Yin Xing’s eyes revealed a look of admiration. “You serve by his side every day, envied by so many sisters. If you could win Master Tie’s favor, you’d have a good future ahead.”

This last sentence was the key point, and Feng Miao Jun understood. Tie Xin Ning was under the State Preceptor’s tutelage and couldn’t marry daughters of the nobility, which meant commoners without official titles had their chance. Moreover, his status was extraordinary—marrying him would be ten times better than becoming a concubine to some other high official.

How had this nominal Senior Brother enchanted all the palace maids with spring fever? Feng Miao Jun thought carefully and recalled that Tie Xin Ning’s gaze might not be as bright as Yin Xing described, but it was gentle and often carried a smile, like a spring breeze caressing willows, making even his ordinary face more lively. Being looked at by such eyes made one feel a tingling sensation, like a mild electric current.

She had always been somewhat dense regarding romantic feelings and hadn’t noticed before. Besides, cultivators’ eyes were naturally brighter than ordinary people’s. Now that Yin Xing had pointed it out, her heart stirred slightly as she recalled feeling a certain inexplicable awkwardness whenever she saw Tie Xin Ning these past few days.

Just a little bit, though—she had dismissed it as simply adjusting to a stranger and didn’t dwell on it.

But was Tie Xin Ning’s behavior any different from when they were in Cai Xing City? Their acquaintance wasn’t deep, and she wasn’t clear about his true nature. How could she understand someone completely in just a few days? Thinking of this, she asked Yin Xing: “Has Master Tie ever entered the palace before?”

“In the past ten years, he’s only come twice with State Preceptor Mo. Once was for a state banquet—he returned completely drunk and refused anyone’s assistance.”

So others didn’t know much about Tie Xin Ning either.

That day on the road, the Princess summoned her for company while a young maid came to report the menu. After some thought, Feng Miao Jun asked Yin Xing to deliver one meal and one dessert to Senior Brother.

In the evening, Yin Xing returned to tell her that Tie Xin Ning hadn’t refused this time, though he only took two bites of the main meal but finished all the almond cream. “Master Tie also asked me to bring two more jugs of wine.”

Hearing this, Feng Miao Jun felt somewhat relieved. So Tie Xin Ning’s rejection of Lady Cui’s goodwill was simply because he didn’t enjoy meals, not because of any special attention toward Feng Miao Jun. If Lady Cui had brought him sweets, she wouldn’t have been refused either.

Originally, she had harbored some suspicions, but if he were truly that person, why wouldn’t he simply grab her and interrogate her? That would be the most direct, rough, and effective approach.

That night, the Commander didn’t order them to find a sheltered place to camp, because ahead lay one of the White Elephant Mountain Range’s famous wonders—the Cliff Mountain Cave.

Just ahead was the entrance to the cave.

The team proceeded downhill, first entering a huge cavern of strange shape. Looking up, they saw the ceiling riddled with countless holes. Sunlight streamed through from above, casting a mosaic of intertwining shadows. After much contemplation, Feng Miao Jun could only find one appropriate comparison: it was as if they were walking inside a rugby ball punctured with numerous holes.

The ground was clean. Although heavy snow had fallen early that morning, not a trace of it could be seen in the cave. The floor was covered with dark green, thick moss, exceptionally pristine—since entering the snowy mountains, this was the first time she had seen the color green.

Countless icicles hung down from the edges of the holes above, some dense like waterfalls, others delicate like willow branches, crystal clear. As sunlight shone through them, they cast rainbow-colored light on the cave walls.

Most people in the team were visiting for the first time, and exclamations of admiration rose continuously. After her initial amazement, Feng Miao Jun looked upward and saw that the holes more than ten zhang above were covered with countless layers of fine gossamer. Snow was blocked outside the cave, and when the sun rose, it melted into the water but refroze before reaching the cave floor, forming spectacular icicle formations.

Due to this fine silk, wind, and snow couldn’t enter, and the temperature at the bottom of the cave was only a few degrees below zero—compared to the icy world outside, it felt like paradise.

How could there be silk here? She stared for a few moments and suddenly noticed grayish-brown shadows moving on the fine silk, but they were too layered to see clearly.

“Those are snow cave spider demons,” Tie Xin Ning’s voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.

She turned her head to find Senior Brother standing behind her, no more than a fist’s distance away. This section of the path was a steep descent, and no one could ride in carriages or on horseback—everyone had to walk.

He was standing a bit too close. Feng Miao Jun stepped forward to create some distance and was about to speak when a sharp scream came from behind: “My—my face!”

They both turned toward the sound and saw Lady Cui, her face drained of color. “What’s happening!”

In her hand, she clutched a flower-shaped bronze mirror.

Lady Cui had delicate features and fair skin, but now her face was covered with tiny red bumps, like a rash, each topped with a blister that oozed pus when broken. There were several fingernail marks on her cheeks, probably from scratching when the itching became unbearable before she finally realized something was wrong.

Hastily, she grabbed a handkerchief to cover her face. In her panic, her eyes met Feng Miao Jun’s, and rage flared in them.

Without thinking, she rushed over: “It’s you! It must be your doing!” Surely this little wretch held a grudge and secretly poisoned her!

In the palace, weren’t such things common?

“What are you saying, Lady Cui?” Feng Miao Jun said earnestly. “Judging by the shape of the rash, it seems Lady Cui has touched something she shouldn’t have.”

As she spoke, Lady Cui had already charged over and was about to grab her when her foot caught on something. With a scream, her body flew sideways.

Tie Xin Ning stood closest to her, and she seemed about to fall right into his embrace. Unexpectedly, Tie Xin Ning stepped back, avoiding her flailing hands.

As a result, Lady Cui fell in an extremely ungraceful manner, face-first onto the ground, immediately bloodied.

Her scream was so piercing that it startled a nearby beast of burden-carrying goods, making it restless. Tie Xin Ning moved quickly, grabbing its bridle to prevent it from moving while softly calming it, preventing it from turning and injuring others.

Feng Miao Jun couldn’t bear to watch.

In Senior Brother’s eyes, the startled pack animal seemed more important than the injured woman.

Fortunately, Lady Cui’s scream lasted only half a beat before abruptly stopping—she had fainted.

Others quickly came to lift her and carried her to find a military doctor. Tie Xin Ning stroked his chin with a serious expression: “By the looks of it, she’s been exposed to spider silk. Applying some moisturizing cream should help.”

“…” Whether or not she had touched spider silk, Feng Miao Jun believed Lady Cui no longer cared at this point. When she woke up, she would probably be more concerned about her scarred face.

Senior Brother was secretly mischievous! “You did that on purpose just now.”

Tie Xin Ning glanced at her: “Weren’t you also deliberate a few days ago?” Why did Lady Cui’s face break out in a rash? Wasn’t it because this little minx had used moisturizing cream?