Mu Mu carried Feng Jiu’er in his arms and ran without stopping until they reached a ravine hidden deep in the forest on the rear mountain.

“Find a place that is not easily discovered — somewhere with as treacherous terrain as possible, ideally.” Feng Jiu’er said.

She had no other choice right now. She had to rely entirely on Mu Mu to navigate the sheer cliff faces, since her own lightness skill was truly appalling.

But Mu Mu harbored some reservations: “Hiding indefinitely won’t bring anyone to rescue us.”

Fleeing had not been part of his plan originally, but since it was Jiu’er’s intention, he had gone along with it.

Even so, now that they had fled, they could not keep hiding forever. He needed to do something — to prove their innocence.

“Someone will come to rescue us. As long as we can hold on and not be found by the Imperial Guards Court’s men before he returns.”

“Who?” Mu Mu’s gaze was complicated.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together. “You will know when the time comes.”

Before matters became clearer, saying anything more would be superfluous. Right now, they needed to find a place to hide first.

There were far too many people within the Zhengwu Court. If they were found by the Longwu Court’s men, there might still be a slim chance. But if they fell into the hands of the Imperial Guards Court — that would be a certain death.

Mu Mu said nothing more, and without pause, crossed over three more mountain peaks. He found the most remote cliff face he could, and leaped down from the top.

Midway along the cliff, a massive boulder jutted outward, and behind it lay a cave.

The cave was remarkably clean — almost as though someone had lived in it before.

After climbing down, Feng Jiu’er peered inside, then looked at Mu Mu. “How… did you find this place?”

Mu Mu seemed thoroughly familiar with this area. Could it be that he had come here often before?

“Jiu’er — everyone keeps secrets. I cannot tell you for now, so please do not ask.”

Jiu’er was a perceptive girl. If she pressed further, many things would become impossible for him to share.

“In any case, I will not harm you.” He added.

Jiu’er let out a slow breath, found a clean spot and sat down, looking up at him.

“Just as you will discover that I too have many things I am keeping from you — so let us not ask each other.”

Some concealments were not wounds inflicted on purpose, but simply the result of too many coincidences, and too many things beyond one’s control.

Like the circumstances of her meeting the Ninth Imperial Uncle — and now, the tangled, unresolvable relationship between her and the Ninth Imperial Uncle — how could that be spoken of to anyone?

Rather than deceive, it was better to say nothing at all. The same held true for everyone.

“Still, Mu Mu — you did not know what consequences would follow by coming out with me, and yet you ran anyway. Are you not afraid there is no road back?”

With Mu Mu’s abilities, a glorious future within the Longwu Army was an absolute certainty.

Now that he had run off with her, if in the end there truly was no way forward, what would become of him?

His future prospects would not merely be ruined — he might spend the rest of his life bearing the name of a wanted criminal.

He had dared to do it anyway, and that was genuine loyalty and righteousness. This matter, after all, had not the slightest thing to do with him.

Jiu’er looked at him — the unpleasant things still needed to be said upfront: “That — although I am truly grateful that you stood up for me, I will not, out of being moved, offer myself to you in marriage.”

Had it not been for all that talk earlier about husbands and wives and pledging for life, Feng Jiu’er would never have said something so shameless.

“I know it is already too late for me to say this now, but I had no chance to say it at the time. In any case, Mu Mu — I am truly grateful for your loyalty and your feelings, but I will not sell myself out of gratitude.”

Gratitude was gratitude. That was not affection. She was no white lotus female lead. When it came to matters of the heart, one absolutely could not be careless.

“Very well. If not as husband and wife — then as brother and sister in arms.” Mu Mu looked at her and smiled. “Whether as a husband or as an elder brother, I will protect you without fail.”