Chen Da Chang coughed lightly, suppressing his laughter, and pushed the spoon a little closer to her lips.

This time, Yu Hai Zhen quietly relaxed her jaw, finally accepting his feeding.

She certainly understood that she had reached her limit, and her body urgently needed substantial nourishment to recover her energy. Otherwise, how could she, who normally didn’t need to eat for a month or more at a time, be so hungry now?

Eat! She steeled her resolve and silently accepted the food.

One feeding, one eating, neither making a sound—the cave suddenly became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

It had to be said that the meat porridge was prepared with great skill. The finely shredded bamboo rat meat was tender rather than tough, with its savory flavor infused into the broth. The rice porridge was aromatic and soft, with perfect consistency, warming her core as it went down her throat. Having gone two days without hot food, she felt her body becoming more comfortable after just a few sips.

Soon after finishing, Chen Da Chang asked her, “Another bowl?”

Being fed one bowl or ten made no difference, so Yu Hai Zhen nodded and continued to accept her situation.

Perhaps feeling too uncomfortable under his gaze, she couldn’t help breaking the awkward silence: “When will your companion return?”

“Hard to say,” Chen Da Chang’s expression grew solemn. “The city was suddenly breached, causing chaos. I don’t even know if she can be found.” This had become complicated. They had originally been looking for Yu Hai Zhen, but now Yu Hai Zhen was here, while Feng Miao Jun’s whereabouts were unknown. He wasn’t even sure if she was still in Ying Gong City.

The worry in his eyes was unguarded, and Yu Hai Zhen, having personally experienced the battle, sighed and said nothing more, only lowering her head to drink the porridge. Most cultivators were also big eaters—elegant eating manners didn’t equate to a small appetite. She drank three more bowls of porridge in succession before shaking her head, declining more food.

Only then was it Chen Da Chang’s turn to eat.

Yu Hai Zhen ate in small sips with elegant manners, the result of years of royal etiquette training that was pleasing to the eye. In contrast, Chen Da Chang consumed his porridge like a whirlwind, finishing in just a few mouthfuls. Surprisingly, he made no sound at all, not even the slurping noise common when ordinary people tilt their heads back to drink porridge.

Thus, while his eating appeared efficient, it could by no means be called crude.

Yu Hai Zhen knew that a person’s eating habits often revealed themselves unconsciously, and temporary changes would only appear awkward. This man paid attention to dining etiquette in his normal life.

Interesting. This suggested he had a certain status and position, or perhaps he frequently dined with people of high rank.

He was neither obsequious nor arrogant in her presence, and judging by how he had rescued her and Hu Tian, he wasn’t afraid to offend the Yan people, indicating he must have some background.

Chen Da Chang was drinking his porridge when he noticed her inquiring gaze: “What is it?”

“Are you a soldier or an official in New Xia?” She should probe the background of the person before her—know your enemy, know yourself.

Chen Da Chang’s hand paused: “The latter.”

“You’re not from a noble family, are you?” He had a rustic air about him. She had seen many aristocratic sons from wealthy backgrounds, and none were like him.

“No, I’m not.”

“Your cultivation is not weak, yet you don’t seem like someone from a sect…” Cultivators established their sects, independent from countries, like the Taoyuan Territory. However, the younger generation from such sects also had to follow strict teachings, often having cultivation and temperament even more refined than those from noble families.

“My surname is Chen, called Chen Da Chang, serving in the New Xia royal court,” Chen Da Chang looked at her and calmly said, “No need to beat around the bush. I’ll tell you directly.” With the Xi Kingdom fallen, Yu Hai Zhen was no longer the State Preceptor, and he didn’t need to fear her retribution against him or New Xia.

Truly speechless, she felt somewhat embarrassed, and after a while finally said, “An official from New Xia, why come to Xi Kingdom to find me? Official business, or personal matters?”

This question showed her sophistication. If he answered “official business,” Yu Hai Zhen could easily associate this with the New Xia royal court or even the Queen.

Chen Da Chang was silent for a few breaths, and Yu Hai Zhen suddenly realized: “So it is official business. New Xia was established not long ago, and the Fu Ling Chuan siblings have no connection with me or Xi Kingdom. Why would they send someone to find me?”

For Chen Da Chang, accompanying the Queen on this journey was certainly official business. Yu Hai Zhen’s deductive ability was excellent, befitting the State Preceptor who had shouldered the fate of Xi Kingdom, but she was still mistaken. Chen Da Chang thought silently, it’s not “sending someone”—the Queen came to find you herself.

He could only say: “I’m following orders.”

“You’re waiting for your companion, and until she returns, you dare not reveal the reason for seeking me,” Yu Hai Zhen’s eyes flickered. “This suggests her rank is higher than yours. You serve in the New Xia royal court, hmm, Chen Da Chang…”

She pondered hard, making his name sound distant and ethereal as she pronounced it.

No one had ever made his name sound so pleasant. Chen Da Chang stirred the firewood.

Yu Hai Zhen asked him: “How many Chen Da Changs are there in the New Xia royal court?”

“One.”

The firelight reflected in her beautiful eyes, making them slightly bright: “I recall that Queen Chang Le once relied on a group of ministers to remove Fu Ling Chuan from his position as State Preceptor, allowing her to seize power. Among those who surrounded Fu Ling Chuan, there seemed to be a Chen Da Chang.” She spoke word by word as if to hammer them into his heart. “Could that be you?” As a former State Preceptor, Xi Kingdom had its intelligence network, providing her with far more detailed information than ordinary people. The major events that occurred in New Xia were known worldwide, and she would be no exception.

Chen Da Chang didn’t answer, instead taking out a cup: “Would you like some water?”

This was tantamount to admission, and Yu Hai Zhen finally revealed a slight smile: “It is you indeed!”

After overthrowing Fu Ling Chuan, what position had this young man been given? Yu Hai Zhen remembered only glancing briefly at the intelligence report at the time, not committing it to memory. Who would have thought that such a seemingly unrelated minor figure would now cross paths with her?

Wait a moment. His companion held a higher position than him and was female. Having navigated the political arena for over a decade, Yu Hai Zhen knew how difficult it was for women to climb to high positions. Therefore, his companion must be a significant figure in the New Xia royal court.

Yet, searching through her memory, she couldn’t recall any woman who held a high position in New Xia.

She wanted to ask more, but Chen Da Chang brought the warm water to her lips, and the temperature was just right.

She drank it without resistance.

“You should rest now,” Chen Da Chang stood up. “I’m going out.”

Compared to other zombies, the corpse poison of the Female Drought was at least ten times more troublesome. Yun Ya had mentioned that this drought corpse had absorbed an unusually high concentration of malevolent energy. This energy was the dark, impure, and turbid qi naturally occurring in heaven and earth, most harmful to cultivators. Even the trace remnants lingering in her body required Feng Miao Jun to exert great effort to expel them completely.

Upon succeeding, she let out a long breath, feeling her entire body relax.

At that moment, the small courtyard gate creaked open. Feng Miao Jun walked out casually and let out a light exclamation of surprise at the sight of the visitor.

It wasn’t Yun Ya, but his trusted aide, Lu Ming.

Lu Ming was also an old acquaintance of hers. When she had served as an attendant by Yun Ya’s side, she had seen this person daily in the Wei military camp, passing by with lowered heads.