After all the groundwork laid, what Feng Miao Jun had been waiting for was just this question. She lowered her posture and spoke softly: “We cannot do it, but someone else can.” Her gaze shifted, falling upon the small bottle.

Inside the bottle, Princess Han Yue was staring at them with wide eyes.

She couldn’t hear the sounds from outside but could tell from their gestures that they were discussing something.

That was her dream lover standing before her eyes, alive and in the flesh.

“So this was your purpose all along!” Yun Ya followed Feng Miao Jun’s line of sight and couldn’t help but laugh. “You want to release her.” What a crafty girl, finally revealing her true intentions. She still wanted to save her little friend’s life!

Feng Miao Jun had anticipated his reaction and calmly replied: “How did you originally intend to deal with her? If you didn’t want to leave her alive, you would have killed her already.” Abducting Princess Han Yue from the wedding wasn’t an easy task, even with Yun Ya handling it, it required meticulous planning. If the goal was merely to disrupt the Yao-Jin relationship, he could have killed the princess after capturing her. Why keep her inside the small bottle?

Yun Ya smiled: “Whether to kill her or not, that’s for later consideration.”

Hearing this, Feng Miao Jun understood that he had no special plans for the princess. He merely kept his options open, not eliminating all possibilities.

Her heart immediately felt half relieved: “Your original arrangement, though ingenious, has had its effect greatly reduced by the Crown Prince’s sudden death. Moreover, facing Wei’s attack, Yao and Jin must temporarily set aside their grievances, no matter how many. What great use is there in continuing to hold Princess Han Yue?”

Yun Ya interlocked his fingers in front of his chest, assuming a posture of attentive listening: “Continue.”

“Since that’s the case, why not let her expose Xu Wen Rin and others for us?” This felt like her first job interview, having to rack her brains to convince the examiner. “She will soon be the consort of the Yao Crown Prince. Miao Feng Xian has already promised Mo Tizhun that as long as she was abducted against her will, she would still be his consort once she safely returned. We cannot reach Miao Feng Xian and the King of Yao, but for Princess Han Yue, this would be easy!”

Yun Ya made a “hmm” sound, his eyes suddenly gleaming brilliantly: “He only made such a generous declaration because he thought Princess Han Yue would never return. A man of his word should honor his promise. I should help him fulfill it.”

That light in his eyes was all too familiar to Feng Miao Jun—it spoke of malicious intent.

But was that the point? Why did both he and Princess Han Yue keep straying from the main issue today?

Never mind, that shouldn’t be her focus right now.

Feng Miao Jun concentrated on the matter at hand: “So, what do you think of this plan?”

“Just one last question.” Yun Ya leaned back lazily. “How can you be sure she will return to Yao? We both know she’s been thinking about breaking the engagement every day and now—” he turned toward the small bottle, his gaze meeting Princess Han Yue’s, “she has a heaven-sent opportunity.”

“Although Princess Han Yue loves to have fun, she wouldn’t disregard the Kingdom of Jin. I understand her; I will do my best to persuade her.” Feng Miao Jun said each word carefully. “Anyway, she’s already a discarded piece. Even if we take this gamble, the risk isn’t great.”

When Feng Miao Jun returned to the small bottle, Princess Han Yue’s expression had calmed considerably. She even straightened her beautiful hair before asking:

“Has my fate been decided?”

Feng Miao Jun sat across from her, maintaining eye contact: “Yes. But first, you must tell me, if you could leave here, what would your next steps be?”

“Leave here?” Princess Han Yue gave a derisive laugh. “After all the trouble you took to capture me, you’d let me go back? Huh, are you making fun of me?”

Feng Miao Jun replied calmly: “Do I look like I’m making fun of you?”

Her expression was as unruffled as a still well. Princess Han Yue laughed a couple of times but couldn’t continue, staring at her for a long while: “You’ll let me go?”

“That depends on what you plan to do afterward.”

“What about you?” Princess Han Yue suddenly asked in return. “You’ve accomplished so many things with Yun Ya. What will you do next? Continue to follow him?”

Thoughts spun through Feng Miao Jun’s mind thousands of times, but in the end, they could only crystallize into one word:

“Yes.”

She said dispassionately: “He has taken me as his attendant and is willing to guide my cultivation. From now on, I will follow him.” Until the time is ripe to leave.

Princess Han Yue took a long, long breath, saying enviously: “If only I could be you, how wonderful that would be!”

To accompany Yun Ya, sharing his fortunes—this was the life of her dreams, yet it had been realized by her friend.

Feng Miao Jun could only smile bitterly.

The dangers and terrors of staying by Yun Ya’s side were not something outsiders could understand.

“Many things are not as beautiful as they appear on the surface,” she said softly. “My current circumstances, your princess status—none of it is what it seems.”

Princess Han Yue closed her eyes: “Wei has declared war on Yao, hasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Feng Miao Jun answered truthfully. “Two battles have already been fought, and Wei troops have advanced more than a hundred li into Yao territory.”

War had truly come.

“What about my Great Jin?”

“I don’t know.” Feng Miao Jun didn’t hide anything from her. “This place is too far from Jin territory. I’m not clear about the Jin King’s response. News doesn’t travel so quickly.”

“After my disappearance, how did my fiancé react?”

Feng Miao Jun repeated what Miao Feng Xian had said to Mo Tizhun in the tavern that day, then continued: “If I let you go back, you will still be his consort, and the relationship between Yao and Jin will be repaired.”

Princess Han Yue murmured: “He doesn’t hate me?”

“In times of national crisis, your appearance would be like sending charcoal in snowy weather. He would be relieved beyond measure. Besides, your disappearance from the wedding ceremony was forced by Yun—by us, not because you intended to run away. Why would he hate you?” Feng Miao Jun smiled slightly. “If you still have concerns, I’ll give you an enormous merit that will guarantee his gratitude. He’ll cherish you in the palm of his hand from then on.”

Princess Han Yue looked at her with a frown: “Merit?”

“His elder brother, Crown Prince Miao Feng Yuan, was killed, and the murderer is still at large. Countless people suspect Miao Feng Xian, you understand that, right?”

“Of course.” Princess Han Yue replied matter-of-factly. “With the Crown Prince dead, he benefits the most. Who else would people suspect?”

“But the murderer is someone else; it’s truly not Miao Feng Xian…”

Before she could finish, Princess Han Yue’s eyes widened: “Could it be Yun Ya again?!” When admiring someone, one often sees their flaws as virtues, such as Yun Ya’s ruthlessness.

But that was when he was causing trouble for others.

If he had stirred up this whirlpool, drawing in even Princess Han Yue, then a sense of “fear” would finally be added to her feelings toward him.

“It wasn’t him,” Feng Miao Jun quickly said. “However, we have important clues. If Miao Feng Xian follows the trail, it won’t be difficult to discover who the real culprit is. When that time comes, he’ll clear himself of the suspicion of fratricide. How could he still resent you?”