“Mother—” The word “dear” was still caught in her throat when Foster Mother Xu had already embraced her beautiful little face, kissing her again and again. “Mua! My precious An’an has finally returned!” She pinched her slender waist fiercely and demanded, “Will you leave again this time?”

“I won’t leave.” As Xu became increasingly energetic, she quickly surrendered. “This time I’ve returned to stay with you all and won’t go anywhere.”

Saying this, she felt guilty in her heart. She had left her foster mother twice—the first time following Mo Tizhun, the second time being kept by Yun Ya. The time spent with her family always passed as swiftly as a white horse glimpsed through a crack.

This time, she intended to make it up to her family and stay properly by her foster mother’s side.

After all, she had now escaped completely intact, free of all burdens!

Xu was overjoyed, holding her tightly and refusing to let go, her beautiful eyes reddening again. Feng Miaojun, seeing her on the verge of tears, truly couldn’t handle it and could only shoot a fierce glance toward the smiling Peng Bai standing to one side.

The latter immediately coughed lightly and came over to help: “Miss… An’an has just returned and must be both tired and hungry. Don’t you want her to rest well?”

Xu let out an “Ah!” and quickly released her. “You’re right.”

Peng Bai was a martial man, and now he detected the scent of blood and iron from Feng Miaojun. He couldn’t help asking: “Have you just been in a fight?”

Feng Miaojun shook her head. “I’ve just returned from the battlefield. Wei Yao’s army fought a decisive battle at Wufu Snow Mountain, killing until blood flowed like rivers.” She stretched lazily, her joints cracking loudly. “Mother, I want to bathe.”

Going two days without food or water was tolerable, but she had been mixed among a group of men, enduring more than ten hours of their sour, foul odor. Now her entire body was unbearably itchy.

Xu promptly took her back to their family residence two streets away, where her maiden chamber had long been prepared, along with a large tub of hot water.

After thoroughly enjoying a bath, washing away all the dust and blood scent from her body, Feng Miaojun felt alive again.

Xu prepared a feast at home to entertain her daughter.

The table was filled with delicacies. Though they couldn’t compare to the rare delicacies Feng Miaojun had enjoyed while at Yun Ya’s side, she still ate with great relish. Xu watched from the side, grinding her teeth: “That Yun Ya was so stingy with my daughter, despite being the great State Preceptor!” The way her daughter was wolfing down food, how long had it been since she’d eaten?

Feng Miaojun, gnawing on a chicken leg, spoke indistinctly: “What delicacy could compare to the chicken legs cooked by my mother?” But truthfully speaking, the braised chicken legs cooked by Xu were genuinely delicious—this was the only dish she knew how to make.

Xu turned from anger to laughter: “You always know just what to say.”

Feng Miaojun wiped her hands with a soft cloth: “Why are you still in Yao Capital?” By all rights, the Feng family business should have already relocated southward.

“During this period, the Kingdom of Yao implemented wartime regulations, one of which forbids merchants from relocating. Especially in the capital, merchants large and small are under strict control. Entry and exit require examination, and all business owners are forbidden from leaving the city.” Peng Bai shook his head. “When the great war first began, most of our assets were still here. We only managed to send out a dozen or so people to the Taoyuan Border to investigate the situation there.”

So it was wartime control, Feng Miaojun understood. The early period of war is the most exceptional time for a country. Normal commercial activities are greatly affected. The Kingdom of Yao had to divert large quantities of supplies to the front lines in a short time and was unwilling to let merchants withdraw or allow public morale to waver.

Feng Miaojun decisively said: “Wait another two months. If the war doesn’t stop, Yao Kingdom cannot maintain such strict control forever.” Civilian life must continue, and normal commercial activities are indispensable.

Next, Xu asked about Feng Miaojun’s experiences, and she answered what she could.

When Xu heard that she had sneaked back, she sighed: “What a pity to miss out on State Preceptor Yun’s elegant bearing.”

Feng Miaojun nearly rolled her eyes: “What does that have to do with me?”

“He treated you quite specially.”

“Special how?” She picked up a piece of cherry meat for herself. “By threatening me all day?”

“The other maids were all dead long ago.” Xu smiled. “Where would they get the opportunity to be threatened by the State Preceptor?”

So this was her honor?

Speaking of the great war, Peng Bai listened with repeated sighs, while Xu covered her chest saying: “The Golden City! My An’an almost became the mistress of the Golden City. Aiya, what a pity!”

They lived in Yao Capital and had countless times passed by the palace gates, gazing upon the magnificent building complex inside. Of course, they only looked in from outside the walls.

Xu had never imagined that she and the royal family could have any connection, but that Prince Miao Fengxian of Yao Kingdom liked her daughter.

Now he had become the Crown Prince and would later ascend to be the monarch. If her daughter married him, then becoming the queen of a country would be inevitable, and entering the Golden City would be effortless.

She explained this chain of reasoning. Peng Bai listened with suppressed laughter, but Feng Miaojun shook her head: “Princess Hanyue has already married him. What place is there for me?” She was also firmly resolved never to share a husband with other women. Kings and such were filtered out immediately. “My man can only be good to me. If he dares touch another woman, I’ll chop off his hand; if he dares smile at another woman, I’ll pull out all his teeth!”

After saying this, she noticed Xu staring at her in a daze: “An’an…” Was this still her daughter? She was domineering!

Uh, Feng Miaojun felt embarrassed. Could it be that after staying with Yun Ya for so long, she now threatened violence at the slightest provocation?

Truly, one becomes black near ink—these bad habits were terrible and must be changed!

Xu sighed softly: “This reminds me, my good daughter is already sixteen this year and should be looking for a good family to marry into.”

Feng Miaojun quickly said: “We’re about to move, why look now?” Her foster mother’s eager appearance was frightening.

Indeed, Xu pursed her lips unhappily. The Feng family would still maintain a branch in Yao Capital, but the main personnel, including Xu herself, would have to relocate to the Taoyuan Border. This journey would be far and long; even if they could arrive smoothly, it would be nearly the end of the year.

By then, her daughter would be almost seventeen. Moreover, with the unclear situation in Yao Capital, their relocation plans were being forced to delay further.

She was worried that her daughter, beautiful as a heavenly fairy, might miss her chance for a good marriage because of her age.

Seeing her foster mother’s melancholy, Feng Miaojun coughed lightly: “Don’t worry, Mother. Ordinary men don’t appeal to me anyway.”

“Indeed, after experiencing such a beautiful man as Yun Ya, how could you look at anyone else?” Xu sighed. “Without royal lineage, who could match my An’an?”

Hey, those words were quite ambiguous!

But regardless, the days finally passed peacefully one by one.

Feng Miaojun lived the life she wanted—no fear for her life, family by her side, eating, drinking, and having fun all day, single-mindedly cultivating.

In a word, she loved life and stayed far away from Yun Ya.

If not for the lingering shadow of war, this small life would have been extremely pleasant. Only occasionally, when practicing mystical techniques, would she think of Yun Ya and recall that many of these insights and incantations came from his teachings.

Just occasionally.

However, Yun Ya was not one to be put at ease. How could he be willing to be forgotten by her?

On the third day after her return to Yao Capital, that night the moon was full and large. She was exhaling to nourish her spiritual power under the moonlight when suddenly the turtle mark in her dantian moved, and then an immensely powerful suction force transmitted from within!