The sweet, metallic taste of blood spread in both their mouths. She gradually softened, giving up her struggle. She couldn’t explain why—perhaps because she could feel his anger through this kiss?

When the long kiss finally ended, her mind was somewhat hazy. She only heard him say fiercely, “We need to settle our accounts properly!” He picked her up and placed her on the bed in the inner chamber, continuing to kiss her from her cheeks to her neck, with a clear intention of going further. His urgency resembled a cat meticulously licking its prey before swallowing it whole.

Feng Miaojun covered his mouth with her hand. “What’s happening outside? You’ve been in here so long—won’t people notice?”

Her high fever was subsiding, her small face flushed, her voice still weak. Her phoenix eyes were misty and clouded. Yun Ya rarely saw her in such a vulnerable state, and feeling the heat rising in his lower abdomen, he couldn’t help but bite her hand.

She pulled back her hand in surprise, and he immediately tore open her collar, using both hands and mouth to climb her snow mountains.

Feng Miaojun tried to push him away, but how could she succeed? After pleading a few times to no avail, unable to resist the strange sensations, her toes curled up, and she suddenly let out a light cry.

Using all his strength was one thing, but why did he have to use his teeth?

“It hurts,” she could only resort to her trump card, pushing his head slightly. Seeing he wouldn’t budge, she grew angry. “What did you add to the medicine?!” Her body was limp and weak, her mind still hazy—surely this wasn’t just from their intimacy?

His mouth was busy, so his words were a bit muffled: “The effects of black datura, purified tenfold.”

Feng Miaojun was furious: “You bastard!” This guy had specifically added something extra to the medicine!

“This substance is worth its weight in gold and extremely beneficial for your poison injury. In comparison, dizziness and weakness are just minor side effects.” He finally raised his head.

Feng Miaojun blushed: “Get off me.” He was like a blazing furnace, his heat incredible, making her parched. However, despite his improper position, he still remembered to prop himself up, not putting his full weight on her weakened body.

Even in these circumstances, he was still considerate.

“No,” he buried his head, his voice muffled from her chest. “Let’s settle our accounts first.”

“You snatched Yao territory from my hands,” he said through gritted teeth. “How do you plan to compensate me?”

After Yao territory was incorporated into New Xia, they had one brief meeting in a dream. They were too far apart then, and he could only exchange pleasantries. Now that she had fallen into his hands, hmph, he would settle both new and old scores!

Feng Miaojun tugged at his hair, but he refused to move, and she lacked the strength to pull harder. “Didn’t we agree that New Xia would also help the Wei Kingdom resist Yan?”

“Today the King of Yan already recognized your identity. Even if I didn’t make this request, you would have no choice but to do so.” Trying to get away with it? No chance.

Feng Miaojun couldn’t help but sigh. Yun Ya was right—after today, Yan Kingdom and New Xia would likely be sworn enemies. “How was I to know someone from Yan would recognize my weapon?”

“Star Sky Cone was originally a treasure of Jin Kingdom, personally gifted to you by the Jin King. Its appearance is quite recognizable,” Yun Ya sneered. “The Queen of New Xia now has quite a reputation on both the southern and northern continents. Do you think other rulers haven’t been carefully collecting information about you?”

Feng Miaojun blinked.

The An Xia region had always been one of the sources of turmoil in the Northern Continent. When the Fu Lingchuan siblings established their kingdom, it was already an eye-catching event. Moreover, New Xia later made a series of shocking moves: first signing a non-aggression pact with their old enemy Wei Kingdom and receiving several tens of millions of taels of silver in reparations; then the Queen of New Xia suddenly removing Fu Lingchuan from his position as State Preceptor and reclaiming power; later, without deploying a single soldier, snatching the fruits of victory from Wei Kingdom’s hands and annexing Yao territory, expanding the kingdom by more than half…

With so many major events occurring within the short span of two to three years after her ascension, which ruler with any sense wouldn’t thoroughly investigate her background?

Feng Miaojun changed the subject: “What’s happening outside? Is the State Preceptor of Xi Kingdom dead?”

“She hasn’t been seen since she fell from the cliff,” Yun Ya finally reluctantly raised his head. “She must not have reappeared, otherwise the King of Xi wouldn’t have surrendered so readily.”

Feng Miaojun was shocked: “The King of Xi surrendered?”

“That’s right.” Yun Ya made no effort to hide the mockery on his face. “When the King of Yan announced that Yu Haizhen had perished, the King of Xi lost all will to fight. He didn’t even defend the city walls, simply opened the gates and surrendered.”

He shrugged, delivering the final verdict on this chaos: “The Xi-Yan war is over.”

“It’s over, then.” Feng Miaojun murmured, somewhat dejected. This journey still hadn’t achieved its goal. Xi Kingdom’s defeat was expected by everyone, even the King of Wei didn’t believe that sending troops to aid Xi would change this country’s fate.

At its root, this country was already rotten. “Looking at it differently, the King of Xi’s refusal to fight to the bitter end spared many soldiers from sacrifice.”

Yun Ya laughed: “You think he did it for the people? The King of Yan simply told him that if he surrendered, he wouldn’t be killed and could maintain his luxury for the rest of his life.”

Feng Miaojun pursed her lips, truly despising such a petty man.

However, Yun Ya gently caressed her face and asked the key question: “What were you doing in Ying Gong City?” He was also startled when he saw her. Why wasn’t this girl being a queen in New Xia or Yao territory? Why come here to risk her life against Yan?

“Personally assessing Yan Kingdom’s strength,” she lied blatantly. “After all, we’ll soon be enemies with Yan, and just reading those two pages of intelligence reports is far from enough.”

But Yun Ya wasn’t so easily fooled: “You charged to the front and engaged with the King of Yan and the corpse demon—was that also to assess their cultivation?”

Of course not, Feng Miaojun bit her lip. She wasn’t just looking for trouble, but if Yu Haizhen was dead, where would she find someone to resolve her questions?

Seeing she didn’t answer, Yun Ya narrowed his eyes: “Why do I feel you’re particularly concerned about Yu Haizhen?”

“I quite like her.” This wasn’t a lie. Although she had no previous connection with Yu Haizhen, seeing this female State Preceptor fighting bloodily for her country, she truly admired her.

Like her? Yun Ya’s face darkened as he gripped her chin: “Tell the truth, or I’ll take you right now!” She looked so tempting that he hadn’t devoured her only because he was using all his self-control. If she gave him any excuse to act…

Judging by their position, things could ignite at any moment. Feng Miaojun was terrified and blurted out without thinking: “I want to recruit her!”

Yun Ya was stunned, not expecting this answer: “What?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Feng Miaojun was also stunned. But she reacted quickly, a flash of inspiration crossing her mind, and she continued: “Xi Kingdom couldn’t be saved anyway. Yu Haizhen has profound cultivation and is devoted to her country—why shouldn’t I recruit her to be the State Preceptor of New Xia?”