Feng Miaojun maintained a stern face without uttering a word, but Yun Ya knew she was waiting for him to continue. He rested his chin on his hand and said, “I know you have a deep friendship with Princess Hanyue. How about this: after we take down the Kingdom of Xiao, I guarantee her life will be safe, and I’ll have someone escort her back to the Jin Kingdom.”

She gave a slight cold laugh. “Do I need your guarantee?”

“With Your Majesty the Queen personally taking action, my subordinates certainly couldn’t stop you.” His eyes gleamed with a faint light even in the dim night. “But this way, Princess Hanyue’s safety would be virtually guaranteed. Don’t forget the Wei-Xia Agreement.”

Bound by the agreement, she couldn’t personally intervene to rescue Princess Hanyue and her child.

“Is that all? That shows too little sincerity.” Feng Miaojun glanced at him sideways. “At the very least, you should include her son as well. You must ensure the safety of both mother and child.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Ya pondered for a moment before saying, “Do you realize that our Wei forces have already reached the auxiliary city of Yuyang, and the Xiao royal court will likely choose to resist to the end? Protecting Princess Hanyue alone already defies the royal command. Adding the Xiao prince…”

Princess Hanyue was, after all, a Jin national; whether she lived or died made little difference. However, her son Miao Fengxian was the only living heir to the Xiao royal family and commanded profound influence in the Xiao territory. Even if Wei conquered Xiao this time, as long as he lived, the Xiao people’s hope for restoration would never die.

Weren’t the New Xia and the Queen before him perfect examples of this?

He shook his head gently. “You understand as well; he cannot remain in hiding forever.”

Princess Hanyue could be secretly sent back to Jin, and she could live out her life under a different identity. But the Xiao prince couldn’t do the same—his very existence was a beacon. The Xiao people would seek him out to rebuild their nation.

When that time came, wouldn’t everyone realize that this massacre was just a joke? If they couldn’t even kill the most important direct descendant of the Xiao royal family, what was all this talk about leaving neither chicken nor dog alive?

The Wei King’s reputation, as well as the relationship between the Wei King and the State Preceptor, would both suffer damage.

Feng Miaojun remained unmoved. “If it were easy, where would the sincerity be?” She smiled faintly. “Princess Hanyue is a royal daughter of Great Jin. After Wei conquers Xiao, you’ll have a pile of troubles to deal with. Would you provoke Jin again? Returning Princess Hanyue is already a reasonable decision; you can’t use it as a favor to me.”

Yun Ya’s gaze flickered slightly, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “If I can arrange this, then Anan won’t be angry with me anymore?”

“…Mm.” She nodded.

“Good.” His smile deepened. “It’s a deal.”

Neither mentioned the imminent great battle, as it was inevitable. Feng Miaojun understood that Wei was determined to take Xiao, and almost nothing could deter Xiao Yan and Yun Ya’s resolve. All she could do was try to protect Princess Hanyue and her son, honoring their past friendship.

Yun Ya raised his wrist to reach for her small hand. “Would Your Majesty the Queen deign to sit down?”

His voice was exceptionally gentle.

Feng Miaojun instinctively moved away.

Yun Ya coughed twice and changed his posture. “Not angry anymore, hmm?”

Hearing the tension in his voice, Feng Miaojun remembered that his wounds were still serious. Her heart softened, and her posture became less rigid. When Yun Ya reached for her hand again, she finally yielded to his pull and sat down on the cloak.

The rooftop was quite cool in early summer. The gray cloak didn’t cover a large area, so when she sat down, there was only about a fist’s width between them.

The warmth from the man’s body seemed to reach her through two layers of clothing.

Feeling uncomfortable, she tried to move further away, but he held her hand firmly, smiling. “My Anan is truly worthy of being a queen, showing the magnanimity of a ruler!”

Well, after letting him say all that, how could she maintain a stern face? Feng Miaojun laughed despite her annoyance and turned to examine his wound. “Laughing so merrily, have you forgotten the pain already?”

“Ah.” He seemed to suddenly remember. “It’s healing, but it itches terribly. I wonder if it will leave a scar. Would you look at it for me?” He began to undo his collar.

Feng Miaojun didn’t stop him, just waited expectantly. Other men might have become shy under her direct gaze, but fortunately, this was Yun Ya—his face was thick enough that even an explosive talisman couldn’t pierce it. He quickly loosened his clothes.

Only when he revealed his well-proportioned and clearly defined upper body did she lean in for a closer look. She nodded: “Indeed, it’s healing very well. In a few more days, you’ll be up and about again.” This was about the external wound. Then she extended her finger and pressed lightly over his heart. “What about here? Has that thing been removed?” At the time, she had only provided emergency treatment. Among the dozens of cultivators who escaped with them, there must have been skilled physicians; she didn’t need to worry about this.

Her movement was so natural, but her touch was not light. Yun Ya wasn’t in pain, just felt an itch spreading from where she touched, all the way to his heart. He tried to catch her small hand again, but she avoided him.

He pouted with disappointment. “It’s been removed, but the heart injury still needs time to heal.”

Feng Miaojun noticed his lips still lacked color, knowing his heart ailment remained unhealed. She hastily admonished, “The Wei army will arrive soon; there’s no need for you to take action here. Take good care of yourself and don’t aggravate your injuries!”

Don’t push yourself too far, don’t die, she thought. She was still enjoying her life and had no desire to join him in death!

“Don’t worry.” Yun Ya’s peach blossom eyes flashed with a peculiar light. “I’ll take Anan’s concern to heart!”

Feng Miaojun felt half her body go numb with embarrassment. She couldn’t refute him and could only painfully respond, “Good that you understand,” before quickly changing the subject. “Where did you find the assassin who targeted Miao Fengxian?” Cultivators valued their lives; few were willing to fight for mutual destruction.

“Her name is Liu Yue. Originally, she wasn’t among those selected for the operation in the Xiao capital, but she volunteered.” Yun Ya continued slowly. “She was married in a border village in eastern Wei called Caodian. She and her husband were deeply in love. Her talent for cultivation was only discovered after marriage, making her a late starter. Four years ago, her daughter went to the fields to bring food to her father but was spotted by several Xiao soldiers who dragged her into the woods and violated her for two hours. The father, following the path to find his daughter, was beaten to death by these Xiao soldiers. The next day, the young girl drowned herself in the river.”

He paused. “When Liu Yue heard the news, she was devastated, but the journey was long, and by the time she returned, half a month had passed. You know the border between Wei and Xiao has always been tense, with no recourse for justice. She infiltrated the Xiao camp intending to kill those soldiers but was severely wounded by a cultivator in their army and nearly died there. Since then, she has harbored a deep hatred for the Xiao people and wanted to join any operation against them.”

Feng Miaojun remained silent for a while before asking, “Why did she want to kill Miao Fengxian?” To assassinate and then commit suicide required incredible determination.

“One of the Xiao soldiers who violated her daughter later had a successful career, becoming Miao Fengxian’s attendant, highly valued by him.” Yun Ya sighed. “Moreover, do you know who was commanding the border army stationed east of Caodian Village at that time?”