Xiaoying had served the Crown Prince before and had certainly seen fine things.

This pigeon blood ruby—she had seen one on the hairpin of Consort Shun, who had been married into Dafeng as part of a political alliance with Wei Country.

And the gemstone on that young man’s sword was no small piece. It suggested he held quite a prestigious position in Wei Country.

Hearing her words, the guards behind the young man tensed and drew their weapons, inadvertently confirming her suspicions—an action that once again made Xiaoying smile.

The man hadn’t expected that his familiar weapon would betray his identity, but he seemed unconcerned as he waved his hand, signaling his men to sheathe their swords. Then he stated confidently, “You’re… stalling for time, aren’t you? What is it? Do you have reinforcements coming?”

Xiaoying calculated the time with her fingers: “Indeed, I do have a backup plan. Today, you encountered me, and I’ve disrupted your schemes. If you release Master Ge, I’ll certainly spare your lives. Otherwise, it will be like the incident at the courier station—a life-or-death situation. Your life seems more valuable than mine. What do you say? Care to make a wager?”

The man sneered, “What’s this? You no longer care about your imperial tutor’s life?”

Xiaoying replied with a grin, “As you said, he’s an imperial tutor, not my parents. If he dies at your hands, it has nothing to do with me. If you release him, I claim the merit of rescuing my honored teacher. But if you kill the imperial tutor, I’ll have to take on the mantle of avenging him, cutting off all your heads without exception to honor His Majesty’s respected teacher and maintain the Emperor’s reputation for honoring his mentors.”

The man narrowed his eyes and asked, “Then what do you think would be the best outcome today?”

Xiaoying smiled and said, “Obviously to quit while you’re ahead! I’m also feeling lazy in this cold weather. Right now, only my people are outside. If I gesture, you can still escape. Once Dafeng’s troops arrive, you won’t be able to leave.”

The man smiled, “Are you so kind-hearted?”

“Master Ge’s courtyard is elegant, and the couple are both refined people who cannot stand the sight of bloodshed. What does Your Excellency think?”

Xiaoying was well aware of her limitations; she was no match for these Wei men.

Fortunately, these Wei people held Broken Silver in such high regard that they believed she possessed the same top-tier skills. So Xiaoying bluffed boldly, hoping to scare them away.

Otherwise, when the Third Prince’s forces arrived to surround the small courtyard, it would only result in mutual destruction, unable to ensure the safety of Master Ge and his wife.

Just then, the lookout they had posted at the village entrance rushed in with a report: “A troop of soldiers is approaching from a distance…”

The man narrowed his eyes. “How did you know we would come here?”

Xiaoying would certainly not reveal that this trouble had been caused by two boxes of pastries, and that she had simply stumbled upon them by chance.

She blinked, feigning mysticism: “If Your Excellency wishes to know, perhaps consider why you found your way here. And that incident at the courier station… Have you perhaps offended the guide who led you here? Why does he keep leading you into dangerous situations? Could it be… that your identity is sensitive, and he deliberately does this to harm you?”

The man did not know that Xiaoying was a master of bluffing. These words were merely a random attempt to deceive him.

However, Xiaoying’s words, though wild guesses, struck his suspicions perfectly. Because his identity was indeed sensitive…

During the previous incident at the courier station, he hadn’t been present, but what should have been a foolproof ambush had resulted in Wei Country losing its deep-cover agents in Dafeng.

This time, they had come to capture the defenseless Ge Danian, arrived at this village, and again encountered a skilled Dafeng female fighter who had killed Broken Silver. What’s more, Dafeng troops were now assembling and approaching.

From any perspective, it looked like a trap.

Thinking of this, he inwardly laughed coldly and said dispassionately, “If there is indeed a mole, why would you expose this?”

Xiaoying answered frankly, “This traitor intends to harm you and also harbors ill intentions toward the Grand Prince. Why not hand him over to me, and I’ll deal with him on your behalf?”

The man heard this and gave another light laugh, suddenly turning his gaze toward a man in blue clothing standing to the side.

This blue-clothed man was the guide sent by Fan Shiqi to lead these Wei people. He regularly traded with these Wei men and had frequent contact with them.

Fan Shiqi had instructed that after these Wei men abducted Master Ge and his wife, the blue-clothed man should find an opportunity to kill the elderly couple and frame the Wei people for it.

These days at court, memorials denouncing the Crown Prince for provoking Wei’s military response and disregarding the common people’s welfare had been relentless.

Yet Mu Hanjiang had taken all the blame upon himself before His Majesty.

If a tragedy occurred now, where Wei people entered the capital and killed the imperial tutor, more court officials would denounce the Crown Prince for his warmongering, starting a conflict between the two countries and causing the death of His Majesty’s teacher.

By then, this pressure would be too much for the Grand Prince and Mu Hanjiang to bear alone!

Moreover, without Ge Danian, Feng Yuan would need to rely on his master’s power to maintain his position.

But they never expected that just after capturing the Ge couple, before the blue-clothed man could make his move, a woman would appear to disrupt their plans.

And this woman was truly a troublemaker, stirring up suspicion against him with just a few words. It seemed this could not end well.

Thinking of Fan Shiqi’s methods, the man made a desperate decision and suddenly pulled out a dagger, rushing toward Ge Danian.

No matter what, Ge Danian must die in this courtyard!

Xiaoying thought: This is bad!

Just as she was about to act, the young Wei man swung his curved blade, moving faster than Xiaoying, and cut off the man’s head!

After being decapitated, the man staggered forward two more steps before collapsing amidst a spray of warm blood.

Xiaoying raised an eyebrow: “…Thank you for taking action. Should I… express my gratitude?”

The man seemed to realize he had been used and, with one stroke, had eliminated the threat. Then, without looking back, he led his men out of the courtyard, only calling back: “No need. What I hate most in life is being used as a pawn for others!”

He spoke the words “being used” with particular bitterness.

Before the sound of his voice had faded, the man had already left hastily with his people.

By the time the Third Prince led his men into the village, Xiaoying had already untied Master Ge and his wife, gently comforting the couple.

Ge Danian, having witnessed everything, was astonished at how this young woman had convinced those bandits to retreat with just a few words.

“May I ask the young lady’s esteemed name? This is Ge grateful for saving our lives.”

Xiaoying hurriedly declined Master Ge’s bow.

The saying goes, “One day, as a teacher, a father for life.” She had been Master Ge’s student for a few days.

Although the master had not taught her with much dedication, a teacher must still be respected!

“Master, you’re too courteous! But this place isn’t safe. Someone is plotting against you. You should take your wife into the city to stay temporarily.”

Master Ge shook his head: “If someone truly wishes me ill, I fear my life would be in danger no matter where I go…”

Then he looked Xiaoying up and down: “How is it that I haven’t seen female guards around the Grand Prince before?”

The Third Prince, who was leading men to search the surrounding courtyards, walked over and casually remarked, “She’s not my elder brother’s guard, she’s his beloved concubine, called Ying’er!”

“Beloved concubine?” The normally composed couple exclaimed in unison.

Madam Sun couldn’t help but examine this veiled young woman from every angle.

That boy Ayuan was like a stone perpetually soaked in frost. Though he could speak a bit more with Master Ge and his wife, he always maintained a cool distance from others.

How had such an ice-cold young master taken a red-faced beauty as his companion?

Although she was only a concubine, Madam Sun was as delighted as if she had met a daughter-in-law, and couldn’t help taking Xiaoying’s hand: “When did you come to Ayuan’s side? How old are you? Does he treat you well?”

This mother-in-law-like manner truly made the young woman feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, her veil concealed her reddened face, otherwise, she would have stuttered her words.

Taking advantage of the Third Prince’s questioning of Ge Danian, Xiaoying quickly freed her hand.

“Well… Master Ge, you should also know Elder Xiao. Why not stay with him for a night? His martial arts are formidable, and if something unexpected happens, he can protect you. The Grand Prince has just entered the palace, and it seems he won’t return until tomorrow. You can discuss matters with him then, how about that?”

Master Ge shook his head, looking at the pool of blood on the floor of his simple courtyard, and said wistfully: “Now that they’ve found this place, where could I hide? If Feng Yuan is facing difficulties in the palace, it seems I must go there myself!”

Xiaoying pondered: “Master, you’re saying that this attack on you is related to Feng Yuan’s return to the palace…”

Master Ge looked at the pool of blood and sighed: “If not for your timely arrival, young lady, this old man would have died at that person’s hands. Then, even with the Grand Prince’s merit of reclaiming Feng Weipu, the crime of deliberately provoking war, inciting Wei’s retaliation, and disrupting the peace around the capital would be quite troublesome!”

Ge Danian, with his insight into court affairs, immediately connected his troubles to a plot against the Grand Prince.

But Xiaoying still held him back, hesitating: “Master, are you going to see His Majesty like this?”

Master Ge looked down at himself and patted the dust off his clothes: “What’s wrong? Does the young lady think I’m too untidy to have an audience with His Majesty?”

Xiaoying walked to the pool of blood, scooped up a handful, and unceremoniously smeared it on the master’s collar, saying: “Please make your hair messier as well. It would be even better if you had some cuts on your body.”

Master Ge looked at this small concubine with surprise: “You are…”

Xiaoying understood her father all too well. Taking advantage of the Third Prince’s absence as he pursued the fleeing men, she whispered: “You need to make His Majesty empathize, to make him realize the danger you faced, as if Wei spies had also been planted close to him…”

Master Ge, with his astute mind, immediately understood upon hearing these words.

Though he couldn’t see the young woman’s face, he realized that a woman who had won Feng Yuan’s heart certainly hadn’t done so through mere beauty.

This young lady was both courageous and resourceful—where had Ayuan found such a treasure?

He just wondered about the young lady’s character and whether she truly cared for Ayuan, otherwise…

After arranging for people to escort Master Ge into the palace, Xiaoying instructed Shen Jing to arrange suitable men to escort Master Ge to Master Xiao’s residence. Then she returned to her residence in the capital.

On the way back, Xiaoying quickly organized her thoughts.

Those Wei men had repeatedly said they wanted to use the Ge couple to coerce Feng Yuan. Without someone pointing the way, how would they know Feng Yuan’s weakness? How had they so easily come to abduct the couple?

Additionally, the Wei man didn’t have the heavy air of a martial artist, but rather carried himself with a noble bearing, clearly not just one of General Chen’s men.

He said he wanted to use the Ge couple for an exchange—who in the palace was he planning to exchange for?

Xiaoying felt she needed to discuss this with Feng Yuan when she saw him, to see if he could make sense of it.

By the time she returned to the capital, evening was approaching.

Xiaoying stepped into the courtyard where Feng Yuan planned to keep his secret lover and was slightly shocked. She had known Feng Yuan was wealthy, but looking at this residence he had bought, she couldn’t help but be taken aback—this house… was too dilapidated!

Though the location was good, situated near the bustling Yonghe Lane, this small house had grass growing in the courtyard and on the eaves, and the varnish on the window frames was patchy and worn. It certainly didn’t look like a golden house for hiding a beloved.

Feng Yuan couldn’t be so stingy, or was he trying to punish her living conditions as he had once done with making her drink porridge?

However, upon entering the house, Xiaoying was finally relieved: beneath this worn exterior, the interior was surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

Though not large, with just one room in the outer courtyard and three rooms in the inner courtyard, the decoration of the inner master bedroom could be described as luxurious.

The floor was covered with tung oil-finished redwood planks, and the carved wooden bed with matching wardrobe, table, and chairs were all inlaid with tortoiseshell patterns. The large bed was extremely soft, with what must have been several thick quilts. The lamps and furnishings all appeared to be of palace quality.

And on the table were Four Seasons Flower Cakes from Ganwei Zhai.

No wonder he had sarcastically remarked about her randomly accepting gifts from others—he had already ordered a set to be prepared here for her long before.

Xiaoying picked up a box, unconsciously smiling sweetly, but quickly caught herself, feeling she was too easily pleased, and promptly set the box down.

It seemed Feng Yuan had created a luxurious hideaway for his secret lover, but didn’t want to draw attention, hence the exterior arrangement.

Such a lavish room had no maids assigned to it; only two of Feng Yuan’s guards watched the outer courtyard entrance, doubling as servants for rough work.

Feng Yuan must have been busy with palace affairs, for he didn’t arrive at Yonghe Lane until the following afternoon.

Xiaoying was lazily stretched out on the bed, nibbling on a flower cake—these sweet, fragrant little pastries were so delicious that she had already eaten two and a half boxes.

Feng Yuan hadn’t slept for an entire night.

From the moment he entered the palace yesterday, he had stepped into a battlefield a hundred times more dangerous than Feng Weipu. First, he endured an hour of his father’s scolding in the imperial study.

Then, just as the palace gates were about to close for the night, Imperial Tutor Ge Danian hurriedly entered the palace, requesting an audience with His Majesty.

When the blood-covered Imperial Tutor staggered into the study, Feng Yuan, unaware of what had happened, was also greatly startled.

Upon hearing the Imperial Tutor describe the Wei assassins’ attack and how he had been rescued by the Grand Prince’s guard and the Third Prince’s men, Feng Yuan’s eyebrows twitched slightly, immediately realizing Yan Xiaoying’s handiwork.

At that moment, he stood up abruptly, instinctively wanting to rush outside the palace to confirm Xiaoying’s safety.

It was only when the Imperial Tutor noticed his agitation and discreetly gestured to him from behind that he managed to control his emotions.

After a night had passed, in today’s court session, Feng Yuan and Mu Hanjiang were surrounded by court officials and impeached for provoking war with Wei Country.

After such a noisy morning, when he left the palace, echoes of the arguments still lingered in his ears.

However, when he reached the window and looked inside, seeing the young woman lounging like a cat, he felt as if all his exhaustion had vanished into smoke.

No wonder Master Ge disliked being surrounded by servants—this feeling of having a single person waiting alone in a home was sometimes something that could not be bought with all the gold in the world…

Xiaoying saw him enter, sat up, and brushed the pastry crumbs from her clothes, asking about her foster father and the others’ situation.

Feng Yuan said, “Yesterday, when I took them to report to the Court of Judicial Review, they were detained and told they must spend the night in the court’s prison.”

Xiaoying’s breath tightened upon hearing this: “How can this be allowed?”

Over the years, many suspects had died in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison.

Once, Empress Tang’s nephew had unexpectedly died in the court’s prison.

How could that place, which leaked like a sieve, guarantee her foster father’s safety?

However, Feng Yuan reassured Xiaoying that he had anticipated this tactic. Meng Zhun and the others had entered the prison at night, with their hair loosened. No one would check their identities.

Naturally, no one would discover that these men were not who they claimed to be. These men were “bait,” placed in the conspicuous Court of Judicial Review to see if they might lure out a big fish!

The real Meng Zhun had already been safely housed in another residence in the capital, watched over by skilled fighters like Shen Jing, and would not face any problems.

Hearing this, Xiaoying was finally at ease, with nothing more to say.

Feng Yuan, however, found a topic: “I heard from Master Ge about yesterday’s events. If not for you, I’m afraid the master would have… I should thank you.”

Xiaoying casually examined the patterns on the bed curtains: “He is also my benefactor. He helped me considerably in the palace before. I was merely repaying my debt of gratitude. No thanks necessary from you.”

And so the topic was dropped, with no further discussion.

One sat at the table, the other on the bed, picking at the bed curtain patterns. Neither seemed willing to speak first.

Usually, with guards and others present during their journey, the silence between them hadn’t been so apparent.

But now, with just the two of them, the awkwardness became obvious.

Xiaoying glanced at him and asked, “Why haven’t you returned to the palace? The gates will be closing soon!”

Feng Yuan replied, “I haven’t eaten all day. I bought some vegetables and fish on my way here. Cook them for me.”

Xiaoying slowly widened her eyes: “Me, cook? How would I know how to cook?”

What a joke. From childhood, she had excelled at archery and horsemanship, but never learned needlework or cooking.

Her father and foster father, as well as her uncles in the mountains, all loved her dearly and couldn’t bear to let her handle the cold mountain water. She had always eaten what was prepared for her; except for her undergarments, even her clothes were washed by her father!

As for her later business ventures, there were apprentices and rough-work women to handle such tasks! Though she wasn’t a great lady, she had never cooked a meal in her life.

Last night and today, she had gone to buy food from street vendors herself. Today, having grown lazy, she simply hadn’t bought anything, making do with flower cakes to fill her stomach.

Feng Yuan didn’t believe her, and expressionlessly repeated what Meng Zhun had said at the inn in Yao City: “Our little Ying is perfect for home and hearth, and will find a good man in the future to become a dutiful wife and loving mother. She need not seek great wealth or status. Just a husband and wife, living peacefully behind closed doors…”

It seemed Meng Zhun’s words had struck a chord with the Grand Prince, as he still remembered them after so many days.

After speaking, he asked again: “May I ask, does a woman so perfect for home and hearth not even know how to cook a meal? Isn’t this preparing to marry into nobility, to be a lady with maids and old servants attending her?”

Xiaoying, sharp-tongued, retorted: “That’s my foster father’s idea, not mine! First of all, I’m not saying I’ll ever marry, but if someone wants to be my husband, he must be capable of managing both inside and outside the home! The kind of man who enters the door calling for servants, demanding soup and meals—he won’t catch my eye!”

Grand Prince or not, just because she bore the title of his concubine, did he expect her to serve as his cooking maid? How presumptuous!

Feng Yuan raised his sword-like eyebrows, slowly saying: “Is that truly so?”

Xiaoying also raised her eyebrows: “It is indeed!”

Her foster father was right—she and Feng Yuan were fundamentally incompatible.

If she had been momentarily bewitched by his handsome appearance and lost her senses, spending more time together would only reveal their incompatibility.

Moreover, their issues went far beyond these matters. It was good to calm down now, with constant reminders to return to their proper places.

For instance, she, Yan Xiaoying, had neither talent nor virtue; her mind was full of schemes, and she refused to be controlled. No matter what kind of man she partnered with, she would not be a suitable companion!