south. This was a residential area, and the further she went, the more the festive atmosphere faded.

Finally, she stopped in front of a medicine shop and looked up at the sign:

“Renhe Hall.”

Yes, this was the place.

She walked in, and the shop assistant greeted her: “Are you here to get medicine or…”

Before he could finish, Feng Miaojun interrupted: “I’m looking for Doctor Hu.”

The assistant paused slightly, then said: “Please follow me.” He led her through the hall into the back courtyard.

Behind the medicine shop was a large courtyard, convenient for drying various herbs. However, at the moment, there was only a man and a woman in the yard, no one else. When they heard the sound, they turned around, their eyes filled with vigilance and confusion.

Feng Miaojun suddenly remembered that she hadn’t removed her disguise. She raised her sleeve to cover her face, and a few breaths later, when she lowered it, she had restored her true appearance.

The woman immediately burst into tears, calling out: “An’an!”

Her movements were urgent but her steps were small; she stumbled and almost fell, but the man beside her quickly reached out to steady her. Feng Miaojun rushed over, hugging her tightly, choking with emotion: “Mother!”

This woman was naturally her foster mother, Madam Xu. The man standing to the side appeared more mature, even with a short beard, but Feng Miaojun recognized him at a glance – he was Peng Bai.

“My An’an, you’ve grown so tall!” Madam Xu’s tears had just reached the corners of her mouth when she broke into a smile. “Your mother has also become more beautiful!”

As she said the last sentence, her tone was filled with a mother’s pride. They had been separated for more than three years, and although they had maintained correspondence, they hadn’t seen each other once. Feng Miaojun had been under the watchful eye of the Prince of Jin, unable to leave Jin Capital and unwilling to bring Madam Xu to Chenxing City—this was her weakness, one she couldn’t let Mo Tizhun exploit.

When she had said goodbye to her foster mother in Tianshui Town, she was not yet twelve, but now she was taller than Madam Xu, her features fully developed into an almost sixteen-year-old beauty. How could Madam Xu not sigh with emotion?

Feng Miaojun’s eyes grew hot as she reached out to wipe away her tears, saying softly: “Your unfilial daughter has only come today.”

She didn’t know how long she had held these words inside; now that she finally had the chance to say them, her nose stung with emotion. But she had always been strong and reserved, so she forcibly suppressed her tears, unlike Madam Xu who openly wept.

“It’s good that you’ve come, it’s good,” Madam Xu repeated. “As long as I can see An’an, it’s never too late.”

Feng Miaojun held her for a long while before reluctantly letting go and turning to Peng Bai: “You’ve done well helping my mother manage the Feng business.”

Seeing her, Peng Bai’s eyes also flashed with excitement, though his face remained calm: “I’m willing to help ease the burdens of the owner and the young miss.” He gestured toward the medicine room. “The wind is strong outside; why don’t we continue our conversation inside?”

Originally, after Feng Miaojun had secretly sent a message, the two had waited in the medicine room, but Madam Xu, unable to contain her excitement, had insisted on coming out to meet her.

There was no doctor surnamed Hu at Renhe Hall; this question was merely a code phrase. The Feng business has been prosperous these past few years, expanding to Yao Capital. Because Feng Miaojun had established a medicinal business in the Kingdom of Jin, the Feng business had also begun to venture into this field, producing medicinal pills based on her formulas. Now, Renhe Hall’s signature medicinal products, such as Shuyu Pills and Dingfeng Pills, had a good reputation among the common people in the southern part of the city.

However, on the surface, Renhe Hall had no connection with the Feng business, making it difficult for outsiders to trace it back to Madam Xu.

With no outsiders present, while Peng Bai went to pour tea for his young mistress, Feng Miaojun asked him: “Have all the brothers I sent from my escort agency arrived here?”

“So far, we’ve received eighty-six people, with three still not arrived,” Peng Bai nodded. “I’ve arranged for them properly.”

Feng Miaojun’s gaze dimmed slightly. When she had left with the wedding procession, she hadn’t planned to return to Chenxing City, so she had dispatched most of her men here. But they had to leave Jin Capital in batches, and the journey from Chenxing City to Yinzi was long, with countless variables in between. She should be content that so many had safely arrived.

Madam Xu eagerly inquired about her foster daughter’s recent situation. Feng Miaojun didn’t hide anything from her, basically telling the truth, only omitting the matter of her and Yun Ya being connected by a curse. The beautiful woman listened and covered her mouth in shock, exclaiming repeatedly.

“So An’an has experienced so many dangers,” Madam Xu said with worry. “Three years ago when I met Yun Ya in Zi County, I knew there had to be a connection between him and An’an, and indeed there is. Alas—” she sighed, “it’s too dangerous to be by this man’s side. Does An’an have to return to Wei with him?”

“From the current situation, it seems that way. Mother, don’t worry, there are more benefits than drawbacks to being with Yun Ya. With his guidance, my cultivation has advanced rapidly,” Feng Miaojun comforted her. “As long as I behave myself, I’ll be safe and sound.”

As if! Whether she would encounter trouble completely depended on whether Yun Ya went looking for it. And this man probably never had the phrase “behave oneself” in his dictionary, right?

Of course, she wouldn’t say this to Madam Xu to avoid worrying about her foster mother.

Feng Miaojun handed two medicinal formulas she had personally drafted to Madam Xu: “This is a new beauty formula I obtained. It was originally passed down from ancient times and then annotated by Yun Ya, who modified three of the medicinal ingredients. The efficacy is also suitable for ordinary people, but the dosage must be reduced repeatedly. If you prepare it according to the method, each dose should not exceed the size of a sesame seed. This way, it can ensure health and preserve beauty. This is a secret formula passed down from the royal family of Haoli. As long as one takes it regularly, a sixty-year-old woman would look at most like she’s in her early thirties.”

Madam Xu was overjoyed, accepting it with great delight, examining the listed ingredients again and again, exclaiming: “To think it requires such rare medicinal materials! Oh my, making a small bottle would probably cost half a year’s income of the Feng business.”