What would she need to do? He hadn’t decided yet.

“When this Prince has thought of something, this Prince will tell you.” He gave a light humph.

The little girl had been truly frightened — her complexion was pale, the corners of her lips trembling faintly.

Di Wu Ya pressed his thin lips together, and at last, the icy coldness in the depths of his eyes receded somewhat.

“Do not let anyone see that you already know this Prince’s identity.” There was no one outside at the moment — Ghost Face had gone to rest, and Cold Moon was not present either.

In a short while, everyone would come.

If this girl dared to call out “Ninth Imperial Uncle” once more, he feared even he would be unable to protect her.

The people here were loyal to him to the bone. Anyone or anything that posed a threat to his safety would inevitably be eliminated.

Even if they knew full well he wished to keep the girl safe, to prevent the secret from leaking, they would sooner die themselves than let her live.

This, Feng Jiu’er understood. She bit her lip and nodded hard.

Only then did Di Wu Ya close his eyes and lie back down on the bed.

Feng Jiu’er sat to one side, uncertain what she ought to do — stay there beside him and go back to sleep, or… aside from sleeping, she genuinely could not think of anything else she could do.

“When will I be able to go back?” she asked in a small voice.

Mu Mu ought to still be in that cave by the cliffside. For every day she did not return, Mu Mu could not leave, and he would be anxious.

And then there was Xiao Yingtao and the others — had they left the city by now to search for the Ninth Prince?

Yet none of them knew that the Ninth Prince, who was supposed to be outside the city, was right here at this very moment.

“The Ninth Prince has left the city in pursuit of the Young Palace Master of Ye Ming Palace. He is currently still outside the city. Your people have gone to find the Ninth Prince and relay information — they should have arrived by now.”

Di Wu Ya kept his eyes closed throughout. The long lashes resting against his eyelids cast a fan-shaped shadow beneath them — impossibly beautiful.

“Would you prefer that the Ninth Prince return at once, or that he return tomorrow after resolving matters?”

She very much wanted to say — come back at once. Mu Mu was still waiting.

And yet, the Ninth Prince rushing back in such frantic haste would inevitably arouse considerable suspicion.

If the matter were then uncovered, everyone would know that she and the Ninth Prince shared a relationship that could not be made known. Why else would the Ninth Prince be in such desperate urgency?

But if he were to return tomorrow… she herself being here was no great issue, but what of Mu Mu?

What if he were found by the people from the Imperial Guards Academy… though with Mu Mu’s martial arts, he surely would not be captured?

Still, she could not help but fear some unforeseen accident.

“Lord Sovereign, do you think the Ninth Prince would issue a sealed letter to Xiao Yingtao and the others, asking her to bring it back, and have Feng Jiu’er and Mu Mu detained first, to be personally interrogated upon his return?”

“Approved.”

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes lit up at once. She immediately reached out and began massaging his arm. “Lord Sovereign, the hour is already growing late. If Lord Sovereign feels well enough, perhaps rise early and take breakfast.”

“In such a rush?”

“Yes, very much in a rush.” Feng Jiu’er nodded, letting out a small sound of complaint. “Being falsely accused is not a pleasant feeling.”

Di Wu Ya opened his eyes once more and, at last, sat up again.

But as he was getting out of bed, he suddenly turned back and once again took hold of her chin.

“Has that boy ever kissed you?” he asked, eyes narrowing.

Feng Jiu’er was a little slow to follow. “Why would he kiss me?”

“Hmm?”

“No! Absolutely not! He has never even touched me!”

Feng Jiu’er immediately shook her head with great speed. “Absolutely not — I swear it!”

Did he think just anyone could casually go around kissing people, simply because they felt like it?

Ninth Imperial Uncle, there are certain things you ought to go and properly learn about — the matters between men and women. She let out a breath and said, in all sincerity:

“…Only you.”