Nobles maintained strict hierarchies between themselves, and their vehicles indeed differed.

Feng Miao Jun tilted her head: “Then which boat is mine?”

The boat captain took out his records and looked, pointing to the distance: “That one, I’ll have someone untie it for you.”

Just untying the boat took more than a quarter of an hour, and the mist on the river grew thicker. Feng Miao Jun looked at the boatman rowing and said: “The boatman assigned to me should also be the same one as before. I remember it wasn’t this person who brought me here.”

The boat captain was stunned: “This… he’s the only one left. The others have all been dispatched to the lakeside.”

Feng Miao Jun sat down on the wooden post where boats were tied at the shore: “No matter, I can wait.”

The boat captain made a sound of hesitation: “Then please wait a moment, I’ll go find someone right away.”

So decisive? It seemed the boatman wasn’t a problem. Feng Miao Jun was about to say “All right” when a group of people suddenly emerged from the forest and hurried toward them, led by Princess Han Yue.

Her expression was solemn, her whole bearing emanating a sense of heaviness, unlike the relaxed comfort she had shown earlier at the gathering. Before she reached them, her guard rushed forward and shouted: “The Princess needs to rush back to the capital, prepare the boat immediately!”

The boat captain was stunned: “The Princess’s painted barge is at the island lake and hasn’t been brought back yet…”

Princess Han Yue’s willow eyebrows stood straight: “Why was it taken there?” Her mood was poor, and her words carried a threatening aura, terrifying the boat captain even more. “To collect gold sand from the lake, as per Your Highness’s request.”

Princess Han Yue was momentarily at a loss for words. The fine sand in Double Fish Island’s lake was white and delicate, showing golden rays that glimmered in the sunlight, known as gold sand. She had indeed requested her attendants to bring some back to arrange her meditation pool.

That painted barge was too large and couldn’t be brought back quickly. Princess Han Yue’s gaze turned and caught sight of Feng Miao Jun, then she pointed at the boat in front of her: “Is this boat yours?”

Feng Miao Jun answered that it was.

Princess Han Yue said to the boat captain: “Forget about that painted barge.” Turning her head toward Feng Miao Jun, “I’ll go with you.”

Her words allowed no negotiation. Feng Miao Jun rubbed her nose and didn’t insist on changing the boatman: “As you command.”

Watching as the Princess and her seven or eight guards efficiently boarded Feng Miao Jun’s boat, the boat captain on shore was dumbfounded: “This, this, Princess…” This was against propriety.

Princess Han Yue sneered: “What, am I not allowed to ride this boat?”

“You can, you can!” The boat captain came to his senses and quickly untied the mooring rope. The boatman pushed the boat away from the shore, slowly sailing toward the opposite bank.

The wind on the river had stopped at some unknown time, leaving only the gurgling sound of water, growing ever more serene. The dense white mist like paste made the small boat seem even more isolated from the world, as if only this lonely boat remained between heaven and earth.

Princess Han Yue stared at the river’s surface, her gaze flickering constantly, occasionally biting her red lip, obviously restless. Feng Miao Jun didn’t speak either, just leaning back in the boat with her eyes closed, resting her spirit, not fawning over the Princess with solicitous inquiries like other noble ladies would.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t do so, but that she was unwilling. These past few days had brought setback after setback, with all the clues she sought broken off. Although her resilient nature made her grit her teeth and persist, her mood was at its worst, and she truly didn’t want to waste energy on superficial niceties with others.

Princess Han Yue seemed about to speak several times but hesitated until finally she couldn’t help but ask: “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m in such a hurry to get back?”

Feng Miao Jun slowly opened her eyes: “Why is the Princess in such a hurry to get back?”

Was she a puppet that only moved when prompted? Princess Han Yue said softly, “Little Cui flew over to tell me that my mother’s migraine has flared up, worse than ever before.”

“Little Cui” was that bird with long feathers, larger than a young chicken, with a rare vibrant coloration. It was now perched on the shoulder of a guard outside, its eyes, like its owner’s, round and large, with a certain majesty in its gaze.

Feng Miao Jun didn’t know what to say: “Her Majesty the Queen is blessed by heaven, surely she will be fine.”

Princess Han Yue couldn’t help but glare at her: “A migraine isn’t a terminal illness, why to talk about heaven’s blessing!”

Feng Miao Jun nodded with a smile: “Exactly right, it’s not a terminal illness.”

Princess Han Yue had heard from Little Cui that her mother’s migraine attack was unprecedentedly severe, so painful that she was rolling on the bed. Connected by the bond between mother and daughter, she had been anxious to the point of distress, but hearing Feng Miao Jun’s words, her heart suddenly became much calmer.

Indeed, it wasn’t a terminal illness. If she hurried back to care for her mother, surely the pain would be relieved.

Princess Han Yue still glared at her: “When it flares up, it’s still extremely severe. Don’t be so flippant, or I’ll punish you!”

“The Princess speaks the truth.”

Princess Han Yue felt something was off. The little girl sitting opposite her was speaking respectfully in every sentence, yet she could detect a sense of indifference, as if her mood wasn’t good either.

Usually, she wouldn’t pay much attention to such a girl of no distinguished background, but Princess Han Yue still had some restlessness in her heart and wanted to talk: “How did the Imperial Master’s third disciple die? I don’t believe he died suddenly! And why did the Imperial Master accept you as a disciple?”

She had seen Wang Shi Hao not long ago. The man was in his prime, and it was said that all his skills were the true transmission from the Imperial Master. How could he suddenly die in a foreign land? Growing up in a palace, she had seen more darkness and strangeness than others, making it easy to conclude that there must be some intrigue involved.

Those lies were meant to fool outsiders. If Princess Han Yue wanted to know, she would investigate on her own, though the information she received would be who knows how many times removed from the source, with who knows how much embellishment added in between. Rather than that, it was better to hear it directly from her. Besides, why should she keep secrets for Mo Ti Zhun?

Feng Miao Jun blinked: “Fine, I won’t hide it from you, Princess. Wang Shi Hao betrayed his master midway, ambushed my master, and was killed in retaliation. My master came to my home to recover from his wounds, and that’s when he accepted me as a disciple.”

After these few words, Princess Han Yue didn’t react immediately, staring blankly for two seconds before raising her voice: “You’re saying Wang Shi Hao tried to kill the Imperial Master?!” Feng Miao Jun’s summary was so concise, yet the Princess found it heart-stopping. Even the Imperial Master was wounded—how fierce must that battle have been?

“Not tried, but took action. He just didn’t succeed.”

Princess Han Yue was still digesting this information: “Why?” Feng Miao Jun had no reason to fabricate such a sensational story to deceive her, so its credibility was quite high.

Feng Miao Jun spread her hands: “That’s beyond my knowledge. I’m just a newcomer.”

This news, though shocking, stood on firmer ground than the insincere reason Mo Ti Zhun had put out. Princess Han Yue stared at her for a good while, probably accepting this explaKingdom, then curved her lips: “You’re really lucky.” Being accepted as the Imperial Master’s disciple was an opportunity that many royal relatives didn’t even dare to dream of.

Even though she was quite envious, unfortunately, her father the King never allowed his princes and princesses to get close to the Imperial Master.

A flash of helplessness passed through Feng Miao Jun’s eyes. Was this really good luck? Only she knew the hardships involved.

As they were talking, Princess Han Yue’s guard suddenly rushed in: “Princess, it’s bad! Water is coming in through the bottom of the boat, and the cabin is already half-flooded.”