With this thought, Xiaoying’s curiosity was piqued. Following Feng Yuan at a distance through the bustling crowd, she watched him enter a teahouse.

From afar, she saw Feng Yuan ascend to the second-floor private room via the outer staircase. Given his character, he certainly wouldn’t come here alone just to drink tea. Who was he meeting?

She noticed three to five burly men standing below the teahouse, each with bulging acupoints, all experts who couldn’t be encountered in such a small county.

Xiaoying instructed Little Five who had accompanied her: “Wait for me here. I’ll be back shortly.”

After speaking, she casually entered a clothing shop adjacent to the teahouse, using the excuse of trying on clothes to go up to the second-floor changing room, then made her way from the window to the outside of the teahouse’s second floor.

This area was near the kitchen courtyard and unguarded.

Using a large tree outside the window for cover, Xiaoying cleverly concealed herself, listening to the activity in each private room on the second floor.

This row of private rooms seemed to have been rented out, with no one to the left or right. Finally, upon hearing Feng Yuan’s familiar voice in the furthest room, she stopped.

“Was the bridge incident done by your master’s people?” Feng Yuan’s tone was icy, as if he were restraining his anger.

A raspy voice replied: “How could that be? Master was also shocked by such an accident, which is why he ordered me to come check.”

Feng Yuan said coldly, “Then why do Chen Xifan’s disciples have weapons made of such high-purity lodged steel?”

There was a clanging sound—Feng Yuan must have thrown the curved blade in front of the visitor.

“Within Dafeng, it’s not just my master who privately produces lodged steel; perhaps someone else sold it to the Wei people. You should understand that Master hates the Wei people just as you do and would never aid tyrants! “

At this point, the raspy voice paused, then continued earnestly: “Your Highness should know that in this world today, the only one who truly cares for you is my master. For the past ten years, he has poured his heart and blood into Madam Ye’s revenge plan, accumulated power, laid foundations, cultivated hidden pieces like Luo Zhen—all of which culminated in your glorious victory at Fengtail Slope! After ten years of enduring hardship, how could Master design such a dangerous plot against you?”

The man continued persuasively: “Moreover, you broke your promise first. The Master originally gave you a twelve-year term. If you could prove your determination, Master would surely have toppled the Western Palace mother and son by then, found evidence, and cleared your name. Yet before the deadline, you left without any notice, recklessly emerging with the reputation of a madman, almost ruining Master’s grand plan. Master was gracious enough not to abandon you. Fortunately, you didn’t disappoint, securing your position with the Fengtail Slope victory. Upon your return this time, with your growing reputation, court officials will surely rally to you. Master had already prepared a list of usable names… But you insist on questioning him like this—are you doubting Master’s care for you? How can he entrust court matters to you this way?”

Feng Yuan’s voice remained cold as he calmly replied: “If he’s not confident, he can keep the list for himself. As you’ve said, with my reputation as a madman, I might be suited for battlefield slaughter, but I have no place in court.”

“You…” The man hadn’t expected that such tempting bait would be so ungratefully rejected by Feng Yuan.

For a moment, he was stifled, not knowing how to continue, and could only suppress his anger to address the next matter: “Furthermore, you shouldn’t be entangled with rebels like Meng Zhun, let alone bring them into the capital. Before the great cause is accomplished, how can you involve yourself in so many disputes?”

Feng Yuan only answered: “I know what I’m doing…”

“No! Your Highness has probably been bewitched by irrelevant matters! I hear you now have a favored concubine. Where did she come from? What’s her relationship with Meng Zhun? Could it be that this young lady was offered by Meng Zhun, using a beauty scheme to persuade you to help him enter the capital? Bringing such a burden to the capital, won’t that ruin everything?”

The man’s tone suggested frustration, as if disappointed that iron couldn’t be forged into steel.

Feng Yuan’s voice was low and powerful: “I am not your master’s slave. Are you reprimanding me on behalf of your master?”

The hoarse-voiced person seemed to understand the Grand Prince’s temperament and didn’t press further, only softening his tone slightly: “After being confined for ten years, and still young, it’s understandable to temporarily indulge in the beauty of the mortal world. Unfortunately, your mother departed early and cannot witness you establishing a family… Indeed, the living always look forward—who would turn back to remember the unjust suffering of those who have passed…”

“I remember all the injustices my mother suffered! There’s no need for you to lecture me!” Frost permeated Feng Yuan’s words.

But the man intensified his tone: “If you don’t wish to achieve greatness, Master will never force you. You can live your carefree life, but the support he’s given you must be withdrawn. The military power in Jiangzhe—you can’t touch it in the future!”

Feng Yuan laughed: “So you’re threatening me…!”

“How could Master threaten you? He’s just disappointed! According to the original plan, this time we could have brought down Chen Nuo, smoothly acquired military power in Jiangzhe, and incidentally caused old Teng Kang to lose the Emperor’s trust and be sent home. But you’ve done well—not only did you fail to eliminate the Crown Prince at the opportune moment, but you’ve also prematurely provoked the Shang family, involving Shang Youdao. Didn’t Master instruct you to use the Shang family to counterbalance the Tang family, eliminate the Crown Prince first, then deal with the other princes? Yet you’ve repeatedly targeted the Western Palace. If you don’t understand counterbalancing and are so shortsighted, how will you succeed in the future?”

Listening outside, Xiaoying’s eyelids twitched slightly. She had long suspected that the Grand Prince was aiming for the throne.

But she couldn’t have imagined that Feng Yuan had a hidden “Master” behind him. And in his plan with this mysterious master, they even intended to manipulate Elder Teng.

However, because of her interference, Feng Yuan had also changed his plans. It seemed that failing to dispose of the Crown Prince and his staunch supporter, Elder Teng, had greatly displeased the master, who had now sent someone to admonish him.

Feng Yuan asked coldly: “The news in the capital about the Crown Prince instigating me and Mu Hanjiang to lure Wei troops—did you spread that?”

This time, the man admitted, “As long as you and Young Master Mu push the blame onto the Crown Prince, he will naturally be summoned to the capital. Given His Majesty’s mindset, he certainly won’t tolerate him. This is the last chance Master is giving you. I hope the Grand Prince won’t disappoint his expectations!”

Feng Yuan remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, Xiaoying listened silently, her eyes growing wider.

Who exactly was this “Master”? Why was he so urgently pressing Feng Yuan to do things against human ethics under the pretext of caring for his future?

Was that cold-blooded, pressing tone truly for Feng Yuan’s benefit? Or was he merely using him as a tool to clear obstacles?

Soon, the person in the room got up to leave.

But Feng Yuan didn’t leave, sitting quietly in the private room for quite a while, until other tea guests started coming to the second floor, and only then did he rise to leave.

Xiaoying had planned to retreat after he left. Unexpectedly, an apprentice from the neighboring clothing shop poked his head out of the window and called out to her: “Young lady, how did you end up over there while trying on clothes? Be careful not to fall!”

Xiaoying thought, “This is bad!” Before she could wave for the apprentice to be quiet, she was seized by the neck and pulled into the teahouse.

Feng Yuan pressed the petite young lady against the wall of the private room, his tall figure completely enveloping her as he lowered his eyes to ask: “How long have you been eavesdropping outside?”

“I heard everything I should have heard!” Xiaoying saw no need to conceal and answered frankly.

Feng Yuan’s eyes tightened slightly, as if contemplating how to silence her.

But Xiaoying pulled his hand and said, “Let’s leave this place first, or the clothing shop apprentice who saw you abduct me might report to the authorities!”

With that, she donned her veil and descended the teahouse ahead of Feng Yuan.

After they returned to the inn one after another, Xiaoying watched as Feng Yuan closed the door and checked if anyone was outside the window, then laughed: “There’s no railing outside this building, no one can stand there. What were you doing earlier? You didn’t check at the teahouse…”

Seeing Feng Yuan’s somewhat cold, handsome face, she immediately changed the subject tactfully: “Who is this ‘Master’?”

Feng Yuan slowly replied: “An acquaintance of my mother from childhood. I’ve never seen his appearance.”

Xiaoying frowned: “You’ve never seen him yet trust him so much? Is he only helping you because of your mother’s revenge?”

“A drowning person doesn’t care whether they grab a rope or a venomous snake. As long as it helps me, what do his intentions matter?”

Xiaoying knew he had a point.

It now seemed that without this mysterious person’s secret assistance, the young, helpless Feng Yuan alone in the palace might not have endured those ten years.

But there were some things she needed to make clear to Feng Yuan: “I don’t care to know your benefactor. But his methods are too ruthless, leaving you no escape route. I truly can’t understand why he wants to scheme against someone as solid and reliable as Elder Teng, just because he supports the Crown Prince? It would be understandable if you wanted to deal with the Second Prince and his mother, who are vicious. And the Third Prince has never coveted the throne—do you plan to scheme against your brothers one by one as he suggests?”

Feng Yuan’s expression remained blank, his voice hard and cold: “I’m not like you, with so many people I can’t let go of or give up. Those you speak of—what attachment do I have to them?”

Xiaoying smiled and probed: “So you can give up anyone, depending on whether they block your path! Then… if one day I obstruct your path, would you also make such a choice?”

Feng Yuan slowly walked to her, looking down at her: “What nonsense are you talking about? You don’t have the surname Feng. How could we ever have such a day?”

So, when Feng Yuan had previously mentioned he was fortunate she wasn’t surnamed Feng, this was what he meant.

“So as long as they’re surnamed Feng, you would…”

Feng Yuan seemed tired of pretending, saying expressionlessly the words that had lingered in his heart for ten years: “Yes! Those in that filthy palace—I won’t spare a single one! Regardless of age, they all… deserve to die!”

This man finally unleashed the viciousness that had been lurking in his heart for so long, with bloodthirsty killing intent emanating from his pitch-black eyes.

For a moment, Xiaoying recalled what Mu Hanjiang had said about the completely uncontrollable Feng Yuan on the battlefield being terrifying.

That murderous aura that no one dared to look at directly—was it this bloodthirsty presence?

No wonder at the post station, when he saw the Third Prince being threatened by Sui Yin, he completely disregarded the Third Prince’s life and death. Perhaps Feng Yuan had hoped Feng Qiwu would die under Sui Yin’s blade.

In the end, it was she who had once again thwarted Feng Yuan’s plans.

Xiaoying didn’t know when she had been pressed against the wall. She tried to push away his hands but couldn’t move them, and could only helplessly lean back, craning her neck to look at him.

Although she had long known this gentleman, imprisoned in the Desolate Palace for ten years, had little familial affection, Feng Yuan’s unwillingness to get close to people was entirely different from coldly planning to slaughter all those of the same bloodline.

Xiaoying was no all-saving bodhisattva, but she disliked Feng Yuan’s cold-bloodedness and could only helplessly ask him: “Must it be this way?”

Even if he coveted imperial power, wasn’t there a gentler path, one less sharp and bloodily cruel?

Feng Yuan remained silent, but the coldness in his eyes didn’t dissipate, clearly showing he didn’t think that future patricide, regicide, or fratricide would trouble him at all.

Looking at Feng Yuan’s iron-cold gaze, Xiaoying finally understood something.

Feng Yuan hadn’t been completely isolated from the outside world during these ten years. In his self-made small warehouse hidden behind the Desolate Palace’s brick walls, there were books on statecraft, military strategy, and even governance. With his intelligence and these books as guides, he could easily self-educate.

Yet materially, he was so deprived that he had barely eaten a few full meals.

The ancient book’s method for tempering one’s will—”starve the body, empty the self”—had been cruelly practiced on Feng Yuan.

Perhaps… the moment Feng Yuan was thrown into the Desolate Palace was part of an elaborate scheme.

A promise was made to a child in desperate straits: after twelve years, he would be reborn from the ashes.

During those long years, occasional small favors were granted as life-saving straws to hold onto, while allowing him to suffer devastating torment in such an environment, grinding away what little benevolence and humanity remained.

This was clearly… breeding a poisonous insect within the imperial Feng family! When the time was ripe, this venomous creature would be released. How could the princes raised in luxury in the palace be a match for such a monster that crawled out from hell?

What fed young Feng Yuan was endless despair and hatred.

The long years were enough to twist one’s mind, change one’s disposition, hardening Feng Yuan’s heart into a completely controllable pawn!

Looking into Feng Yuan’s eyes, Xiaoying couldn’t help but recall their first meeting, when he was so withdrawn he could barely speak.

If the deadline had arrived and that “Master” had bestowed the favor of rescuing A’Yuan, wouldn’t he have obeyed the only lifeline completely, becoming an unstoppable blade in his hand?

Xiaoying had always navigated dangerous waters, keenly sensing a bottomless conspiracy.

She had her adopted father and her father behind her. She couldn’t harm them because she had attracted Feng Yuan.

At this moment, what Feng Yuan feared most was probably her revealing the secrets of his ambition.

After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Xiaoying decided to be straightforward with the Grand Prince—she and her adopted father would not obstruct the Grand Prince’s future dragon-slaying path.

However, they would also absolutely not participate in these sordid affairs!

“My adopted father and I have indeed become a burden to Your Highness. We remember your kindness! Once my adopted father enters the capital and his false charges are cleared, we will leave and never have any connection with the court again. I wish Your Highness future success in fulfilling your wishes and ascending to…”

Feng Yuan naturally detected the young lady’s verbal distancing. Before she could finish, he reached out to grasp her chin: “Who… gave you permission to leave?”

Xiaoying tried to shake off his hand, but he gradually moved downward, gripping her slender neck.

With his worst side exposed to this young lady, Feng Yuan couldn’t even be bothered to maintain any gentlemanly pretense.

He only wanted to firmly hold onto her, not caring about the disappointment evident in her eyes.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t given the young lady chances to leave him, but she had refused to go.

Now he was deeply mired, his moods controlled by her. Yet the young lady wanted to sever ties and leave—how could it be so easy!

Xiaoying didn’t want to provoke this madman. She could only brace against Feng Yuan’s chest, trying to remain calm as she asked: “Are you… going to kill me to silence me?”

Feng Yuan smiled, but the force of his hand gradually increased. Just when Xiaoying thought he was going to strangle her, Feng Yuan released his large hand from her neck.

But before Xiaoying could say anything, he had once again sealed her lips with his cold ones.

Xiaoying resisted, biting his lips and tongue hard. The taste of blood spread in her mouth, but he stubbornly refused to pull away, persistently and madly demanding more, their blood mingling, neither yielding…

In the end, Xiaoying couldn’t match his madness—if she bit any harder, his tongue would be severed.

When they finally separated, Feng Yuan had blood at the corner of his mouth, his eyes deep as ink as he looked at her: “You don’t ask me why I would rather break my promise and leave the Desolate Palace? I struggled all the way, led step by step by you to this point, yet you want to leave? Dream on!”

Xiaoying was somewhat dumbfounded: Was he saying he broke his promise with that Master, escaping from the Desolate Palace two years early, all because of her accidental intrusion?

But Feng Yuan’s gaze suggested he wasn’t joking.

How could this young lady understand A’Yuan’s feelings?

In the ten years of tedious abyss he had endured, suddenly and without warning, a vibrant, lively young girl appeared.

She was so audacious and bold, as if even the high palace walls couldn’t stop her from going anywhere.

A’Yuan’s barren dreams of ten years had never been so vivid.

He knew clearly that after two years, this young lady would slip away like a fish into the river, never to be seen by him again!

Most crucially, she had mocked him for being a monkey pressed under a mountain, only able to wait pitifully and helplessly for someone to rescue him.

It was at that moment that he finally made a decision, beginning the plan he had long considered.

He had pursued her all the way, probing and pulling at this young lady, gradually dismantling her wariness, holding her in the palm of his hand.

But now that the young lady had glimpsed his dark thoughts and developed disgust, wanting to leave at once, how could he possibly let her go?

Xiaoying had never imagined that her influence on Feng Yuan would be so great.

“Is… is Shen Jing also someone sent by that Master?”

“Shen Jing was my mother’s man, unrelated to him.”

Xiaoying knew that, given Feng Yuan’s personality, he wouldn’t allow anyone unreliable close to him.

That’s why the Master didn’t know she was the fake Crown Prince.

Nor did he know that the poisonous insect he had carefully bred for twelve years within the Feng family had, in its tenth year before maturity, been contaminated by an interfering young lady who had enticed the “insect” to crawl out on its own!

Otherwise, given that Master’s methods, if he knew she was the source of trouble, he probably wouldn’t have negotiated with Feng Yuan but would have found ways to eliminate her, wouldn’t he?