Though the food box was large, it contained only two bowls of dishes and one bowl of coarse rice.

The bowls were big—one held braised pork, the other boiled beans.

The braised pork was cooked until it was almost black, in large chunks with a layer of oil shining on the surface. Fortunately, it was still warm coming out of the box; otherwise, the meat would have been covered with a layer of white fat. She tried a bite—indeed, as expected, it was fatty and greasy.

The other bowl of boiled beans was truly just “boiled”—no Sichuan pepper, red oil, or chili powder. The only seasoning was salt.

Considering this meal was the same as what the Wei King ate, Feng Miaojun slowly began to eat.

Since arriving in this world, she had experienced many adventures, but except for those days in the White Elephant Mountains, she had never deprived her palate and had developed quite a refined taste. After just a few bites of these two dishes, she felt a wave of nausea in her stomach, finding it difficult to swallow.

But she understood that this was the food provided in the military camp—high-fat, high-protein for calories, with heavy oil and salt for strength. Soldiers came here to fight, not to maintain their health.

Food is precious and should not be wasted. Feng Miaojun made a great effort to finally finish it all. Just then, someone came to report from outside: “His Majesty has begun the welcoming banquet. The State Preceptor instructs you to go and attend to him.”

It seemed they had finished their discussions.

Tonight was clear, with a moon as round as a plate. The banquet was set up in an open space halfway up the mountainside. The Wei King occupied the seat of honor, followed by the State Preceptor, Xiao Yan, and other leaders. Someone at the table had said something that triggered a round of laughter.

Feng Miaojun was led to stand behind Yun Ya. Without turning around, he knew she had arrived and said: “Pour the wine.”

Soldiers were required to observe a ban on alcohol during battle, but tonight was an exception. Feng Miaojun truly wanted to pour the wine over his head, but under the gaze of so many, she could only raise the jug to pour wine for Yun Ya, filling it to seven-tenths. The Wei King patted his seat: “Fill it to the brim!”

Feng Miaojun hesitated slightly, but Yun Ya had already pressed down on the mouth of the jug, filling his cup until the wine overflowed: “Come.”

His palm rested on the back of her hand, applying gentle pressure. Perhaps due to the wine, his warmth was even more intense than usual.

Though she kept her head lowered, the Wei King’s eyes were not yet dim with age. In the firelight, he saw her clearly, and his gaze couldn’t help but focus: “Where did our State Preceptor find such a beauty!”

Once he mentioned it, everyone’s gaze turned toward Feng Miaojun.

Even beauties standing beside Yun Ya often appeared as fireflies compared to the bright moon, dimmed in his radiance. But the attendant Yun Ya had brought this time, though dressed simply and wearing no makeup, possessed a striking and vibrant beauty that, paired with Yun Ya’s languid casualness, created a miraculously harmonious impression.

Yun Ya smiled slightly and extended his hand toward Feng Miaojun: “Come.”

When he fixed his gaze on someone, it was always misty and captivating, enhanced by his extended hand with its luminous palm and jade-like fingers. Feng Miaojun had come with a belly full of anger, but now, not knowing what had bewitched her, she offered her hand to him in front of everyone, as if enchanted.

A gentle yet irresistible force pulled her down to sit directly beside Yun Ya. Immediately afterward, his hand moved to encircle her slender waist, which seemed too delicate to grasp.

His body was burning hot, making her face flush.

Feng Miaojun also understood that in this situation, she couldn’t be willful or pull away. She could only suppress her discomfort and obediently lean against him.

“An’an was originally an orphan. When I triggered Cliff Mountain to erupt again, I was injured and she rescued me. After I recovered, I brought her with me.” Yun Ya had told this story to Xiao Yan before, so naturally, he repeated it verbatim now, avoiding any contradictions that might constitute the serious crime of deceiving the sovereign.

Of course, Feng Miaojun didn’t believe he would care about such a crime.

This statement contained a wealth of information. Everyone who heard it was moved, and the Wei King exclaimed: “You were actually injured!” He raised his wine cup and actually saluted Feng Miaojun from afar, his voice resonating like a bell, “Come, I toast you, thank you for safely rescuing my good State Preceptor!”

Given his status as the ruler of a kingdom, he was willing to toast a mere attendant. Feng Miaojun’s impression of this white-haired yet robust old man immediately improved. With such magnanimity, it was no wonder that so many talented people, including Yun Ya, were willing to serve him.

Of course, there would be no drinking vessel prepared for her here. Without hesitation, Yun Ya considerately placed his wine cup in her hand: “Why aren’t you raising your cup?”

Feng Miaojun had no choice but to raise the cup in return, draining the full cup of wine in one go.

This cup had been used by Yun Ya, and she was very careful to rotate the cup’s rim, not wanting to indirectly kiss him.

The Wei King threw down his cup and laughed heartily: “With the Cliff Mountain passage destroyed, Yao and Jin can no longer easily exchange resources. The State Preceptor has accomplished this extraordinary feat beyond human capability. Come, accept another toast from me!”

As attendants quickly refilled his cup, Feng Miaojun also poured wine for Yun Ya. The latter smiled, raised his cup, and drank it in one gulp.

The transparent wine turned into several streaks flowing down his neck. Feng Miaojun rarely saw him act so boldly. Yun Ya wasn’t accustomed to drinking quickly, and before he could set down his cup, he grabbed a white handkerchief, coughing repeatedly from the choking sensation.

His coughing brought an unhealthy flush to his jade-like handsome face. The Wei King had planned to make him drink several more cups but now had to abandon the idea.

At this moment, someone snorted and said: “The State Preceptor was supposedly in seclusion, yet he managed to cut off the Cliff Mountain underground palace and eliminate Your Majesty’s great concern. This kind of seclusion—you should undertake it more often!”

Feng Miaojun looked toward the speaker. The man had a stalwart build, ruddy complexion, and eyes flashing with brilliance. Just from his appearance, one could tell he was a fierce general. However, she paid more attention to his seating position. This man was seated third on the left below the Wei King, indicating his high status among the leaders accompanying the King on this expedition.

More importantly, though his words accused Yun Ya of deceiving the sovereign, the Wei King showed no anger upon hearing them, only smiling as he watched the two.

Yun Ya’s hand was already on Feng Miaojun’s shoulder, and now he patted it gently twice: “I also wish I could be as forthright as General He Lian, but unfortunately, destroying the Cliff Mountain passage wasn’t easy. If I had announced my movements to the world, the royal army would now be facing the combined forces of Yao and Jin.”

This general was the renowned Wei general He Lian Jia. Feng Miaojun had done her research and knew something about him. He was said to be upright and incorruptible, notoriously at odds with Yun Ya, yet refusing to be recruited by the Crown Prince or the Queen Consort. He was considered a pure stream in the court. If not for his prowess in battle and the Wei King’s explicit appreciation of his straightforwardness, how could He Lian Jia live so comfortably and confront whoever displeased him?

He Lian Jia widened his eyes, about to offer more rebuttals when the Wei King intervened to smooth things over: “Enough. Cloud Minister’s journey was under my authorization. He was injured while accomplishing an extraordinary feat, making this war easier to fight. Everyone present should be grateful to him!”

With the ruler having spoken, He Lian Jia dared not say more. The Wei King was skilled at creating a warm atmosphere, and a few words restored the mood, allowing king and ministers to fully enjoy themselves.